"The Wild placed forward Colton Gillies on waivers Friday morning, opening themselves up to the possibility another team could claim him as they planned to send him to Houston to develop his game.

Gillies, a first-round draft pick in 2007 who had only two assists this season while logging just more than nine minutes of ice time per game, would have to be claimed by 11 a.m. today. If he's not, he would return to the minors, where he scored 26 points in 64 games for current Wild coach Mike Yeo last season. Gillies would find more playing time there, and the Wild are also hoping he'd find his confidence again.

"With Colton, his effort and his attitude have been great," general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "Assuming he clears waivers tomorrow, I think it'll be a great opportunity for him to go to Houston and get his game going. He's a young player, he's got a great future ahead of him and I think this is the best decision for his long-term development.

"Obviously, there's a chance somebody could claim him, and that's the risk we're taking. But the status quo wasn't accomplishing what anybody needed to get accomplished."

Gillies did not practice with the team in St. Louis, though he did travel with the Wild from Chicago to St. Louis. If he is claimed by another team, it would end a four-year run in the Wild organization in which he never really cashed in his considerable talent to become the big power forward the team was hoping he'd be. "