Former captain returning to Moose

The Manitoba Moose announced on Wednesday that they have received defenseman Nolan Baumgartner on reassignment by the NHL’s Dallas Stars from Iowa. In return, the Stars will receive future considerations.

Baumgartner, 31, has appeared in 56 games so far this season with the Iowa Stars, tallying five goals and 13 assists for 18 points and 47 penalty minutes.

Baumgartner returns to the Moose, where he served as the team’s captain during the 2004-05 season and scored the first-ever goal at the MTS Centre back on Nov. 17, 2004. In 192 career games with the Moose from 2002-05, Baumgartner scored 23 goals and 82 assists for 105 points and 234 penalty minutes. He was named the team’s top defenseman in 2003 and 2005.

Overall, the Calgary native has played in 625 career games in the American Hockey League, collecting 63 goals and 225 assists for 288 points along with 666 penalty minutes with Iowa, Philadelphia, Manitoba, Norfolk and Portland. He has also appeared in two AHL All-Star Classics in his career: 2005 with Manitoba and as a starter in 2007 while with Philadelphia.

Baumgartner has also played in 131 career NHL games with Dallas, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Washington. In that time, he’s scored six goals and 39 assists for 45 points and 67 penalty minutes. His most productive season was in 2005-06 when he played in 70 games with the Canucks and scored five goals and 29 assists for 34 points and 30 penalty minutes.

Baumgartner was originally drafted in the first round, 10th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.