Prospect Watch 2008: Adrian "Milk Carton" Foster

NHL.com sez:

Adrian Foster -- After failing to catch on with the New Jersey Devils, who picked him in the first round in 2001, the 26-year-old finally enjoyed success in his first season in Houston. In 70 games with the Aeros, Foster tallied 15 goals and 23 assists. It marked only the second time that he was able to play more than 50 games in a season.

"He's a smart player," Thompson said. "The biggest thing with Adrian was that he played a full season for the first time in a long time. He's had a whole lot of physical problems. If those are behind him, I think he's got some talent. He has to show what he can do."

Ms. Conduct sez:

Now this is an odd one.

I actually really liked Fozzie last season and thought/hoped the Wild would sign him. He seems to have recovered from the injury-plagued start to his career, having played most of the season in good form. If I recall correctly, his best hockey was in the middle of the season, and he kind of faded at the end, though I attribute that to him not having played a full season in several years. He's obviously got talent, he works hard and seemed to have a good attitude. He made an impression on the ice, and I don't mean just his skates.

But it's strange that he's even on this list. He tried out for the Wild last training camp and got cut. Then the Aeros gave him a tryout and apparently gave him a 1 year contract (though it was never reported or announced). My assumption was that he'd move on to less humid pastures looking for an NHL contract, or maybe to Europe, but then here's TT giving an opinion of him here in the summer as though he's still (or ever was, actually) in the Wild system?

So, I emailed someone in the Aeros front office the other day to see if he could fill me in on Fozzie's status: "To be honest, we don't know where he is or where he's going..."

Well alrighty then!

So, as much as I really like Fozzie, apparently he's gone walkabout! Maybe he's with Elvis, my missing socks, and Voloshenko.