Countrymen Aberg, Rask eager to adjust to new lives in Minnesota

When Pontus Aberg finally gets back to the Twin Cities at some point over the next week or so, his first real journey out in town will likely be to the mall.
After beginning this season in Anaheim, Aberg's 2 1/2 year old daughter, Molly, will need some winter clothes.
When Aberg was traded from the Ducks to the Wild last week, he was actually in St. Paul with Anaheim, which was set to play at Xcel Energy Center the following night.

That means Aberg packed enough for a five-game, week-long road trip -- not for a permanent move to Minnesota. Fortunately for Aberg, living out of a suitcase is nothing new to him, having been traded from the Predators to the Edmonton Oilers at last season's trade deadline.
"I'm used to it; it's what I did last year until Christmas," Aberg said. "Then when I got traded to Edmonton], I was in a hotel again. I came to Minnesota with a bag and a suit."
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Fortunately for Aberg, the Wild's schedule allowed him a trip back to the Pacific Time Zone early in his tenure. With the team in Las Vegas on Sunday for its Monday game, his mom and daughter made the trip to Vegas. Aberg was able to bond with his little girl who he had only talked to on the phone for the better part of two weeks while his mom was able to bring him some reinforcements for his closet.
"I'm thankful these days we have FaceTime. She just got an iPad, so she wants to talk on that all the time," Aberg said. "It's nice you can FaceTime her when I can't see her every day, but I know she's in good hands."
While some time off and enjoying a nice, relaxing few days away from hockey would have been nice for Aberg during the upcoming All-Star break and League-mandated bye week, he won't have much time to kick his feet up and relax.
He will return to California, pack up his belongings and get what he needs back to Minnesota for the remainder of the season.
More importantly, he'll pick up some precious cargo. He left Molly in the care of his mother back in Southern California, but is eager to scoop up both mom and daughter during the next few days and bring them to their new home in the State of Hockey.
That trip to the mall will be a high priority.
"She wants to go sledding," Aberg said. "She told me she's going to need to buy a new hat, jacket and shoes and warm gloves. She's happy to be moving where there is snow."
On the ice, Aberg's addition to the lineup has been aided by a couple of friendly faces, including another newbie in centerman Victor Rask.
Acquired last Thursday from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Nino Niederreiter, Rask, like Aberg, is a native of Sweden. In fact, the two have played together for years on several Swedish national teams growing up.
Both Rask and Aberg have long friendships with Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin. All three men are 25 years old, so they've come up through the ranks together.
Rask and Brodin are each members of the 2011 NHL Draft class while Aberg was picked in 2012.
"Obviously, that makes a huge difference," Rask said. "Jonas, he's been here a long time and I've known him for a long time too, so that makes for a much easier transfer. Same with Pontus, he's new too, so it makes it easy with him being a new guy."
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Unlike Aberg, who is playing on his fourth NHL club, Rask switched teams for the first time. Drafted in the second round by the Hurricanes, Rask debuted with Carolina as a 21-year-old in 2014.
When he was dealt to the Wild, there was plenty of uncertainty in his mind about what the process would be like.
"I will say, it was easier than I thought," Rask said. "Every hockey team is kind of similar, so it makes it a little bit easier."
He admitted to some frustration with how things in Carolina ended, but most of that had to do with his own performance and with the freak injury he sustained before the season began -- accidentally cutting his right fourth and fifth fingers while slicing a sweet potato in his kitchen, requiring surgery. Rask had nothing but good things to say about his teammates, the fans and the organization in Raleigh.
Still, a fresh start was appealing.
In his final games with the Hurricanes, Rask was slotted onto the team's fourth line.
Since arriving in Minnesota, he's centered Zach Parise, who leads the Wild in both goals and points, and his buddy, Aberg.
"Parise is a star, he's a really good player," Rask said. "It's a lot of fun to play a lot and to play with those kinds of guys."
Rask had more of an opportunity to get at least some of his belongings to Minnesota after the trade, but the eight-day layoff comes at a good time for him, as well. After 4 1/2 years in Raleigh, the Twin Cities could be his home for years to come.
He said he's excited for that to begin.
"I've spent maybe two nights there, so it's great to have a little break here. It'll be good for me to get settled in," Rask said. "I know it's very cold here compared to Carolina, but I'm looking forward to the change. It's a hockey town, and I think that will be pretty cool to play in."
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- Dubnyk, Brown to represent Wild at All-Star weekend - Hunt's fresh start comes in familiar spot - Wild acquires Rask from Hurricanes - Minnesota acquires Aberg from Anaheim