He elevated his game the following season, in β02 , notching his first goal season and nearly doubling his rookie output to 67 points. He also recorded his first career NHL hat-trick near the beginning of the season on 13 November His season was shortened once more the following season in β07 , re-injuring his groin on 20 October , against the Anaheim Ducks.
This made him the first player in Wild history to score five goals in a game , as well as the first NHLer since Sergei Fedorov of the Detroit Red Wings did so, 11 years earlier on 26 December , against the Washington Capitals.
It was the first time in his career he was chosen as part of the team's monthly rotating captaincy. He left the Wild after eight seasons as its last original player and as the club's all-time leader in goals, assists and points, all of which have since been surpassed by Mikko Koivu.
Just three games into the season, he suffered a shoulder injury after receiving an illegal boarding hit in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The injury caused him to miss nearly a month, and, upon his return, limited his playing style, which relies on his tremendous wrist shot. However, he shortly thereafter suffered an injury and missed 17 games to recover from a sprained left knee. In his first game back on December 21, , he immediately broke his collarbone in the first period of a game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Over the next three seasons, his goal scoring would drop and injuries would take their toll on him.
