Colton Gillies resurfaces with Minnesota Wild after a full season in the minors

The smile on his face was typical Colton Gillies.

The beard was not.

After a full season in the minors, Gillies was called up to the Wild from Houston of the American Hockey League on Tuesday before Minnesota's home game against the Vancouver Canucks and made no attempt to hide his enthusiasm. Yes, he felt a bit bitter after being sent down last fall following his first full pro season with the Wild in 2008-09, but that's behind him.

"I love being up here," he said with an ear-to-ear grin that reflected those sentiments. "It's nice to get noticed a little bit. I started the season off well, and, depending on what happens here, I'll just continue to have a smile on my face and keep pluggin' away."

Gillies said he recognized that bitterness would hinder his chances, adding, "I know I play good when I have a smile on my face, and that's all that matters."

Playing a full season for the Aeros was a "life experience," the speedy forward said.

Asked if he has matured in the past year, he grinned again and said: "C'mon, look at my beard. I'm growing up, guys!"

Gillies, 20, who has a goal and an assist in four games with the Aeros this season, had two goals and five assists in 45 games in Minnesota in '08-09, then collected seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 72 games with the Aeros last season.

He was not called up to the parent team once, but the 6-foot-4, 189-pounder worked on his game and said it was good for him.

"I feel like I've grown up a little bit," he said. "Life experiences; you've just got to live life and learn along the way as best you can."

A first-round pick by the Wild in the 2007 NHL draft, Gillies stayed behind when Robbie Earl was called up several times last season, and when Casey Wellman was the last forward cut by the Wild, it appeared he might be the first one back when an illness spun through the team's dressing room this week.

Coach Todd Richards said the word from the Aeros, however, was that "Colton was the guy who was playing best for them."

Gillies was in town for insurance; he spent the game against the Canucks in the press box with defenseman Clayton Stoner as the team's healthy scratches.

On the line: The Wild's line of John Madden, Eric Nystrom and Chuck Kobasew was filled with minus numbers going into Tuesday night's game.

They weren't pleased.

"It's simple. I don't think we're satisfied with the way we're playing," Kobasew said.

Richards said he might have to shake up that line if things don't change soon.

"They've made some mistakes, without question. I think they've been a bit unlucky, too," he said, citing a seeing-eye goal by Edmonton's Tom Gilbert. "Sometimes when things are going bad, those are the things that go in."

Nystrom, minus-6 going into Tuesday's game, said it was blowing his mind because he historically has been a plus player.

"Part of it's being a second behind," he said, "and part of it's not being hard enough. We know we have to be better."

Worse was the team's record of 1-2-1 heading into the game against the Canucks.

"When we're getting beat head to head and the team's losing, you take it harder," Nystrom noted. "We want to be part of the solution, and right now we're not. And we know it. We've just got to be better."

Briefly: Canucks defenseman Keith Ballard of Baudette, Minn., missed the game because of a concussion.

Wild center Mikko Koivu skipped the team's morning skate and Kobasew left early, both because of illness, but both were ready to play Tuesday night. Forwards Matt Cullen and Martin Havlat returned to practice from illness, as did defenseman Nick Schultz.