 He played the following three seasons in Minnesota's farm system with the Jackson Bandits of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League (IHL) and the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL).After scoring 11 goals and 39 points through 66 games with Houston in 2002–03, he was traded in March 2003 to the New York Rangers.Joining the Rangers' AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack, he completed the season with 11 points in 15 games.