began the 2005–06 season with the Wild's AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros. In 19 games with Houston, he scored 4 goals and 15 points, earning a promotion to Minnesota. Foster played in his first game with the Wild on November 19, 2005, where he scored his first two NHL goals against Tomáš Vokoun of the Nashville Predators in a 4–2 victory. In 58 games with Minnesota, Foster scored 10 goals and 28 points. Foster returned to the Wild in 2006–07. In 57 games, Foster saw his offensive production drop to 3 goals and 23 points. On December 29, he earned his first career three-point game in the NHL, earning three assists in a 4–3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. On April 11, 2007, he played in his first Stanley Cup playoff game, earning an assist in a 2–1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. In three playoff games, Foster earned two assists. In the 2007–08 season, Foster played in 56 games with the Wild, scoring 7 goals and 19 points. On March 20, 2008, he suffered a broken left femur in a game against the San Jose Sharks. He suffered the injury when Sharks centre Torrey Mitchell checked Foster into the bottom of the boards while attempting to prevent an icing call. The hit, which resulted in a penalty, was later deemed accidental by the NHL. Foster had season-ending surgery to repair his broken left femur and missed the remainder of the season and the 2008 playoffs. In light of Foster's injury, following the 2007–08 season, the NHL added the following to the rule regarding icing to protect both competitors as they raced for the puck: Foster was not yet healthy for the beginning of the 2008–09 season, but on October 11, 2008, he announced he was skating with full equipment and felt no pain when skating. On February 9, 2009, he returned to play for the Aeros on a conditioning stint from the Wild. He played in a 6–3 win over the Chicago Wolves and registered two penalties in minutes. On March 7, 2009, he returned to the Minnesota lineup in a 4–3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. He finished the season playing ten games with the Wild, scoring one goal and six points. After the season, Foster became a free agent. Tampa Bay Lightning (2009–2010) On July 8, 2009, Foster signed a one-year, $600,000 contract with the