Pierre-Marc Bouchard will not re-sign with the Minnesota Wild and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 5. His agent Allan Walsh confirmed that Bouchard will leave the team he has played for since 2002-03.
NHL free agency 2013: Pierre-Marc Bouchard will not re-sign with Wild
Pierre-Marc Bouchard will leave the Wild after 11 years with the team.
USA TODAY Sports
Bouchard was selected by the Wild in the first round of the 2002 NHL Draft and debuted that year at the age of 18. He played in 586 games for the team, peaking from 2005-08 when he registered at least 55 points in each year, including a 50 assist season in 2007-08. The 29-year-old struggled in the next three seasons as concussions kept him sidelined for 149 games, but he did pick up 20 points in 43 games last season.
The Wild have to shed salary with the cap coming down next season. Allowing Bouchard, who just finished a five-year, $20.4 million contract, to leave will help do that. So will the exit of Matt Cullen, who will not be re-signed either.
It had been speculated and later reported that Bouchard would leave the team this summer, but now his agent has confirmed it. Where he goes, and whether he can stay healthy, remains to be seen.
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