Wild's Bouchard excited to be back on the ice, after another concussion recovery
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Pierre-Marc Bouchard (BOO-shard) is one NHL player who actually benefited from the lockout.
The Minnesota Wild forward missed the second half of last season because of post-concussion symptoms, which he still felt well into the summer and fall. Bouchard said Tuesday that he has been symptom-free for four or five weeks, so he wouldn't have been ready had the season started on time.
Now the slick-skating and deft-passing right wing is on track to play in Saturday's opener, when the Wild host the Colorado Avalanche. Bouchard has missed 157 of a possible 254 games because of concussions over the last four years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Wild coach Mike Yeo (YO) says he believes the team would've made the playoffs last season if Bouchard was on the ice.