Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team = Minnesota Wild
league = NHL


image_size = 200px
position = Right Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 10
weight_lb = 171
nationality = CAN
birth_date = Birth date and age|1984|4|27|mf=y
birth_place = Sherbrooke, QC, CAN
draft = 8th overall
draft_year = 2002
draft_team = Minnesota Wild
career_start = 2002

Pierre-Marc Bouchard (born on April 27, 1984, at Sherbrooke, Quebec) is a French Canadian professional hockey forward. He currently plays for the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild. He was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, First Round, Eighth Overall. His jersey number is 96. He played his Junior Hockey with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the QMJHL. Is the brother of junior hockey player Francois Bouchard.

Playing career

Pierre-Marc Bouchard appeared in professional play for the first time in the 2002–2003 NHL season in which he posted 7 goals and 13 assists for a total of 20 points in 50 games for the Minnesota Wild, which has been regarded as decent by NHL standards. During the 2004–2005 NHL lockout, Bouchard played for the Wild's minor league team, the Houston Aeros. Within this time period, Bouchard vastly improved his game. This was proved in the 2005–2006 season while he posted 17 goals and 42 assists for a total of 59 points in 80 games.

Bouchard is regarded as a creative playmaker and strong team player who often attempts unorthodox techniques during play. An example of one of these techniques was performed during an overtime shootout attempt in which he converted by utilizing a variation of a spin-o-rama against Chicago Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. Bouchard later credited the move to his younger brother François Bouchard.

On July 25, 2008, Bouchard signed a five-year, $20.4 million deal with the Minnesota Wild. [ [http://www.startribune.com/sports/wild/25922544.html?location_refer=Wild:highlightModules:1 Bouchard gets multiyear deal ] ]

Awards

2002 CHL Player of the Year.

Career statistics

(as of April 7th, 2008)

References

External links

*hockeydb|55023
*Bouchard's profile at [http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/players/profile?statsId=3165 ESPN.com]