Injured Wild forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard said he's gotten approval from a Boston-based neurologist to begin lightly working out, and he hopes to be ready to return to the ice by training camp Sept. 17.
Bouchard, 26, says he still feels "little symptoms" and puts himself about 85 percent back from the concussion that sidelined him last season, but concussion specialist Robert Cantu told him he can begin exercising.
"He now wants me to start slowly working out, slowly every day do a little bit more, but nothing that's going to create more headaches or aggravate the symptoms," Bouchard said. "So I'm going to go really slowly for the next few weeks."
Bouchard will begin going for walks and riding the exercise bike.
"He wants me to start to live my life back to where it was before, but at a slow pace," Bouchard said. "It's great news. ... I just have to listen to my body. I just needed a little game plan."
MICHAEL RUSSO
Etc. • Gophers senior Gabriele Anderson earned a spot in Saturday's NCAA 1,500-meter run final by placing second in her heat in the second day of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Gophers junior Nikki Swenson also competed in the 1,500 meters, finishing 21st overall.
• Gophers junior Ben Blankenship finished sixth in his heat and 15th overall in the NCAA prelims of the 1,500-meter run. Senior R.J. McGinnis struggled in the first day of the decathlon and stands in 22nd place after five events with a score of 3,610 points.
