The Wild sent Brett Bulmer back to Kelowna of the Western Hockey League this morning.
Bulmer, a 19-year-old right winger, had three assists and three penalties in nine games this season.
If Bulmer had played in 10 games for the Wild, this would count as the first season in his three-year contract. Coach Mike Yeo and GM Chuck Fletcher maintained he was progressing and helping the team, but his role diminished lately and they determined he would be better served by developing at another level.
"It doesn't make sense to keep a 19-year-old around an NHL team when he's not playing regularly," Fletcher said.
On Saturday, Bulmer was a healthy scratch for what would have been his tenth NHL game.
"He played really well for us in the last month," Fletcher said. "We believe it was a good learning experience for him, but at this point, the best thing for him in his long term development is to get back to playing junior hockey and playing a big role on his team there."
Bulmer, 6-3 and 196 pounds, is from Prince George, British Columbia. He had 18 goals for Kelowna last season and also played eight playoff games for Yeo and the Houston Aeros. He was the Wild's second round pick in 2010.
--post by Kent Youngblood
