AP source: Wild hire Penguins' Fletcher as GM
The Minnesota Wild hired Chuck Fletcher on Thursday to take over as general manager, turning to the Pittsburgh Penguins' front office to find just the second GM in their brief history.
A person with knowledge of the hire confirmed it to The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because an official announcement wasn't planned until Friday afternoon.
The Penguins hosted the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Friday is a travel day between games, allowing Fletcher to attend his introduction in Minnesota.
Fletcher replaces Doug Risebrough, who held the Wild's top front-office job from their founding in 1999 until he was dismissed in April.
Fletcher has been with the Penguins since 2006. Before that, he spent four years with the Anaheim Ducks as director of hockey operations, assistant GM and overseeing scouting and player development.
Fletcher spent nine years with the Florida Panthers before joining the Ducks, including seven as assistant GM and one as interim GM.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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