MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Marian Gaborik is officially a free agent.
The Minnesota Wild star's contract expired when the NHL's offseason formally began Wednesday. Gaborik is the only remaining player from their original team, and was their first draft pick nine years ago.
Gaborik wanted to test the market, so the Wild had little chance to lock him up.
The 27-year-old Gaborik has been limited by injuries in recent seasons, but he is Minnesota's career scoring leader and one of the NHL's elite skaters when healthy.
New general manager Chuck Fletcher has hinted he'll be active with his roster, so if Gaborik goes somewhere else the Wild will likely chase other high-profile players.
Also Wednesday, the Wild signed free-agent defenseman Greg Zanon to a three-year contract. The 29-year-old Zanon had seven goals and 19 assists in three-plus seasons with Nashville.
