ST. PAUL, Minn., July 31 -- The Minnesota Wild, continuing a busy offseason, Tuesday signed free agent defenseman Brad Brown. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.
The 25-year-old Brown became an unrestricted free agent when the New York Rangers decided against tendering him a qualifying offer.
He had one goal, three assists and 107 penalty minutes in his only season with the club. The 6-4, 220-pounder missed the final 22 games of his fifth NHL season after breaking his right foot Feb. 23 in a game at Pittsburgh.
He was acquired by the Rangers Oct. 5 from Chicago.
In 179 regular-season games with the Rangers, Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, Brown has two goals, 19 assists and 468 penalty minutes. Brown was the 18th overall pick in the 1994 draft by Montreal but played in only 13 games over three seasons with his original team.
Brown becomes one of the most veteran defensemen on a team that featured three rookie blue-liners during its expansion season of 2000-2001.
After finishing second-to-last in the Western Conference with a 25-39-13-5 mark, the Wild have acquired center Sergei Zholtok and signed left wing Andrew Brunette, defenseman Jason Marshall and goaltenders Dwayne Roloson and Martin Brochu.
