An excerpt from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Michael Russo):
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, the supremely talented Wild winger who used and abused Nikolai Khabibulin and Evgeni Nabokov the past two seasons with a pair of sweet shootout moves, avoided a Monday arbitration hearing by signing a five-year, $20.4 million deal just before midnight Friday night.
Bouchard, who ranks second for the Wild in career assists and points, was intrigued by the Wild’s late Friday afternoon offer because it included verbal assurance from General Manager Doug Risebrough that he would not be traded for at least two years, assistant GM Tom Lynn said.
While the Wild wouldn’t put such a guarantee in writing, Lynn told the Star Tribune earlier Friday before Bouchard signed, “If Butch signs a multiyear deal, Doug is willing to commit to him personally that the Wild would not trade him for at least two years.”
Habster:
A solid deal which works for both parties. The Wild keep a very gifted player like Bouchard on their roster while signing him to a market valued contract.