It looks like Pierre-Marc Bouchard will be staying in Minnesota for the foreseeable future as the Wild have avoided a Monday arbitration hearing by inking the winger to a five-year, $20.4 million contract.
According to a report in the Star Tribune, there is a verbal commitment from General Manager Doug Risebrough that Bouchard won't be traded for at least two years.
Bouchard will receive $3.35 million next season, $4.25 million the following three seasons and $4.3 million in 2012-13.
"Pierre-Marc is just 24 years old and the best years of his career are ahead of him," Risebrough said in a statement. "He is a good example of how drafting and developing your own players leads to team success.
"This is why the Wild was willing to make such a substantial and long-term commitment to him."
Last season, Bouchard scored 13 goals and added 50 assists.
"At the end of the day, the players want long term and more security," Risebrough told the Canadian Press.
"He wanted to be here. When players are one year away, they can kind of give you the body language that they don't want to be here. In Butch's case, I was convinced that he wanted to be here."
