Arbitration briefs are due to be exchanged Saturday morning, but the Wild and Pierre-Marc Bouchard might be making significant strides toward a long-term deal.

According to assistant GM Tom Lynn, the Wild made a late proposal Friday (believed to be four years) that is being mulled over by Bouchard. Lynn said GM Doug Risebrough will make verbal assurance to Bouchard that he will not be traded in at least the first two years of the contract, similar to the assurance made to Nick Schultz before his six-year deal.

Bouchard wants to stay in Minnesota. Since he’ll be forgoing money he could receive next summer as an unrestricted free agent on whatever multi-year deal that he signs, he doesn’t want the team to be able to turn around and trade him.

Stay tuned.

Where Pierre-Marc Bouchard ranks in Wild history:

354 Games (5th)

61 Goals (5th)

160 Assists (2nd)

221 Points (2nd)

+21 (5th)

25 Power-play goals (4th)

73 Power-play assists (2nd)

98 Power-play points (2nd)

11 Game-winning goals (4th)

45 Multi-point games (3rd)

50 Assists in a season (1st, 2007-08)

24 Power-play assists in a season (1st, 2005-06)

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