Bouchard agrees to five-year deal (updated with Bouchard, Risebrough quotes)
Posted on July 25th, 2008 – 11:45 PMBy Michael Russo
Pierre-Marc Bouchard and the Wild avoided a Monday arbitration hearing when Bouchard agreed to a five-year, $20.4 million contract minutes before midnight tonight.
Thank goodness my hangout of choice is right across the street from my home. Although, I think I did re-break my foot hobbling back to write a frantic story.
The $20.4 million is $600,000 smaller than Nick Schultz’s six-year package, which was the largest sum of money in one contract. Of course, next up is Marian Gaborik, and if the Wild can get him inked, that $21 million will be shattered.
Have a call into Bouchard, but it’s 1 a.m. in the East and haven’t gotten him yet. He’s probably celebrating, I mean, sleeping.
I’ve got to run, but the deal includes the at least two-year no-trade promise I reported in the previous post.
Good Saturday morning to you. I just got off the phone with Bouchard and GM Doug Risebrough and here’s some reaction.
Here’s an excited Bouchard on how it’s a good deal for both sides. Remember, he could have probably made more as an unrestricted free agent: “For sure, you see guys in free agency signing big deals, but lets say I sign for another year, you roll the dice again and you don’t know what’s going to happen (injuries, bad year). The deal I got from the Wild, maybe I leave some money on the table, but it’s to stay in a great organization, with good teammates, a great city. I mean, I love it in Minny and don’t want to leave.”
Risebrough on committing such a substantial, long-term deal: “It’s the right thing to do. As I’ve said many times, it’s always more difficult to start paying players in unrestricted free agency that you don’t know. I know a lot about Butch. He’s still very young. He’s still somewhat in a development mode. His best years are ahead of him, but it’s getting to the point where he has to make a significant impact and that should be over the term of this contract.”
Much more in Sunday’s paper.
121 Responses to "Bouchard agrees to five-year deal (updated with Bouchard, Risebrough quotes)"
Wooo Hoooo
(ian’t it past your bedtime Russo?)
Probably not past his bedtime but most likely past his deadline.
One down and one to go. Now we find out what Gabby wants.
Yes!!!! $4 million. That is a great deal.
5 year! Yeah! Booya!
YES!!! Now get Gabby locked in, and there are a lot of important pieces in place for the next 4-5 years. Great news!!
I think I did re-break my foot hobbling back to write a frantic story.
Yes, Russo, we know you have a broken foot. Stop beating us over the head with it (which, literally, actually wouldn’t be a smart thing to do.)
Though you still haven’t told us how you did it. At least not that I remember.
Great news and full credit to management from this frequent detractor - Burns, Schultz, Mikko and now PMB are a solid core of players with cap friendly contracts.
I think both the Wild and PMB deserve applause on this one.
Austin’s probably getting wasted somewhere right now, celebrating. 
[…] -The Wild avoided arbitration with forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard and signed him to a five-year deal worth $20.4 million. […]
its 3am here on the east coast and i’m happy i stayed up to read long enough to read the great news! im so pumped right now!!! my friend (a flames fan, yes were both from mass except im going to the u of m next year and have been a longtime wild fan) has been all over me about how butch is leaving…cant wait to laugh in his face!
Fire the Dumper!!
hehehehe
Come on CT, get it right it’s
Dump the Dumper!!!
Fire Risedump!!!!
Not that I agree, just wanted to get stuff straightened out.
Based on this announcement, construction workers at the HUGGY were given the weekend off!
Sorry Boogie
Where is Mike anywayz? I’m sure he’ll find something to !@#$% about…
Very good news since the price is right. Now, trade Gabby and bring in another Mikko and Burns instead and I’ll be very impressed.
Good for PMB. Good for DR, he finally did come to an agreement!
(Now, work on Gaborik, wiii ya?)
Bad for Mike. (Awwwww…) 
Excellent news!!! I like PMB, and my friend H won’t have to cry now (she likes him a lot, but not as much as she likes Mikko). Now they can focus on Gabby and everything will be peachy.
Why do dogs drag you out of bed when the alarm clock won’t go off for an hour? And you can’t stay mad at them for it because their just so darn cute.
IM WILD FAN AGAIN THANK YOU DR! CONGRATS PMB!
Little surprised PMB took a long term deal especially since “no one wants to play here”.
Now with a little security in the bag, maybe he can work on shooting just a little more. I think he has 20 goals in him.
If #10 can be extended long term, I really like the way the team is setup for the next 3 years. If #10 is not extended then it all depends on what we get for him, obviously.
Good work to all parties involved.
PMB is the answer to the Cup for all of you? Hmmmmm….
Too much money for a guy that doesn’t put the puck in the net and is 5′1″ 115lbs….
Does anyone know his career playoff stats? Just curious about that. He’s too damn small IMO…
Sweeeeet!!! Another 5 years of watching PMB circle around the nuetral and offensive zones playing keep away from the other team!!! I’m so excited. If you can’t score, might as well play keep away!!! I heart PMB!!
This is great. Nice contract for the Wild and retained a very skilled player. Get Gabby.
Ah. We had to have a few detractors since after all nothing DR does will satify them.
I was hoping to wake up to this news. That’s great! Nice to see a deal work out reasonably and amicably for a change.
Might be more fun watching the little guy play keep away and set up 50 goals (how did Detroit win all those games/Cup again?) than watching MG miss his 50th breakaway and 50th shootout chance.
rolled out of my beer induced, 3-hour nap this a.m. to find this sweet li’l 5yr nugget! here’s to making sure our modern day Savard, his spinorama, and bag of tricks stays put. glad to see the Wild Boys Build From Within!
In the giving credit where it is due department, my print copy of the PP had this on Friday from Shooter:…look for the two sides (Wild and PMB) to reach a multiyear agreeement before the (arbitration) hearing …
For whatever reason this did not make the PP Web site but Shooter nailed this one - I hope he has some #10 insight left in him!
Also, Russo’s PMB article included this on what exactly Backstrom’s NT clause is. As you can see, that OTT fan proposal discussed yesterday could be done if it went down now.
Goalie Niklas Backstrom is the only Wild player who has a written no-trade clause, although it’s limited. His no-trade clause is currently lifted, but Backstrom can’t be traded from the start of training camp until six weeks before next season’s trade deadline.
Smart decision- PMB is one of the best passers in the NHL…
OUAIS!
Woot! This is great news. I love the little guy and I am glad he will be in a Wild sweater for awhile longer. Nice job DR, $4mil a year is pretty reasonable for PMB IMO. Now, as many others have said, get to work on Gabby!
Nice signing!!!!
Roughly $4 mill/yr is a great price for this kid. He is going to be a consistent 60 point man and there is no doubt we need the offense.
Unless Butch averages a minimum of 25G/60A for the remainder of his time with the Wild, this was money overspent. Yes, I’ve got high standards for anybody who makes $4M/year. And, most of you Iron Range Red Kool-Aid drinkers have over-valued Butch for way too long…
25G/60A
As a pro OJ/PMB trade guy I have no problem with that expectation. However, if you are not looking at this deal in light of UFA prices, you are not being fair to DR - this is a good deal.
Not Just Another Paul: A team has lots of roles to fill. So, I would not simply assume that if he fails a certain level of statistics this will be money overspent.
It is less than market afterall.
Ultimately, it depends upon the blend of talents. I think he has a great attitude to the team and that is worth a lot.
Re: Not just another Paul says
25 and 60? How many NHL players are capable of averaging that and what do they make? Quit being an ass! PMB is not my favorite player, but he is a good talent and is a VERY important part of the team. If he was ever allowed to play his natural position, center, he could probably reach your goals, but that’s not his role on the Wild so get over it!
I guess than there will be a lot of $4 million players that will not be worth their amount because if going by this past season’s information, many of them didn’t even reach the 60 point mark.
How many of those assists were to Rolston? Who is he passing to now? Parrish?
Seriously?, you size queen….
Bouchard has career playoff stats of 3G 4 A in 16 games, with a career +/- of -3. 5 of those games were during the Wild’s playoff run of 2003 where he was getting about 5 minutes/game. Last year in 6 games, he was 2G 2A +/- +1 in the Colorado series, a big improvement from 1,1 and -3 the year before against Anaheim. Despite Butch’s size, he’s been very durable. In his last 3 seasons he’s missed only 3 games. And keep in mind, Butch is all of 24 years old, his best hockey is still to come.
Congrats to Butch and the Wild. DR’s whiff/woo-hoo ratio decreases ever so slightly as a result.
Nimrod:
Last season, PMB only assisted on 11 of Rolston’s 31 goals (6 first, 5 second assists — a couple were on the PP). Koivu had about 9 assists. I was expecting to see alot more than 34%, maybe like 50%. It was not the case.
Players that achieved 60 assists last year:
Joe Thornton - 67
Pavel Datsyuk - 66
Marc Savard - 63
Henrietta Sedin - 61
Nicklas Lidstrom - 60
of those above players with 25 goals:
Joe Thornton - 29
Pavel Datsyuk - 31
PMB had 50 assists and a little more than 1/5 was helping Rolston. They were the two most consistent linemates other than SRV and Branko and they weren’t helping each other much.
patty sharp is 26 and signed an extension with the hawks last year for about 4 mil per.
9-14-23
20-15-35
36-26-62
if those numbers are worth 4mil per, then PMB is underpaid.
Green*;
All but Sedin made over $5 million last season.
People here are still in the mindset of last years UFA season or the year before.
Listen, guys are getting signed long term, all RFAs are being locked up and teams have rising cap room.
Guys like PMB are going to get tons of money, more than 4mil, which is a decent or overpaid price 2 seasons ago, now, its a bargain.
Adapt to the change the league is going, hell, Finger for 3.5. You aren’t going to get many bargain deals through the UFA so if we can sign PMB with 4mil for 4 years of UFA, then GREAT!
Its the goals number and not the assist number that some folks have problems with. If PMB could get 20+ goals, then it wouldn’t be such a big issue.
I am hoping that now he’s gotten his playmaking ability down pat, he would work on more scoring. I see him doing more of that this year — being a more balanced player with a little more playmaking.
“Jack Hammer” = Alex Burrows
Well, isn’t this a surprise!
PMB signs a long term deal only with the assurance he’s not going to be dealt in years 1 and 2.
It’s a cap-friendly contract that still allows Gaborik to be retained.
Way to do your job DR.
(there was no sarcasm in this post)
I’m just glad he’s staying. PMB is a solid playmaker. But yes, he does need to score a bit more of his own goals. Perhaps this will be his year, we don’t know. I do know that it’s only 77 days till regular season begins. And we are shaping up to be a solid team for the year (baring horific injuries or major slumping).
It could be interesting to see how he plays now that he has an extended contract. He’s had 1 year deals for 2 or 3 years lately. All I know is I’m ex-cit-ed about this. Great move on both sides.
Finally! Some good news this summer!
PMB on board for a long haul. Yeah. A nice, belated birthday present.
Russo- so how did you break your foot? Or do we want to know …?
I think Russo is enjoying being a man of mystery. Maybe the angry members of the Denver sports media finally got him for slamming one of their own during the playoffs?
I’m happy to hear this. Time for PMB to have a real breakout season and become the next Martin St. Louis!
Maybe the angry members of the Denver sports media finally got him for slamming one of their own during the playoffs?
I like it - let’s run (no pun intended) with it 
That’s a lot of time and cash for a guy who will not drive to the net, on a team of guys who will not drive to the net. He’s a lot of fun to watch, and is great on shootouts, but we need to score. They need to pair him up with someone who is a scorer, and who will that be?
great deal for the Wild. Nice feather in the cap for DR (to go along with Burns, Mikko, Schultz). Kudos to PMB for taking a team-friendly contract.
DR takes a lot of grief (from me included), but he’s certainly putting together a nice resume of solid signings for core players.
Agreed with G*: I would like to see 20 goals from PMB this year - and think it’s entirely possible.
I am surprised by the limited NTC (or is it a NMC?)…but that does make PMB the second guy (after Backs) to get one. I wonder if DR is softening his stance on them?
NiNY;
Its an unofficial NTC. DR gave one to Schultz also. Backstrom is the only one has an official, written one.
hey socal you want to know why pmb holds on to the puck so long? BECAUSE HE CAN! HE’S PMB! WORTH EVERY PENNY!
I Don’t Know Butchie Instead!
KJ, alluded to a good point that NiNY alluded to also, and that is the core players have Cap friendly contracts.
And they are locked in for a few years.
It provides the team flexibility going forward.
You have the dollars to compete and make a reasonable offer for Gabby.
If you cannot get together on a deal, because it turns out that Gabby wants the sun, the moon, the stars, and all of the heavens, then you can probably find a team that does and get value in return.
Collectively, the Wild has covered their losses pretty well and maybe looking a little bit more complete this year.
Hypothetical question.
DR has a verbal no trade clause with PMB that ensures we will not move the 4′8″, 87 pound passer for two years.
What if DR is fired?
Does that void the verbal contract, since it was not in writing with the team?
Bouchard-Belanger-Pouliot with Nolan moving to center between his prodigees Gilles and Clutterbuck? Nasty fourth line and a “French-Connection” for JL to play with.
He’s a chump. The Wild would be much better off dealing him.
On the bright side, it is a low enough number not to screw the Wild.
Quite honestly, the ‘core’ of the Wild is signed for many years.
Given the relative young age of the group, we can (and SHOULD) expect a serious run for the cup in 2-3 years.
Obviously, injuries could affect that.
The upcoming season might not be a train wreck (sorry for the metaphor WRT). Expectations have been established for Burns, Schultz, PMB, Koivu, Miettinen, MAB. It is up to them to deliver with some quality lockerroom vets. The level of success might rest on the development of the New Kids on the Wild.
Mo Wanhuk, I wondered why also. It seems to me to only be a technicality but binding to the team in either situation. I do not believe it could be voided if DR was gone because it was apparently part of the entire agreement.
But, perhaps because it is verbal the team does not get forced into extending the offer to others like they would if it was in writing and registered with the league or players association.
turn around and deal him to the Panthers for Boumeester !!!
Re the verbal no trade clause: Look at the parol evidence rule as well as the Statute of Frauds. You will see that the general rule is that this clause needs to be in writing to be enforceable as it cannot be completed within one year. However, if the promise was made after the parties totally integrated the writing (not before and not contemporaneously) and it is supported by adequate consideration (there is consideration on the Wild’s part but perhaps not by PMB) then it will likely be enforceable, or the court will hear an argument that it should be anyway. All you legal minds out there can tell me if I’m right or wrong on this.
for4rest-
It may not be a leaglly binding agreement, but if DR goes against his word, it weakens his credibilty for future negotiations. He won’t back out of that… or at least… he shouldn’t.
I know several people who can’t stand PMB. I am personally a big supporter. Yes, he could certainly shoot more, but the fact that he can control the puck is something the Wild desperately need.
Maybe they work with him on the shooting, or they just let him be. As the Great One said… an assist and a goal, both worth one point in the stats.
Not just another Paul says:
“Jack Hammer” = Alex Burrows
Think I’m not?
[i]Hmm.[i/]
[i]Oops![/i]
(i)HTML?(/i)
No?
Okay then.
Wow! I was beginning to think DR wasn’t going to be able to sign anyone to a long-term deal.
Doug Risebrough says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
[i]Hmm.[i/]
Doug Risebrough says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
[i]Oops![/i]
Doug Risebrough says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
(i)HTML?(/i)
Doug Risebrough says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
No?
Doug Risebrough says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Okay then.
HTML…dangerous in the wrong hands…
For4rest, I do not have a legal background.
But I do believe verbal agreements are legally binding, though maybe more difficult to determine just what the agreement actually was, so harder to enforce.
Buddha says:
July 26th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
for4rest-
It may not be a leaglly binding agreement, but if DR goes against his word, it weakens his credibilty for future negotiations. He won’t back out of that… or at least… he shouldn’t
does anyone actually find Risebrough to be credible anyway ?
I know I sure don’t. He’s been a horrible GM with the Oil Slick, a horrible GM with the Flames, and a pethetic GM with the Wild. His drafts couldn’t be worse, the amount of useful prospects in the minors couldn’t be worse, and the 08-09 roster makeup is barely as good as year 1.
This franchise is doomed until a new GM is put in place.
Mr. Conduct watches all those stupid judge shows and the impression I get is that verbal agreements are binding. So my well-substantiated legal opinion is that if DR tries to trade Butchy in the next two years, Judge Judy will take him down to Chinatown.
The mgmt of the wild is more than just DR. Hope new ownership will instill more accountability and urgency for year to year improvement and fix the disconnect between DR/JL on what players to go after.
by my math, I have Koivu, PMB, Burns and Schultz on the books for a minimum of three more seasons at a total cap hit of just over $15M.
Gotta hand it to DR: that’s great work.
I don’t see CL being the firing type. He had his chances in nashville and kept that crew intact. Like it or not, DR will be choosing his own exit, IMHO.
Buddah, from your blog…
Norm went to naegle and sold him on the idea of NHL hockey in st paul. he also had a role in getting the funding for the X and did what he could, as mayor, to sell st paul to the NHL. so, i’d say he had a hand in bringing hockey back.
fix the disconnect between DR/JL on what players to go after.
I was not aware of that.
We love you too Butchie. Nice work Dougie. Now lock Gabby in but make it sensible.
first
dammit
I love PMB!!!!!
Sorry. A day at the lake has made me worthless as far as thinking goes. The news of the signing kicked it off for me. I’m so pleased!
Green Star-
Thanks for the explanation. I’ll count you as one person who had any idea. Though I still can’t find any news articles or anything about it. Ah well. Thanks.
Nico, I will not argue whether DR was effective with the Oilers or Flames.
I have no arguement with DR’s credibility at all. I find him credible, he has not publicly ducked his errors as a Wild GM.
A fact: Gabby, Schultz, Koivu, Boogaard, Burns, Bouchard, Veilleux, Harding “ain’t” a bad draft start.
Given that the Wild have been compeitive almost from the start and so we have not been drafting first.
If you look at his successes instead of his failures (Thelen) or “not yets (Poulliot) and too soon to knows (Gilles) “, it is hard to criticize to heavily.
My recollection is similar to Greenstar’s Buddah.
Further, Minneapolis had the Whalers, Oilers and Jets dangled in front of their noses and sat on their rears while those teams settled in other areas.
Even before Norm Greed got into trouble and his PR hit the gutter, The Sports Commission could have made some (in retrospect) minor improvements to the Met Center and chose not to.
And, neither did Bloomington, including that Mr Greed wanted to do some arcade type of development in conjunction with the Mall of America to keep the North Stars here early in the process and they failed to act.
And, neither did the Target Center and Minneapolis did not seem to work very hard to keep the North Stars as a tennent.
Whether you like Norm Coleman or not is your own business.
But it is difficult to ignore his efforts (with others) to build the X to obtain the Wild franchise for St Paul.
With Norm Coleman, I think it is fair to say that he put his political career on the line with his efforts. That is because, the public in general is not in favor of public spending for arenas and stadiums as we continue to see.
If he had failed to get a package in place, or if the Wild had been an abomination, then he would be immensely unpopular right now.
I am a Democrat but Norm deserves all the credit for landing the Wild. Sharon Sayles Belton sat on her tush while the Jets were dangled in front of us. Minneapolis never made a move to keep the Stars or land another team. Without Norm I am not sure we would have had NHL hockey today. Remember we were viewed as a failed franchise.
Iceman…success is measured in more ways than just the NHL Entry Draft.
The questions that are now before DR are:
How do I re-sign Gaborik?
Are the ‘core’ players I have signed good enough to win the Cup?
How do I keep these people away from my horse?
A Harris says:
July 26th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
The mgmt of the wild is more than just DR. Hope new ownership will instill more accountability and urgency for year to year improvement and fix the disconnect between DR/JL on what players to go after.
Actually, with Doug being the GM and President, for all intense and purposes, Doug is the only management.
intents too…whoops
Iceman says:
July 26th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Nico, I will not argue whether DR was effective with the Oilers or Flames.
I have no arguement with DR’s credibility at all. I find him credible, he has not publicly ducked his errors as a Wild GM.
A fact: Gabby, Schultz, Koivu, Boogaard, Burns, Bouchard, Veilleux, Harding “ain’t” a bad draft start.
Given that the Wild have been compeitive almost from the start and so we have not been drafting first.
If you look at his successes instead of his failures (Thelen) or “not yets (Poulliot) and too soon to knows (Gilles) “, it is hard to criticize to heavily.
1. Gaborik fell in his lap.
2. Schultz is decent, but on any Cup challenging team he’s a #4 at best.
3. I love Mikko. I know a lot of people that wanted Doug to draft other people in that draft. He made the right decision for a change.
4. Boogaard is awful. He serves no purpose. With fights continuing to go down yearly, and his total lack of talent in any aspect of actual hockey, Derek needs to be off the roster.
5. Burns was a total reach and it ended up paying off. I’ll give Doug partial credit for taking the gamble, but the day of the draft, there were better players on the board that Doug passed over. He just happened to get lucky.
6. Bouchard is terrible. He’s too small to crash the net, he doesn’t play a lick of defense, and he can’t score goals. The Wild have far too many playmakers and not nearly enough goal scorers. Bouchard would be a great fit in Washington where Ovechkin is an elite goal scorer and they care very little about defense, but on this team, he serves no purpose.
7. Veilleux is decent checker, plays decent defense, but is terrible offensively. Every team needs grinders. He serves some sort of purpose, but easily replaceable.
8. Harding is a dime-a-dozen goalie. He isn’t elite, he never will be elite. With the Wild putting much less emphasis on defense last year, Harding’s numbers were very mediocre. He will never be a #1 goalie unless it’s on a terrible team like LA.
NiNY:
Great point. Schultz, Koivu, Burns, and PMB — all locked up for less than $16 million for the next 3 years. Gotta give DR some credit there. If you add Sheppard — for the next two years about $17 million for all 5 of them.
Nico:
DR might be management but CL writes the checks. He and his investors have the final say.
Wow… Sharon Sales-Belton. There’s a name I never thought I would hear again.
Thanks to those who helped answer my question.
Can I ask one more, since we are kind of on the topic? Was his push to land the Wild before or after he switched parties?
None of this is meant as an attack on Norm, or anyone’s politics. I am just trying to put the entire process together in my head.
I’m afraid you’re right about #8… And by “afraid” I mean, it seems like a strong possibility but I’m not totally convinced yet.
I’m still looking for some Turco Dust to sprinkle on Brusty.
Nico-
I won’t pick apart your enitre post, but it is way too soon to declare Harding as worthless. Playing in as few games as he does, it is difficult to get a good read.
As for better players being on the board when Burns was picked, please tell me who you mean. Looking at the draft that year:
Pick 21: Mark Stuart 4 pts last season on D for Boston.
Pick 22: MA Pouliot - 7 career NHL points on D for Edmonton
Pick 23: Ryan Kessler 37 points as a forward for the Nucks last year.
Pick 24: Mike Richards 75 points as a Center for Philly last year. (this is a apossibilty as a better pick, but a long shot at best in the heat of the draft).
Pick 25: Anthony Stewart - 46 total NHL games played
Pick 26: Brian Boyle - Just made his NHL debut last season.
Pick 27: Jeff Tambellini - Who I can find no NHL stats for.
Pick 28: Corey Perry - This could be another possible arguement, but 54 points as a forward… nah. Also would have been a big gamble taken that late in the draft.
Pick 29: Patrick Eaves - 76 total NHL points.
Pick 30 - Shawn Belle. I think we all know how he ended up.
For comparison:
Burns - 90 total NHL points, including a team record 43 by a d-man last season. He has stepped up a little more every season. I would say that he was a solid late first round pick, when you are pretty much grasping at straws anyway.
And Boogey being awful? I don’t know about awful. I think on a nother team, he could be ised better. Bounce some pucks off the guy. He’s huge, no way he couldn’t serve as a screen, or someone to deflect a puck off of.
Bouchard is also not terrible. Who are the other play makers on the team? Him and Mikko. That’s who I see. Gabby is the goal scorer, like it or not. Butch and Mikkp are the set up guys, like it or not. A team record 50 assists last year. He is not only a play maker, he is THE playe maker for this team.
OK. So I discussed most of your post. Only things are, I like Mikko, and Steph is solid but replaceable, so I have to agree to a point with you.
According to Wikipedia — coleman switched parties in 1996 and St. Paul was awarded the Wild in 1997.
Wow. Sorry. A few spelling errors in that post. Sorry for that all…
Thanks sunshine.
This could be another possible arguement, but 54 points as a forward… nah.
In his third year, second full year, in 70 games after getting hurt, and 29 goals. You couldn’t have used that? I’d like to have Corey Perry.
(Got no comment on the possible risk though, I can’t remember back that far.)
If we are comparing forwards, I would rather have Corey Perry over a Brent Burns as a forward.
In their capacity right now, I rather have Burns as a defensemen even though we need more scoring. Burns has the potential to become a franchise defensemen.
I’d make that call too, sunshine (Burns as D over Perry as F), but I got the impression Buddha was talking as if Perry’s just chopped liver.
I just never get why people give no credit to DR and TT for Burns. Its ridiculous, people say we got lucky, thats the whole point of the draft!!! The Wings got lucky twice in a row and got Datysuk and Zetterberg and they get full marks. We get Burns in the 1st round and only 1/4 credit is given.
He was drafted for his size, skating and decent offensive and defensive abilities. He just happened to make the transition to defense.
Also, how do you guys know how Burns would have ended as a forward? Burns never made his mark as a franchise dman until this season. What reason do you think he couldn’t have done the same for forward?
PMB 4 million a season. Not a bad deal for the Wild, but his size is an issue. On that same topic, Gaborik is not a Hossa or Ovechkin size player either. In this new league you need players to be on the same line to protect these players.
Fedoruk brought that to the Wild last year, but who will protect Butch and Gabby this season. With the limit of true talent on this team, if you shut down Butch, Koivu and Gabby, you shut down the offense.
I hope Lemaire has retooled his defensive 1 goal difference game scheme, because without a solid defensive game this team might be in trouble.
Gaborik for 8 million, just like others I think that is about 2-3 million too much. He is a semi-elite player which has not truly proven himself yet.
I think they need to give him 5 million a year with incentives for production, and also put an injury clause in the contract.
from Russo’s story:
“‘This is not a big risk, because he’s a 24-year-old that is still developing, but at the end of two years, everything’s got to kind of converge and he needs to perform. And he knows that.’”
-Risebrough on PMB
So, that sort of reads like PMB has a license to continue to “figure out” how to become a $4M/year player for two more seasons.
I guess 15/50 is enough to get $8M of that $20M, but not the final $12M.
Fair enough.
But isn’t DR as much as saying he wants PMB to become a “bargain” in the last three years of this deal - assuming even that the cap is flat over the next five years?
Interesting.
think they need to give him 5 million a year with incentives for production, and also put an injury clause in the contract.
The Wild would do that in a NiNY minute!
However, with contracts BOTH parties must sign it. And Gaborik sign for less than 8 mil? Fughetttt aboutit.
Kevin-
I didn’t mean to make Perry sound like chopped liver. I should have been more clear on the fact that I was comparing them in their current roles. I would rather have 43 pts from the blue line than 53 from a forward any day.
Also was directed more at Nico’s illusion to the the fact that someone who was picked after Burns has turned out to be a better player, and I just don’t see it. There is no one in that draft that I see that was picked after him that I would rather see on the team.
As for the risk, I was talking more about the inherent risk of any pick that late in the first round. Any draft, even if it is a “deep” one, generally loses its glitter by about 15, and picks after that could be completely interchangable.
Gaborik Watch has officially started, guys.
This is the heavy weight champion match that has been previewing for weeks. The Gold Medal game after weeks of smaller upsets and narrow victories. All spectators’ eyes are glued to the outcome. Let the negotiations commence!
Buddah, maybe someone else answered this later … I think the Wild thing came up after he was mayor and it was done strictly to benefit St Paul.
I think he had switched when he became mayor though I am not positive.
St Paul may have been a brief player in some of those other teams looking here but without the X there was no serious interest from the NHL.
Gotcha, Buddha.
PMB is here to stay!
Great move by DR…this is the guy we needed to keep…Gaborik…we’ll see what he’ll accept…but Buch was the man of the offseason if you ask me. GREAT MOVE to get him for 5 years at a reasonable price.
LOVE IT!!!
Nico.
Your post above is the most idiotic thing I have ever read. All of us on this board are now more stupid for having read it. You know little about hockey and even less about sports.
UGH ….. Butchie is a good player, but too many people on this board OVER value him. I wish the Wild could have dished him for a physical forward who can also score.
Oh well …. now we get to sit back and watch Gabby complain that 8 million isn’t enough money for him.
At least we have Sheppard and Koivu
Nico,
I must echo Edgewild’s statement. Are you related to Reusse? To wit:
1. Yeah, Gaborik fell into DR’s lap, and if it wasn’t him it would have been either Dany Heatley or Rick DiPietro. You can’t fault him for making the obvious pick.
2. Check the stats, Schultz IS the #4 D man on the Wild. (friggin amatuers)
3. As I recall, Montreal was so convinced that the DR was enthralled with Dan Blackburn, that they didn’t bother to trade up to get Mikko Koivu. DR deserves credit for the misdirection that allowed the Wild to get him. BTW Blackburn suffered a career ending injury with the NY Rangers.
4. If Boogaard serves no purpose, then how come teams like Edmonton are driven to distraction every time he is on the ice. Boogey gets more done in 5 minutes of ice time than you would in a lifetime.
5. Burns had moved from outside of the top 100 in the Central Scouting ranks to #37 with a bullet prior to the 2003 draft. The Wild knew that he wasn’t going to be available to them in the second round and he was considered their type of player, (ie, big, fast, and a great skater) so they took him at #20. He was such a reach that he’s now a potential year to year Norris Trophy Candidate.
6. Continuing with your fall down the stupid tree, Bouchard has scored 17 and 20 goals in the seasons prior to this past year’s 13 goal debacle, not bad for most players at the age of 21,22 and 23. He has also amassed 160 assists in the last three years, so in case that doesn’t register, that means that 160 goals were scored after the puck left his stick. Can’t play defense? +24 in his last 2 seasons. Doesn’t crash the net? Not his job, that’s why he has so many assists.
7. Congratulations, Captain Obvious, a blind squirrel really can find a nut!
8. Picking on another 24 yr old? Sheesh.. I love how you trash a player for not having a HOF season in their first full season in the big show. So which would you take… Player A: 11 W, 20 L with a 3.69 GAA in his first season, or Player B with 11W 15L with a 2.94 GAA in his first full season. Trick question here, because the Boston Bruins in 1967 left Player A unprotected in the 1967 expansion draft and he went on the lead his expansion team to 2 Stanley Cup Championships. His name? Bernie Parent. Oh, and BTW, Parent also won the Conn Smythe and Vezina Trophies in both 1974 and 1975.
