The Minnesota Wild today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed free agent center Serge Payer (pronounced SAIRZH pie-YAY) to a 2007-08 contract.

Payer, 28 (5/7/79), collected 18 points (6-12=18) and 31 penalty minutes (PIM) in 43 games with the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season. The 6-foot, 191-pound forward also appeared in five NHL contests with Ottawa in 2006-07. Payer skated in 71 games with the Florida Panthers in 2005-06 and recorded six points (2-4=6) and led the team in shorthanded time-on-ice per game (3:29) during his first full NHL season. He made his NHL debut with Florida on Nov. 13, 2000 and was the Panthers nominee for the 2000-01 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Rockland, Ontario native was originally signed as a free agent by Florida on Sept. 30, 1997.

As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.