Looming lockout stalls free agency
Canadian Press
7/19/2004
Nearly three weeks into NHL free agency and the biggest names remain unsigned.
The reason is simple. With a lockout looming, few clubs want to add big contracts to payrolls that will be affected either by a possible salary cap or luxury tax under the new collective bargaining agreement.
So the big names continue to wait, their agents hearing a lot of: ``We're interested, but we want to see what happens this summer.''
A look at the top unrestricted free agents still on the market (with position, age and last season's base salary):
Alexei Kovalev, F, 31, $6.6 million US: Some regarded him as the best player in the game two years ago. After some early struggles in Montreal last March, he had a terrific playoff (10 points in 11 games) and was the No. 1 reason for the Habs' upset over Boston.
But he's not close to signing with anyone right now.
``There's just window shopping going on,'' Kovalev's agent Scott Greenspun said Monday from New York.
There have been several reports linking Kovalev to a return to Pittsburgh, but Greenspun said it was premature to count out a return to Montreal.
``Is Pittsburgh a place that he would play again? Yes,'' Greenspun said. ``But he also has an interest in playing in Montreal and there are some other cities and clubs that he would be interested in playing for if he had a wish list.
``So it's not as though he's targeted Pittsburgh as the only place he wanted to play.''
Pavol Demitra, F, 29, $6.5 million: The Slovak star has 349 points in 343 games over the last five seasons with St. Louis, as consistent an offensive performer as there is. But he's also been dogged by injuries, playing a full season only once over the last five years. Still, at 29, he's a safer long-term investment than most UFAs.
Ziggy Palffy, F, 32, $7 million: Another Slovak sniper, he's put up 340 points in 311 games over the last five seasons with Los Angeles, but was limited to 41 points over 35 games last year after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
``We're waiting,'' Palffy's agent Paul Kraus said Monday from Edmonton. ``We've had tire-kicking, I guess we have to wait for the market to develop.''
A return to the Kings seems out of the question.
``L.A. made their position pretty clear,'' Kraus said, adding that he hasn't heard from the Kings this month.
Palffy may wait a while before signing a deal.
``Put it this way, when do the general managers need Ziggy on the ice? Could be a long time,'' Kraus said, referring to the probable lockout.
Glen Murray, F, 31, $3.85 million: Has scored over 30 goals in three consecutive seasons with Boston, one of the league's top power forwards. Again, lots of exploratory phone calls from GMs but nothing concrete.
``There's certainly nothing imminent,'' Murray's agent Anton Thun said Monday from Mississauga, Ont. ``Teams are communicating on a constant basis, but sometimes it's just to stay in touch.
``What ends up happening is that you'll get an informal conversation with a GM where they throw out numbers that they know you're not looking at anyway - it's sort of like: `Let me see if I can low-ball them, to see if I can hook this player and get him interested.' But there's been no real formal offer.''
Mathieu Schneider, D, 35, $3.75 million: This guy doesn't get enough credit for the kind of season he had with Detroit last year: 46 points (14-32) and a plus-22 rating in 78 games, stepping up big time when Derian Hatcher went down. He's likely out of Detroit.
Alexei Zhamnov, F, 33, $4.5 million: Played well after joining Philadelphia for the stretch last season, putting up 18 points (5-13) in 20 games. Flyers GM Bob Clarke has made a multi-year offer to bring him back but so far agent Jay Grossman is looking for more.
Jason Allison, F, 29, $8 million: Missed all of last season with a serious whiplash injury that produced concussion-like symptoms. Still, this is the same player that was second in NHL scoring with 95 points just four seasons ago. There's been significant interest but Allison doesn't want to commit to a team until he feels fit.
``He fully intends to come back and play but he wants to do it at 100 per cent and he's not going to do it unless he can dominate the way he did,'' Allison's agent Bryant McBride said Monday from Boston.
``He's been symptom-free since March and has begun light workouts under doctor's supervision and hasn't had contact yet.''
Either way, Allison knows he's headed for pay cut and a deal that will include a games played provision.
``It'll be a lower base then what he had, and as his performance goes, so will his compensation,'' said McBride. ``The club will take some risk and he will take some risk. He knows he has to prove himself again.''
Michael Nylander, F, 31, $2.675 million: One of the league's most underrated players, he's averaged 0.75 point a game over the last five seasons.
``A well-liked player with a lot of interest,'' his agent Paul Theofanous said Monday from New York.
Even the Boston Bruins, who have let go most of their unrestricted free agents, are trying to reel him back in.
``They've made an effort, and he really liked his time there,'' Theofanous said.
Paul Kariya, F, 29, $1.2 million: Coming off a career-low 36 points in 51 games with Colorado last season, and getting snubbed by Team Canada for the World Cup, the silky-smooth skater needs a team to believe he can bounce back.
Petr Nedved, F, 32, $4.75 million: After floundering with the Rangers last season, Nedved stepped it up a notch with Edmonton, putting up 15 points (5-10) in 16 games and looking dangerous on the fast-skating Oilers. He's a good fit in the Alberta capital but can the Oilers afford him?
Alexei Zhitnik, D, 31, $3.75 million: Hard-hitting two-way defenceman can step in and play on top pair for any team in the league. But he won't come cheaply.
``There's a few teams who can and should use Alexei Zhitnik,'' agent Mark Gandler said Monday from New York. ``I think in his price range, I would say there's five or six teams who are willing to pay for that kind of player.''
Having said that, Gandler says Buffalo remains in the mix to re-sign him.
Kevin Weekes, G, 29, $2.35 million: Posted a career-best 2.33 GAA in 66 games last season for struggling Carolina, proving he's capable of being a dependable No. 1 netminder.
``We're considering offers from three different teams,'' Theofanous, also his agent, said Monday. ``We're just trying to get the chance for Kevin to show again who he is.''
Vladimir Malakhov, D, 35, $3.5 million: Another player who had a big impact after changing teams last season, Clarke calling him the Flyers' top defenceman in the playoffs.
``We've got offers, and they're not going anywhere,'' said Theofanous, also Malakhov's agent. ``We're just going to pick our spot. He's a family guy and I think he'd rather stay in the Eastern Conference.''
Eric Lindros, F, 31, $3.3 million: The oft-injured Lindros remains a tantalizing player. Truth be told, he was the best player on the Rangers last season before suffering his eighth career concussion Jan. 28 and missing the rest of the season. That link to Toronto just won't go away ...
Brendan Shanahan, F, 35, $6.5 million: Veteran power winger is close to re-signing with Detroit.
Brett Hull, F, 39, $5 million: He won't be back with Detroit but definitely wants to keep playing, his 741 career goals placing him 60 behind Gordie Howe for second all-time.
Peter Bondra, F, 36, $4.5 million: Veteran scorer had 14 points (5-9) in 23 regular-season games after joining Ottawa but didn't record a point in seven playoff games.
``We continue to have conversations with teams but, like everyone, things are pretty slow right now,'' agent Ritch Winter said Monday from Edmonton.
Anson Carter, F, 30, $2.8 million: Canada's world championship hero from 2003 had a season to forget, collecting a career-low 28 points in 77 games with Washington, N.Y. Rangers and Los Angeles.
Adam Deadmarsh, F, 29, $3 million: Missed all of last season with post-concussion syndrome.
Jozef Stumpel, F, 32, $2.85 million: Limited to 37 points (8-29) in 64 games with Los Angeles last season.
Not included in this list is 39-year-old Steve Yzerman. The future Hall of Famer isn't sure if he'll come back for another season, but if he does, it'll be in Detroit.