swflyers25
8-02-05, 5:58 AM
There is an article for Adam Foote but there is no point of posting that now:
Flyers work phones in search of defense
By Tim Panaccio
Inquirer Staff Writer
Is it Derian Hatcher?
Long after many agents had called it a day on the first day of NHL free agency, Flyers general manager Bob Clarke and his personnel staff remained sequestered at the Skate Zone in Voorhees late last night.
Hatcher is represented by Newport Sports' Don Meehan and Pat Morris. Coincidentally, they, too, were barricaded in their Mississauga, Ontario, offices.
Clarke's "elite" list included Hatcher (Detroit) and Adam Foote (Colorado), both of whom got calls yesterday.
Chris Pronger? He, too, is represented by Morris, but his $7.2 million qualifying offer from St. Louis took the Flyers out of the picture, even with a trade.
New Jersey's Scott Niedermayer? He's out of the picture, as well.
"I talked to 14 clubs, but the Flyers were not one of them - and that's disappointing," his agent, Kevin Epp, said from Vancouver.
That the Flyers didn't talk to Epp speaks volumes about what Clarke thought was too high a price for Niedermayer - $7 million plus. Clarke has budgeted about $6.5 million to land at least one or two defensemen, leaving the club about $2 million under the $39 million salary cap.
Hence, the closer focus on Hatcher and Foote, who is now off the market. The Web site tsn.ca reported last night that Foote had signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
So Hatcher appears a likely candidate.
The Flyers' one glaring need is a big defenseman for opposing forwards to fear when they cross the blue line. They haven't had that kind of presence since Luke Richardson and Dan McGillis skated here earlier this decade.
There are questions about Hatcher's right knee. The 33-year-old missed 64 games during the 2003-04 season with torn ligaments. Hatcher, Morris and others who have seen him recently say the lockout allowed Hatcher to fully recover.
Foote wanted very much to remain in Colorado but general manager Pierre Lacroix has too many other free agents to re-sign. Rick Curran, who represents Foote, took 14 calls yesterday.
Foote and Curran prepared a cut list of clubs from which Curran began negotiating.
"Everything Adam did today was in non-economic terms," Curran said. "He talked to the teams that expressed interest in him."
The consensus among agents, personnel managers and coaches yesterday was 14 to 15 of the same clubs are trying to access the marketplace, expressing interest, but not committing themselves.
"Everyone is frozen," one coach said. "They don't know what to do until they sign their major players and see what they have left under the cap. And you have all the same teams competing for the same players, driving up the price."
For example: Dallas' signing of 35-year-old Sergei Zubov (three years, $12 million) sets the salary bar higher for a younger, offensive defenseman, like New Jersey's Brian Rafalski (31) or the Islanders' Adrian Aucoin (32).
The Flyers talked to Bill Zito, who represents Rafalski. It was not specifically about Rafalski, but about minor-league prospects Zito represents. However, the Flyers were curious as to how much Rafalski wanted.
Among the Flyers' "B" list of players are Rafalski, San Jose's Mike Rathje, 31, and Aucoin. The Flyers eliminated Aucoin because his asking price was too high, said agent Larry Kelly.
Clarke also called Art Breeze, who represents Rathje. So did the Devils, Rangers, Islanders and Pittsburgh.
It's a scrum right now.
Loose pucks. Pittsburgh has all but locked up Alexei Kovalev and was involved in discussions with Peter Forsberg and Niedermayer... . The only true movement was Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk signing with Florida.
Philly.com (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/nhl/12281563.htm)
Flyers work phones in search of defense
By Tim Panaccio
Inquirer Staff Writer
Is it Derian Hatcher?
Long after many agents had called it a day on the first day of NHL free agency, Flyers general manager Bob Clarke and his personnel staff remained sequestered at the Skate Zone in Voorhees late last night.
Hatcher is represented by Newport Sports' Don Meehan and Pat Morris. Coincidentally, they, too, were barricaded in their Mississauga, Ontario, offices.
Clarke's "elite" list included Hatcher (Detroit) and Adam Foote (Colorado), both of whom got calls yesterday.
Chris Pronger? He, too, is represented by Morris, but his $7.2 million qualifying offer from St. Louis took the Flyers out of the picture, even with a trade.
New Jersey's Scott Niedermayer? He's out of the picture, as well.
"I talked to 14 clubs, but the Flyers were not one of them - and that's disappointing," his agent, Kevin Epp, said from Vancouver.
That the Flyers didn't talk to Epp speaks volumes about what Clarke thought was too high a price for Niedermayer - $7 million plus. Clarke has budgeted about $6.5 million to land at least one or two defensemen, leaving the club about $2 million under the $39 million salary cap.
Hence, the closer focus on Hatcher and Foote, who is now off the market. The Web site tsn.ca reported last night that Foote had signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
So Hatcher appears a likely candidate.
The Flyers' one glaring need is a big defenseman for opposing forwards to fear when they cross the blue line. They haven't had that kind of presence since Luke Richardson and Dan McGillis skated here earlier this decade.
There are questions about Hatcher's right knee. The 33-year-old missed 64 games during the 2003-04 season with torn ligaments. Hatcher, Morris and others who have seen him recently say the lockout allowed Hatcher to fully recover.
Foote wanted very much to remain in Colorado but general manager Pierre Lacroix has too many other free agents to re-sign. Rick Curran, who represents Foote, took 14 calls yesterday.
Foote and Curran prepared a cut list of clubs from which Curran began negotiating.
"Everything Adam did today was in non-economic terms," Curran said. "He talked to the teams that expressed interest in him."
The consensus among agents, personnel managers and coaches yesterday was 14 to 15 of the same clubs are trying to access the marketplace, expressing interest, but not committing themselves.
"Everyone is frozen," one coach said. "They don't know what to do until they sign their major players and see what they have left under the cap. And you have all the same teams competing for the same players, driving up the price."
For example: Dallas' signing of 35-year-old Sergei Zubov (three years, $12 million) sets the salary bar higher for a younger, offensive defenseman, like New Jersey's Brian Rafalski (31) or the Islanders' Adrian Aucoin (32).
The Flyers talked to Bill Zito, who represents Rafalski. It was not specifically about Rafalski, but about minor-league prospects Zito represents. However, the Flyers were curious as to how much Rafalski wanted.
Among the Flyers' "B" list of players are Rafalski, San Jose's Mike Rathje, 31, and Aucoin. The Flyers eliminated Aucoin because his asking price was too high, said agent Larry Kelly.
Clarke also called Art Breeze, who represents Rathje. So did the Devils, Rangers, Islanders and Pittsburgh.
It's a scrum right now.
Loose pucks. Pittsburgh has all but locked up Alexei Kovalev and was involved in discussions with Peter Forsberg and Niedermayer... . The only true movement was Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk signing with Florida.
Philly.com (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/nhl/12281563.htm)