The Lightning and restricted free-agent left wing Cory Stillman remain far enough apart in contract talks that the team could complete its first salary arbitration case today. A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. in Toronto with arbitrator Michel Picher.
The 29-year-old Stillman, acquired in a draft-day trade for the 62nd overall pick, had 24 goals and 67 points for St. Louis last season. He was obtained as insurance against the eventual free-agent departure of points leader Vinny Prospal.
Stillman is seeking $3.5-million for one year after making $2.1-million with the Blues last season. The Lightning offered slightly more than the $2.1-million qualifying offer used to retain his rights.
"What they have asked for is not something we've budgeted for," general manager Jay Feaster said. "That's a very high demand in our opinion."
Feaster spoke with Stillman's agent, Rick Curran, twice Monday.
"I think both sides know where the other is coming from," Feaster said. "I think we're fully prepared to go to a hearing."
Determining the value of a player is a complicated issue. Each side will deploy an array of recent and career statistics in an attempt to find a "common comparable" player and argue the merit of assigning a similar salary to Stillman.
It often is a divisive process, one the Lightning has avoided almost completely in 11 seasons. The team has struck deals in the waiting room before hearings and settled with Prospal last summer during a break.
"I think this is a case, where if we start the hearing, it will come down to a decision," Feaster said.
BRUINS: Boston allowed defenseman Bryan Berard to become a free agent, rejecting the $2.51-million salary set by an arbitrator last week. Berard, 26, had 10 goals and 28 assists last year while earning $850,000. The Bruins can match a contract that is less than 80 percent of $2.51-million.
The Bruins accepted the arbitration figure for forward Brian Rolston, who was awarded a $3.175-million one-year salary last week, and signed unrestricted free-agent forward Sandy McCarthy to a one-year deal. Rolston had 27 goals and 32 assists last year.
Also, team captain Joe Thornton had charges for fighting with police withdrawn. Prosecutor Kevin Gowdey said the 24-year-old would perform community service and apologize. Thornton was charged with two counts of assaulting police and one of obstructing justice in a May17 fight at a bar in St. Thomas, Ontario.
HURRICANES: Defenseman Danny Markov agreed to a three-year contract. Carolina acquired the restricted free agent in a draft-day trade with Phoenix for former first-round draft picks David Tanabe and Igor Knyazev. Markov had four goals and 16 assists in 64 games last season.
PANTHERS: Wings Ivan Novoseltsev and Ryan Jardine signed one-year contracts. Novoseltsev scored 10 goals and had a career-high 17 assists in 78 games last season. Jardine had 14 goals and 17 assists in 64 games with AHL San Antonio. Florida also signed free-agent goalie Travis Scott to a two-year deal.
THRASHERS: Unrestricted free-agent forward Randy Robitaille, who split last season between the Penguins and Islanders, signed. Robitaille scored six goals and 14 assists in 51 games last season. Atlanta also signed unrestricted free-agent forward Eric Healey, who played for AHL Manchester.
RANGERS-SHARKS TRADE: New York acquired center Chad Wiseman from San Jose for left wing Nils Ekman. Wiseman spent most of last season with AHL Cleveland, where he had 17 goals and 35 assists in 77 games. Ekman, who played with the Lightning from 1999-2001, had 39 goals and 36 assists in 57 games with AHL Hartford. The Sharks also signed defensemen Jesse Fibiger and Robert Mulick to one-year deals. And an arbiter awarded New York defenseman Tom Poti a two-year contract worth $5.9-million. The Rangers have three days to accept or reject the decision.
- Information from Times wires was used in this report.
