Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Teams consider preseason talks

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 7, 2001

Once the Lightning and agents for Vinny Lecavalier really got down to business, a new contract for the 21-year-old center was done in two days. Why wasn't that kind of effort applied in May to avoid such extended drama?

Lightning president Ron Campbell said the season's start fueled a sense of urgency.

"I'm disappointed but not surprised," Campbell said of the length of negotiations. "From their side, Vinny missed training camp, but didn't miss any paychecks. From our side, we missed him in training camp but we didn't lose him for the season."

Lecavalier signed a four-year, $10.2-million deal Friday and will miss the team's first two games while he gets in game shape.

Campbell said it may be worth exploring if players should be paid when training camp starts, rather than when the season starts, to end contract disputes more quickly.

Senators general manager Marshall Johnston speculated the same after signing Marian Hossa to a four-year, $9.2-million deal Sept. 26.

"Players don't get paid until the start of the regular season, and that's fine," Johnston said. "But I think we need to revisit that issue. We think training camp is important and there's a high incidence of players who get injured because they've missed training camp.

"I don't think we need to focus on this but it's something that we need to look at down the road because it has become a problem."

HOME SWEET HOME: A report by the Canadian Press said the Canadiens may fold or relocate south of the border in the next five years.

"The team is bound to disappear," said Sylvain Lefebvre, who heads a research program on sports and cities at the Unversity of Quebec at Montreal. "If they keep the team here for five years, that would be very good. The Canadiens owners know, just like the Expos, their team can't compete in the North American context.

"I think there is a corporate strategy behind that, which is to prepare the public for the fact that we no longer have the means to support a professional team in Montreal," he said.

Canadiens president Pierre Boivin said the municipal taxes on the Molson Centre are $7.5-million, "higher than all the 24 American teams combined."

He said the Canadiens, owned by Colorado businessman George Gillett, do not qualify for a league program to help small-market Canadian clubs offset the strong U.S. dollar.

KNEE PROBLEMS: There is some concern Markus Naslund's right leg is not healed. The Canucks captain broke his tibia March 16, prompting a Vancouver collapse. The bone is supported by a metal rod and four screws.

He has complained of soreness and appears tentative and a step slower.

"If I move around a little bit, I feel a bit of sensitivity in some areas," he said. "It's nothing that painful. It's more irritating."

SENSITIVE GUY: Ottawa's Karel Ruchunek was taken off the ice on a stretcher Wednesday after Toronto's Darcy Tucker, a former Lighting agitator, slammed him into the boards.

Tucker said the five-minute major for boarding was excessive because Rachunek, who has a soft tissue injury in his back, put himself in an awkward position.

"Should I lay there every time I get hit?" Tucker said. "I just tried to hit the guy with some force, shoulder to shoulder. He (referee Don Van Massenhoven) said I hit him too hard, his exact words.

"I remember in the old days watching Wendel Clark put guys into Never-Never Land. That was hockey. Maybe the rules have changed."

ODDS AND ENDS: Atlanta's Jiri Slegr took a knee-to-knee hit from Buffalo's Rhett Warriner and was hit in the cheek by a shot, leaving a large lump. Earlier in the day, he was named an alternate captain. "That's why they gave me the A," he said. ... The Predators took a serious blow when they lost defenseman Cale Hulse for at least six weeks with a broken hand. ... The Maple Leafs retired Frank Mahovlich's No. 27. ... Former Lightning wing Stephane Richer signed a $900,000 contract with the Penguins and is playing on a line with Mario Lemieux. ... Scott Clemmensen is the winner of the derby to back up Martin Brodeur. The rookie from Boston College has no professional experience. ... Brodeur has no agent, but negotiated a five-year contract extension for $40-million. With incentives, the contract could pay $8.9-million a season. ... The Islanders may be rejuvenated, but first-year coach Peter Laviolette may have gotten ahead of himself when he said he expects the team to contend for the Stanley Cup. "I've seen lesser teams make it to the finals," he said.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright