While Glen Sather continues to wait on Craig Patrick, so does Brett Hull.
Sources have told The Post that Hull is likely to sign a free-agent contract with the Rangers should the team acquire Jaromir Jagr, but extremely unlikely to come to Broadway should the Pittsburgh GM send Jagr somewhere else.
Where else? Good question.
Because while Patrick continues to tell people that Washington has emerged as the Blueshirts’ chief competitor in the chase (?) for No. 68, The Post has learned that GM George McPhee is telling NHL team personnel that his Caps are not pursuing a deal for Jagr. At least as of late yesterday afternoon, there had been no communication between the Caps and Jagr’s agent, Mike Barnett.
Though such contact is not a necessary precursor to a potential trade – Jagr has two years at $20.7 million remaining on his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent following 2002-2003 – it would certainly be good business practice for any team interested in acquiring the league’s leading scorer to attempt to determine whether the interest is mutual.
The Rangers are believed willing to send Jan Hlavac, Mike York, Kim Johnsson and whatever cash payment the league will allow – probably between $4M and $5M – to the Penguins in exchange for Jagr. It is believed Pittsburgh is demanding Radek Dvorak and/or Pavel Brendl, plus a No. 1, be included in any deal between the clubs. Sather has made it clear that he has no intention of bidding against himself. Thus, Patrick’s attempt to create leverage by creating the illusion of a rival player.
While Sather and Patrick are two of the most patient and methodical chief executives in the league, and while Patrick has stated that he will keep Jagr on the payroll rather than make an unsatisfactory trade, Pittsburgh is operating under somewhat of a time crunch. With nearly 20 unsigned players on the roster and the specter of July 15 salary-arbitration filings from the team’s entire second line of Alex Kovalev, Martin Straka and Robert Lang, the Penguins will need to have some idea of their financial obligations by that time.
If the Rangers get Jagr, they then intend to add Hull, also represented by Barnett, and said to be excited over the prospect of playing his off-wing on the left side of a line (and power-play unit) with the four-times-running Art Ross winner. The 37-year-old Hull, cut loose by Dallas after a 39-goal season to make room for the free-agent signings of Valeri Kamensky and Donald Audette – you may fill in the punch line – and the Rangers both agree that coming to Broadway makes far less sense without Jagr.
Of course, should Patrick be telling the truth about the Caps’ interest in Jagr, Hull could wind up in Washington on a line not only with Jagr, but also Adam Oates, the Golden Brett’s center for his 86-goal season in St. Louis more than a decade ago.