DALLAS – They took their shot at him three summers years ago; we all remember that and we all know how it turned out, but now the Rangers are going to have another opportunity to acquire Joe Sakic, on the trade market, already.
The Avalanche have no choice. Sakic, one year shy of unrestricted free agency, will certainly file for salary arbitration unless he gets a long-term, no-trade contract. After a two-goal playoff, after going scoreless in the seven-game conference final loss to the Stars, he isn’t going to get it.
But after an 81-point season that tied him for the league lead among centers with Mike Modano, he is sure to get a monster one-year deal under arbitration, somewhere around $8 million for sure, after which he’ll simply scoot for free. Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix, who has a bundle of free agents to sign – including Raymond Bourque – can’t have that. And so, we are told by a reliable informant, he is even now talking about dealing his team’s captain for prospects.
Would Sakic, who benefited from the Garden’s largesse to the tune of $21 million over three years, help the Rangers? Sure he would. But, assuming the return of Mark Messier, is there a spot for him on Broadway? Likely not; not unless Glen Sather doesn’t buy into the Czechmates and thus looks to wheel Petr Nedved to open a spot in the middle.
Again, though: not likely; not likely at all.
Sakic has endured consecutive dreadful Western finals against Dallas. Last year, his wife was very ill during the series, so there was at least a legitimate explanation for Sakic’s struggle. But this year there is no explanation. He just did not get the job done, just as his teammates did not get the job done.
The center has scored 10 goals in 42 playoff games over the last three years, after getting 26 in 39 games the previous two seasons, including his 18 in the Cup- and Conn Smythe-winning 1996. Not only isn’t he going to get the no-trade from the Avalanche that would keep him from filing for salary arbitration, he’s going to get just the opposite.
And maybe, just maybe, we hear, the Islanders, looking for a marquee guy to carry the banner and with kids to spare, just might be the team to deal for him.
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JOHN Muckler has withdrawn himself from consideration for an executive job in Edmonton, either as GM or as possible GM Kevin Lowe’s senior adviser, Slap Shots has learned. “I didn’t think it was the right fit for me,” Muckler, who had a series of conversations with Oiler chairman Cal Nichols, told us yesterday.
Which can only lead us to believe the budget situation in Edmonton is hopeless. Which can only lead us to believe Lowe will be coming to the Apple to coach, if not to Phoenix.
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MEANWHILE, back to Lacroix, who following the Game 7 defeat to Dallas was quick to announce to the public that he was not the cause of the team’s demise, lest anyone be so inclined to point a finger his way.
“I’m convinced this organization has done everything in order to give this team the chance to win the ultimate goal, to win the Stanley Cup,” he said. “The best way to describe this is that I’m convinced to tell everyone that the best team lost.”
Earth to Lacroix: By definition, the best team always wins.
Moon to Lacroix: The best team doesn’t have Dave Andreychuk on its first line.
Slap Shots has learned that this public attempt to escape scrutiny came a year after a more private incident. Seems that after the Avalanche dropped the first two of the conference semifinals at home to Detroit last season, Lacroix lectured his team behind close doors.
“It was, ‘I went out and traded for Theo [Fleury], I signed Peter [Forsberg] and Patrick [Roy], I traded my son, and this is how you repay me?’ ” one well-placed whistle-blower reported. “Pierre should learn that it’s not all about him.”
The status of Bob Hartley, who has coached the Avalanche to successive seven-game losses to the Stars – coincidentally, Colorado did rally to take four straight from Detroit last year after Lacroix’s tirade – is under review.
If Hartley does not survive, assistant Bryan Trottier is the logical successor to the throne.
But don’t be at all surprised to find Trottier coaching Wayne Gretzky’s Coyotes, instead.
If only he weren’t an Islander, the Rangers could sure do worse that Trottier; much, much worse.
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WHETHER sooner or later, The Great One will completely restructure the Phoenix hockey department. We’re told that long-time confidant and family friend Charlie Henry, named GM of the Hull Olympiques when Gretzky bought into the ownership of the junior team, will join the Coyotes’ front office.
We’ve also been told that contrary to rumors north of the border, No. 99’s long-time agent and friend Mike Barnett will not be moving to the management side to join Gretzky in Phoenix.
Slap Shots has been told that Chicago GM Mike Smith is seeking to bolster both his goaltending and defense after coming to the conclusion that Jocelyn Thibault isn’t a legitimate No. 1 in nets and that Boris Mironov is his team’s only legitimate top four on the blue line.
We’ve learned that the Blackhawks – as well as those pesky Islanders – are smitten with the unrestricted Lyle Odelein. We’ve also learned that Smith has serious interest in Nikolai Khabibulin; it is, however, unlikely that Gretzky will authorize a trade of the goaltender, who sat out the NHL season in a contract dispute.
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THE NHL did the right thing in rejecting Toronto’s request for a special expansion-draft exemption for Bryan Berard. While we understand the unique gravity of the defenseman’s situation, the NHL cannot put itself in the position of differentiating between serious, career-threatening, injuries.
That having been said, however, it would be a mockery, an absolute mockery, for either Columbus or Minnesota to select the Maple Leaf defenseman if he is indeed exposed to the lottery.
The Canadiens, who may or may not seek to bring Bob Gainey back to Montreal as GM at the conclusion of the Finals, are definitely going to restructure their scouting department, Slap Shots has been told … The Bruins are seeking to move Sergei Samsonov, whom the Islanders passed over in the 1998 entry draft in order to select Eric Brewer, whom we’re told is also on the market … Jacques Lemaire remains the front-runner to coach the expansion Wild, but only if Minnesota GM Doug Risebrough comes up with a cool million for him.
Stephane Quintal, docked his final week’s pay by Dave Checketts for telling a Montreal newspaperman that all things considered he’d rather be a Canadien, hasn’t yet contested the fine. “Everything has been put on ice,” Quintal’s agent, Pat Brisson, told Slap Shots. “Stephane is hoping that with Glen [Sather] there, everyone will have a new start; it’s a new philosophy, a new start.”
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FINALLY, if you don’t like today’s column, if you detect some factual errors, don’t blame me. Before writing, I took a decongestant.
That’s not an excuse; it’s just the truth.