The Latest Free Agent News
Team-by-Team Summary of Player Moves
31 NHL players filed for salary arbitration in the summer of 2003, with Pavol Demitra of the St. Louis Blues and Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers among the biggest names.
As in past years, expect most of these players to sign new contracts before the case gets to arbitration. For the few who actually go through the process, here are the results:
Richard Matvichuk will play for the same money he earned last season. The Dallas Stars' defenseman was awarded one-year, $2.2-million contract. Matvichuk, 30, is entering his NHL season. last year he had six points and a plus-1 rating, while averaging of 19:37 minutes of ice time per game.
Defenseman Tom Poti of the New York Rangers gets a two-year contract, worth $2.8-million in 2003-04 and $3.1-million in 2004-05. Poti, 26, began last season in Edmonton and was dealt to the Rangers at the trade deadline in March. He made $1.8-million and finished the year with 48 points and a minus-6 rating.
The Boston Bruins have turned down a one-year, $2.5-million contract awarded to defenseman Bryan Berard, making him a free agent. The Bruins have the right to match any offer valued at less than 80 percent of the award, and both sides have expressed interest in working out a deal. Berard, 26, earned $850,000 last season. He recorded 38 points and was minus-4 on the year.
Pavol Demitra receives the second-largest arbitration award since the system was introduced. After making $3.975-million last season, the St. Louis Blues' center will get $6.5-million in 2004-05. Demitra, 28, has been the Blues' leading scorer in four of the last five seasons. Last year he recorded 36 goals and 93 points, the sixth-highest total in the NHL.
Phoenix Coyotes center Daymond Langkow gets a small raise, with a $2.7-million contract for 2003-04. Langkow, 26, is a small (5'-11", 192 pounds) but effective forward. He led Phoenix with a plus-20 rating last season, scored 20 goals for the second consecutive year, and earned $2.25-million.
A tidy 44-percent raise for Brian Rolston of the Boston Bruins. The 30-year-old forward receives a one-year, $3.175-million contract, after making $2.2-million in '02-'03. Rolston was third in scoring for the Bruins last season with 27 goals and 32 assists, and plau-1 for the season.
