Flyers GM Clarke having a quiet summer
Canadian Press
7/17/2006 3:53:23 PM
By now in a normal July, Bob Clarke would have held several news conferences and re-vamped his club several times.
The veteran GM of the Philadelphia Flyers is the ultimate deal-maker, closing the deal on star free agents like few in his brethren. Last summer, the NHL fresh off a year-long lockout, Clarke stunned the hockey world by reeling in superstar centre Peter Forsberg on the second day of free agency. He also signed defencemen Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje as well as forwards Mike Knuble and Turner Stevenson.
But July 2006 has been a different story for the perennial contenders. Not a single star player was brought in.
"Our big signings were last year," Clarke said Monday from Philadelphia. "There's only so much money to spend. We actually ended up dropping guys."
Clarke let free-agent defenceman Kim Johnsson and forward Branko Radivojevic sign in Minnesota and veteran tough guy Donald Brashear went to Washington last Friday (for a $1-million US, one-year deal).
That's life in the new NHL. The talent gets spread around to all 30 teams, which is leading to more and more parity.
"I think what we're seeing is that the good teams aren't that good and the bad aren't that bad," Clarke said. "We're all somewhere in the middle. If your goaltending is real good, and if your star players play like stars, then you've got a chance."
Speaking of star players, Clarke is still trying to get winger Simon Gagne under contract but isn't close to doing so.
The restricted free agent is coming off a career-high 47 goals and wants a big raise over the $2 million he earned last year.
"We're a fair distance apart," said Clarke, whose first offer to Gagne was rejected. "You don't blame the player, you see (Brad) Richards ($7.8 million a year), (Martin) Havlat ($6 million a year) and some of these signings. It naturally elevates the demands from players who consider themselves that level of player.
"We have to remind ourselves that there are a lot of players making a lot less, too. We've got to come to some sort of a happy medium. We can't just use the highest salary anymore as where they should all be."
Gagne doesn't have many options other than to sit at home come training camp. Another team could make him a contract offer but that hasn't happen to a restricted free agent since Sergei Fedorov got an offer sheet from the Carolina Hurricanes in February 1998, which the Detroit Red Wings matched.
Any offer over $5 million a season would cost a club four first-round draft picks.
"My gut feeling is that we'd match but you'd have to see to know for sure," Clarke said of a possible offer sheet.
The Flyers got great news last week when Gagne's centre, Forsberg, announced he wouldn't need surgery on his left ankle which means he'll be ready in October instead of missing half the season as initially feared.
For the Flyers, that's like adding a star free agent.
"Yeah it does feel that way," said Clarke. "When you put a team on the ice and you're thinking you won't get Forsberg back until January, you're not thinking about first place, you're trying to make the playoffs - losing a player of that nature for that long.
"But we still don't know if we're going to get Keith Primeau back right now and it doesn't look real optimistic right now."
The Flyers captain, who turns 35 in November, missed all but nine games last season after suffering another serious concussion. He still isn't 100 per cent and the writing may be on the wall.
"He's going to go to Finland in early August and go through a training camp with Sami Kapanen's team over there," said Clarke. "I think if he can get through that all right, with some contact and stuff, then in all likelihood he'll be able to play. But I think if he has problems, then obviously he's probably done."
The Flyers are also awaiting a decision from veteran defenceman Eric Desjardins. The 37-year-old unrestricted free agent is considering retiring.
"I actually spoke with Eric last week and he's still debating," said Clarke. "He's had a lot of serious injuries that last few years. He still wants to be a regular player if he plays. He has to make the decision now whether he wants to go through it all over again. He said he would call us when he's made that decision."
