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Monday, November 20, 2000
Devils sign deals with Arnott, Niedermayer
ESPN.com news services
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WEST ORANGE, N.J. -- Almost a quarter of the way into the
season, the New Jersey Devils' lineup may soon look like the one
that won the Stanley Cup.
The last two unsigned players on the roster reached contract
agreements when defenseman Scott Niedermayer and center Jason
Arnott ended holdouts that saw them miss the first 19 games of the
season.
|  | | Niedermayer will be a big boost to New Jersey's transition game. |
"I feel like a winner just because I am back playing hockey,"
Niedermayer said Monday after signing a four-year deal worth $16
million and then practicing. "We agreed on a contract, and I am
back here playing hockey, and I am happy about that."
Coach Larry Robinson was very pleased that both players reported
in great physical shape. Niedermayer is below his playing weight,
and Arnott reported where he finished last season.
Robinson plans to play both Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.,
when the Devils open a West Coast road trip against the Mighty
Ducks.
Robinson even teased the two when they got back on the ice.
"I acted like I was scared and didn't know who they were,"
Robinson said.
Arnott got a two-year deal valued at $6 million. ESPN's Al Morganti reported Sunday that Arnott is guaranteed $5.1 million, with an additional $900,000 in what should be easily attainable bonus money. In order for Arnott to get the $900,000, the Devils would have to make the playoffs in each of the next two years. On Monday, Arnott was
immediately placed back with his old linemates Petr Sykora and
Patrik Elias.
"I felt pretty good," said Arnott, who stayed in shape
practicing with a junior hockey team. "It felt a little different
handling the puck but it will come back."
Niedermayer and Arnott missed 19 games during their holdout.
"It's unfortunate it took this long, but they will be here more
than a year," Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello, who met with
the players last Sunday in Toronto.
Don Meehan, the players agent, called Lamoriello on Sunday
morning to tell him the players had accepted the latest offer.
"Right now this is a positive," Lamoriello said. "They are
here, and I'm excited."
Niedermayer, who gained notoriety for being suspended for 10
games late last season for hitting Florida's Peter Worrell over the
head with a stick, had sought a $13.5 million, three-year contract.
Lamoriello had originally offered a three-year contract worth $4
million annually. Arnott, who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal
against Dallas in June, had been offered a two-year contract worth
$5.1 million.
When the players rejected those offers, Lamoriello said he would
deduct portions of their salaries for each day of the regular
season they missed. He backed down on that threat recently.
The return of Niedermayer and Arnott is welcome news to the
Devils, who have posted an 8-8-3 record. They recently ended a
six-game losing and seven-game winless streak with consecutive
overtime wins.
The losing skid was the team's longest since 1991, and the
winless slide was the longest since 1992.
"Scott is one of the top 10 defensemen in the league, and Jason
is one of the top 10 centers," center John Madden said Monday.
"This makes us a much better team."
Arnott had 22 goals and 34 assists in the regular season. The
rugged eight-year veteran stepped it up in the playoffs, collecting
eight goals and 12 assists in 23 playoff game. The big goal came in
Game 6 of the finals against the Stars when he scored at 8:20 of
the second overtime for a 2-1 win that gave New Jersey its second
cup since 1995.
Niedermayer had 7 goals and 31 assists in 71 regular-season
games. He had five goals and two assists in 22 playoffs game,
missing the opening game of the playoffs because of the
Worrell-related suspension.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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