|
|
|
Tuesday, March 6, 2001
Khabibulin finally gets out of Phoenix
Associated Press
|
PHOENIX – The Tampa Bay Lightning won the trading
sweepstakes for holdout goalie Nikolai Khabibulin. Now, all they
have to do is sign him.
The Lightning sent defenseman Paul Mara, forwards Mike Johnson
and Ruslan Zainullin and a second-round draft choice to the Phoenix
Coyotes on Monday night for defenseman Stan Neckar and the
28-year-old Khabibulin, who last played in the NHL nearly two years
ago.
Tampa Bay general manager Rick Dudley said he had not yet spoken
to Khabibulin's agent, Jay Grossman, about a contract for the
restricted free agent.
"I'm sure we'll start tomorrow or in the near future," Dudley
said late Monday from the GM's meetings in Palm Springs, Calif. "I
purposely didn't want to get into negotiations prior to making the
deal. Not because I was frightened, but because I didn't want it to
bother my thinking.
"We're going to try and make an appealing offer that will make
him happy."
A call to Grossman was not immediately returned.
Dudley was in Phoenix on Sunday night and spoke with Coyotes GM
Cliff Fletcher during the Coyotes' game against Colorado. Those
talks intensified Monday as the pair traveled together to the
meetings.
"I think there were several other teams in the hunt," Dudley
said. "One reason why I was happy to go out to Phoenix was to give
us the best shot that I could."
Fletcher was senior adviser to Dudley the last two seasons
before being hired as general manager for the Coyotes last month.
There were reports last week that a trade that would have sent
Khabibulin to the New York Rangers fell through after Rangers
forward Theo Fleury entered a substance-abuse program and could not
be dealt.
Khabibulin had refused to sign with the Coyotes in a contract
dispute that has kept him out of the NHL since the 1999 playoffs.
He played in the International Hockey League last season, but
stayed in shape this year through personal workouts.
"The Phoenix deal I believe got personal," Dudley said of the
negotiations with Khabibulin. "It got to the point that it got
kind of acid."
Khabibulin had a record of 126-113-30 and a 2.75 goals-against
average in five seasons with the Phoenix/Winnipeg Jets franchise.
He is first on the franchise list with 21 shutouts, and is second
in games played (284), minutes (16,027) and wins (126).
"The true issue for me was acquiring a very gifted hockey
player," Dudley said. "I believe we'll be able to sign him and I
believe he wants he play in Tampa, and we certainly want to have
him here."
The Russian goalie reportedly insisted he must receive full
salary for this season, which only has a handful of games left.
Whether he will get that is unclear. The Lightning have the NHL's
worst record, but hope they now have a building block.
"We just acquired an elite goaltender and a very solid NHL
defenseman," Dudley said. "With Nikolai and Kevin Weekes, we
believe the Lightning are capable of having as good a goaltending
situation as anyone in the National Hockey League."
The Coyotes were happy to get viable players for someone who's
been away from the team.
"I'm excited about the players we've acquired in this trade,"
Coyotes managing partner Wayne Gretzky said.
"Nikolai Khabibulin is a premier NHL goaltender," Gretzky
said. "He's been a great player for our organization for many
years, and we wish him well in the future with Tampa Bay."
Fletcher said Johnson has the ability to play on the Coyotes'
top lines, and that Mara, 21, has great potential. He added that
Zainullin was ranked "very high" in last year's draft.
Mara, a first-round draft pick of the Lightning in 1997, had six
goals and 16 points in 46 games with Tampa Bay this season, his
second in the NHL. He also played 10 games with Detroit of the IHL.
Johnson had 11 goals and 38 points in 64 games with Tampa Bay.
Signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 1997, Johnson
was selected to the NHL's All-Rookie team in 1998 after playing in
all 82 games and scoring 15 goals.
Zainullin, 19, played with a Russian team this season after
being drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round last year.
Neckar had four points in 53 games with the Coyotes this season.
He has also played for Ottawa and the New York Rangers.
"It was a very good deal for both teams," Dudley said.
 Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
|
|
ALSO SEE
Trade breakdown: Khabibulin to Tampa Bay
|
|
