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Monday, July 16, 2001
Bruins considering trading Allison
Associated Press
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BOSTON -- Boston Bruins general manager Mike O'Connell is
threatening to trade captain Jason Allison if the sides can't agree
on a contract.
"I'd like to keep him on our team," O'Connell told the Boston
Herald. "But when the numbers are above where we think are
correct, and they take such a hard line, a hard stance, I don't
have a choice but to look elsewhere and see what I can do."
O'Connell said the team had "no interest" in trading fellow
restricted free-agent Bill Guerin. But he wouldn't rule out a deal
for Allison, saying several teams already contacted him about the
Bruins' leading scorer from last season. None offered enough to
provoke a deal.
"What's my alternative? What is it? Tell me. I'm open for
suggestions," O'Connell told the newspaper. "If you're going to
buy a house, and make what you believe is a fair offer, and they
tell you, `If you think you're going to buy the house for anything
less than what I'm asking, you're crazy.' What do you do?"
But Allison denied he has refused to negotiate, and also denied
reports he was asking for $9 million.
"The salary that I'm asking would rank me approximately 15th
among forwards," Allison said. "I was fourth (in the league in
scoring) last year, and averaged eighth over the last four years,
other than my injury year."
According to that scale, that would put Allison in the $7
million to $8 million range.
Allison said he didn't file for arbitration because he doesn't
want to have to go through the same thing next year.
"I would hope the Bruins would want me to be there, not because
they're forced to be there," he said. "I said this before and I
believe in it strongly. The way to have a longtime successful team
year after year is by treating your guys fairly and properly. They
made me captain. It's very hurtful and disappointing how things
have gone with the contract."
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