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Attention Alexei Yashin: You're screwed!

Sep 7, 1999

More from the Yashin front in the NHL. Yashin has now been threatened with 2 lawsuits. One from Len "Superfan" Potechin, the other, Bobby Smith take notes, from Ottawa GM Marshall Johnston. Basically, Yashin holds out, and the Sens lose money, he's sued.

If he holds out, he's screwed another way. Apparently there's a term in his contract whereby if he doesn't complete a full season in the NHL this year, he is ineligible for free agency next year. Basically, he will be forced to play a full season for the Senators when he chooses to return to the NHL. Basically, Johnston (or whoever slipped that in) is a genius for doing it. Goes to show you how dumb Yashin's agent, Mark Gandler is. He has no ground to stand on.

Johnston rejected an offer from Gandler and promptly suspended Yashin for not showing up to training camp. The offer was to tear up this year's contract, the terms would be 3 years, $3.6 million this year, as per his current contract, $11 million next year and $12 million the year after. Said Gandler: "I made a proposal to Marshall to see if we can help them with their budget this year in return for some help on our budget next year." If they need that kind of help with their budgets next year, I'm living in poverty!

The reason Johnston rejected the offer, they would not negotiate terms for a new contract until Yashin fulfilled all the obligations of this one.

So why do the Two Stooges still fight with no arms to punch with? Gandler says there is no reason for Yashin to report if this is the last year of his contract since it would be a distraction to him.

This is kind of an oxymoron. What he's saying is that if you sign a 3-year contract, it's only good for 2 because then the player will renogotiate for more seasons. If they're only there for one more season, the pending contract dispute will be a distraction. So, anytime a player is in the last year of their contract, they're distracted? What happens when they renegotiate before their contract is up? Isn't that after their last season with a contract? I'm confused, and I'm sure you are too.

Back to Bobby Smith of the Coyotes: CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK

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2. Sep 10, 1999 11:18 AM
I propose a corollary to the point you made in the article about Yashin and his contract "difficulties". If a 3-year contract amounts to a 2-year contract because the last year is always used to mani ...

-- posted by mcstewart

1. Sep 8, 1999 5:17 PM
It sickens me when a player such as Yashin who, by the way is NOT a super star, throws a tantrum because he can't get his own way. I have seen better players than he, put their hearts on the line gam ...

-- posted by Esse

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