ran a quick newspaper search for barry pederson's name in may and june of 1986--
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
June 7, 1986 Saturday
Eagle seeks liberty for NHL free agents
WILLIAM HOUSTON; The Globe and Mail
SPORTS; Pg. C3
The league's system of equalization will be the most contentious issue
of this summer's negotiations for a new collective-bargaining agreement,
and Eagleson's position is an extreme departure from the system now in
place. The owners and players begin three days of talks Tuesday in
Toronto.
Because of the restrictions of equalization, movement of free- agent
players below the age of 33 is almost impossible under the present
agreement, which expires Sept. 15. If a free agent leaves to sign with a
new team, his former team is entitled to heavy compensation, either high
draft choices and/or front-line players.
"We would like to get established that a player will become a free
agent without equalization at some stage in his career," Eagleson said.
"At the present time, it's age 33, which is no value at all to the average
player. We want to bring that down substantially. In major-league
baseball, it's six years and then you're a free agent. That's what we're
aiming for."
In the past four years, not one free agent with a compensation clause
attached to his contact was able to move to another team.
Yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks avoided a compensation issue by
trading forward Cam Neely and their first-round draft choice in the 1986
entry draft to the Boston Bruins for star centre Barry Pederson, whose
contract was about to expire on July 1.
The Canucks had planned to sign Pederson and pay the compensation,
which would have been two first-round draft choices or one first-round
choice plus the fifth-best player on their roster. By making the formal
trade, compensation did not need to be worked out.
Here is how the present equalization system works:
For a contract of under $150,000 a year, compensation is determined by
the offer from a player's old team. For an amount of $150,000 or over,
compensation is determined by the offer from the player's new team.
A contract between $85,001 and $99,999 requires compensation of a
third-round choice in the next entry draft.
A contract between $100,000 and $124,999 requires compensation of a
second- and third-round draft choice.
A contract between $125,000 and $149,999 requires compensation of a
first-round pick or a player from the team's roster, with a protected list
of eight.
A contract between $150,000 and $199,999 requires compensation of a
first- and second-round draft choice, or a first-rounder plus a player
from a team's roster, with a protected list of six that includes the free
agent just signed.
A contract worth over $200,000 a year requires compensation of two
first-round draft choices or a first- round choice and a player from the
team's roster, with a protected list of four that includes the free agent
just signed.
It is highly unlikely the owners will agree to total free agency for
players with only six years of service. Given that scenario, a player such
as Wendel Clark of the Toronto Maple Leafs would be able to move freely to
another team at the age of 25, when he will probably be at the peak of his
career.
The owners say they might be persuaded to lower the age of free agents
without compensation to 30, but that is not likely to satisfy the NHLPA.
The players have threatened to strike if an agreement can't be reached by
the September deadline. In addition, Eagleson will point to the prosperity
of the NHL and argue that the owners can afford less punitive restrictions
on movement of players.
When the last agreement was reached in 1982, seven NHL teams were
losing money, seven were breaking even and seven were making money. Now,
however, only two or three teams are in the red. Another two or three are
breaking even, and the remainder are turning a profit. During the Stanley
Cup playoffs, NHL president John Ziegler boasted of record profits for the
past season.
Eagleson says he is seeking two other major concessions from the
owners. He says the pension plan needs to be upgraded, and he wants the
owners to bankroll a career transition program, which would include
severance pay at age 50 and career counselling plans. He estimates that
this would cost between $12-million and $20-million.
"We think the average player would end up with a lump-sum payment of
between $200,000 and $300,000 at age 50," Eagleson said. "At the all-star
break in Hartford, I told the owners what we have in mind and have sent
information to Ziegler on how I think they can do it."
As well, Eagleson wants all pension benefits converted from Canadian to
U.S. currency, which will mean a 35 per cent across the board increase. He
says the annuity purchase plan must be replaced with a broader type of
plan that would include purchases in a money market or a mutual fund.
"An annuity purchase plan was fine for the 1960s and 1970s, but totally
inadequate for the 80s," he said.
Another subject that might be discussed is increasing the age
eligiblity for the NHL entry draft. Right now, it is 18, which almost
everyone in the game feels is too low. Eagleson says a new system could be
collectively bargained without risk of an antitrust suit.
Because of age discrimination legislation in the United States,
however, a change in the system probably cannot reflect a specified age.
Instead, Eagleson favors an arrangement in which players must serve an
apprenticeship for a certain number of years in junior hockey before
becoming eligible to play in the NHL.
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and for spits and giggles--
The Toronto Star
June 20, 1986, Friday, FINAL EDITION
No 'franchise' players available in NHL draft
Frank Orr Toronto Star
SECTION: SPORTS; Pg. B2
MONTREAL - The general manager of a low-ranked National Hockey League team received a telephone call early this week from a peer who operates a club in upper echelon.
"GMs talk to each other often for no particular reason, but this time the other guy surprised me a little when he asked if we would be interested in trading our first-round draft pick," said the GM from down the list.
"I asked what he was offering for it, figuring he was joking, and he gave me the choice of one of two players from his team's starting 14 (three top lines, five best defencemen).
"I said I'd get back to him. Either of the players he offered would, indeed, help my team next season and because he's a hockey man I respect, I figured that confirmed the value of the young player who will be the best available when we pick. So I called him back and turned down his offer."
Similar calls
Many calls similar to that one have been coming through to NHL executive offices over the past weeks and trade offers for first-round draft picks will continue right up to - and during - tomorrow's draft, which starts at 10 a.m. in The Forum here.
While this year's draft crop is rated as a good one with considerable depth in big-league prospects, it lacks a "franchise" player, an 18-year-old of the Dale Hawerchuk or Mario Lemieux stature who is destined to turn around a team's fortunes. But that hasn't discouraged several top clubs, which don't pick until the concluding third of the first round, from trying to improve their drafting position.
"I don't think there's as big a scramble of teams trying to move up on the draft order as there is in years when there's a couple of potential major stars available," said Boston Bruin GM Harry Sinden.
"Of course, teams are trying to improve their positions and there will be rumbles of trades right up until the selecting starts. This appears to be a draft that will supply a good crop of NHL players because our scouts claim there are from 30 to 40 kids with that calibre of potential."
Sinden already has improved the Bruins' draft order by acquiring Vancouver Canucks' first pick (No. 6) in a trade for centre Barry Pederson.
As the worst team in the NHL last season, Detroit Red Wings have the first pick, the spot from which the Maple Leafs selected winger Wendel Clark last year, and they've been bombarded with trade offers. The deals take on two forms: (a) a player or two is offered as an incentive to have the Wings and the other club trade first-round choices, and (b) a package of players straight up for the draft pick.
If the Wings fend off the offers, all indications are that they will make centre Joe Murphy from Michigan State University the first player selected in the draft. Word is that the Red Wings already have a sweater with his name on it and press releases ready for tomorrow.
The choice hasn't been easy. Centre Jimmy Carson, a Detroit product who excelled with Laval juniors in the Quebec league, is among the top three prospects.
"Murphy is a good one who appears to be ready to move to the NHL next season," said Red Wing GM Jimmy Devellano. "But Carson is something rare that U.S. teams in the NHL covet - a hometown prospect - and he has excellent potential."
NHL rumor mills say Montreal Canadiens have made an assortment of offers to the Wings for the first draft pick. The French-language sports pages here have tossed out at least eight different three-body packages that the Canadiens have offered the Wings. All have been denied, of course, by the Canadiens' front office.
The Canadiens need scoring punch and the player available who rates as having that in the largest quantity is Carson, who played for the junior team owned and operated by the Canadiens in Laval.
Because the ratings on seven or eight prospects at the top of the list are very close, the precise selection isn't certain. That means the Leafs, who have the No. 6 pick, can't determine exactly which prospect will be available when their turn arrives.
The Toronto club guards its draft intentions with almost fanatical secretiveness, an approach that produced last year's absurd situation when the club had the first pick over-all. But then, the Leafs produce at least one absurdity in every situation.
The night before the draft, the team's management insisted that a final decision on the Leaf choice - Clark, forward Craig Simpson and defenceman Dana Murzyn were the top candidates - had not been made and one member of the organization offered to fetch the Gideon bible from his hotel room and swear on it that no choice had been made.
The Leafs wisely picked Clark, who was runner-up for the rookie-of-the-year award and injected much life into a camatose franchise. After the pick was made, the team's owner berated the media for speculating on the Leaf choice when, he said, the decision to take Clark had been made months in advance.
Best available
All the Leaf front office will say this year is that the club will pick the best player available and that very well could be centre Vincent Damphousse, 18, who had 155 points for Laval Titan last season. He's big (6 feet 1, 190 pounds) with good offensive skills, not quick off the mark but deceptively fast when moving on the attack.
Centre Neil Brady (Medicine Hat Tigers) and Adam Graves (Windsor Spitfires), winger Scott Young (Boston University) and defenceman Zarley Zalapski from the Canadian Olympic team could be available when the Leafs make their choice.
In this year's draft, the Ontario junior crop is down, the Quebec league offers its best gang of prospects in several years and Western Canada is well-represented in the first round. However, the big news is the strong list of U.S. prospects from high school and college hockey. As many as six Yankees could be selected in the first round.
Top candidates
Here's a look at the top draft candidates:
Joe Murphy, centre-right wing, Michigan State, 6 feet 1, 185 pounds, 35 games, 24 goals, 37 assists, 61 points, 50 minutes in penalties. Few dissenters to his No. 1 rating because of size, skating, scoring touch and intelligence. Tough enough to handle NHL traffic. Leading scorer in world junior tournament.
Shawn Anderson, defence, Canadian Olympics, 6-1, 190, 33-2-6-8-16. In skating and speed, he's compared to Paul Coffey. Has unlimited offensive potential because of puckhandling and passing ability. Could stay with Olympic program until after '88 Games.
Jimmy Carson, centre, Verdun Canadiens, 6, 185, 69-70-83-153-46. Gifted offensive player who compensates for lack of top speed with skill and hard work. Not overly aggressive but handles rough stuff sufficiently well.
Scott Young, right wing, Boston U., 6, 185, 38-16-13-29-31. Tabbed early as "next great U.S. prospect." Has evolved from flashy, high-scoring prep school star into hard-working grinder type who has potential to be good NHL winger.
Zarley Zalapski, defence, Canadian Olympics, 6-1, 190, 32-2-4-6-10. Swift skater, excellent rusher, improved physically with Olympics after joining team from Tier Two junior halfway through season. Draft rating climbed quickly, too.
Vincent Damphousse, centre, Laval Titan, 6-1, 190, 69-45-110-155-70. Not quick and tabbed as lazy earlier, his size, fine skills on the attack and big improvement in past season have moved him to front ranks. Maple Leafs need a big centre and this could be their man (boy?).
Neil Brady, centre, Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-1, 178, 72-21-60-81-104. Smart, creative, aggressive but scouts claim he needs another junior season to fill out lean frame and round off skills. Good long-range prospect.
Mark Pederson, left wing, Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-1, 195, 72-46-60-106-46. Rating slipped slightly from first to second junior seasons but all-around offensive skill will make him early pick. Knock against him is lack of aggressiveness on consistent basis.
Adam Graves, centre, Windsor Spitfires, 5-11, 184, 62-27-37-64-35. Injuries hampered him all season, but showed enough flashes of offensive skill and toughness to rate in middle of first round.
Jocelyn Lemieux, right wing, Laval Titan, 5-11, 207, 71-57-68-125-131. Brother of Montreal Canadiens' playoff star Claude Lemieux, plays with same abrasive, irritating approach. Not fancy but strong along the fence, solid scorer.
Dan Woodley, left wing, Portland Winter Hawks, 5-11, 185, 62-45-47-92-100. Tough, solid scorer, best defensively among forward prospects. One scout said he plays the game like a Sutter brother.
Craig Janney, centre, Boston College, 6, 175, 34-13-14-27-8. Finesse player who excelled in world junior championships, which boosted his draft rating. Knocks are lack of strength and hesitancy to shoot the puck.
Pat Elynuik, right wing, Prince Albert Raiders, 6, 182, 68-53-53-106-62. Will be 200-pounder when he fills out; has good hands and scoring touch for a big man. Scouts feel he can be a power-winger in NHL but needs development time.
Everett Sanipass, left wing, Verdun Canadiens, 6-1, 192, 68-28-66-94-320. Big, strong, macho kid with considerable hockey ability who, scouts claim, needs strong coaching because of immaturity and blow-top approach.
Greg Brown, defence, St. Mark's School, Conn., 6-1, 185, 19-22-28-50-30. Very strong, slick puckhandler, but development slowed by short prep school season. But good work with U.S. team in world juniors helped in evaluating him.
George Pelawa, right wing, Bemidji High School, Minn., 6-3, 230, 25-29-26-55-n/a. One scout called him "a tight end on skates, who's too big and strong to overlook." Moves well for his size, surprises with puckhandling skill and revels in physical side of the game.
Jeff Greenlaw, left wing, Canadian Olympics, 6-2, 195, 57-3-16-19-81. Rare prospect since bantam days but offensive skills have lagged. Works hard, plays aggressively, strong defensively. Worth a gamble that scoring touch will arrive because of other assets.
Brian Leetch, defence, Avon Old Farms School, Conn., 5-11, 170, 28-40-44-84-18. A puzzle for scouts because his offensive skills are big league but his size isn't. Not especially fast but good with the puck.
Tom Quinlan, right wing, Hill-Murray H.S., Minn., 6-1, 195, 26-24-29-53-n/a. One scout says he's the most gifted natural athlete in the draft who could be an NHL star well in future. However, he's a splendid baseball prospect, too, and could choose that game.
Todd Copeland, defence, Belmont Hill Academy, Mass., 6-2, 200, 19-4-19-23-19. Big, hot-tempered competitor, ingredients that impress scouts. Excellent skater who embarks on what a scout called "hunt-and-shoot" missions.
Tom Fitzgerald, centre, Austin Prep School, Mass., 6-1, 195, 24-35-38-73-n/a. Dominant in New England high school hockey. A good athlete with skills in all areas, size and strength to handle the corners.
Here is the order in which National Hockey League teams will pick on the first round of tomorrow's entry draft. 1. Detroit; 2. Los Angeles; 3. New Jersey; 4. Pittsburgh; 5. Buffalo; 6. Toronto; 7. Boston (from Vancouver); 8. Winnipeg; 9. New York Rangers; 10. St. Louis; 11. Hartford; 12. Minnesota; 13. Boston; 14. Chicago; 15. Montreal; 16. Calgary; 17. New York Islanders; 18. Quebec; 19. Washington; 20. Philadelphia; 21. Edmonton.
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(sigh) if only boston had done the expected and taken vancouver's 1986 pick, instead of holding off for 1987. we could have grabbed that local kid... chris "burnaby joe" joseph.