CANOE -- SLAM! Sports Comment

Can you sue to get a free agent hockey player you believe you already had acquired? Is that what the Edmonton Oilers plan to do to get Michael Nylander, er, back? Will NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman become involved to force the "return" of Nylander to the team?

Would the Oilers really want Nylander here after this? Would the Washington Capitals be forced to provide player compensation to Edmonton? Was the agent negotiating with the Oilers and the player with the Capitals?

YOU SAID

22 Comments

The reasons players don't want to play in Edmonton is the same reason most other people don't want to live there, it's full of Albertans.
Alden21, 2007-07-04 14:52:13

Just because Nylander didn't sign the contract, doesn't mean its not a contract. If the agent signed indicating intent, that should be better than verbal. The agent is a legal representative for the player.
Blaine, 2007-07-04 13:50:24

Edmonton has become known as a place to avoid by the players and agents. The ownership is ruining the team. I feel bad for the fans, and I am from Calgary!
Darryl, 2007-07-04 13:44:28

i've lived in edmonton my whole life, and even though it's basically a good city to live in, on a big city level, there's much better cities to live in. if your a millionaire, quality of life matters. on a cold dark january morning when the temp is -30, i understand why another city is considered.
dr logic, 2007-07-04 12:24:20

Fine the Agent $100,000 and give the funds to Edmonton. A deal is a deal, verbal or otherwise. One cannot blame Washington...just the greedy Agent.
Greg, 2007-07-04 12:16:16

Well, it may be a bad situation; has anyone heard from Nylander or his agent?

Bettman hasn't shown any support for canadian teams in the last year so I don't think he'd step up to the plate on this one.
jeff w, 2007-07-04 12:03:43

That's a BRILLIANT solution - trade away the players that want to play in Edmonton and force those that don't want to. Good grief....get a grip Lowe. Do you really think a lawsuit is going to make you look any smarter?
Susan, 2007-07-04 12:01:58

they should some kind of compensation. an example needs to be made of this agent
russell sehn, 2007-07-04 11:51:01

Why would you want to force aplayer to play where he doesn't want to? (Remember Lindros?) The Oilers are wasting their time and besides, they never had anything in writing only verbal and doesn't mean anything today, does it? Kevin Lowe is a dud as a GM and it shows by his trades and free agent signings.
David Black, 2007-07-04 11:22:08

If there was no signature....was he truly signed by Edmonton first?
Jason, 2007-07-04 11:14:15

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