Is a team from the Swedish Elite League negotiating to buy Niclas Wallin's contract from the Hurricanes?
A reader passed along this tidbit from a Swedish newspaper that would indicate Lulea of the SEL is trying to do just that, translated here via google:
It has long been silent about the combination klassvärvningar and Lulea Hockey. Jättetalangen Kristofer Berglund (Björklöven) is the only catch in the category so far. A credible source tells PT-sport club is trying to negotiate loss Stanley Cup-winner Niclas Wallin from the Carolina Hurricanes-the contract.
Wallin was almost ready for Luleå for a couple years ago, but then succeeded his Carolina win the Stanley Cup whereupon Haradspojken offered a drömkontrakt. Now, Wallin played by two of those three years and Luleå is said to work hard and quietly to buy off him. In this case, the new government's first major chapter.
While no transfer agreement is in place between the NHL and the SEL, the IIHF has made it clear -- in the context of the battle between the NHL and the new Russian Super League, the KHL -- it intends to enforce contracts across leagues.
Wallin considered returning to Sweden after the 2006 Cup season but was encouraged to stay by a four-year contract that included a no-trade clause. Wallin declined to waive that no-trade clause last summer when the Canes had a deal in place to trade him. The Canes are trying to dump salary on defense, but that no-trade clause makes it more likely it's Frank Kaberle or Dennis Seidenberg who departs.
Given that Wallin has two years left on his contract at a relatively affordable $1.875 $1.725 million, and under NHL rules the Canes would have to buy out that contract to give him his release, Lulea would either have to pay $2.4 million to cover the buyout or arrange some sort of loan deal. In short, this all seems pretty unlikely. But stranger things have happened.
UPDATE, 5:27 p.m.: In an email on Thursday, Wallin said there was no truth to the rumor.
If this doesn't pan out, I suspect -- and this is just a guess here -- that this might have been spawned by some wishful thinking on Lulea's part. And the smart money would still be on Wallin signing with Lulea when his contract expires in June 2010.
Luke has worked for The N&O since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist in August 2008. A native of Evanston, Ill., he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. He can be reached at (919) 829-8947, @LukeDeCock on Twitter or
Comments
Best D for the money
Tue, 07/29/2008 - 20:37 — Ron the Ref (not verified)Stormy! Put his fat hog butt in front of the crease. Not one puck will get to Cam and the forwards can avoid defense like it was the plague. Wait-they already do. Shoot me a t-shirt, pig!
Sounds like
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 15:39 — Anonymous (not verified)Sounds like a bunch of NC State basketball fans to me... always looking for someone to blame... and usually the person they find should really only be about 9th or 10th on the list.
Wallin has been a good player for our team. Yeah he had a crap year last season... but so did Cam Ward... and so did almost everyone else!!! If you ask everyone on the team... to a man... they would all say that they won as a team when they won and they lost as a team when they lost...
Wallin
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 12:29 — esteban1949Wether he stays or goes...i say...let's tar & feather JR...heck it couldn't hurt...aside from the river rats ...the rest of the up and comers in the rest of our system...aint all that hot...and that falls under Jr's watch...even when chowderhead was in hartford...Mr. K really must love the guy to keep him this long..And does trip tracy know more than JR ??
Go Canes !
Canes developing D-men
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:54 — ctillAnd now it's time for the obligatory question,
"Where is Igor Knyazev?"
I wonder how many first-round picks -- he was #15 overall in 2001 -- never play in even one NHL game.
From the 1997-2003 drafts,
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 12:20 — atrioneFrom the 1997-2003 drafts, there have been 16 first rounders who haven't played in the NHL. The drafts since 2003 will be skewed by players who just graduated from college in 2008 or players who just finished juniors eligibility.
JR and D-Men
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 23:31 — caneiac01 (not verified)Tim Gleason may turn out to be the closes thing to a d-man being developed into a legit, solid NHLer. He's shown signs of becoming the shut down guy we need him to be. Also, and I'm gonna sound like Tripp Tracy here, but one could make the argument that Glen Wesley was developed under JR. He was more of an offensive minded d-man early in his career, but developed into a shut down guy once he came to Hartford/Carolina.
Um...check the stats.
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 21:07 — KRP (not verified)I don't pretend to be an expert, but a quick check of Wallin's stats show 8 points total in 66 games with the absolute lowest +/- rating on the team with -18, 8 points lower than the next in line. If he's touted as a stay-at-home defenseman, then I would think he would be living or dying by that +/- rating. I would say dying at this point. Kaberle's the next worst with a -4. That's a 14 point difference. He was in his own league on this stat. Also, how many players last year shot the puck 3/4 of the way down the ice into our own empty net? Fact is, he would have been and should have been gone last year, had he not exercised his contract. End of story. We appreciate the Cup run...but please, move on, Nic...if Sweden loves you, forget the money and go where you're loved! Before it's too late!
I don;t get it
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 08:14 — wylde4canes (not verified)Everyone is so quick to throw this man under the bus for a bad season. Again, I think everyone is more apt to shun him because of the very public "no waive" last off season. In JR's mind he earned that right, so you can't blame him for invoking it. I, on the other hand, will just hope for a bounceback season. Fairthweather fandom applies to be a fan of a player too, ya know.
OK, here's a few things
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 14:40 — The Game (not verified)OK, here's a few things people need to understand about Nic. First of all, he was hurt pretty much all of last season. On and off, his groin was giving him problems. But he gutted it out, especially since we had NO depth on the blueline. To go right along with that, that would be the reason why he "didn't look like himself". Try putting in 20 minutes a night with a tender groin, and see how fast you can skate!
Second, the Canes are not going to find a stay at home defenseman with the experience Nic has for less than $3 M/season. It's just not going to happen. And for any of you that feel that his contract is a strain on the team, let me ask you this... what would you do, and who would you sign with his money? I'd love to hear the answers out there.
The Canes would be wise to do whatever it takes to keep Nic here. With him out of the lineup, the blueline is extremely thin, and the hopes for the playoffs dim a little more (again).
Right...
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 07:40 — johnnyg (not verified)Wallin has always had groin problems, he rarely plays more than 60+ games a year and misses most of his time with "groin pulls."
Wallin played 66 games last season and was last with a -18, Hedican played 66 games and was a +17, by all accounts he struggled with injuries too.
great post
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 19:25 — Anonymous (not verified)Each year the fanbase find a scapegoat and this past year its been Wallin.
If the fans spent as much time fact collecting about the players and the actual game itself instead of itching about parking they would know what a quality guy Wallin is on and off the ice.
Nice
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 16:02 — David (not verified)I agree with you on this. Man, you'd think that Nic Wallin had personally caused the team to miss the playoffs! Give this guy a break! Have any of you people who are bashing him ever been to a Canes practice and seen the kind of teammate and friend Wallin is? It's obvious to me that Nic is a solid team guy who gives his all. So, he had a bad +/- this year. So what? Plus minus is one of the least telling stats in the NHL. If one guy plays most nights against the other teams' top lines and a guy like Kaberle, for instance, plays primarily in PP situations and against 3rd and 4th lines, you'd expect Kaberle to end up with a better +/-. And if you consider that Wallin had worse than usual groin problems this year, you have to assume he played through a lot of it due to all the other injuries we had on D. So, a guy busts his hump out there, playing hurt because we've got tons of D-men out with more serious injuries and all of sudden he's a huge liability who needs to get out?! Gimme a break. Some people need to have their heads examined.
I agree
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 19:07 — Scoundrel (not verified)I agree and the thing I have not heard anyone say on this post is how bad the canes forwards played on D-fense last year. Yes people, forwards play D-fense !!!!
The D-guys play positons to protect the goal and area around the net and when the forwards create too big a gap and allow guys to skate past and through them, it is not all the D-guys fought. How many times last year did you see the D-guys and the goalie defending a rushing player or a player that came out of nowhere. All the time.
Geez, blame Staal or Williams for playing lazy forward so maybe we can start calling for them to go get a job in Europe.
Want to see what I am talking about? Just watch the Red Wings. They shut down teams not only because they have a great D-fense, but because their forwards work with their D-guys and collapse the zone between the two (the gap !!!)
Watch the game people !!!
Sentimentality only goes so far.
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 13:38 — acidqueenNicky has not been himself this last season--he was never the fastest guy on the ice, but this past season he was even slower and, it seemed, no longer able to push guys off the puck or be even remotely as physical as he was capable of in the past.
He's going to have to decide, and soon, what he wants to do: go to training camp and possibly wind up as the 8th defenceman (if he has a bad camp)--but get 3.5Million, or go home to Sweden and be assured of a roster spot--but for less money.
agreed
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 13:48 — johnnyg (not verified)I would go farther to say he was never really that great of a d-man either. I remember several years ago tsn was doing a game spotlight and singled out wallin as being out of position on all the goal that had been scored on us during that game.
Also I disagree as to his potential pay overseas, they seem to be throwing money at players these days and i would assume he could see a similar if not overpaid salary (tax-free). we'll see how this plays out.
Facts please
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 17:29 — me (not verified)the money being thrown is the Russian league,not the swede league. I don't think it would be tax free either.
Not to mention, I don't think you an take one game and connect that with 2 to 3 seasons.
?
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 07:32 — johnnyg (not verified)Oddly enough you presented no "facts" either.
While yes the Russian league has been in the news recently for throwing money at players to play over there, I was making the point that for any team to lure a player from the NHL would need to make it worth the trip. Therefore, Wallin would need to see a reason to potentially abandon his contract here to want to go play elsewhere.
Also most contracts I have seen signed in Europe (via press releases) specifically describe the contracts, not just in the Russian league, as "Tax-Free."
Also For a stay at home d-man, Wallin is rarely in the positive +/- and has an NHL career +/- -59.
Taking one game? Hardly.
Keep Nic
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 12:36 — SubwayScoundrelI think I am the only one that does not like this. With the new D for the canes, they need a stay at home D-guy at the 5th or 6th ranking. Wallin is that guy. Don't expect him to push the puck up the ice like Pitkanen. Expect him to stay at home and press glass into forwards' face that cycle the puck in the corners. For $1.8M, that is what he does and at a good price.
I can understand Kabs being up since Pitkanen and Corvo are now in the postion he was and the player they thought he was. I still say Kabs goes to LA once their minority ownership deal is done. (That is why LA is not doing any deals) For a 2nd rounder or a 3rd or 4th rounder and a project youngster.
I'm with "Keep Nic"
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 12:59 — Anonymous (not verified)He is a very good stay at home defensemen and that is what we need. From what I understand he is also a favorite in the locker room and I don't think that can be underestimated.
I dont see how any stay at
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 23:05 — James (not verified)I dont see how any stay at home defenseman can be considered "good" after registering a -18 rating. Maybe, if he was on the worst team in the league, but the Canes were still a decent team last year. I don't buy the 'he played too much' excuse one bit.
Why is he -18? Alot has to
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 19:09 — Anonymous (not verified)Why is he -18? Alot has to do with $25M plus worth of forwards who don't play D-fense very well.
wallin
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:57 — Anonymous (not verified)well...atleast someone wants/is interested in him.
In theory...
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 10:57 — johnnyg (not verified)couldnt wallin just retire from NHL? He could forfeit his nhl contarct at that point and play anywhere outside the nhl and if he wanted in a year or 2 come back and play in the nhl.
of course that would be a stretch, but if the money is right over there then it may be worth it for him, and us.
I doubt the Canes would stand in the way
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 09:25 — Vincent Vega (not verified)If Wallin works out a deal with Lulea that's good for him, I doubt if the Canes would stand in the way of his leaving. I don't think they'd attempt to hold him to his contract, or attempt to get anything from Lulea. I think they'd just let him walk away.
I also don't think Wallin would hold the Canes to the buyout. He knows that they could make it very difficult on him to earn that money if they put him on waivers or send him to Albany.
So since this works out well for both sides, I think the contract would just "go away," kinda like Oleg Tverdovsky's did when he left Los Angeles for Russia two summers ago.
(BTW, Nic is set to make $1.725 million for two years, according to everything I've found.)
The IIHF has absolutely no
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 09:09 — Patrick Eaves' Shoe Collection (not verified)The IIHF has absolutely no authority to enforce contracts. All they can do is ban players from participating in international competitions. All the players that the IIHF pointlessly "suspended" (Radulov, Filatov, Krog, etc.) are going to play in the leagues they signed with anyways. I seriously doubt the Hurricanes would care if Wallin breached his contract and signed with Lulea. No buyout is needed for this to happen.
Wallin
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 08:37 — MR (not verified)Wallin is a good guy who has been a really solid player for the Hurricanes. If he had been allowed to take his reward contract after the Cup and play as the 5th defensemen for the last two seasons, this wouldn’t be an issue. But Jim Rutherford”s total botched handling of our D, injuries to Hedican, Kaberle, and others, followed up with cheapo, band-aid acquisitions like Hutchinson, Tanabe, and Seidenberg, turned our D into a mess, forcing Wallin to play a bigger role and more minutes. His body and skills weren’t up for it and he has suffered. Now, he’s broken down and his confidence is shot.
Like Jack Johnson, he’s another casualty of this team’s inability to develop defensemen from within the system. In the 10 years the team has been inNorth Carolina
haha, thats
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 12:53 — Anonymous (not verified)haha, thats funny!
follow hockey much? or do you blame the gm for everything?
Yep, a real knee-sleeper.
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 16:50 — MR (not verified)Been a fan of hockey my whole life. And I frequently defend JR, especially this off season. I think the COle trade was good. And I think based on the budget, the Babchuk and Melichar additions, while risky, were a good move.
But since you are such an expert, how about actually answering a question in the post instead of trolling and flaming? Name one defenseman this organization has developed into a legit NHLer under Rutherford.
Wallin
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 17:58 — Fat Eagle (not verified)I agree with you MR. I'll answer that question as well. That one defenseman is ...... Wallin. He's been the one steady defenseman the Canes have developed that I can remember. He's good at his role of defensive minded 3rd pair D-man.
True
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 08:59 — MR (not verified)The Canes drafted Wallin, but I wouldn't really say they 'developed' him. Unless I'm mistaken, and it's certainly possible, he was something like 25 when drafted, so he was already 'developed'.
I should clarify, I don't blame Jim Rutherford solely in his role as GM. I also blame the scouts who have been pretty dismal, but Rutherford in his role as VP is ultimately responsible for them as well.
This is great news. I
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 07:39 — Anonymous (not verified)This is great news. I hope it happens. Canes management would love to have his contract off their books and cap space.