Sundin sleeping on Canucks' $20-million offer
Blues match Vancouver offer sheet to Backes; Wellwood accepts qualifying offer
Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, July 01, 2008
VANCOUVER - On the first day of NHL free agency, the Vancouver Canucks made a stupendous offer to Mats Sundin and an offer sheet to David Backes.
But all they managed Tuesday was to sign tough guy Darcy Hordichuk and waiver pick-up Kyle Wellwood.
New Canuck general manager Mike Gillis put a two-year, $20 million thunderbolt in front of Sundin and the 37-year-old centre went to bed Tuesday in Stockholm to sleep on it. Gillis hopes to receive an answer today.
"Our offer makes Mats the highest paid player in the league so I'm optimistic that we've made the best offer he can receive," Gillis said on a conference call. "We think we presented an opportunity here that he would like. The city is a great city to live in and we've had tremendous success with Swedish players who loved living here and want to stay here.
"So we think we have a lot of positives to offer in addition to the financial ones."
Sundin, the long-time Toronto Maple Leaf captain, had another fine season in 2007-08 with 78 points in 74 games. At 6-5 and 230 pounds, he would finally give the Canucks a large presence at the centre ice position to complement Henrik Sedin.
The Canucks' offer sheet to Backes, a 24-year-old restricted free agent with St. Louis, was quickly matched by the Blues.
Gillis disclosed that he attempted to trade for the 6-3 right winger and when that proved fruitless -- "it was like a Volkswagen for a Porsche," noted Blues president John Davidson -- the Canucks made the three-year proposal at $2.5 million per season.
"We identified David Backes as an up-and-coming young player who we had a great deal of interest in," Gillis explained. "I thought the St. Louis Blues had a number of young right wingers and it would be a stretch for them to match but they chose to right away. They retained a good, young player."
Backes was on his honeymoon in Hawaii when the Canuck offer rolled in. His agent, Wade Arnott, had to wake him up to deliver the news.
"David was rather surprised at how Vancouver stepped up," Arnott said. "He was also surprised by how quickly St. Louis made the decision to match because he was fully aware of the rules and that St. Louis had seven days."
Backes, a native of Minnesota, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he was pleased to be staying put.
"It shows me I'm in their plans for the next three years and it shows me they had a lot of faith in me to produce," said Backes, who has 54 points in 121 NHL games.
Hordichuk, meanwhile, will bring a presence to the Canucks' fourth line. The Kamsack, Sask., native signed for three years at what is believed to be $750,000 per season. It's also believed that Hordichuk's arrival indicates that Jeff Cowan is on the way out.
"I'd prefer not to answer that," responded Gillis when queried about Cowan's future in Vancouver.
Hordichuk, 27, appeared ecstatic with the Canucks' offer. He spent the last three seasons with the Nashville Predators.
"Looking at Vancouver, I think I'm the perfect fit and that's why I signed there," said Hordichuk, a 215-pounder who has 26 points and 747 penalty minutes in his 302 NHL games.
"I'm excited to bring my style of play to Vancouver. I know my role. I like to be physical. I like to run around and hit guys. I like to not only protect my teammates but kind of instigate some of the guys to drop their gloves and, if they don't, then usually I'll go after their skill players."
Hordichuk, a former Saskatoon Blade, has also done time with the Atlanta Thrashers, Florida Panthers and Phoenix Coyotes, all non-traditional hockey markets.
"When I look back at my career, I think some of my best games have come in front of the Canadian fans," Hordichuk continued. "I feel I am in the prime of my career and it's always been my dream to come back to Canada. So I'm more than excited.
"My wife, who is an American from Arizona, is excited and my family is excited. I've been waiting for this for a long time."
Gillis said he liked the energy Hordichuk is expected to bring to Vancouver's fourth line.
"We wanted to add a person who would be able to compete at this level and hit primarily," added the Canuck GM. "He really wanted to be here in Vancouver so we're quite pleased to have him signed."
Wellwood, acquired last week on waivers from the Leafs, accepted his qualifying offer for $997,500.
epap@png.canwest.com
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It was actually Arthur Griffiths' idea to go after Mark Messier.
but ya 10 mill pretty big, but at least we know we have someone that can pull the trigger.
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