Antti Niemi's salary arbitration case was heard Thursday morning in Toronto and the wait is now on as a decision on the Blackhawks goaltender's salary for the 2010-11 season will be announced within 48 hours.
Niemi and agent Bill Zito were expected to ask for more than $3 million for the one-year contract after the netminder led the Hawks to their first Stanley Cup since 1961. The team likely is hoping the arbitrator awards Niemi around $2 million. If the Hawks deem the award too high, they could walk away from the deal and let Niemi become an unrestricted free agent.
"We have 48 hours with which to accept the award or walk away from the award or trade (Niemi)," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said Thursday. "It will be one of those three scenarios which will ultimately hapen. It's going to depend on what the number is. Depending on where it is, that's going to drive the boat. We've kind of mapped out different strategies based on how it will go. We're confident that we're going to make it work for us and we'll have a good team on the ice in October."
As indicated by Zito earlier this week, no deal was reached prior to the hearing, which involved up to a 90-minute presentation from both sides. Many cases are settled shortly before hearings begin, as was the case with Niemi's former teammate Andrew Ladd, who reportedly signed a one-year, $2.35 million contract Thursday. That is a raise from the $1.65 million Ladd made with the Hawks last season.
Atlanta also avoided a hearing with Ladd and Niemi's former teammate Ben Eager, who Wednesday inked a one-year, $965,000 contract, the same amount he made last season with the Hawks.
Ladd, Eager, Brent Sopel and Dustin Byfuglien were all traded from the Stanley Cup champions to the Thrashers during the off-season as the Hawks continue to trim payroll to remain under the NHL's salary cap.
Bowman said he expects the decision of the arbitrator to be announced Saturday.
--Chicago Tribune
Niemi and agent Bill Zito were expected to ask for more than $3 million for the one-year contract after the netminder led the Hawks to their first Stanley Cup since 1961. The team likely is hoping the arbitrator awards Niemi around $2 million. If the Hawks deem the award too high, they could walk away from the deal and let Niemi become an unrestricted free agent.
"We have 48 hours with which to accept the award or walk away from the award or trade (Niemi)," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said Thursday. "It will be one of those three scenarios which will ultimately hapen. It's going to depend on what the number is. Depending on where it is, that's going to drive the boat. We've kind of mapped out different strategies based on how it will go. We're confident that we're going to make it work for us and we'll have a good team on the ice in October."
As indicated by Zito earlier this week, no deal was reached prior to the hearing, which involved up to a 90-minute presentation from both sides. Many cases are settled shortly before hearings begin, as was the case with Niemi's former teammate Andrew Ladd, who reportedly signed a one-year, $2.35 million contract Thursday. That is a raise from the $1.65 million Ladd made with the Hawks last season.
Atlanta also avoided a hearing with Ladd and Niemi's former teammate Ben Eager, who Wednesday inked a one-year, $965,000 contract, the same amount he made last season with the Hawks.
Ladd, Eager, Brent Sopel and Dustin Byfuglien were all traded from the Stanley Cup champions to the Thrashers during the off-season as the Hawks continue to trim payroll to remain under the NHL's salary cap.
Bowman said he expects the decision of the arbitrator to be announced Saturday.
--Chicago Tribune
