JILL! THIS DOES NOT LOOK GOOD!!!!
The Penguins GM called Recchi's agent, among others on first day of free agency.
The signature isn't on the dotted line yet, but general manager Craig Patrick got the ball rolling Thursday in his attempt to bring unrestricted free agent Mark Recchi back to the Penguins.
Recchi's agent, Rick Curran, confirmed that Patrick called him yesterday and characterized the discussion as preliminary.
"He wanted to let me know officially that they had interest and we just chatted a little and said we'd both look forward to chatting again in the future," Curran said. "No deadline. No hurry."
Patrick wouldn't comment specifically on any player, but said Curran isn't the only agent he spoke to on a busy first day of free agency.
"I've been in contact with a lot of agents today," he said. "We've been pretty busy contacting people. We've got to make sure all our bases are covered."
Curran wouldn't say that the Penguins are Recchi's first choice, because he believes it would be unfair to both parties. But the Penguins are believed to be the front-runners for the 36-year-old right winger, and a deal could be in place by the middle of next week at the latest.
"(Recchi's) very familiar with the people in Pittsburgh; he considers them in many cases to be friends," Curran said.
That includes the owner.
Recchi and Mario Lemieux are close, and spend time together during the offseason.
"It's not uncommon to see them all in the gym together or on the golf course together," Curran said. "It's not a surprise to recognize that it has the potential to be a good fit."
The Penguins drafted Recchi in the fourth round (67th overall) in 1988 and he played parts of four seasons here, helping the franchise win its first Stanley Cup in 1991.
The Penguins also are believed to have an interest in Alexei Zhamnov and Alexei Kovalev, although the agent for Kovalev did not return a call yesterday and Jay Grossman, who represents Zhamnov, would not confirm whether he'd spoken to Patrick.
"When we have guys who are in play in the free agent market, we prefer not to comment," Grossman said.
All three players are unrestricted free agents, and whether the Penguins will be able to afford one, two or all three remains to be seen.
Recchi made $5 million last season, and is believed to be seeking a three-year deal in the neighborhood of $10 million.
Zhamnov, a 33-year-old center, scored 11 goals and 25 assists in 43 games last season between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Flyers. He reportedly received - and did not accept -- a three-year, $10 million offer from the Flyers. Zhamnov and Penguins coach Eddie Olczyk were teammates in Chicago."
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tri...e/s_201493.html
"Penguins begin pursuit of Mark Recchi
In previous years, guys such as Alexei Zhamnov, Mark Recchi and Alex Kovalev might be posting "For Sale" signs in front of their houses by now.
Not anymore. These days, NHL general managers do a lot of window-shopping before reaching for their wallets, which is why most agents received courtesy calls instead of contract proposals yesterday.
"Most clubs are a little more prudent in the way they do business, said Rick Curra, who represents Recchi. "They're expressing interest, then saying, "Let's talk again.' "
The Penguins are one of the teams to express interest in Recchi, and Curran expects to talk with general manager Craig Patrick next week. And if Patrick makes a competitive offer, there probably is a pretty good chance Recchi will accept it.
After all, he began his NHL career here, has a home here and has maintained a remarkable level of popularity for a player who was traded away more than 12 years ago. And it doesn't hurt that, despite being 36, he put up a team-high 75 points for Philadelphia in 2003-04.
"He's a quality guy," Penguins coach Eddie Olczyk said. "He's had an unbelievable career. It's only a matter of time until he ends up somewhere. We would love the opportunity to bring him in."
Recchi isn't the only free agent the Penguins covet, of course. If they were allowed to select one from the pool of several hundred that hit the market yesterday, Flyers center Alexei Zhamnov likely would be their choice. He would do more to address their most pressing concern -- a shortage of quality centers -- than anyone else available at the moment.
The catch is, numerous teams hope to sign Zhamnov, who is believed to be seeking a deal worth about $5 million a year; he already has rejected one valued at $3.5 million annually from the Flyers.
Repeated attempts yesterday to contact Jay Grossman, who represents Zhamnov, were unsuccessful.
Because of the NHL's impending labor dispute -- and the possibility that the next collective bargaining agreement will include a salary cap -- it's difficult to get a feel for what kind of salaries this year's free agents can expect. Still, the signings of Joe Nieuwendyk ($3 million) and Gary Roberts ($3.75 million) Wednesday by Toronto indicate Recchi could reasonably look for $3 million or more.
That doesn't mean he might not accept a bit less than market value from the Penguins, although there would be obvious risks in trying to low-ball him.
"His ultimate decision will be based on a number of factors," Curran said. "Economics will play a role in it, but also, it's about [having] a comfort level."
Which should not be interpreted as evidence that Recchi would rejoin the Penguins without assessing all options.
"Even a player like Mark, who everyone knows has an affection for Pittsburgh, has to take advantage of his opportunity to talk to other people," Curran said. "If you do that and eventually decide on [signing in a] place like Pittsburgh, you can go there with no reservations."