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Roberts Hopes His Career Doesn’t End Here
by Alanah McGinley on 03/03/09 at 02:48 PM ET
Comments (9)
From Bob McKenzie at TSN:
“I’ve never been on waivers before,” the Tampa Bay Lightning forward said. “It’s a first for me. I hope this isn’t how it ends.”
[Gary] Roberts knows his contract is working against him. Because there is no performance bonus cushion this year, Roberts’ salary counts as a $2.42 salary cap hit, with a bonus of $10,000 for every game he plays.
Roberts was hopeful of perhaps finishing his career with the same team he started it with – the Calgary Flames – but it remains to be seen if the numbers add up for Calgary. Roberts’ team from last season, the Pittsburgh Penguins, are in Tampa tonight, although Roberts has been told he won’t be in the lineup until the Lightning see what happens tomorrow at noon.
McKenzie also notes that Roberts was not told by the Lightning organization personally that he’d been placed on waivers—he found out from his brother in Toronto.
More here on the post’s 2:40pm update.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Calgary Flames, Tampa Bay Lightning | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: gary+roberts,
Comments
I wonder how a UFA will feel about signing with them?
If the money is there, people will sign.
Tampa, the cleaner alternative to Russia.
Posted by kstewy16 on 03/03/09 at 02:59 PM ET
I tend to agree with Paul… Tampa’s not exactly making themselves an appealing place to end up for a UFA with options.
But still, “Tampa, the cleaner alternative to Russia” makes me laugh. 
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 03/03/09 at 03:05 PM ET
Will the Lightning organization ever learn how to treat a veteran player such as Roberts?
Their track record is not good. I wonder how a UFA will feel about signing with them?
Paul, I am thankful for clubs like Tampa. Detroit needs clubs like them to drive players away and make them realize it’s more about winning than cash.
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 03/03/09 at 03:05 PM ET
It would have to be a LOT of money, though - since obviously a no-trade clause means nothing.
It doesn’t cost anything to have a little bit of consideration to at least let him know before it hit the media.
Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 03/03/09 at 03:06 PM ET
Oh, I think Tampa’s going to be having some fairly huge money problems shortly, so the days of them wildly overpaying for guys are going to be gone with the wind.
It’s odd. I don’t feel even remotely sorry to see the Lightning organization completely evaporate the way they have, and it seems like I should.
Posted by HockeyinHD on 03/03/09 at 05:47 PM ET
...Roberts was not told by the Lightning organization personally that he’d been placed on waivers—he found out from his brother in Toronto.
Just try to imagine this happening in the Wings organ-I-zation. Roberts is going to be one motivated S.O.B. after this. Makes me wonder if he couldn’t be this year’s Drake for the Wings.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/03/09 at 06:01 PM ET
Just try to imagine this happening in the Wings organ-I-zation. Roberts is going to be one motivated S.O.B. after this. Makes me wonder if he couldn’t be this year’s Drake for the Wings.
Man, you people really need to drop it with the “Roberts to the Wings” crap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSGShYjQX2s
Posted by shanetx on 03/03/09 at 08:19 PM ET
Man, you people really need to drop it with the “Roberts to the Wings” crap.
Chelios did a lot worse than that before he became a Red Wing. If Holland thinks Roberts could provide the extra bit of “sandpaper” the Wings need in the playoffs, that one incident won’t stop him.
Having said that, Kopecky made it clear tonight that he’s more than ready to be this year’s “Drake”. The odds are that the Wings won’t add anyone tomorrow...which, of course, pretty much guarantees that they’ll make multiple moves that will shock the whole hockey world.
Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 03/04/09 at 12:16 AM ET
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Will the Lightning organization ever learn how to treat a veteran player such as Roberts?
Their track record is not good. I wonder how a UFA will feel about signing with them?
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 03/03/09 at 02:53 PM ET