Redbulls Hockey Club

Posted By: Hockey Clubhouse on Saturday Sep 09, 2006

Naslund led the Canucks with 79 points last year but his 32 goals was the least he'd scored in four seasons. As the team struggled down the stretch, the 33-year-old's leadership abilities were questioned and many people wondered if Vancouver needed a more vocal captain.

Earlier this week Naslund said he wasn't sure if he would keep the C, which he's worn since the 1999-2000 season.

"I've said all along I'm honoured to be captain of this team,'' Naslund, who will earn US$6 million this season, said at the time. "I've also said that if they feel someone is better suited for the role, that's up to them.''

Dave Nonis, the Canucks general manager, said it's wrong to blame Naslund for Vancouver's tailspin last year.

Posted By: Hockey Clubhouse on Saturday Sep 09, 2006

"I talked with my agent, and we think it would be too dangerous to go to camp with no contract," Gagne told the Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday, referring to Bob Sauve."Basically, we want a contract before I go to camp. If not, I'm not going to go."

General manager Bob Clarke and Sauve talked yesterday, but the two sides remain far apart.

"We offered Simon $5 million a year for four years and $5 million a year for five years," Clarke said. "We haven't been unfair to Simon Gagne. The statistics and everything else back it up. We didn't just pull these numbers out of the air. We did it professionally."

Sauve said Tuesday he would prefer three years and indicated there was mutual agreement there. Clarke said otherwise.