The Toronto Star
November 22, 1991
Ruling awaited on Sakic's wage request
[...] Sakic has this season and an option year remaining on his current contract, earning $ 405,000 this season, far below his market value.
His is no ordinary arbitration. The process is generally reserved for players in their option year. Sakic, however, has a clause that automatically invokes binding arbitration to settle a renegotiation dispute.
The Nordiques have voluntarily bumped up Sakic's salary on a couple of occasions. They're prepared to do it again, but not high enough to satisfy Sakic.
The club submitted an offer of approximately $ 675,000 to Hinnegan, a source said. According to the same source, Sakic's agent, Don Baizley of Winnipeg, submitted a figure of between $ 1.2 million and $ 1.5 million. That's in the same fiscal neighborhood as Detroit Red Wing star centre Steve Yzerman.
Hinnegan's decision may have a huge impact on the Nordiques. He is free to award any amount he sees fit.
If Sakic wins big, the Nordiques' payroll will enter a whole new universe. Other players, especially burgeoning stars Mats Sundin and Owen Nolan, will be lining up behind their offensive leader.
If the Nordiques win big, they're going to have one unhappy star on their hands. On a team that can't sign Eric Lindros and that has finished last over-all for the last three years, with the fragile psyche to prove it, it's another distraction it can do without.Potential for bitterness is high.
Both sides are reportedly using Yzerman's contract as the basis for their figures.
The discrepancy arises because Yzerman is paid by both the Red Wings and Little Caesar's pizza chain, club owner Mike Ilitch's principal business. Yzerman's contract filed with the league is apparently only for $ 700,000. He receives another $ 600,000 from the pizza chain.
The Nords are looking strictly at his Red Wing contract; Baizley and Sakic are looking at his total income.
That, apparently, is why the arbitration hearing took so long.
"The first half of the hearing contained a fair amount of arguing over what is relevant and admissible and other various legal points," Hinnegan said. "It wasn't until the second half that we got down to the actual issues."
Sakic sat through the entire proceedings.
[...]