Zero
08-18-2005, 11:41 AM
Brewer signs for one year; Mayers OKs two-year deal
By Jeremy Rutherford (jrutherford@<hidden>)
Of the Post-Dispatch
Monday, Aug. 15 2005
Defenseman Eric Brewer accepted the Blues' $2 million qualifying offer Monday,
meaning he will play the 2005-06 season with the Note, but he won't be allowed
to negotiate a long-term deal with the team until after the calendar year.
Monday was the deadline for players to come to terms before their qualifying
offers expired. Right winger Jamal Mayers, who had a qualifying offer of
$702,240, agreed to a two-year contract for $900,000 a season.
The team also re-signed center Peter Sejna and defenseman Brett Scheffelmaier
to minor-league contracts.
The Blues, however, couldn't get a deal done with Brewer, whom they got from
Edmonton on Aug. 2 in a trade for Chris Pronger.
General manager Larry Pleau said the club offered Brewer a three-year contract,
but he didn't disclose financial terms.
"We would have been comfortable with three (years)," Pleau said. "But we
couldn't find something that both sides were comfortable with. We'd love to
have him for 10 years, but we tried to do what we think is right, and we just
couldn't find a match right now."
Attempts to reach Brewer and his agent, Don Meehan, were unsuccessful.
Under rules of the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, the Blues and
Brewer can't discuss a long-term deal until after Jan. 1. Had Brewer not signed
the qualifying offer Monday, he would have forfeited the guarantee of $2
million for the 2005-06 season, but it would have allowed the sides to
negotiate a contract before the start of the season.
Asked why the Blues and Brewer couldn't keep talks going, Pleau said, "They
made that decision (to sign the qualifier)."
At 26, Brewer will be a restricted free agent for the next two seasons.
Mayers becomes one of the rare players in the NHL who will make more this
season than he did before the lockout. His $900,000 salary for 2005-06 is a
$20,000 raise over what he would have made in the 2004-05 season.
Pleau said, "We wanted to get something done to take an unrestricted year away"
for Mayers, 29, who would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2006-07. "All
you got to do is do your homework on some of the signings. He's in that group
between $750,000 and $1 million. With his skill and size, it'll be interesting
to see how he does."
Mayers said he's eager to play without the knee brace he wore during the
2003-04 season, following reconstructive knee surgery. During the lockout, he
played in Sweden without the brace and scored nine goals in 19 games.
"I know I didn't have the best year in 2003, but I'm looking to rebound from
that," said Mayers, who had six goals in 80 games in 2003-04. "I've got my
confidence and my strength back, and I don't think about (the knee) anymore."
Pleau did not rule out the possibility of more free-agent signings or trades.
"As we sit right now, we're exploring it all," he said. "I think everybody was
trying to get through (the qualifying offer deadline). Now we'll see where it
all takes us."
By Jeremy Rutherford (jrutherford@<hidden>)
Of the Post-Dispatch
Monday, Aug. 15 2005
Defenseman Eric Brewer accepted the Blues' $2 million qualifying offer Monday,
meaning he will play the 2005-06 season with the Note, but he won't be allowed
to negotiate a long-term deal with the team until after the calendar year.
Monday was the deadline for players to come to terms before their qualifying
offers expired. Right winger Jamal Mayers, who had a qualifying offer of
$702,240, agreed to a two-year contract for $900,000 a season.
The team also re-signed center Peter Sejna and defenseman Brett Scheffelmaier
to minor-league contracts.
The Blues, however, couldn't get a deal done with Brewer, whom they got from
Edmonton on Aug. 2 in a trade for Chris Pronger.
General manager Larry Pleau said the club offered Brewer a three-year contract,
but he didn't disclose financial terms.
"We would have been comfortable with three (years)," Pleau said. "But we
couldn't find something that both sides were comfortable with. We'd love to
have him for 10 years, but we tried to do what we think is right, and we just
couldn't find a match right now."
Attempts to reach Brewer and his agent, Don Meehan, were unsuccessful.
Under rules of the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement, the Blues and
Brewer can't discuss a long-term deal until after Jan. 1. Had Brewer not signed
the qualifying offer Monday, he would have forfeited the guarantee of $2
million for the 2005-06 season, but it would have allowed the sides to
negotiate a contract before the start of the season.
Asked why the Blues and Brewer couldn't keep talks going, Pleau said, "They
made that decision (to sign the qualifier)."
At 26, Brewer will be a restricted free agent for the next two seasons.
Mayers becomes one of the rare players in the NHL who will make more this
season than he did before the lockout. His $900,000 salary for 2005-06 is a
$20,000 raise over what he would have made in the 2004-05 season.
Pleau said, "We wanted to get something done to take an unrestricted year away"
for Mayers, 29, who would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2006-07. "All
you got to do is do your homework on some of the signings. He's in that group
between $750,000 and $1 million. With his skill and size, it'll be interesting
to see how he does."
Mayers said he's eager to play without the knee brace he wore during the
2003-04 season, following reconstructive knee surgery. During the lockout, he
played in Sweden without the brace and scored nine goals in 19 games.
"I know I didn't have the best year in 2003, but I'm looking to rebound from
that," said Mayers, who had six goals in 80 games in 2003-04. "I've got my
confidence and my strength back, and I don't think about (the knee) anymore."
Pleau did not rule out the possibility of more free-agent signings or trades.
"As we sit right now, we're exploring it all," he said. "I think everybody was
trying to get through (the qualifying offer deadline). Now we'll see where it
all takes us."