guinevere
08-15-2003, 07:29 AM
Oates mulls retirement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (CP) -- Veteran centre Adam Oates is contemplating retirement after failing to catch on with another NHL team this summer.
"I've had a couple of calls, nothing major," Oates, 40, said Wednesday after walking alongside good friend Mike Weir at the PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y. "I'm going to wait and see and decide about either retiring or playing one more season."
The unrestricted free agent had nine goals and 36 assists in 45 games last season, down from 68 points with Washington the year before. The 18-year NHL veteran has 1,402 points, including 1,063 assists, in 1,277 career games.
The native of Weston, Ont., remains an effective force on the power play, but has found little interest on the free-agent market.
"I think with the lockout potential next year it's affected things and I think that's why the phone hasn't rung as much," Oates said. "And that's OK, I'm prepared to move on. But we'll see what happens, I haven't decided for sure yet."
Teams that have called haven't offered anything close to the $3.5 million US he made last season.
"There's a couple of teams interested but the question is, at what number?," Oates said. "What people don't understand is that I will be 41 and to go through the whole grind and risk your body, the number has to be right."
Oates, who turns 41 on Aug. 27, became a free agent June 30 when Ducks GM Bryan Murray decided not to pick up his $3.5-million US option for next season.
"I knew it was expensive and Bryan Murray has budgets just like any other GM in the league," Oates said. "That's OK, I understand."
The clock is ticking and Oates said he would soon make a decision either way.
"Shortly, very shortly," he said.
Oates was the top centre in Anaheim last season, but last month, the Ducks signed unrestricted free agent centre Sergei Fedorov to a five-year, $40-million contract.
I thought this quote was interesting..
There's a couple of teams interested but the question is, at what number?," Oates said. "What people don't understand is that I will be 41 and to go through the whole grind and risk your body, the number has to be right."
The other side of the coin is that the GMs do understand that he will be 41 - which may be part of the issue... especially with his points trending downward from the previous year.
Guin
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (CP) -- Veteran centre Adam Oates is contemplating retirement after failing to catch on with another NHL team this summer.
"I've had a couple of calls, nothing major," Oates, 40, said Wednesday after walking alongside good friend Mike Weir at the PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y. "I'm going to wait and see and decide about either retiring or playing one more season."
The unrestricted free agent had nine goals and 36 assists in 45 games last season, down from 68 points with Washington the year before. The 18-year NHL veteran has 1,402 points, including 1,063 assists, in 1,277 career games.
The native of Weston, Ont., remains an effective force on the power play, but has found little interest on the free-agent market.
"I think with the lockout potential next year it's affected things and I think that's why the phone hasn't rung as much," Oates said. "And that's OK, I'm prepared to move on. But we'll see what happens, I haven't decided for sure yet."
Teams that have called haven't offered anything close to the $3.5 million US he made last season.
"There's a couple of teams interested but the question is, at what number?," Oates said. "What people don't understand is that I will be 41 and to go through the whole grind and risk your body, the number has to be right."
Oates, who turns 41 on Aug. 27, became a free agent June 30 when Ducks GM Bryan Murray decided not to pick up his $3.5-million US option for next season.
"I knew it was expensive and Bryan Murray has budgets just like any other GM in the league," Oates said. "That's OK, I understand."
The clock is ticking and Oates said he would soon make a decision either way.
"Shortly, very shortly," he said.
Oates was the top centre in Anaheim last season, but last month, the Ducks signed unrestricted free agent centre Sergei Fedorov to a five-year, $40-million contract.
I thought this quote was interesting..
There's a couple of teams interested but the question is, at what number?," Oates said. "What people don't understand is that I will be 41 and to go through the whole grind and risk your body, the number has to be right."
The other side of the coin is that the GMs do understand that he will be 41 - which may be part of the issue... especially with his points trending downward from the previous year.
Guin