It didn’t take long for Senators general manager Bryan Murray to respond, unhappily, to Daniel Alfredsson’s insinuation that the club broke its promise to compensate the former captain, now a member of the Detroit Red Wings, for playing the 2012-13 season for just $1 million.
“I can say this: I’m disappointed,” Murray told the Ottawa Sun. “It seems Alfie isn’t totally informed of what went on. That had to do with [agent J.P. Barry] didn’t tell me the truth during the week. He kept saying ‘I can’t get in touch with Alfie. I will get back to you with a number.’
“He never got back to me. I never heard back from him after the phone call on Tuesday (before free agency). Alfie called me himself on Thursday night to tell me that he was leaving. I said to J.P. during the earlier conversations I can’t pay you $7 million. That’s what they asked for for the year.
“I offered $4.5 million. I said, ‘Both of us hopefully are flexible and we will talk.’ (Barry) said he would get back to me. I just took for granted that would happen and it never happened. I never heard back. I have not heard from J.P. since the $7 million (demand in New York) Saturday meeting we had. It was $12 million for two years and $7 million for one. That’s disappointing.”
As for Alfredsson’s claim that the original plan was to retire before the 2012-13 season, and that the $1 million salary was only tacked on to bring the cap hit down, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly does believe that amounted to circumvention of the CBA rules. However...
Bill Daly believes cap circumvention was "rampant" under last CBA, which is why rules were changed in new one.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) August 15, 2013
Daly added that a thorough investigation would be needed to determine if Alfie/Sens violated CBA. But the NHL won't be looking back.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) August 15, 2013
Update (2:41 p.m. ET)
JP Barry of CAA Sports says Alfredsson was kept abreast of the negotiations every step of the way. Comments will be on our website soon.
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) August 15, 2013