Flyers Trade Disgruntled Forward to Edmonton
By Ken Berger
AP Sports Writer
Friday, January 29, 1999; 5:48 p.m. EST
PHILADELPHIA – The Alexandre Daigle saga is over.
The Flyers traded the disgruntled forward to Edmonton for Andrei Kovalenko on Friday, and the Oilers immediately sent Daigle to the Tampa Bay Lightning for forward Alexander Selivanov.
Daigle, essentially kicked off the team by Flyers general manager Bob Clarke this week, returns to Philadelphia Saturday night when the Lightning play the Flyers.
``There's no question he's a project,'' Lightning coach and general manager Jacques Demers said. ``He has tremendous ability and speed, which are things we need. He has some negatives, but there are more positives than negatives.''
Daigle, the No. 1 pick in the 1993 draft by Ottawa, nixed the Flyers' first attempt to trade him for Kovalenko during the All-Star break by refusing to sign a $1 million contract extension with Edmonton for next season. Daigle's option for 1999-2000 is worth $1.9 million.
So Clarke banned Daigle from playing and practicing with the team.
``At this age, for a young player to want the money and try to select the team he plays for and would rather sit and not play,'' an exasperated Clarke said after the deal was completed. ``From our standpoint ... he was no good to us, but we still had to pay him.''
Daigle and Demers came to a verbal agreement on an extension, but there's nothing in writing. Daigle has vowed repeatedly that he would not take a pay cut to facilitate a trade.
``I don't think I will budge,'' Daigle said before working out by himself at the Flyers' practice facility this week. ``Maybe something extraordinary will happen, but I won't budge.''
Clarke was angry that Daigle asked to be traded, then sabotaged his attempt to do it. Under NHL labor rules, Daigle was under no obligation to sign for less money.
``He asked to be traded,'' Clarke said. ``He wanted out of here, so we're going to try to accommodate him. ... There's no point in hanging around with the team. He's not part of the team anymore. He made that decision.''
In Kovalenko, the Flyers get a talented right wing with some red flags in his past. The book on the Russian forward is that he's a bit of a troublemaker who loves to party.
``From the people we talk to, the people he's played for, they liked him,'' Clarke said. ``They liked his talent, they liked a lot about him. They said you have to be careful with him, he may drink some beer. But a lot of good players have drank a lot of beer over the years.''
Kovalenko isn't expected to report to the Flyers until Monday because he has to get a visa, Clarke said.
Daigle has three goals and two assists in 31 games this season, his second in Philadelphia. He was traded to the Flyers last season for Vaclav Prospal, Pat Falloon and a second-round draft pick.
When asked earlier this season if he planned to trade Daigle, Clarke asked, ``Who would want him?''
Daigle's best season was 1996-97, when he had 26 goals and 25 assists for Ottawa.
