Kasparaitis Agrees to Deal, Possible Free Agency Tuesday August 21, 2001 10:08 AM PITTSBURGH (AP) - Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Darius Kasparaitis is taking a big pay cut in anticipation of becoming a free agent after the upcoming season. Kasparaitis opened his arbitration hearing last week by agreeing to the Penguins' initial offer of $1.15 million, although it represented a $450,000 pay cut from the $1.6 million he made last season. Without protest from the Penguins, arbitrator Gil Vernon then awarded Kasparaitis a two-year deal for $2.4 million, including $1.25 million for 2002-03. By accepting the offer, Kasparaitis apparently will become a free agent next year because he will have 10 years of professional experience and will be making less than the NHL average. The league average is projected to be $1.45 million. Kasparaitis' agent, Mark Gandler, said the NHL's collective bargaining agreement specifies a player awarded a two-year contract through arbitration can void the second year if he becomes eligible for free agency after the first year. Gandler is confident Kasparaitis can make nearly $3 million a year on the open market. Last season, Kasparaitis led Penguins defensemen in minutes played per game and had three goals, 16 assists and a plus-16 rating. He also scored the team's most memorable goal of the season, a Game 7 overtime goal that eliminated Buffalo in the second round of the playoffs.
