Left winger Patrik Elias may be the top scorer on the Devils' first line, but he feels like a second-class citizen.
In the wake of a two-year, $6.8 million salary arbitration ruling last month in favor of linemate and close pal Petr Sykora, Elias said yesterday he feels shortchanged by the team by would not sulk or walk out of camp in an effort to get a raise.
Elias, who has scored 75 goals and 168 points over the past two season, will earn $750,000 this season. Sykora, who has scored 60 goals and 149 points over the past two seasons, will make $3.3 million.
"It's not going to be any different for me than it has been the last couple of seasons," Elias said yesterday at South Mountain Arena. I wasn't happy with what I was making last year. The fairness wasn't there but i dealt with it. Last year I didn't think I was a $675,000 player and I went out and stayed focused. That's what i'm going to do this year."
Mark Gandler, the New Jersey-based agent who represents Elias, said he spole to Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello after the playoffs about renegotiating.
"I told Lou we would like to do something if he was willing to do something. I basically left it up to Lou if he's interested in getting something done," Gandler said.
It might be worthwhile if Lamoriello could avoid a salary arbitration hearing next summer by signing Elias now to a fair contract extension. "On the one hand I'm hoping he won't," Gandler said. "If he does call, I know Patrik will be well taken care of. If he doesn't call, it will only be to Patrik's advantage. If he has the same type of year, we'll be looking to sign a lucrative, long-term contract."
In fact, Elias would almost certainly surpass the amount of Sykora's deal- and, though Sykora is thrilled with his windfall, Elias feels his linemate probably still remains underpaid.
"I'm happy that he's happy. To be honest, I think he deserves more money the way he plays," Elias said. "But he's 24. He made a pretty big jump in salary, but if he were 29 he would have gotten more. It's hard to get what you deserve when you're 24."
The 25-year-old Elias and Sykora were both represented by Rich Winter until this past spring when the agent;s relationship with both players became strained. Elias left Winter and hooked on with Gandler.
"When (Winter) said all i cared about was money and not winning the Cup, I knew I had done the right thing," Elias said. "Everybody on the team showed respect and didn't even ask me about it."
Sykora also followed, hooking up with Jay Grossman for a short time, before returning to Winter. It was Sykora's father, Vladimer, who suggested his son give Winter another chance.
"My father reminded me that Rich was the guy who helped me to get to the United States. I've been with Rich a long time," Sykora said. "I felt he was really well-prepared in the arbitration."
Elias intends to concentrate on having the kind of season that will prove he is grossly underpaid.
"It's incentive, but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself," he said. "The only thing that worries me is to stay healthy."