Daigle Traded To Lightning

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 29, 1999 / 7:52 PM EST / CBS Sportsline

The Alexandre Daigle saga continued Friday when the Philadelphia Flyers traded the disgruntled forward to the Edmonton Oilers, who immediately shipped him off to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Flyers received Andrei Kovalenko from Edmonton, while the Oilers ended up with forward Alexander Selivanov.

Ironically, Daigle, who was essentially kicked off the team by Flyers general manager Bob Clarke this week, will be back in Philadelphia on Saturday night when the Lightning play the Flyers.

"There's no question he's a project," Lightning coach and general manager Jacques Demers said Friday. "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 to Edmonton during the All-Star break by refusing to sign a $1 million contract extension 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. It was not immediately known whether Daigle had to sign an extension with the Lightning, but he 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 and 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."

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 came in 1996-97, when he had 26 goals and 25 assists for Ottawa.

Kovalenko had 13 goals and 14 assists in 43 games for the Oilers. Selivanov has six goals and 13 assists in 43 games for the Tampa Bay.