Watch CBS News

Islanders Make Offer To Palffy


New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury couldn't resist a shot at agent Paul Kraus after another failed attempt to sign restricted free agent forward Zigmund Palffy.

"It's too bad he lives in the city. He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot," Milbury said Thursday after returning from a meeting with Palffy in Vienna, Austria.

Milbury said he offered Palffy a two-year contract based on the $7.80 million deal Doug Weight signed with Edmonton on Oct. 20. Milbury pulled a three-year, $12.9 million deal off the table Monday.

Related Links

NHL coverage:

  • Power rankings
  • Enforcer rankings
  • Next Generation

    City pages:

  • New York

    Forum: Is Palffy's agent to blame?

  • "It was a long short trip," Milbury said. "I gave him the offer, and I wanted to make sure he really knows what his options are."

    "He has basically four options. One was taking a shot at negotiating the contract based on this proposal. The second was to continue to hope for an offer sheet. Another is to play in the IHL. The last is to play in Europe."

    Kraus said the offer wasn't good enough.

    "I spoke to (team president) David (Seldin), and with all due respect, declined his offer," Kraus said. "We will have a new proposal for them tomorrow. ... I take it as a positive step that Mike wants to get involved."

    Milbury wants to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

    "Under the circumstances, we want Ziggy to make a decision, but make it an informed one," Milbury said. "I get the sense they thought my trip was a ploy. I hope they will be reasonable, but I'm not sure that that word comes into Paul's thinking."

    Palffy, 26, led the Islanders in scoring last season with 45 goals and 87 points. He had 43 goals and 87 points in 1995-96, and 48 goals and 90 points in 1996-97.

    © 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved

    View CBS News In
    CBS News App Open
    Chrome Safari Continue
    Be the first to know
    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.