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Wednesday, December 29, 1999
Corkum pops up in L.A.
Bob Corkum's venture into unrestricted free agency left him without a job and playing in a men's league in a Boston suburb.
Not exactly where fame and fortune can be found.
But the former Phoenix Coyote centre finally inked himself a one-year deal and a team option with the Los Angeles Kings yesterday.
"My offence is back," quipped the 32-year-old of toiling with the amateurs while he awaited a contract, which isn't the greatest feeling to experience.
"This is the first time I've ever had a contract problem," he told the Los Angeles Times. "I've always been to training camp on time."
But like so many other aging unrestricted free agents, Corkum was caught in what has now become number-crunching in the NHL.
"At the end of last year I had a meeting with (Phoenix GM) Bobby Smith. He said he thought that what I would be looking for (financially) would exceed his budget."
The Massachusetts native made $800,000 last season, his third with the Coyotes after stints in Buffalo, Anaheim and Philadelphia, and was hoping to haul in more than $1 million US. Instead he ends up in L.A. where he is expected to add some depth to coach Andy Murray's lineup.
"He gives us more depth," said Murray, who had his troops in Colorado last night for tonight's visit against the Avalanche. "We've had so many injuries and patched together a lineup an awful lot.
"He gives us experience, and you can never have enough NHL experience, especially down the middle."
The six-foot, 220-pounder played 77 games last season and finished with nine goals and 10 assists in Phoenix. The previous year he had 12 goals and 21 points, including five short-handed markers.
His best year was the inaugural Anaheim campaign where he notched 23 goals and 28 assists as a Mighty Duck.
Corkum isn't expected to be ready for tomorrow night's visit to L.A. by the Edmonton Oilers.
"I'll need about four or five practices and then I'll be ready to go.
'`At this point, I could kill penalties or take faceoffs."
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