Olli Jokinen - C - Panthers

The Palm Beach Post is reporting that the Panthers have made captain Olli Jokinen a four-year, $16 million offer and are waiting for a response.

The deal would make Jokinen, who is making $2.5 million US this season, the highest-paid player on the team, although a long-term deal has not been reached with goaltender Roberto Luongo. The 26-year-old center leads the team in almost every offensive category, is 15th in the NHL in scoring with 56 points, and is on pace to join Pavel Bure as the only Panther to average more than a point per game in a season. Stay tuned. Feb. 2 - 12:29 pm et

Source: TSN.ca

that would be a huge signing for the Panthers if he accepts that deal, and that would free up Keenan to work on a long-term deal with Loungo

Olli def wants to stay here we know that. He loves playing in South Florida. Would be real nice to build around Olli and Roberto

I think he'll accept it.

 

A source close to the Florida Panthers front office told the Palm Beach Post that the team has made captain Olli Jokinen a four-year, $16 million offer and are waiting for a response.

 

The deal would make Jokinen, who is making $2.5 million US this season, the highest-paid player on the team, although a long-term deal has not been reached with goaltender Roberto Luongo.

 

Jokinen's agent, Mark Gandler could not be reached for comment by the Post.

 

Jokinen, 26, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has been the subject of trade rumours over the last few weeks.

 

He leads the team in almost every offensive category, is 15th in the NHL in scoring with 56 points, and is on pace to join Pavel Bure as the only Panther to average more than a point per game in a season.

 

 

 

Jokinen has said he would like to get a deal done by the Olympic break or by the March 9 trade deadline.

 

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=153303&hubname=nhl

do it, do it now!

Great news, now they just gotta get Luongo locked up and the Panthers should be promising for the next few years.

If I were him I would definetly take it. You found a place that you like and you are getting paid 16 million to stay there. He must also know that if he takes that offer, there will be more money to get other players since there will be more room under the cap.

Too bad he rejected it according to Sportsnet.ca...

 

 

 

SPORTSNET.CA: reports a source close to Florida Panthers captain Olli Jokinen claims he's rejected the club's four-year, $16 million offer. If he cannot agree to a new contract with the Panthers before July 1st, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

 

Spector's Note: Looks like the two sides have now taken to negotiating through the media. Never a good sign in contract talks. Jokinen will get plenty of interest on the open market if the Panthers fail to get him re-signed, and we can expect the trade rumours to increase too. I'll be very surprised if Mike Keenan lets him get away, as Jokinen blossomed under Iron Mike's coaching, but perhaps Keenan's hands are tied by ownership. Regardless, if Jokinen departs, expect Roberto Luongo to only re-sign for a year and then follow him out of town as a UFA next summer.

 

 

Not good.

SPORTSNET.CA: reports a source close to Florida Panthers captain Olli Jokinen claims he's rejected the club's four-year, $16 million offer. If he cannot agree to a new contract with the Panthers before July 1st, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

 

Spector's Note: Looks like the two sides have now taken to negotiating through the media. Never a good sign in contract talks. Jokinen will get plenty of interest on the open market if the Panthers fail to get him re-signed, and we can expect the trade rumours to increase too. I'll be very surprised if Mike Keenan lets him get away, as Jokinen blossomed under Iron Mike's coaching, but perhaps Keenan's hands are tied by ownership. Regardless, if Jokinen departs, expect Roberto Luongo to only re-sign for a year and then follow him out of town as a UFA next summer.

 

And it begins...

For crying out loud. Get it done!

i see no reason why he would decline that offer. i'd rather hear it from the horses mouth.

Should be pretty close though if he rejected it. Problem is with the new structure of the league it's tough to know what's fair market value right now... but I think that's a pretty solid offer.

 

Anyway I'm sure they'll get something worked out. Jokinen's been an absolute trooper since he's arrived.

Jokinen won't accept contract

 

By Steve Gorten

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Posted February 3 2006

 

Coral Springs ? Olli Jokinen will not accept a four-year, $16 million dollar offer from the Panthers, his agent said Thursday.

 

"You can bet on that," said Mark Gandler, who as Jokinen's representative received the offer Tuesday.

 

Gandler also said the 27-year-old captain, who is making $2.5 million this season and will become an unrestricted free agent July 1, is prepared to wait until after the season as the two sides remain far apart on negotiations.

 

"We probably won't have a choice," Gandler said. "[Jokinen] wanted to get it done just to get it out of the way, but now that he knows things are [going] very, very slow, he's going to accept it and just focus on making the playoffs and making sure this season means something for the Panthers."

 

Jokinen has said he'd like a deal done by the Olympic break, which starts Feb. 13, but after Thursday's practice said there's no rush.

 

"I'm not going to be a free agent at the Olympic break," he said. "It's July 1."

 

Besides that, "I've got nothing to say about it. All I want to do is focus on the next two games [tonight and Saturday against Atlanta]," Jokinen said. "For me, the [newspapers] aren't the right place to try to get a deal done."

 

General Manager Mike Keenan declined comment through a team spokesman.

 

Last month, goalie Roberto Luongo turned down a five-year, $30 million offer, saying he wanted to wait until after the season to gauge the team's direction. Jokinen hasn't expressed such concern, though it's clear he's looking for considerably more than the Panthers have offered.

 

"This is going to be a slow process based on what's been happening to date," Gandler said.

 

Jokinen signed one-year deals after each of his first four seasons with the Panthers. Entering his prime, and with eight seasons in the NHL, Jokinen wants to land his first big contract.

 

With the March 9 trade deadline looming and the sides not close, the Panthers might vigorously explore trading Jokinen. The Ottawa Sun reported Senators General Manager John Muckler is interested in acquiring him. Calgary also is believed to be interested.

 

Jokinen, the Panthers' top scorer the past two seasons, leads them in almost every offensive category this season.

 

The center is 15th in the NHL in scoring (56 points), tied for 12th in goals (25), tied for 10th in power-play goals (12) and tied for third in game-winning goals (six).

 

Steve Gorten can be reached at sgorten@sun-sentinel.com.

And so another so. fla franchises flame begins to grow weak. :banghead DAMNIT!

And so another so. fla franchises flame begins to grow weak. :banghead DAMNIT!

 

 

Begins?

If we trade him we will be very bad the next few years...

oh wait we already have been bad the past 4

grrr grr grrr grr

They've been screwing around with Olli & Luongo for years, with a floundering team and a roster that turns over about 30% every season.

 

Work something out dammit.

f*** the f***ing f***ers! jesus he should have been signed already! damn!!!!!