Post by beergirl1013 on Nov 10, 2004 18:14:58 GMT 1
from the toronto star....
For Wade Belak, it was a gut-wrenching choice between sticking by his principles and coming to grips with harsh reality.
The Maple Leafs forward/enforcer signed yesterday with the Coventry Blaze of the Elite Ice Hockey League in Great Britain and did so with something of a guilty conscience. His signing means a young Slovak defenceman named Michal Vrabel is now out of a job, but Belak also realizes that a lost year could very well spell the end of his career in the NHL.
"I was one of the guys who said from the beginning that I didn't agree with players going over to Europe to play and take a guy's job," Belak said. "I have a lot of buddies over there who weren't good enough to play in the NHL and that is their NHL. I don't think it's right.
"But if I lose a season, I'm really going to get hurt by it and in my role there are always young guys in junior and the minors trying to get my job. If I waited any longer and the season is cancelled, all the jobs might be gone and I'd be sitting for the whole year."
Clearly, this is not Jaromir Jagr who could afford to miss the year, both in terms of skills and finances. Belak is a fringe player who needs to continue to play and even though he was slated to make $1 million (U.S.) this season, has not made a huge amount of money by NHL standards. In his defence, he also tried to stay home and play in the Original Stars Hockey League, but was left without a place to play when it folded.
Including Belak, six Leafs are playing overseas during the lockout. He joins Tomas Kaberle, Karel Pilar, Aki Berg, Nik Antropov and Bryan McCabe. Alexei Ponikarovsky is expected to join a Russian Superleague team in the near future.
Belak was supposed to be in England this weekend, but went to Ottawa yesterday only to discover that he couldn't obtain a work visa. He expects the problems will be ironed out in time for him to go by the middle of next week. He said he'll be playing defence with Coventry, a position he hasn't played regularly since joining the Leafs in February, 2001. He wouldn't disclose his salary, saying it would be "an embarrassment," but said it will basically cover his insurance premiums.
"I'll be playing a lot there, which will be nice," he said. "Here I was playing with rec teams once a week."
For Wade Belak, it was a gut-wrenching choice between sticking by his principles and coming to grips with harsh reality.
The Maple Leafs forward/enforcer signed yesterday with the Coventry Blaze of the Elite Ice Hockey League in Great Britain and did so with something of a guilty conscience. His signing means a young Slovak defenceman named Michal Vrabel is now out of a job, but Belak also realizes that a lost year could very well spell the end of his career in the NHL.
"I was one of the guys who said from the beginning that I didn't agree with players going over to Europe to play and take a guy's job," Belak said. "I have a lot of buddies over there who weren't good enough to play in the NHL and that is their NHL. I don't think it's right.
"But if I lose a season, I'm really going to get hurt by it and in my role there are always young guys in junior and the minors trying to get my job. If I waited any longer and the season is cancelled, all the jobs might be gone and I'd be sitting for the whole year."
Clearly, this is not Jaromir Jagr who could afford to miss the year, both in terms of skills and finances. Belak is a fringe player who needs to continue to play and even though he was slated to make $1 million (U.S.) this season, has not made a huge amount of money by NHL standards. In his defence, he also tried to stay home and play in the Original Stars Hockey League, but was left without a place to play when it folded.
Including Belak, six Leafs are playing overseas during the lockout. He joins Tomas Kaberle, Karel Pilar, Aki Berg, Nik Antropov and Bryan McCabe. Alexei Ponikarovsky is expected to join a Russian Superleague team in the near future.
Belak was supposed to be in England this weekend, but went to Ottawa yesterday only to discover that he couldn't obtain a work visa. He expects the problems will be ironed out in time for him to go by the middle of next week. He said he'll be playing defence with Coventry, a position he hasn't played regularly since joining the Leafs in February, 2001. He wouldn't disclose his salary, saying it would be "an embarrassment," but said it will basically cover his insurance premiums.
"I'll be playing a lot there, which will be nice," he said. "Here I was playing with rec teams once a week."
. i understand hes not playing this weekend but nothing else , 
