Wild's Veilleux is on waivers, but he's not gone yet

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune file

The Wild’s Stephane Veilleux on negotiating his own contract: “I know what’s best for me and wanted to do my own thing.”

The Wild insists it is trying to resolve a dispute about how much the forward is worth, and it can still sign him if he's not claimed today.

By MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune

Last update: July 16, 2008 - 10:39 PM

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On Monday, Stephane Veilleux said it would be "a couple days before I'm going to be back with the Minnesota Wild."

Well, a couple of days have passed, and by 11 a.m. today, Veilleux could be property of another team.

In a surprise strategical move, the Wild placed the fifth-year left wing on waivers Wednesday in an attempt to resolve a contract dispute with the restricted free agent.

"I talked to [GM Doug Risebrough Wednesday morning], he offered me a contract, and he warned me with the waiver situation," Veilleux said. "I was well aware about it. I still turned down the offer and now I'm on waivers.

"It's still a big disappointment. It's a shock. I wouldn't think that we have to go this far."

According to assistant GM Tom Lynn, the two sides are far apart on a contract. Veilleux wants to work out a long-term deal with the Wild, but he wants a significant pay hike from last year's $595,000 salary because he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

"We are far apart in our evaluation and Steph really believes in a higher number," Lynn said. "So here's a way of figuring out who's right: 'If you're right, you'll be taken off waivers and paid your X dollars by another team.'

"If we're right and he goes through waivers, Steph will see nobody claimed him and it might bring the sides together and solve the problem before [Veilleux's] arbitration [hearing Monday]."

Veilleux, 26, a gritty, heart-and-soul checker, wouldn't divulge what he's seeking or what players he's using as a comparable (Wild free agent Aaron Voros just signed a three-year, $3 million deal with the Rangers). After firing his agent, Veilleux is representing himself in negotiations and doesn't regret that decision.

"I'm comparing myself to myself," Veilleux said. "I have a number. I know where I'm at at this stage of my career."

If Veilleux, taken by the Wild in the third round of the 2001 draft, is claimed by another team, that team will have to negotiate with Veilleux or go to arbitration. If he is unclaimed, the Wild can still negotiate a contract with him or go to arbitration, where he'd be awarded a one-year contract.

"Although you don't like to lose a player like this, we're giving him a limited shot at unrestricted free agency a year early," Lynn said.

Veilleux said he "will not have any bad personal feelings" with the Wild if he remains with the team today.

"Doug was really nice to me, was honest and discussed the situation with me," Veilleux said. "If this is it with Minnesota, after being in the organization since 2001, I think the fans and the organization learned how to appreciate me for what I bring on the ice.

"I'm definitely disappointed, but I want to thank the fans."

The Wild has done this before. In July 2003, Richard Park wanted a big pay increase a year from unrestricted free agency.

"[Agent] J.P. Barry was asking for a lot more money, so we put [Park] on waivers to see who was right," Lynn said. "Out of respect for the player, we did him a favor and gave him an opportunity with 29 other teams.

"[Park] went through [waivers], and we settled on a one-year deal afterward."

Wild opens at home

• The Wild will open the regular season at home Oct. 11 against Manny Fernandez and the Boston Bruins. The Wild is 6-0-1 in home openers. In the NHL's new schedule format, the Wild will play each Eastern Conference team at least once (Boston, Tampa Bay and the N.Y. Islanders twice). The full regular-season schedule will be released today.

• The Wild signed defenseman Clayton Stoner to a one-year deal.

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