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Damphousse Signing Gives Sharks Bite - July. 2, 1999 – Vol. 52, Issue 38 - Dan Wood
Alter accomplishing their top off-season priority with the signing of center Vincent Damphousse, the San Jose Sharks turned their attention to upgrading what appears to be an upwardly mobile hockey club.
“We have some ideas to try to make this team better,” said GM Dean Lombardi.
With Damphousse commanding slightly more than $18 million over four seasons, with a club option for a fifth year, it probably isn’t “practical” for the Sharks to make a big splash in this summer’s free agent market, Lombardi said. That would seem to quash long-running speculation that San Jose might become home for Colorado Avalanche right winger Theoren Fleury, if he even becomes a free agent.
Keeping Damphousse off the auction block, however, was a key move for the Sharks for multiple reasons. In addition to keeping a player who can fill a first-line center’s role until promising Patrick Marleau grows into that responsibility, San Jose avoided having to trade at least one of its coveted youngsters to fill a void Damp-housse’s departure would have created.
“No question, this helps us now and it really helps us down the road,” Lombardi said.
Damphousse, who signed the new contract June 11, is excited about the Sharks’ future.
“With the team we have now, I think we can contend pretty good,” Damphousse said. “With the addition of maybe a couple more players, I think we’re going to be right there on top.”
Damphousse, 31, gave up a shot at unrestricted free agency for annual salaries of approximately $4.5 million. A potential fifth year of the contract will kick in automatically if Damphousse meets certain performance criteria.
“It’s always an unknown when you wait.” Damphousse said.
NOTEBOOK: With the signing of Vincent Damphousse, the Sharks owe Montreal a fifth-round selection in this year’s draft, a first-rounder next year and a second-rounder either next year or 2001… Right winger Adam Nittel. San Jose’s fifth-round pick in 1997, signed with the club June 8. Nittel, 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, became a free agent when he did not sign with the Sharks by June 1. but wound up with San Jose anyway…San Jose signed free agent center Andy LundbohmJune 8. Lundbohm, 22, won back-to-back MVP awards at West Point. A 6-foot-3, 225-pounder, Lundbohm must complete a military commitment before beginning his pro hockey career, probably sometime this season.
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