Locked-out hockey star Scott Gomez has turned down lucrative offers in Europe to play for a pittance in one of the lowest rungs of professional hockey.
The 24-year-old Gomez, who made US$1 million with the New Jersey Devils last season, has signed a US$500-a-week contract with the Alaska Aces of the minor pro ECHL.
With the National Hockey League labor dispute in its sixth week, the world's best players are being forced to look for ice time where ever they can. No new talks are scheduled.
More than 200 NHLers have skated off to Europe to play for clubs in Russia, Sweden, Germany and Finland. Others are playing with college, university and junior teams to try and stay in shape.
But Gomez is the first NHLer to join the violent and brutal ECHL which courts hockey goons and often resembles the Charlestown Chiefs in the Hollywood movie Slapshot. The homepage of the Bakersfield Condors Web site uses a Condor player in a fighting pose as a backdrop.
Gomez, who was the NHL's rookie of the year in 2000, will make his Aces debut today against the San Diego Gulls.
The Gulls have two players, Mark Pederson and Billy Tibbetts, who have played in the NHL but they didn't join the ECHL until well past their NHL prime.
Pederson, a former first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, played 168 games in the NHL, scoring 35 goals. Tibbetts played 82 NHL games, mostly with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Gomez, who attended high school in Alaska, had gone to arbitration with the Devils this summer before the lock-out and came out with a one-year deal which would have been his sixth season with the team.
"Obviously, we're thrilled to have Scott join our club from a talent standpoint, his abilities and accomplishments speak for themselves," said Anchorage head coach Davis Payne.
"But I'm also excited to bring his team-first attitude into our dressing room. He's made it clear to me that he expects to be treated as one of the guys and that his first priority is bringing his hometown a championship as long as the NHL lock-out remains an issue," Payne said.
Gomez joined the Devils a year after being drafted and promptly earned a trip to the NHL All-Star Game and won the Calder Trophy (top rookie).
Last year, Gomez led the Devils in assists en route to winning the Stanley Cup title over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
His 306 points in five years ranks second on the Devils only to Patrick Elias.
Former Ottawa Senators GM Mel Bridgman doesn't see a lot of NHLers following Gomez lead to the ECHL.
"It is a unique situation," said Bridgman, "it will be determined on a one-on-one basis."
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