Report: Comrie to pay for a trade?

[Canadian Football Guy]

TSN.ca Staff with files

10/2003

EDMONTON (CP) - Mike Comrie's agent had a contract agreement with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to conclude a trade from the Oilers but everything is on hold.

"We had a done deal with the Ducks," Rich Winter told the Edmonton Sun on Tuesday. "We'd concluded an agreement."

But Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe introduced a financial component as a condition of completing a trade that would have seen the Oilers get top prospect Corey Perry of the OHL's London Knights and a first-round draft pick.

In effect, Comrie was being asked to pay his own way out of Edmonton.

"I'm not going to comment on that," Lowe replied when asked if he'd sought a cash payment from Comrie as part of the trade. "I'm trying to get a deal that will address the Oilers' needs of the future and present needs."

Winter declined comment on a rumour that the Oilers were asking for as much as $2.5 million. But he did verify that a financial component had entered the equation.

Trades are difficult and circumstances change along the way, said Lowe.

Comrie, 23, earned $5 million in bonuses over the term of a three-year contract. He became a restricted free agent last July 1. He was locked out of the start of training camp Sept. 12 because he didn't have a contract.

He had 20 goals and 31 assists in 69 games last season. He scored 33 goals the previous year.

Perry is a six-foot-two, 185-pound right-winger who was drafted 28th overall by Anaheim in 2003.