The Prince George Citizen - Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 11 Sp o r t s

W e i r .;F u r y k Cloutier, Canucks arrive at one-year deal f i n d m a j o r Canadian Press tration. Players had until said Cloutier, whose warm 10 goals and 15 assists while earning The Vancouver Canucks re-signed Tliesday at midnight EDT to off-ice smile covers a fiery, $1.2 million US. His new deal will be starting goalie Dan Cloutier, while thefile for arbitration. quick temper. worth $1.6 million next season. s p o t l i g h t Detroit Red Wings avoided salary arbi­Cloutier, 27, had a career- “I’m a pretty emotional Anaheim brought back a key player SANDWICH, England (AP) — tration by agreeing to terms with de-high 33 wins last season type of guy. Everyone from their surprising playoff run. Lederc, Jim Furyk strolled off No. 18 at fenceman Mathieu Dandenault onwith a a 2.42 goals-against knows what arbitration 26, is had nine goals and 19 assists in 57 Royal St. George’s, hanging a leftbusy Tliesday in the NHL. average and a .908 save like. I wanted to get it over games and added two goals and nine as­ toward the putting green to get in a Also re-signed were centre Stephane percentage. But he was crit­ with and focus on training.” sists in the postseason. He’ll get $1.4 mil­ little more practice. Yelle in Calgary, former Prince George icized for his post-season The Canucks also an­lion US, up from $900,000 last season. Not so fast, Mr. Major Champion.Cougars forward Mike Leclerc in Ana­performance when he nounced the signing of de­ Sturm, 24, set a career high with 48 Furyk was quickly surrounded heim, backup goalie Martin Prusek insported a 3.24 GAA and fenceman Marek Malik, 28,points including 28 goals with San Tliesday by a horde of British Open Ottawa, defenceman Ric Jackman .868 in save percentage and the Canucks to a two-year deal that will pay Jose him last season when he earned $1.3 fans. Autograph seekers came at himToronto, forwards Marco Sturm andblew a 3-1 series lead in losing to the$1.65 million US next season. million US. Terms of the new deal with pens drawn. His pace slowed, Alyn McCauley and backup goalie Miik-Minnesota Wild in the second round. Dandenault, 27, signed a one-year were deal not immediately available. coming to a halt several times as heka Kiprusoff in San Jose, forward Bates“I’m going to have something worth to $1.45 million US, a modest raise McCauley, 26, had three goals and paused to pose for pictures. Battaglia and defenceman Karlis prove for the rest of my career until fromI the $1.26 million he got last season, seven assists in 16 games with San Jose “I don’t skate through the crowd Skrastins in Colorado and defenceman win the Stanley Cup,” Cloutier told re­rather than elect for salary arbitration.after being acquired from Toronto with or get through the media quite asJonathan Girard in Boston. porters at G.M. Place. “We’re very happy to sign Mathieu Brad Boyes and a first-round draft pick quickly as I used to,” said Furyk, The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed “I’ve taken huge strides the last twofor another season and to avoid goingfor Owen Nolan on March 5. He had who claimed his first major tide atdefenceman Brad Lukowich and for­years. I’ve proven I can win in the regu­to arbitration,” Wings GM Ken Holland 15 points in 64 games before the trade. the U.S. Open last month. “My days ward Andre Roy to multiyear deals. lar season. Now it’s time for myself tosaid. “We felt he took a big step in de­He earned $952,000 US last season. are a little longer.” The team also re-signed unrestricted really push toward another goal.”velopment, especially in the second Kiprusoff, 26, went 5-14-0 in relief of Canadian star Mike Weir knows free agent Darren Rumble. Cloutier told his agent, Roland half of last season.” Evgeni Nabokov. the feeling. The left-hander from Forward Daniel Cleary, bought out Thompson, by to get a deal done as soonYelle, 29, acquired by Calgary lastThe Bruins signed Girard for $1,089 Bright’s Grove, Ont., entered this the Edmonton Oilers earlier this sum­ as possible to avoid the mudslinging Oct. 1 in the multiplayer deal that sentmillion, and also signed winger Michal strange new world back in April by mer, signed with the Phoenix Coyotes. and hard feelings that sometimes ariseDerek Morris to Colorado, was the on­Grosek. Restricted free agents Hal Gill, winning the Masters in a playoff. Cloutier signed a one-year deal from for a salary arbitration hearing.ly Flame to appear in all 82 regular- Brian Rolston and Bryan Berard of the During a practice round this week, $2.5 million US,.avoiding salary arbi­“I didn’t want to go to arbitration,”season games last season, when he hadBruins filed for salary arbitration. a broadcast crew had the audacity to stop him right on the course for an interview. All this new attention has taken some getting used to. “I’m a little guarded because I know my formula for success, what helps me feel comfortable,” Weir said. “If I don’t get that accom­ plished, maybe I get a little ornery.” While Tiger Woods still gets most of the attention, Furyk and Weir are the ones who claimed the first two major tides of 2003. Now, everyone is anxiously awaiting the fallout from their landmark victories. Will they follow in the footsteps of a guy such as Jack Fleck, who won his first major at the 1955 U.S. Open — beating Ben Hogan, no less — and was never heard from again? Or, can we expect a few more major titles from this inter­ minably linked duo, who were bom on the same day in 1970? From Weir’s point of view, the pressure is off. He’s certainly playing like it, finishing third in his last three events — including the U.S. Open — to establish himself as a bona fide contender at Royal St. George’s. The Canadian won two events be­ fore the Masters and is ranked No. 1 on the PGA Tour money list with more than $4.2 million US in earn­ ings, having easily eclipsed his best previous year with more than five months still to go. Amid all that success, Weir’s per­ formance at Augusta National stands apart. “I’ve done it,” he said. “This is a different type of tournament than Augusta and different conditions, but pressure is pressure. You’ve got to be able to handle those situa­ tions. And since I’ve been able to do that, it kind of gives me a better comfort level.”

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