I smelled this coming but didn't want to jinx it. Unfortunately I smelled right and Marek Svatos has filed for arbitration. Dater says his sources say Svats is looking for $2.5M a year. I'd jump on that, no problem—if Svatos would ever play a full season. In his first three seasons, he has averaged 63 games, 24 goals, and 39 points. Not exactly numbers that scream "double my salary"—and I expect that is what an arbitrator will say as well.
Unfortunately, though, if you check out some of the salaries at nhlnumbers.com, you'll notice names like Fernando Pisani, Sergei Samsonov, and Lee Stempniak in that $2.5M range—which could turn the tide in Svatos' favor. However, even if the arbitrator does side with Svatos, Giguere should sign him to keep some semblance of offense on the team. This does prevent an offer sheet from coming in and also doesn't preclude the team from settling with Svatos before the arbitration date. The arbitration hearings are held from July 20th to August 4th so it could be some time before we know if Svatos is returning or not.
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