With the same resolve he shows on the ice, Claude Lapointe has turned down the Islanders’ latest contract offer, which remains about $300,000 short of his demands.
The Post has learned that last week the Islanders increased their three-year offer of $1 million per season to about $1.1 million a year. But Lapointe, 31, is holding firm that the Isles pay him $1.2 million per season over three years.
Unless a deal is reached by the March 14 trading deadline, Isles general manager Mike Milbury said that Lapointe, an unrestricted free agent after the season, will surely be traded.
Living with his wife and two young sons in Hicksville, Lapointe (11 goals, 10 assists before last night’s home game against the Flyers) loves the area and has maintained that he wants to remain an Islander. But he appears willing to give up the convenience of Roosevelt Field Mall before he would submit to the Isles’ proposal.
Lapointe’s agent, Gilles Lupien, said that he had two conversations last week with Milbury. Lupien, who is based in Montreal, credits Milbury for trying to convince the team’s owners to bump up their offer, but he realizes it hasn’t been easy.
“We all know Claude wants to play there and we all know Mike wants him,” Lupien told The Post. “We’re getting closer. Mike’s trying hard. The owner is trying keep to his budget.”
Claiming losses between $10-$20 million a season, Isles owners Ed and Howard Milstein and Steven Gluckstern have lowered the club’s payroll to a league-low $16.3 million. The owners, who purchased the Isles for $195 million in 1998, are attempting to sell the team to former Madison Square Garden president Bob Gutkowski and former music mogul Charles Koppelman for $180 million.
So far this season, the Isles have dumped two of their highest-paid players: goaltender Felix Potvin ($2.7 million a year), and Rich Pilon ($1.8M).
Lupien, meanwhile, said that Lapointe had already come down from his original three-year asking price of $4.2 million ($1.3M, $1.4M and $1.5M, respectively). He won’t go any further.
Under bonus arrangements in his contract, 20-year rookie goaltender Roberto Luongo could earn as much as $600,000 to $700,000 above his $850,000 salary this season if he reaches certain performance criterion, such as a .900 save percentage.
Lupien, who is also Luongo’s agent, said that despite the bonus arrangement (which kicks in after an undisclosed amount of games played), he has asked Milbury not to over-use him this season for fear of burning him out and damaging his confidence.
“I asked Mike not to play him too much,” Lupien said. “Does [Luongo] play for money or does he play for a good career?”
C Jorgen Jonsson, who is a restricted free agent this summer, hasn’t decided if he will return to the team next season or head back to play in his native Sweden. Jonsson’s agent Mike Barnett said Jonsson will decide over the summer.
