| |
 Dominator done after 1999-2000 season Hasek to announce that next season will be his last
Posted: Thursday July 29, 1999 07:28 AM
ATLANTA (CNN/SI) -- Dominik Hasek will announce his retirement effective at the end of the 1999-2000 season on Thursday, the Buffalo News reported in Thursday's editions. The five-time winner of the Vezina Trophy and two-time winner of the Hart Trophy will make the announcement from Prague at a 10 a.m. ET news conference. Hasek has been the dominant player in the league, if not the world, over the last six seasons. But it was only in this past season, when he led the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup finals, that his efforts were answered with a complete team effort.
He also led the Czech Republic to a surprise gold medal at the Nagano Olympics in 1998. Hasek, 35 in January, signed an extension with the Sabres after the 1997-98 season that would have kept him in Buffalo potentially through the 2001-02 season. He will make $7 million this season, was scheduled to make $7.5 million next season and $9 million in a club option for '01-02. Many doubted, however, that Buffalo could have afforded that price and may not have been able to exercise the option. There has been consistent buzz of the Sabres eventually trading Hasek, especially with an expansion draft coming up and prospect Martin Biron in the minors, but Hasek has often hinted that he would rather retire than play anywhere else. Hasek has a home in the Czech Republic and has been very vocal about wanting to raise his two children there. He may also feel this season may be the Sabres' last shot at a Stanley Cup championship for a while. They came close last season, losing in six games to the Dallas Stars on a controversial goal in triple overtime of Game 6. It was a bitter ending to one of Hasek's best seasons, though he was plagued by a groin injury. In the regular season, Hasek set career bests with a 1.87 goals-against average and a league-leading .937 save-percentage. He also had nine shutouts, then went 10-5 with a 2.03 GAA in the playoffs. The Canadian Press said that Rich Winter of Edmonton, Hasek's agent, was en route to Prague and unavailable for comment. Sabres general manager Darcy Regier wasn't scheduled to be present in Prague, CP said. Hasek is known for flopping to the ice to block shots and even releasing his stick so as to have two hands to grab the puck. His teammates call him "Gumby" for his seemingly impossible flexibility.
Buffalo acquired Hasek in 1992 in a trade from Chicago, where he had been
a backup to Ed Belfour,
the goalie who bested him in the Stanley Cup finals with Dallas this
spring.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
