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Foppa Flees to the South

February 15, 2007, 10:51 PM ET [ Comments]
Tim Panaccio
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Forsberg Follies have ended. Peter Forsberg is headed to mecca of Country Music.

Maybe even a Stanley Cup.

He told me at 5 p.m. everything would be settled by the weekend, following his meeting with Flyers chairman Ed Snider earlier in the day.

He had no idea it would come tonight which is why he said he was "shocked" at how things went down.

The Flyers did all they could to re-sign him.

“We’ve gone round and round with Peter over the last fair amount of time about making a commitment to us in future years and due to Peter’s uncertainty, he could not and would not do that moving forward,” said general manager Paul Holmgren.

“It was our belief that in the long run for the betterment of the franchise’s future, this was something we needed to do … He was non-committal trough this whole process with both myself, Mr. Snider and his teammates. We all tried. We ganged up on him. We didn’t want to do this deal, but we couldn’t afford not to do it in the end.”

Forsberg seemed resigned to his fate, admitting he was not going to commit to "anyone" - even Nashville _ on re-signing until this summer when he can evaluate his surgically-repaired right foot.

“Today is not a good day … it’s been a really bad year,” he said. “I was willing to go somewhere where they could get something for me and I get to go to a good team. It kinda worked out the way we had it planned. I like it here and everything but I could not commit. That’s why they moved me and I understand that.”

Snider was his usual self when bad news comes. He had the look of an angry owner but one who had tried in vain to get a signature on a contract and couldn't.

“We’re gonna miss him in the short run but in the long run we will be fine,” Snider said.

“He didn’t want to commit to anything because he doesn’t know what he’s going to do in the future,” Snider said. “That left us with no choice. If Peter finished out season with us and decided to retire, we had nothing. This gave us an opportunity to come up with some assets.”

Any indication Foppa will re-sign, Ed?

"No idea whatsoever, none," he replied.

Foppa, would you consider re-signing here?

“I will become a free agent the first of July," he said. "And if they want me back, I’m sure I’ll hear from them and consider it. I liked it here. I’ve had some of the best teammates a guy could ask for in Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble for two years. We gelled perfectly and it’s very sad to leave them. In the future, I’d love to play with them again. We’ll see what happens.”

From the beginning this season when the foot problems really became an issue, I did not think Forsberg would ever find a solution before the trade deadline.

I thought he would remain "unhealthy," in his own mind and that he would stay in Philly by refusing to waive his no-trade clause.

Once he got healthy and started smiling and began playing consistent, good hockey, I agreed with my colleagues that he was going to position himself to be traded.

In the end, he made the Flyers make a move. He refused to be the "bad guy" by asking for a trade ... then again, he wasn't the "good guy," who could have said, 'keep me here and I will re-sign this summer.'

That's because he is still uncertain about his foot, although he admitted tonight he thinks he and his entourage of doctors, trainers, etc., have "solved" the foot issue.

I wish him well. He was a pure joy to watch on the ice. But much like Eric Lindros in his final years, Foppa was living hell to cover this season on a daily basis.

I have aged. Just ask my wife, Carla, a/k/a Crazy Bitch.
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