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Esposito wants Gratton to stay put

 
Published Oct. 20, 1994|Updated Oct. 7, 2005

Don't expect 19-year-old center Chris Gratton to bide his time playing for his former junior team.

The door was opened to that possibility when the Canadian Hockey League amended its agreement with the NHL Monday and allowed Ottawa's Alexandre Daigle, 19, to play for his former junior team in Victoriaville, Quebec.

The Kingston Frontenacs inquired about having Gratton play again for them. Agent Pat Morris said it would depend upon whether the Frontenacs would be able to pay the high insurance premiums to protect Gratton against short-term and long-term injuries and if the Lightning consented.

"Their opinion is important," Morris said. "It will only be a matter of a month, or two months or maybe the season that he would play for Kingston. He will be playing in Tampa for the next 15 years."

Gratton, who was recovering from food poisoning Wednesday, said the only way he would play for Kingston is if he got the "blessing of the union and the Lightning.

"Whatever Phil (Esposito) says goes," Gratton said. "He's my boss."

What does the boss say?

"Absolutely not! He's not going anywhere," Esposito said. "He's an NHLer. He gets paid as an NHLer. It's simple. And why would he want to go play for $60 a week when he doesn't want to play for $500,000 a year? He's already getting $300,000 anyway (signing bonus). Chris is fine."

Players do not receive their salaries during the lockout, but do receive signing bonuses.

Defenseman sent

north to Vipers

In a move to save some money, the team reassigned minor-league defenseman Jeff Buchanan from the Atlanta Knights (the Lightning's affiliate) to the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League.

"We'll let Detroit pay his salary ($45,000 while in the minors)," Esposito said. "He was playing regular in Atlanta, but it's the nature of the beast."

_ CAMMY CLARK