Wednesday, April 15, 1998 | 9:21 a.m.
'Tis that season.
Petr Nedved's services has been purchased. But it remains uncertain if he will wind up under the Las Vegas Thunder's tree.
"I guess it's like being a little kid and waiting for Christmas to see if you get the presents you asked for," Thunder general manager Bob Strumm said.
The Thunder and International Hockey League debated Nedved's eligibility before arbitrator Norman Brand on Tuesday, but the binding verdict was not immediately rendered.
Both sides hope to learn of Brand's decision today. But it could come as late as 5 p.m. Thursday, on the eve of Game 1 between Las Vegas and Long Beach in the first round of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
Nedved, who held out this season as a restricted free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins, is considered one of the top centers in the world. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound sharpshooter scored 78 goals the past two seasons in Pittsburgh.
With such a powerful tool in limbo, it has been difficult for head coach Clint Malarchuk to devise a strategy for the Ice Dogs, against whom the Thunder went 2-11-1 this season.
"It's tough," Malarchuk said. "But I'd rather have this problem than not having Nedved absolute.
"We had some lines together in practice that were kind of tentative. Nedved was at the hearing, so he wasn't at practice, but we're going to go ahead in anticipation that we'll win the arbitration and go from there. We have some backup plans, but we have to practice assuming one way or the other."
Strumm agreed the ordeal is worth the chance of Nedved suiting up.
Nedved had three goals and three assists in three games after receiving a temporary court injunction that allowed him to play. The Thunder went 1-2 with him in the lineup, including an 8-3 loss to the Ice Dogs in his debut.
"One thing about it is, we can't play any worse against (Long Beach) than we have," Strumm said.
"It's something we gotta live with. It's something we gotta accept as part of our preparation. Hopefully we don't have to make any adjustments."
Tuesday's hearing lasted just under three hours with Strumm and Nedved pleading the Thunder's case with the help of team legal counsel Gerald Waite. The IHL was represented by commissioner Bob Ufer, a practicing attorney and the league's former legal counsel.
"There were no surprises," Waite said. "Each side presented its opinion, which was well known by each side."
The IHL ruled Nedved ineligible hours after the Thunder signed him on April 7. The league contended the six games Nedved played for Sparta Praha of the Czech Elite League prohibited Las Vegas from signing him, citing a rule barring teams from acquiring players from non-North American teams after Feb. 2.
The Thunder, however, contended that since Nedved was not paid to play for Sparta Praha, his IHL status should remain intact. Arbitrator John Sands ruled similarly in a January case between Nedved and the NHL.
The Thunder received an injunction and later an extension that allowed Nedved to play until the case could go before an arbitrator.
"I've never been through anything like this before," Strumm said. "You do your best, present your best arguments and wait."
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