Unhappy with Peguin offer, Nedved signs with Thunder

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998 | 10:58 a.m.

Petr Nedved signed a contract to play with the International Hockey League's Las Vegas Thunder for the 1998-99 season, as he continues a contract dispute with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nedved, 27, played three games with the IHL club late last season before being ruled ineligible by an independent arbitrator because he played four games with Sparta Prague -- a high-level team in the Czech Republic -- in March.

A clause in Nedved's contract with Las Vegas enables him to rejoin the NHL if the Penguins re-sign him or trade his rights to another team, Nedved's agent Tony Kondel said.

Nedved had been seeking a two-year, $6 million contract from Pittsburgh, while the Penguins had offered him $14 million over five years. He made $2 million with the Penguins in 1996-97, when he had 33 goals and 38 assists in 74 games.

"Petr is a world-class player," Thunder General Manager Bob Strumm said. "Any time you have a chance to bring in a player of that caliber, you have to take it. I have spoken with Penguins GM Craig Patrick and he has no problem with us signing Petr."

In other Thunder news:

Individual Thunder game tickets went on sale today. Las Vegas opens its home season Oct. 10 at 7:05 p.m. against Houston. Prices are $20 for view seats, $13 for loge, $16 for box and $22 for Thunder Circle. Mini-season ticket plans and group outings can be arraigned by calling 798-PUCK.

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