Kasparaitis deal is a two-year contract

Defenseman Darius Kasparaitis has agreed to a two-year contract with the Penguins, not a one-year deal, as was reported in Sunday' New York Post.

At issue now is whether Kasparaitis will be able to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2001-02 campaign.

Kasparaitis, who was initially seeking well over $2 million a season heading into his arbitration hearing with the Penguins last Wednesday, decided to quickly accept the Penguins' offer of $1.15 million for 2001-02 and $1.25 million for 2002-03. Following an uncharacteristically brief and amiable hearing, Kasparaitis was awarded the two-year, $2.4 million contract by an arbitrator Friday.

Kasparaitis made $1.6 million in 2000-01.

Kasparaitis and his representatives are anticipating that he'll still be able to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the upcoming season because he'll be a 10-year professional making less than the NHL average salary ($1.41 million in 2000-01).

The Penguins, should they care to contest that, could argue that because Kasparaitis is signed through 2002-03, he won't be able to become an unrestricted free agent until after his contract runs out.

Any dispute that might arise between Kasparaitis and the Penguins at the conclusion of the upcoming season - assuming he isn't traded and plays with the team all season - would be settled in arbitration.