March 8, 1979, the Dead Things have buyer's remorse and place Rogie Vachon and his remaining 1.3 million salary on waivers. There are no takers....
For $1.3 million you can buy Rogie Rogie Vachon: the expendable free agent By DAN STONEKING the Star's Sports editor:
The National Hockey League telex machine went clickety-clack, clickety-clack, printing the name under the heading of place upon Irrevocable waivers. Rogatien Vachon, Detroit. Rogie Vachon? The goalie the Red Wings paid $1.9 million for as a free agent last summer on waivers without the right of recall? There must be some mistake. A typo. Are they serious? When you put somebody on waivers without the right of recall," said North Star Coach Glen Sonmor, "that is serious." So the Wings have made no mistake. There has been no error. It is no Joke. You can pick up Vachon for the $2,500 waiver price. Oh, yes there is the remaining four seasons of his 5-year pact, about $1.3 million when you deduct the $100,000 signing bonus and this year's salary.
Vachon will be at Met Center today at 7:30 p.m. when Detroit plays the North Stars. He will probably be sitting In reserve of goalie Jim Rutherford. The 33-year-old goaltender has told Detroit Coach Bobby Kromm to tell reporters he has no comment on his waiver situation, an uncharacteristic silence for Rogl. If no club puts in a claim by tomorrow, the Wings have a several options. They could send Vachon to Detroit's farm club In Kansas City. They could try to trade him (although if no club picks him up for the waiver price it is unlikely one would deal for him) or they could pay him off. There is a buy-out option In the standard NHL contract, which allows a club to purchase a player's contract for one-third of the price. However that clause was deleted from Rogie's deal when he left the Los Angeles Kings and signed with Detroit. So if the Wings want to buy him, the payment must be In full.
Vachon has a 3.81 goals against average this season. In 12 previous seasons with Montreal and Los Angeles he was 2.78. He got off on the wrong skate this year, giving up six goals in the season opener with St. Louis as the Blues launched oniy 14 shots. Then things really got bad. A year ago with Los Angeles Vachon was hit in the head by a shot from Bob Murdoch of the Cleveland Barons. He suffered a slight concussion and only missed a game or two. But some observers say he hasn't been right since. Vachon has complained of some dizziness early this season when he also tried to play on a knee he Injured during a television shootout competition last summer.
There is speculation that the New York Rangers, Philadelphia and Vancouver might be Interested In Vachon. The Rangers have the necessary capital. Vachon fits Ranger entrepreneur Sonny (as in money) Werblin's standards. He is a star. And even when John Davidson was healthy, the Ranger goaltend-lng situation was considered unstable. Because of the uncertain status of Bernie Parent, Philadelphia also is in the goalie market. So is Vancouver where Jake Milford is general manager. Milford was GM at L.A. when Vachon was there. If Vachon is claimed it could be only part of a catastrophe for Detroit. When the Red Wings signed Vachon, an NHL arbitor awarded Detroit center Dale McCourt as compensation to Los Angeles. But McCourt sued to stay in Detroit and won his case. However the NHL and the Kings have appealed and the case is pending judgment in the U.S. 6th District In Cincinnati. "If Lindsay (Detroit General Manager Ted Lindsay) looks bad because of the Vachon deal, think of how he will look if McCourt has to go, too," said one NHL general manager. Lindsay was fuming Tuesday as word of Vachon's waivers leaked out. "I thought that was suppose to confidential," he said.
