2 replies to this topic

[PortBeach13]

Canadian Press



8/4/2004

EDMONTON (CP) - The Edmonton Oilers and defenceman Eric Brewer avoided salary arbitration by agreeing on a one-year contract Wednesday. Also, the Oilers announced defenceman Alexei Semenov has agreed to a two-year contract, with a club option for a third year.



Brewer and the Oilers were scheduled to go to a hearing Saturday in Toronto, something general manager Kevin Lowe didn't want to do.



``We were not comfortable leaving this in the hands of a third party,'' Lowe said in a release. ``We expect Eric to continue his development as a world class player and look forward to his playing in the World Cup of Hockey.''



The six-foot-four, 225-pound native of Vernon, B.C., collected seven goals, 18 assists and 67 penalty minutes in 77 games for the Oilers last season, while leading the club with an average of 24 minutes 39 seconds of ice time.





In four seasons with the Oilers, Brewer has 29 goals and 71 assists in 315 games.



Brewer played for Canada's gold-medal winning team at the 2002 Olympics and helped the country win gold the past two seasons at the world championships.



In his second NHL season with the Oilers, the blueliner scored two goals and three assists in 46 games in 2003-04.



"We're pleased to have Alexei under contract for the next two seasons," said Edmonton Oilers Assistant General Manager Scott Howson. "We feel strongly that he is now ready to take on a bigger role on our blueline."



The 23-year-old native of Murmansk, Russia has played 92 career games with the Oilers since joining the Edmonton roster midway through the 2002-03 season. He has scored 3-9-12 in his 92 games as an Oiler and needs 10 penalty minutes for his 100th career NHL penalty minute.



Drafted by the Oilers in the second round (36th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Semenov turned pro with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League in 2001-02 and scored 9-14-23 with 112 penalty minutes in 115 games before being promoted to the Edmonton roster in December, 2003.



Awesome signings by the Oilers, now sign Petr Nedved, or Jason Allison.

[duckingermany]

yes brewer plays for team canada he must be good very good.and semenov is a great talent and he should play with brewer in a line!!

[ahtikullervo]

Brewer is fine. I'd welcome him in Ducks any day! :rl: He is the only player in Oilers whom I am ready to say that!