Bergenheim Headed For Arbitration

If you're an Islander fan, odds are pretty good that you're happy with the way things have played out since July 1st. You're probably ecstatic over the Mark Streit, and you probably can at least live with the Doug Weight signing. However, a dark shadow is about to come over this whole thing - Sean Bergenheim's arbitration hearing.

Nobody really talks about arbitration and the damage it does, which is a shame. Basically, imagine you and your boss sitting down in front of an independent party to discuss your salary, and imagine the things you'd say about each other with thousands of dollars on the line. Now, multiply that monetary figure by a few hundred, and you've got the arbitration system of professional sports.

When hockey fans think of arbitration, the example everyone thinks of is Tommy Salo, the former Islanders goalie who was so overwhelmed by the criticisms levied against him that he actually cried during his hearing. That's not every case, but the nature of arbitration is not exactly a glamorous one. Last year, Sean Avery had a rather contentious arbitration hearing with the Rangers. You don't think some of that bad blood remained alive as Avery negotiated with other teams just a week ago? The bottom line is, no matter what people say, it gets ugly.

Bergenheim's handlers are saying all the right things, but we must remember that Bergenheim's relationship with the Islanders isn't exactly peachy. Rather than accept a two-way deal heading into the 2006-07 season, Bergenheim bolted, choosing to play in Sweden instead of riding the Port Jefferson Ferry between Long Island and Bridgeport. While everyone bashes Bergenheim for this decision, let's not forget that the Opening Night roster for the 2006-07 season included the likes of Mike York, Chris Simon, and Shawn Bates. Never mind the insult of being offered a two-way deal four years after being a first-round pick, and never mind the fact that Denis Grebeshkov did the exact same thing. Bergenheim took less last year to make peace with the Isles' brass, but nobody has forgotten what's happened.

The good thing is that while Bergenheim is going to arbitration now, the Isles have his rights for the next four years. So the two parties would do well to settle their beefs sooner rather than later. That said, a scandalous arbitration hearing would only make a bad situation worse. What would stop Bergenheim from immediately demanding a trade if he doesn't like what he hears? Just because he's committed to playing for the Islanders in 2008-09 doesn't mean he has to be happy about it.

Ultimately, it comes down to this. If the Islanders really want to do this youth movement correctly - and honestly, we have no proof that they do - Bergenheim is a key to lock up for at least the next couple of years. However, now that they've put matters into the hands of an arbiter, God only knows what will happen next. Whatever happens at arbitration, Garth Snow's next move has to be to work on a deal that will make both parties happy beyond this year. It would be a great sign of faith to the fans, not to mention the Islanders' other young players, that the Islanders know what they're doing. Quite frankly, some of us have our doubts.