[Sylvanfan]

There was also the politics of the pending lockout too. Entry level deals were going to be a negotiating point and the League was hell bent on getting a salary cap with linkage. A lot of players from that 2003 draft that teams did not sign until after the new CBA was in place.

IIRC the Flames signed Phaneuf just before the lockout as there was some talk that unsigned players from that draft might become free agents or re-enter the draft if the lockout went long enough. So the Flames didn't want to take that risk. I can't remember who it was but I thought one richer owner was annoyed because the Flames were a team who needed a cap and here they were signing a player that would be capped after this lockout. I think the Flyers signed Richard's and Carter at the same time. But maybe it was old Ed because he probably was pushing for making teams who didn't sign 2003 draft picks lose their players as free agents for being cheap and forcing a lockout.