1.   Although Guerin is technically a free agent, the Devils can keep their rights to him by matching a contract offer from another team.

2.   An offseason contract offer to restricted free-agent point guard Milt Palacio is a formality.

3.   An extended playoff run this year would put extra money in team coffers, making a contract offer to Bonds more viable.

4.   An improved contract offer, rejected by union members last Tuesday, addressed the issue.

5.   And then there was the simple fact that he had turned down all Seattle contract offers and was therefore vulnerable to injury.

6.   And this October, when we met in Las Vegas after the Players Choice Awards, Howard Lincoln said we have a contract offer.

7.   Any contract offers were expected to be short on guaranteed money and filled with incentives based on games played.

8.   As union members manned picket lines throughout the region Thursday, they pledged to stay off the job as long as necessary to win a better contract offer.

9.   Berg and his agent, Larry Kelly, rejected a contract offer made by the Kings on Tuesday.

10.   Boeing has repeatedly defended the two contract offers it made last year, although union members rejected both proposals.