from Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post,

When Jay McKee became an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2006, he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. It was worth US$16-million, split evenly over the life of the deal.

He became a free agent again this year, at 35, under slightly different circumstances. For one thing, preliminary contract talks unfolded in a coffee shop near his home. And as he admitted with a laugh: “The two-week paycheque’s a little bit different.”

As a defenceman with the Dundas Real McCoys, McKee earns the same stipend available to each of his new teammates. They earn up to $25 for a win and $5 for a loss. Mileage is also covered, up to $25.

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