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Wednesday - Breakfast Cereals Midnight to 1:00 AM EST
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If hockey comes up during our discussion, so be it.
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Classic Television Spokesman Unveiled!
If there's one thing LCS: Guide to Hockey loves, it's the classic
TV. It's always been a dream of ours to have a spokesperson who
appeared on television. After years of searching for the perfect
classic TV spokesperson to represent LCS: Guide to Hockey, we've
finally found our man. Read the
offical announcement.
LCS: Site Search
Thanks to the magic of modern technology, you, our valued readers, can
search our entire
web site to quickly locate the information you need. Our new search
engine allows you to search specific portions of our site, or the whole
damn thing at once. It also recognizes boolean operators like "AND", "OR", and
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engine or what?
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alert you to new issue releases, features and news from LCS.
LCS: Questions o' the Month
The Questions o' the Month have been a formidable
challenge to all who have dared solve their riddles. So difficult are
these questions that not a single soul was able to correctly all 10
Dick Van Dyke trivia questions for the month of April. Unlike previous
months, nobody was even close. Once again we're disappointed with
you, our apparently unknowledgable, valued readers. This month we're
going with another classic television program you all should
know, Welcome Back Kotter. If you answer all 10 questions right, you will win a free LCS T-shirt.
LCS: the hockey pool
The LCS Hockey Pool is now over. The top three finishers per epoch will be awarded prizes at
the end of the season. A list of winners has been posted. Winners will also be contacted via e-mail.
The pool rules and results are available from LCS: the hockey pool.
NHL Directory
An addition has been made to the LCS web site. To serve you, our valued customer better, we have created
the NHL Directory. A wealth of team and NHL information is included
in the directory, including: arena information; team addresses, phone numbers and fax numbers; general
manager, coach and captain histories; and links to team records, retired jersey numbers, current rosters and
schedules.
Coming Soon!
The opening of the LCS Hall of Fame, player profiles, and much, much more...
---------------------------------------------------------------
LCS Done for the Summer
---------------------------------------------------------------
Well, this issue wraps up LCS: Guide to Hockey's third season of
NHL coverage. We'd like to take this time to thank you, our
valued readers, for all your loyalty and support.
We will be taking the rest of the summer off and won't be back
until our Annual Player Ratings Extravaganza near the end of
August. An exact date has yet to be set, but check the site's
main page periodically throughout the summer for updates.
Um, that's about it. We hope everyone out there has a swell
summer. Like, take it easy.
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA PANTHERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Doug MacLean
Season Results:
35W-28L-19T, 89 points.
Third Atlantic Division, Fourth Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Kirk Muller, Brian Skrudland, Rob Niedermayer, Martin Straka,
Chris Wells. LW - Johan Garpenlov, Dave Lowry, Bill Lindsay,
Mike Hough, Radek Dvorak, David Nemirovsky. RW - Scott Mellanby,
Ray Sheppard, Jody Hull, Tom Fitzgerald. D - Robert Svehla, Gord
Murphy, Ed Jovanovski, Paul Laus, Terry Carkner, Rhett Warrener,
Per Gustafsson, Geoff Smith. G - John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Fitzpatrick.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 221 (21st)
GOALS AGAINST: 201 (4th)
POWER PLAY: 14.2% (21st)
PENALTY KILLING: 85.5% (7th)
TEAM NEWS by Eric Seiden
How do you recap a season like this? Or more accurately, do you want to?
Unlike last season's Heart and Soul this season's catch phrase is Manic
Depression. The season started with a bang with the Panthers owning first
place and shutting up all the nay-sayers who assured the fans around the
league last year's Stanley Cup Finalists weren't for real. The Panthers were
for real and no doubters remained.
This would be the year of the Knee. Just as last year was the year of the
rat, it seemed nearly every goal the Panthers scored resulted in a knee on
the ice. That same knee would be out for two to three months. This happened
to the team a record ten times and attributed to a club record man-games lost
to injury statistic. To blame all the Panthers late season woes on injuries
would be but an excuse.
Wither did yon Panthers go, then? The team and its chemistry took a
serious blow with the much maligned trade of Stu Barnes and Jason Woolley
to Pittsburgh for Chris Wells. Forgetting all the statistics for a minute,
this trade single-handedly destroyed the chemistry of the team. A malaise set
in and wouldn't leave for the rest of the season. Coaches, players, and
even fans wallowed in excuses. Ed Jovanovski entered the sophomore slump to
end all sophomore slumps, often leaving fans wondering which team he was
playing for. Chris Wells never made his mark and ended up warming the bench
for most of the latter part of the season.
As the playoffs came no excitement was felt by the fans. And the lack of
electricity was evident on the ice as the Panthers were easily eliminated by
Wayne Gretzky (and possibly some other players in a blue uniform). No, this
wasn't a season to remember. But the feeling is it didn't have to be this
way. The players didn't gel and force themselves onward in the face of
adversity like they did last year. But, as the cliche goes, there's always
next year.
TEAM MVP: The team's MVP as voted by the fans was Scott Mellanby.
But once again the team's real leader is Brian Skrudland. When he doesn't
play the Panthers don't win, despite the fact he seldom scores himself.
He's a great leader, and leadership, as well as scoring, is what makes a
great player.
SURPRISE: The biggest surprise was the Barnes/Woolley for Wells trade.
In fact many fans are still in total shock. Everyone still bemoans it, the
papers still talk about it, and privately many of the players still bitch
about it.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: The biggest disappointment was that Chris Wells
didn't do so much better. Many people had thought everything Bryan Murray
did was genius. This proved them all wrong. (Don't get me wrong. Chris is a
nice guy. He's great at faceoffs. But when you compare him to Stu, the
prodigal son, he's a disappointment.)
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: In early June, Per Gustafsson, D, was traded to the
Toronto Maple Leafs for junior defenseman Mike Lankshear who has never
played and NHL game. Kirk Muller signed a new three-year contract just
after the season ended. Mike Hough has indicated he plans on retiring and
an announcement will be forthcoming.
The Panthers appear set on a youth movement. Also look for at least one
more sharpshooter, and maybe an offensive defenseman to be added.
The Panthers aren't hurting badly in any area, but except for goaltending,
no area is perfect and could use some improvement. "I'd like to come back,"
said Mark Fitzpatrick, adding, "I'm not happy playing 30 games. Deep down,
I know I can play a lot more."
Look for a great deal more shuffling with the minor league affiliates with
some comings and goings. Also with a new arena in the works (and being
slightly ahead of schedule to boot), the Panthers are rumored to want to get
a marquee name by the middle of next season to sell seats the following year.
One of the hotter rumors is that the Panthers will trade for Edmonton
defenseman Luke Richardson.
Look for Mike Hough to retire and for Geoff Smith to be released. It's too
bad because Smith is a great player, but the Panthers are so set on youth,
they often ignore talent they already have. Both Terry Carkner and Brian
Skrudland become unrestricted free-agents on July 1st, so expect the
Panthers to try and wrap up their contracts quickly.
Another interesting twist in the Panthers saga will come next season. This
year the Whalers relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina. It so happens the
Panthers' primary affiliate (The Carolina Monarchs in Greensboro) is in that
part of the country. The Whalers promptly bought the Monarchs. Due to the
time frame the Whalers and Panthers have agreed to share the team for the
upcoming season, but that leaves the Panthers without a primary affiliate for
the following season, and subordinate to the Whalers this season. The
Panthers have other affiliates currently in the ECHL (Tallahassee Tiger
Sharks) and CoHL (Port Huron Border Cats). The affiliation agreement with the
Cincinnati Cyclones expires over this summer.
The season in review is not complete without the season in preview. And as
such here's a list of Florida's recent showing at the Draft, who the Panthers
took and some basic information. The Draft is fully covered in detail
elsewhere by LCS: Guide To Hockey.
NAME POS AGE HEIGHT WGHT ROUND,#OVERALL
------------------- ---- --- ------- ---- --------------
Brown, Mike C/LW 18 6' 4.5" 203 R1,#20
Huselius, Kristian LW 18 6' 1" 183 R2,#46
Cech, Vratisiav D 18 6' 3" 196 R3,#56
Smith, Nick C 18 6' 1" 165 R3,#74
Novoseltsev, Ivan RW 18 6' 1" 183 R4,#95
Parthenias, Pat D 17 6' 3" 212 R5,#127
Delaney, Keith C 18 6' 1" 196 R6,#155
Palmer, Tyler D 20 6' 3" 215 R7,#183
Schuller, Doug D 20 6' 1" 200 R8,#211
Cote, Benoit C 18 6' 4" 192 R9,#237
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jacques Lemaire
Season Results:
45W-23L-14T, 104 points.
First Atlantic Division, First Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Doug Gilmour, Bob Carpenter, Bobby Holik, Denis
Pederson, Peter Zezel. LW - Dave Andreychuk, Steve Thomas, Valeri
Zelepukin, Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo, Patrik Elias. RW - Bill
Guerin, John MacLean, Randy McKay, Reid Simpson. D - Scott
Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken Daneyko, Lyle Odelein, Shawn
Chambers, Dave Ellett, Kevin Dean. G - Martin Brodeur, Mike
Dunham.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 231 (16th)
GOALS AGAINST: 182 (1st)
POWER PLAY: 13.9% (22nd)
PENALTY KILLING: 88.1% (1st)
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
As the regular season was coming to an end, the New Jersey Devils
were undeniably the best team in the Eastern Conference, and
perhaps the league. Bolstered by the late-season acquisitions of
Doug Gilmour and Dave Ellett, the Devils went on a rampage that
saw them overtake the Philadelphia Flyers for the top spot in the
Eastern Conference, 104 points to 103.
While New Jersey was able to wrest the top seed from
Philadelphia, the Flyers had a hand in derailing the Devils'
potential Cup run. The two clubs met in Philadelphia on the last
day of the regular season. The Flyers took the game 5-4, but it
was a meaningless decision since the Devils already had the
number one slot wrapped up. The big news from this game was that
Dave Andreychuk, one of the club's most consistent performers all
season long, fell in a freak accident behind the Flyer net and
broke his ankle. It was a severe blow to the Devil cause.
Even without Andreychuk, the Devils made short work of the
Montreal Canadiens in the first round. Martin Brodeur not only
posted a shutout in the five-game series win, he also bagged an
empty-netter. Hey, not too shabby. The roll continued in Game
One of the second round against the New York Rangers. Brodeur
pitched his second straight shutout and it was business as usual.
Then along came a man with Aunt Jemima on his helmet.
New York goaltender Mike Richter went crazy go nuts the rest of
the series and completely shut the Devil offense down. El Diablo
continued to play strong, but between Richter's unbelievable
acrobatics in net and having goals disallowed in three straight
games by the punk-ass crease rule, the Devils just couldn't
muster enough scoring to compete and the Rangers rattled off
three consecutive wins. Andreychuk returned to action for Game
Five, but it wasn't enough to save the day. In practically an
instant replay of the famous Stephane Matteau goal of 1994, Adam
Graves beat Brodeur with a wraparound to the right wing post to
give the Rangers a thrilling 2-1 overtime series-clinching win.
It was hard to believe, but the Devils' season was over. There's
no doubt New Jersey was the better team, if not the best in the
league. But hot goaltenders have a history of knocking off great
teams. And the way Richter was playing, he was several hundred
degrees beyond hot.
Once again, the Devils relied on defense and goaltending to win
games in 1996-97. El Diablo gave up a ridiculously low 182 goals
this season, 15 fewer than second place Detroit. Brodeur was the
main reason why, leading the league with a minuscule 1.88 goals-
against average, 0.27 better than his nearest competitor (Andy
Moog). He also finished tied for second in wins (37) and save
percentage (.927). Brodeur was robbed of the Vezina for the
second straight year, however, when Dominik Hasek grabbed all the
attention for carrying the surprising Buffalo Sabres to the
Northeast Division crown.
Part of the reason why Hasek was able to swipe a few votes from
Brodeur, is that good ol' Marty played behind the best group of
defensemen in the league. One through six, no other team in the
league came close to matching the Devils' group of blueliners.
Scott Stevens (5-19-24) doesn't put up points like he used to,
but he remains one of the game's top two or three defensive
defensemen. He exemplifies everything the Devils stand for, and
wears the "C" to prove it. Stevens played with a few partners
this season, but when healthy, Shawn Chambers (4-17-21) usually
saw time by his side. Chambers' smooth skating and better-than-
average offensive skills are a nice match with the hard-nosed
Stevens. Scott Niedermayer (5-30-35) and Ken Daneyko (2-7-9)
continued to work together, with Niedermayer's mad skills being
the perfect complement to Daneyko's fierce stay-at-home presence.
Once Ellett (6-15-21) arrived from Toronto, he formed a steady
partnership with the rugged Lyle Odelein (3-13-16). See right
there, it just doesn't get any better than those six guys. On
the rare occasions when fill-in help was needed, Kevin Dean (2-4-
6) was around to help out.
The Devils' defensive prowess isn't limited to just the
defensemen. The forward ranks are also chalk full of guys who
know how to prevent goals from being scored. But that's really
the problem. Too much defense and not enough scoring. New
Jersey finished 16th in team scoring with just 231 goals. That's
not good.
The Devils thought they solved the problem by acquiring Gilmour
from the Maple Leafs in the February 25 trade that also brought
Ellett to New Jersey, while Steve Sullivan and Jason Smith were
sent packing to Toronto. Gilmour had an immediate impact on his
new team. He gave New Jersey the big-name center it never had.
His nifty skating and crafty playmaking energized the offense,
helping the team average 3.69 goals per game in his first 16
contests with the horned J on his chest. That's a vast
improvement over their previous average that hovered in the
neighborhood of 2.87. Gilmour notched seven goals and 22 points
in 20 games as a Devil, bringing his season totals to 22 goals
and 82 points. Those numbers would have likely been better had
Gilmour not been struck in the eye with a puck late in the year.
The injury seemed to hamper his scoring touch a bit down the
stretch. Then in the playoffs he only came through with four
points, all assists, in 10 games. That's hardly the superstar
scoring the team needed, or expected.
Gilmour's arrival also meant a reunion with old Maple Leaf buddy
Dave Andreychuk. The duo used to ring up goals like mad men back
in the day. While Andreychuk may not be a 50-goal man anymore,
he was still an integral part of the New Jersey machine. As
mentioned earlier, he was probably the team's most consistent
performer on offense. He ended up third on the team in goals
(27) and points (62) while also leading the way defensively,
registering a team-best +38. Not having him around against the
Rangers definitely hurt New Jersey's chances.
Bobby Holik emerged as the team's second leading scorer. He was
quite vocal early in the season, telling anyone who would listen
that he was more than just a checking line center. Holik then
went out and backed his talk up with 23 goals and 62 points. It
looks like he can kiss his Crash Line days goodbye.
John MacLean (29-25-54) and Bill Guerin (29-18-47) tied for the
team lead in goals with 29 apiece. MacLean had a great season,
acting as a leader at both ends of the ice. Guerin, on the other
hand, tended to run hot and cold. Netting 29 goals is okay and
all, but with Guerin's talent he should be a 35 to 40-goal man.
He did make his goals count, though, leading the team with nine
game-winners.
Steve Thomas was expected to make a big contribution on offense,
but could only manage 15 goals and 34 points. More is needed
from Stumpy. Brian Rolston (18-27-45) started to assert himself
a bit more on offense, finishing second on the team with 237
shots. The only problem was that he connected for a mere 18
goals. That's a shooting percentage of 7.6, which is good if
you're a defenseman... it's not so hot if you're a center. Randy
McKay (9-18-27) was his usual aggressive self, continuing to be
one of the game's premier checking wingers. Other regulars
included Valeri Zelepukin (14-24-38), Bobby Carpenter (4-15-19),
and Peter Zezel (4-12-16), along with rookies Denis Pederson (12-
20-32) and Jay Pandolfo (6-8-14).
New Jersey had a great year. All things being equal, the Devils
and Avalanche were the two best teams in the league. They should
have been in the Finals. But sometimes things don't go as
planned. It takes more than being a great team to win a Cup.
New Jersey ran into a hot goaltender and just didn't get the
breaks.
TEAM MVP: It's impossible to argue with Martin Brodeur's
numbers. He also had to deal with coach Jacques Lemaire's
idiotic practice of inserting backup Mike Dunham late in games in
order to get him 25 appearance and thereby keeping him from
becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. Lemaire even
went so far as to insert Dunham into a shutout game with just
seconds remaining on the clock. That bright idea robbed Brodeur
of his 11th shutout of the season. Brodeur deserves the MVP
simply for not throttling the bald-headed bench boss.
SURPRISE: The biggest surprise was probably that the team
finally pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire a big-time
center. Other than that, everything went as planned.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Petr Sykora had a remarkable rookie
season in 1995-96, scoring 18 goals and 42 points in 63 games
while centering Steve Thomas and Bill Guerin to create New
Jersey's most dangerous offensive line. But this season was one
filled with injuries and disappointment for the 20-year-old Czech
native. Recurring shoulder problems limited Sykora to just 19
games with the big club. In that time he only registered one
goal and three assists. Those numbers were made even worse by
his -8 rating. Ouch. Now that's a sophomore slump.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: The Devils aren't expected to make
many changes. Doug Gilmour is looking for a new three-year, $11-
million deal and is expected to get it. GM Lou Lamoriello has
said that Gilmour, Scott Stevens, who like Gilmour is entering
his option year, and coach Jacques Lemaire will all be back next
season.
Bill Guerin, Randy McKay, and Brian Rolston are all restricted
free agents, but likewise shouldn't be going anywhere. Mike
Dunham is also technically a restricted free agent, but since
Lemaire took so many liberties in getting him his minimum 25
appearances, Dunham and his agent are asking the league that he
be made unrestricted. Things still aren't settled.
Two definite unrestricted free agents are Bobby Carpenter and
Dave Ellett. Carpenter, who turns 34 in a couple weeks, is an
excellent defensive forward, but probably won't be back. It
would just seem that the Devils have many younger guys capable of
filling that role. Ellett, 33, seemed to be happy in his short
stint with the Devils and will likely return, although the club's
depth along the blue line means that he could be expendable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Rick Bowness
Season Results:
29W-41L-12T, 70 points.
Seventh Atlantic Division, 12th Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Travis Green, Bryan Smolinski, Derek Armstrong,
Claude Lapointe. LW - Derek King, Marty McInnis, Niclas
Andersson, Brent Hughes, Paul Kruse. RW - Zigmund Palffy, Dan
Plante, Randy Wood, Steve Webb, Todd Bertuzzi. D - Scott
Lachance, Dennis Vaske, Richard Pilon, Bryan McCabe, Kenny
Jonsson, Bryan Berard, Doug Houda, Jason Holland. G - Eric
Fichaud, Tommy Salo.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 240 (12th)
GOALS AGAINST: 250 (18th)
POWER PLAY: 13.9% (22nd)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.4% (14th)
TEAM NEWS by David Strauss
(Note: This column was written before the current difficulties with the
Spano purchase of the team surfaced. How this situation will effect the
future of the Isles is unknown.)
The 1996-97 season, like the year before, was an eventful season. But,
unlike the previous season, it was eventful for several positive
reasons.
The team started slow this year, especially in the goal-scoring
department. With top center Travis Green missing training camp due to a
holdout, and without any true leadership on the top forward lines, the
team had serious trouble putting the biscuit in the basket. (Yes, we
will miss you, Keith Olbermann.)
A veteran defense or goaltending crew would have stabilized the
situation, but that's exactly the opposite of what the Isles had. The
tandem of Eric Fichaud and Tommy Salo in net was untested, to be polite,
and when your defensive veteran is Scott Lachance, you know your defense
is going to be making some mistakes along the way.
In the first month of the season, the team lost points in half a dozen
or so games by giving up last minute, and sometimes last second, goals.
To say this was a young team would be to understate the situation. If
they'd somehow managed to pull off a miracle and won a championship,
most of the players would have been checked for ID when buying that
champagne.
As the season started, though, not only was the team's lack of offense a
concern, but so was the deteriorating state of the franchise. Absentee
owner John Pickett still refused to put any money into the team, which
had forced the off-season contract squabbles with top scorers Green and
Ziggy Palffy. Attendance was rapidly dropping as fans had seen enough
of the self-destructive tactics of the so-called "Gang Of Four" who
managed the team for Pickett. Almost half of the first 20 home games
had attendances of under 10,000, and there was only one sellout.
And into this situation came John Spano, a Texas businessman with roots
on Long Island and the obvious desire to be seen as the man on the white
horse. Spano's negotiation and purchase of the Islanders, and his
subsequent promises to improve the team by spending competitively were
seen as the first positive sign from team management in a decade. While
the first moves by Spano were minor, they were symbolic -- a new coat of
paint for the Coliseum, a repair job for the restrooms, and an overall
needed cleanup job on the aging building.
And after the season ended, negotiations begun on a new Coliseum for the
1999-2000 season. Over the last half of the season, attendance was up
by nearly 3000 fans a game, the Coliseum had more sellouts than any
season since the team was defending Cup Champions, and energy returned
to Uniondale for the first time since the place was known as 'Fort
Neverlose'.
But back to the team. Scoring was at a premium for most of the season.
The forwards just weren't doing their jobs. Foremost among the
disappointments was Todd Bertuzzi. The rugged winger who has scored
nearly 20 goals his rookie season was nearly invisible for large periods
of the current campaign. He was benched, tutored by Isles great Clark
Gillies (who has his number retired midseason in a touching ceremony),
benched again, chastised, goaded, sent down to the IHL, and finally
brought back up. And none of it seemed to work.
With Spano now in charge, coach/GM Mike Milbury was issued an ultimatum
by his new boss: choose one job. Milbury, reportedly reluctantly,
stepped down from the coach's spot and appointed assistant Rick Bowness
as head coach.
Green got off to a slow start and struggled after his training camp
holdout. Forwards such as Randy Wood, Claude Lapointe, Niklas Andersson,
Dan Plante and Brent Hughes had been counted on to supply a little
offense, but none ended up scoring more than 13 goals. Derek King was
his usual streaky self, scoring a number of goals in one short 10-game
streak, and then putting in less than half a dozen goals over the next
two months.
There was only one bright spot on the Isles offense for much of the
season, and that was the dynamic Ziggy Palffy. Yes, you can't stop
Zigmund Palffy, you can only hope to contain him. In fact, only a late
season shoulder injury prevented the Slovakian winger from scoring 50
goals, and he ended up with 48 goals, 90 points, and the largest number
of #16 jerseys in the Coliseum since the trade of Pat LaFontaine.
But Palffy couldn't do it alone, and so GM Mike Milbury made the first
big deal of the season, sending popular defenseman Darius Kasparaitis to
Pittsburgh for holdout forward Bryan Smolinski. Smoke also got off to a
slow start, but ended up with almost 30 goals in 64 games, and helped
generate some badly-needed offense. While the trade was unpopular with
Isles fans who missed the feisty Kaspar, it was a deal that helped both
teams and improved the team's biggest weakness by trading from its depth
on the blue line.
While the team went on no big winning streaks, it stayed close to the
back of the pack in the tightly squeezed Eastern Conference. With a few
weeks to go before the trade deadline, Milbury laid it out for his team
-- if they could close on the final playoff spot, he'd make a deal to
bring in more help this season. If they faded back out of the race,
he'd deal with the future in mind. As the trade deadline neared, the
team was, essentially, in the exact same place they'd been in at the
time of Milbury's pronouncement (five points out), so Milbury hedged his
bets and played it both ways. He dealt long time Isle Derek King for a
draft pick, and traded steady but unflashy forward Marty McInnis to
Calgary for Robert Reichel. Calgary, eager to get rid of Reichel, even
took on a majority of the Czech's salary.
With Reichel on the top line with Palffy and Smoke, the team seemed to
hit its stride for the first time in four years. Reichel had 19 points
in 12 games, and the team pushed towards the last playoff spot.
Foremost in that run was the solid play of the team's young defense,
learning with every game.
No doubt the highlight of that defense was Bryan Berard. The former
number one pick had been obtained last season in the Kirk Muller trade.
The Isles had asked him to learn on the job, without any real veteran
defensive teammates to teach him the ropes. Berard responded cautiously
at first, and the power play struggled. But as he gained confidence his
game improved, and Berard ended up finishing with almost 50 points and
won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year. Seeing as how the other
Isles Calder winners were legends named Potvin, Trottier, and Bossy,
Berard has some big shoes to fill, and some lofty expectations.
But it was not just Berard who impressed on defense. Kenny Jonsson
played solidly in his first full season as an Islander. Scott Lachance
was solid, although it seems he will never fulfill the offensive promise
that the Isles drafted him expecting. When Palffy, the lone Isles rep
in the All-Star Game, had to skip the contest due to an injury, Milbury
named the steady Lachance as his replacement. A defensive defenseman in
the All-Star Game? Isn't that illegal?
Another nice surprise on defense was Bryan McCabe. The second year
d-man, who might one day be this team's captain, improved on offense and
played solidly in his own end. It's no coincidence that McCabe was the
player most teams asked about in trade rumors. The defense was filled
out by the steady play of unheralded Doug Houda and the
always-returning-from-an-injury Rich Pilon and Dennis Vaske, who finally
appears to have overcome two serious concussions over the past couple
seasons. Next year will likely see the emergence of youngsters Jason
Holland and Zdeno Chara, the latter a 6'8" (no, that's not a typo), 250
lb. European who proved his toughness in the Western League.
In net, the Isles spent much of the season without a #1 goalie. Bowness
played the two netminders almost interchangeably, waiting for one to
take over. While many fans felt that he didn't give Fichaud the same
chance he gave Salo, Salo ended up starting almost all of the games down
the stretch as the team made its playoff run, only to fall a few points
short in the last two games.
The 1996-97 Islanders missed the playoffs for the third straight year,
but Milbury and Bowness have made it known that the playoffs are the
definite goal of next season. With some veteran depth up front from a
free agent or two, plus turning some of that defensive depth into a deal
for offensive help, the Isles could surprise.
TEAM MVP: For the second year in a row, it would have to be Palffy.
He was often the only offensive player that created any scoring opportunities,
and carried the team on many nights with his offensive ability. The
deal for Reichel really seemed to motivate Palffy late in the season.
Alternately, while late developments have called into question the
current status of the sale to John Spano, the Texas businessman has the
potential to be the future MVP of the team's climb back towards the top.
SURPRISE: We all expected Bryan Berard to be an interesting player to
watch, but only the most optimistic expected the Calder Trophy and
flashes of true brilliance. If he can avoid the sophomore slump, he'll
be one of the great defensemen in this league for many years.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Todd Bertuzzi, without a doubt. While he picked up
his play in the last 15 games or so, up until then he was as invisible
as a narc at a biker rally. Bertuzzi must rebound and play to his
potential if the Isles are to compete in the Atlantic.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: For months the Isles have promised off-season
changes. So far, nothing, but the off-season has just begun. Don't
expect them to go after a big name free agent such as Kariya, Sakic or Messier.
Look for the free agent route to bring in some veteran stability and scoring
help, and look for Milbury to deal from his strength, defense, to bring
in some firepower. Jason Arnott is a constantly rumored name, for one.
With the drafting of Roberto Luongo, possibly the next great goalie out
of the QMJHL, and expansion coming, Milbury certainly will have a lot to
think about.
Last year, the season finished with this line: "It looks like a bright
future for the Isles, even if the present looks a little gloomy." The
sun has begun to come up for this recently-troubled franchise.
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NEW YORK RANGERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Colin Campbell
Season Results:
38w-34L-10T, 86 points.
Fourth Atlantic Division, Fifth Eastern Conference.
Rosters: C - Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Esa Tikkanen, Mike
Eastwood, Chris Ferraro. LW - Adam Graves, Luc Robitaille,
Darren Langdon, Bill Berg, Sylvain Blouin. RW - Niklas
Sundstrom, Russ Courtnall, Pat Flatley, Shane Churla, David
Oliver, Ryan VandenBussche, Alexei Kovalev. D - Brian Leetch,
Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom, Bruce Driver, Doug Lidster,
Alexander Karpovstev, Eric Cairns, Dallas Eakins. G - Mike
Richter, Glenn Healy.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 258 (4th)
GOALS AGAINST: 231 (10th)
POWER PLAY: 22.0% (1st)
PENALTY KILLING: 79.9% (25th)
TEAM NEWS: Alex Frias, NY Rangers Team Correspondent
Wow, it's over already? I remember reading the Hockey News
preview issue yesterday, a matter of fact, I did read it
yesterday. That's not the point. The most intriguing franchise
in hockey had another exciting season, to say the least.
This year was very different from last. Last year all that was
talked about was trades, signings and mistakes made. That
disastrous trade with LA still had the Rangers feeling it's
effects. This year was just the opposite. Instead of trading
players, the Rangers sincerely tried to limit all the senseless
movement. If it weren't for Kirk Muller, John MacLean, and a
whole bunch of bad breaks, it isn't a big stretch to think they
could have been the ones facing off against Detroit.
It wasn't meant to be for the Rangers, and that was apparent with
all the breaks they caught. Playing the Flyers, even with a full
squad, would still have been very tough. The Rangers beat the
Florida Panthers and the New Jersey Devils, two similar teams
that capitalize on their opponents' mistakes, but when they went
up against Philadelphia, a team with real scoring talent, and a
team that plays more Ranger-style hockey, they couldn't match up
very well with their depleted squad.
Neil Smith should be given a lot of credit for the Rangers
success this past season. Gretzky had a great season, despite
people writing him off, and lifted the team when Mess couldn't.
The trade for Mike Eastwood, perhaps the most underrated Ranger,
was straight up robbery, and Dallas Eakins, a surprisingly steady
player, came up big for the Rangers. The Esa Tikkanen-Russ
Courtnall steal was also a key factor. Tikkanen in particular
upped his play more than anyone could have ever imagined in the
playoffs.
All in all, a good year. A Stanley Cup would make next year, a
great one.
TEAM MVP: I got to give it to Ryan VandenBussche. The
guy displayed determination and... who am I kidding, the MVP is
the 1997 Norris Trophy winner Brian Leetch. Some might say
Gretzky's magic, Messier's determination or Richter's acrobatics,
but no one was as invaluable and irreplaceable as Leetch. He was
their sole consistent firepower from the blue line and when he
was ineffective, so was the team. The opposition said if they
shut him down, they'll more than likely shut the team down. But
they can't shut him down.
Surprises: The entire team. This undermanned,
over-the-hill group that was suppose to get bounced in the first
round made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before
running out of gas. The defensive specialists in Florida were
suppose to make quick work of the undisciplined Blueshirts. Then
their boys from across the Hudson were suppose to show them what
defensive playoff hockey really was. And Philly was suppose to
show them what a younger, bigger, and deeper team can do in the
playoffs, and quite frankly, they did. But while the Knicks were
whining about getting "robbed", the Rangers were fighting a
street fight. A fight they lost, but at the same time, a fight
they won for just showing up and being counted.
Disappointments: Without a doubt, Shane Churla. This
boy's harder than the Wu-Tang clan on steroids. Unfortunately,
ticket holders rarely saw him as Churla's 1996-97 season was
marred by endless injuries (fractured right hand, broken orbital
bone, sore left knee, sprained finger, groin strain) that kept
him out of 34 games and severely limited his effectiveness. And
when he wasn't injured physically, he was in the old doghouse.
It's been such a bad year that he re-aggravated his bum left knee
walking his dog, thus requiring surgery which will keep him out
of action until at least February.
Off-season Changes: Reaching the conference finals whet
his appetite. GM Neil Smith isn't about to stop now. He already
acquired tough guy and former Devil Mike Peluso as compensation
for the St. Louis Blues' signing of Rangers assistant GM Larry
Pleau as their new GM. Peluso will help Darren Langdon with the
rough stuff, especially if Churla's going to be out for awhile.
That alone is not enough. Gritty Colorado forward Mike Keane and
un-retiring Calgary power forward Gary Roberts are at the top of
the Rangers' most-wanted list. As you look down that list you
also see Dallas winger Brent Gilchrist and Florida forwards Brian
Skrudland and Mike Hough, all unrestricted. The Rangers lack of
depth was their ultimate undoing, and Smith wants and needs to
address that.
But before he even starts on his wish list, Smith must deal with
the concerns of his own free agents, both restricted and
unrestricted. On the top of the list in big bold letters is
Messier and his status as an unrestricted free agent. He's 36
and is no longer the best player on the roster and he knows that.
The decision whether or not he wants to stay on Broadway is
really up to him. Alexei Kovalev and Alexander Karpovtsev are
both Group II free agents, which means teams must offer
compensation for them and with the steep price of first-round
draft picks, it's unlikely those two will be moving to another
zip code.
The situations with Pat Flatley, Esa Tikkanen, Russ Courtnall,
Doug Lidster, and Glenn Healy are another story. Flatley played
great and was a nice pickup, but he's worn down and will be
moving on. Tikkanen and Courtnall are crap-shoots. Tikkanen,
takes the regular season off yet comes through in the playoffs,
but with those bad knees it's doubtful that trend will continue.
Courtnall showed flashes of using his speed, and could return if
Smith's shopping spree leaves him empty-handed. And don't be
surprised if Lidster is re-signed as insurance in case Eric
Cairns isn't quite ready. Healy's one of the best backups in the
league and would be the starter on a lot of teams. Yet he
already picked up his ring in 1994 and his desire to be the
number one guy will ship him somewhere.
If Smith picks up one or two key guys and Kovalev returns 100%,
this team could look pretty formidable come opening night. But
hockey is played on the ice, not on paper (although sometimes I
wish it was, at least we wouldn't have to stand watching that
stupid glowing puck). We'll see whether Smith's moves are
successful or not in next year's season-in-review.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Terry Murray
Season Results:
45W-24L-13T, 103 points.
Second Atlantic Division, Third Eastern Conference.
ROSTER: C - Eric Lindros, Rod Brind'Amour, Dale Hawerchuk, Joel Otto,
Daniel Lacroix. LW - John LeClair, Dan Kordic, Shjon Podein. RW - Mikael
Renberg, Pat Falloon, John Druce, Trent Klatt, Dainius Zubrus, Scott
Daniels. D - Eric Desjardins, Paul Coffey, Petr Svoboda, Chris Therien,
Karl Dykhuis, Kjell Samuelsson, Janne Niinimaa, Michel Petit. G - Ron
Hextall, Garth Snow.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 274 (3rd)
GOALS AGAINST: 217 (8th)
POWER PLAY: 14.6% (18th)
PENALTY KILLING: 85.7% (6th)
TEAM NEWS by Eric Meyer
Just Wait 'Til Next Year
12-10-1. That was the Flyers' record after the first twenty-three
games of the season. Eric Lindros, hampered with a pulled groin, hadn't
seen a lick of ice time, Terry Murray's boys looked sluggish
and often inconsistent, and it appeared that maybe all of the pre-season
hype that had surrounded the Flyers and a potential run at the Stanley
Cup this season might be all for not.
Rod Brind'Amour was having his problems filling the skates of the missing
Lindros, way down on a list of players on the minus side of
a plus/minus rating. Mikael Renberg, still bothered by the after-effects
of a sore abdominal strain, and obviously under conditioned for the regular
season, also had his problems finding the back of the opposing team's net
with the puck. In fact, the only two players who were really filling
it up in the early going were John LeClair and Shjon Podein. Add to that
the rumors that Murray was coaching on borrowed time and the Flyers
looked like a team without a shot.
Oh yeah, what is it they say about hockey? All that matters is
making the playoffs and then anything can happen? Well, in game 24
of the season at the Fleet Center up in Boston, Lindros made
his rousing return against the Bruins. And yes the Flyers were shut out
that game, and yes the Flyers would lose the next game on the Island, but
Lindros and the Philadelphia Flyers appeared to be slowly regaining that
spark that had eluded the orange and black for the first quarter of the
season.
Then came the streak. Seventeen straight games without
a loss, including four straight shutouts. From 12-12-1, the Flyers
had jumped to 26-12-4, and were simply rolling along without a care in
the world. Lindros had returned to old form. LeClair welcomed back
Mr. Lindros to the lineup with open arms, vaulting to the top of the
league's goal-scoring list. Renberg slowly began to get his goal-scoring
touch back. Brind'Amour became an anchor on the second line with Dale
Hawerchuk, and the third line of Podein, Joel Otto and either Trent Klatt or Dainius
Zubrus was becoming very productive.
The only player who might not have been too happy during the streak was
defenseman Kevin Haller. He, along with a draft pick, was sent to Hartford
for defenseman Paul Coffey. And hey...how about that defense during the streak?
Well, besides Chris Therien, who had found his way into Murray's
dog house, the other defensemen on the team were playing over their
heads. Made the job quite easy for goaltenders Ron Hextall and Garth Snow
who saw their respective goals-against averages plummet during this
17-game stretch.
The remainder of the regular season was pretty much a breeze for the
Flyers. Yeah, they lost a few games here and there, and were overtaken in
the last week or so of the season by the New Jersey Devils for
the division title, but they made the playoffs and looked good doing it.
Well, almost everyone looked good doing it. Some shaky netminding
down the stretch from Hextall earned him a spot on the pine for
the opening round of the playoffs.
In round one of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the top
line of Renberg, Lindros and LeClair got some big time help from the third
line of Otto, Klatt, and Podein as the Flyers manhandled Pittsburgh,
sending Mario Lemieux into retirement with a 4-1 series win.
Round two saw much of the same for the Flyers. The offense was
clicking. Matthew Barnaby and Brad May were being themselves,
and the Flyers rolled to a 4-1 series win.
Then back came Ron Hextall for round three against the Rangers, and
the Flyers made quick work of the red and blue, taking it to Messier and
the boys, winning that series four games to one.
On to the Stanley Cup finals, and since the wound is still a touch painful,
let's just say they lost and let that be that, shall we?
TEAM MVP:Surprisingly for the orange and black, there were many
candidates for MVP.
If you go by the first quarter of the season, the award would have had
to go to Shjon Podein. The man was scoring goals at a pace that no one
could have expected from him.
Take the first half of the season, and the award could have gone to
John LeClair. With and without Mr. Lindros, LeClair was the
goal-scoring machine for the orange and black. It just seemed that
whenever the team needed a clutch goal to move ahead, there was number
10.
How about the last third of the season? That MVP award goes to
Chris Therien. If ever there was a story of going from the out house
to the penthouse, here it is. It appeared that for the first half
of the season, Therien was going through the so-called "sophomore jinx"
of failing to live up to the expectations and performance of a rookie season
that had made him such a valuable commodity. Most every trade
rumor from here to Shiola had Therien on the move. But then something
just seemed to click. Maybe it was playing with Eric Desjardins, or
maybe it was just something else, but Therien became a mad man on
the ice, taking the body on defense like never before, and performing
beyond all expectations.
For the playoff run, I give the MVP to Rod Brind'Amour. He was
fantastic during the stretch run for the Cup. He scored goals
when the team needed them, he played the power play to perfection,
and he played hard with the team a man short.
Yet taking the whole season into account, start to finish, the MVP goes
to the man that was supposed to lead this team to the promised land when
he arrived here from the Nordiques several seasons back. Number 88,
Eric Lindros wins this year's "Eric Meyer - Philadelphia Flyers - Team
MVP Award". Who says you have to be here the whole season to make
a difference....phooey! The man missed the first 23 games
of the season and didn't skip a beat on his return. He was the catalyst
and lifeforce behind the 17-game unbeaten streak. He was the
man that took the heat off the other three lines to produce the big
goals. He was the man that anchored the team's power play, the man
who set up linemates LeClair and Renberg for the big goals, and the man
that deserves this award more than anyone else.
SURPRISE: The choice for this award came as a no-brainer. Joel Otto
played his butt off all season, giving his "Minnesota Line" the experience and
toughness that it needed to hold off opposing teams' top lines. Shjon
Podein was an offensive demon early on, but filled his role of hustle-and-bustle
quite well down the stretch. But the "Eric Meyer - Philadelphia
Flyers - Surprise of the Year Award" goes to winger Trent Klatt.
Who would have guessed that the journeyman Klatt would have reached
double-digits in goals, let alone over 20 goals this season? The man was
the epitome of a "spark", giving the Flyers that big goal when they needed
it, but also playing his role of defensive forward quite well, playing
wherever and whenever the team needed him.
DISAPPOINTMENT: For such a great season, I'm not even going to
bother naming the nominees, just the winner, or rather the loser of the "Eric Meyer -
Philadelphia Flyers - Disappointment of the Year". Hey, Pat Falloon! You win dude!
Congrats and hopefully you'll find yourself playing elsewhere next year.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Well, in case you've been comatose, we've already
seen a big one. Terry Murray has been fired as the Head Coach of the Philadelphia
Flyers. Reasons for his firing have been vague, but let's just say, when it
came right down to it, there were probably 88 of them if you know what I mean.
So who's on the slate to become the new Flyers head coach? The
three names that had been floating around were Philadelphia Phantoms coach,
and ex-Flyers Bill Barber, Flyers assistant coach Keith "Woody" Acton, and
San Jose assistant coach Wayne Cashman. Well, take Mr. Barber off
that short list and replace him with a blast from the past in the form of
Mike Keenan. Yes, Mike Keenan has been in talks with the Flyers and appears
to be one of the front runners for the job along with Cashman.
Aside from the coaching ranks what else can we expect to see next season?
Well, don't be surprised if the Flyers look to the trade route and sink
their teeth into a short term goalie until Brian Boucher is ready to come
along from the Phantoms and take over. Names being considered...Felix
Potvin...Ed Belfour...Steve Shields. That makes Garth Snow expendable
and the up-and-coming Vaclav Prospal good trade bait.
In terms of free agent signing there are some needs that the team does
have to address. The signing of Kjell Samuelsson doesn't mean
the team will fail to make a play for a solid defenseman. A second line
center (rumors of Mark Messier for two years at 10 million dollars) would
be nice, and maybe a wing with some scoring punch could be good, too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Terry Crisp
Final Rankings:
32W-40L-10T, 74 points.
Sixth Atlantic Division, 11th Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Brian Bradley, Chris Gratton, John Cullen, Daymond
Langkow, Allen Egeland. LW - Paul Ysebaert, Shawn Burr, Rob
Zamuner, Jason Weimer, Rudy Poeschek, Patrick Poulin, Brent
Peterson, Jeff Toms. RW - Brian Bellows, Alexander Selivanov,
Mikael Andersson, Paul Brousseau. D - Roman Hamrlik, Bill
Houlder, Cory Cross, Dave Shaw, Igor Ulanov, Jeff Norton, Jay
Wells. G - Daren Puppa, Corey Schwab, Rick Tabaracci.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 217 (22nd)
GOALS AGAINST: 247 (17th)
POWER PLAY: 13.8% (24th)
PENALTY KILLING: 84.7% (8th)
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
The Tampa Bay Lightning had a rather forgettable 1996-97 season.
After making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history
in 1995-96, the men with lightning bolts on their pants failed to
live up to expectations this season. The Lightning posted a
record of 32-40-10, good for only 74 points and 11th place in the
Eastern Conference. That's a drop off of six wins and 16 points
from the previous year.
Tampa's season took a wrong turn right from opening night. The
Bolts survived a last second tying goal from Mario Lemieux to
pull out a thrilling overtime win over the Penguins in
Pittsburgh, but got some terrible news following the game. 1995-
96 Vezina Trophy nominee Daren Puppa injured his back in the win
and would eventually have to undergo surgery to correct the
problem. Surgery that would cost him the entire season. Puppa
would return briefly for a pair of starts late in the year, but
he returned too soon and it wasn't long before his back once
again gave way.
Puppa's absence left a mighty big hole in the Tampa lineup.
Without their leader in net, the Bolts seemed lost. To make
matters worse, the club also had to do without captain Paul
Ysebaert (5-12-17) and scoring ace Brian Bradley (7-17-24) for
extended periods of time because of injury. Ysebaert was limited
to 39 games with a chronic groin problem, while wrist surgery,
among other things, held Bradley to just 35 contests.
Having Puppa, Ysebaert, and Bradley out of action took an awful
lot of leadership away from the Bolts. Then just as the team was
bracing for one final rush at a playoff spot, things got even
worse. After the Lightning dropped a 5-2 decision to the Whale
on March 27, Johnny Cullen went to team doctors complaining of
severe flu-like symptoms and a pain in his chest. A CAT scan
revealed a large, "baseball-sized" tumor in Cullen's chest and he
was diagnosed with Lymphoma, a form of cancer. Luckily, it was
discovered before it could spread to his abdomen. Cullen, LCS
hero and the idol of millions from eight to eighty, is currently
receiving chemotherapy treatments and is progressing nicely.
There's an update on his condition running elsewhere in this
issue. Before getting sick, Cullen was enjoying his best season
as a Lightning Bolt, putting up 18 goals and 55 points in 70
games.
The news of Cullen's illness seemed to be the final straw that
broke the Bolts' back. They just lost too many key players for
too long to be competitive this season.
Once again Tampa's big problem was goal-scoring. The team only
scored 217 goals. That total was 22nd in the NHL and also set a
new franchise record for futility, beating the old mark for
fewest goals in a season set in 1993-94 (224). The lineup
boasted just two players with over 20 goals, Dino Ciccarelli and
Chris Gratton. The 37-year-old Ciccarelli, who was acquired
before the season from Detroit, led the team with 35 goals and
finished second on the club in points with 60. Tampa's leading
point scorer was center Chris Gratton. The former first-round
pick back in 1993 finally began to assert himself as the Bolts
always thought he could. Gratton set career highs in goals (30),
assists (32), points (62), and penalty minutes (201) this season,
while becoming the club's go-to guy. He joined Keith Tkachuk as
the only two players in the NHL to lead their team in both
scoring and penalty minutes. Gratton's performance meant that it
was the first time in the franchise's five-year history that
someone other than Brian Bradley led the team in scoring. While
his offensive production is starting to come around, Gratton
needs to work on his defense. He finished at a horrendous -28.
The rest of the offense was filled out with checkers, rookies, or
guys who just couldn't score. Rob Zamuner (17-33-50) had another
great season, acting as the team's premier defensive forward and
establishing new career highs in goals, assists, and points.
Shawn Burr (14-21-35) continued in his role as a quality checking
winger that chips in the occasional goal. Rookie Daymond Langkow
(15-13-28) got off to a slow start and didn't play a whole lot at
the start of the season, but by the end of the year he was one of
the club's most dangerous scoring threats. Fellow rookie Jeff
Toms (2-8-10) also raised some eyebrows at the end of the year
while filling in for Bradley. Third-year man Jason Wiemer (9-5-
14) added some size and toughness, but he still isn't putting up
the kind of scoring numbers expected when he was drafted eighth
overall in 1994. He made up for it, though, by taking on a
greater leadership role with the club, even sporting an "A" on
his sweater. The only other forward of note is Patrick Poulin
(12-14-26). The big left winger has never really developed into
the scorer Hartford pegged him as when he was breaking in with
the Whale in 1992-93. After getting shipped to Chicago and doing
very little as a Blackhawk, Poulin became a Bolt at the end of
1995-96 and is quietly becoming one of the team's best penalty
killers and checking forwards. If only he could find that
projected scoring touch, he'd be a real solid player.
The blue line was just as unproductive as the forwards.
Lightning defensemen only contributed 26 goals, with 12 of them
coming from Roman Hamrlik (12-28-40). Despite the dozen goals,
the 23-year-old Czech defenseman was four goals and 25 points off
his numbers from a year ago. A franchise defenseman he wasn't.
His falling numbers were made all the worse by his team low -29.
It's just impossible for a team to have success when its supposed
number one defenseman is a -29. That's just silly.
The Lightning's plus-minus leader was Bill Houlder (4-21-25), who
checked in at a rather impressive +16 over his 79 games. Cory
Cross (4-5-9) continued his maturation into a solid defensive
defenseman and had the second best rating on the team with a +6.
The offensive-minded Jeff Norton (2-16-18) came over at the trade
deadline from Edmonton and proved to be a valuable asset with his
smooth skating and passing. The rest of the defense was made up
of veteran Dave Shaw (1-10-11), Russian agitator Igor Ulanov (1-
7-8), and journeyman Jamie Huscroft (0-5-5).
Puppa's injury clouded the goaltending scene from the very start.
The team tried to weather the storm with rookies Corey Schwab
(11-12-1, 3.04, .897) and Derek Wilkinson (0-2-1, 4.26, .833),
but it soon became apparent that they just weren't gonna cut it.
GM Phil Esposito acquired the legitimate goaltender needed by
sending center Aaron Gavey to Calgary for Rick Tabaracci (20-25-
6, 2.70, .902). Tabaracci won the fans over with his athleticism
between the pipes and kept the club in many games when they were
getting soundly outplayed. He did his part to try and salvage
the season.
The big difference between this year's Bolts and last year's
Bolts was the power play. In 1995-96, Tampa finished fourth in
the league with the man-advantage, clicking at 20.6%. This year
was a much different story. The Lightning power play only
converted 13.8% of the time, falling to 24th in the league. Hard
to get happy after that one.
One of the main reasons the power play fizzled was the loss of
Petr Klima. The streaky Czech scorer was dynamite at the point
last year but got sent packing to Los Angeles during the off-
season. Taking Klima out of the mix seemed to spoil the unit's
chemistry. His absence was also blamed for Hamrlik's struggles.
Klima was sort of a big brother type for the younger Czech
native. Without his fellow countryman on the roster, Hamrlik
seemed lost. Wow, who would have thought Klima would be so
valuable? Certainly not Phil Esposito, that's for sure.
TEAM MVP: Rick Tabaracci. If Tabaracci didn't come in
and do the job he did, the Bolts would have been dead in the
water before the All-Star Break. Not only was he a fan favorite,
he also became a vocal leader in the dressing room.
SURPRISE: The Bolts drafted Daymond Langkow fifth overall
in 1995 with every intention of him one day becoming an offensive
sparkplug. The surprise was that he filled that role this season
even after getting off to a slow start and struggling to find
playing time early in the campaign. Although on the small side
(5-11, 175), Langkow isn't scared to play in traffic and has the
skills needed to be a big-time point producer. With Bradley out
of the lineup, Langkow's quickness and stickhandling made him the
only source of offensive excitement in Tampa Bay. Well, outside
of Johnny Cullen that is... but that should go without saying.
DISAPPOINTMENT: What the hell happened to LCS hero
Alexander "Knuckles" Selivanov? Only 15 goals and 33 points in
69 games?!? How'd that happen? Marrying into the Esposito
family before the season must have taken a lot out of him. Plain
and simple, Selivanov let LCS down. If he comes out sleepy again
next season we won't be scared to drive down to Tampa and slap
some sense into him. Of course, Roman Hamrlik was also a huge
disappointment, but that's a given. We expect Hamrlik to
disappoint, but Knuckles? Oh, the shame...
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: There's plenty shakin' down in Tampa
Bay. The team is about to get sold to the Maloof Family. I'm
not sure who exactly the Maloof Family are, but I think they were
the ones on "Eight Is Enough". Anyway, word on the
street is that the new owners want to keep the budget for next
season the same as this past year, which means the Bolts have all
of $19.6 million to spend. It's going to be tough to go out and
compete in the free agent market on such a shoe string.
To make matters worse, Chris Gratton, who made $975,000 this
season, becomes a restricted free agent this summer. Esposito
has every intention of signing the blossoming center, but re-
signing him will probably mean a deal in the neighborhood of $2.3
million a year. That money has to come from somewhere. With
that in mind, the Bolts have begun dumping some veteran salaries.
Even though they were valuable members of the team, Esposito cut
Tabaracci and Burr loose at the Draft, sending Burr to San Jose
for a sixth-round pick, which was used to select 6'6" defenseman
Mark Thompson, and shipping Tabaracci back to Calgary for a
fourth-rounder in '98. In getting rid of Tabaracci, the
Lightning are banking on Puppa being healthy enough to carry the
full workload next season. Puppa was signed to a hefty new
contract this past season and the team just couldn't afford to
have a veteran backup making $835,000 (CD) sitting on the bench.
Burr was a quality role player, but he didn't score enough to
justify paying him $850,000 next season while Zamuner, Wiemer,
and Poulin are expected to get the bulk of time on left wing
anyway.
Other guys that could leave town are Bill Houlder, Dave Shaw, and
yes, Dino Ciccarelli. Houlder is a free agent, and while they
want him back, it's doubtful the Bolts can afford him with their
budget. Shaw made $650,000 this past season and will almost
surely get cut loose. Esposito tried to move Ciccarelli and his
$1.25 million salary at the Draft, but couldn't get a deal worked
out. Most of Dino's 35 goals this season came in the first half.
He served his purpose and helped the club this season, but now
the Lightning would rather give his ice time to their youngsters
and use his money elsewhere.
Naturally, the Roman Hamrlik trade rumors continue. Esposito is
reluctant to trade the youngster because it's almost a certainty
that he will one day be a superstar. The question is will he
ever reach such heights in Tampa Bay? Hamrlik has said he
doesn't like playing for coach Terry Crisp and has soured on
having lightning bolts on his pants. A change of scenery might
be best for both parties. And if you're looking for a possible
destination, don't overlook Pittsburgh. The Penguins have a
strong Czech contingent with Jaromir Jagr, Petr Nedved, and Josef
Beranek. The Birds are also still looking to upgrade their blue
line. Hamrlik could be a perfect fit.
One guy who might be returning to town is tough guy Enrico
Ciccone. The former Tampa cult hero was traded to Chicago at the
end of 1995-96 in exchange for Poulin. Fans weren't happy.
Poulin has been a nice addition to the team, but the fans still
miss good ol' Enrico. Management might try and bring him back to
help fight the public backlash caused by the announcement of the
budget constraints.
There's one more change to mention. LCS Tampa Bay Correspondent
Troy Ely has been AWOL now for several months. That means we
will be looking for a new Bolt correspondent next season. If you
live in the Tampa area, can form sentences, and don't mind
working for peanuts... literally, we pay in peanuts, then you
might be able to fill the void. If interested, send a resume, a
writing sample, and a your best recipe for chicken pot pie to us
at sportif@oak.westol.com.
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WASHINGTON CAPITALS
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Head Coach: Jim Schoenfeld
Final Results:
33W-40L-9T, 75 points.
Fifth Atlantic Division, Ninth Eastern Conference.
Roster: C-Adam Oates, Andrei Nikolishin, Dale Hunter, Pat Peake, Mike
Eagles. LW- Steve Konowalchuk, Michal Pivonka, Joe Juneau, Yogi
Svejkovsky, Andrew Brunette, Kevin Kaminski. RW-Peter Bondra, Rick
Tocchet, Kelly Miller, Todd Krygier, Craig Berube. D-Mark Tinordi, Calle
Johansson, Sergei Gonchar, Sylvain Cote, Joe Reekie, Brendan Witt, Ken
Klee. G-Bill Ranford, Olaf Kolzig.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 214 (25th)
GOALS AGAINST: 231 (10th)
POWER PLAY: 15.8% (12th)
PENALTY KILLING: 84.7% (8th)
TEAM NEWS by Jason Sheehan
Out With the Old, In With the New
Washington Capitals Owner Abe Pollin could have dismissed his team's
dismal 33-40-7 record this past season without making any changes.
After all, the Capitals were battered by injuries, losing a total of
361-man games. That would have made a great excuse for not making the
playoffs for the first time in 15 years.
But with the MCI Center, the Capitals next home, opening in December,
Pollin knew he'd have to step to the forefront and change the look of
his team. He realized not doing anything would lead to lots of empty
seats, and major financial harm. To a man investing millions of dollars
into a new building, not changing a thing was as unlikely as a team
winning the Stanley Cup in its expansion year.
As usual, those who took the brunt of Pollin's blows were not players.
Instead, it was management that was told to seek employment elsewhere.
Gone is David Poile, who held the general manager's post for 15
seasons. Gone is Jim Schoenfeld, who had coached the Capitals since
1994 and like so many others, experienced countless failures in the
playoffs.
Schoenfeld landed on his feet a week later, when the Phoenix Coyotes
tabbed him as their next head coach. Poile, meanwhile, is still looking
for a new place to call home.
In as the Capitals' new general manager is George McPhee.
McPhee previously held the post as Vice President of Hockey Operations
with the Vancouver Canucks before the phone rang in his office one day,
with Capitals President Dick Patrick on the other line. That was the
day McPhee packed his bags, told his family the good news and flew to
Washington, D.C. The 38-year-old McPhee is currently the youngest
general manager in the NHL.
In as the Capitals' new head coach is Ron Wilson.
Wilson is coming off the kind of year that many coaches would sell their
souls to achieve. He coached the United States to gold in the World Cup
of Hockey last summer, and led the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim to their
first-ever playoff appearance. The Mighty Ducks even won a playoff
round, against Phoenix in seven games, before bowing out to the eventual
Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings in the second round.
Nevertheless, just as he was about to sip a tropical drink at Wilson
Manor, the phone rang louder than a hyena on laughing gas. It was the
Mighty Ducks calling. Just when Wilson probably expected to be
congratulated for his great season, the unexpected roared its way into
his ears. He was told that the Mighty Ducks, a team he had worked for
since day one, no longer required his services. So, like any coach
coming off a successful season, Wilson immediately began marketing
himself to other teams.
His search did not last long. After interviewing for the vacant
coaching position in Phoenix, the Capitals called Wilson, expressing
their interest. Wilson, apparently, liked what he heard.
He immediately forgot about coaching in the desert, where temperatures
never reach freezing. Instead, he took the Capitals up on their offer
and will coach in a place where water freezes in the winter.
He plans to inject his offensive prowess into the blue and bronze as
they prepare to relocate to the MCI Center. That's something Washington
has lacked since they joined the league as an expansion franchise in
1974. Oh how times have changed.
He has already tinkered with his coaching staff. Gone are assistant
coaches Keith Allain and Tod Button. Both Allain and Button served
under Schoenfeld. Wilson named Tim Army as his first choice for the
vacant assistant coaching position. Army also served under Wilson in
Anaheim, and is believed to be a package deal for whoever signs Wilson.
In other words, when Wilson leaves, Army is never far behind.
The Capitals are still searching for another assistant coach. Wilson
presented an offer to Philadelphia Flyers scout Paul Holmgren. But he
rejected the Capitals' offer, opting to stay in Philadelphia for another
season.
TEAM MVP: Stan Wong
No one in the Capitals organization worked harder last season than
trainer Stan Wong. Working as a trainer on a team that lost 361
man-games to injury would force many trainers to visit the mental ward
at the local hospital for psychiatric care. But Wong is not a weak
man. He endured countless hours of mending wounds and organized
truck-loads of bandages and band-aids without ever losing a step. Sure,
he may have lost a few nights of sleep, but that was not enough to stop
the ever-reliable Wong.
Wong, always on pins and needles, had to expect someone wasn't going to
finish the game every time the Capitals skated onto the ice. And in
most cases, he wasn't let down.
Center Joe Juneau, who earned an aeronautics degree at RPI before
joining the NHL, broke or bruised more bones than there are parts in an
airplane. He missed time with injuries such as a broken wrist and a
fractured hip. And who was there to help Juneau in his times of need?
That's right. It was Wong.
Another player Wong had to tend to for most of last season was left wing
Chris Simon. Simon was a brutal force in his first ten games, after
being traded from Colorado. But then back injuries crept up on the
power forward and he was never the same, missing most of 1997. Yet
Wong, a specialist in every part of the body, spent countless hours
rehabilitating Simon's back for the riggers of the NHL.
Simon's back, though, never fully healed. He came back too early and
hurt himself again. That would be the injury that kept him out of the
lineup for the rest of the season, and left Wong working deep into the
Summer.
When Detroit was celebrating a championship, the tireless Wong was still
working his fingers to the bone. That is just one reason why he is the
Capitals' MVP for the 1996-97 season.
In Washington's case, Wong is always right.
SURPRISE: Caps Miss the Playoffs
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the 1996-97 season was that the
Capitals' logo was nowhere to be found in the playoff brackets.
In the past, Washington making the playoffs was similar to a
presidential election being held every four years. Playoff tickets
going on sale in the Washington, D.C. area used to be as close as you
could come to a sure thing. But as the Capitals and their fans found
out last season, nothing in life goes as planned.
Last season marked the first time in 15 years that Washington missed the
playoffs. Not even one of the biggest trades to hit the NHL this decade
could salvage their season. On March 1, the Capitals traded disgruntled
goaltender Jim Carey, and youngsters Jason Allison and Anson Carter to the
Boston Bruins for goaltender Bill Ranford, center Adam Oates and right
wing Rick Tocchet.
However, like so many Capitals before them, this threesome spent time on
the injury list. Tocchet missed the most action with a sore back. Oates
missed the last couple games of the season with the same ailment, as
well. And Ranford missed one game with a sore wrist.
All in all, it was a season the Capitals would like to forget. Yet, it
still lingers in the minds of many players during the long, brutal
summer months. For the Capitals, that might not be a bad thing.
The Dallas Stars finished last in the Western Conference in 1995-96.
Last year, however, they learned from their mistakes and finished second
overall in the NHL. Yet, their impressive season came crashing to a
halt when they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the first
round of the playoffs. The Capitals hope for a mirror performance next
season, excluding an early exit in the playoffs.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Jim Carey.
No one fell on harder times last season than Carey. The Capitals had
high hopes for the young goaltender after a remarkable start to his
career. In the summer of 1996, he won the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the
league's best goaltender, and inked a new contract. But his good
fortune suddenly turned. Carey's good saves and incredible pose left
his body and went elsewhere to an unknown land. What took its place
caught everyone in the Capitals organization, including Carey, by
surprise.
He no longer had what you'd call Vezina award-winning style. Instead,
he flopped every time the puck found its way into his crease, and looked
tentative as opposing players set-up plays from behind his net.
As a result, Carey's numbers suffered. He accumulated a 17-18-3 record
with a 2.75 goals-against average, in the 40-games he played with the
defensively-minded team. The most disappointing statistic for Carey was
his save percentage. He finished well-below the league average at .893.
So, it was inevitable that Carey would be the subject of trade rumors.
And it wasn't long until these rumors transformed into an official
trade. That happened March 1 when he was sent back to his homeland of
Massachusetts to play for the Boston Bruins.
The waters were still cold for Carey in Boston, where he played 19 games
and piled up a 3.82 goals-against average. His save percentage also
fell to .871.
Now, Carey remains possibly the biggest question mark in the NHL. Will
he once again be referred to as "Ace Carey: Net Detective?" Or will the
rest of his career be tormented with signs that read "Ace Carey: Net
Defective?" These unanswered questions should be answered by Carey next
season.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: It's no secret that the Capitals need more
offensive punch to be successful. As of right now, however, it looks like
they could be losing talent instead of gaining it.
McPhee's first line of duty is to renegotiate Oates' contract. When Oates
joined the team after staging a mini-holdout March 3, the Capitals
promised him that his contract would be restructured in the summer.
He is requesting a long-term deal that would pay him at least $3 million
a year. He couldn't get this kind of money in Boston, because team
policy doesn't allow any player to make more money than defenseman Ray
Bourque.
Needless to say, Oates is still waiting for a new contract and will seek
legal action if he doesn't get what he thinks is deserved.
Oates and his agent Brian Cook think the Capitals have reneged on their
promise. No offer has been presented from McPhee, and things became
more complicated when Poile was fired. But Cook claims that promise
also was accepted by Richard Patrick, who still resides as president in the
Capitals front office.
Oates and Cook, still waiting for a deal, decided to take matters into
their own hands June 22. They gave the Capitals an ultimatum,
specifically saying that the Capitals had until 5 p.m. on June 25 to
sign the prolific center. 5 p.m. passed on June 25, and a deal was
still lurking in the breeze. McPhee, apparently, refused to be bullied
into a contract by an agent that sets his own deadlines.
If the Capitals, for whatever reason, fail to satisfy Oates, he will
seek redress "either through the league offices or the courts," Cook
told The Washington Post.
Oates isn't the only one whose clock is ticking. It appears that
Tocchet's clock has already expired.
Tocchet became an unrestricted free agent at midnight on June 16 when he
decided not to exercise his option year, worth $2.18 million, with the
Capitals.
As a result, the Capitals will retain their second-round pick in the
1998 draft. Boston would have acquired that selection if Tocchet had
decided to stay in Washington. Now, the Capitals will obtain a third or
fourth-round compensatory pick from Boston if Tocchet signs with another
team. Under NHL rules, the Capitals retain exclusive negotiating rights
to Tocchet until July 1.
If Tocchet leaves, McPhee will most likely look for a replacement in the
form of a free agent.
In other news, high-scoring forward Peter Bondra may also be looking to
have his contract renegotiated. Why? Since Bondra signed a contract
two-years ago that pays him roughly $2 million a year, NHL contracts
have skyrocketed. $2 million a year simply is not the kind of money made
by 50-goal scorers.
Not much has been said so far about Bondra's dismay, but his contract
should hit the table at about the time the Oates situation is settled.
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHEAST DIVISION
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BOSTON BRUINS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Steve Kasper
Season Results:
26W-47L-9T, 61 points.
Sixth Northeast Division, 13th Eastern Conference...26th in the league.
Roster: C - Anson Carter, Jason Allison, Jozef Stumpel, Ted Donato,
Brett Harkins, Trent McCleary. LW - Troy Mallette, Rob Dimaio. RW -
Steve Heinze, Sandy Moger, Sheldon Kennedy, Jeff Odgers, Landon Wilson,
Tim Sweeney, Jean-Yves Roy. D - Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney, Kyle McLaren,
Jon Rolhoff, Dean Chynoweth, Dean Malkoc. G - Jim Carey, Rob Tallas.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 234 (15th)
GOALS AGAINST: 300 (26th)
POWER PLAY: 14.8% (16th)
PENALTY KILLING: 81.8% (21st)
TEAM NEWS by Matt Brown
There is little question that this season will go down in Bruins
history as a disaster on just about every front. The team’s performance
on the ice was every bit as disappointing as the front office’s
performance and the coaching. Missing the playoffs was bad enough, but
some of the few realists among Bruins fans might have expected that.
Finishing dead last overall in the NHL was something no one expected.
But the signs were there long before the season ended, when Ottawa came
into the Fleetcenter, skated rings around the Bruins, and left with a
victory. Then did it again. Then won the season series, after never
having beaten the Bruins, ever, over the course of the first 19 games
the two teams played. It was clear to the faithful that something was
very wrong in the Hub.
Funny how sometimes an event that occurs early on casts a pall over an
entire season. Cam Neely’s retirement in the off-season signaled that
an era was over. Neely had defined Bruins hockey during his career. Ray
Bourque may have been, and still is, the soul of the Bruins, but Cam
Neely was without a doubt the heart of the Bruins. The team lost more
than 40 or so goals when his injuries forced him out of the game.
But it wasn’t just Cam’s departure that set the tone for 1996-97. It
was the fact that the Bruins brass did nothing to try to compensate for
his loss. That, not Neely’s retirement, left a gaping hole in the left
side of the Bruins lineup. Adam Oates, reduced to playing with a brittle
Rick Tocchet and Steve Kasper’s Wing-of-the-Week, never was as effective
as in past years. The coaches seemed to expect to drop a career mucker
or a gypsy journeyman like Todd Elik or a raw rookie on Oates' left, and
have one or the other become an instant all-star (just add ice)
overnight. Never happened.
What finally happened is that Oates got sick of the merry-go-round
lines, and management’s deliberate inaction, and blew his stack. But
things were far gone by then, and Oatesie’s outburst, embarrassing to the
entire organization, finally stirred the general manager into acting to
rid Boston of the dissidents instead of listening to what they had to
say and getting them some help. Too little, too late.
The trade that sent Oates, Tocchet, and goaltender Bill Ranford to the
Washington Capitals for Anson Carter, Jason Allison, and Goalie Jim
Carey was a blockbuster, but too late to really help either team. If you
look at the scoresheet, Carter and Allison were more productive for the
Bruins than Oates and Tocchet were for the Caps, but Bill Ranford
outplayed Carey. However, the result was the same: two teams miss the
playoffs, two teams get rid of coaches and get new ones, two teams fire
the general manager... Oops, make that one. Hard to figure - John Muckler
gets executive of the year with Buffalo and gets fired, and Harry Sinden
ensures that the Bruins finish last with his stingy ways and negativity
toward the players, and he gets another chance.
TEAM MVP: Being asked by your editor to name an MVP for a team that
finished dead last is a little like remember ing the days when Mom asked you
to clean up your room. The phrase "Awwww, do I hafta?" comes to mind.
For the Bruins, it is probably best to recognize Ray Bourque for his
composure, work ethic, and for just being the best player on a
last-place team. For the first half of the season, the team MVP was
clearly Bill Ranford, as his play was the only thing keeping the Bruins
out of the cellar. But injuries took their toll on Ranford, as he missed
20 games after playing the second-most games in the NHL the previous
year.
Jozef Stumpel showed a great deal of improvement and promise, especially
after Adam Oates left. Fans have to hope that Stumpel’s performance was
more than a matter of more ice time, more points. Next season Stumpel
will be in the perfect position to take his game to the next level,
especially if all eyes and expectations are centered on Bruins first
draft pick Joe Thornton. Any attention opponents pay to Thornton is
like money in the bank for Stumpy, if he can cash it in.
SURPRISE: Even though his arrival was late in the season, and it came as the
result of the departure of several players popular with the fans (though
not management -- could there be a connection here), Anson Carter has to
rank as the biggest surprise on the Bruins in 96-97. Carter came to
Boston unknown to all except AHL-watchers, and proceeded to become a fan
fave because of his spirited, tough, and productive play. It took him a
couple of games to get on track, but after that he was one of the best
Bruins forwards down the stretch. It would be disingenuous not to
mention that Anson Carter is a black hockey player, and that Boston is
not usually #1 on black athlete’s list, unless like several major league
baseball players, it is named on the list of teams they refuse to be traded to.
However, Boston was the home of the NHL’s first black player, Willie
O’Ree, and most recently was very supportive of Mike Grier, who starred
at Boston University before moving on this year to play with the
Edmonton Oilers. So Boston, in this most dismal season, was ready for a
fresh face, somebody different than the usual Harry Sinden retread, and
maybe even somebody who could play the game. Anson Carter provided this,
and by the end of the season was one of the few reasons to watch a
Bruins game.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Naming the season’s biggest disappointment is much
easier. From top to bottom, the entire Boston Bruins organization let their
fans down with the kind of heartbreak performance usually reserved for the Boston Red
Sox. From an organization-wide point of view, the only instance where
the team did a stand-up job is in supporting Sheldon Kennedy in his
struggles during and after the trial of his ex-coach for sexually
abusing him. The Bruins were as supportive as a team can be of Kennedy,
and it is much to their credit, from the top of the club to the bottom.
Other than that, from the coaching to the front office nickel-and-diming
to the lackluster play to the dissension and bickering, to the
overpriced tickets, food, and parking, this team was a fan’s nightmare.
Every day in the season was like a root canal by a Russian dentist.
Every highlight was just a setup for a sucker punch. Steve Heinze starts
the season like a house afire, even leading the league in goals for a
while, and bang! A Darius Kasparaitis special turns Heinze into an
invalid. Ray Bourque scores his 1440th point to become the all-time
leading scorer for the Bruins, and bang! They get beaten by Ottawa at
home on Ray Bourque night. Bill Ranford is playing like an all-star, and
bang! He gets run over by some goon and misses a bunch or games. It went
on and on.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: After such a nasty season, where could things look but up? The Bruins
in the off-season made the moves that should help them make fans forget
last year, and buy season tickets now, so that they will have them when
the team becomes a power again.
While Steve Kasper deserves little of the blame for the Bruin’s demise,
it was equally clear that he was not the coach to lead them to the
promised land. That job falls to Pat Burns. What! Pat Burns, ex-Habs
mentor and Bruins nemesis? What is going on here? He picked Jacques
LePerriere as an assistant? What’s next, the U.S. names Fidel Castro as
Secretary of State?
On the other hand, this team needs motivation, discipline, toughness,
and team spirit. These are all qualities that Pat Burns can impart. He
commands, and demands, respect. Can he develop young players? There the
jury is out. While many Bruins fans would have preferred Wayne Cashman
or Terry O’Reilly to lead the Bs, most will give Pat Burns the chance,
because wherever he has coached, the team has improved dramatically.
Besides, you gotta love a guy who puts a Bruins license plate on his
truck in the heart of Quebec province, even before he packs up and moves
to Boston.
The biggest news for the Bruins, of course, is the drafting of Joe
Thornton. Joe was the most coveted player in a darn good draft year, and
while he is probably no Eric Lindros or Peter Forsberg, he is clearly a
great prospect with enormous potential. Five picks later, the Bruins
used the draft choice they swindled out of Hartford a few years ago to
pick Sergei Samsonov, the diminutive scoring machine who played for the
Detroit Vipers of the IHL. Samsonov is short but not small. The Bruins
brass, who admittedly are not the best judges of Russian talent it
seems, were quick to point out that he is solid and strong. If they are
right, and Sergei is like a Stan Johnathan with a sniper’s rifle instead
of a popgun.
Now it remains for the Bruins to get these two players signed, and also
to look at the free agents available to see if anyone out there could
help take this team up the standings ladder.
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BUFFALO SABRES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ted Nolan
Season Results:
40W-30L-12T, 92 points.
First Northeast Division, Second Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Michael Peca, Derek Plante, Brian Holzinger, Wayne Primeau.
LW - Brad May, Michal Grosek, Rob Ray, Ed Ronan. RW - Dixon Ward,
Donald Audette, Jason Dawe, Matthew Barnaby, Miroslav Satan.
D - Alexei Zhitnik, Garry Galley, Darryl Shannon, Jay McKee,
Mike Wilson, Bob Boughner, Richard Smehlik. G - Dominik Hasek,
Steve Shields.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 237 (13th)
GOALS AGAINST: 208 (6th)
POWER PLAY: 13.2% (26th)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.8% (13th)
TEAM NEWS by Valerie Hammerl
It was a difficult season for the Buffalo Sabres. Camp started
without veterans Matthew Barnaby and Jason Dawe, who held out
with contract disputes. It was a season of change. The team had
bid farewell to the only home they'd ever known, Buffalo Memorial
Auditorium, affectionately known as the Aud. This season, they
would play in the shiny, new Marine Midland Arena. There were
other changes, too. The blue and gold of yesteryear, with its
white bison over a pair of crossed sabres, was history. In its
place came uniforms that were black, red, white, and silver. A
large, angry bison head snarled on the crest. A large "B" with a
sword slashed through it, adorned the shoulders of the jersey.
The team began the season with their dreaded western road trip.
Bob Boughner was lost with a broken foot, while Brad May was
sidelined with a separated shoulder. It was not an auspicious
beginning. The team managed to win just one of their first
five games. Jason Dawe managed to make part of the western road
trip, when he finally came to terms, but it wasn't enough to
change the team's poor start. If things weren't bad enough, the
team's division and conference banners had disappeared, as had
the retired number for former Sabre Gilbert Perrault. The
banners were later located just in time for the opening night
ceremonies, but Perrault's banner was never found, and a new one
had to be made.
The Sabres returned to Buffalo, where they promptly held a
ceremony in honor of the late Seymour H. Knox III. Knox, who set
about acquiring a franchise in Buffalo with his brother Northrup
Knox in the late sixties, was the team's principal owner and its
president. He passed away in the spring of 1996. The Sabres
lost that home opener to Detroit, and the followup against Tampa
Bay, but then went on a wild tear, winning four of their next
five games. Matthew Barnaby finally came to terms with the team
on October 19.
All should have been right with the world for the Sabres.
Instead, the Arena's new Jumbotron scoreboard came crashing to
the ice into thousands of pieces, quickly becoming one of the
most expensive piles of trash to ever be spotted in the city.
Sabre crews worked at salvaging one screen, and later assembled
another from the wreckage, but the team had to wait until late
spring before the scoreboard's replacement arrived. A faulty
winch used to lower the unit was eventually blamed for the
mishap.
On the ice, the team made strides, pulling into second place in
the division behind Hartford. The Sabres then turned their game
up a notch, and leaped into first, with Pittsburgh dogging their
heels. Off the ice, the front office began to fall apart. Team
President Doug Moss was released, as was his girlfriend, public
relations head Jennifer Smith. Moss was replaced by Larry Quinn,
who had headed the arena project. Quinn reshuffled the front
office. Things seemed stable. They weren't.
While the team was outperforming expectations on the ice, General
Manager John Muckler was backbiting Coach Ted Nolan in the
Toronto media. The front office was in disarray. Goaltender
Andrei Trefilov had demanded a trade, then opted to sit out with
sudden shoulder surgery. The Sabres recalled Steve Shields from
Rochester to back up Dominik Hasek.
Garry Galley suffered a tear in his abdominal wall, causing him
to frequently miss games. Brad May injured his hand. A slew of
players drifted in and out of the lineup with injuries, and
critics questioned whether the team was too small to withstand
constant play in today's league.
It took weeks for the Sabres to clinch their division, and lock
up second place in the conference. Their opponent for the first
round? The Ottawa Senators, whose own spot was secured when the
Sabres lost to them at the end of the season.
Award nominations were buzzing all over North America, including
youngster Michael Peca for the Selke, sophomore coach Ted Nolan
for the Jack Adams, and netminder Dominik Hasek for the Vezina
and Hart. No goaltender had won the Hart since Jacques Plante,
35 years earlier.
The Senators took the Sabres to a full seven games, and at times
owned the series lead, but the Sabres squeaked past into round
two. Along the way, goaltender Dominik Hasek sustained a knee
injury, attacked a Buffalo News reporter in response to a column
doubting the severity of the injury, and was suspended into the
next round.
The Flyers were too much for the Sabres to handle. Although they
avoided a sweep by winning Game Four, the team fell short,
despite the strong play of backup Steve Shields. Shields
suffered a concussion during the series, but continued to play.
He does not remember what happened during the rest of that game.
With the Sabres series at an end, the team's thoughts should have
been on the postseason awards and progress for next year.
Instead, General Manager John Muckler was fired, an event which
coincided with his winning the GM of the Year from The Sporting
News. Quinn began interviewing candidates, and while he was at
it interviewed coaching candidates. This didn't sit well with
Ted Nolan, under contract until June 30 and looking for an
extension. Quinn ultimately selected Darcy Regier, a native of
Saskatchewan who had played in the minors and a few games in the
NHL for the Islanders. Regier was the runner-up for the GM spot
with the Islanders.
Happy with the promise that the new GM would pick his coach,
Regier set to work talking with Nolan to determine whether the
two men would be able to develop an amicable relationship. But
there was pressure from within the organization that would hamper
his ability to make an unbiased decision.
The NHL awards came, and the Buffalo Sabres swept every category
in which they had an entrant. The last time a team won four
individual awards was the 1989 Montreal Canadiens. It was a
night of glory for the team, but in the background there were
shadows of discontent, which would become apparent in the weeks
to follow.
The NHL draft brought surprises to those watching the Sabres'
picks. They went to Europe and began with a goaltender,
18-year-old Mika Noronen from Finland. Next, the Sabres selected
defenseman Hendrik Tallinder, and in the third round they opted
for right wing Maxim Afinoganov.
Regier returned to Buffalo and, like everyone else in Western New
York, heard goaltender Dominik Hasek tell radio listeners that he
did not respect Ted Nolan, and while he would return next season
regardless who was coach, he would not be happy. Then came the
pressures from management. The ownership faction had split
itself on the Nolan situation. John Rigas, who had invested
heavily in the team and was poised to take over ownership
within the year, favored re-hiring Nolan. So did Jean Knox,
widow of Seymour H. Knox III, and her daughter-in-law, wife of
Seymour H. Knox IV, a vocal majority of the public, and a
majority of the Sabres' players. The remainder of the Knoxes as
well as President Larry Quinn, wanted Nolan removed. Hoping to
find an amicable settlement, Darcy Regier offered a one-year
contract at a press conference, telling Nolan they needed to
build a relationship and trust. Nolan, who was at a charity golf
tournament in Sault Ste. Marie, instantly declined the offer due
to its lack of length and security.
Without their coach signed, and no replacement on the horizon,
Regier still needs to sign a number of restricted free agents,
including Michael Peca, and talk to any unrestricted free agents,
such as Garry Galley. It may be a very long summer for a team
that seemed on the brink of success just a few short weeks ago.
TEAM MVP:: It would look rather silly to not name the
league's MVP as chosen by the media and his fellow players in the
league, and therefore I will sensibly declare that on the ice,
Dominik Hasek was the team's best player this season. After all,
he was the first goaltender in 35 years to be so given the honor
of the Hart Trophy.
SURPRISES: The biggest surprise was the play of Michael
Peca. Since his arrival in Buffalo as part of the Alexander
Mogilny deal, Peca has steadily improved his game, but this year
he took it up a notch, and stole the title of most short-handed
goals away from Mark Messier during the final weeks of the
season. He also walked away with the Selke trophy.
The strong play of defenseman Jay McKee, who supplanted
defenseman Mike Wilson at the end of the playoffs, was also a
pleasant surprise. He will most likely secure a regular spot
next season.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: One of the biggest disappointments has
to be Mike Wilson. Wilson lost his job to McKee at the end of
the season, but was plagued by rookie mistakes all season long.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: There will be changes, both on the
ice and off. At the time of writing it is not known who will be
coaching the Sabres for the 1997-1998 season. It remains to be
seen what free agents will be signed. Defenseman Garry Galley
likely will be released to free a spot for McKee. Andrei
Trefilov will most likely call somewhere other than Buffalo home
next season. Will last year's first round pick, Erik Rasmussen,
be playing with Buffalo next year? Many think so, but he hasn't
committed yet.
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HARTFORD WHALERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Paul Maurice
Season Results:
32W-39L-11T, 75 points.
Fifth Northeast Division, Tenth Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Andrew Cassels, Keith Primeau, Jeff O'Neill, Kent
Manderville. LW - Geoff Sanderson, Derek King, Steven Rice,
Paul Ranheim, Stu Grimson. RW - Kevin Dineen, Robert Kron,
Nelson Emerson, Sami Kapanen, Chris Murray. D - Glen Wesley,
Adam Burt, Steve Chiasson, Kevin Haller, Curtis Leschyshyn,
Alexander Godynyuk, Marek Malik, Jeff Brown. G - Sean Burke,
Jason Muzzatti.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 226 (19th)
GOALS AGAINST: 256 (19th)
POWER PLAY: 18.1% (4th)
PENALTY KILLING: 84.6% (10th)
TEAM NEWS by Steve Gallichio
The on-ice contents of the 1996-97 NHL hockey season will
largely go down as a mere afterthought to the history of the
Hartford Whalers, as this turned out to be the final season of
the team's 22-year stay in Hartford. The franchise will relocate
to Greensboro, North Carolina under the name "Carolina Hurricanes"
for the 1997-98 season before beginning play in a new arena in
Raleigh, North Carolina in 1999.
Relocation aside, the season itself did little to provide
any good lasting memories for the fans. For the fifth
consecutive season, the Whalers missed the playoffs - and now,
with Ottawa and Anaheim having qualified for this past
postseason, face the distinction of having been passed by each
of the five most recent expansion teams in playoff appearances
since the expansion.
The season began with a fast start, leading the North East
Division until late November - much of which was overshadowed by
the personnel problems created by Brendan Shanahan's public trade
request. The team's captain and leading scorer in 1996-97 was
eventually dealt to the Detroit Red Wings for a package including
center Keith Primeau and defenseman Paul Coffey, but Coffey began
whining about Hartford the moment he heard his name pop up in
trade talks and soon declared his intent to move out of
town. Moving out of Hartford was apparently the theme for the
season.
Concurrent with the Coffey fiasco, the Whalers hit a stretch
of injuries that contributed to their second place season-long
rank in man-games lost due to injuries. Goaltender Sean Burke,
as well as most of the defensive corp, missed substantial playing
time.
The combination of the injuries as well as the constant talk
of moving took its toll on the team, as between Christmas and the
All-Star break, the team was the worst in hockey - dropping them
to the fringe of playoff contention. A light rebound propped them
up like store front mannequins, but with the relocation
announcement imminent, the team folded down the stretch and
finished the season without a shred of intensity.
TEAM MVP: Peter Karmanos. The Ragin' Greek made it abundantly
clear that he was the king in town, and that it was his law to lay
down. Since he is so gosh-darned important, it seems silly to
promote any one else in his place.
SURPRISES: Finnish winger Sami Kapanen may be about it. Kapanen was
a consistent spark plug on a team that sorely lacked emotion on a
night in, night out basis. Kevin Dineen displayed that old fire,
as well, netting 19 goals in a heart warming return to Hartford.
Steve Chiasson played splendidly well on defense after his
acquisition at the trade deadline. Kent Manderville's play as a
1.5-way center (only halfway to respectable on offense).
DISAPPOINTMENTS: There were many; almost too many to mention.
For starters, the damn team doesn't even exist anymore. How's that for
disappointing? Top that, Leafs fans...
The failure to make the playoffs again was nothing short
of unacceptable. The antics of Shanahan and Coffey, each
begging their way out of town in a sort of "I can be a bigger
jerk than you" competition. The team's moving. Geoff
Sanderson's failure to step up when it counted. Paul Maurice's
failure to shake the team out of its emotional funk. The team's
moving. Sean Burke's early season injury - and late season
collapse. The paralyzation and spinelessness of Governor John
Rowland and his administration, for forcing the team to go when
there was still room to negotiate. The total lack of offensive
production from three players expected to key a new wave for the
team; Hnat Domenichelli and Andrei Nikolishin, each traded, and
sophomore Jeff O'Neill, banished to the minors only to return
due to injuries. Jeff Brown's season-ending injury after just
one game.
Did we mention that the team moved?
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: The time is ripe to split up this current
core. Sanderson is a productive scorer, but appears to lack the drive to
be more than a complementary player. Andrew Cassels has not progressed
since his breakthrough year a few years back; he is little more
than a borderline second/third center. Jason Muzzatti was
perhaps the worst goaltender in hockey last season, and he
surely will be challenged by either J.S. Giguere or Manny Legace
next season. For that matter, for all of Sean Burke's usual
brilliance, he melted down in some key situations, and led the
team to exactly zero playoff appearances. His impending
unrestricted free agency next spring, along with Gigure's
rising star, makes him prime trade bait for a physical forward
or defenseman.
The coaching staff, despite their shaky track record, has
been re-upped for another season.
GM Jim Rutherford has shown that he doesn't make panic
moves or "shake-up" moves, so any dealing will be long thought
out.
Did we mention that the team moved?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MONTREAL CANADIENS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Mario Tremblay
Season Results:
28W-34L-14T, 70 points
Fourth Northeast Division, Eighth Eastern Conference.
ROSTER: C - Saku Koivu, Marc Bureau, Darcy Tucker, Vincent Damphousse.
LW - Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet, Scott Thornton,
Brian Savage, Pierre Sevigny. RW - Mark Recchi, Stephane Richer,
Turner Stevenson, Valeri Bure. D - Vladimir Malakhov, Jassen Cullimore,
Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Peter Popovic, David Wilkie,
Dave Manson. G - Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 249 (9th)
GOALS AGAINST: 276 (23rd)
POWER PLAY: 15.7% (13th)
PENALTY KILLING: 79.5% (26th)
TEAM NEWS by Jacques Robert
SEASON IN REVIEW:
Worst season ever... leading to a rebirth?
For their 80th season in the NHL, the Habs were willing to usher in a new
era. A younger team, a brand new arena, lots of pride and passion
characterized the new management, made up of former hockey heroes. That
combination was poised to bring Montreal back on the NHL track. Alas, on
and off the ice, the Habs had more than their share of problems and that
could only result in the worst season ever for Montreal.
This miserable season started out with a 4-4-2 record after 10 games. Then,
the rumor mill was working long hours, setting the stage for a trade that
might be remembered as one of the numerous mistakes that Reggie Houle made
in the '96-'97 season. We are talking about the one which sent captain
Pierre Turgeon to St Louis (10/29/96) in exchange for Shayne Corson and
Murray Baron, two players who, incidentally, dragged their feet to the extent
that Baron was on his way out just months after arriving among the red
and blue...
A Christmas in... Hell
As anger was growing strong among Canadiens fans, even after a good short
sequence in November, players were at a loss in trying to explain their
miserable season. As a matter of fact, a player, who remained anonymous,
voiced his anger when putting the blame on the coaching staff. Assistant
coach, Yvan Cournoyer, was even pointed out as an incompetent instructor.
Furthermore, during one famous episode on the road, Donald Brashear was
ordered to leave a practice session after defying Mario Tremblay's
authority. Prior to Christmas, the players' dressing room was definitely a
place to avoid. That fact was made more obvious when leaders like
Saku Koivu joined Team Clinic for two months after being injured against
Chicago. The Habs hit rock bottom when they gave their worst performance of
the season two days before Christmas as the Ottawa Senators routed Mario's
boys at the Molson Centre, 6-0!
Bad atmosphere combined with an impressive injury list made the Habs the
most laughable team around the league. In January, the annual
All-Star break had never been so welcomed in Montreal. It was coming to a
point that Mario Tremblay hadn't enough healthy players to hold a practice
the day they entertained Boston! Imagine: only six players were injury
free!
However, every cloud has a silver lining. Minor leaguers had the
opportunity to make their debut in the NHL. Sebastien Bordeleau and Jose
Theodore suddenly emerged as serious threats for the regulars. For instance,
Theodore, 20, outplayed veteran-goalie Pat Jablonski who was set aside
later in the season. The "menage a trois" set up by Tremblay in net simply couldn't
last. As a result, Jocelyn Thibault was named goalie #1 and Theodore was
elected the official back up goalie.
A Playoff Spot? Right Down to the Wire
Despite all those moves, the team struggled big time as Spring season came
up: inconsistency, lack of commitment, absence of team spirit, stars - like
Vincent Damphousse and Stephane Richer idled while Mark Recchi stood out as
the most dedicated player the Habs have had for years. Well, it quickly
turned out the '96-'97 season was bound to be a write off even though a
playoff spot was constantly in sight as the season was winding down.
Therefore, the Habs came very close to missing the boat since they had to
fight like cats and dogs up to the final regular season game against
Philadelphia.
In the course of the playoffs no miracle occurred for Montreal. The Devils
showed enough character to outplay their opponents in five straight games.
Lots of reasons can explain the Habs loss, but one has to be singled out:
the bad performance posted by goalie Thibault in Game Three. Thanks to
outstanding play from Theodore, who replaced "Tbo", Montreal pocketed the
next game, in vain. The result of that messy year was, eventually, Mario
Tremblay's resignation and his replacement by Alain Vigneault, a rookie
NHL coach.
The Future Holds Great Hopes
During that last season we were supposed to witness the Habs rebirth,
loaded with much success. However, major changes rarely go smoothly and
casualties are often part of the process. That's how great sport dynasties
have always started out, eh! Remember: the Colorado Avalanches was labelled
the worst ever NHL franchise when they struggled in the beautiful Quebec
City...
TEAM MVP: Mark Recchi - He really stood out among the Habs. At
times, he even tried to shake things up, stating late in the season that
not enough players were committed to winning. He was also the best scorer
on the team, posting 34 goals and 80 points. Moreover, he superbly
represented Montreal at the All-Star game.
SURPRISE: Jose Theodore. He came in the portrait at a critical
moment in the Habs' season to fill in as Montreal's backup goalie. At 20,
he proved himself a solid goalie with outstanding mental skills that,
incidentally, made up for Tbo's lack of consistency. In my opinion, he is poised to
become Montreal's number one goalie before long. His Game Four playoff
performance speaks for itself as "the kid" stopped 56 goals while the Devils
were seriously threatening to sweep the series in four games.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Vincent Damphousse. What a disappointing season
for captain Vinnie! Imagine: Vinnie was scoreless throughout the entire
playoff series... Moreover, this season, Damphousse scored 27 goals
compared to 38 in '95-'96. He has to bounce back, otherwise... In any case,
management should entrust Mark Recchi with the responsibility of
being the next Habs captain.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Mario Tremblay's replacement behind the bench
by Alain Vigneaut, 36, tends to prove that Montreal's philosophy has changed
regarding the coaching issue. For once, Montreal is ready to take risks
with a young new guy who still has to make his mark in the NHL, even though
he worked as an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators a couple of years
ago. Vigneault's hiring represents a big gamble for Les Canadiens. There is
little room for error if Houle wants to see fans not be definitely turned
off by their favorites. That being said, Vigneault's experience as an
assistant coach is very valuable. New assistant coach Dave King, a former
Calgary flames head coach who provided his former club with back-to-back
97-point seasons, can share the knowledge of the game he acquired at the
international level. Vigneault can also count on the other assistant coach,
Clement Jodoin, who made his mark in Halifax in the junior league, and on
Roland "rollie the goalie" Melanson who will be taking goalies under his
wing in replacement of Benoit Allaire. With the old coaching staff gone,
things can only evolve for the better.
------------------------------------------------------------------- p -------------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA SENATORS
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jacques Martin
Season Results:
26W-34L-15T, 67 points.
Third Northest Division, Eighth Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Alexei Yashin, Radek Bonk, Shaun Van Allen, Bruce Gardiner,
Sergei Zholtok. LW - Shawn McEachern, Tom Chorske, Randy Cunneyworth,
Dennis Vial, Denny Lambert. RW - Daniel Alfredsson, Alexandre Daigle,
Andreas Dackell, Phil Crowe, Mike Prokopec. D - Steve Duchesne, Sean Hill,
Stanislav Neckar, Frank Musil, Lance Pitlick, Jason York, Wade Redden,
Janne Laukkanen, Radim Bicanek. G - Damian Rhodes, Ron Tugnutt
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 226 (19th)
GOALS AGAINST: 234 (12th)
POWER PLAY: 16.7% (11th)
PENALTY KILLING: 81.9% (20th)
TEAM NEWS by The Nosebleeders
Struggling Sabre forward Derek Plante skates in over the blue
line and winds up. The resulting butterfly flutters its way past
Steve Duchesne and towards Ron Tugnutt. Tugger reaches out
with his glove to stab the knuckleball... and misses. The puck
somehow squirts out and trickles its way over the goal line.
Tugger lunges back to lasso the puck, but it's too late - with
the vulcanized rubber disk resting comfortably in the twine,
Marine Midland Arena explodes into a frenzy, and the final
chapter in the Sens' impressive drive to the Hallowed Ashtray
ends.
Yes folks, the Sabres won Game 7 in overtime to beat out the
Senators but the 96-97 season also had its share of excellent
memories for Sens fans. The season had its ups and downs
but overall has to be considered as the best in recent franchise
history. During the season they had 226 goals for and 234 goals
against - both numbers very respectable for the young team. They
had seven sellouts on the year and home average attendance was
15,371. The Sens finished the year with a record of 31-36-15 for
77 points and good enough for 7th place overall in the Eastern
conference. Believe it or not, the Sens made the playoffs - this
after 67 years of futility, including the league's worst record
each year for the last four seasons. They played some great
hockey, they also played some lousy hockey, but overall they won
"more than the other guys" and they were in.
The Way It Was...
The 96-97 season started without holdouts - that alone was cause
for a big ticker tape parade in downtown Ottawa. The team got out
to a great start but five games in, season-ending injuries to
both Sean Hill and Stanislav Neckar in an October 18th game vs.
New Jersey let a lot of air out of the expectation bubble.
Additional pressure was placed on veteran Steve Duchesne.
Duchesne responded not only by helping the defensive core of Wade
Redden, Janne Laukkanen, Jason York and Lance Pitlick, but by
also helping the offense. During the season the
Yashin-to-Duchesne-give-and-go-from-the-point play had become a
staple on the power play (the Sens even won the Duracell Power
Play award for December). Veteran Frank Musil, who was
originally brought on to assist with the development of fellow
native Czech Stanislav Neckar, helped from the sidelines.
Overall, the defense did not prove to be the Senators' problem as
they ended the year in a race as one of the league's best
defensive teams.
Offensively, Daniel Alfredsson (a newly appointed assistant
captain) continued his all-star play and along with Yashin used
the season to grow into a team leader. Yashin showed
signs of extreme brilliance during the year but was at times
inconsistent during the first half of the season.
By January 5th, the team's record was 12-19-7 and good for second
last in the division - however this kind of record actually meant
that they remained in the playoff race and was, within team
circles, viewed as a big improvement.
In addition to the ones claiming Hill and Neckar, other injuries
took their toll on the team, including tough-guy Dennis Vial's
January 20th season-ending finger injury vs. St. Louis; and
goalie Damian Rhodes' calf injury suffered against Colorado
thanks to a slapper to the back of his gam. The Rhodes injury
seemed minor at first but he returned to only limited action and
sat out the playoffs. In the midst of a potential playoff race,
the team was very loose and expectations for the team were high.
With Rhodes out, this seemed to significantly hurt the team's
chances. Like a true knight in shining armor, Ron Tugnutt
stepped in and not only held the fort but dug a moat around it.
An unfortunate mid-season injury also stalled whatever progress
Radek Bonk had made. The play of Bonk improved particularly on
faceoffs (where he was called on to use his skill against some of
the league's best) and on defense but these increases seemed to
further decrease his offensive output.
The Senators remained out of the playoffs for most of the year
and at times threatened to repeat as last place champions.
Somewhere after the all-star break their run (walk?) for the
playoffs began. Although the team talked about the fact that
they were in the hunt and things were going great, some ugly
losses during the year and some basic inconsistent play
left many on the sidelines doubting that this was the year.
Their 7th place finish meant that the playoff opponent would be
the Buffalo Sabres, who had won the Northeast Division and
finished behind the Devils and Flyers in the conference
standings. The teams split the first four games, and after a
convincing 4-1 win in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead and with
the injury to league MVP Dominik "the Dominator" Hasek, the Sens
looked like a team ready for the second round of the playoffs -
but it was not to be. Steve Shields backstopped Ted Nolan's
Sabres past the Sens in both Games 6 and 7 - and, well, you know
the rest of the story.
Ah Memories...
Who can forget:
* Forward Bruce Gardiner's rituals including dipping his stick
into the toilet before each game for good luck.
* Rookie Wade Redden's donation of a 100K-plus box at the Corel
Centre to help sick and under privileged children of Ottawa.
Bryan Berard, you can have your pathetic Calder Trophy. Wade's
got something you'll never have - class.
* Janne Laukkanen stepping off the bench and falling, getting up
and falling again, and again, and again, finally looking down to
see a missing skate blade!
* The December 2nd heavyweight bout between the Flyers Dan Kordic
and Dennis Vial - Corel Centre engineers are still checking for
structural damage.
* The Rod Bryden hostage taking of season ticket holders, his
threats of moving the team, and other not so nice things mostly
dealing with the business of hockey. Put a team on the ice, Rod,
and people will come - as was witnessed during the last part of
the season and the playoffs.
* The various hits on Alex Daigle that left him reeling, thanks
to guys like Matthew Barnaby, Ulf Samuelsson, his girlfriend (no,
just kidding...).
* The recreation of the Dawson City Nuggets 1905, 4,000-mile dog
sled and train trek to play the Ottawa Silver Seven/Senators
Alumni. Even the score was memorable - 18-0 for Ottawa.
* The Daigle bomb scare incident. Still gotta wonder about US
officials who grilled Daigle - the messenger - while the "alleged
bomber" - Sens staffer Trevor Timmins - sat undisturbed in the
plane with his "bomb" tucked neatly beside him.
* Jacques Martin's nomination as Coach-of-the-Year. Great job
Jacques - keep it up - what a year-to-year record improvement.
* Coach Martin's feuds with ex-Montreal Canadiens' coach Mario
Tremblay stemming from a late 95-96 regular season game.
* The 6-0 whitewashing of the Habs in Montreal...on a Saturday
night to boot!
* The referee whistle incidents including Ron Schick's infamous
"In my mind, the play was whistled dead" fiasco which effectively
wiped out a key Senator goal vs. Phoenix during the playoff race.
* Tugnutt's two shutouts in a row (Buffalo and Washington).
* The team sitting only six points out of a playoff spot with 13
games remaining in the season.
* Yashin and coach Martin, the pressure of the playoff run
mounting, losing their tempers over a close offside call against
the Leafs. Yashin ended up with a 10-minute misconduct.
* The fact that the team actually won four games in a row!
* Yashin throwing punches at Caps' center Kevin Kaminski.
* Randy Sexton (well, we have - forgotten him that is).
And some playoff "forget-me-nots":
* Matthew Barnaby enjoying the sweet, succulent taste of his foot
day in and day out as he continuously shot off at the mouth.
* The Barnaby-Laukkanen kiss blowing incident.
* The Sabres "Dog Line" of Barnaby, Brad May, and Rob Ray.
* Radek Bonk actually scoring, and then the goal being called
back due to a quick whistle (Hi, Ron).
* The Corel Centre registering 2.5 on the Richter scale after the
Game 4 Alfredsson overtime goal. Who says Canadians sit on their
hands at hockey games?
Dishing Out the Silverware
And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting
for - Round 2 of the Nosebleeders' SENSational Awards:
Most underrated player: Bruce Gardiner. Here's a guy who
does it all, hacks, skates, scores assists, plays defense, gets
at the opposition and gives 100%. Kinda eases the pain of losing
Trent McCleary to Boston last year.
Most Improved player: Alexei Yashin - the most skilled
player on the ice also started to play a leadership role. If he
continues with developing his leadership skills, he is definitely
in line to one day replace Randy Cunneyworth as captain. He did
seem to fade and look merely normal against the Sabres in the
playoffs - perhaps he still needs to adjust to the grinds of
playoff hockey.
The Quiet Perfectionist Award: Craig Ramsey, defensive
assistant coach. Look at the numbers; compare to 95-96 and
consider the injuries to the defensive corps during the year.
Jacques Martin deservedly got a lot of the credit for team's
success but Ramsey's efforts on D really paid off.
Biggest Question Mark: Damian Rhodes. Will his injury
change the direction and location of his career?
Season highlight: Ron Tugnutt on his back trying to stop
the Game 7 overtime winning Sabre goal. This seemed to happen
almost in slow motion and offered time to reflect and to look
forward to next season.
Most Overpaid: Alexandre Daigle (so much so he takes
second, third and fourth in this category as well). He did
improve on 95-96 but not enough to justify his wage.
Season Turning Point: A must-win game against Hartford
late in the season. Wade Redden's goal turns a "could have been,
maybe next year" type season into a playoff season.
Leadership Award: Randy Cunneyworth - if we can't give him
most valuable player we have to give him something. This guy
leads the team on and off the ice and always gives his best.
Weirdest Ritual: Tom Chorske rubbing his $5 Buddha statue
bought during the all-star break NHLPA meetings. He scored 14
goals after the break and the team attempted to market Buddha
Power for the playoffs. Runner up was Alfredsson's stick tapping
fetish - he taps his stick on a horseshoe nailed above the Sens
locker room door - once at the start of the first period, twice
at the start of the second, and three times at the start of the
third.
Best dressed: We're not quite sure on this one, but it
must be Daigle, given the money the team puts in his pocket and
the fact he's a single guy with no dependents.
The Brian Who? Award: Wade Redden. Although ex-Senator
pick Brian Berard won the rookie of the year award, Redden's
maturity and confidence both on and off the ice won him a lot of
fans.
The Least Paternal Support Award: Mike Cowpland (Corel's
founder and head) - after spending some $20 million for the
Palladium to be called the Corel Centre, he was seen at only one
late season game.
TEAM MVP: Ron Tugnutt. "Tough Luck" played great after
the Rhodes injury and was the key factor in the team making the
playoffs in the first place. Given they were just outside the
playoff hunt when Rhodes went down, and after losing such a solid
netminder like Rhodes, who was a key part of the team, the
Senators were not expected to continue to remotely challenge for
the playoffs. Tugnutt was called on and he delivered. During
the playoff series his play (2.00 GAA) was superb and the
Nosebleeders feel his nickname really means that it's "tough
luck" for the opposition. If you didn't sympathize with Tugnutt
as he knelt on the ice staring blankly at his glove after the
Game 7 overtime loss, then you must be either a Sabre fan, or the
Grinch (or both?). Thank God GM Pierre Gauthier immediately
rewarded him with a raise.
SURPRISE: Janne Laukkanen - where the hell did this guy
come from? This young unproven talent played 25 minutes a game
(sometimes without a skate blade) and filled in rather nicely for
the void left by Neckar and Hill. Close runner ups include
Andreas Dackell, Sergei Zholtok, Bruce Gardiner and Lance
Pitlick. Now you know why we're so pumped about next year.
DISAPPOINTMENT: Radek Bonk. Who can forget his goal
against the Leafs - wait - wasn't that 95-96? (Ahem, excuse us).
Inconsistent but with flashes of potential through the first
half season, Bonk disappeared after returning from a mid-season
injury. Jacques Martin's defense of Bonk as a great faceoff guy
seemed at times to be like justifying a punter who makes $10
million a year.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Last summer was an exercise in house
cleaning for GM Pierre Gauthier and this off-season will also be
busy as Gauthier works to get contracts in place before training
camp opens and to fill the missing pieces on the team.
Don't expect too many changes but there could be a few. The Sens
enter the off-season with an overabundance of defensemen, and
a possible overabundance of goaltending. They need scoring
forwards and toughness. They will be scouting the free agent
market as well as talking to other teams.
In the area of defense the team faces some tough decisions.
Laukkanen, York, and Neckar all must be re-signed or dealt. In
addition, Gus Badali, the agent for last year's number one pick
Chris Phillips, is looking for additional bonuses for young
Phillips to join the Sens for 97-98. GM Pierre Gauthier feels
that the offer on the table is quite good and that Phillips'
demand may be extreme. The standoff continues but given the Sens
depth at defense with Hill and Neckar ready for action and a
trade could be in the works. Phillips has threatened to return
to junior for the 97-98 season and thus be eligible to re-enter
the draft - but this poses the risk of injury and Gauthier has
stated that he will not deal Phillips. The Nosebleeders feel that
Musil will be let go or retire, and that one of Hill or Neckar
will also be dealt. Hill, a solid defensemen who can
immediately help any team may be more marketable, but Neckar and
his raw talent may fetch a better price. The Nosebleeders bet is
on Hill, although dealing Neckar may pose less of a risk, and
keeping Hill around to join Duchesne in late season playoff run
trade bait may be an idea.
The Senators have goalies coming out of their ears although none
have years of proven experience. Rhodes' status is now in
question and although Tugnutt played wonderfully, the question is
can he continue if given the number one job? With the contract
increase for Tugnutt and Rhodes' rather large contract, the team
may be moving a goalie and it would seem that Rhodes is the man.
Offensive forwards are the immediate need but can Rhodes, whose
stock has dropped since his injury (and who up until last year
was a backup goalie with the Leafs), fetch enough of a price to
make a difference? Third string Mike Bales has not yet been
signed for 97-98.
The Senators need scoring forwards including another partner for
Yashin. Zholtok did a great job but keeping up with Yashin's ice
time may require an additional linemate. Tom Chorske has been
dangled around the league. In the area of re-signings, the list
includes Phil Crowe, Denny Lambert, and Daniel Alfredsson.
Alfredsson has been a steal for the team at $340,000 for each of
his first two seasons and he is now looking at $2.5 to 3.0
million per year. Radek Bonk's play has left many with serious
questions. Despite Coach Martin's defense of Bonk as a great
face-off man, Bonk did not have a great year stats wise. As the
season got underway, it was obvious that he had significantly
improved his defensive play and he was looking like someone
about to come into his own. A mid-season injury and his
subsequent average play, at best, have put his status in doubt.
The Sens used the draft to pick up Magnus Averdsson and have
signed him to a one-year $350,000 contract (should he not make
the team $100,000 awaits instead in a minor league contract).
The team is hoping that the run of Alfredsson (chosen 133rd and
95-96 rookie of the year) and then this season's surprise Andreas
Dackell continues with Averdsson.
Another potential candidate for trade is Alexandre Daigle.
Daigle's contract continues to be a sore point for the team and
his play is nowhere near what the contract calls for. Trading
Daigle may garner the team with a proven and tough forward
although Daigle's outings to the Hull bar strip may
allow him to develop his fighting talent within...
Dennis Vial does a fine job to keep opponents thugs at bay (580
penalty minutes in a Senator uniform). His January injury
made evident the lack of depth the team has in the way of
enforcers. Vial is not the in your face, tough guy, enforcer
that may be required (at minimum on the bench). The team did get
by quite well without an enforcer but one could argue that the
Sabres' physical play in the first few games of series did take a
toll on the team. In addition, speculation has it that Vial's
hand injury may be such that his career may be over.
Rumors are flying about a uniform change but the change is said
to be minor. The team will announce, what seems to be a trend,
the third uniform which is worn on special occasions or whenever
but is basically there to make more money on merchandise sales
(hey, maybe they can reduce the beer prices?).
9,000 season tickets have been sold to date and one off-season
change expected is yet another Senator ticket pricing
announcement or ticket plan as the team works to get to the
12,000 mark which is the league average.
Draft:
- 12th overall (which seems really far away from the team that
used to be known as the team "that first picks were made for"),
the Sens chose 18-year-old "pure scoring" Slovakian Martin Hossa.
Martin will return to the Elite league for another year of
development, some bulking up (he's 6-1, 187), and some more
English language training. Hossa told team management that he
likes the style of play Pittsburgh star Jaromir Jagr plays and he
also "likes to score goals like Ziggy" Palffy (48 goals with the
Islanders last year).
- 58th overall, Jani Hurme, G, 6-0, 187, 22 years old, MVP of
Finnish Elite League.
- 66th overall, Josh Langfeld, RW, 6-3, 205, 19 years old,
expected to play next season at the University of Michigan.
- 119th overall, Magnus Averdsson, LW, 6-2, 200, 26 years old,
Swedish Elite League. Gee, maybe we're not too old for the
NHL?).
- 146th overall, Jeff Sullivan, D, 6-1, 185, 18 years old, Quebec
Major Junior.
- 173rd overall, Robin Bacul, RW, 6-1, 174, 17 years old.
Europe.
- 203rd overall, Nick Gillis, RW, 6-0, 188, 19 years old,
Massachusetts High School League.
- 229th overall, Karel Rachunek, 6-1, 183, 17 years old. Europe.
Prediction: Despite our whining, I mean protests, beer
prices will remain the same for next season.
Prediction: If the team continues on it's year over year
improvement, the Stanley Cup engraver had better start pulling
out the "O"s and "W"'s.
And our final prediction: Steve will finally learn how to
spell Alexei (not Alexie) Yashin's name. Dave, on the other
hand, will remember to insert double spaces
after each sentence. Picky, picky!
Everyone have a safe and happy summer - the Nosebleeders bid you
farewell until next season (training camp is less than 70 days
away).
Hail to the Senators!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Craig Patrick
Season Results:
38W-36L-8T, 84 points.
Second Northeast Division, Sixth Eastern Conference.
Roster: C - Mario Lemieux, Ron Francis, Petr Nedved, Stu Barnes,
Alex Hicks. LW - Joe Dziedzic, Garry Valk, Josef Beranek, Roman Oksiuta,
Alek Stojanov. RW - Jaromir Jagr, Greg Johnson, Ed Olczyk, Joey Mullen.
D - Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Hatcher, Chris Tamer, Fredrik Olausson,
Jason Woolley, Francois Leroux, Craig Muni, Neil Wilkinson, Ian Moran.
G - Tom Barrasso, Ken Wregget, Patrick Lalime, Philippe DeRouville.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 285 (1st)
GOALS AGAINST: 280 (25th)
POWER PLAY: 21.9% (2nd)
PENALTY KILLING: 81.1% (23rd)
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
1996-97 will always be remembered as Mario Lemieux's final season
in the NHL. Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh Penguins couldn't send
their legendary savior out on a high note. Instead, the club
struggled to one of their most disappointing and inconsistent
seasons in franchise history.
The team went through yet another major overhaul, with 14 new
regulars in the lineup from a year ago. GM Craig Patrick pulled
off eight trades during the season, departing with the likes of
Bryan Smolinski, Dmitri Mironov, J.J. Daigneault, and Tomas
Sandstrom while bringing in such notables as Darius Kasparaitis,
Fredrick Olausson, Stu Barnes, and Jason Woolley. Whenever the
club began to struggle, Patrick was quick to pull the trigger on
a deal in search of a solution. Not all the trades paid off, and
team chemistry was clearly compromised by the end of the season,
but at least Patrick was trying to make something happen. The
same can't be said for a lot of the players on the roster.
The tone for Pittsburgh's season was set on opening night when
the Penguins hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Birds blew a
third-period lead to fall behind the Bolts 3-2. With time
running out and the goaltender pulled, Lemieux saved the day by
sweeping down the slot, picking up a loose puck, and burying a
wrist shot between Daren Puppa's pads for the tying goal with just four
seconds left on the clock. The Penguins should have carried the momentum
into overtime and at least come away with a point, if not win the game
outright in the extra session. But this year's version of the Penguins
never came through as expected. The overtime saw Tampa's Shawn Burr
hammer a shot past Tom Barrasso to silence the crowd and break
the hearts of Penguin fans everywhere. This one game capsulized
the Penguin season to perfection. Just when it seemed they were
on the verge of doing something special, the Pens found a way to
let the fans down.
There were three distinct parts to the Penguin campaign. The
Birds stumbled out of the gates with an embarrassing 2-9-0 start
and continued to struggle to a 6-13-1 record until coach Eddie
Johnston decided to stockpile Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron
Francis on the same line. Not since Ben Franklin has a discovery
been so electrifying.
The Big Three made their debut together on November 21 in
Hartford and the result was a 7-1 thrashing of the Whale. The
talented trio then proceeded to tear up the league, leading the
club on two extended unbeaten streaks of 10 and 14 games while
compiling a remarkable 20-2-4 record over their first 26 games
together. Over that time the threesome scored 59 goals and
carried the Birds into the top spot in the Northeast Division,
becoming the talk of the league and sending most opposing
goaltenders to the brink of insanity.
Lemieux, Jagr, and Francis had to share the headlines, though,
with rookie netminder Patrick Lalime. The Penguins lost Tom
Barrasso for the entire season when he needed shoulder surgery
just a few weeks into the campaign. Lalime was called up to act
as Ken Wregget's backup, but got thrown into the breach when
Wregget went down with a severe hamstring pull at the end of
December. Showing the poise of a veteran and the talent of a
true superstar goaltender, Lalime stepped into the Penguin cage
and took command. He was the picture of butterfly perfection in
rolling up a NHL record 14-0-2 record to start his career.
With Lalime in net and the Big Three dominating on offense, the
Penguins were playing some of their best hockey in years.
However, things slowly started to fall apart. It began with a
nagging groin injury to Jagr. Burdened with a flat right foot,
Jagr's ankle constantly collapses inward when he strides, putting
undo stress on his groin. The problem plagued Jagr all season
long and visibly started to affect his play shortly before the
All-Star Break, even forcing him out of a January 11 game in
Ottawa. Jagr elected to sit out the mid-season showcase in San
Jose and hardly looked like himself in the games immediately
following the schedule's resumption. He would eventually have to
sit out a 17-game span from late February to late March in order
to give the injury the rest it needed to heal, although it never
really did.
It was also during this stretch that Lemieux began to appear
sluggish and somewhat disinterested. The grind of the season was
clearly catching up to him. With the top line physically unable
to control play, not only did Pittsburgh's offensive production
fall off, but the obvious weaknesses in the defensive zone became
far more apparent.
Pittsburgh's best defense has always been its offense. When
Lemieux, Jagr, and Francis faltered, the Penguins didn't have
either. That spelled trouble, especially for Lalime. The
youngster did his best to keep the Penguins winning, often
stopping 40+ shots a night, but the intense workload began to
catch up with him. The rookie started 16 consecutive games and
faced an average of 37 shots an outing, with many of the chances
being of the glorious variety. Throw in a bout with the flu that
drained even more strength from the lanky 6'2", 170-pounder, and
Lalime's game started to show flaws.
Put all these woes together and the Penguins hit another major
slide in the second half of the season. From the All-Star Break
on, the Penguins went 13-21-3 and handed the top spot in the
division to the Buffalo Sabres while falling all the way to sixth
in the Eastern Conference. A 1-8-0 run during early March, which
just happened to coincide with Jagr being out of the lineup, cost
Eddie Johnston his job and saw Craig Patrick take over behind the
bench. This was a move that condemned the Penguins to failure.
It wasn't Patrick's idea to fire Johnston, but owner Howard
Baldwin was so disappointed in his underachieving bunch that he
demanded a change. Patrick begrudgingly complied, even though
the last thing he wanted to do was coach the team himself. Not
having a strong leader behind the bench, or at least someone who
wanted to be there, crippled the Penguins down the stretch and
into the playoffs, where Patrick's coaching ineptness was
painfully obvious in a five-game drubbing at the hands of the
Philadelphia Flyers.
While Pittsburgh led the NHL in goal-scoring (285) for the second
consecutive season, the offense was hardly a juggernaut. Outside
of Lemieux (50-72-122), Jagr (47-48-95), and Francis (27-63-90),
there wasn't a whole lot to get excited about. Petr Nedved (33-
38-71) held out and missed training camp, causing the city's
second favorite Czech native to get off to a rather slow start.
And once Nedved finally found his scoring stride, a nagging wrist
injury kept him from reaching the same heights he did in 1995-96.
Ed Olczyk (25-30-55) and Josef Beranek (3-1-4) served as Nedved's
wingers on the second line. Most of Olczyk's points came while
he was a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He didn't do a whole
lot to distinguish himself in the Steel City. On the other hand,
Beranek, who was out of the league until the Pens acquired him
from Vancouver at the trade deadline, displayed moments of
individual brilliance with his stickhandling and speed. Word on
the street had it that Beranek gained a tremendous amount of
confidence while playing in Europe and it definitely showed.
Unfortunately, a shoulder injury hampered him before he could
fully settle in with the team.
Stu Barnes (19-30-49) showed plenty of playmaking potential after
arriving from Florida and often sparked the second power-play
unit. Barnes centered a third line with fellow newcomers Greg
Johnson (13-19-32) and Garry Valk (10-11-21). The trio possesses
incredible speed, with the fleet-footed Johnson leading the way.
The only problem was that Barnes and Johnson aren't exactly the
most physical of players. Valk has some grit, but it wasn't
nearly enough to make up for his linemates. The unit quickly
became a defensive liability. Barnes finished at a -23, Johnson
-18, and Valk -8. Hard to get happy after seeing those numbers.
The team's most underrated and consistent player up front was
Alex Hicks (7-21-28). Acquired from Anaheim at the end of
November, Hicks emerged as the quality role player this team as
lacked since the days of Troy Loney, Bob Errey, and Phil Bourque.
He was easily the hardest working man on the roster and never
took a shift off. While not blessed with a great deal of talent,
Hicks was a breath of fresh air on a team that is known for its
questionable work ethic. By the end of the season he had moved
from wing to center and was anchoring a fourth-line checking
unit, while also seeing time on the penalty kill and filling in
on the top lines when needed.
Joe Dziedzic (9-9-18) was another unheralded guy that made a
positive contribution. A dead ringer for a young Kevin Stevens,
Dziedzic started his sophomore season by taking a number of
aggressive, yet unnecessary, penalties while running the
opposition all over the ice. After getting benched for his lack
of discipline, Dziedzic worked hard to get back in the lineup and
then made the most of his opportunity by providing the team with
a physical presence and some surprising offensive help. Dave
Roche (5-5-10) broke in with Dziedzic during the '95-96 season
and was expected to fill a fourth-line checking role this year
but had a tough time of it. Unlike Dziedzic, he never really
solved his discipline problem and his labored skating had him
back in Cleveland before the year was out. Despite appearing in
only 61 games, Roche still led the Penguins in penalty minutes
with 155. An eager punching bag in his first year, Roche
actually won a fight or two this season. Speaking of fighting,
Alek Stojanov (1-4-5, 79 pim) was leaving a trail of bloodied
victims all over North America before a car accident in late
December left him on the shelf for the rest of the season with a
strained abdomen. Before the injury, Stojanov was well on his
way to establishing himself as a legitimate heavyweight
contender. His presence in the lineup was missed.
The only remaining forwards to have an impact on the club were
Joey Mullen (7-15-22) and Ian Moran (4-5-9). Good ol' Joey only
saw spot duty throughout the season, but his quest to become the
first American-born 500-goal scorer kept fans in the 'Burgh on
the edge of their seats. The magical moment finally came on
March 14 in Colorado when Joey bagged number 500 against Patrick
Roy and the Avalanche. Meanwhile, Moran started the year in his
normal position along the blue line but was pressed into action
on offense when the team's forward ranks were ravaged by injuries
in March. The experiment was an unexpected success, with Moran
excelling as a fourth-line checking winger. At 5'11, 175, Moran
never had the size to secure a regular spot on defense, but his
strong skating, willingness to take the body, and natural
defensive instincts made him an ideal grinder up front. He may
have finally found his niche with the club.
Pittsburgh's defensive corps was improved greatly from a year
ago, yet the group never really had the opportunity to play
together that much because of injuries. Kevin Hatcher (15-39-54)
was tremendous at the start of the season, playing physical while
not neglecting his offensive duties. As the season wore on,
however, Hatcher's play slipped considerably. Not only was he
often getting beat down low, he seldom, if ever, looked to press
the attack. What good is an offensive defenseman that doesn't
score? Things hit rock bottom in February when Hatcher was mired
in a 19-game goal-less streak. Overall, scoring droughts aside,
Hatcher didn't really play that bad, he did finish as the
league's fifth highest-scoring defenseman and ended up at a +11.
It's just that he wasn't the go-to guy the team so desperately
needed him to be. He never really became a noticeable leader on
the ice. A club needs more out of its number one defenseman than
just numbers.
Darius Kasparaitis (2-21-23) arrived with a bang on November 19
after being acquired from the Islanders in exchange for Bryan
Smolinski. Kasparaitis, who has long been despised by Penguin
fans for his rough treatment of Mario Lemieux in the 1993
playoffs, quickly became a fan favorite at the Igloo for his
physical play on the ice and his personality away from the rink.
In his first game as a Penguin, Kaspar dished out several big
hits on Brett Hull and Pierre Turgeon and even scored an empty-
net goal in a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. The wacky
Lithuanian's intensity and approach to the game seemed to inspire
his teammates. It's no coincidence that the Penguins went on
their hot streak shortly after his arrival. Unfortunately,
Kaspar had a string of ridiculously bad luck that soon had him in
and out of the lineup on a regular basis. In less than a full
season with the Birds, Darius suffered at least three
concussions, had his nose broken twice, and was cut more times
than Tony Zendejas... that's a late '80s football reference for
those of you scoring at home. It's really amazing that Darius
was even walking by the time the playoffs rolled around. A
summer of rest and relaxation should do wonders.
Fredrik Olausson (9-29-38) was a pleasant surprise after coming
over in a mid-season trade with Anaheim. At first he was only
expected to bring another offensive weapon to the table and help
move the puck up ice, but by the end of the season Olausson was
undoubtedly the Penguins best defenseman. Jason Woolley (6-30-
36) showed that he can be a definite threat from the blue line
with his skating and stickhandling skills. Now he just needs to
learn to make better decisions to protect the puck and limit his
defensive mistakes.
Chris Tamer (2-4-6) was expected to be the team's best defensive
defenseman this season after having a remarkable 1995-96
campaign, but that isn't exactly how things worked out. Tamer
missed training camp with a contract dispute and wasn't in the
lineup long before an abdominal injury put him in the press box
for most of the season. Tamer did return to action and appeared
in a total of 45 games, but he was playing in pain the entire
time and never looked like the player he was a year ago, proven
by his team worst -25 rating.
Another victim of the injury bug was Neil Wilkinson (0-0-0), who
missed the first couple months of the schedule while recovering
from off-season abdominal surgery only to be plagued by the same
problem all season long. Throw in a broken cheekbone courtesy of
a Keith Primeau right hand, and Wilkinson appeared in only 23
games.
When not bothered by a bad back, Craig Muni (0-4-4) served as the
team's seventh defenseman and provided some big shot blocks to go
along with his experience. That said, his lack of quickness and
mobility made him a turnstile for some of the league's better
skaters. Francois Leroux (0-3-3) saw his ice time cut
dramatically this season. Good ol' Frankie only dressed for 59
games and was used sparingly in those contests. Of course, his
lack of any defensive ability whatsoever may have something to do
with that, but at least he'll drop the gloves... so he's worth
having around... sort of.
The goaltending picture was clouded by Barrasso's injury. The
two-time Cup winner has become the least favorite Penguin over
the past few seasons for his perceived indifference and spotty
play. He certainly didn't help matters at the start of this year
by losing his only five starts while compiling a ludicrous 5.78
goals-against average and a pathetic .860 save percentage. His
absence may have been more of a blessing than a hinderance.
After all, if Barrasso was healthy, Lalime (21-12-2, 2.94, .913)
never would have been given a chance. Wregget (17-17-6, 3.25,
.902) is always a crowd pleaser for his blue collar approach to
the game and fan-friendly personality, making him Barrasso's
ultimate foil. But while he was still adored, Wregget didn't
exactly play the best hockey of his career. His hamstring woes
definitely detracted from his play, but even when healthy he
wasn't as sharp as in the past.
This season in Pittsburgh was just nutty. There was absolutely
no middle ground. Either the team was incredible or it was flat
awful. And really, "awful" may not be a strong enough word to
describe how bad the team played for all but the two-month period
when the Big Three and Lalime tore up the league. Injuries were
the main reason for the struggles in the second half of the
season. Things got so bad up front that the team had to dress
nine defensemen on a few occasions in order to fill out the
minimum 20-man roster. And when the forwards were healthy, two
or three regular blueliners would undoubtedly be hurt. There
were only a handful of games all season long that the entire team
was intact. Not surprisingly, those games fell during the hot
streak.
Still, in the end, this season will always be remembered as Mario
Lemieux's final curtain call. His 50 goals and 122 points, while
not ordinary Lemieux numbers, were still more than enough to
claim his sixth career Art Ross Trophy. True, Mario did appear
lethargic for large portions of the season, but who can blame
him? He admittedly didn't have full strength in his legs, a
byproduct of his many physical ailments and the rigors of the
past two years, and life in the NHL became all the more
frustrating this year for Lemieux since the clowns running the
league continue to rather see mediocre players survive than stars
shine. Even though he appeared to be counting the days to his
retirement, Mario still gave fans several more memories to
cherish. Here are a few highlights:
* On January 26, Lemieux put on a show for his hometown fans in
Montreal by lighting the Canadiens up for four goals in the third
period of a 5-2 Pittsburgh win.
* Just over a week later he notched his 600th career goal on
February 4 in a 6-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks at the Civic
Arena.
* Mario made his last trip to Montreal on March 26, performing like
his old dominating self en route to recording two goals and three
assists in an 8-5 loss to the Habs. Both of Mario's goals came
late in the third period and brought a tear to the eye for their
brilliance, drawing a rousing and prolonged standing ovation from
the Molson Centre crowd over the game's final minutes.
* April 11, Lemieux recorded his 50th goal of the season and the
last of his glorious career on a penalty shot against John
Vanbiesbrouck, wristing a shot top shelf over the Beezer's
catching glove. It was a fitting close to Lemieux's regular-
season goal-scoring career.
* On April 23, in perhaps his greatest moment, Lemieux took a lead
pass in the closing moments of Pittsburgh's sole playoff win over
Philadelphia and was in home free on a breakaway. With the
entire Civic Arena crowd on its feet, Lemieux gracefully made his
way on net and beat Garth Snow with his patented forehand, five-
hole move to script a perfect ending to his final game in
Pittsburgh. Like Lemieux himself, it's a moment that will never
be forgotten.
The Lemieux era of Pittsburgh Penguin hockey has come to an end.
A third championship would have been a more fitting conclusion,
but even the disappointment of the 1996-97 season won't be enough
to tarnish the legend.
TEAM MVP: Lemieux supplied his share of heroics, but Jaromir
Jagr was Pittsburgh's undisputed MVP. The Czech wonder kid
officially stepped from Lemieux's shadow this season to become
the league's most dominating offensive player. In a year in
which Keith Tkachuk led the NHL with a somewhat paltry 52 goals,
Jagr was almost on a goal-a-game pace before he was hindered by
the chronic groin problem. His 41 goals in his first 44 games
would be quite the accomplishment in any season, but under the
absurd style of play that currently infests the NHL, such numbers
are simply astounding. During the 17 games that Jagr missed in
the second half of the season, the Penguins went 4-11-2. That's
always sure proof of an MVP.
SURPRISE: Patrick Lalime came out of nowhere to save the
Penguins when Barrasso and Wregget both went down with injuries.
The kid was sensational. His unbeaten streak was something
special and gave all Pittsburgh fans an idea of how exciting it
is to have a superstar goaltender in town. He did struggle a bit
after his streak ended, but Patrick Roy or Martin Brodeur
wouldn't have fared much better playing behind the Penguin
defense. Lalime was forced to make the spectacular save so
often, that after a while he began to cheat on his fundamentals.
Instead of keeping his game simple, he started to worry about
the extra pass and lost focus. He came close to finding his game
again in the last few weeks of the season, but by that time the
team was so dreadful it didn't matter. If the Penguins give him
a chance and play reasonably well in front of him, Lalime could
be a star in the future.
DISAPPOINTMENT: In a season full of disappointments, the
biggest was probably the health of Chris Tamer. The Penguins
were counting on him to be a rock on defense, but his year-long
battle with an abdominal strain simply didn't allow it to happen.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Craig Patrick has already addressed
the club's biggest concern by hiring Kevin Constantine as the
team's new head coach. Constantine was an assistant in Calgary
last season but is most well known for orchestrating the greatest
single-season turnaround in NHL history by leading the lowly San
Jose Sharks to a 58-point improvement in the standings and their
first ever playoff appearance in 1992-93. Constantine is widely
respected for his innovative coaching style and for running some
of the best practices in the business. With intense practices
having seldom been seen in Pittsburgh, Constantine has been
greeted with open arms by the city. Now that Lemieux's gone,
some are expecting Constantine to come in and transform the club
from an offensive-minded squad to one that leans heavily towards
defense, but don't count on it. He still isn't familiar enough
with his players to commit to a certain style of play, but he
insists he won't shackle the club's offensive talents like Jagr
and Nedved while trying to improve the team's commitment to
defense. A perfect example may be his '92-93 Shark team.
Constantine put together his five best offensive players, Igor
Larionov, Sergei Makarov, Johan Garpenlov, Sandis Ozolinsh, and
Jeff Norton, and allowed them to play their free-wheeling brand
of hockey, while still keeping the rest of the team focused on
defense. A similar situation could take place next season at the
Igloo.
Yes, the days of the Penguins having lethal scorers throughout
the lineup appear to be long gone. Patrick attempted to add
another potential weapon to the arsenal at the Draft when he
selected winger Robert Dome from the Las Vegas Thunder of the
IHL. The 18-year-old native of Slovakia came to North America
two years ago to get in on the professional game. He hasn't seen
a lot of ice time with the Thunder, but has displayed a quick
stride and excellent hands. At 6'0", 215 pounds, Dome has the
size to compete at the NHL level. All that really needs to be
known about Dome is that Thunder coach Chris McSorley likes him.
If McSorley likes someone, they can't be all bad. While Patrick
isn't sure if he'll be able to make the team next season, Dome
seems quick confident. The youngster plans to get into the best
shape of his life this summer and has stated for the record that
he intends to be wearing the Penguin on his chest this fall.
He's also eagerly awaiting the chance to skate with his hockey
playin' hero, Jaromir Jagr.
Another source of offense could come in the form of Alexei
Morozov. The Pens' 1995 first-round pick has developed into a
star while playing in Russia the past two years. By all
accounts, Morozov is talented enough to step in next season and
make an immediate impact. Now the Penguins just have to sign him
to a contract.
Of the players that finished the year in Pittsburgh, Craig Muni
is the only one gone, with the Penguins declining to pick up the
option on his contract. There haven't been a whole lot of trade
rumors to this point. Kevin Hatcher's name has come up as a guy
who could go, but no specific deals have been mentioned. And
while it's hard to believe Barrasso will be welcomed back next
season, the door for his return is surprisingly still open.
Nedved will once again be a restricted free agent this summer,
but if he decides to play somewhere else next season it will be
an absolute shock.
One final change of note, the Penguins are ditching their current
road sweaters and will be wearing their zany third jerseys away
from the Civic Arena next season.
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TEAM REPORTS
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
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CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
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Head Coach: Craig Hartsburg
Season Results:
34W-35L-13T, 81 points.
Fifth Central Division, Eighth Western Division.
Roster: C - Alexei Zhamnov, Kevin Miller, Denis Savard, Jeff
Shantz, Brent Sutter, Steve Dubinsky. LW - Murray Craven, Bob
Probert, Jim Cummins, Ethan Moreau, Dave Chyzowski, Eric Lecompte.
RW - Tony Amonte, Eric Daze, Darin Kimble, Sergei Krivokrasov, Ulf
Dahlen, Denis Chasse. D - Chris Chelios, Gary Suter, Steve Smith,
Eric Weinrich, Cam Russell, Keith Carney, Enrico Ciccone, Michal
Sykora. G - Jeff Hackett, Chris Terreri.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 223 (20th)
GOALS AGAINST: 210 (7th)
POWER PLAY: 14.8% (16th)
PENALTY KILLING: 84.2% (11th)
TEAM NEWS by Dan Glovier
When you think about it, the Chicago Blackhawks season, which ended
with a 34-35-13 record and a first-round loss in the playoffs,
could have been a whole lot worse.
Going into the 1996-97 campaign, the team already knew that its
offense would be dismal. Jeremy Roenick was a holdout until he was
traded to Phoenix for Alexei Zhamnov. Due to free agency, Joe
Murphy was headed for St. Louis and Bernie Nicholls to San Jose.
That left Tony Amonte and Eric Daze as the only offensive threats.
There was no great playmaker, no other dependable wingers and no
respectable third and fourth lines.
Early in the season things got worse. The offense sputtered while
Zhamnov tried to find his game, and the Hawks tried to find Daze.
Even Chicago's bread and butter -- its defense -- had to battle
through a lot of adversity just to survive.
In goal, the usually dependable Eddie Belfour wasn't. Despite
averaging 31 wins the past six seasons, this past season is not one
Belfour will look fondly upon. A combination of injuries and bad
performances caused the Eagle to lose his starting job to Jeff
Hackett early in the year. And after rumors of Belfour acting
hostile toward Hackett because he took his job, the former Vezina
Trophy winner was shipped to sunny San Jose for Ulf Dahlen, Michal
Sykora and Chris Terreri.
Even the great Chris Chelios took his lumps. An injury hampered the
all-star's play during the first half of the season. With Chelli out
of the lineup, the rest of the defense couldn't pick up the slack.
And since Chelios plays more minutes than there is in an hour, that
was some mighty big slack.
But once the bad apples were tossed aside and the team chemistry
once again started to mix, things got better. Not a whole lot
better, mind you, but better. Jeff Hackett made the most of his
opportunity as the number one goaltender. While not being a
textbook goalie in terms of style, Hackett got the job done. He
appeared in 41 games, winning 19 of them, and posted a 2.16 GAA and
a .927 save percentage.
Tony Amonte also had a tremendous season, which was capped off with
LCS Hockey naming him League MVP. More on Amonte later...
But outside of the long-haired speedster, the offense lived up to
expectations. It stunk. Only two players other than Amonte scored
20 or more goals (Zhamnov and Daze). Ethan Moreau was fourth on
the team in goals with a whopping 15.
As usual, the Chicago defense was much better than the offense.
Chelios, Sykora, Eric Weinrich and Keith Carney were superb all
season. Weinrich scored seven goals during the year and was a
+19. Carney was even more impressive. His flawless defensive
ability led to a +26 rating. And after coming over from the
Sharks, Sykora impressed many with his hustle, hard shot and
defensive awareness. Thank goodness for these four, however,
because regular defensemen Gary Suter and Steve Smith struggled
throughout the season. Suter finished at a -4 while Smith was only
able to appear in 21 games due to injuries.
TEAM MVP: Tony Amonte. Amonte led the team in goals (41),
points (77) and plus/minus (+35), but it was his constant effort
that made him so valuable to the Hawks. Amonte showed up to play
every night, and he hustled every shift. Even when things were
bleak early in the season, Amonte was doing everything he could to
help the team win. He had to because if he didn't score or set up
a play, no one else would.
SURPRISES: Jeff Hackett. When the season started, Belfour
was the man in net for the Hawks. And why shouldn't he have been?
The Eagle has been the franchise goalie for Chicago ever since he
joined the team. The Hawks even traded away Dominik Hasek because
they thought so highly of Belfour.
Hackett entered the scene this season at just the right time.
Belfour was struggling, and the team needed great goaltending just
to compete every night. Hackett gave it to them. While Belfour
would look good one game and tank the next, Hackett proved to be
the more stable goalie this season. And once Belfour was out of
the picture, Hackett told the rest of the league that he most
definitely could be a No. 1 goalie.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: Zhamnov and Daze. Alexei Zhamnov has loads
of talent. I'm telling ya, they're falling out of his pockets.
One has to wonder then why he couldn't score at a point per game
pace this season. Zhamnov scored just 20 goals and 62 points in 74
games while trying to take over Roenick's position as the number
one center. He continued his disappointing season in the
playoffs. He was injured and missed the entire series against the
Avalanche.
Daze scored 30 goals in his rookie campaign last year, but when
counted upon heavily for production this season, his numbers
dwindled. The big guy scored 22 goals in 71 games. He did have 11
power-play goals, however, which was a good sign.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: First of all, the team needs more
talent. There's just no way the current Blackhawk squad can
actually compete for the playoffs, let alone the Cup, with what
they have. If the Hawks would spend some money, they might be
decent.
Speaking of money, Amonte is now a restricted free agent. It will
be interesting to see how the Hawks negotiate with their only
superstar.
An old superstar has hung up the skates. Denis Savard, known around
the LCS Hockey offices as the Great Gazoo, has retired from the game.
That leaves the team with another hole to fill on the depth
chart.
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DALLAS STARS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head coach: Ken Hitchcock
Season Results:
48W-26L-8T, 104 points.
First Central Division, Second Western Conference.
Roster: C-Mike Modano, Todd Harvey, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk,
Neal Broten, Bob Bassen. LW-Dave Reid, Greg Adams, Benoit Hogue,
Brent Gilchrist, Bill Huard. RW-Pat Verbeek, Jamie Langenbrunner,
Jere Lehtinen, Grant Marshall, Mike Kennedy. D-Derian Hatcher,
Craig Ludwig, Darryl Sydor, Grant Ledyard, Mike Lalor, Richard
Matvichuk, Sergei Zubov. G-Arturs Irbe, Andy Moog.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 252 (8th)
GOALS AGAINST: 198 (3rd)
POWER PLAY: 14.6% (18th)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.4% (14th)
Team News by Jim Panenka
A personal note: Get well soon, Vladi! All of our thoughts and
prayers are focused on Vladimir Konstantinov. It is obvious that if
it is humanly possible to do so, the Vladinator will return to the
game he loves. We will expect no less from a man as tough as
Konstantinov.
So, it is time to review the season that was for the Stars. Man,
what a crazy year it was. Immediate thoughts are still focused on
the first round playoff upset of the Stars by the Edmonton Oilers.
The series was definitely one for the books.
Who could have possibly guessed that Dallas would have started the
playoffs so flat and tentative, and allowed a young upstart team
with something to prove unseat them in front of their home
crowd?
Yes, the pain still lingers. It does seem that the result of Dallas'
early departure from the show threw the rest of the playoffs a little
off-balance. It seems a bit of a waste that Edmonton was eliminated
in the following round, while the Red Wings had more or less an easy
series against Anaheim.
Just imagine what the Stars vs. Red Wings series could have been! If
only Joey Nieuwendyk had actually lifted that final shot over Cujo to
seal the series for Dallas from Edmonton. Shoulda, woulda,
coulda...
The true focus of this review is on the amazing regular season
Dallas pulled off, despite all the potholes encountered along the
way. The biggest surprise of the year was the fantastic job Ken
Hitchcock did in leading his troops into what was arguably the
franchise's best single-season performance ever.
Not many coaches have led their teams from worst to first in their
first year coaching in the NHL. Hitch did it. The stars finished
26-42-14 for 66 points in 1995-1996. They were tied for the
second-worst record in the West. The Stars improved just a bit,
finishing with a 48-26-8 record with 104 points. That was good
enough for a tie as second-best in the league. Not a bad
turnaround.
It was obvious that Hitchcock's relationship with his players was a
solid one from the start. It was the fact that all of the players
bought wholesale into Hitchcock's system and carried it out on the
ice that led the team to an impressive 6-0 winning streak to begin
the year. Even though the wheels were getting a little loose during
the holiday season (November-January), Hitchcock still kept the
players listening enough to hold ground in the standings.
Yes, it was definitely Hitch's team. He made that perfectly clear.
Hitch remained quiet in the press early on, but assumed much more
of an active voice once questions about the Stars' staying power
was answered. He did not hesitate in calling a spade a spade, when
it called for it. One could hear colorful quotes from Hitch during
that trying period in December when many players, Greg Adams the
most notable, were on the shelf, and the team was letting one too
many games slip from their grasp.
"They pissed the game away...And it was veteran players on the ice
that pissed the game away," Hitch had once remarked following
another disappointing loss. No, fellow LCS readers, Hitch doesn't
pull any punches. Remember when Hitch threw Benoit Hogue off the
bench after Hogue had a temper tantrum because of reduced ice
time?
One can't forget that Hitchcock was not the only one responsible for
last season's incredible results. Dallas' GM Bob Gainey deserves
every bit as much credit for assembling the team Hitch was able to
lead into first place in the Western Conference, if only for a time.
Gainey remains a cornerstone of the franchise, and it was his shrewd
dealmaking that kept the Stars in it as a competitive team.
Sure, everyone remembers getting Verbeek, Reid, Zubov, and Irbe.
That was the core of new blood that was needed to spark the
existing players into forgetting the loss and embarrassment of the
previous season. But, few really realize just how wise it was to
acquire Neal Broten off of waivers later into the year. It was
Broten's spark that helped gel the team together after the wheels
began falling off in December. And, it was Gainey that saw his team
needed that spark, and pulled the strings to make it happen.
Thanks, Bob!
It became clear, even after all of the tweaking, that even though
the Stars were still racking up win after win, and had broken just
about every franchise record relating to number of wins, wins in a
given time period, wins on the road, and biggest reversal of
records from one year to the next, the team still had many flaws to
prevent it from going all the way when it counted.
It was no surprise that Dallas' power play was an oxymoron. The
offensive threat of the Stars' top-talents were only just that, a
threat. When it came time to seal the deal and bury the biscuit,
for whatever reasons, the Stars could not put it in the basket.
It would be easy to pick a scapegoat, and say that both Verbeek and
Zubov didn't live up to expectations. While it is true that
Verbeek's 17 regular-season tallies were far less than his 30-40
goal per year norm, one can't forget that Verbeek's 53 points
ranked him in second place in overall scoring. Only Mikey Mo scored
more overall than Patty with a total of 82 points.
And, while it is true Zubov didn't really turn the power play around
for Dallas, he did have a career-best year in production with 13
goals, 30 assists, and 43 points.
There are no easy explanations to what happened to the Stars in the
playoffs, but it could be explained away by saying Dallas just
wasn't yet a good enough team to take it all the way.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: That leads us directly to the biggest
disappointment of the year. You guessed it, it was the poor playoff
showing. Things were going so well for the team, and the hype was
built so well in this town that everyone just ignored the chinks in
the Stars' armor. It can be said that the team and the fans alike
were a little overconfident.
Well, it didn't take long for Edmonton to swoop in and land a fatal
blow directly through the armor and straight into the heart of the
team. Afterwards, a disgusted Mike Modano reflected on how the
regular season's performance was wasted by the teams' poor playoff
showing.
It was the big choke in the post season that was probably
responsible for both Ken Hitchcock and Jere Lehtinen getting jilted
at the NHL end-of-year awards ceremony. That was the second-biggest
disappointment of the year.
Hitchcock was overlooked as coach of the year, and Lehtinen was
denied the Selke trophy for best defensive-forward. Jamie
Langenbrunner, despite a great rookie year, was still overlooked
for any award in that category.
Fans were hoping that at least one of those awards would help ease
some of the pain left over after Detroit took the Cup home. Not to
be.
TEAM MVP: So, the only thing left for fans to take comfort in
was the stellar play of just about every player on the roster. The
man who would eventually emerge from the rest as the team's MVP of
the year was no big surprise: it was Mike Modano.
Modano simply took the reins this year and contributed in just about
every way possible to the team's fantastic regular-season finish.
Modano's two-way skills flourished in Hitch's forechecking system.
Mikey finished the year with an incredible +/- rating of +44. He was
one of the league leaders all season when it came to defensive
responsibility. The only Star to come close to Mo's +44 was
defenseman Darryl Sydor with a +38.
Modano's point total was equally impressive: 35 goals, 47 assists
for 82 points. It may not sound that impressive at first, but don't
forget that due to injuries to both of his linemates Jere Lehtinen
and Greg Adams, Modano often played without consistent help on the
wing. Lehtinen and Adams were individually threatening with Modano
when the respective other would be out of the lineup, but it was
only for a few 2-3 game spurts that the league witnessed the
awesome punch all three together can throw.
Modano even played on the wing for a short time, when Hitchcock was
juggling the lines trying to come up with a winning combination.
And, Mo managed a career-high four goals in a single game this
season against Edmonton. It's easy for other players to hate Modano
and say he is just a punk cruising around for the easy stick-check,
but closer scrutiny would reveal Modano as the true superstar he is
becoming. Lastly, he personally took a more active role in leading
the club. No one seemed as bitter as he did following the playoff
loss to Edmonton.
Congrats, Mike. You truly deserved the MVP this year. Keep it
coming.
Runner up: It was a very hard pick to make. But, Jere Lehtinen
emerged as one of the league's premiere defensive forwards. His
contributions to the Stars all year long were unwavering, even
after wearing a shield for a time following a nasty gash in the
forehead from a puck hit. Who could forget the Edmonton game where
Lehtinen assisted on all four of Modano's goals? Those two were
definitely speaking shorthand during that period. Congrats,
Jere.
Notes:
Some of the records broken this year:
* 40 wins in just 67 games. This is the fastest that any team in
Stars franchise history has reached the 40-win mark.
* Shattered club record of 42 wins is a single season, recorded in
1993-1994, with 48 wins.
* Finished 22 games over .500, which is the highest since 1983.
* 38-point difference in final standings from previous year.
(1995-1996, 66 points. 1996-1997, 104 points)
Player notes:
Darryl Sydor finished a career-best year with 49 points and a +38.
Sergei Zubov had a career-high goal production with 13 goals, 44
points.
Dave Reid was a reliable goal-scorer in addition to superb
penalty-killing with dynamic duo partner Guy Carbonneau.
Joe Nieuwendyk finished third in points totals with 30 goals 21
assists, 51 points. This despite missing more than a month with a
bruised chest, and a family emergency.
Neal Broten returned to the Stars!
Richard Matvichuk came into his own as one of the best Stars'
defenseman, and a leading defender in the league.
The whole Lehtinen-Modano-Adams line. 'Nuff said.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Overall, the Stars are going to remain a good
team. They need a little help on the wing, needing at least one
more winger with the threat that Greg Adams possesses. And,
although Andy Moog had a great season, it is obvious the club needs
to think about getting a new main goaltender. Arturs Irbe will not
be that man.
And, some of the older defense needs to be replaced. The goat of the
year, Grant Ledyard (surely you know to what I am referring!) looks
to be on his way out. Mike Lalor may not be back, either.
Basically, the club just needs to fine-tune itself, and continue to
bring up some of the exciting prospects, including Gainey's son,
who was chosen in the draft. More on that in the preseason issue.
The Stars hope to avenge themselves next year with a stronger finish
to hopefully balance out as good a regular season. Time will tell if
Roman Turek is to be the man to lead them there in the nets.
Gotta go- Peace.
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DETROIT RED WINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Scotty Bowman
Season Results:
38W-26L-18T, 94 points.
Second Central Division, Third Western Conference, Stanley Cup Champions.
Roster C - Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Kris
Draper. LW - Brendan Shanahan, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Martin Lapointe,
Tim Taylor, Tomas Holmstrom, Mike Knuble. RW - Doug Brown, Mathieu
Dandenault, Darren McCarty, Kirk Maltby, Joey Kocur, Tomas
Sandstrom. D - Nicklas Lidstrom, Bob Rouse, Vladimir Konstantinov,
Slava Fetisov, Larry Murphy, Jamie Pushor, Brian Glynn, Aaron Ward,
Anders Eriksson. G - Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood, Kevin Hodson.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 253 (6th)
GOALS AGAINST: 197 (2nd)
POWER PLAY: 17.9% (7th)
PENALTY KILLING: 86.7% (4th)
TEAM NEWS by Dino Cacciola
We are the Champions...and we'll keep on fighting till the
end...
Even before winning the Stanley Cup, the one thing the Red Wings had
to worry about was getting the monkey off their backs. What was the
monkey? The monkey was the Avalanche. The monkey was 42 years
without a Cup. The monkey was early playoff exits. The monkey was
being out-muscled by more physical teams. The monkey was the play
of Claude Lemieux for the last two season in the playoffs. The
monkey was all of that and it weighed heavily on the hearts of the
faithful in Hockeytown.
And wearing his heart predominately on his sleeve for 14 seasons was
the captain, Steve Yzerman. No one was more determined than he to
get the monkey off his back.
Mind you, coming off the most successful regular season in NHL
history is something to work on to start a new season, but
basically it doesn't amount to a whole lot. Unless you bring the
hardware home from Lord Stanley then anything else must be
considered a failure. No one thought the Wings could match last
season's torrid pace anyway. So it was of no surprise that the
Wings finished third in their division. Disheartening yes, but
Hockeytown's faithful knew full well that the second season is what
counts and not the regular season. The season was full of ties and
ties and more ties. It was as if the Red Wings were playing not to
lose rather than to win. Defensively, that's great, but you don't
put the puck in the net that way. Of course what better way to get
ready for the playoffs than to play overtime hockey and defensive
hockey!
Gone from last season were Dino Ciccarelli, Paul Coffey, and Keith
Primeau. How were the Wings going to replace Coffey's awesome
offensive prowess? Where would they get the garbage goals and gritty
play without Dino? Who would check themselves into the boards in
place of Keith? Well Scotty Bowman decided that Martin Lapointe
and Darren McCarty would assume the grit and scoring with more ice
time. A sure thing? No, not really since they had only showed
potential and flashes of being true power forwards. But with
Lapointe coming to camp bulked up and able to bench more than
anyone in the NHL, well, that was a good sign of his determination.
It paid off with him seeing quite a bit of front line duty. McCarty
got the nod to play with Igor Larionov and newly acquired Brendan
Shanahan. With passes from the Russian Gretzky, anyone has the
ability to score.
The acquiring of Brendan Shanahan was the jump-start this team
needed. His goal scoring more than made up for Dino's. His
physical presence was more of a factor than Primeau's ever was.
Giving up a number one pick for him paid off greatly.
But the Wings were still lacking the veteran offensive knowledge from
the point, something that Coffey brought every night (when he wasn't
hurt). So the Wings picked up Larry Murphy from Toronto hoping that
he could settle the power play and bring stability. What a bargain!
He went from worst to first. He played brilliantly (slowly, of
course) and was a major force in the playoffs. Also acquired was the
gritty pain in the you know what, Tomas Sandstrom, for the smaller
Greg Johnson. He did have a hard time lighting the lamp, but his
weaselness paid off by often getting under the skin of the
opponents. A very good trade for this season, considering he will
probably go back to Sweden to play next year. The Wings cut Bob
Errey, assuming that his small frame would not handle the
playoffs. So instead the Wings picked up Joey Kocur from the beer
leagues. What a steal! He played with the hard-working Kris Draper
and tough grinding Kirk Maltby to form the Grind Line. It was the
team's predominate checking line and a fan favorite. Chipping in
timely goals and shutting down the top lines of the other teams was
its specialty.
Slava Kozlov did not have a great season, his numbers were down
considerably from last season. He did, however, show up in the
playoffs to score some big goals. Sergei Fedorov did not enter
his option year on a good note. His goal scoring dropped and
seemingly his will to play did as well. His five-goal performance
against the Caps was pretty nifty to say the least! Pep talks from
Steve Yzerman lifted him occasionally and his numbers gradually
improved. It is yet to be seen if he can regain his Hart status,
but he is always an offensive threat and a defensive specialist.
Tim Taylor was used sparingly and Doug Brown-ov played his best
hockey after being scratched in the playoffs. Rookie Thomas
Holmstrom did not play that much, but when he did, he showed signs
of being the power forward that the Wings want to rely on. The late
call-up of Mike Knuble showed that his size will be a contributing
factor in the future. He may fill in for Sandstrom. Steve Yzerman
began the season on fire, but tailed off in the end. His postseason
was excellent. His numbers may not indicate it, but an example of
his heart was quite evident when the Wings were losing 6-1 and he was
down blocking shots late in the third. Larionov, rejuvenated with
Shanny and Big Mac on his wings, threaded needles nightly with his
brilliant playmaking. Darren McCarty played the best hockey of his
young career, scoring consistently and seeing power-play time.
The biggest advantage of the forwards play was that there was no
line labeled the number one line. There were four lines that
played an equal amount of time and were used in many situations.
Apparently, seeing what the Devils and the Lanche did to them the
past couple of seasons was a good indicator that depth wins
playoffs!
>From the blue line Marc Bergevin and Mike Ramsey were gone from the
team. Ramsey would later un-retire and try to play, only to retire
again. It was thrust upon the shoulders of young Aaron Ward, Jamie
Pushor, and Anders Eriksson to help carry this team. Eriksson was
the only one that was rushed a bit too early. Pushor and Ward have
become formidable fifth and sixth defensemen. Also assigned to
defense was forward Mathieu Dandenault. That experiment did not
last too long. Nicklas Lidstrom became the all-around defensemen
that the Wings projected him to be. Coffey's tutoring paid off
greatly. And what can you say about Norris candidate Vladimir
Konstantinov that hasn't already been said. He plays with reckless
abandon, he plays with heart. He is the mainstay of the defense.
He hits hard! His plus/minus was again outstanding. And Bob Rouse
quietly performed his duties flawlessly. Slava "Grampa" Fetisov,
while being very old, played decent during the season and in the
playoffs played like the Hall of Famer that he will be.
Between the pipes Chris Osgood played a majority of the games, but
Bowman went with the veteran Mike Vernon for the latter part of the
season and the entire playoffs. Scotty comes out looking like a
genius here. This town wanted Vernon out. His five-hole had more
traffic than the Detroit-Windsor tunnel on more than one occasion.
But he answered the call playing some of the best hockey of his
career. Kevin Hodson chipped in a few games as well. Vernon
outplayed some of the better known goalies in the league. Beating
Fuhr, Hebert, Roy and whatever Philly could muster was a major
accomplishment.
TEAM MVP: My choice for team MVP could go to quite a few
players. Steve Yzerman for his dedication and motivation of his
teammates. Shanny for scoring so many goals. Vernon, who won the
Conn Smythe as the playoff MVP, could also get my vote. Fedorov
possibly, but he isn't one of my favorites. And it has nothing to
do with the fact that he is 27 and his girlfriend is 16. Nothing at
all. Nothing really. Vlady, who I think is the most important
player on the team could also get a vote. But I'm giving my vote
to the whole team.
Yes, as corny as it may seem, I truly believe that the system that
was executed properly and implemented by the coaching staff was the
reason the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Yes, experience, grit,
and goaltending made a difference, but there can be no denying team
effort. So many different players showing up to perform and rise to
the occasion when needed. To see this team come into its own when
the "Brawl" came about against Colorado was a sight to see. To end
the cloud of Claude and erase the Avalanche from contention. To
play physical and play large. This team did everything it needed to
do to win. No one person or superstar carried the team . Cliche as
it may be, the team deserves the MVP status.
SURPRISES: "The Brawl" was the turning point of the season.
March 26 -- a date which will mark in the minds of Hockeytown as the
beginning of the playoff run and the start of the team to gel for the
playoffs. No one thought the Wings would avenge Kris Draper's
jaw being broken or the Wings being dominated by the Avalanche. But
the Wings chose their moment for standing up for themselves. They
commanded respect. They won the game. With Mike Vernon racing down
the ice to duel his arch enemy Patrick Roy, he finally won the hearts
of the fans, the respect of his teammates, and thus the shrinking of
his five hole.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: Steve Yzerman hoisting the Cup was the
pinnacle of the season. The monkey was off! The 42 year drought has
ended! A week of celebration had Detroit rocking. But then tragedy.
The limousine accident that put Vladimir Konstantinov and trainer
Sergei Mnastakanov into a coma quickly turned the cheers to tears.
As this article was going to the press, the two were still in
critical condition with improving signs. Their status remains
uncertain. Ironically with all of the excitement and importance of
the Cup, this tragedy puts sports into perspective. We then realize
what is important in life. It's not so much winning that Cup and
waiting your whole life for it, but its living and breathing and
enjoying everything we take for granted and even ignore during our
obsessions with hockey. Would the fans wait another 42 years and
trade their Cup in for the health of these two men? Yes, in a
heartbeat. It's quite amazing to see 1.3 million people line up for
a victory parade. It's even more amazing to see red ribbons of hope
tied around neighborhood trees. Amazing to see fans set up camp
outside the hospital of their wounded Wings to express somehow that
they care and are supportive.
The Red Wing players repeatedly play Queen's "We are the Champions"
on tape in Vlady's hospital room. It's a song that he played the
entire week before the accident. The Red Wings are the Champions,
and these two broken Wings will keep fighting till the end.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: The Wings look to possibly not sign Mike
Vernon for next season and get Hodson and Ozzie the go ahead as the
tandem. Norm Maracle in the minors may see some duty as well.
Fedorov wants six million (I don't know maybe she wants him to buy
a new Barbie collection?) a year. Not sure if he will get it
though. Larionov wants to stay and the Wings want him. Lapointe
is about to sign a multi-year deal. Scotty Bowman's return is
still up in the air. Management wants to pick up possibly Luke
Richardson or a Bryan Marchment-type for some more power hitting on
the defense. Fetisov may retire and odds are he will. Picking up
Joe Sakic is a very inviting proposition if Fedorov tests the
market and leaves. Both are free agents with compensation. All in
all this team will remain intact. The nucleus will remain the same
with possible minor changes.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX COYOTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Don Hay
Season Results:
38W-37L-7T, 83 points.
Third Central Division, Fifth Western Conference.
Roster: C - Jeremy Roenick, Cliff Ronning, Craig Janney, Mike
Stapleton, Bob Corkum. LW - Keith Tkachuk, Darrin Shannon, Kris
King, Jim McKenzie, Igor Korolev, Jocelyn Lemieux. RW - Mike
Gartner, Shane Doan, Dallas Drake. D - Teppo Numminen, Oleg
Tverdosky, Norm Maciver, Brad McCrimmon, Jeff Finley, Jim Johnson,
Jay More, Murray Baron, Gerald Diduck, Kevin Dahl. G - Nikolai
Khabibulin, Darcy Wakaluk, Pat Jablonski, Parris Duffus.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 240 (12th)
GOALS AGAINST: 243 (15th)
POWER PLAY: 18.1% (4th)
PENALTY KILLING: 85.9% (5th)
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
It was a rather zany first season in the desert for the Coyotes.
The team never quite found its stride. One week the club looked
like a contender, the next it barely resembled a team at all. At
its best, Phoenix could compete with the big boys. But playing
their best wasn't exactly a regular occurrence for the Coyotes.
Phoenix ended the season with a 38-37-7 record, good for 83
points and the fifth seed in the West. The playoff experience
didn't last long, though, as the Mighty Ducks handed them a
seven-game loss in the opening round.
The major problem was the team's commitment to defense, or rather
lack of commitment to defense. Darrin Shannon was the only
regular that played in a bunch of games to finish as a plus
player, and he barely qualified with a +4. The woes all started
along the blue line, where the Coyotes suffered several key
injuries to veteran defensemen Brad McCrimmon, Jim Johnson, and
Norm Maciver. All three were in and out of the lineup, more out
than in. Johnson made 55 games, McCrimmon 37, and Maciver just
32. Their injuries meant extended playing time for guys like
Gerald Diduck and Jeff Finley. The club did add defensemen Jay
More and Murray Baron through trades, but neither one was a
source of great stability. More came over from New York for
center Mike Eastwood. Baron was picked up late in the year from
Montreal in a swap for Dave Manson. Even though he still had the
big shot, Manson was simply terrible early in the year, rolling
up a pitiful -24 in 66 games as a Coyote.
Phoenix's top defensive pair was made up of LCS favorite Teppo
Numminen and the up-and-coming Oleg Tverdovsky. Numminen had an
awful year on the scoresheet, posting just two goals and 27
points in 82 games. That's a full nine goals and 27 points below
the numbers he put up the previous year. But Numminen's
contributions can't be measured in stats alone. The guy's a rock
on the blue line. He shows up every night, logs tons of time,
plays in all situations, and protects the puck. He's just an
excellent defenseman, and still probably the most underrated
player in the game. One guy who doesn't have a problem getting
attention is Tverdovsky. The third-year man from Russia enjoyed
a breakthrough season this year for the Coyotes. He was fourth
in the league among defenseman in scoring with 10 goals and 55
points. Those numbers are nice, but Oleg is capable of a lot
more. He didn't turn 21 until May 18, so this year's production
should just be the tip of the iceberg. Numminen and Tverdovsky
saw enormous amounts of playing time. Tverdovsky logged a few
more minutes than his partner because he frequently stayed out
the full two minutes on the power play. These guys were
extremely valuable to the team. They gave the club a nice number
one pair, it was finding two other reliable tandems that was the
problem.
On offense, Keith Tkachuk was the story. The young superstar led
the league in goal-scoring with 52 and led the Coyotes in points
with 86. He was also tops on the team with a staggering 228
penalty minutes. It's not easy finding 50-goal, 200-pim guys.
That's a rare combination. Tkachuk also got his captain's "C"
back after losing it for the final year in Winnipeg over a
contract dispute. There's no denying he was the team's best
player. And he didn't disappear in the playoffs, scoring six
goals in seven games.
Tkachuk was expected to get plenty of offensive help this season
from Jeremy Roenick, but things didn't go quite as planned.
After a couple knee injuries, Roenick hardly resembles the 50-
goal, 100-point superstar he used to be. He struggled mightily
over the first half before finally starting to come close to his
old level of play in the final months of the season. He finished
as the club's second leading scorer with 29 goals and 69 points
in 72 games. Old school Roenick would have had that by mid-
February. The good news is that he elevated his play in the
playoffs and completely shut down Paul Kariya in the few games he
was assigned to shadow him. Of course, with Roenick there's
always some bad news. And it came during Game Six in the form of
his annual knee injury. Had he not been injured, the Coyotes
probably win the series. Without Roenick around to neutralize
Kariya, the mighty duckling got loose in overtime and scored the
winner to force Game Seven.
Tossed aside by Toronto, Mike Gartner had yet another 30-goal
season, the 17th of his career, for the Coyotes. He bagged 32
goals and 63 points to finish third on the club in scoring. He
was also tied with Tkachuk and Roenick for the team lead in game-
winning goals (7). Craig Janney was the next highest scoring
forward with 15 goals and 53 points. Yes, it is official, Janney
is no longer a point scorer. He should be embarrassed by those
numbers. Little Cliffy Ronning was limited to only 69 games
because of injury yet still chipped in 19 goals and 51 points.
See, those numbers are okay for Cliffy. But for Janney, a former
100-point scorer, a 53-point season is a joke. That guy needs
some counseling or something.
He didn't get a lot of hype, but Darrin Shannon had a hell of a
season. The sturdy left winger only had 11 goals and 23 points,
but he was a demon along the boards and in the corners. He
finished all his checks and never took a shift off. His gritty,
unselfish performance established himself as one of the premier
role players in the league.
Dallas Drake (17-19-36), Bob Corkum (9-11-20), Mike Stapleton (4-
11-15), Kris King (3-11-14), Shane Doan (4-8-12), and Jim
McKenzie (5-3-8) filled out the offense.
Much like the team in front of him, goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin
was somewhat inconsistent this season. He got tore up a few
times, but when he was on his game it was something to behold.
With backup Darcy Wakaluk out most of the season with an injury,
Khabby grabbed the starting gig and ran with it. He started a
whole mess of games in a row during the middle part of the season
and ended up with a 30-33-6 record. Grant Fuhr and Felix Potvin
were the only two NHL netminders to play more than Khabby's 4,091
minutes in goal. His goals-against average (2.83) and save
percentage (.908) were pretty ordinary, but Khabby was tied for
second in the league with seven big shutouts, proving that when
he's on he's tough to beat. He even had three consecutive
shutouts. Khabby is on the verge of being a superstar
goaltender. He'll reach that level with a little more
consistency in his game.
TEAM MVP: This is a tough call. Nikolai Khabibulin
really came through when the team needed him, playing nearly
every night and providing the club with quality starting
goaltending. But it's impossible to not give the honor to Keith
Tkachuk. He played physical, he was intense, and he was a
leader. Leading the league in goals ain't no joke, either.
SURPRISE: Mike Gartner still being able to score 32 goals
has to be somewhat surprising. This guy just doesn't stop.
DISAPPOINTMENT: In 1995-96, Igor Korolev had 22 and 51
points in 73 games. Most of those numbers did come in the first
half of the season, but it was still pretty good production out
of the often flighty Russian winger. Well, this year he held out
with a contract dispute and never even came close to finding his
scoring touch. He ended up playing just 41 games, netting three
goals and 10 points. Hard to get happy after that one.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: It's already been a busy off-season
for the Coyotes. GM Bobby Smith axed head coach Don Hay after
just one year behind the bench. Smith said he felt Hay did a
good job, but that he wasn't the right man to lead the team to a
championship. Smith then went out and hired Jim Schoenfeld, who
had recently been relieved of his coaching duties with the
Washington Capitals. Schoenfeld is a no-nonsense kind of guy
that demands the most out of his players. He's promised to
employ a fast-paced, aggressive forechecking style game. So
expect to see a much more physical, intense team next season in
the desert.
There haven't been a bunch of trade rumors to this point. Oleg
Tverdovsky is a restricted free agent, but he isn't going
anywhere. The list of unrestricted guys includes Mike Stapleton,
Igor Korolev, Jim McKenzie, and Brad McCrimmon. It's a pretty
safe bet Korolev is history. McCrimmon, when healthy, brings a
calming veteran influence to the blue line. The problem is that
he's never healthy. The fact that he's 38 certainly won't help
his cause.
The team got some good news when it was learned that Jeremy
Roenick would not need surgery to mend his injured left knee. It
turned out that his injury, first believed to be a torn MCL, was
actually only a hyperextension. Roenick is back to full strength
and will be good to go when training camp comes around.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ST. LOUIS BLUES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
Season Results:
36W-35L-11T, 83 points.
Fourth Central Division, Sixth Western Conference.
Roster: C - Pierre Turgeon, Craig MacTavish, Harry York, Jim
Campbell, Craig Conroy. LW - Geoff Courtnall, Tony Twist, Stephane
Matteau, Scott Pellerin, Mike Peluso. RW - Brett Hull, Joe Murphy,
Brian Noonan, Steve Leach, , Robert Petrovicky, Pavol Demitra. D -
Al MacInnis, Chris Pronger, Igor Kravchuk, Marc Bergevin, Trent
Yawney, Ricard Persson, Chris McAlpine. G - Grant Fuhr, Jon Casey.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 236 (14th)
GOALS AGAINST: 239 (14th)
POWER PLAY: 15.3% (15th)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.4% (14th)
TEAM NEWS by Jim Iovino
Another season of hope turned into another season of frustration for
the St. Louis Blues. With a 36-35-11 record the Bluenotes finished
in the fourth spot in their division for the fourth time in the past
five seasons. And for the second season in a row, the Blues were
ousted from the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings, this time in six
games in the first round.
But despite all of the heartache, there was at least one positive
St. Louis can take from this past season -- the team fired Mike
Keenan. Keenan's tumultuous stay in St. Louis lasted just two and
a half seasons, but oh what joy he brought the city in that short
time span. That last sentence smelled a little bit like
sarcasm...
To the ire of Blues fans everywhere, Keenan, the team's former head
coach and GM, traded away some of the most popular players. By the
time his tenure ended in December, Keenan shipped off Brendan
Shanahan, who later won the Cup with Detroit, to Hartford, Curtis
Joseph to Edmonton and Steve Duchesne to Ottawa. The constant
shuffling of players did wonders for the team's chemistry and morale.
No one was sure who would be in Keenan's doghouse or heading out the
door next. Finally, after much deliberation, the Blues decided
enough was enough. They chose to eat the rest of Keenan's huge
contract, which was still valid for three and a half seasons,
instead of letting him destroy their team anymore.
In Keenan's place behind the bench, the Blues hired Colorado
assistant coach Joel Quenneville. Quenneville didn't have a lot of
skill to work with, but he did have enough to get his team into the
playoffs. The team was 15-17-1 when Quenneville took over.
Brett Hull, who often feuded with Keenan, was still around after
Keenan's axing. Hull scored 42 goals (82 points) in 77 games,
including the 500th of his career, to lead the team. Former
Montreal Canadien captain Pierre Turgeon arrived late in the season
and led the team in points with 85 in 78 games. Turgeon was
acquired from the Habs along with Craig Conroy and Rory Fitzpatrick
for Shayne Corson, Murray Baron and a fifth-round draft pick in
1997.
The defense was led by Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger. MacInnis was
his usual steady self along the blue line. Daddy Mac blasted home
13 goals and added 30 assists this past season while logging a ton
of ice time. Pronger also received more than his share of playing
time, as well. Pronger's young legs helped him rack up the minutes
on the ice and in the penalty box. The man who was acquired for
Shanahan scored 11 goals, 35 assists and 143 penalty minutes.
While those four players mentioned above can compete with just about
anyone in the league, the problem with the Blues was their lack of
depth. Offensively, Hull and Turgeon were about the only constant
threats to the opposition. Geoff Courtnall and Joe Murphy, who were
being counted on to add scoring, didn't come through. Courtnall
recorded just 17 goals and 57 points in 82 games. Murphy, who Keenan
signed to a big contract in the off-season, scored just 20 goals and
45 points.
Defensively, the team relied on just four regulars: MacInnis,
Pronger, Marc Bergevin and Igor Kravchuk. Keenan never addressed
his thin blue line during his tenure, so Quenneville inherited the
problem when he took over. This lack of depth really hurt the
Blues against the Wings in the playoffs. A team can't win games
with just four defensemen, no matter how good they are. The Blues
attempted to patch the holes with players like Ricard Persson,
Libor Zabransky, Trent Yawney and Jamie Rivers, but the talent just
wasn't there.
Perhaps the only person that saved the Blues defense from total
collapse was Grant Fuhr. The aging netminder was brilliant
throughout the season, considering the serious knee injury he
suffered in the playoffs last year. Fuhr was able to start out
this season just as strong as he was before the injury. He
appeared in 73 games, posted a 33-27-11 record, a 2.72 GAA, a .901
save percentage and three shutouts. Why did a 34-year-old goalie
have to play in 73 games? Because Jon Casey was the backup. The
ever-shaky Casey was 3-8 with a 3.39 GAA and a .866 save
percentage. Ugh.
TEAM MVP: A strong case could be made for team MVP honors
going to Fuhr, but our choice has to go to Pronger. There has been
a great deal of pressure on Pronger ever since he came to the Blues
in exchange for Shanahan in 1995. The 22-year-old defenseman has
had to endure a lot of boos from Blues fans as he tried to play at
the NHL level and improve his game at the same time. The fans
weren't necessary against Pronger, but rather they were angry that
Keenan traded away one of the most popular players in St. Louis
history.
It looks as if Pronger is finally turning all of his potential into
solid NHL skills. He looks comfortable at the blue line for the
first time since he joined the league in 1993. Pronger's offensive
rose significantly this season -- he set career highs in goals (11)
and points (35). Pronger also set a career high in penalty minutes
with 143. While he still has trouble at times with his temper, he
was much more in control of himself this season. Pronger's
improvement was also noticed in the plus/minus category. Despite
playing more minutes than just about everyone else on the team,
Pronger led the Blues with a +15 rating, a great improvement over
the -18 he posted last season.
SURPRISES: The play of rookie Jim Campbell. The Blues signed
Campbell, who was a free agent, away from the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in
the off-season because they needed some help with their depth at the
center position. I doubt the Blues knew it at the time, but Campbell
proved to be more valuable to the team than expected. Because of the
lack of production from Courtnall and Murphy, Campbell's offense was
greatly appreciated. In 68 games, Campbell scored 23 goals, 43
points and was a +3. Campbell probably would have done even better
had he not needed surgery to repair a severed ligament in his right
hand. The injury knocked him out of the lineup at a time when he was
just starting to get comfortable with the team. After he returned to
the lineup, he struggled to find his game.
Campbell's play impressed many. Surprisingly, he was nominated for
the Calder Trophy for the rookie of the year. Bryan Berard won the
award, but Campbell was still chosen for the all-rookie team.
Campbell was originally drafted by the Canadiens in the second
round of the 1991 draft, but didn't see any NHL action until last
season, when he played in 16 games for the Ducks and scored five
points. The Ducks acquired Campbell from the Habs in 1996 for
Robert Dirk.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: Geoff Courtnall and Joe Murphy. Perhaps
there was too much pressure on them to begin with, considering
their lack of production last season, but the pair of costly
wingers didn't do squat for the Blues this season. As said
earlier, Courtnall scored just 17 goals and 57 points while Murphy
tallied 20 goals and 45 points.
Because of their struggles, the Blues were able to introduce some
younger players into the lineup like Harry York, who started the
season out on fire but quickly cooled off, Craig Conroy, Scott
Pellerin, Robert Petrovicky and Pavol Demitra. Considering that
the Blues have one of the largest payrolls in the league, it
wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that some of these younger players
will take over Courtnall and Murphy's jobs next season. Either one
of them could be traded before training camp begins.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Small tinkering has already begun in St.
Louis, but a major overhaul could be right around the corner. The
Blues picked up defenseman Alexander Godynyuk from the Whale
(Hurricanes) for Steve Leach and a draft pick. Godynyuk will add a
name to the depth chart, but little else. Because of injuries, the
pricey Leach played in just 17 games for the Blues last season.
The Blues also sent Mike Peluso to the New York Rangers as
compensation for the signing of Larry Pleau to fill the vacated
general manager position.
What could happen? Courtnall and Murphy could be shipped out, there
are always rumors of a Brett Hull trade, Turgeon is a free agent and
MacInnis has just one year left on his current contract. Keep an eye
on the Blues this summer. It could be a busy one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Mike Murphy
Season Results:
30W-44L-8T, 68 points.
Sixth Central Division, 11th Western Conference.
Roster: C - Jamie Baker, Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Brandon
Convery, Jason Podollan. LW - Fredrik Modin, Wendel Clark, Todd
Warriner, Mark Kolesar. RW - Mats Sundin, Sergei Berezin, Tie Domi,
Mike Craig, Zdenek Nedved, Mike Johnson, Kelly Chase. D -Matt
Martin, Jamie Macoun, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Craig
Wolanin, Tom Pederson, Greg Smyth. G - Felix Potvin, Marcel
Cousineau.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 230 (17th)
GOALS AGAINST: 273 (22nd)
POWER PLAY: 15.5% (14th)
PENALTY KILLING: 82.0% (19th)
TEAM NEWS by Jonah A. Sigel
NOWHERE TO GO BUT...
It started with a lousy prediction -- 90 points. Leaf President,
COO and GM Cliff Fletcher predicted a 90-point season for his club
and the fans and media started to snicker. Fletcher provided the
ammunition for his doubters early in the preseason. As the team
fell out of the starting gate, a slide from which they would never
recover, the pressure became immense and the losses mounted. The
1996-97 season was a complete disaster for the Maple Leafs both on
the ice as well as off it. Consider that since the end of last
season fans have had to contend with the following:
*No first-round draft pick in 1996 entry draft.
*Dumping of veterans Dave Gagner, Mike Gartner and Todd Gill with
only Jaime Baker to show for them.
*Inability to hire a coach, having to hire third choice at best in
Mike Murphy.
*Learning that prior to a tremendous season, Fletcher could have
signed Wayne Gretzky, but ownership nixed the plan.
*A brutal first half of the season.
*Outburst of captain Doug Gilmour towards a coach, management and
the media.
*An embarrassing sex scandal at the Gardens.
*Trading of veterans like Gilmour, Dave Ellett, Larry Murphy and
Kirk Muller.
*Knowledge that Fletcher was offered a first-round pick for Wendel
Clark, Fletcher's reply was "Draft Scmaft!"
*Firing of Cliff Fletcher.
*Hiring of Ken Dryden.
*No draft choice until the third round in the 1997 draft.
*Failure of planned joint building with NBA Raptors at downtown
Union Staion.
*Inability to lure Dallas GM Bob Gainey away from Dallas.
*Entering month of July with no GM and most hockey people unsure of
the their job security.
*No serious candidates available for GM post.
As painful as last season is to talk about, the future is as bleak
as ever. There are a few reasons to be somewhat optimistic: Ken
Dryden is now running the ship, although he has spent no time in
hockey since retirement, many find sollace in his bright
scholarlike attitude. Fletcher was allowed, for some reason, to
dismantle the mess he created. He was allowed to trade away almost
all valuable assets of the team and acquire some young talent to
restock the baren shelves.
After the worst season in recent memory, the team remains in flux.
The fact that assistant GM Bill Watters has been allowed to run
things is humorous. Widely unrespected in the business, Watters
has a reputation of being the team leak. Further it is widely
known that his contract expires June 30th and he has already
arranged a position with Toronto's all-sports radio station, the
Fan 590. So Wilbur with rest of his soon-to-be uncontracted scouts
are carrying the team through the free agent season, a propostion
that has few feeling comfortable with the prospects of success.
Further to the mess is the coaching situation. It is widely thought
that a new GM will quickly fire Mike Murphy and the rest of the
coaching staff. Giving management the benefit of the doubt, let's
assume they hire a new GM within the first week of July (a stretch
at best). This individual would then have about a month and a half
to reshape the team personnel and hire a new coach. The prospects
are not good.
TEAM MVP: The fans should receive the vote as MVP of the team
for the season. If a player had to be selected, surprisingly I would
nominate the only player who played hard every shift on every night
and that would be Tie Domi. Sundin, Gilmour et al were simply too
invisible during log stretches during the season.
SURPRISES: The demise of Fletcher would have to be the
biggest surprise of the season. Many claimed that when he dealt
for Clark and Schneider that he had lost his grip on hockey
reality. 1996-97 proved them right. The fact that he was allowed
to deal away the assets of the team and reshape the future of a
team is somewhat funny. Add Domi's success and the failure of the
rest of the team especially Mike Murphy as surprises as well.
Knowing what happened during the Ballard era few were that
surprised with the sex scandal, rather with the wide scope of
it.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: There are not enough trees in the world to
create the paper to write about the disappointments with the
1996-97 Maple Leaf team. Ups? There were none future, uncertain,
cloudy, bleak etc. The play of the veterans, the inability of the
youngsters to adjust the refusal of the coaching staff to
communicate, the inability of management to recognize the poor
state of things earlier, inability to lure Gainey, failure of the
arena .need I continue?
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: The list of off-season changes should and
could be long. Fletcher is already gone, the rest of his entire
staff should follow. It is hard to imagine a good GM finding uses
for Watters, Beverely et al. They were unable to serve Fletcher --
how could they serve a new GM? Player wise, changes are difficult
to gauge. Many of the underachievers should be gone but for whom?
There is talk of trying to make a big splash in the free agent
season, but for who? Luke Richardson? The Leafs should make every
attempt to get quality character guys for the team, Mike Luit as GM
or perhaps Glen Sather or Scotty Bowman, Keenan would be a great
coach if he had a good quality GM over him so he had to focus on
his coaching duties. As for players, get Dino ASAP, no player has
a bigger heart or the ability to put the puck in the net. After
that nothing could be worse than Mike Craig.
It should be an interesting summer in Leaf land. Things should
improve. How, no one is sure. It appears that things are on the
right track with Dryden in power, some youthful prospects in camp,
but after that ???? At least we have yet to deal away the 1998
draft pick, we could always get the number one overall...
================================================================
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ron Wilson
Season Results:
36W-33L-13T, 85 points.
Second Pacific Division, Fourth Western Conference.
Roster:C - Steve Rucchin, Kevin Todd, J.F. Jomphe, Sean Pronger,
Mark Janssens, Richard Park. LW - Paul Kariya, Ted Drury, Shawn
Antoski, Brian Bellows, Joe Sacco, Ken Baumgartner, Warren Rychel,
Mike Leclerc. RW - Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Peter LeBoutillier. D
- Dave Karpa, Bobby Dollas, Dan Trebil, Dmitri Mironov, Darren Van
Impe, Jason Marshall, J.J. Daigneault, Pavel Trnka. G - Guy Hebert,
Mikhail Shtalenkov.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 245 (10th)
GOALS AGAINST: 233 (11th)
POWER PLAY: 16.8% (9th)
PENALTY KILLING: 81.5% (22nd)
TEAM NEWS by Viktor Malakoff
The Year That Was
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim entered the 1996-97 NHL season in the
shadow of their expansion brethren, the Florida Panthers. Florida,
admitted to the league at the same time as Disney's Ducks, had
written a blueprint for expansion success, having reached the
Stanley Cup Finals in just their third season. The Ducks,
meanwhile, had failed to qualify for the postseason -- despite an
impressive late-season run -- for the third year in a row.
So the team's mandate for 96-97 was clear: Make the playoffs...or
else. In the end, they did more than just make the playoffs, but it
was no empty netter.
Season in Review
With Paul Kariya still suffering from the abdominal strain that held
him out of the inaugural World Cup of Hockey, the Ducks opened their
1996-97 campaign without their best player. And it showed.
Teemu Selanne was huge game in and game out -- figuring in roughly
half of the team's goals -- but it wasn't enough to prevent an
October to forget. When Kariya returned, the Ducks began to dig
themselves out of their 2-9-2 hole, going 12-10-3 in the 25 games
that carried them into 1997.
But despite all-star performances by the Dynamic Duo -- who would be
rewarded, along with teammate Guy Hebert, with a trip to San Jose for
the mid-season classic -- the Ducks struggled to score goals. It
would be a struggle that continued all year long, through endless
line shuffles and a handful of trades. And though Anaheim's
offensive output was less than impressive, their goaltending and
team defense compensated.
Far from looking like a playoff contender in October, the Ducks
entered the season's second half with a shot at overtaking a weak
Western Conference pack. And with superb goaltending, a team record
14-game home undefeated streak and a power play that finally --
thanks to the addition of point men Dmitri Mironov and J.J.
Daigneault -- started to click, that's exactly what they did.
The Ducks earned home-ice advantage heading into their first-ever
playoff appearance, and needed it to dispatch the pesky Phoenix
Coyotes. Phoenix, led by Keith Tkachuk's offense and Jeremy
Roenick's grit, had Anaheim on the brink of elimination in Game 6.
But Ron Wilson's motivational tactics brought the Ducks back to
life in a nail-biting, season-saving 3-2 overtime win that forced
Game 7.
Guy Hebert's first playoff shutout (3-0) carried Anaheim into a
second round match-up against Detroit. With a 3-0-1 regular-season
record against the Red Wings, the Ducks had reason to be optimistic
about their playoff chances. But as everyone who faced Detroit in
the post-season quickly learned, the Red Wings were on a mission
from, with apologies to The Blues Brothers, the hockey gods. And
though the Ducks put up four spirited efforts -- including double-
and triple-overtime extravaganzas -- they were left drowning in the
wake of the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
Nonetheless, the season had to be considered a success. The Ducks
had made the playoffs, advanced beyond the first round and given
the eventual champs a run for their money. Selanne and Kariya
finished two-three (behind Mario Lemieux) in the NHL scoring race,
and both earned nominations for the Lady Byng. Kariya, the Byng
winner for the second straight year, also garnered his first
nomination for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
All in all, a happy Duck tale.
TEAM MVP: Paul Kariya. While it's virtually impossible to
separate Kariya from Selanne when talking about importance to the
team, the MVP can only go to one guy. And in this one-man poll, the
award goes to Kariya. Not just because the team went 2-9-2 without
him, although that's hard to ignore, but also because of the
intensity with which he plays the game. He came within a wisp of
his second consecutive 100-point season (44-55-99), intimidated
opponents with his speed, combined superb passing skills with
scoring ability, and posted a points-per-game average (1.43) that
trailed only Mario Lemieux (1.60) and Jaromir Jagr (1.50).
All of which is not to diss Selanne, whose numbers (51-58-109, .65
goals-per-game) and effort were also critical to Anaheim's success.
Also worthy of consideration was goaltender Guy Hebert. The Ducks
were outshot 57 times this season and allowed an average of over 37
shots per game, in the face of which Hebert earned himself a trip
to the All-Star Game and was outstanding down the stretch.
SURPRISES: The pleasant surprise of the season has to be the
emergence of a solid power-play blue line duo, Daigneault and
Mironov, for the first time. While it took two different trades
with Pittsburgh to bring them in -- and the patience to wait
through a 10-game suspension to Daigneault (for swinging his stick
at "Doughnut Don" Koharski) -- the pair keyed a late-season special
teams revival. With Kariya freed from playing the point, the team's
offense was more creative and their defense less susceptible to
shorthanded 2-on-1 rushes. Look for both defensemen to return next
year.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: The season's biggest disappointment was the
same this year as last: A lack of offensive production beyond the
first line. That failure can't be laid solely at the feet of Jari
Kurri, who was theoretically going to play with Kariya and Selanne
anyway. But when that combo didn't click, the team needed Kurri to
make an impact on the second line. He was solid defensively, but
failed to even notch the 17 goals he needed to hit 600 for his
illustrious career. That hurt the team, as did a similar lack of
output from Brian Bellows, Kevin Todd, Joe Sacco et al. Whether the
lack of scoring is a player problem (lack of production) or a
management problem (lack of depth) is a matter of opinion.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: "Turn and face the strain," wrote David
Bowie, a mantra that Disney sports chief Tony Taveras apparently
believes in. For as soon as the season ended, Taveras faced up to
his strained relationship with coach Ron Wilson and blew him out.
Forget that it made no sense, or that the Ducks then set out to
find a coach with (in the words of GM Jack Ferreira) "some of the
same qualities" Wilson had. It was the Anaheim's first off-season
change and, no matter what else happens, will be their most
significant.
Despite the lack of anything beyond the Kariya-Selanne one-two
punch, Ferreira is not about to make wholesale changes to his
lineup. He doesn't have the depth to swing a trade of significance
(assuming Kariya and Selanne are untouchable) nor the inclination
to make a play for a high-end free agent. If history has taught us
anything, it's that spending money to improve the team is not the
Disney way. And the failed Kurri experiment, sadly, will likely
reinforce that position. Instead, Ferreira will probably allow his
kids (Sean Pronger, J.F. Jomphe, Mike LeClerc) more ice time while
stressing a team-defense philosophy. As for Kurri, the team failed
to exercise their option on him, though they may still try to sign
him at a lower salary.
But the most important change in Anaheim will be behind the bench.
As this issue of LCS Hockey is posted, with Ferreira off on a
two-week "Cruise with the Ducks," the team had yet to name a coach.
It remains to be seen whether fans who had signed on for the pricey
cruise to get up close and personal with former coach Wilson are
getting any special insight into the decision-making process. But
the leading candidate for the job was said to be Pierre Page, who
will not return to Calgary but is still under contract to the
Flames and will require compensation.
Wildcard possibilities include coach-of-the-year Ted Nolan, having
been insulted by Buffalo's one-year offer, and current assistant
coach Walt Kyle (the only staff member to survive the purge).
Longshots include former assistant Al Sims (fired by San Jose) and
Terry Murray, although he's hardly the quiet type Taveras is
seeking -- having been run out of Philadelphia for publicly calling
his team chokers.
Whatever the off-season brings the Ducks, the new season -- which
opens with a two-game roadie in Japan against the Vancouver Canucks
-- will bring the pressures and expectations of living up not to
Florida's playoff success, but to their own.
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CALGARY FLAMES
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Head Coach: Pierre Page
Season Results:
32W-41L-9T, 73 points.
Fifth Pacific Division, 10th Western Division.
Roster: C - Dave Gagner, Cory Stillman, Corey Millen, Aaron
Gavey. RW - Theoren Fleury, Jarome Iginla, Ron Stern, Ed Ward,
Sandy McCarthy. LW - Jonas Hoglund, Marty McInnis, German Titov,
Todd Hlushko, Mike Sullivan, Hnat Domenichelli. D - Jamie Allison,
James Patrick, Glen Featherstone, Tommy Albelin, Joel Bouchard,
Todd Simpson, Cale Hulse, Zarley Zalapski, Yves Racine. G - Trevor
Kidd, Dwayne Roloson.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 214 (25th)
GOALS AGAINST: 239 (14th)
POWER PLAY: 16.9% (8th)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.2% (17th)
TEAM NEWS by Tony Wong
Heading into the 1996-97 season, not much was anticipated from the
Calgary Flames. Having barely made the playoffs the year before
and having lost the heart and soul of the team (Gary Roberts) to
retirement, expectations were low. Yet, as it does each fall, hope
springs eternal. With an enthusiastic start from the rookies, it
seemed that the Flames had managed to quickly turn the corner.
Unfortunately consistency rarely comes with youth. In the end, the
youth that was the source of their exuberance also led to their
downfall. Unable to maintain any semblance of consistency, the
Flames lost the playoff spot they had held for most of the year in
the last two weeks of the season. (sigh) Maybe next year. What
follows is a recap of Calgary's roller coaster season.
The Flames flew out of the gate to start the season, compiling an
impressive 7-4-1 record against some heavy competition (most
notably, wins against Detroit, Philadelphia and Colorado). Strong
goaltending from the tandem of Trevor Kidd and Rick Tabaracci
combined with tight defensive play were the keys.
However all good things must come to an end. With injuries to
several key players, such as Zarley Zalapski (lost for the season
to a knee injury on October 6), the weight of having 10 to 12
rookies in the lineup began to show. A few losses became many and
the confidence of the young team sagged as the Flames slumped.
Hoping to shake things up a little and settle the goaltending
controversy, Al Coates traded Rick Tabaracci to Tampa Bay. With
two experienced netminders (Kidd and Tabaracci) and an excellent
minor league prospect (Dwayne Roloson), it was a surplus that
needed to be managed. Trading away one of the veteran netminders,
as Coates did, was the most logical move. Unfortunately for the
Flames, it seemed to hurt rather than help. Kidd suddenly hit a
massive slump, and the goaltending (which had been a strength all
year) suddenly became a weakness.
The struggle continued until early 1997, when the Flames seemed to
become inspired. After losing a couple of close games, the Flames
reeled off a quick little 3-1-0 spurt just before the All-Star
break.
Just in time for Pierre Page and Theoren Fleury to get into a public
spat.
As the lone star on the Flames, Fleury had been struggling all
year. After spending some time at the All-Star game with his peers
in San Jose, Fleury wondered out loud (to the media) that perhaps
he practices too much and the coach should give him a break, so he
could be fresher for games. Unfortunately for Fleury, Page is a
strong believer in hard practices and superior conditioning. With
Fleury finishing near the bottom in the conditioning tests just
prior to the All-Star break, the coach and the captain were now
officially at odds.
The disagreement became front page news, with support from the local
media split evenly between Fleury and Page. While the Fleury and the
Flames attempted damage control, the controversy raged. Some even
believed that the Flames should trade their diminutive captain. The
result? More losses for the Flames as the media circus roared.
Luckily, nothing calms the angry mob more than a few wins. The
"schedule gods" smiled upon the Flames and granted them a reprieve
-- a dozen odd games against the bottom-feeders of the league. The
Flames quickly went on a 7-5-1 run, and suddenly were in the thick
of it. Instead of worrying about making the playoffs, the Flames
were challenging for fourth place in the Western Conference!
With the Brier (Canadian curling championship) in Calgary and taking
over the Saddledome, the Flames embarked on a seven-game/16-day road
trip against some of the elite teams in the league. Impressively, the
Flames answered the call and responded with a 3-3-1 record. It
seemed like the team had matured and was ready to take the next step.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
What followed was disappointment. With a relatively soft schedule
left for the remainder of the season, and with games in hand over
their rivals, the Flames simply choked. Each time the Flames
needed a win, a heartbreaking loss against a sub .500 team seemed
to materialize. Slowly, the Flames began to slip down into eighth
place. In the end, the Blackhawks won when they needed to and the
Flames didn't. The result? The Flames finished with a 32-41-9
record, fifth overall in the Pacific, 10th in the conference and
most importantly, out of the playoffs.
Below is a breakdown of their season in 10-game segments:
Period Beginning Record (W-L-T)
October 5 6-4-0
October 26 3-5-2
November 20 1-7-2
December 12 3-6-1
January 4 5-4-1
February 1 6-3-1
February 21 5-5-0
March 15 3-5-2
April 11 0-2-0
Overall, the season was an impressive showing for the rookies.
While consistency and leadership were sometimes lacking, flashes of
brilliance gave hope for a brighter future.
TEAM MVP: Without a doubt, the Flames' MVP was Dave Gagner.
Offensively, Gagner provided a surprising burst of offense and filled
the void when the designated "offensive talents" such as Theoren
Fleury and Robert Reichel mailed their performances in.
Defensively, Gagner was a key face-off man and always seemed to
center one of the better defensive lines -- regardless of who his
linemates were. Leadership? Gagner demonstrated a fantastic work
ethic and played a key role in the grooming of rookies such as
Iginla and Hoglund. Unfortunately for the Flames, Gagner became an
unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, and he signed with
the Florida Panthers. We here at LCS Hockey send out our MVP kudos
to Mr. Gagner for a great performance in 1996-97.
SURPRISES: While strong cases can be made for Gagner, Jonas
Hoglund, Aaron Gavey and Yves Racine, the biggest surprise of the
year had to be Todd Simpson. Young and brash, Simpson had an
outside chance of making the Flames going into training camp.
However, tough, inspired play had Page playing Simpson against the
opposing team's top line by October. Not too bad for a rookie,
eh? With a mean streak about a mile wide, Simpson quickly climbed
onto the "most hated" list of many teams. References? Just ask
Pavel Bure (season long sore neck) or Peter Forsberg (bruised
thigh). So congratulations to Todd Simpson, our surprise of 1997.
Let's hope Calgary's local version of Bryan Marchment continues to
develop in 1998.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: Do you have a few days? While ALL of the
Flames were guilty, three players stand out: Fleury, Reichel and
Kidd. As three of the cornerstones of the franchise, none answered
the call this season.
Fleury simply had one of his worst seasons offensively. Without
someone else to attract the attention of the opposition's number
one checkers, Fleury struggled to consistently find open ice.
Scoring became a rumor. And most damaging of all, Fleury became a
whiner, making inappropriate comments to the media about the coach
and his teammates. Come on Theo, we know you can do better.
For Reichel, it almost seemed like bad luck. While Reichel played
his heart out, it often seemed that Sandy McCarthy was more likely
to score. Unfortunately for Robert, the Flames didn't shell out
millions for a hard working grinder. Reichel's failure to
re-capture the 40-goal form of years past was disappointing in a
season when they needed his offense the most. Eventually his lack
of production led to a trade to the Islanders. Too bad -- we'll
miss you Robert.
Trevor Kidd meanwhile was the victim of no one but himself. While
solid most of the time, Kidd's knack for cracking in pressure
situations did nothing to inspire the confidence of his teammates.
Inconsistency plagued him and once again, soft goals at key moments
were his trademark for the season.
Fleury-Kidd, Round One
Theoren Fleury -- Mr. Sensitivity reared his head once again, and
this time the victim was Trevor Kidd. Talking about the Flames
season on The Sports Network, Fleury made the off-handed comment
that, "Eventually, we're going to need some goaltending."
Not surprisingly, as the Flames' number one goalie, Kidd took the
comments personally. The next day, at the Flames' annual break-up
party, the two avoided each other like the plague. Since then,
neither one has spoken to the other.
Though Fleury has since admitted that he's used poor judgment in
some of his comments this year (not only about Kidd, but about
Pierre Page), he hasn't specifically apologized to Kidd. And
therein lies the heart of the problem.
What should the Flames do? As two of the cornerstone players of the
franchise, the Flames cannot afford to have the two stewing at one
another all season long. One of the first things Brian Sutter will
need to do is to sit down and resolve the misunderstanding between
the two. If not, Sutter and the Flames will not last very long next
season.
If there is a ray of light in this scenario, it's the fact that
Fleury and Kidd used to be quite close. For three years, they
roomed together on the road. Someone needs to apologize (Fleury)
and the other needs to accept (Kidd). If they do, it might even
make the Flames stronger.
Gary Roberts Comeback (Really!)
Well we here at LCS Hockey bow our head in shame. The old axiom --
"if you hear it enough, there must be some truth to it" rings in
our ears. Throughout the season, we'd tell you about rumors of
Gary Roberts' comeback and then promptly dispel them as myths.
Well the myth is now a reality. Declaring himself fit, Gary Roberts
has announced that he is indeed ready for a comeback. In "the best
shape of my life", Roberts would like to resume his career as one of
the premier power forwards in hockey. Not only does Roberts plan to
play next season, he is planning on playing for another "five years
or so".
So the Flames and their fans should be jumping for joy, right? Not
so fast. While Gary feels great, the Flames doctors aren't quite
so sure. A neck injury such as Roberts' is not to be regarded
lightly.
At $2 million dollars a season (the price needed to keep Gary's
rights and prevent him from becoming a free agent WITHOUT
compensation), it's an important and expensive decision that the
Flames must make.
What should the Flames do? As a fan, our gut reaction is to keep
him. For years, Roberts was the heart and soul of the team which
all of the other players rallied around. Simply put, with Roberts
in the lineup, the Flames were competitive. Without him, we missed
the playoffs. While the safe bet would be to deal him to the
highest bidder, we here at LCS Hockey say damn the torpedoes and
take the risk. Roberts deserves to retire as a Flame. If Roberts
is the Roberts of old, it's a gamble that will pay off
handsomely.
New Coach(es) in Town
What was supposed to be a quiet off-season quickly turned into a
busy one for GM Al Coates. With one year left on his contract, Page
asked Coates in early June for a two-year extension. Effective with
the limited talent at his disposal, it was a reasonable request.
When Coates turned Page's request down, Page resigned. Scrambling,
Coates counter-offered with a one year extension, to no avail.
Page was gone. Adding to this little problem was the fact that the
Flames released Kevin Constantine just a week earlier to take the
head coaching position in Pittsburgh. So with three days to go
before the entry draft, the Flames no longer had a head coach.
Good timing, eh?
Luckily for the Flames, times are tough in the NHL for coaches. In
what other league does the "coach of the year" (Ted Nolan) end up
out of a job? So needless to say there were a number of qualified
candidates available. While Nolan was one of the candidates for
the position, no one really stood a chance against Brian
Sutter.
Two years ago, when the Flames were looking for a coach, Sutter was
one of the finalists for the position. While Coates was in favor
of hiring Sutter for the job, our infamous general manager at the
time (Doug Risebrough) liked Page. Needless to say, Page got the
job. Now two years later, Sutter gets his chance.
Out of coaching since 1995, Sutter bring an impressive 120-73-23
record with him from three seasons as the head coach of the
Bruins. A runner-up for the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the
year in 1992, Sutter won the award in 1991 when he led the St.
Louis Blues to second overall in the league. Overall, Sutter is
273-197-66 and should provide an interesting contrast to his
predecessors, Dave King and Pierre Page. While King and Page were
strategists, Sutter is a motivator, given to emotional displays on
the bench. It should be interesting year to say the least.
New Coach, New Captain
Adding an unusual twist to the coaching saga, Theoren Fleury stepped
down as captain of the Flames a day before Brian Sutter was
announced as the new head coach (on July 3).
Disappointed (as we all were) with his season, Fleury stepped down
to "concentrate on regaining his form as an elite player". Fleury
added that he felt that it was the new coach's right to name his
own captain and did not want to stand in the way.
While unusual, the move was probably in the best interests of all of
those involved. Fleury struggled under the dual mantle of being the
best player and the captain. At times, disagreements with the coach
or other players (such as Trevor Kidd) created unneeded distractions
and embarrassment for the team. Often, frustration for Fleury was
played out in negative comments, which were quite unbecoming for a
captain. In any case, let's hope it works. The Flames need Fleury
at his best to be successful.
In naming a new captain and assistants, perhaps Sutter shouldn't
look too far. While unsuited for the pressures of the captaincy,
naming Fleury as an assistant would be a classy move. Fleury has
thrived in the role of an assistant in the past and it would be a
vote of confidence from the coach for his best player.
And the captain? Though risky, how about Gary Roberts? Naming
Roberts would be a gutsy move, but one which might inspire a young
team looking for leadership. Roberts has always been well
respected amongst his teammates and plays hard every shift. More
likely though, Sutter will name one of his veteran defensemen,
Patrick or Zalapski, as his new captain. Both are respected
veterans who could aptly fill the role.
Draft Day
While the Flames were in turmoil entering the draft (without a head
coach), they left smiling. Picking sixth overall, the Flames had
tried to trade up for a playmaking center. However, when the sixth
pick came along, they were overjoyed to find Daniel Tkaczuk (rated
third overall by the Central Scouting Bureau) still available.
Tkaczuk is considered one of the best two-way players available
with a keen hockey sense (unanimously voted by OHL coaches as the
league's smartest player), strong leadership qualities (the
youngest captain in the OHL at 17), and has drawn favorable
comparisons to Bryan Trottier and Ron Francis. If Tkaczuk lives up
to half his billing, the Flames might finally have the premier
center that they've so desperately missed since trading away Doug
Gilmour. Let's hope it's not just hype.
The rest of the Flames' draft went as follows:
Round Player
1. Daniel Tkaczuk, C, Barrie (OHL)
2. Evan Lindsay, G, Prince Albert (WHL)
2. (from St. Louis) John Tripp, RW, Oshawa (OHL)
2. (from New Jersey via Carolina) Dmitri Kokorev, D, Moscow Dynamo (Russia)
3. Derek Schutz, C, Spokane (WHL)
3. (from Phoenix) Erik Andersson, C, Denver (WCHA)
4. (from Ottawa) Chris St. Croix, D, Kamloops (WHL)
4. (from Florida) Ryan Ready, LW, Belleville (OHL)
5. Martin Moise, LW, Beauport (QMJHL)
6. (from N.Y. Islanders) Ilga Demidov, D, Dynamo (Russia)
7. Jeremy Rondeau, LW, Swift Current (WHL)
9. Dustin Paul, RW, Moose Jaw (WHL)
Welcome back Rick
In an unique twist of events, Rick Tabaracci is once again a Flame.
Traded for Aaron Gavey last year, Calgary re-acquired the popular
goalie for a 1998 fourth-round draft pick. A virtual vote of "no
confidence" for Trevor Kidd, once again it'll be an interesting three
way battle for the starting goaltending job at camp. Stay tuned.
In an unrelated trade, the Flames dealt Mike Sullivan back to the
Boston Bruins for a 1998 seventh-round pick. With a number of
younger and cheaper players (such as Ed Ward) filling an identical
role, Sullivan was expendable.
Looking Ahead
Al Coates might just as well go ahead and cancel those holidays.
Though he finally has a head coach in place, there's a number of
issues to deal with. To help out poor Al, we've made a to do
list:
- Decide on Gary Roberts. Keep or trade?
- Trade extra defensemen.
- Resolve Fleury/Kidd personality conflict. Get Brian Sutter to help.
- Agree on compensation for Pierre Page with Anaheim (when he signs).
- Hire full-time goaltending coach for Trevor Kidd.
- Re-sign Michael Nylander.
- Re-negotiate contracts (McInnis, Kidd and others are at the end of
their contracts).
- Other wacky stuff as needed.
It'll be a busy summer for the Flames. See you all at training camp
next fall!
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COLORADO AVALANCHE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Marc Crawford
Season Results:
49W-24L-9T, 107 points.
First Pacific Division, First Western Conference.
Roster: C - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Stephane Yelle.
LW - Valeri Kamensky, Yves Sarault, Rene Corbet, Eric Lacroix. RW -
Claude Lemieux, Adam Deadmarsh, Keith Jones, Scott Young, Mike Keane.
D - Sandis Ozolinsh, Sylvain Lefebvre, Uwe Krupp, Adam Foote, Alexei
Gusarov, Jon Klemm, Brent Severyn, Aaron Miller, Eric Messier. G -
Patrick Roy, Craig Billington, Jean-Francois Labbe.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 277 (2nd)
GOALS AGAINST: 205 (5th)
POWER PLAY: 20.6% (3rd)
PENALTY KILLING: 87.6% (2nd)
TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell
Hey, it doesn't mean as much if you win it every year. The
Colorado Avalanche followed up their Stanley Championship with
another strong season, compiling a league best 49-24-9 record
(107 pts) while claiming the first President's Trophy in
franchise history. But this season's accomplishments all have a
hollow ring to them because of a six-game loss to the Detroit Red
Wings in the Western Conference finals. It's one thing to not
win the Cup, but to allow the arch-enemy Red Wings to skate with
it hurts. It hurts bad.
There just seemed to be something missing this year in the
postseason. The club never displayed the hunger it had the year
before. Losing to a team as good as the Wings is by no means a
disgrace, it's just that all things being equal, Colorado has the
better team. However, they couldn't quite match Detroit's
emotional intensity.
The Avalanche didn't play their best hockey against the Wings.
That's what makes the loss so frustrating. Peter Forsberg and
Adam Deadmarsh were almost completely invisible, and the only
time Sandis Ozolinsh was noticed was when he was giving the puck
away. Injuries also played a major role in the loss. Forsberg
wasn't at full strength, still recovering from a concussion in
round two and then hurting his hip in Game Four. Stephane Yelle
missed half the series before returning from knee surgery, and
Uwe Krupp (back) and Keith Jones (knee) never played a minute.
But rather than dwell on the disappointing ending, let's take a
look at the season as a whole.
Colorado was strong in every aspect of the game. The team
finished second in league goal-scoring (277) and fifth in goals
against (205). Its power play ended up with the third best
conversion rate in the league (20.6%), but led the league with 83
total power-play goals, nine more than second place Pittsburgh
(74). The club's penalty-killers, led by the duo of Mike Keane
and Yelle, were on pace to set a new NHL record for success
before a slight late-season slide dropped them to second overall
behind New Jersey. Basically, there were no holes in Colorado's
game.
The club would have easily run away with the league scoring crown
had Joe Sakic (22-52-74) and Peter Forsberg (28-58-86) not missed
17 games each due to injury. Forsberg went out of the lineup
first, on December 14, suffering a severe left thigh bruise after
getting kneed by Calgary's Todd Simpson in a 4-1 road loss to the
Flames. Just a few weeks later on January 4, Sakic had his left
calf sliced by the blade of Dale Hawerchuk's skate.
While no one wanted to see the two superstars get injured, there
was a school of thought that felt it might have actually been a
blessing in disguise, giving them both a chance to rest for the
playoffs. But these injuries were a little more serious than
first thought, especially Sakic's. The wound on his calf was
extremely deep and had to be stitched back together from the
inside out. Once sewn up, his leg was then placed in a cast and
he wasn't allowed to skate for a month. Even when he was
permitted back on the ice, Sakic had to take it slow in order to
not aggravate the situation. When he finally returned to live
action his skating and timing were noticeably off. His game
really didn't start to come together until shortly before the
postseason.
While the injury robbed Sakic of another sure 100-point season,
he was far from his 50-goal pace of the previous year. Joe was
getting plenty of shots, leading the team with 261, but the puck
just wasn't going in for him. The lack of production could be
attributed to all the hockey he's played the past year. Sakic
does have a tendency to wear down at times, and between last
year's Stanley Cup run and the preseason World Cup competition,
he's played enough to wear anyone down.
There was some good news to come from the injuries. When
Forsberg and Sakic were out, Adam Deadmarsh switched from wing to
center and excelled in their absences. The 22-year-old led the
team with a career high 33 goals and also set a new individual
benchmark with 60 points. Deadmarsh looked to be on the verge of
superstardom himself, and then came his three-goal, nine-point
playoff debacle. It's strange, but he just seemed to play better
when one of the team's two big guns were out of the lineup. The
fact he's willing and able to step up when called upon is
encouraging. Now he just needs to remember that he can still be
an impact player even if he isn't one of the top two centers.
That realization should come with age.
The Avalanche offense was also hindered by injuries to Claude
Lemieux, Valeri Kamensky, and Mike Ricci. Abdominal surgery kept
Lemieux out of the lineup for the first few months of the season
and limited him to just 11 goals and 28 points in 45 games.
Kamensky, knocked out with a separated shoulder, appeared in only
68 games, ringing up 28 goals and 66 points. Ricci (13-19-32)
battled a shoulder problem of his own and only saw 63 contests.
Ricci has lost a bit of his reputation as a scorer the past few
years, so it wasn't really his numbers that were missed, but more
his competitiveness and intensity.
It's really a tremendous tribute to Colorado's depth that the
team could still win a President's Trophy while fighting through
so many lengthy injuries to so many key players. Heading up this
quality depth, along with Deadmarsh, was Keith Jones. When tough
guy Chris Simon held out in a contract dispute, GM Pierre Lacroix
sent him packing to Washington to acquire Jones. The gritty
winger was an honest, hard-working guy that chipped in 25 goals
and 45 points.
Another newcomer up front this season was Eric Lacroix. The son
of GM Pierre, Lacroix was a perfect fourth-line checking winger.
He never took a shift off, always finished his checks, and always
put the team ahead of himself. If that weren't enough, he also
tossed in 18 goals and 36 points for good measure. Scott Young
(18-19-37) and Rene Corbet (12-15-27) were also rock solid
contributors, filling in where needed and making big plays.
Young often found himself on the power play, where he scored
seven man-advantage goals, and Corbet did some swell work on the
penalty kill.
They were mentioned briefly earlier, but the final two forwards
of note are Mike Keane (10-17-27) and Stephane Yelle (9-17-26).
These guys are two of the most underrated players in the league.
If they got a point for every time they prevented a goal, these
guys would in contention for the Art Ross. Keane is, without
doubt, the best role player in the league. He's just a character
guy from top to bottom. Yelle isn't as physical and he isn't the
vocal leader Keane is, but he's the kind of solid, defensively
responsible fourth-line center that every team wants but few
have. And he's only 23.
Notice that the term "fourth line" was used more than a few times
in the above paragraphs. That's what makes Colorado so great.
They have enough quality talent to fill out four legitimate NHL
caliber lines. A lot of teams play four lines, but not many have
NHL caliber talent on all of 'em. Hell, most teams can't even
send out two quality lines, let alone four.
Colorado also has plenty of depth on defense. So much so that
the team was able to part with such steady performers as Curtis
Leschyshyn and Craig Wolanin without even batting an eye. Sandis
Ozolinsh continues to be the most dangerous offensive defenseman
in the game, leading all NHL blueliners with 23 goals and
finishing second in points with 68. Ozolinsh's partner for most
of the season was Jon Klemm (9-15-24), a quiet, constant
performer that stayed back and covered up for Sandis' mistakes.
Klemm was also versatile enough to fill in as a checking winger
up front when needed.
Ozolinsh gets most of the glory for his scoring exploits, but
Adam Foote (4-17-21) is the team's best defenseman. In fact,
he's probably the best young defensive defenseman in the game
today. There could be some argument from the Derian Hatcher
camp, but Foote is a bad man. He logs tons of ice, is a moose in
front of the net, and is just flat out mean. The only time he
stops hitting is when he's busy chopping guys with the stick.
Foote isn't fun to play against.
Foote's regular partner was Alexei Gusarov (2-12-14). The calm,
patient Russian veteran is the perfect compliment to Foote's
aggressive, in-your-face style. Whenever there was an important
moment in a game, Foote and Gusarov were on the ice.
Foote had a perfect teacher to learn the tricks of the defensive
game from in Sylvain Lefebvre (2-11-13). Lefebvre isn't the most
mobile skater in the world, but he rarely gets caught out of
position and gets beat one-on-one about every other year. He was
his usual steady self this season. Lefebvre's regular partner
was Uwe Krupp (4-17-21), that is when Krupp was healthy. Just
like seemingly every other player on the roster, Krupp had his
health woes in 1996-97. The 6'6" German defender missed some
time with an elbow injury but had a bad back account for most of
the 22 games he spent on the sidelines. He never suited up in
the playoffs and eventually had to undergo surgery to help
correct the problem. Not having him in the lineup was a
devastating blow to the cause.
With Leschyshyn and Wolanin no longer around, and Krupp injured,
that meant rookie Aaron Miller (5-12-17) became a regular among
the top six, appearing in 54 games. He often took up root
alongside Lefebvre when Krupp was missing and never looked out of
place. Fellow rookie Eric Messier (0-0-0) wasn't quite as
impressive as Miller in the 21 games he dressed, but he still
acquitted himself nicely. Tough guy Brent Severyn (1-4-5) was
also around to add muscle.
The goaltending situation can be summed up in two words: Patrick
Roy (38-15-7, 2.32, .923). The goaltending Great One had another
marvelous year, leading the league with a career-best 38 wins.
That may sound odd, considering all the remarkable years he had
in Montreal, but it's true. Even stranger is the fact that while
he wasn't even among the top five in goals-against average this
season, Roy also set a new personal best in that category with an
average of 2.32. In case you're wondering, his previous career
highs in wins and goals-against came in 1991-92 when he checked
in with 36 and 2.36, respectively. Roy couldn't quite make it
the hat trick of personal bests this year, simply tying his
single-season mark of seven shutouts. What a slacker. Craig
Billington (11-8-2, 2.65, .909) acted as Roy's backup and did a
pretty good job of it.
Looking back over the season, Colorado never had its full team
together even once. Lemieux was out at the start of the season
and by the time he returned, Forsberg was out. When Forsberg
came back, Sakic was missing, Then when Sakic returned and
everyone began preparing for the playoffs, Krupp wasn't
available. It takes more than a great team to win back-to-back
championships. The club also has to get lucky and avoid
injuries, as the Red Wings did this year when they didn't lose
one regular the entire postseason. The Avalanche weren't quite
so lucky.
TEAM MVP: Hands down, Patrick Roy. With all the players
in and out of the lineup, Roy was the one constant. The club
experienced more than a few defensive lapses throughout the
season, but such troubles were tough to detect because of Roy's
brilliance.
SURPRISE: Aaron Miller stepping up to be a reliable
member of the defense was real wizard. It was his rapid
development that made Leschyshyn and Wolanin expendable.
DISAPPOINTMENT: The team's loss to the Wings in the
playoffs was quite disappointing, but that's about it. Otherwise
the season was swell. Everyone did what was expected of them...
except for in that one series.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Pierre Lacroix is going to have to
bust out some of his GM skills this summer to re-sign both Joe
Sakic and Mike Keane. It may be hard to believe, seeing how
every home game is a sellout, but the Avalanche are actually
losing heaps of money because of McNichols Arena. So much money
that signing both Sakic and Keane could be an impossibility.
Sakic is restricted, but Keane is free to sign with the highest
bidder. There isn't a team in the league that wouldn't love
having Keane on its roster. He made $725,000 this past season
and will likely net double that on the open market.
Lacroix has come out and said that signing Sakic is the club's
top priority this off-season. Well, duh. Colorado will have the
opportunity to match any offers that are made to Sakic. Word on
the street is that the Islanders may make an enormous offer to
the Colorado captain in hopes of pricing the Avalanche out of the
bidding war. The only catch is that Joe really doesn't want to
leave town. He's quite happy playing for a championship caliber
team after suffering through those painful early years in Quebec.
If another team were to somehow convince him to leave, they'd
have to surrender five first-round draft picks as compensation.
That's steep. Just ask the St. Louis Blues.
Some good news on the money front is that the deal for the
projected Pepsi Center is done and it should be a reality in the
near future. The promise of such a revenue-generating arena could
be enough to convince Avalanche management to spend the extra money
needed to secure Sakic if things get ugly.
Aside from the concerns with Sakic and Keane, don't be surprised
to see the Avalanche go out and try to acquire a proven fighter.
The club's got great overall team toughness, but it lacks the one
heavyweight presence that Chris Simon used to give them. A real
thug could have come in handy in the brawls with Detroit.
Severyn can fight, but he never saw enough ice time to be
effective in that role.
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EDMONTON OILERS
----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ron Low
Season Results:
36W-37L-9T, 81 points.
Third Pacific Division, Seventh Western Conference.
Roster: C - Doug Weight, Jason Arnott, Todd Marchant, Steve Kelly.
LW - Dean McAmmond, Rem Murray, Ryan Smyth, Mats Lindgren, Barrie
Moore. RW - Mariusz Czerkawski, Mike Grier, Petr Klima, Andrei
Kovalenko, Kelly Buchberger, Louie DeBrusk. D - Kevin Lowe, Luke
Richardson, Bryan Marchment, Jiri Slegr, Boris Mironov, Donald
Dufresne, Drew Bannister, Daniel McGillis, Greg de Vries, Craig
Millar, Bryan Muir. G - Curtis Joseph, Bob Essensa.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 252 (8th)
GOALS AGAINST: 247 (17th)
POWER PLAY: 18.0% (6th)
PENALTY KILLING: 82.5% (18th)
TEAM NEWS by Simon D. Lewis
You've all heard that expression, "What have you done for me
lately?" In the case of the Edmonton Oilers the answer is lots.
If they were to be judged by their performances at various stages of
the season the reviews would be mixed. This team was supposed to
make the playoffs from day one.
>From the start they showed that they were a different team from the
ones that the Oiler faithful had been used to seeing. Their
problems came mid-season and in the last third when they couldn't
generate the numbers in the points column, tumbled from fourth
place, and came desperately close to missing the playoffs.
Of course we all know about the playoff revival, the upset of the
Dallas Stars and the series against the Avalanche. That's what
folks were remembering as they once again secured the league
subsidy by buying over 13,000 season tickets.
As soon as the cash from those season tickets was in the bank, owner
Peter Pocklington went back to work on his status as most disliked
Edmontonian. The guy who traded Gretzky put the team up for sale.
Since there ain't a whole lot of local money chasing the deal, it's
more than possible that the Oilers will be bought by an American
interest. More about this later.
THE SEASON
The Edmonton Oilers of 96-97 were like a newborn lamb. They were
full of energy and the rosy blush of youth. Sometimes their
enthusiasm and lack of experience got them into some scrapes, but
you could really see the potential coming out of the wrapper.
Rookie was the watchword for the year. There were as many as seven
in the lineup on a given night. Rem Murray scored on his first two
NHL shots. Mike Grier, a potential early season demotion to
Hamilton (AHL), was so boisterous and productive on the wing that
GM Glenn Sather and coach Ron Low had to keep him up with the big
team. Defenceman Dan McGillis stepped right in and made himself at
home.
Sophomore Ryan Smyth had to be the story of the year. His speed,
toughness and scoring touch allowed him to blossom into one of the
best young players in the league. He scored 39 goals. Smyth
exhibited the kind of dogged determination that characterises the
Canadian approach to the game. It's that attitude that has so
perplexed the Europeans at the international level. They can't
believe we never quit.
Superstar goalie Curtis Joseph was his usual stellar self and pulled
more than a few games out of the fire. Russian winger Andrei
Kovalenko showed up and began scoring goals at a rate that rapidly
had the fans forgetting about the missing Zdeno Ciger. Mats
Lindgren, the forgotten Swede, finally recovered from a nerve
injury, joined the roster and worked his way to the status of
reliable two-way centre and penalty killer. Boris Mironov
continued his maturation as a solid offensive defenceman. Kevin
Lowe came back to his old haunt and anchored a very young team.
Captain Kelly Buchberger led as he always has, with guts and
commitment that more than make up for his lower skill level. Todd
Marchant killed penalties and skated miles. In the playoffs his
goals were killers.
The two high profile forwards were two different stories. Doug
Weight had a slow start. Many suggested that he was suffering a
hangover form the USA's triumph at the World Cup in September. He
had turned in a fine performance at that tournament.
Weight was getting lots of assists, but the puck would not go in the
net for him. He managed to get his game on track as the season
progressed and topped the Oilers in points. He also led the league
in power play assists. The man's a real leader and a treat to
watch.
Jason Arnott is the other guy. He started well, potting goals with
some regularity in the early going. He brought his hitting game
with him too. When he's got all that going he's a mean mother to
contend with: big, strong and nasty. He couldn't, however,
maintain that level of play. Sometimes it looked like he was
playing in another time zone. The fans noticed and were quick to
give him the old Bronx cheer.
Many speculated that this was the guy that Sather might trade. He
makes a lot of money and has never consistently provided the level
of play equal to his level of pay. Make no mistake, the guy is
talented and can turn a game on his own. But, given the Oilers'
economic situation, if you're gonna get the big bucks, you gotta
produce all the time.
THE PLAYOFFS
After backing into the playoffs, the Oilers were written off as a
five-game annoyance for the Dallas Stars. Whoops! The Blue and
Bronze took the Stars in seven games and looked good doing it.
Doug Weight was his usual slinky self and Curtis "Cujo" Joseph was
absolutely out of this world, outplaying Andy Moog by a country
mile. In fact, all of the Oilers played well. With the additions
of Drew Bannister at the trade deadline, Bryan Muir, Steve Kelly
and Joe Hulbig from Hamilton, and injuries to Bryan Marchment and
Kevin Lowe, the Oilers were dressing as many as nine rookies by the
time they came up against Colorado in the second round.
The highlight of the playoffs had to be Game Three against Dallas.
It was the first playoff game in the Coliseum since 1992. The
crowd was pumped. The Stars held a seemingly insurmountable 3-0
lead with just four minutes left to go in the third period. Then,
in the space of two minutes, Weight, Kovalenko and Grier scored to
tie it up. The Coliseum crowd went ballistic. Kelly Buchberger
won it after about nine minutes of OT and the love affair between
the Oilers and the fans was back to its passionate peak.
THE SALE
And now this. The Oilers are for sale. At the deadline for this
article no offers had surfaced. The deafening sound you could hear
was that of thousands of Oiler fans wringing their hands in worry
over losing the team to an American buyer.
Sympathy messages have been coming into the Great White North from
Quebec and Winnipeg. They know what it's like to lose a team.
We know we've got the Oilers for 97-98 but past that it's murky. On
June 28 Mayor Bill Smith pledged to all he could, short of putting up
any money, to help keep the Oilers in Edmonton. We'll see.
TEAM MVP: Curtis Joseph. Without this guy the Oilers would
not be anywhere near the same team. He's an unrestricted free
agent at the end of next season. It behoves Glenn Sather to extend
his contract and hang onto him for another few years while this
team finds its future and bring along a successor like Steve
Passmore. The Oilers don't want a repeat of the Luke Richardson
situation. (See below)
SURPRISES: Ryan Smyth's 39 goals. If you had asked the Oiler
coaching staff if they expected this in October there's not much
chance they would have said yes. This guy blossomed big time.
Let's hope he can keep it up when the whole league puts a checking
line on him.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: The announcement of the sale. Just when the
Oilers are poised for a return to success, Peter Puck puts the team
up for sale. This hurts.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: It looks like Luke Richardson will be off
to "folding greener pastures." He's an unrestricted free agent who
Sather didn't trade because he didn't want to upset his team. Now he
will get nothing as Lucky Luke heads off most likely to Detroit or
Philly.
There'll be a big dogfight in training camp this year. The Hamilton
Bulldogs, the Oilers' AHL farm team, are ready to pass a whack of
players up to the show. These include: Steve Kelly, Joe Hulbig,
Bryan Muir and Dennis Bonvie. Guys on the bubble: Mariusz
Czerkawski and Dean McAmmond.
Louie Debrusk and Donald Dufresne are toast.
The Petr Klima experiment ended when all the Bulldogs dressed
against Dallas.
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LOS ANGELES KINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Larry Robinson
Season Results:
28W-43L-11T, 69 points.
Sixth Pacific Division, 12th Western Conference.
Roster: C - Roman Vopat, Ray Ferraro, Ian LaPerriere, Dimitri
Khristich, Nathan Lafayette, Jason Morgan. LW - Steve McKenna,
Vladimir Tsyplakov, Matt Johnson, Jeff Shevalier, Kai Nurminen,
Craig Johnson, Kevin Stevens, Dan Bylsma. RW - Glenn Murray, Brad
Smyth, Vitali Yachemenev. D - Doug Zmolek, Rob Blake, Aki Berg,
Sean O'Donnell, Mattias Norstrom, Philippe Boucher, Steven Finn,
Jan Vopat. G - Byron Dafoe, Stephane Fiset, Jamie Storr.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 214 (25th)
GOALS AGAINST: 268 (20th)
POWER PLAY: 13.6% (25th)
PENALTY KILLING: 87.2% (3rd)
TEAM NEWS by Matt Moore
The hopes of Kings fans going into this past season were not that
high. Heck, after the 1995-96 season, filled with the disappointing
ending of the Wayne Gretzky Ex-Edmonton era, most Kings fans would
have been happy with an eighth place finish and a token playoff
appearance. However, that was not to be. Quite simply, the Kings
were pretty darn pathetic, with only a few bright spots shining on
through.
Almost all of those bright spots were related to the development of
the youngsters into NHL players and not OHL-quality punks. In
particular the defensive corps proved to be the strength of the
team, and surprisingly, Rob Blake was not the most impressive
defenseman.
The biggest move of the year probably came after the end of the
season. With the replacement of Sam McMaster and Rogie Vachon
with Dave Taylor as team general manager and executive vice
president, the Kings ownership and upper echelon showed that they
were willing to make the tough decisions and were wanting to take a
long term, development view in the team. Two of the main problems
that the Kings had in the front office:
1. There were too many cooks stirring the pot. At one point there
were four different people (McMaster, Vachon, coach Larry Robinson,
and Taylor) who were all involved in making the final decision on
player personnel matters, with any of them effectively being able
to veto any deal. Many times it is not actually the decision that
is important, but rather the act of making a decision, and the Kings
were getting the reputation as not being able to get together and
agree if it was day or night. By placing Taylor with the final say,
with Robinson as an advisor, it will, hopefully, allow for a more
dynamic team that will be able to make the big decisions better and
faster.
2. Sam McMaster. He is better suited to being a scouting director
than to being a general manager, and while he was a very good at
discovering some young talent, many of his dealings with the older
players were more open to scrutiny. Add to this that other teams
were apparently condescending to him (probably because of the overall
bad image of the Kings) and you have a situation where a change had
to be made in order to get inter-hockey relationships back to a more
normal and respectful level. Dave Taylor has always had the
reputation as being one of the hardest working men in hockey as well
as being one of the most respected and stand-up guys around, period.
He will give the team an identity that they can build around, an
identity that will hopefully result in a winning team.
Ok, now onto the other season in review items...
TEAM MVP: This is actually a tough one. Who to choose?
Either the goaltending duo of Byron Dafoe and Stephane Fiset? Or
the scoring and all-around good play of Dmitri Khristich? Without
the outstanding play of any of these Kings the team would have
been the San Jose Sharks South, except without the goons and with
the ability to read and write. So let's look at this closer. The
only real winning streaks that the Kings went on just happened to
coincide with the unbelievable play of either Fiset or Dafoe. Add
to this the development of Jamie Storr and the Kings are very
strong at goaltender.
Khristich was the lone All-Star on this team but he actually
deserved to go. Combining with Vladimir Tsyplakov and Vitali
Yachmenev, Khristich was the only real consistent scoring threat on
the team, and God knows how pitiful the Kings weak offense would
have been without him.
My choice? I've got to go with Khristich. He was simply great
throughout the season (only Barry Potomski trying to poke out his
eye stopped him) and it was simply a shame that he did not have any
real support or else he would have been able to put up some real
great numbers. Honorable mentions have to go to Vladimir Tsyplakov
(who could be a darn good scorer, except he has the Russian disease of
wanting to make the perfect pass.) , and to Aki Berg and Mattias
Norstrom, which brings up the next "award".
SURPRISES: Aki Berg and Mattias Norstrom. When last we saw
him duriing the '95-'96 season and during the start of the past
season, Aki was still showing the signs of being a kid in a foreign
land speaking a foreign tongue. Many times he just seemed
uncomfortable out there on the ice and was hesitant to use his
skills to their best. This past season, following a stint with the
Kings minor league team, he came back a changed man. Much more
confident, much more willing to play the physical style he should be
able to dominate in. The guy is just a little bit smaller than a
mountain, but with surprising puck handling skills and excellent
speed. It does nothing better for a Kings fan than to see him go
out and show why the Kings picked him so high in the draft.
Speaking of excellent play, Mattias Norstrom was consistently the
best defenseman on the team, particularly in the last half of the
season. Showing himself to be the best one-on-one defensive player
on the team, Norstrom was also able to wack out some of the most
devastating hits by Kings during the entire year. Ahhh, it only
seems like yesterday that little punk Martin Gelinas was finding
himself deposited onto the bench by a beautiful Norstrom check.
Makes one almost want to cry in happiness. But the ability to
smack opposing players around was not the only thing to love about
Matti Norstrom. The guy has excellent puck handling skills, and has
to be one of the best skaters around. The guy is simply smooth, and
it is fun just to watch him skate around out on the ice.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: A team that finishes with the third-worst
record in the league is obviously going to be overrun by
disappointments. But I'll choose just a few:
1. Rob Blake: Maybe it's just that he's only beginning to get back
to the level that he was at before all the injuries, but he spent
much of the season being only a shadow of his former self. Gone was
the dominating player who could change entire flows of games by
leveling opposing players in the defensive end. I can't even
remember any more than a handful of hard hits thrown by Blake, a
player who used to throw people around like they were rag dolls.
2. Steven Finn: The guy stunk up the place on several occasions.
The guy is supposed to be the veteran "leader" who is to show the
youngsters how to play. Thank God they didn't really watch him.
Finn was especially prone to making horrible turnovers, many of
them allowing excellent scoring opportunities for the opposing team.
One can only hope that he will not return next season, or that he
plays a very reduced role.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: The Kings seem to be turning the corner
on the rebuilding process. They are starting to develop some
extremely good young players, and seem to be willing to go the long
haul in order to be successful. The hopes are that players like the
recently signed Pavel Rosa and the just drafted Olli Jokinen will be
able to step in and give the team a much needed boost on both the
offensive and defensive side of the puck. Rosa has several Kings
fans excited, since he has shown the potential of being a sniper.
Jokinen, while looking rather "different" with his shaved head, is
particularly intriguing since he is seemingly a rare European combo:
excellent playmaking skills with the willingness (and eagerness) to
play a physical game. He also has been noted as being a leader,
which can only be a good thing, and might be especially helpful on
such a young team, since it may be tough for older players such as
Kevin Stevens to connect with players who are almost half his
age.
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SAN JOSE SHARKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Al Sims
Season Results:
27W-47L-8T, 62 points.
Seventh Pacific Division, 13th Western Conference.
Roster: C - Jeff Friesen, Bernie Nicholls, Ron Sutter, Darren
Turcotte, Dody Wood. LW - Viktor Kozlov, Tony Granato, Tim
Hunter, Steve Guolla, Bob Errey, Ville Peltonen, Chris Tancill.
RW - Shean Donovan, Owen Nolan, Andrei Nazarov, Todd Ewen.
D - Doug Bodger, Marcus Ragnarsson, Todd Gill, Al Iafrate, Greg
Hawgood, Mike Rathje, Marty McSorley, Vlastimil Kroupa.
G - Eddie Belfour, Kelly Hrudey, Wade Flaherty.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 211 (26th)
GOALS AGAINST: 278 (24th)
POWER PLAY: 14.3% (20th)
PENALTY KILLING: 83.9% (12th)
TEAM NEWS by Mark Spiegel
For the second season in a row, the Sharks put a team on the ice
that didn't function as a team. Two years ago, the mix of players
resulted in abysmal team chemistry. Last season, brand new head
coach Al Sims quickly lost the respect of the players, sending the
Sharks into another year of spinning their wheels in the mud. Or
should that be flapping their flippers?
The 1996-97 season was full of inconsistencies. While the Sharks
never managed to put together more than two wins in a row, they
swept the Central Division Champ Dallas Stars, and won their season
series against the Cup Champion Avalanche. And yet the Sharks were
also swept by fellow cellar dwellers the Leafs and Bruins.
In fact the Sharks had the worst record in the league against
sub-.500 clubs, while finishing mid-pack against above-.500 teams.
So despite having an attack muddled by the head coach's failing
attempts, and also displaying the poor defense so typical of Sharks
teams, they could play in the games that were easy to get up for.
The potential is there.
It wasn't all bad. I mean nobody had their ear bitten off, although
the Sharks did lead the league in nasty Q-tip eardrum punctures.
Nobody had to leave the team because of lying or a sex scandal. In
fact as far as the Sharks' marketing people were concerned, there
was some great news. Turns out those new TV ratings don't apply to
hockey! Whew! They can't ban Sharks games from TV because the play
is so obscene.
With the Sharks not playing as a team in a team sport, they got just
what you would expect. A finish near the league basement.
Luckily, San Jose fans were treated to some excellent hockey very
early in the season.
That World Cup preliminary game between Canada and the U.S.A. may
have been the best hockey game ever yet played at the Tank.
Mid-season produced some spectacular play also. Well, o.k., the
All Star Game isn't much serious hockey, but it sure was a lot of
fun!
Still, the team is showing signs of improvement.
Despite Sims' presence, or maybe because of assistant coach Wayne
Cashman's presence, many of the young forwards showed marked
improvement. Jeff Friesen, Viktor Kozlov and Andrei Nazarov all
upped the level of their game. Unlike 1995-96, the veterans like
Bernie Nicholls all encouraged and helped the younger guys.
Back on defense, outside of Marcus Ragnarsson, the younger players
took a step back. Michael Sykora, while showing promise early in
the season, fell into Sims' dog house and eventually was traded
away. Vlasti Kroupa lost a bunch of valuable ice time when he
refused an assignment to the AHL, and ended up spending most of the
first half in the press box. When Mike Rathje played, especially
when teamed with Planet Al Iafrate, he looked impressive. But a
serious groin injury, that finally required surgery, kept the big
Albertan out of the lineup for all but 30 games.
The risks that the Sharks took in signing Tony Granato and Al
Iafrate paid-off, especially in Granato's case. The feisty Granato
not only pumped in 25 goals, but he was selected for the All-Star
game and won the Bill Masterson Trophy for the comeback he made
from brain surgery.
The Planet, after a two-year absence from the ice, was just starting
to get his legs, hitting and being the big gun on the Sharks' power
play, when the first of two injuries messed up his season.
The Sharks, taking some risk, also potentially got themselves a
top-flight goalie, by trading for Eddie Belfour.
TEAM MVP: There's not too much doubt about this. It's Jeff
Friesen. The 20-year-old really developed this year, and at the
end of the season was nearly carrying the team. Jeff played in all
82 games and averaged a point a game for the second half of the
year. He stepped up to the front and ended the season as the
center on the number one line.
Despite of, or may be because of, rumors that he would be part of
the trade deal that brought in Ed Belfour, Friesen seemed to show
more and more determination as the season progressed. Even though
the Sharks kept falling further and further out of the playoff
picture, Jeff kept playing harder and better. His scoring not only
picked up, but his physical play improved and he started showing
leadership traits, openly exhorting the team to not tolerate
losing.
SURPRISES: Stephen Guolla. Left unsigned by the Ottawa
Senators, Guolla scored 13 goals in 43 games after being called up
from Kentucky. Steve was snagged by an alert John Ferguson, the
Sharks Western Conference scout, when the ex-Canadien left Ottawa
to join the Sharks.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: It would have to be the head coach, Al
Sims, and because he hired him, GM Dean Lombardi. I've already
discussed Sims' performance in a previous LCS Hockey article, so
let me now say what the real reason was for his firing...that
golden dome head of his!
Now admit it. How many times at the Shark Tank were you blinded by
the lights reflecting off Al's polished pate? Quite a few when you
think about it, huh. No wonder the player-coach communications were
so bad, the players were regularly blinded by the light! They
couldn't concentrate because the were too busy trying to block
those glistening beams!
I'm sure it was just one too many reflected rays that reached Dean
Lombardi in the coaches box that doomed Al. Now it's not like Al's
light directing cranium doesn't have its merits. I'm told when he
walks on the beach at night, the headlights from traffic on the
Pacific Coast Highway bounce off it better than a Coast Guard
Lighthouse. Hell, with a little bit of spit and polish, the glow
could be visible over-the-horizon to ships departing Hawaii.
Now I know there may some doubters among you readers on this. So I
ask you. Where do you think the term headlight came from in the
first place?
And as far as Lombardi goes, if the Sharks fail to make the playoffs
next season, it's sayonara. He'll have to shave his head and start
working the beaches wth Al.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: Getting rid of Sims and hiring Darryl
Sutter as the new head coach was a good move. Not the best, but
good. A better long-term choice would have been Ron Wilson, but
Lombardi's job is on the line next year. Sutter is the safe
choice. He coached Eddie Belfour and Bernie Nicholls in Chicago
two years ago. Both players like him, which should go a long way
toward establishing relations and communications between the coach
and the players. Plus Darryl's brother Ron is on the team.
In Darryl Sutter the Sharks finally get a coach who realizes what
we've been saying here at LCS Hockey for a couple of years now.
That is that the Sharks too often play awful defense in their own
zone.
With the coach set, the next step is to sign Belfour. Eddie says he
likes San Jose. The Sharks should be able to match any financial
offer. The question is would the Eagle be willing to fly to another
team that is a more immediate Cup contender?
If the Sharks can re-sign Belfour, and the Eagle is fully recovered
from his injuries, the goaltending tandem should be set. However,
I wouldn't mind seeing a third candidate be available as insurance
against another injury during the season to Belfour. Hrudey no
longer can shoulder a lot of games as the number one netminder.
Hopefully the Sharks can swing a deal with another team flush with
top goaltending prospects as both an insurance backup and a future
number one goalie when Belfour eventually retires.
The Sharks have already picked-up Shawn Burr from the Lightning.
Expect one or more additional moves to strengthen the
checking/defensive side of the team. This will free up Bernie
Nicholls from the tiring penalty kill duties and save his aging
legs for even strength and power plays. With Jeff Friesen's
emergence at the end of last season, and the selection of Patrick
Marleau in this year's draft, signing a second line center free
agent for just a few years is less critical than other areas on the
team.
Speaking of Marleau and the 1997 draft: According to the Central
Scouting Bureau's final rankings before the draft, the Sharks top
three picks, Marleau, defenseman Scott Hannan, and winger Adam
Colagiacomo were all projected as first rounders, ranked at the
second, 21st, and 26th positions, respectively. If these rankings
pan out, that'll be some kind of draft by the Sharks.
The Sharks first pick last year, Andrei Zyuzin, is now the top-rated
pick from the 1996 draft. Andrei paid a visit to San Jose last
season and had his shoulder examined by team physicians. They
concluded he didn't need the surgery that some originally thought he
would need.
I doubt Zyuzin is ready to step in next season, and take up his role
as the team offensive defenseman, so look for the Sharks to try and
pick up another defenseman who can regularly lug the puck out of the
Sharks' zone. Planet Al may be able to fill this role, but those
injuries he had last year, coupled with his already somewhat suspect
knees, make relying totally on the Planet risky.
Finally, here's my vote for Bernie Nicholls as next season's team
captain. Bernie not only regularly acted like a captain last
season, logging as many discussions with officials as anybody on
the team, but showed real leadership, coming out and diplomatically
making the case for dumping Sims. In addition, Bernie is
well-liked and respected around the league.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Tom Renney
Season Results:
32W-40L-5T, 69 points.
Fourth Pacific Division, Ninth Western Conference.
Roster: C - Trevor Linden, Mike Ridley, Mike Sillinger, Scott
Walker, Sergei Nemchinov, Lonny Bohonos; LW - Martin Gelinas,
Markus Naslund, Gino Odjick, Donald Brashear, David Roberts; RW -
Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Brian Noonan, Troy Crowder; D -
Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Bret Hedican, Chris Joseph, Dave Babych,
Adrian Aucoin, Leif Rohlin, Steve Staios; G - Kirk McLean, Corey
Hirsch.
Final Rankings:
GOALS SCORED: 257 (5th)
GOALS AGAINST: 273 (22nd)
POWER PLAY: 16.8% (9th)
PENALTY KILLING: 80.8% (24th)
TEAM NEWS by Carol Schram
At the beginning of this season, it was roundly believed that the
worst was over for the Vancouver Canucks, and under the tutelage of
their new coach, Tom Renney, they would be able to climb back to
the upper reaches of the Western Conference standings, where they
thought they belonged. That thought now seems nothing short of
absurd, as the Canucks ended up missing the playoffs for the first
time in seven years in the midst of a season filled with injury,
strife, and turmoil.
Coach Renney was supposed to provide the team with structure and a
solid defensive plan. But his previous coaching experience, in
junior hockey, betrayed him. Renney quickly learned that dealing
with millionaire superstar egos is a whole different story from
squeezing the best out of youngsters with the promise that a medal
or a strong performance can act as a stepping stone toward future
payback. By the time he finished the lesson, though, Renney had
already done irreperable damage, particularly with Esa Tikkanen and
Russ Courtnall. These two caused headache after headache until
they were finally shipped out to the Rangers in March.
Tikkanen even managed to give the knife one more twist with his
outstanding playoff performance during the Rangers' post-season this
year.
Renney made a huge fuss about defensive responsibility and the
"weak-side lock", but when the system failed to pay early dividends
in the standings, the players reverted back to their old selfish,
erratic behaviors, then claimed later that they never understood
the system in the first place. The same coaching tool worked just
fine for Scotty Bowman and the Red Wings in the playoffs, but
somehow their "new commitment to defense" cost the Canucks the same
number of goals against as last year - they just managed to score a
lot less at their end of the rink.
It's true that, in a season filled with injuries all over the NHL,
Vancouver was particularly hard hit. Just scratching the surface,
not only did Pavel Bure manage to do damage to a few different
parts of his formerly bionic body, but league ironman Trevor Linden
suffered the first major injury of his career and missed 33 games
over the course of the year. Plus, both Corey Hirsch and Kirk McLean
were hurt for serious stretches of time, and the defense corps was
battered from the first game to the last. Not one Canuck managed to
play in every game this season.
The small silver lining from the injury situation was that farmhands
and grinders enjoyed more ice time than they would normally see, and
some took full advantage of their opportunity. A pleasant surprise
ever since he came over from Montreal in November, Donald Brashear
made a name for himself with his fighting and physical play, but he
also turned out to be a pretty strong skater with a decent nose for
the net, who enjoyed some power-play time toward the end of the year
and was deemed enough of a "complete player" to be selected to Team
USA for this spring's world championships, where he shone in the
early rounds. It's a really long shot, but Brashear is still young,
and could end up turning into the kind of power forward the Canucks
have been missing ever since they traded Cam Neely to Boston in the
early 80s.
Mike Sillinger also blossomed and found a bit of a scoring touch as
his responsibilities increased this year, Markus Naslund started to
come through on his offensive promise and added a touch of
defensive responsibility and physical play to his repertoire, and
Lonny Bohonos got called up from Syracuse for one good look and
made it clear that he wasn't going back. He's not big, he's not
flashy, but Boho is a natural goal scorer who probably did wonders
for his market value in the last two months of the regular season,
heading into his contract renegotiation. Brian Noonan also looks
like a good addition, playing with a crunching physical intensity
that Canuck fans always hoped for from Sergio Momesso. It's ironic
that the two were traded for each other between the Rangers and the
Blues earlier this season.
Game by game, it's really a season we'd rather not talk about. But
with all the coaches changing teams this summer, it looks like the
Canucks could actually be one year ahead of many squads on the
learning curve, and they could enjoy a period of relative stability
while many of their opponents are tinkering with chemistry, try to
find the right balance between talent and budget, between offense
and defense, between flash and crash, before the next round of
expansion dilutes each team's talent pool one more time. The
second-year successes of former junior coaches Ted Nolan in Buffalo
and Ken Hitchcock in Dallas seem to be pointing us in a positive
direction.
Here's hoping that the worst is over.
TEAM MVP: Martin Gelinas. Marty's story is a tale of the
underdog that can warm the soul of even the most jaded sports fan.
An 18-year-old first round draft choice in 1988, Francophone
Gelinas was selected by the Kings, then shipped off to Edmonton in
the Wayne Gretzky deal before he had even played one game in an NHL
uniform. The crowd in Northlands, none too happy that Peter
Pocklington had sacrificed the Great One, chewed up the players
that came in his place -- even another Stanley Cup in 1990 did
little to ease the pain. Gelinas' offensive production in four
full seasons with the Oilers maxxed out at 40 points in 1990-91.
In the summer of 1993, he was shipped off to Quebec for grinding
winger Scott Pearson. The Nordiques were hoping that Gelinas could
turn out to be the kind of blossoming French talent that their fans
would fall in love with as their rebuilding process began to pay
dividends. But the pressure of Quebec City was too much for
Gelinas, and after picking up just 12 points in 31 games, he was
placed on waivers midway through the season, and acquired by a
cagey Pat Quinn.
Gelinas' first game in a Canuck uniform was a home game against
Calgary, and the fans' love affair was instantaneous. On his very
first shift, Gelinas stepped off the bench, skated to center ice,
and flattened feisty Ronnie Stern, who's no pushover, with a
bone-crunching open ice hit. A roar rose from the crowd as many
reached for their programs to find out who this number 23 was. But
the deal was sealed. At age 23, Gelinas knew this was his last
chance to carve a place for himself in the NHL. Unlike so many
players who let fate take its course, Gelinas refused to give
up.
During his 3 1/2 year tenure with the Canucks, Gelinas has grown
into more and more of a fan favorite. He has found his scoring
touch and popped 30 goals last year and 35 this season. He isn't
big but he plays like he's indestructible, going in the corners,
going to the net -- playing that feisty Canadian brand of hockey
that Don Cherry loves. He signed a long-term contract last season
because he was grateful to the Canucks for giving him that chance
and wanted to ensure his long-term security with the squad. When
the terms were released, for the first time in history, the fans
were appalled that he was being paid so little!!
Martin Gelinas was the only top-tier Canuck to have a career year
this season. After two years as Vancouver's "unsung hero", he was
rightfully voted the Canucks' Most Valuable Player this year by the
fans. There's no doubt that Gelinas will continue to play his
honest style of hockey and he will continue to be loved in this
city, but a return to form by any of Linden, Bure, Mogilny, or
McLean could still leave Marty with some serious competition when
it comes time to defend his title.
SURPRISES: The most impressive thing to happen to the
Canucks all year was their heartfelt drive for the post-season once
the playoffs were almost completely out of reach. While much had
been made of the negative influence of soon-to-be-free-agents Esa
Tikkanen and Russ Courtnall from Christmastime on, their trade to
New York really did bring a breath of fresh air into the Canucks'
dressing room. As well as ridding the team of two men who were
very vocal about not wanting to buy into Tom Renney's system, Brian
Noonan's grit and heart provided a great burst of intensity and
helped to redefine the end-of-the-year Vancouver Canucks, and
although Sergei Nemchinov showed up more injured than the team had
originally suspected, the organization was still able to get a
brief look at his playmaking skills, particularly alongside Alex
Mogilny.
By the end of the year, every element of the organization had made
thems elves accountable for their part in the team's disappointing
season. Pat Quinn admitted that he had mis-assessed the talent
level and commitment of his players. Tom Renney admitted that he
had acted like too much of a father figure and had to learn how to
show his players more respect. And third-and-fourth-line guys from
Mike Sillinger to Donald Brashear to Lonny Bohonos to Scott Walker
were stepping it up and coming to play every night.
Team spirit was strong at the end of the year, and the Canucks
organization seems to be working to sustain that feeling over the
summer. They have been stressing tradition and commitment as
themes behind the new uniform design, and have heavily involved
both current players and Canuck alumnae in the uniform rollout
campaign. There's no doubt the Canucks will have to do a lot of
work to regain their status as the city's sweethearts, and even to
get those season-ticket renewals rolling in, but the last month of
the season and the general attitude around the organization this
summer cautiously points us towards better times ahead.
DISAPPOINTMENTS: Pavel Bure's health. A lot went wrong this
year, and injuries played a big part in that disappointment, but a
sub-par Pavel was probably the single biggest blow to the psyche of
the Canucks. A pall fell over the Lower Mainland back in the fall of
1995 when it was learned that the superstar scorer's ACL injury was
indeed serious. After Bure failed to return in time for the playoffs
that year, Canuck fans had little choice but to set their sights on
the World Cup of Hockey and the next regular season. Even the World
Cup didn't flow quite the way it was supposed to, as Bure suffered a
bruised kidney during exhibition play and was unable to suit up for
the Hammer + Sickle squad.
By the time the NHL pre-season rolled around, though, Pavel looked
to be back with all rockets on "go". When he scored a stunning
exhibition goal against Boston by putting the puck from stick to
skate blade and back to stick again, he drew Canuck fans out of
their seats for the first time in nearly a year. But that moment
was one of the few extraordinary displays that we saw from Bure
this year.
Last season, during Vancouver's final exhibition game against
Calgary, Bure got into a little punch-up with Ronnie Stern and hurt
his hand. The injury lingered and hampered his shooting and
stick-handling throughout his shortened season. This year, during
the first game of the regular season, also against Calgary, Bure
was ridden awkwardly into the boards by the league's newest
cheap-shot artist, Todd Simpson. Bure missed a number of games
after the hit, said to be suffering from a concussion; when he did
come back, he didn't seem to be his usual pesky self. As the
months dragged on, Bure's scoring totals weren't accumulating the
way they should have been, and for the first time in his career he
was losing footraces with other speedsters like Paul Kariya.
Finally, Bure admitted that "It hurts all the time", and after
getting ridden into the boards again in March, the doctors
announced that Bure had suffered from whiplash and was going to be
out for awhile. That while turned out to be the rest of the
regular season, so it has been a second very long summer for the
once-upon-a Russian Rocket.
Finally, however, the news may be improving: rumor has it that
Pavel is getting set to play in a charity tournament with his
brother later on this summer, so it sounds like he is getting eager
to strap on the skates. At this point in his career, though, Bure
must be unbearably frustrated by two full seasons of injury and
setback following the lockout-shortened 1995 campaign. Pavel's 26
now and should be entering the offensive prime of his career. He
has been raised his whole life with the single-minded goal of being
one of the world's best hockey players. Yet both Pavel and Valeri
Bure have been stricken with injury after injury, keeping them out
of their teams' lineups for significant periods at a time. After
two frustrating years, Canuck fans are asking themselves if they
will ever have a chance to see one of the most exciting players in
the game at his prime again, or if Bure's career is going to turn
out like Greg Adams' - good, but with a big stretch of games
missing every season. Worse yet, Pavel's career could turn out
like Bobby Orr's - one of the best ever, struck down far too soon
because his body simply couldn't take the punishment of the NHL
game.
OFF-SEASON CHANGES: You read it here first -- the Canucks
will sign 1994 first-round draft choice Matthias Ohlund this
summer, and the Swedish defenseman will make a significant impact
with the Canucks next season. In a nutshell, it's safe to assume
that no one will mistake him for that other famous Swede, Leif
Rohlin. Ohlund's asking price has gone up considerably since the
two sides stalled at the bargaining table during negotiations last
year, but his fine play with Lulea of the Swedish Elite league and
at the World Championships this spring certainly diminishes the
gamble that the Canucks are taking. Ohlund is still just 20 years
old and continues to develop rapidly -- he is also unafraid to play
a physical game in front of the net, which is something the Canucks
sorely need. Pat Quinn met Ohlund and his agent Mike Barnett
personally at the NHL Draft in Pittsburgh this spring, and while
the two sides are still pretty far apart in the numbers, it seems
clear that the intent on both sides is to get Ohlund signed and out
to Vancouver as soon as possible to get acclimatized and get to
know his new teammates.
Of course, the whole issue of signings is a little up in the air at
Orca Bay for the time being, since the man who did the contracts,
George McPhee, is now the General Manager of the Washington
Capitals. George was widely reviled during his stay here for his
apparent stinginess - for being unwilling to offer Cliff Ronning a
qualifying offer last summer to keep him in his home town, for
underpaying a vastly deserving Martin Gelinas, and for failing to
meet Mike Barnett's demands last summer to sign Ohlund. McPhee is
already up to these tricks in Washington, too, saying that he has
no intention of qualifying gritty-but-battered winger Rick Tocchet
to keep him with the Caps organization. It's ironic, though, that
while McPhee was often accused of being a big jerk during
negotiations, he was also blamed for wasting Canuck money on such
projects as the re-signing of Josef Beranek, and even on the
acquisitions of Frank Kucera and Alex Semak, veterans who both
spent significant chunks of time in Syracuse this season.
Any time you have to do upwards of 50 contracts, including minor
leaguers, and the results of these negotiations are made public,
you are not going to be able to please all of the people all of the
time. Despite the fact that many blamed McPhee for much of the
perceived trouble in Vancouver's front office, his true worth is
reinforced by the fact that another team wanted him for its top
job, and by the fact that he was quickly and easily able to hire
his old Canuck buddy, a gun-shy Ron Wilson, as head coach.
McPhee's replacement has not yet been named, and while John
Paddock's name has been tossed around, Pat Quinn has said he is
looking to fill the position from within. The most likely
candidate appears to be ex-Canuck player and current Vice President
of Business Operations Steve Tambellini, who has been working his
way up within the organization for nearly a decade since retiring
from the NHL in 1988. While McPhee took care of all the qualifying
offers and the legwork with the Canucks before moving to his new
position, open season on free agents is about to start, so
Vancouver would be well advised to get their new man in place and
let the games begin!!
On the free agent front, it was widely assumed that the Canucks
would be able to capture ageless center Igor Larionov this summer,
especially if he was able to win the cup with the Red Wings. But
the Vlad Konstantinov limousine tragedy may have changed all that.
Coming just six days after their Stanley Cup win, the accident has
seriously marred the Wings' victory celebrations, but it has also
brought the group closer together. Even Scotty Bowman, a virtual
certainty to be leaving the NHL coaching ranks at the end of the
playoffs, is now making cautious noises about staying in Detroit
for one more season. Going from such a high to such a low has
created an enormous bond among the whole team, and the Russian
players and their families feel it most of all. Igor Larionov was
supposed to have been on the golf outing on June 13th - his wife
had a bad feeling and told him she didn't want him to go, and he
listened. He admitted that if he had gone, he too probably would
have left early with his comrades Fetisov, Konstantinov, and team
masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov, and he most likely would have been
along for that fateful ride. Such a brush with fate can cause
anyone to seriously reconsider their future plans - it reinforces
the notion that life is short and we are always just one step away
from potential tragedy. While Konstantinov is a long way from
returning to play hockey, Larionov may well end up staying with the
Wings for another year, mostly as a way of offering support to the
families of the victims, and to his team-mates, aching from the
brutal ending to their glorious Stanley Cup dream. Canuck players,
management, and fans would love to see Igor back on the west coast,
but under these circumstances, if he chooses to stay in Detroit, we
understand.
Strangely, Vancouver's hole at center is not gaping quite as widely
as usual. Trevor Linden enters the last year of his deal next
season, and while injuries certainly hampered his statistical
contributions this year, Linden continues to grow and develop as a
person, as evidenced by his two national awards this year for
community service by an athlete. Mike Sillinger matured into a
solid two-way player with decent hands, and will most likely be
re-signed with a healthy raise. And, surprisingly, things look
good right now with unrestricted free agent centers Mike Ridley and
Sergei Nemchinov. While Vancouver is known not to overspend on
aging talent, these two may yet fit the bill in a summer where any
team looking to open its wallet wide is either going to go after
Mark Messier or a Group II player like Joe Sakic or Paul Kariya. A
month or so ago, a surprising rumor was circulating that the
Canucks were close to re-signing Nemchinov, who looked all right in
the few games he did play after coming over in the Tikkanen /
Courtnall deal. And Mike Ridley, whose mysterious bad back has
left him on the verge of retirement for two full seasons now, is
making noises once again that he thinks he has the problem under
control and if he does come back to play one more year, he would
like to do it in Vancouver, because he feels that he has yet to
really show the fans here what he can do. Despite the fact that he
was barely a shadow of himself some nights, Ridley did play in 65
games last season, notching 20 goals and recording the league's top
shooting percentage. With a plus/minus rating of zero, it's clear
that even when Ridley was not at his best, he still wasn't a
liability to the team, and could still be welcomed back next
season.
Dave Babych is another Group III free agent who is likely to come
back for one more year, while Chris Joseph and farm-team goalie
Mike Fountain are almost certainly gone. As far as the many Group
IIs go, the Canucks are not likely to make qualifying offers to
players like Troy Crowder and minor-league staples Brian Loney,
John McIntyre, and John Namestnikov. Mike Sillinger's agent
confirmed that his client has already received his qualifying
offer. Other deals that need to be done include signing Adrian
Aucoin, Lonny Bohonos, Donald Brashear, Bret Hedican, Markus
Naslund, Scott Walker, and the big one, Alex Mogilny. My guess is
that only the Mogilny negotiation will drag on, but these players
should be signed, sealed, and delivered by training camp.
Of course, there has been one other significant change in
Canuck-land this summer. The vaunted "skate pointing downhill" and
the dreaded yellow-based color scheme are gone forever. In its
place, the Vancouver Canucks are now represented by a stylized C
which erupts, at the top, into a killer whale bursting out through
the ice. The colors are a deep navy, dark red, silver, and white.
While there has been some hemming and hawing about town of the
self-serving nature of parent company Orca Bay in choosing an Orca
as the new Canucks symbol, most people are grudgingly admitting
that the logo's not that bad in person - it looks like a sports
logo, the whale looks ferocious enough to take on San Jose's
meanest Shark, or even the Mightiest of Ducks, and the color scheme
is attractive and sophisticated without being overly flashy - at
least we know the names of the colors. Slowly but surely, too,
long-term Canuck fans are starting to remember that we were the
laughing stock of the league for nearly a decade with the
garish-orange V uniforms, and that no one actually liked the skate
logo until it was in danger of being retired. Pat has hated the
uniforms since his first day here in 1987, but the flying V design
may well have been one of young Arthur Griffiths' first projects
when he joined the Canuck front office fresh out of business
college in the early 80s, and the family seemed attached to it.
After the Griffiths' sold out the majority of their shares in the
organization during this season, the time was ripe for Quinn to
institute another show of his long-term commitment to the
organization in authorizing the new look.
The new uniforms come at a good time, psychologically, as the team
looks towards another fresh start this fall. But the laughter and
gibes may continue. As Quinn and company approached the draft
table in Pittsburgh in June, armed with their new uniform, someone
went for the obvious, yelling out "Free Willy!"
=================================================================
Next Issue: That's all for the 1996-97 season. See ya' in August.
=================================================================
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NHL STANDINGS FINAL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Conference
Northeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
y-Buffalo 82 40 30 12 92 234 203 24-11-6 16-19-6
x-Pittsburgh 82 38 36 8 84 285 280 25-11-5 13-25-3
x-Montreal 82 31 36 15 77 249 276 17-17-7 14-19-8
x-Ottawa 82 31 36 15 77 226 234 16-17-8 15-19-7
Hartford 82 32 39 11 75 226 256 23-15-3 9-24-8
Boston 82 26 47 9 61 234 300 14-20-7 12-27-2
Atlantic Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
y-New Jersey 82 45 23 14 104 231 182 23-9-9 22-14-5
x-Philadelphia 82 45 24 13 103 274 217 23-12-6 22-12-7
x-Florida 82 35 28 19 89 221 201 21-12-8 14-16-11
x-NY Rangers 82 38 34 10 86 258 231 21-14-6 17-20-4
Washington 82 33 40 9 75 214 231 19-17-5 14-23-4
Tampa Bay 82 32 40 10 74 217 247 15-18-8 17-22-2
NY Islanders 82 29 41 12 70 240 250 19-18-4 10-23-8
Western Conference
Central Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
y-Dallas 82 48 26 8 104 252 198 25-13-3 23-13-5
x-Detroit 82 38 26 18 94 253 197 20-12-9 18-14-9
x-Phoenix 82 38 37 7 83 240 243 15-19-7 23-18-0
x-St Louis 82 36 35 11 83 236 239 17-20-4 19-15-7
x-Chicago 82 34 35 13 81 223 210 16-21-4 18-14-9
Toronto 82 30 44 8 68 230 273 18-20-3 12-24-5
Pacific Division GP W L T PTS GF GA HOME ROAD
z-Colorado 82 49 24 9 107 277 205 26-10-5 23-14-4
x-Anaheim 82 36 33 13 85 245 233 23-12-6 13-21-7
x-Edmonton 82 36 37 9 81 252 247 21-16-4 15-21-5
Vancouver 82 35 40 7 77 257 273 20-17-4 15-23-3
Calgary 82 32 41 9 73 214 239 21-18-2 11-23-7
Los Angeles 82 28 43 11 67 214 268 18-16-7 10-27-4
San Jose 82 27 47 8 62 211 278 14-23-4 13-24-4
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYOFF STANDINGS Final
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
EASTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
y-New Jersey 82 45 23 14 104 104 -27 -1
y-Buffalo 82 40 30 12 92 92 -15 -2
x-Philadelphia 82 45 24 13 103 103 -26
x-Florida 82 35 28 19 89 89 -12
x-NY Rangers 82 38 34 10 86 86 -9
x-Pittsburgh 82 38 36 8 84 84 -7
x-Ottawa 82 31 36 15 77 77 -1
x-Montreal 82 31 36 15 77 77 -1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Washington 82 33 40 9 75 75 2 -2
Hartford 82 32 39 11 75 75 2 -2
Tampa Bay 82 32 40 10 74 74 3 -3
NY Islanders 82 29 41 12 70 70 9 -7
Boston 82 26 47 9 59 59 20 -18
WESTERN CONFERENCE GP W L T PTS MaxPt Magic# Div# Out#
z-Colorado 82 49 24 9 107 107 -30 -21
y-Dallas 82 48 26 8 104 104 -27 -5
x-Detroit 82 38 26 18 94 94 -17
x-Anaheim 82 36 33 13 85 85 -8
x-Phoenix 82 38 37 7 83 83 -6
x-St Louis 82 36 35 11 83 83 -6
x-Edmonton 82 36 37 9 81 81 -4
x-Chicago 82 34 35 13 81 81 -4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vancouver 82 35 40 7 77 77 4 -2
Calgary 82 32 41 9 73 73 8 -6
Toronto 82 30 44 8 68 68 13 -11
Los Angeles 82 28 43 11 67 67 14 -12
San Jose 82 27 47 8 62 62 19 -17
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched conference title
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL LEAGUE LEADERS Final
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- INDIVIDUAL SCORING LEADERS ---
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------ ------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 50 72 122 27 65 15 2 7 1 327 15.3
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 51 58 109 28 34 11 1 8 2 273 18.7
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 44 55 99 36 6 15 3 10 0 340 12.9
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 82 50 47 97 44 58 10 0 5 2 324 15.4
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 82 25 72 97 12 28 6 0 2 1 286 8.7
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 63 47 48 95 22 40 11 2 6 1 234 20.1
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 41 53 94 6 59 7 4 8 1 281 14.6
ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 80 48 42 90 21 43 6 4 6 1 292 16.4
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 81 27 63 90 7 20 10 1 2 0 183 14.8
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 81 47 41 88 32 131 20 3 7 2 336 14.0
KEITH TKACHUK PHOENIX 81 52 34 86 1- 228 9 2 7 1 296 17.6
PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 28 58 86 31 73 5 4 4 0 188 14.9
PIERRE TURGEON MTL-STL 78 26 59 85 8 14 5 0 7 1 216 12.0
STEVE YZERMAN DETROIT 81 22 63 85 22 78 8 0 3 0 232 9.5
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 36 48 84 12 88 7 5 9 1 227 15.9
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 35 48 83 43 42 9 5 9 2 291 12.0
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 77 42 40 82 9- 10 12 2 6 2 302 13.9
ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 80 22 60 82 5- 14 3 2 5 0 160 13.8
DOUG GILMOUR TOR-N.J 81 22 60 82 2 68 4 1 1 1 143 15.4
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 80 21 61 82 1 80 4 0 2 0 235 8.9
VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 82 27 54 81 6- 82 7 2 3 2 244 11.1
MARK RECCHI MONTREAL 82 34 46 80 1- 58 7 2 3 0 202 16.8
ERIC LINDROS PHILADELPHIA 52 32 47 79 31 136 9 0 7 2 198 16.2
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 82 20 58 78 31 40 9 0 2 0 256 7.8
--- DEFENSEMEN SCORING LEADERS ---
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------ -------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 82 20 58 78 31 40 9 0 2 0 256 7.8
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 80 23 45 68 4 88 13 0 4 1 232 9.9
NICKLAS LIDSTROM DETROIT 79 15 42 57 11 30 8 0 1 0 214 7.0
OLEG TVERDOVSKY PHOENIX 82 10 45 55 5- 30 3 1 2 0 144 6.9
KEVIN HATCHER PITTSBURGH 80 15 39 54 11 103 9 0 1 0 199 7.5
DMITRI MIRONOV PIT-ANA 77 13 39 52 16 101 3 1 2 0 177 7.3
RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 62 19 31 50 11- 18 8 1 3 1 230 8.3
CHRIS CHELIOS CHICAGO 72 10 38 48 16 112 2 0 2 0 194 5.2
DARRYL SYDOR DALLAS 82 8 40 48 37 51 2 0 2 0 142 5.6
+BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 8 40 48 1 86 3 0 1 0 172 4.7
STEVE DUCHESNE OTTAWA 78 19 28 47 9- 38 10 2 3 0 208 9.1
ERIC DESJARDINS PHILADELPHIA 82 12 34 46 25 50 5 1 1 0 183 6.6
ROBERT SVEHLA FLORIDA 82 13 32 45 2 86 5 0 3 0 159 8.2
LARRY MURPHY TOR-DET 81 9 36 45 3 20 5 0 1 1 158 5.7
+JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 4 40 44 12 58 1 0 2 0 141 2.8
--- INDIVIDUAL LEADERS ---
-- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM GP A
------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- ---
KEITH TKACHUK PHOENIX 81 52 MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 72
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 51 WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 82 72
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 50 RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 81 63
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 82 50 STEVE YZERMAN DETROIT 81 63
ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 80 48 DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 80 61
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 63 47 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 80 60
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 81 47 DOUG GILMOUR TOR-N.J 81 60
PETER BONDRA WASHINGTON 77 46 PIERRE TURGEON MTL-STL 78 59
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 44 PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 58
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 77 42 TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 58
TONY AMONTE CHICAGO 81 41 BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 82 58
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 41 PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 55
RYAN SMYTH EDMONTON 82 39 JOZEF STUMPEL BOSTON 78 55
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 36 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 82 54
GEOFF SANDERSON HARTFORD 82 36 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 53
MARTIN GELINAS VANCOUVER 74 35 JOE SAKIC COLORADO 65 52
DINO CICCARELLI TAMPA BAY 77 35 JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 63 48
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 35 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 48
ALEXEI YASHIN OTTAWA 82 35 STEVE RUCCHIN ANAHEIM 79 48
MARK RECCHI MONTREAL 82 34 MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 48
-- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HAND GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH
------------------ ------------ -- -- ---------------- ----------- -- --
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 81 20 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 79 6
RYAN SMYTH EDMONTON 82 20 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 5
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 15 TRENT KLATT PHILADELPHIA 76 5
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 15 MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 5
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDMONTON 74 14 SHELDON KENNEDY BOSTON 56 4
KEITH JONES WSH-COL 78 14 PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 4
RAY SHEPPARD FLORIDA 68 13 PETER BONDRA WASHINGTON 77 4
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 80 13 TODD MARCHANT EDMONTON 79 4
MIKE GARTNER PHOENIX 82 13 ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 80 4
PETR NEDVED PITTSBURGH 74 12 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 82 4
DINO CICCARELLI TAMPA BAY 77 12 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 4
BRETT HULL ST LOUIS 77 12 ROB ZAMUNER TAMPA BAY 82 4
GERMAN TITOV CALGARY 79 12
GEOFF SANDERSON HARTFORD 82 12
-- POWER PLAY ASSISTS -- -- SHORT HAND ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPA NAME TEAM GP SHA
------------------ ------------ -- --- ----------------- ------------ -- ---
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 80 35 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 6
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 80 29 RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 62 5
OLEG TVERDOVSKY PHOENIX 82 27 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 80 4
JOE SAKIC COLORADO 65 26 KELLY BUCHBERGER EDMONTON 81 4
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 82 25 ROB ZAMUNER TAMPA BAY 82 4
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 81 24 JERE LEHTINEN DALLAS 63 3
+JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 23 BERNIE NICHOLLS SAN JOSE 65 3
JASON ARNOTT EDMONTON 67 22 PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 3
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 22 JEREMY ROENICK PHOENIX 72 3
PIERRE TURGEON MTL-STL 78 22 DAVE ELLETT TOR-N.J 76 3
NICKLAS LIDSTROM DETROIT 79 22 MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 3
PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 21 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 79 3
DMITRI MIRONOV PIT-ANA 77 21 BILL LINDSAY FLORIDA 81 3
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 21 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MONTREAL 82 3
BRIAN LEETCH NY RANGERS 82 21 DAVE GAGNER CALGARY 82 3
DARRYL SYDOR DALLAS 82 21 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 3
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTTAWA 76 20 +JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 3
-- POWER PLAY POINTS -- -- SHORT HAND POINTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPP NAME TEAM GP SHP
------------------ ------------ -- --- ---------------- ------------ -- ---
SANDIS OZOLINSH COLORADO 80 42 MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 11
DOUG WEIGHT EDMONTON 80 39 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 79 9
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 37 ROB ZAMUNER TAMPA BAY 82 8
JOE SAKIC COLORADO 65 36 PETER FORSBERG COLORADO 65 7
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 81 35 MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 7
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 34 MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 7
RON FRANCIS PITTSBURGH 81 34 RAY BOURQUE BOSTON 62 6
JASON ARNOTT EDMONTON 67 32 JEREMY ROENICK PHOENIX 72 6
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 32 ADAM OATES BOS-WSH 80 6
DANIEL ALFREDSSON OTTAWA 76 31 ZIGMUND PALFFY NY ISLANDERS 80 6
WAYNE GRETZKY NY RANGERS 82 31 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 82 6
-- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- GAME TYING GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GT
------------------ ------------ -- -- ----------------- ---------- -- --
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 10 ADAM GRAVES NY RANGERS 82 5
MARK MESSIER NY RANGERS 71 9 THEOREN FLEURY CALGARY 81 3
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 9 STU BARNES FLA-PIT 81 3
BILL GUERIN NEW JERSEY 82 9 22 PLAYERS WITH TWO
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 8
MATS SUNDIN TORONTO 82 8
-- SHOTS --
NAME TEAM GP S
------------------ ------------ -- ---
PAUL KARIYA ANAHEIM 69 340
THEOREN FLEURY CALGARY 81 336
BRENDAN SHANAHAN HFD-DET 81 336
MARIO LEMIEUX PITTSBURGH 76 327
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 82 324
-- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 82 SHOTS) --
NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG
------------------ ------------ -- --- --- -----
MIROSLAV SATAN EDM-BUF 76 25 119 21.0
JAROMIR JAGR PITTSBURGH 63 47 234 20.1
MARTIN GELINAS VANCOUVER 74 35 177 19.8
ANDREI KOVALENKO EDMONTON 74 32 163 19.6
TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 78 51 273 18.7
-- PLUS/MINUS --
NAME TEAM GP +/-
------------------ ------------ -- ---
JOHN LECLAIR PHILADELPHIA 82 44
MIKE MODANO DALLAS 80 43
VLAD. KONSTANTINOV DETROIT 77 38
DAVE ANDREYCHUK NEW JERSEY 82 38
DARRYL SYDOR DALLAS 82 37
--- GOALTENDING LEADERS ---
(MIN. 25 GPI)
-- GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS GA AVG
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- --- -----
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 67 3838 120 1.88
ANDY MOOG DALLAS 48 2738 98 2.15
JEFF HACKETT CHICAGO 41 2473 89 2.16
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 67 4037 153 2.27
J. VANBIESBROUCK FLORIDA 57 3347 128 2.29
-- WINS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- -- -- --
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 62 3698 38 15 7
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 67 3838 37 14 13
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 67 4037 37 20 10
MIKE RICHTER NY RANGERS 61 3598 33 22 6
GRANT FUHR ST LOUIS 73 4261 33 27 11
-- SAVE PERCENTAGE --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS GA SA SPCTG W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- --- ---- ----- -- -- --
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 67 4037 153 2177 .930 37 20 10
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 67 3838 120 1633 .927 37 14 13
JEFF HACKETT CHICAGO 41 2473 89 1212 .927 19 18 4
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 62 3698 143 1861 .923 38 15 7
GUY HEBERT ANAHEIM 67 3863 172 2133 .919 29 25 12
J. VANBIESBROUCK FLORIDA 57 3347 128 1582 .919 27 19 10
-- SHUTOUTS --
GOALTENDER TEAM GPI MINS SO W L T
------------------ -------------------- --- ---- -- -- -- --
MARTIN BRODEUR NEW JERSEY 67 3838 10 37 14 13
PATRICK ROY COLORADO 62 3698 7 38 15 7
N. KHABIBULIN PHOENIX 72 4091 7 30 33 6
CHRIS OSGOOD DETROIT 47 2769 6 23 13 9
CURTIS JOSEPH EDMONTON 72 4089 6 32 29 9
RON HEXTALL PHILADELPHIA 55 3094 5 31 16 5
TOMMY SALO NY ISLANDERS 58 3208 5 20 27 8
RICK TABARACCI CGY-T.B 62 3373 5 22 29 6
DOMINIK HASEK BUFFALO 67 4037 5 37 20 10
--- INDIVIDUAL ROOKIE SCORING LEADERS ---
PLAYER TEAM GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
------------------ -------------- -- --- --- --- --- --- -- -- -- -- --- ----
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 21 29 50 4- 37 8 1 3 0 169 12.4
BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 8 40 48 1 86 3 0 1 0 172 4.7
JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 4 40 44 12 58 1 0 2 0 141 2.8
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 23 20 43 3 68 5 0 6 1 169 13.6
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 25 16 41 3- 2 7 0 2 0 177 14.1
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 13 26 39 2- 51 3 0 3 0 112 11.6
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 13 25 38 14 37 3 0 3 1 108 12.0
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 19 16 35 4- 12 3 0 6 1 189 10.1
MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 79 15 17 32 7 45 4 0 2 0 89 16.9
HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 14 18 32 1 24 3 1 3 0 86 16.3
DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 70 12 20 32 7 62 3 0 3 0 106 11.3
ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 82 15 16 31 13 123 0 0 1 1 114 13.2
ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 79 12 19 31 6- 8 2 0 3 0 79 15.2
REM MURRAY EDMONTON 82 11 20 31 9 16 1 0 2 0 85 12.9
WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 82 6 24 30 1 41 2 0 1 0 102 5.9
--- INDIVIDUAL ROOKIE LEADERS ---
-- GOAL SCORING -- -- ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP G NAME TEAM GP A
------------------ ------------ -- --- ------------------ ------------ -- ---
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 25 JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 40
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 23 BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 40
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 21 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 29
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 19 JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 26
MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 79 15 STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 25
DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 79 15 WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 82 24
ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 82 15 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 20
HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 14 DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 70 20
STEPHEN GUOLLA SAN JOSE 43 13 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 82 20
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 13 DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 74 19
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 13 ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 79 19
SERGEI ZHOLTOK OTTAWA 57 12 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 18
DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 70 12 MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 79 17
ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 79 12
-- POWER PLAY GOALS -- -- SHORT HAND GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP PP NAME TEAM GP SH
------------------ ------------ -- -- ------------------ ------------ -- --
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 8 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 69 3
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 7 MIKE JOHNSON TORONTO 13 1
SERGEI ZHOLTOK OTTAWA 57 5 MARK WOTTON VANCOUVER 36 1
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 5 ANSON CARTER WSH-BOS 38 1
MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 79 4 CALE HULSE CALGARY 63 1
DANIEL GONEAU NY RANGERS 41 3 BRUCE GARDINER OTTAWA 67 1
TOMAS HOLMSTROM DETROIT 47 3 DANIEL MCGILLIS EDMONTON 73 1
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 3 HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 1
DAVID WILKIE MONTREAL 61 3 JOEL BOUCHARD CALGARY 76 1
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 3 DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 79 1
DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 70 3 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 1
HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 3
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 3
DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 79 3
BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 3
-- POWER PLAY ASSISTS -- -- SHORT HAND ASSISTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPA NAME TEAM GP SHA
------------------ ------------ -- --- ------------------ ----------- -- ---
JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 23 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 3
BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 17 SEBASTIEN BORDELEA MONTREAL 28 2
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 11 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 2
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 9 JEFF SHEVALIER LOS ANGELES 26 1
DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 74 8 DANIEL TREBIL ANAHEIM 29 1
WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 82 8 BRANDON CONVERY TORONTO 39 1
VACLAV PROSPAL PHILADELPHIA 18 6 AARON WARD DETROIT 49 1
CHRIS O'SULLIVAN CALGARY 27 6 STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 1
DREW BANNISTER T.B-EDM 65 6 STEVE STAIOS BOS-VAN 63 1
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 6 CALE HULSE CALGARY 63 1
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 5 DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 74 1
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 5 REM MURRAY EDMONTON 82 1
DANIEL MCGILLIS EDMONTON 73 5 WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 82 1
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 5
-- POWER PLAY POINTS -- -- SHORT HAND POINTS --
NAME TEAM GP PPP NAME TEAM GP SHP
------------------ ------------ -- --- ------------------ ----------- -- ---
JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 24 JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 4
BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 20 MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 69 3
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 17 SEBASTIEN BORDELEA MONTREAL 28 2
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 14 CALE HULSE CALGARY 63 2
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 12 JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 2
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 10
DARREN VAN IMPE ANAHEIM 74 10
WADE REDDEN OTTAWA 82 10
-- GAME WINNING GOALS -- -- GAME TYING GOALS --
NAME TEAM GP GW NAME TEAM GP GT
------------------ ------------ -- -- ------------------ ----------- -- --
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 6 JAY PANDOLFO NEW JERSEY 46 2
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 6 BRUCE GARDINER OTTAWA 67 2
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 3 14 PLAYERS WITH ONE
AARON MILLER COLORADO 56 3
DENIS PEDERSON NEW JERSEY 70 3
DARCY TUCKER MONTREAL 73 3
HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 3
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNE DALLAS 76 3
ANDREAS DACKELL OTTAWA 79 3
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 3
-- SHOTS --
NAME TEAM GP S
------------------ ------------ -- ---
JONAS HOGLUND CALGARY 68 189
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 177
BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 82 172
DAYMOND LANGKOW TAMPA BAY 79 170
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 169
JAROME IGINLA CALGARY 82 169
-- SHOOTING PERCENTAGE (MIN 82 SHOTS) --
NAME TEAM GP G S PCTG
------------------ ------------ -- --- --- -----
MIKE GRIER EDMONTON 79 15 89 16.9
HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 74 14 86 16.3
SERGEI BEREZIN TORONTO 73 25 177 14.1
JIM CAMPBELL ST LOUIS 68 23 169 13.6
ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 82 15 114 13.2
-- PLUS/MINUS --
NAME TEAM GP +/-
------------------ ------------ -- ---
AARON MILLER COLORADO 56 15
STEVE SULLIVAN N.J-TOR 54 14
ETHAN MOREAU CHICAGO 82 13
JANNE NIINIMAA PHILADELPHIA 77 12
REM MURRAY EDMONTON 82 9
--- PENALTY SHOT SUMMARY ---
1. THEOREN FLEURY (CGY) SCORED AGAINST PATRICK ROY (COL)
GAME NO. 98, Oct 22. FINAL SCORE: COL 1 AT CGY 5
2. ROBERT REICHEL (CGY) SCORED AGAINST TOM BARRASSO (PIT)
GAME NO. 110, Oct 24. FINAL SCORE: PIT 5 AT CGY 7
3. VALERI KAMENSKY (COL) SCORED AGAINST CURTIS JOSEPH (EDM)
GAME NO. 122, Oct 26. FINAL SCORE: COL 4 AT EDM 2
4. JAROMIR JAGR (PIT) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST MARK FITZPATRICK (FLA)
GAME NO. 200, Nov 9. FINAL SCORE: PIT 2 AT FLA 4
5. TODD MARCHANT (EDM) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST DAMIAN RHODES (OTT)
GAME NO. 215, Nov 13. FINAL SCORE: EDM 4 AT OTT 0
6. MIKE HUDSON (PHO) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST CHRIS OSGOOD (DET)
GAME NO. 249, Nov 18. FINAL SCORE: DET 2 AT PHO 2
7. TODD ELIK (BOS) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST JIM CAREY (WSH)
GAME NO. 253, Nov 19. FINAL SCORE: BOS 2 AT WSH 2
8. DONALD AUDETTE (BUF) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST FELIX POTVIN (TOR)
GAME NO. 264, Nov 21. FINAL SCORE: TOR 3 AT BUF 6
9. PETER FORSBERG (COL) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST GRANT FUHR (STL)
GAME NO. 351, Dec 6. FINAL SCORE: STL 4 AT COL 3
10. GEOFF COURTNALL (STL) SCORED AGAINST JEFF HACKETT (CHI)
GAME NO. 388, Dec 13. FINAL SCORE: CHI 4 AT STL 1
11. PETER BONDRA (WSH) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST M. SHTALENKOV (ANA)
GAME NO. 391, Dec 13. FINAL SCORE: WSH 4 AT ANA 5
12. ALEXANDRE DAIGLE (OTT) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST GUY HEBERT (ANA)
GAME NO. 485, Dec 30. FINAL SCORE: ANA 4 AT OTT 3
13. ROB ZAMUNER (T.B) SCORED AGAINST TOMMY SALO (NYI)
GAME NO. 556, Jan 11. FINAL SCORE: NYI 4 AT T.B 4
14. MIKE SILLINGER (VAN) SCORED AGAINST MARK FITZPATRICK (FLA)
GAME NO. 576, Jan 14. FINAL SCORE: FLA 4 AT VAN 4
15. TODD MARCHANT (EDM) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST OLAF KOLZIG (WSH)
GAME NO. 627, Jan 26. FINAL SCORE: EDM 3 AT WSH 1
16. JOHN MACLEAN (N.J) SCORED AGAINST DOMINIK HASEK (BUF)
GAME NO. 805, Feb 27. FINAL SCORE: BUF 1 AT N.J 4
17. ADAM DEADMARSH (COL) SCORED AGAINST JEFF HACKETT (CHI)
GAME NO. 821, Mar 1. FINAL SCORE: CHI 1 AT COL 2
18. VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE (MTL) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST DOMINIK HASEK (BUF)
GAME NO. 855, Mar 8. FINAL SCORE: BUF 3 AT MTL 3
19. SAMI KAPANEN (HFD) SCORED AGAINST JIM CAREY (BOS)
GAME NO. 878, Mar 12. FINAL SCORE: BOS 3 AT HFD 6
20. KEN KLEE (WSH) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST MIKE RICHTER (NYR)
GAME NO. 879, Mar 12. FINAL SCORE: WSH 2 AT NYR 3
21. ROB NIEDERMAYER (FLA) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST COREY HIRSCH (VAN)
GAME NO. 888, Mar 13. FINAL SCORE: VAN 4 AT FLA 5
22. BRETT HARKINS (BOS) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST RON TUGNUTT (OTT)
GAME NO. 935, Mar 22. FINAL SCORE: OTT 5 AT BOS 4
23. JASON ALLISON (BOS) UNSUCCESSFUL AGAINST DOMINIK HASEK (BUF)
GAME NO. 1040, Apr 10. FINAL SCORE: BUF 5 AT BOS 1
24. MARIO LEMIEUX (PIT) SCORED AGAINST JOHN VANBIESBROUCK (FLA)
GAME NO. 1048, Apr. 11. FINAL SCORE: PIT 2 AT FLA 4
TOTAL SHOTS: 24
TOTAL GOALS: 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL PLAYER STATS Final
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEAM P NO PLAYER GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG
ANA R 8 TEEMU SELANNE 78 51 58 109 28 34 11 1 8 2 273 18.7
ANA L 9 PAUL KARIYA 69 44 55 99 36 6 15 3 10 0 340 12.9
ANA C 20 STEVE RUCCHIN 79 19 48 67 26 24 6 1 2 1 153 12.4
ANA D 15 DMITRI MIRONOV 77 13 39 52 16 101 3 1 2 0 177 7.3
ANA C 17 JARI KURRI 82 13 22 35 -13 12 3 0 3 0 109 11.9
ANA L 23 BRIAN BELLOWS 69 16 15 31 -15 22 8 0 1 0 168 9.5
ANA C 12 KEVIN TODD 65 9 21 30 -7 44 0 0 1 0 95 9.5
ANA R 14 JOE SACCO 77 12 17 29 1 35 1 1 2 0 131 9.2
ANA D 36 J.J. DAIGNEAULT 66 5 23 28 0 58 0 0 1 0 62 8.1
ANA D 29 *DARREN VAN IMPE 74 4 19 23 3 90 2 0 0 0 107 3.7
ANA R 46 JEAN-FRANCOIS JOMPHE64 7 14 21 -9 53 0 1 0 0 81 8.6
ANA C 13 TED DRURY 73 9 9 18 -9 54 1 0 2 1 114 7.9
ANA D 2 BOBBY DOLLAS 79 4 14 18 17 55 1 0 1 1 96 4.2
ANA L 16 WARREN RYCHEL 70 10 7 17 6 218 1 1 1 0 59 16.9
ANA C 54 *SEAN PRONGER 39 7 7 14 6 20 1 0 1 1 43 16.3
ANA D 33 DAVE KARPA 69 2 11 13 11 210 0 0 1 0 90 2.2
ANA L 22 KEN BAUMGARTNER 67 0 11 11 0 182 0 0 0 0 20 .0
ANA D 28 JASON MARSHALL 73 1 9 10 6 140 0 0 0 0 34 2.9
ANA C 24 MARK JANSSENS 66 2 6 8 -13 137 0 0 0 0 39 5.1
ANA D 34 *DANIEL TREBIL 29 3 3 6 5 23 0 0 0 0 30 10.0
ANA L 27 *MIKE LECLERC 5 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 33.3
ANA C 32 RICHARD PARK 12 1 1 2 -1 10 0 0 0 0 10 10.0
ANA R 11 VALERI KARPOV 9 1 0 1 -2 16 0 0 0 0 4 25.0
ANA R 52 *PETER LEBOUTILLIER 23 1 0 1 0 121 0 0 0 0 5 20.0
ANA D 26 *NIKOLAI TSULYGIN 22 0 1 1 -5 8 0 0 0 0 10 .0
ANA D 5 *RUSLAN SALEI 30 0 1 1 -8 37 0 0 0 0 14 .0
ANA G 31 GUY HEBERT 67 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
ANA G 1 MICHAEL O'NEILL 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
ANA L 42 BARRY NIECKAR 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 .0
ANA R 39 *FRANK BANHAM 3 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
ANA R 51 *CRAIG REICHERT 3 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
ANA L 40 *JEREMY STEVENSON 5 0 0 0 -1 14 0 0 0 0 1 .0
ANA D 25 ADRIAN PLAVSIC 6 0 0 0 -5 2 0 0 0 0 3 .0
ANA L 19 SHAWN ANTOSKI 15 0 0 0 1 51 0 0 0 0 3 .0
ANA G 35 M. SHTALENKOV 24 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS C 16 JOZEF STUMPEL 78 21 55 76 -22 14 6 0 1 0 168 12.5
BOS L 21 TED DONATO 67 25 26 51 -9 37 6 2 2 0 172 14.5
BOS D 77 RAY BOURQUE 62 19 31 50 -11 18 8 1 3 1 230 8.3
BOS R 41 JASON ALLISON 72 8 26 34 -6 34 2 0 1 0 99 8.1
BOS R 19 ROB DIMAIO 72 13 15 28 -21 82 0 3 2 0 152 8.6
BOS D 32 DON SWEENEY 82 3 23 26 -5 39 0 0 0 0 113 2.7
BOS R 23 STEVE HEINZE 30 17 8 25 -8 27 4 2 2 0 96 17.7
BOS R 43 JEAN-YVES ROY 52 10 15 25 -8 22 2 0 1 1 100 10.0
BOS L 42 TIM SWEENEY 36 10 11 21 0 14 2 0 2 0 65 15.4
BOS R 27 *LANDON WILSON 49 8 12 20 -5 72 0 0 0 0 83 9.6
BOS C 11 *ANSON CARTER 38 11 7 18 -7 9 2 1 2 0 79 13.9
BOS R 33 SHELDON KENNEDY 56 8 10 18 -17 30 0 4 0 0 65 12.3
BOS D 46 BARRY RICHTER 50 5 13 18 -7 32 1 0 0 0 79 6.3
BOS L 65 BRETT HARKINS 44 4 14 18 -3 8 3 0 2 0 52 7.7
BOS L 20 TODD ELIK 31 4 12 16 -12 16 1 0 0 0 72 5.6
BOS R 36 JEFF ODGERS 80 7 8 15 -15 197 1 0 1 0 84 8.3
BOS L 29 TROY MALLETTE 68 6 8 14 -8 155 0 0 2 1 61 9.8
BOS D 18 KYLE MCLAREN 58 5 9 14 -9 54 0 0 1 0 68 7.4
BOS R 45 SANDY MOGER 34 10 3 13 -12 45 3 0 0 0 54 18.5
BOS D 47 *MATTIAS TIMANDER 41 1 8 9 -9 14 0 0 0 1 62 1.6
BOS D 38 JON ROHLOFF 37 3 5 8 -14 31 1 0 0 0 69 4.3
BOS C 25 TRENT MCCLEARY 59 3 5 8 -16 33 0 0 1 0 41 7.3
BOS D 34 BOB BEERS 27 3 4 7 0 8 1 0 0 0 49 6.1
BOS C 37 CLAYTON BEDDOES 21 1 2 3 -1 13 0 0 0 0 11 9.1
BOS D 28 DEAN CHYNOWETH 57 0 3 3 -12 171 0 0 0 0 30 .0
BOS D 14 *ANDERS MYRVOLD 9 0 2 2 -1 4 0 0 0 0 8 .0
BOS L 49 *ANDRE ROY 10 0 2 2 -5 12 0 0 0 0 12 .0
BOS D 62 *YEVGENY SHALDYBIN 3 1 0 1 -2 0 0 0 0 0 5 20.0
BOS L 17 *DAVIS PAYNE 15 0 1 1 -4 7 0 0 0 0 8 .0
BOS L 26 CAMERON STEWART 15 0 1 1 -2 4 0 0 0 0 21 .0
BOS C 48 *RANDY ROBITAILLE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS G 31 TIM CHEVELDAE 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS L 14 *KEVIN SAWYER 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS G 1 *PAXTON SCHAFER 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS L 40 *P.C. DROUIN 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
BOS C 52 DAVID EMMA 5 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
BOS G 39 *SCOTT BAILEY 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS G 35 *ROBBIE TALLAS 28 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BOS D 44 DEAN MALKOC 33 0 0 0 -14 70 0 0 0 0 7 .0
BOS G 30 JIM CAREY 59 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BUF C 26 DEREK PLANTE 82 27 26 53 14 24 5 0 6 1 191 14.1
BUF C 19 BRIAN HOLZINGER 81 22 29 51 9 54 2 2 6 0 142 15.5
BUF R 28 DONALD AUDETTE 73 28 22 50 -6 48 8 0 5 1 182 15.4
BUF C 27 MICHAEL PECA 79 20 29 49 26 80 5 6 4 0 137 14.6
BUF R 17 JASON DAWE 81 22 26 48 14 32 4 1 3 0 136 16.2
BUF R 15 DIXON WARD 79 13 32 45 17 36 1 2 4 0 93 14.0
BUF R 36 MATTHEW BARNABY 68 19 24 43 16 249 2 0 1 0 121 15.7
BUF L 81 MIROSLAV SATAN 76 25 13 38 -3 26 7 0 3 0 119 21.0
BUF D 3 GARRY GALLEY 71 4 34 38 10 102 1 1 1 0 84 4.8
BUF L 18 MICHAL GROSEK 82 15 21 36 25 71 1 0 2 1 117 12.8
BUF D 44 ALEXEI ZHITNIK 80 7 28 35 10 95 3 1 0 1 170 4.1
BUF L 12 RANDY BURRIDGE 55 10 21 31 17 20 1 3 0 0 85 11.8
BUF D 42 RICHARD SMEHLIK 62 11 19 30 19 43 2 0 1 0 100 11.0
BUF D 8 DARRYL SHANNON 82 4 19 23 23 112 1 0 1 0 94 4.3
BUF D 4 MIKE WILSON 77 2 9 11 13 51 0 0 1 0 57 3.5
BUF R 32 ROB RAY 82 7 3 10 3 286 0 0 1 0 45 15.6
BUF D 74 *JAY MCKEE 43 1 9 10 3 35 0 0 0 0 29 3.4
BUF C 16 PAT LAFONTAINE 13 2 6 8 -8 4 1 0 0 0 38 5.3
BUF D 6 BOB BOUGHNER 77 1 7 8 12 225 0 0 0 0 34 2.9
BUF C 37 *CURTIS BROWN 28 4 3 7 4 18 0 0 1 0 31 12.9
BUF L 10 BRAD MAY 42 3 4 7 -8 106 1 0 1 0 75 4.0
BUF C 93 ANATOLI SEMENOV 25 2 4 6 -3 2 1 0 1 0 21 9.5
BUF C 76 *WAYNE PRIMEAU 45 2 4 6 -2 64 1 0 0 0 25 8.0
BUF R 5 ED RONAN 18 1 4 5 4 11 0 0 0 0 10 10.0
BUF G 39 DOMINIK HASEK 67 0 3 3 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BUF D 22 CHARLIE HUDDY 1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BUF D 40 *RUMUN NDUR 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BUF G 30 ANDREI TREFILOV 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
BUF L 25 *VACLAV VARADA 5 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 .0
BUF G 31 *STEVE SHIELDS 13 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CGY R 14 THEOREN FLEURY 81 29 38 67 -12 104 9 2 3 3 336 8.6
CGY C 51 DAVE GAGNER 82 27 33 60 2 48 9 0 4 1 228 11.8
CGY L 13 GERMAN TITOV 79 22 30 52 -12 36 12 0 4 0 192 11.5
CGY R 12 *JAROME IGINLA 82 21 29 50 -4 37 8 1 3 0 169 12.4
CGY L 18 MARTY MCINNIS 80 23 26 49 -8 22 5 1 4 1 182 12.6
CGY L 44 *JONAS HOGLUND 68 19 16 35 -4 12 3 0 6 1 189 10.1
CGY C 34 COREY MILLEN 61 11 15 26 -19 32 1 0 0 0 82 13.4
CGY C 16 CORY STILLMAN 58 6 20 26 -6 14 2 0 0 0 112 5.4
CGY C 23 AARON GAVEY 57 8 11 19 -12 46 3 0 1 1 62 12.9
CGY L 20 TODD HLUSHKO 58 7 11 18 -2 49 0 0 0 0 76 9.2
CGY R 22 RONNIE STERN 79 7 10 17 -4 157 0 1 1 0 98 7.1
CGY D 36 YVES RACINE 46 1 15 16 4 24 1 0 0 0 82 1.2
CGY D 5 TOMMY ALBELIN 72 4 11 15 -8 14 2 0 0 0 103 3.9
CGY D 27 *TODD SIMPSON 82 1 13 14 -14 208 0 0 0 1 85 1.2
CGY L 42 ED WARD 40 5 8 13 -3 49 0 0 1 0 33 15.2
CGY L 32 MIKE SULLIVAN 67 5 6 11 -11 10 0 3 2 0 64 7.8
CGY D 4 GLEN FEATHERSTONE 54 3 8 11 -1 106 0 0 0 0 67 4.5
CGY D 19 *CHRIS O'SULLIVAN 27 2 8 10 0 2 1 0 1 0 41 4.9
CGY D 6 *JOEL BOUCHARD 76 4 5 9 -23 49 0 1 0 0 61 6.6
CGY R 15 SANDY MCCARTHY 33 3 5 8 -8 113 1 0 1 0 38 7.9
CGY D 29 *CALE HULSE 63 1 6 7 -2 91 0 1 0 0 58 1.7
CGY L 17 *HNAT DOMENICHELLI 23 3 3 6 -3 9 1 0 0 0 30 10.0
CGY D 3 JAMES PATRICK 19 3 1 4 2 6 1 0 0 0 22 13.6
CGY C 41 *DALE MCTAVISH 9 1 2 3 -4 2 0 0 0 0 14 7.1
CGY G 37 TREVOR KIDD 55 0 2 2 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CGY D 8 *SAMI HELENIUS 3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
CGY L 38 *SASHA LAKOVIC 19 0 1 1 -1 54 0 0 0 0 10 .0
CGY L 35 *PAXTON SCHULTE 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
CGY D 33 ZARLEY ZALAPSKI 2 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 7 .0
CGY C 28 *MARTY MURRAY 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 2 .0
CGY C 45 *MARKO JANTUNEN 3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 7 .0
CGY D 2 *JAMIE ALLISON 20 0 0 0 -4 35 0 0 0 0 8 .0
CGY G 30 DWAYNE ROLOSON 31 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CHI R 10 TONY AMONTE 81 41 36 77 35 64 9 2 4 2 266 15.4
CHI C 26 ALEXEI ZHAMNOV 74 20 42 62 18 56 6 1 2 0 208 9.6
CHI D 7 CHRIS CHELIOS 72 10 38 48 16 112 2 0 2 0 194 5.2
CHI L 55 ERIC DAZE 71 22 19 41 -4 16 11 0 4 0 176 12.5
CHI C 32 MURRAY CRAVEN 75 8 27 35 0 12 2 0 1 0 122 6.6
CHI R 22 ULF DAHLEN 73 14 19 33 -2 18 4 0 4 0 131 10.7
CHI D 2 ERIC WEINRICH 81 7 25 32 19 62 1 0 0 1 115 6.1
CHI L 19 *ETHAN MOREAU 82 15 16 31 13 123 0 0 1 1 114 13.2
CHI R 16 KEVIN MILLER 69 14 17 31 -10 41 5 1 2 0 139 10.1
CHI C 11 JEFF SHANTZ 69 9 21 30 11 28 0 1 1 0 86 10.5
CHI D 20 GARY SUTER 82 7 21 28 -4 70 3 0 0 1 225 3.1
CHI C 18 DENIS SAVARD 64 9 18 27 -10 60 2 0 2 0 82 11.0
CHI R 25 SERGEI KRIVOKRASOV 67 13 11 24 -1 42 2 0 3 0 104 12.5
CHI L 38 JAMES BLACK 64 12 11 23 6 20 0 0 3 0 122 9.8
CHI L 24 BOB PROBERT 82 9 14 23 -3 326 1 0 3 0 111 8.1
CHI D 4 KEITH CARNEY 81 3 15 18 26 62 0 0 1 0 77 3.9
CHI D 6 MICHAL SYKORA 63 3 14 17 4 69 1 0 0 0 77 3.9
CHI C 12 BRENT SUTTER 39 7 7 14 10 18 0 0 1 0 62 11.3
CHI R 15 JIM CUMMINS 65 6 6 12 4 199 0 0 0 1 61 9.8
CHI D 39 ENRICO CICCONE 67 2 2 4 -1 233 0 0 1 0 65 3.1
CHI C 22 ADAM CREIGHTON 19 1 2 3 -2 13 0 0 0 0 20 5.0
CHI D 8 CAM RUSSELL 44 1 1 2 -8 65 0 0 0 0 19 5.3
CHI L 37 *JEAN-YVES LEROUX 1 0 1 1 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CHI D 44 *CHRISTIAN LAFLAMME 4 0 1 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 3 .0
CHI D 46 *TUOMAS GRONMAN 16 0 1 1 -4 13 0 0 0 0 9 .0
CHI G 31 JEFF HACKETT 41 0 1 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CHI C 17 *SERGEI KLIMOVICH 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CHI G 29 JIM WAITE 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
CHI C 14 STEVE DUBINSKY 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 .0
CHI R 23 *MIKE PROKOPEC 6 0 0 0 -1 6 0 0 0 0 2 .0
CHI L 54 DAVE CHYZOWSKI 8 0 0 0 1 6 0 0 0 0 6 .0
CHI L 17 BASIL MCRAE 8 0 0 0 -2 12 0 0 0 0 1 .0
CHI D 5 STEVE SMITH 21 0 0 0 4 29 0 0 0 0 7 .0
CHI G 40 CHRIS TERRERI 29 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
COL C 21 PETER FORSBERG 65 28 58 86 31 73 5 4 4 0 188 14.9
COL C 19 JOE SAKIC 65 22 52 74 -10 34 10 2 5 0 261 8.4
COL D 8 SANDIS OZOLINSH 80 23 45 68 4 88 13 0 4 1 232 9.9
COL L 13 VALERI KAMENSKY 68 28 38 66 5 38 8 0 4 1 165 17.0
COL R 18 ADAM DEADMARSH 78 33 27 60 8 136 10 3 4 0 198 16.7
COL R 11 KEITH JONES 78 25 23 48 3 118 14 1 7 0 170 14.7
COL R 48 SCOTT YOUNG 72 18 19 37 -5 14 7 0 0 0 164 11.0
COL L 28 ERIC LACROIX 81 18 18 36 16 26 2 0 4 0 141 12.8
COL C 9 MIKE RICCI 63 13 19 32 -3 59 5 0 3 0 74 17.6
COL R 22 CLAUDE LEMIEUX 45 11 17 28 -4 43 5 0 4 0 168 6.5
COL L 20 RENE CORBET 76 12 15 27 14 67 1 0 3 1 128 9.4
COL R 25 MIKE KEANE 81 10 17 27 2 63 0 1 1 0 91 11.0
COL C 26 STEPHANE YELLE 79 9 17 26 1 38 0 1 1 0 89 10.1
COL D 24 JON KLEMM 80 9 15 24 12 37 1 2 1 0 103 8.7
COL D 4 UWE KRUPP 60 4 17 21 12 48 2 0 1 0 107 3.7
COL D 52 ADAM FOOTE 78 2 19 21 16 135 0 0 0 0 60 3.3
COL D 3 *AARON MILLER 56 5 12 17 15 15 0 0 3 0 47 10.6
COL D 5 ALEXEI GUSAROV 58 2 12 14 4 28 0 0 0 0 33 6.1
COL D 2 SYLVAIN LEFEBVRE 71 2 11 13 12 30 1 0 0 0 77 2.6
COL D 23 BRENT SEVERYN 66 1 4 5 -6 193 0 0 0 0 55 1.8
COL L 15 YVES SARAULT 28 2 1 3 0 6 0 0 0 0 41 4.9
COL R 27 *CHRISTIAN MATTE 5 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 16.7
COL G 1 CRAIG BILLINGTON 23 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
COL C 10 *JOSEF MARHA 6 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 .0
COL G 33 PATRICK ROY 62 0 1 1 0 15 0 0 0 0 1 .0
COL G 30 *MARC DENIS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
COL D 32 *RICHARD BRENNAN 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
COL D 6 *WADE BELAK 5 0 0 0 -1 11 0 0 0 0 1 .0
COL D 29 *ERIC MESSIER 21 0 0 0 7 4 0 0 0 0 11 .0
DAL C 9 MIKE MODANO 80 35 48 83 43 42 9 5 9 2 291 12.0
DAL R 16 PAT VERBEEK 81 17 36 53 3 128 5 0 4 0 172 9.9
DAL C 25 JOE NIEUWENDYK 66 30 21 51 -5 32 8 0 2 2 173 17.3
DAL D 5 DARRYL SYDOR 82 8 40 48 37 51 2 0 2 0 142 5.6
DAL L 33 BENOIT HOGUE 73 19 24 43 8 54 5 0 5 0 131 14.5
DAL R 26 JERE LEHTINEN 63 16 27 43 26 2 3 1 2 0 134 11.9
DAL D 56 SERGEI ZUBOV 78 13 30 43 19 24 1 0 3 0 133 9.8
DAL L 14 DAVE REID 82 19 20 39 12 10 1 1 4 0 135 14.1
DAL C 15 *JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER 76 13 26 39 -2 51 3 0 3 0 112 11.6
DAL L 23 GREG ADAMS 50 21 15 36 27 2 5 0 4 1 113 18.6
DAL C 10 TODD HARVEY 71 9 22 31 19 142 1 0 2 0 99 9.1
DAL C 41 BRENT GILCHRIST 67 10 20 30 6 24 2 0 2 0 116 8.6
DAL D 2 DERIAN HATCHER 63 3 19 22 8 97 0 0 0 0 96 3.1
DAL C 21 GUY CARBONNEAU 73 5 16 21 9 36 0 1 0 0 99 5.1
DAL C 7 NEAL BROTEN 42 8 12 20 -4 12 1 1 2 0 55 14.5
DAL D 12 GRANT LEDYARD 67 1 15 16 31 61 0 0 0 0 99 1.0
DAL D 3 CRAIG LUDWIG 77 2 11 13 17 62 0 0 1 0 59 3.4
DAL C 28 BOB BASSEN 46 5 7 12 5 41 0 0 2 0 50 10.0
DAL D 24 RICHARD MATVICHUK 57 5 7 12 1 87 0 2 0 0 83 6.0
DAL L 17 BILL HUARD 40 5 6 11 5 105 0 0 0 0 34 14.7
DAL R 29 GRANT MARSHALL 56 6 4 10 5 98 0 0 0 0 62 9.7
DAL R 39 MIKE KENNEDY 24 1 6 7 3 13 0 0 1 0 26 3.8
DAL D 18 MIKE LALOR 55 1 1 2 3 42 0 0 0 0 32 3.1
DAL G 32 ARTURS IRBE 35 0 2 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DAL D 22 DAN KECZMER 13 0 1 1 3 6 0 0 0 0 10 .0
DAL G 35 ANDY MOOG 48 0 1 1 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DAL L 44 *PATRICK COTE 3 0 0 0 0 27 0 0 0 0 1 .0
DAL R 42 SERGEI MAKAROV 4 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DAL G 1 ROMAN TUREK 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DAL L 27 MARC LABELLE 9 0 0 0 -4 46 0 0 0 0 2 .0
DET L 14 BRENDAN SHANAHAN 81 47 41 88 32 131 20 3 7 2 336 14.0
DET C 19 STEVE YZERMAN 81 22 63 85 22 78 8 0 3 0 232 9.5
DET C 91 SERGEI FEDOROV 74 30 33 63 29 30 9 2 4 0 273 11.0
DET D 5 NICKLAS LIDSTROM 79 15 42 57 11 30 8 0 1 0 214 7.0
DET C 8 IGOR LARIONOV 64 12 42 54 31 26 2 1 4 0 95 12.6
DET R 25 DARREN MCCARTY 68 19 30 49 14 126 5 0 6 1 171 11.1
DET L 13 VYACHESLAV KOZLOV 75 23 22 45 21 46 3 0 6 0 211 10.9
DET D 55 LARRY MURPHY 81 9 36 45 3 20 5 0 1 1 158 5.7
DET R 28 TOMAS SANDSTROM 74 18 24 42 6 69 1 2 2 1 139 12.9
DET D 16 VLAD. KONSTANTINOV 77 5 33 38 38 151 0 0 0 0 141 3.5
DET R 20 MARTIN LAPOINTE 78 16 17 33 -14 167 5 1 1 0 149 10.7
DET D 2 VIACHESLAV FETISOV 64 5 23 28 26 76 0 0 1 0 95 5.3
DET C 33 KRIS DRAPER 76 8 5 13 -11 73 1 0 1 0 85 9.4
DET R 17 DOUG BROWN 49 6 7 13 -3 8 1 0 0 0 69 8.7
DET D 3 BOB ROUSE 70 4 9 13 8 58 0 2 0 0 70 5.7
DET R 11 MATHIEU DANDENAULT 65 3 9 12 -10 28 0 0 0 0 81 3.7
DET D 4 *JAMIE PUSHOR 75 4 7 11 1 129 0 0 0 0 63 6.3
DET L 15 *TOMAS HOLMSTROM 47 6 3 9 -10 33 3 0 0 0 53 11.3
DET L 18 KIRK MALTBY 66 3 5 8 3 75 0 0 0 0 62 4.8
DET C 37 TIM TAYLOR 44 3 4 7 -6 52 0 1 0 2 44 6.8
DET D 27 *AARON WARD 49 2 5 7 -9 52 0 0 0 0 40 5.0
DET D 34 *ANDERS ERIKSSON 23 0 6 6 5 10 0 0 0 0 27 .0
DET R 26 JOEY KOCUR 34 2 1 3 -7 70 0 0 1 0 38 5.3
DET G 30 CHRIS OSGOOD 47 0 2 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DET R 22 *MICHAEL KNUBLE 9 1 0 1 -1 0 0 0 0 0 10 10.0
DET G 31 *KEVIN HODSON 6 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DET D 23 MIKE RAMSEY 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
DET L 40 MARK MAJOR 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 .0
DET G 29 MIKE VERNON 33 0 0 0 0 35 0 0 0 0 0 .0
EDM C 39 DOUG WEIGHT 80 21 61 82 1 80 4 0 2 0 235 8.9
EDM L 94 RYAN SMYTH 82 39 22 61 -7 76 20 0 4 0 265 14.7
EDM L 51 ANDREI KOVALENKO 74 32 27 59 -5 81 14 0 2 0 163 19.6
EDM C 7 JASON ARNOTT 67 19 38 57 -21 92 10 1 2 1 248 7.7
EDM R 21 MARIUSZ CZERKAWSKI 76 26 21 47 0 16 4 0 3 0 182 14.3
EDM R 16 KELLY BUCHBERGER 81 8 30 38 4 159 0 0 3 0 78 10.3
EDM C 26 TODD MARCHANT 79 14 19 33 11 44 0 4 3 0 202 6.9
EDM R 25 *MIKE GRIER 79 15 17 32 7 45 4 0 2 0 89 16.9
EDM D 2 BORIS MIRONOV 55 6 26 32 2 85 2 0 1 0 147 4.1
EDM L 17 *REM MURRAY 82 11 20 31 9 16 1 0 2 0 85 12.9
EDM L 37 DEAN MCAMMOND 57 12 17 29 -15 28 4 0 6 0 106 11.3
EDM L 14 *MATS LINDGREN 69 11 14 25 -7 12 2 3 1 0 71 15.5
EDM D 23 *DANIEL MCGILLIS 73 6 16 22 2 52 2 1 2 0 139 4.3
EDM D 55 *DREW BANNISTER 65 4 14 18 -23 44 1 0 0 0 59 6.8
EDM D 24 BRYAN MARCHMENT 71 3 13 16 13 132 1 0 0 0 89 3.4
EDM R 85 PETR KLIMA 33 2 12 14 -12 12 0 0 0 0 55 3.6
EDM D 4 KEVIN LOWE 64 1 13 14 -1 50 0 0 0 0 46 2.2
EDM D 22 LUKE RICHARDSON 82 1 11 12 9 91 0 0 0 0 67 1.5
EDM L 18 *BARRIE MOORE 35 2 6 8 1 18 1 0 0 0 43 4.7
EDM D 5 *GREG DE VRIES 37 0 4 4 -2 52 0 0 0 0 31 .0
EDM L 29 LOUIE DEBRUSK 32 2 0 2 -6 94 0 0 0 0 10 20.0
EDM C 9 *RALPH INTRANUOVO 8 1 1 2 -1 0 0 0 0 0 6 16.7
EDM G 31 CURTIS JOSEPH 72 0 2 2 0 20 0 0 0 0 0 .0
EDM C 10 *STEVE KELLY 8 1 0 1 -1 6 0 0 1 0 6 16.7
EDM D 34 DONALD DUFRESNE 22 0 1 1 -1 15 0 0 0 0 10 .0
EDM D 35 *CRAIG MILLAR 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
EDM D 8 *SEAN BROWN 5 0 0 0 -1 4 0 0 0 0 2 .0
EDM C 12 JESSE BELANGER 6 0 0 0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 8 .0
EDM L 15 *JOE HULBIG 6 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 4 .0
EDM G 30 BOB ESSENSA 19 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
FLA R 26 RAY SHEPPARD 68 29 31 60 4 4 13 0 7 0 226 12.8
FLA R 27 SCOTT MELLANBY 82 27 29 56 7 170 9 1 4 0 221 12.2
FLA D 24 ROBERT SVEHLA 82 13 32 45 2 86 5 0 3 0 159 8.2
FLA C 9 KIRK MULLER 76 21 19 40 -25 89 10 1 4 0 174 12.1
FLA R 19 RADEK DVORAK 78 18 21 39 -2 30 2 0 1 0 139 12.9
FLA C 44 ROB NIEDERMAYER 60 14 24 38 4 54 3 0 2 0 136 10.3
FLA L 29 JOHAN GARPENLOV 53 11 25 36 10 47 1 0 1 2 83 13.3
FLA L 11 BILL LINDSAY 81 11 23 34 1 120 0 1 3 0 168 6.5
FLA L 10 DAVE LOWRY 77 15 14 29 2 51 2 0 2 1 96 15.6
FLA C 28 MARTIN STRAKA 55 7 22 29 9 12 2 0 1 0 94 7.4
FLA D 4 PER GUSTAFSSON 58 7 22 29 11 22 2 0 1 0 105 6.7
FLA R 21 TOM FITZGERALD 71 10 14 24 7 64 0 2 1 1 135 7.4
FLA D 5 GORD MURPHY 80 8 15 23 3 51 2 0 0 0 137 5.8
FLA D 55 ED JOVANOVSKI 61 7 16 23 -1 172 3 0 1 0 80 8.8
FLA C 20 BRIAN SKRUDLAND 51 5 13 18 4 48 0 0 2 0 57 8.8
FLA R 12 JODY HULL 67 10 6 16 1 4 0 1 2 1 92 10.9
FLA L 18 MIKE HOUGH 69 8 6 14 12 48 0 0 2 0 85 9.4
FLA R 15 *DAVID NEMIROVSKY 39 7 7 14 1 32 1 0 0 1 53 13.2
FLA D 2 TERRY CARKNER 70 0 14 14 -4 96 0 0 0 0 38 .0
FLA D 7 RHETT WARRENER 62 4 9 13 20 88 1 0 1 0 58 6.9
FLA D 3 PAUL LAUS 77 0 12 12 13 313 0 0 0 0 63 .0
FLA C 22 *STEVE WASHBURN 18 3 6 9 2 4 1 0 0 0 21 14.3
FLA C 23 CHRIS WELLS 47 2 6 8 5 42 0 0 0 0 29 6.9
FLA G 34 J. VANBIESBROUCK 57 0 2 2 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 .0
FLA G 30 MARK FITZPATRICK 30 0 1 1 0 13 0 0 0 0 0 .0
FLA R 8 *CRAIG MARTIN 1 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 .0
FLA D 25 GEOFF SMITH 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 2 .0
FLA C 16 CRAIG FERGUSON 3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 5 .0
FLA C 16 CRAIG FISHER 4 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .0
HFD L 8 GEOFF SANDERSON 82 36 31 67 -9 29 12 1 4 1 297 12.1
HFD C 21 ANDREW CASSELS 81 22 44 66 -16 46 8 0 2 0 142 15.5
HFD L 27 DEREK KING 82 26 33 59 -6 22 6 0 3 0 181 14.4
HFD C 55 KEITH PRIMEAU 75 26 25 51 -3 161 6 3 2 2 169 15.4
HFD R 11 KEVIN DINEEN 78 19 29 48 -6 141 8 0 5 2 185 10.3
HFD R 16 NELSON EMERSON 66 9 29 38 -21 34 2 1 2 0 194 4.6
HFD R 12 STEVEN RICE 78 21 14 35 -11 59 5 0 2 0 159 13.2
HFD D 20 GLEN WESLEY 68 6 26 32 0 40 3 1 0 0 126 4.8
HFD C 92 JEFF O'NEILL 72 14 16 30 -24 40 2 1 2 0 101 13.9
HFD D 3 STEVE CHIASSON 65 8 22 30 -21 39 4 2 1 0 168 4.8
HFD R 24 SAMI KAPANEN 45 13 12 25 6 2 3 0 2 0 82 15.9
HFD R 18 ROBERT KRON 68 10 12 22 -18 10 2 0 4 1 182 5.5
HFD D 7 CURTIS LESCHYSHYN 77 4 18 22 -18 38 1 1 1 0 102 3.9
HFD L 28 PAUL RANHEIM 67 10 11 21 -13 18 0 3 1 0 96 10.4
HFD D 14 KEVIN HALLER 62 2 11 13 -12 85 0 0 0 0 77 2.6
HFD D 6 ADAM BURT 71 2 11 13 -13 79 0 0 0 0 85 2.4
HFD C 44 KENT MANDERVILLE 44 6 5 11 3 18 0 0 1 0 51 11.8
HFD R 17 CHRIS MURRAY 64 5 3 8 -7 124 0 0 0 0 41 12.2
HFD D 5 ALEXANDER GODYNYUK 55 1 6 7 -10 41 0 0 1 0 34 2.9
HFD D 23 *MAREK MALIK 47 1 5 6 5 50 0 0 1 0 33 3.0
HFD L 32 STU GRIMSON 76 2 2 4 -8 218 0 0 0 0 17 11.8
HFD R 46 KEVIN BROWN 11 0 4 4 -6 6 0 0 0 0 12 .0
HFD D 41 *NOLAN PRATT 9 0 2 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 4 .0
HFD L 37 JEFF DANIELS 10 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 .0
HFD G 1 SEAN BURKE 51 0 2 2 0 14 0 0 0 0 0 .0
HFD D 7 BRIAN GLYNN 1 1 0 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 50.0
HFD C 26 *STEVE MARTINS 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .0
HFD G 29 JASON MUZZATTI 31 0 1 1 0 18 0 0 0 0 0 .0
HFD D 27 JEFF BROWN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
HFD D 25 *JASON MCBAIN 6 0 0 0 -4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
HFD G 47 *J SEBASTIEN GIGUERE 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
LAK L 8 DIMITRI KHRISTICH 75 19 37 56 8 38 3 0 2 0 135 14.1
LAK C 20 RAY FERRARO 81 25 21 46 -22 112 11 0 2 1 152 16.4
LAK L 9 VLADIMIR TSYPLAKOV 67 16 23 39 8 12 1 0 2 0 118 13.6
LAK L 25 KEVIN STEVENS 69 14 20 34 -27 96 4 0 1 1 175 8.0
LAK R 43 VITALI YACHMENEV 65 10 22 32 -9 10 2 0 2 1 97 10.3
LAK D 4 ROB BLAKE 62 8 23 31 -28 82 4 0 1 0 169 4.7
LAK R 27 GLEN MURRAY 77 16 14 30 -21 32 3 0 1 0 153 10.5
LAK L 21 KAI NURMINEN 67 16 11 27 -3 22 4 0 1 1 112 14.3
LAK C 44 YANIC PERREAULT 41 11 14 25 0 20 1 1 0 0 98 11.2
LAK D 28 PHILIPPE BOUCHER 60 7 18 25 0 25 2 0 1 0 159 4.4
LAK C 22 IAN LAPERRIERE 62 8 15 23 -25 102 0 1 2 0 84 9.5
LAK D 14 MATTIAS NORSTROM 80 1 21 22 -4 84 0 0 0 0 106 .9
LAK R 11 *BRAD SMYTH 52 9 8 17 -10 76 0 0 1 1 84 10.7
LAK D 6 SEAN O'DONNELL 55 5 12 17 -13 144 2 0 0 0 68 7.4
LAK D 27 JOHN SLANEY 32 3 11 14 -10 4 1 0 1 0 60 5.0
LAK L 19 *JEFF SHEVALIER 26 4 9 13 -6 6 1 0 0 0 42 9.5
LAK C 12 *ROMAN VOPAT 29 4 5 9 -7 60 1 0 2 0 54 7.4
LAK D 33 *JAN VOPAT 33 4 5 9 3 22 0 0 1 1 44 9.1
LAK L 42 *DAN BYLSMA 79 3 6 9 -15 32 0 0 0 0 86 3.5
LAK D 5 AKI BERG 41 2 6 8 -9 24 2 0 0 0 65 3.1
LAK L 23 CRAIG JOHNSON 31 4 3 7 -7 26 1 0 0 0 30 13.3
LAK L 41 BRENT GRIEVE 18 4 2 6 -2 15 0 0 1 0 50 8.0
LAK D 15 JAROSLAV MODRY 30 3 3 6 -13 25 1 1 0 0 32 9.4
LAK L 40 BARRY POTOMSKI 26 3 2 5 -8 93 0 0 1 0 18 16.7
LAK D 29 STEVEN FINN 54 2 3 5 -8 84 0 0 1 0 35 5.7
LAK C 24 NATHAN LAFAYETTE 15 1 3 4 -8 8 0 1 1 0 26 3.8
LAK L 17 *MATT JOHNSON 52 1 3 4 -4 194 0 0 0 0 20 5.0
LAK C 37 PAUL DIPIETRO 6 1 0 1 -2 6 0 0 0 0 10 10.0
LAK D 2 DOUG ZMOLEK 57 1 0 1 -22 116 0 0 0 0 28 3.6
LAK G 32 J.C. BERGERON 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
LAK C 26 *CHRIS MARINUCCI 1 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
LAK C 52 *JASON MORGAN 3 0 0 0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 4 .0
LAK G 1 *JAMIE STORR 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
LAK D 7 *STEVE MCKENNA 9 0 0 0 1 37 0 0 0 0 6 .0
LAK G 34 BYRON DAFOE 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
LAK G 35 STEPHANE FISET 44 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL C 25 VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE 82 27 54 81 -6 82 7 2 3 2 244 11.1
MTL R 8 MARK RECCHI 82 34 46 80 -1 58 7 2 3 0 202 16.8
MTL L 49 BRIAN SAVAGE 81 23 37 60 -14 39 5 0 2 0 219 10.5
MTL C 11 SAKU KOIVU 50 17 39 56 7 38 5 0 3 0 135 12.6
MTL L 26 MARTIN RUCINSKY 70 28 27 55 1 62 6 3 3 1 172 16.3
MTL R 44 STEPHANE RICHER 63 22 24 46 0 32 2 0 2 1 126 17.5
MTL R 18 VALERI BURE 64 14 21 35 4 6 4 0 2 1 131 10.7
MTL D 38 VLADIMIR MALAKHOV 65 10 20 30 3 43 5 0 1 0 177 5.6
MTL L 27 SHAYNE CORSON 58 8 16 24 -9 104 3 0 2 0 115 7.0
MTL L 17 BENOIT BRUNET 39 10 13 23 6 14 2 0 2 1 63 15.9
MTL D 5 STEPHANE QUINTAL 71 7 15 22 1 100 1 0 0 0 139 5.0
MTL D 37 DAVE MANSON 75 4 18 22 -26 187 2 0 0 0 175 2.3
MTL R 30 TURNER STEVENSON 65 8 13 21 -14 97 1 0 0 0 76 10.5
MTL C 24 SCOTT THORNTON 73 10 10 20 -19 128 1 1 1 0 110 9.1
MTL C 42 *DARCY TUCKER 73 7 13 20 -5 110 1 0 3 1 62 11.3
MTL C 28 MARC BUREAU 43 6 9 15 4 16 1 1 2 0 56 10.7
MTL D 3 *DAVID WILKIE 61 6 9 15 -9 63 3 0 0 0 65 9.2
MTL D 43 PATRICE BRISEBOIS 49 2 13 15 -7 24 0 0 1 0 72 2.8
MTL D 34 PETER POPOVIC 78 1 13 14 9 32 0 0 0 0 82 1.2
MTL C 71 *SEBASTIEN BORDELEAU 28 2 9 11 -3 2 0 0 0 0 27 7.4
MTL D 35 JASSEN CULLIMORE 52 2 6 8 2 44 0 1 1 0 54 3.7
MTL D 52 *CRAIG RIVET 35 0 4 4 7 54 0 0 0 0 24 .0
MTL C 20 *ERIC HOUDE 13 0 2 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
MTL G 37 *TOMAS VOKOUN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL R 51 *DAVID LING 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL L 14 *TERRY RYAN 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL D 48 *FRANCOIS GROLEAU 5 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 3 .0
MTL D 32 *BRAD BROWN 8 0 0 0 -1 22 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL L 15 PIERRE SEVIGNY 13 0 0 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 .0
MTL G 60 *JOSE THEODORE 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
MTL G 41 JOCELYN THIBAULT 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NJD C 93 DOUG GILMOUR 81 22 60 82 2 68 4 1 1 1 143 15.4
NJD C 16 BOBBY HOLIK 82 23 39 62 24 54 5 0 6 0 192 12.0
NJD L 23 DAVE ANDREYCHUK 82 27 34 61 38 48 4 1 2 1 233 11.6
NJD R 15 JOHN MACLEAN 80 29 25 54 11 49 5 0 6 0 254 11.4
NJD R 12 BILL GUERIN 82 29 18 47 -2 95 7 0 9 0 177 16.4
NJD L 14 BRIAN ROLSTON 81 18 27 45 6 20 2 2 3 0 237 7.6
NJD L 25 VALERI ZELEPUKIN 71 14 24 38 -10 36 3 0 2 0 111 12.6
NJD D 27 SCOTT NIEDERMAYER 81 5 30 35 -4 64 3 0 3 0 159 3.1
NJD L 32 STEVE THOMAS 57 15 19 34 9 46 1 0 2 0 124 12.1
NJD C 10 *DENIS PEDERSON 70 12 20 32 7 62 3 0 3 0 106 11.3
NJD R 21 RANDY MCKAY 77 9 18 27 15 109 0 0 2 0 92 9.8
NJD D 4 SCOTT STEVENS 79 5 19 24 26 70 0 0 1 0 166 3.0
NJD D 2 DAVE ELLETT 76 6 15 21 -6 40 1 0 2 0 105 5.7
NJD D 29 SHAWN CHAMBERS 73 4 17 21 17 19 1 0 0 0 114 3.5
NJD C 19 BOB CARPENTER 62 4 15 19 6 14 0 1 0 0 76 5.3
NJD C 22 PETER ZEZEL 53 4 12 16 10 16 0 0 1 0 62 6.5
NJD D 24 LYLE ODELEIN 79 3 13 16 16 110 1 0 2 0 93 3.2
NJD L 20 *JAY PANDOLFO 46 6 8 14 -1 6 0 0 1 2 61 9.8
NJD D 3 KEN DANEYKO 77 2 7 9 24 70 0 0 0 1 63 3.2
NJD D 28 KEVIN DEAN 28 2 4 6 2 6 0 0 0 0 21 9.5
NJD R 22 *PATRIK ELIAS 17 2 3 5 -4 2 0 0 0 0 23 8.7
NJD C 18 SERGEI BRYLIN 29 2 2 4 -13 20 0 0 0 0 34 5.9
NJD L 33 REID SIMPSON 27 0 4 4 0 60 0 0 0 0 17 .0
NJD G 30 MARTIN BRODEUR 67 0 4 4 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NJD C 17 PETR SYKORA 19 1 2 3 -8 4 0 0 0 0 26 3.8
NJD C 8 *PASCAL RHEAUME 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 20.0
NJD L 26 *KRZYSZTOF OLIWA 1 0 0 0 -1 5 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NJD R 9 *VADIM SHARIFIJANOV 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 .0
NJD G 35 JEFF REESE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NJD G 1 *MIKE DUNHAM 26 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI R 16 ZIGMUND PALFFY 80 48 42 90 21 43 6 4 6 1 292 16.4
NYI C 39 TRAVIS GREEN 79 23 41 64 -5 38 10 0 3 0 177 13.0
NYI C 21 ROBERT REICHEL 82 21 41 62 5 26 6 1 3 0 214 9.8
NYI C 15 BRYAN SMOLINSKI 64 28 28 56 8 25 9 0 1 1 183 15.3
NYI D 34 *BRYAN BERARD 82 8 40 48 1 86 3 0 1 0 172 4.7
NYI L 32 NIKLAS ANDERSSON 74 12 31 43 4 57 1 1 1 0 122 9.8
NYI D 4 BRYAN MCCABE 82 8 20 28 -2 165 2 1 2 0 117 6.8
NYI R 44 TODD BERTUZZI 64 10 13 23 -3 68 3 0 1 0 79 12.7
NYI D 3 KENNY JONSSON 81 3 18 21 10 24 1 0 0 0 92 3.3
NYI C 13 CLAUDE LAPOINTE 73 13 5 18 -11 49 0 3 3 1 80 16.3
NYI D 7 SCOTT LACHANCE 81 3 11 14 -7 47 1 0 0 0 97 3.1
NYI C 14 *DEREK ARMSTRONG 50 6 7 13 -8 33 0 0 2 0 36 16.7
NYI R 42 DAN PLANTE 67 4 9 13 -6 75 0 2 0 0 61 6.6
NYI R 11 RANDY WOOD 65 6 5 11 -7 61 0 1 2 0 96 6.3
NYI L 20 BRENT HUGHES 51 7 3 10 -4 57 0 0 0 0 47 14.9
NYI D 6 DOUG HOUDA 70 2 8 10 1 99 0 0 0 0 29 6.9
NYI L 24 PAUL KRUSE 62 6 2 8 -9 141 0 0 1 0 49 12.2
NYI R 62 *STEVE WEBB 41 1 4 5 -10 144 1 0 0 0 21 4.8
NYI D 2 RICHARD PILON 52 1 4 5 4 179 0 0 0 0 17 5.9
NYI D 28 DENNIS VASKE 17 0 4 4 3 12 0 0 0 0 19 .0
NYI C 10 DAVE MCLLWAIN 4 1 1 2 -2 0 1 0 0 0 3 33.3
NYI L 33 *KEN BELANGER 18 0 2 2 -1 102 0 0 0 0 5 .0
NYI D 46 *JASON HOLLAND 4 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 33.3
NYI R 12 MICK VUKOTA 17 1 0 1 -2 71 0 0 0 0 7 14.3
NYI G 35 TOMMY SALO 58 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI G 30 TOMMY SODERSTROM 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI C 25 CHRIS TAYLOR 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
NYI C 21 *NICK VACHON 1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI L 36 *JARRETT DEULING 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI L 8 MIKE DONNELLY 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 5 .0
NYI C 28 JIM DOWD 3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYI L 42 *ANDREI VASILIEV 3 0 0 0 -3 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
NYI C 24 DAVID ARCHIBALD 7 0 0 0 -4 4 0 0 0 0 4 .0
NYI D 10 COREY FOSTER 7 0 0 0 -2 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
NYI G 1 *ERIC FICHAUD 34 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYR C 99 WAYNE GRETZKY 82 25 72 97 12 28 6 0 2 1 286 8.7
NYR C 11 MARK MESSIER 71 36 48 84 12 88 7 5 9 1 227 15.9
NYR D 2 BRIAN LEETCH 82 20 58 78 31 40 9 0 2 0 256 7.8
NYR L 9 ADAM GRAVES 82 33 28 61 10 66 10 4 3 5 269 12.3
NYR L 24 NIKLAS SUNDSTROM 82 24 28 52 23 20 5 1 4 0 132 18.2
NYR L 20 LUC ROBITAILLE 69 24 24 48 16 48 5 0 4 0 200 12.0
NYR D 25 A. KARPOVTSEV 77 9 29 38 1 59 6 1 0 0 84 10.7
NYR R 27 ALEXEI KOVALEV 45 13 22 35 11 42 1 0 0 0 110 11.8
NYR R 21 RUSS COURTNALL 61 11 24 35 1 26 2 1 2 0 125 8.8
NYR L 10 ESA TIKKANEN 76 13 17 30 -9 72 4 2 2 2 133 9.8
NYR D 33 BRUCE DRIVER 79 5 25 30 8 48 2 0 2 0 154 3.2
NYR R 8 PATRICK FLATLEY 68 10 12 22 6 26 0 0 2 0 96 10.4
NYR D 5 ULF SAMUELSSON 73 6 11 17 3 138 1 0 1 0 77 7.8
NYR L 18 BILL BERG 67 8 6 14 2 37 0 2 3 0 84 9.5
NYR L 16 *DANIEL GONEAU 41 10 3 13 -5 10 3 0 2 0 44 22.7
NYR D 23 JEFF BEUKEBOOM 80 3 9 12 22 167 0 0 0 0 55 5.5
NYR C 32 MIKE EASTWOOD 60 2 10 12 -1 14 0 0 0 0 44 4.5
NYR L 39 *VLADIMIR VOROBIEV 16 5 5 10 4 6 2 0 0 0 42 11.9
NYR L 15 DARREN LANGDON 60 3 6 9 -1 195 0 0 1 0 24 12.5
NYR D 6 DOUG LIDSTER 48 3 4 7 10 24 0 0 0 0 42 7.1
NYR R 26 DAVID OLIVER 31 3 3 6 -5 8 0 0 0 0 35 8.6
NYR R 14 *CHRIS FERRARO 12 1 1 2 1 6 0 0 0 0 23 4.3
NYR C 19 *CHRISTIAN DUBE 27 1 1 2 -4 4 1 0 0 0 14 7.1
NYR R 37 *RYAN VANDENBUSSCHE 11 1 0 1 -2 30 0 0 0 0 4 25.0
NYR D 29 *ERIC CAIRNS 40 0 1 1 -7 147 0 0 0 0 17 .0
NYR R 22 SHANE CHURLA 45 0 1 1 -10 106 0 0 0 0 19 .0
NYR R 36 *JEFF NIELSEN 2 0 0 0 -1 2 0 0 0 0 1 .0
NYR C 17 *PETER FERRARO 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
NYR D 38 *SYLVAIN BLOUIN 6 0 0 0 -1 18 0 0 0 0 1 .0
NYR D 28 DALLAS EAKINS 7 0 0 0 -4 16 0 0 0 0 4 .0
NYR G 30 GLENN HEALY 23 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
NYR G 35 MIKE RICHTER 61 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
OTW C 19 ALEXEI YASHIN 82 35 40 75 -7 44 10 0 5 1 291 12.0
OTW R 11 DANIEL ALFREDSSON 76 24 47 71 5 30 11 1 1 2 247 9.7
OTW R 91 ALEXANDRE DAIGLE 82 26 25 51 -33 33 4 0 5 2 203 12.8
OTW D 28 STEVE DUCHESNE 78 19 28 47 -9 38 10 2 3 0 208 9.1
OTW L 7 RANDY CUNNEYWORTH 76 12 24 36 -7 99 6 0 3 0 115 10.4
OTW R 10 *ANDREAS DACKELL 79 12 19 31 -6 8 2 0 3 0 79 15.2
OTW L 15 SHAWN MCEACHERN 65 11 20 31 -5 18 0 1 2 0 150 7.3
OTW D 6 *WADE REDDEN 82 6 24 30 1 41 2 0 1 0 102 5.9
OTW C 16 *SERGEI ZHOLTOK 57 12 16 28 2 19 5 0 0 0 96 12.5
OTW L 17 TOM CHORSKE 68 18 8 26 -1 16 1 1 1 0 116 15.5
OTW C 22 SHAUN VAN ALLEN 80 11 14 25 -8 35 1 1 2 0 123 8.9
OTW C 25 *BRUCE GARDINER 67 11 10 21 4 49 0 1 2 2 94 11.7
OTW D 33 JASON YORK 75 4 17 21 -8 67 1 0 0 0 121 3.3
OTW D 27 JANNE LAUKKANEN 76 3 18 21 -14 76 2 0 0 0 109 2.8
OTW L 42 DENNY LAMBERT 80 4 16 20 -4 217 0 0 1 0 58 6.9
OTW C 76 RADEK BONK 53 5 13 18 -4 14 0 1 0 1 82 6.1
OTW D 2 LANCE PITLICK 66 5 5 10 2 91 0 0 1 0 54 9.3
OTW L 38 *JASON ZENT 22 3 3 6 5 9 0 0 0 0 20 15.0
OTW D 23 CHRISTER OLSSON 30 2 4 6 -4 10 1 0 0 0 26 7.7
OTW R 20 DENIS CHASSE 22 1 4 5 3 19 0 0 0 0 12 8.3
OTW D 3 FRANK MUSIL 57 0 5 5 6 58 0 0 0 0 24 .0
OTW C 14 DAVE HANNAN 34 2 2 4 -1 8 0 1 1 0 16 12.5
OTW G 1 DAMIAN RHODES 50 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
OTW D 29 PHIL VONSTEFENELLI 6 0 1 1 -3 7 0 0 0 0 2 .0
OTW L 21 DENNIS VIAL 11 0 1 1 0 25 0 0 0 0 4 .0
OTW D 44 *RADIM BICANEK 21 0 1 1 -4 8 0 0 0 0 27 .0
OTW R 26 PHILIP CROWE 26 0 1 1 0 30 0 0 0 0 8 .0
OTW G 31 RON TUGNUTT 37 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
OTW G 35 *MIKE BALES 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
OTW D 4 SEAN HILL 5 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 9 .0
OTW D 94 STANISLAV NECKAR 5 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 3 .0
PHI L 10 JOHN LECLAIR 82 50 47 97 44 58 10 0 5 2 324 15.4
PHI C 88 ERIC LINDROS 52 32 47 79 31 136 9 0 7 2 198 16.2
PHI L 17 ROD BRIND'AMOUR 82 27 32 59 2 41 8 2 3 2 205 13.2
PHI R 19 MIKAEL RENBERG 77 22 37 59 36 65 1 0 4 1 249 8.8
PHI D 37 ERIC DESJARDINS 82 12 34 46 25 50 5 1 1 0 183 6.6
PHI R 20 TRENT KLATT 76 24 21 45 9 20 5 5 5 0 131 18.3
PHI D 44 *JANNE NIINIMAA 77 4 40 44 12 58 1 0 2 0 141 2.8
PHI C 18 DALE HAWERCHUK 51 12 22 34 9 32 6 0 2 0 102 11.8
PHI D 77 PAUL COFFEY 57 9 25 34 11 38 1 1 2 0 110 8.2
PHI L 25 SHJON PODEIN 82 14 18 32 7 41 0 0 4 0 153 9.2
PHI C 29 JOEL OTTO 78 13 19 32 12 99 0 1 2 1 105 12.4
PHI D 6 CHRIS THERIEN 71 2 22 24 26 64 0 0 0 0 107 1.9
PHI R 15 PAT FALLOON 52 11 12 23 -8 10 2 0 4 0 124 8.9
PHI R 9 *DAINIUS ZUBRUS 68 8 13 21 3 22 1 0 2 0 71 11.3
PHI D 24 KARL DYKHUIS 62 4 15 19 7 35 2 0 1 0 101 4.0
PHI R 26 JOHN DRUCE 43 7 8 15 -5 12 1 0 0 0 73 9.6
PHI C 45 *VACLAV PROSPAL 18 5 10 15 3 4 0 0 0 0 35 14.3
PHI D 23 PETR SVOBODA 67 2 12 14 10 94 1 0 0 0 36 5.6
PHI D 8 MICHEL PETIT 38 2 7 9 -11 71 0 0 0 0 43 4.7
PHI C 32 DANIEL LACROIX 74 7 1 8 -1 163 1 0 0 0 54 13.0
PHI L 22 SCOTT DANIELS 56 5 3 8 2 237 0 0 2 0 48 10.4
PHI D 28 KJELL SAMUELSSON 34 4 3 7 17 47 0 0 0 0 36 11.1
PHI C 11 CRAIG DARBY 9 1 4 5 2 2 0 1 0 0 13 7.7
PHI L 21 DAN KORDIC 75 1 4 5 -1 210 0 0 0 0 21 4.8
PHI L 48 *COLIN FORBES 3 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 33.3
PHI D 3 *ARIS BRIMANIS 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
PHI D 34 JASON BOWEN 4 0 1 1 1 8 0 0 0 0 1 .0
PHI G 30 GARTH SNOW 35 0 1 1 0 30 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHI R 38 *PAUL HEALEY 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHI D 2 FRANTISEK KUCERA 4 0 0 0 -2 2 0 0 0 0 5 .0
PHI D 5 DARREN RUMBLE 10 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 9 .0
PHI G 27 RON HEXTALL 55 0 0 0 0 43 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO L 7 KEITH TKACHUK 81 52 34 86 -1 228 9 2 7 1 296 17.6
PHO C 97 JEREMY ROENICK 72 29 40 69 -7 115 10 3 7 0 228 12.7
PHO R 22 MIKE GARTNER 82 32 31 63 -11 38 13 1 7 1 271 11.8
PHO D 20 OLEG TVERDOVSKY 82 10 45 55 -5 30 3 1 2 0 144 6.9
PHO C 15 CRAIG JANNEY 77 15 38 53 -1 26 5 0 1 0 88 17.0
PHO C 77 CLIFF RONNING 69 19 32 51 -9 26 8 0 2 0 171 11.1
PHO R 11 DALLAS DRAKE 63 17 19 36 -11 52 5 1 1 0 113 15.0
PHO D 27 TEPPO NUMMINEN 82 2 25 27 -3 28 0 0 0 0 135 1.5
PHO L 34 DARRIN SHANNON 82 11 13 24 4 41 1 0 2 0 104 10.6
PHO C 21 BOB CORKUM 80 9 11 20 -7 40 0 1 3 0 119 7.6
PHO C 14 MIKE STAPLETON 55 4 11 15 -4 36 2 0 1 0 74 5.4
PHO D 5 DERON QUINT 27 3 11 14 -4 4 1 0 0 0 63 4.8
PHO L 17 KRIS KING 81 3 11 14 -7 185 0 0 0 0 57 5.3
PHO D 4 GERALD DIDUCK 67 2 12 14 -7 63 1 0 1 0 80 2.5
PHO D 44 NORM MACIVER 32 4 9 13 -11 24 1 0 1 0 40 10.0
PHO R 19 SHANE DOAN 63 4 8 12 -3 49 0 0 0 0 100 4.0
PHO R 23 IGOR KOROLEV 41 3 7 10 -5 28 2 0 0 0 41 7.3
PHO D 8 JIM JOHNSON 55 3 7 10 5 74 0 0 0 0 51 5.9
PHO D 26 JEFF FINLEY 65 3 7 10 -8 40 1 0 1 0 38 7.9
PHO L 33 JIM MCKENZIE 65 5 3 8 -5 200 0 0 1 0 38 13.2
PHO D 6 JAY MORE 37 1 7 8 10 62 0 0 1 0 28 3.6
PHO D 36 MURRAY BARON 79 1 7 8 -20 122 0 0 0 0 64 1.6
PHO C 18 CHAD KILGER 24 4 3 7 -5 13 1 0 0 0 30 13.3
PHO D 10 BRAD MCCRIMMON 37 1 5 6 2 18 0 0 0 0 28 3.6
PHO G 35 N. KHABIBULIN 72 0 3 3 0 16 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO R 32 JOCELYN LEMIEUX 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4 25.0
PHO G 43 DARCY WAKALUK 16 0 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO G 1 PARRIS DUFFUS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO L 38 JASON SIMON 1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO D 3 BRENT THOMPSON 1 0 0 0 -1 7 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO C 47 *TAVIS HANSEN 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PHO D 24 KEVIN DAHL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .0
PHO C 36 *JUHA YLONEN 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .0
PHO C 28 MIKE HUDSON 7 0 0 0 -4 2 0 0 0 0 9 .0
PHO G 39 PAT JABLONSKI 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT C 66 MARIO LEMIEUX 76 50 72 122 27 65 15 2 7 1 327 15.3
PIT R 68 JAROMIR JAGR 63 47 48 95 22 40 11 2 6 1 234 20.1
PIT C 10 RON FRANCIS 81 27 63 90 7 20 10 1 2 0 183 14.8
PIT C 93 PETR NEDVED 74 33 38 71 -2 66 12 3 4 0 189 17.5
PIT L 27 ED OLCZYK 79 25 30 55 -14 51 5 1 6 0 195 12.8
PIT D 4 KEVIN HATCHER 80 15 39 54 11 103 9 0 1 0 199 7.5
PIT C 14 STU BARNES 81 19 30 49 -23 26 5 0 3 3 176 10.8
PIT D 23 FREDRIK OLAUSSON 71 9 29 38 16 32 3 0 3 0 110 8.2
PIT D 22 JASON WOOLLEY 60 6 30 36 4 30 2 0 1 0 86 7.0
PIT C 9 GREG JOHNSON 75 13 19 32 -18 26 1 0 0 0 108 12.0
PIT C 33 ALEX HICKS 73 7 21 28 -5 90 0 0 3 0 78 9.0
PIT D 11 DARIUS KASPARAITIS 75 2 21 23 17 100 0 0 0 0 58 3.4
PIT R 7 JOE MULLEN 54 7 15 22 0 4 1 0 1 0 63 11.1
PIT L 8 GARRY VALK 70 10 11 21 -8 78 0 0 1 0 100 10.0
PIT L 16 JOE DZIEDZIC 59 9 9 18 -4 63 0 0 1 0 85 10.6
PIT R 20 ROMAN OKSIUTA 35 6 7 13 -16 26 2 0 0 1 58 10.3
PIT C 38 *ANDREAS JOHANSSON 42 4 9 13 -12 20 1 0 0 0 59 6.8
PIT L 51 DAVE ROCHE 61 5 5 10 -13 155 2 0 0 0 53 9.4
PIT D 24 IAN MORAN 36 4 5 9 -11 22 0 0 0 0 50 8.0
PIT D 2 CHRIS TAMER 45 2 4 6 -25 131 0 1 0 0 56 3.6
PIT R 25 ALEK STOJANOV 35 1 4 5 3 79 0 0 0 0 11 9.1
PIT L 15 JOSEF BERANEK 8 3 1 4 -1 4 1 0 0 0 15 20.0
PIT L 72 JEFF CHRISTIAN 11 2 2 4 -3 13 0 0 0 0 18 11.1
PIT C 29 TYLER WRIGHT 45 2 2 4 -7 70 0 0 2 0 30 6.7
PIT D 28 CRAIG MUNI 64 0 4 4 -6 36 0 0 0 0 19 .0
PIT C 9 DAN QUINN 16 0 3 3 -6 10 0 0 0 0 16 .0
PIT D 18 FRANCOIS LEROUX 59 0 3 3 -3 81 0 0 0 0 5 .0
PIT G 31 KEN WREGGET 46 0 1 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT C 23 *DOMENIC PITTIS 1 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT G 30 *PHILIPPE DE ROUVILLE 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT G 35 TOM BARRASSO 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT D 3 *STEFAN BERGKVIST 5 0 0 0 -1 7 0 0 0 0 0 .0
PIT R 44 ED PATTERSON 6 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 2 .0
PIT D 6 NEIL WILKINSON 23 0 0 0 -12 36 0 0 0 0 16 .0
PIT G 40 *PATRICK LALIME 39 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS R 11 OWEN NOLAN 72 31 32 63 -19 155 10 0 3 1 225 13.8
SJS C 39 JEFF FRIESEN 82 28 34 62 -8 75 6 2 5 2 200 14.0
SJS C 9 BERNIE NICHOLLS 65 12 33 45 -21 63 2 1 0 1 137 8.8
SJS L 25 VIKTOR KOZLOV 78 16 25 41 -16 40 4 0 4 0 184 8.7
SJS L 21 TONY GRANATO 76 25 15 40 -7 159 5 1 4 0 231 10.8
SJS C 8 DARREN TURCOTTE 65 16 21 37 -8 16 3 1 4 0 126 12.7
SJS R 62 ANDREI NAZAROV 60 12 15 27 -4 222 1 0 1 0 116 10.3
SJS L 17 *STEPHEN GUOLLA 43 13 8 21 -10 14 2 0 1 1 81 16.0
SJS D 23 TODD GILL 79 0 21 21 -20 101 0 0 0 0 101 .0
SJS D 4 GREG HAWGOOD 63 6 12 18 -22 69 3 0 0 1 83 7.2
SJS D 10 MARCUS RAGNARSSON 69 3 14 17 -18 63 2 0 0 0 57 5.3
SJS D 33 MARTY MCSORLEY 57 4 12 16 -6 186 0 1 1 1 74 5.4
SJS D 3 DOUG BODGER 81 1 15 16 -14 64 0 0 1 0 96 1.0
SJS R 42 SHEAN DONOVAN 73 9 6 15 -18 42 0 1 0 0 115 7.8
SJS D 43 AL IAFRATE 38 6 9 15 -10 91 3 0 0 0 91 6.6
SJS C 12 RON SUTTER 78 5 7 12 -8 65 1 2 1 0 78 6.4
SJS L 22 BOB ERREY 66 4 8 12 -5 47 0 0 0 0 72 5.6
SJS D 44 VLASTIMIL KROUPA 35 2 6 8 -17 12 2 0 1 0 24 8.3
SJS D 40 MIKE RATHJE 31 0 8 8 -1 21 0 0 0 0 22 .0
SJS C 16 DODY WOOD 44 3 2 5 -3 193 0 0 0 0 43 7.0
SJS L 7 VILLE PELTONEN 28 2 3 5 -8 0 1 0 0 0 35 5.7
SJS L 18 CHRIS TANCILL 25 4 0 4 -5 8 1 0 0 0 20 20.0
SJS R 19 TIM HUNTER 46 0 4 4 0 135 0 0 0 0 13 .0
SJS L 14 RAY WHITNEY 12 0 2 2 -6 4 0 0 0 0 24 .0
SJS R 36 TODD EWEN 51 0 2 2 -5 162 0 0 0 0 22 .0
SJS D 5 *JASON WIDMER 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS R 15 *ALEXEI YEGOROV 2 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS C 28 IAIN FRASER 2 0 0 0 -1 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS R 91 *JAN CALOUN 2 0 0 0 -2 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
SJS G 31 WADE FLAHERTY 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS D 26 CHRIS LIPUMA 8 0 0 0 -2 22 0 0 0 0 4 .0
SJS G 20 ED BELFOUR 46 0 0 0 0 34 0 0 0 0 0 .0
SJS G 32 KELLY HRUDEY 48 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
STL C 77 PIERRE TURGEON 78 26 59 85 8 14 5 0 7 1 216 12.0
STL R 16 BRETT HULL 77 42 40 82 -9 10 12 2 6 2 302 13.9
STL L 14 GEOFF COURTNALL 82 17 40 57 3 86 4 0 2 0 203 8.4
STL R 17 JOE MURPHY 75 20 25 45 -1 69 4 1 2 1 151 13.2
STL R 10 *JIM CAMPBELL 68 23 20 43 3 68 5 0 6 1 169 13.6
STL D 2 AL MACINNIS 72 13 30 43 2 65 6 1 1 0 296 4.4
STL L 32 STEPHANE MATTEAU 74 16 20 36 11 50 1 2 2 0 98 16.3
STL D 44 CHRIS PRONGQR 79 11 24 35 15 143 4 0 0 0 147 7.5
STL C 37 *HARRY YORK 74 14 18 32 1 24 3 1 3 0 86 16.3
STL D 5 IGOR KRAVCHUK 82 4 24 28 7 35 1 0 0 0 142 2.8
STL C 36 ROBERT PETROVICKY 44 7 12 19 2 10 0 0 1 0 54 13.0
STL R 39 SCOTT PELLERIN 54 8 10 18 12 35 0 2 2 0 76 10.5
STL C 22 CRAIG CONROY 61 6 11 17 0 43 0 0 1 0 74 8.1
STL D 28 RICARD PERSSON 54 4 8 12 -2 45 1 0 0 0 70 5.7
STL D 6 *JAMIE RIVERS 15 2 5 7 -4 6 1 0 0 0 9 22.2
STL C 23 CRAIG MACTAVISH 50 2 5 7 -12 33 0 0 0 0 26 7.7
STL L 20 MIKE PELUSO 64 2 5 7 0 226 0 0 0 0 37 5.4
STL D 43 *LIBOR ZABRANSKY 34 1 5 6 -1 44 0 0 1 0 26 3.8
STL L 26 SERGIO MOMESSO 40 1 3 4 -6 48 0 0 0 0 43 2.3
STL D 4 MARC BERGEVIN 82 0 4 4 -9 53 0 0 0 0 30 .0
STL R 38 PAVOL DEMITRA 8 3 0 3 0 2 2 0 1 0 15 20.0
STL R 26 KONSTANTIN SHAFRANOV 5 2 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 25.0
STL R 27 STEPHEN LEACH 17 2 1 3 -2 24 0 0 0 0 33 6.1
STL R 12 ROB PEARSON 18 1 2 3 -5 37 0 0 0 0 14 7.1
STL L 18 TONY TWIST 64 1 2 3 -8 121 0 0 0 0 21 4.8
STL D 33 TRENT YAWNEY 39 0 2 2 2 17 0 0 0 0 8 .0
STL G 31 GRANT FUHR 73 0 2 2 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 .0
STL L 13 YURI KHMYLEV 2 1 0 1 -1 2 0 0 0 0 3 33.3
STL R 38 GARY LEEMAN 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
STL C 21 *JAMAL MAYERS 6 0 1 1 -3 2 0 0 0 0 7 .0
STL D 42 RORY FITZPATRICK 8 0 1 1 -4 8 0 0 0 0 6 .0
STL R 15 *ALEXANDER VASILEVSKI 3 0 0 0 -1 2 0 0 0 0 3 .0
STL G 30 JON CASEY 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
STL D 19 *CHRIS MCALPINE 15 0 0 0 -2 24 0 0 0 0 3 .0
TBL C 77 CHRIS GRATTON 82 30 32 62 -28 201 9 0 4 0 230 13.0
TBL R 22 DINO CICCARELLI 77 35 25 60 -11 116 12 0 6 0 229 15.3
TBL C 12 JOHN CULLEN 70 18 37 55 -14 95 5 0 2 1 116 15.5
TBL L 7 ROB ZAMUNER 82 17 33 50 3 56 0 4 3 0 216 7.9
TBL D 44 ROMAN HAMRLIK 79 12 28 40 -29 57 6 0 0 1 238 5.0
TBL L 11 SHAWN BURR 74 14 21 35 5 106 1 0 3 0 128 10.9
TBL R 29 ALEXANDER SELIVANOV 69 15 18 33 -3 61 3 0 4 0 187 8.0
TBL C 18 *DAYMOND LANGKOW 79 15 13 28 1 35 3 1 1 1 170 8.8
TBL L 28 PATRICK POULIN 73 12 14 26 -16 56 2 3 1 0 124 9.7
TBL D 2 BILL HOULDER 79 4 21 25 16 30 0 0 2 0 116 3.4
TBL C 19 BRIAN BRADLEY 35 7 17 24 2 16 1 2 1 0 93 7.5
TBL L 34 MIKAEL ANDERSSON 70 5 14 19 1 8 0 3 1 0 102 4.9
TBL D 6 JEFF NORTON 75 2 16 18 -7 58 0 0 0 0 81 2.5
TBL L 15 PAUL YSEBAERT 39 5 12 17 1 4 2 0 0 0 91 5.5
TBL L 24 JASON WIEMER 63 9 5 14 -13 134 2 0 0 0 103 8.7
TBL D 27 DAVID SHAW 57 1 10 11 1 72 0 0 0 0 59 1.7
TBL L 9 *JEFF TOMS 34 2 8 10 2 10 0 0 1 0 53 3.8
TBL D 4 CORY CROSS 72 4 5 9 6 95 0 0 2 0 75 5.3
TBL D 5 IGOR ULANOV 59 1 7 8 2 108 0 0 0 1 56 1.8
TBL R 20 RUDY POESCHEK 60 0 6 6 -3 120 0 0 0 0 30 .0
TBL D 8 JAMIE HUSCROFT 52 0 5 5 -2 151 0 0 0 0 40 .0
TBL R 74 *BRANTT MYHRES 47 3 1 4 1 136 0 0 1 0 13 23.1
TBL L 17 *BRENT PETERSON 17 2 0 2 -4 4 0 0 0 0 11 18.2
TBL G 32 *COREY SCHWAB 31 0 1 1 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TBL G 31 RICK TABARACCI 62 0 1 1 0 12 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TBL C 25 *ALAN EGELAND 4 0 0 0 -3 5 0 0 0 0 1 .0
TBL G 35 *DEREK WILKINSON 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TBL G 93 DAREN PUPPA 6 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TBL R 10 *PAUL BROUSSEAU 6 0 0 0 -4 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
TBL D 26 JAY WELLS 21 0 0 0 -3 13 0 0 0 0 16 .0
TOR C 13 MATS SUNDIN 82 41 53 94 6 59 7 4 8 1 281 14.6
TOR L 17 WENDEL CLARK 65 30 19 49 -2 75 6 0 6 0 212 14.2
TOR R 94 *SERGEI BEREZIN 73 25 16 41 -3 2 7 0 2 0 177 14.1
TOR C 11 *STEVE SULLIVAN 54 13 25 38 14 37 3 0 3 1 108 12.0
TOR L 8 TODD WARRINER 75 12 21 33 -3 41 2 2 0 1 146 8.2
TOR R 28 TIE DOMI 80 11 17 28 -17 275 2 0 1 0 98 11.2
TOR R 9 MIKE CRAIG 65 7 13 20 -20 62 1 0 0 0 128 5.5
TOR C 14 DARBY HENDRICKSON 64 11 6 17 -20 47 0 1 0 2 105 10.5
TOR C 16 JAMIE BAKER 58 8 8 16 2 28 1 0 3 0 69 11.6
TOR D 36 DIMITRI YUSHKEVICH 74 4 10 14 -24 56 1 1 1 0 99 4.0
TOR D 2 ROB ZETTLER 48 2 12 14 8 51 0 0 0 0 31 6.5
TOR L 19 *FREDRIK MODIN 76 6 7 13 -14 24 0 0 0 0 85 7.1
TOR D 72 MATHIEU SCHNEIDER 26 5 7 12 3 20 1 0 1 0 63 7.9
TOR D 34 JAMIE MACOUN 73 1 10 11 -14 93 0 0 1 0 64 1.6
TOR C 12 *BRANDON CONVERY 39 2 8 10 -9 20 0 0 0 0 41 4.9
TOR R 10 *ZDENEK NEDVED 23 3 5 8 4 6 1 0 0 0 22 13.6
TOR D 25 JASON SMITH 78 1 7 8 -12 54 0 0 0 0 74 1.4
TOR D 42 *DAVID COOPER 19 3 3 6 -3 16 2 0 0 0 23 13.0
TOR L 32 NICK KYPREOS 35 3 2 5 1 62 0 0 0 0 18 16.7
TOR R 26 *JAMIE HEWARD 20 1 4 5 -6 6 0 0 0 0 23 4.3
TOR C 7 *JASON PODOLLAN 29 1 4 5 -5 10 1 0 0 0 30 3.3
TOR R 20 *MIKE JOHNSON 13 2 2 4 -2 4 0 1 1 0 27 7.4
TOR D 3 MATT MARTIN 36 0 4 4 -12 38 0 0 0 0 30 .0
TOR D 26 CRAIG WOLANIN 38 0 4 4 -6 21 0 0 0 0 43 .0
TOR D 24 TOM PEDERSON 15 1 2 3 0 9 1 0 0 0 23 4.3
TOR R 39 KELLY CHASE 30 1 2 3 2 149 0 0 0 0 6 16.7
TOR G 29 FELIX POTVIN 74 0 3 3 0 19 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TOR L 43 *NATHAN DEMPSEY 14 1 1 2 -2 2 0 0 0 0 11 9.1
TOR C 7 *KELLY FAIRCHILD 22 0 2 2 -5 2 0 0 0 0 14 .0
TOR D 4 *D.J. SMITH 8 0 1 1 -5 7 0 0 0 0 4 .0
TOR G 31 *MARCEL COUSINEAU 13 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TOR L 22 SCOTT PEARSON 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TOR D 25 GREG SMYTH 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
TOR G 33 DON BEAUPRE 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TOR C 15 *BRIAN WISEMAN 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .0
TOR R 41 *SHAYNE TOPOROWSKI 3 0 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 3 .0
TOR D 38 *YANNICK TREMBLAY 5 0 0 0 -4 0 0 0 0 0 2 .0
TOR R 44 *JOHN CRAIGHEAD 5 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 .0
TOR R 37 *MARK KOLESAR 7 0 0 0 -3 0 0 0 0 0 3 .0
TOR D 23 *JEFF WARE 13 0 0 0 2 6 0 0 0 0 4 .0
VAN R 89 ALEXANDER MOGILNY 76 31 42 73 9 18 7 1 4 1 174 17.8
VAN L 23 MARTIN GELINAS 74 35 33 68 6 42 6 1 3 1 177 19.8
VAN R 96 PAVEL BURE 63 23 32 55 -14 40 4 1 2 0 265 8.7
VAN C 17 MIKE RIDLEY 75 20 32 52 0 42 3 0 5 0 79 25.3
VAN L 19 MARKUS NASLUND 78 21 20 41 -15 30 4 0 4 0 120 17.5
VAN R 16 TREVOR LINDEN 49 9 31 40 5 27 2 2 2 0 84 10.7
VAN R 26 MIKE SILLINGER 78 17 20 37 -3 25 3 3 2 0 112 15.2
VAN D 21 JYRKI LUMME 66 11 24 35 8 32 5 0 2 0 107 10.3
VAN R 28 BRIAN NOONAN 73 12 22 34 -3 34 3 1 1 1 100 12.0
VAN L 7 DAVID ROBERTS 58 10 17 27 11 51 1 1 1 0 74 13.5
VAN D 44 DAVE BABYCH 78 5 22 27 -2 38 2 0 1 0 105 4.8
VAN C 13 SERGEI NEMCHINOV 69 8 16 24 9 16 1 0 2 0 97 8.2
VAN R 14 *LONNY BOHONOS 36 11 11 22 -3 10 2 0 1 0 67 16.4
VAN D 6 ADRIAN AUCOIN 70 5 16 21 0 63 1 0 0 0 116 4.3
VAN D 3 BRET HEDICAN 67 4 15 19 -3 51 2 0 1 0 93 4.3
VAN C 24 SCOTT WALKER 64 3 15 18 2 132 0 0 0 0 55 5.5
VAN D 25 *STEVE STAIOS 63 3 14 17 -24 91 0 0 0 1 66 4.5
VAN D 32 CHRIS JOSEPH 63 3 13 16 -21 62 2 0 1 0 99 3.0
VAN L 8 DONALD BRASHEAR 69 8 5 13 -8 245 0 0 2 0 61 13.1
VAN L 29 GINO ODJICK 70 5 8 13 -5 371 1 0 0 0 85 5.9
VAN D 27 LEIF ROHLIN 40 2 8 10 4 8 0 0 0 0 37 5.4
VAN D 4 *MARK WOTTON 36 3 6 9 8 19 0 1 0 0 41 7.3
VAN D 5 DANA MURZYN 61 1 7 8 7 118 0 0 0 0 70 1.4
VAN C 20 ALEXANDER SEMAK 18 2 1 3 -2 2 1 0 0 0 12 16.7
VAN R 18 TROY CROWDER 30 1 2 3 -6 52 0 0 0 0 11 9.1
VAN L 22 *LARRY COURVILLE 19 0 2 2 -4 11 0 0 0 0 11 .0
VAN G 1 KIRK MCLEAN 44 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0
VAN G 31 COREY HIRSCH 39 0 1 1 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 .0
VAN D 2 YEVGENY NAMESTNIKOV 2 0 0 0 -1 4 0 0 0 0 1 .0
VAN G 30 *MICHAEL FOUNTAIN 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
WSH C 77 ADAM OATES 80 22 60 82 -5 14 3 2 5 0 160 13.8
WSH R 12 PETER BONDRA 77 46 31 77 7 72 10 4 3 2 314 14.6
WSH C 32 DALE HUNTER 82 14 32 46 -2 125 3 0 5 0 110 12.7
WSH L 22 STEVE KONOWALCHUK 78 17 25 42 -3 67 2 1 3 1 155 11.0
WSH C 90 JOE JUNEAU 58 15 27 42 -11 8 9 1 3 0 124 12.1
WSH R 92 RICK TOCCHET 53 21 19 40 -3 98 4 0 2 1 157 13.4
WSH D 96 PHIL HOUSLEY 77 11 29 40 -10 24 3 1 2 0 167 6.6
WSH D 55 SERGEI GONCHAR 57 13 17 30 -11 36 3 0 3 0 129 10.1
WSH C 13 ANDREI NIKOLISHIN 71 9 19 28 3 32 1 0 0 0 98 9.2
WSH L 10 KELLY MILLER 77 10 14 24 4 33 0 1 3 0 95 10.5
WSH D 3 SYLVAIN COTE 57 6 18 24 11 28 2 0 0 0 131 4.6
WSH C 20 MICHAL PIVONKA 54 7 16 23 -15 22 2 0 1 0 83 8.4
WSH L 17 CHRIS SIMON 42 9 13 22 -1 165 3 0 1 0 89 10.1
WSH D 6 CALLE JOHANSSON 65 6 11 17 -2 16 2 0 0 0 133 4.5
WSH L 21 TODD KRYGIER 47 5 11 16 -10 37 1 0 1 0 121 4.1
WSH L 18 *ANDREW BRUNETTE 23 4 7 11 -3 12 2 0 0 0 23 17.4
WSH D 2 KEN KLEE 80 3 8 11 -5 115 0 0 2 0 108 2.8
WSH L 34 *JAROSLAV SVEJKOVSKY 19 7 3 10 -1 4 2 0 1 0 30 23.3
WSH D 29 JOE REEKIE 65 1 8 9 8 107 0 0 0 0 65 1.5
WSH D 24 MARK TINORDI 56 2 6 8 3 118 0 0 0 1 53 3.8
WSH L 36 MIKE EAGLES 70 1 7 8 -4 42 0 0 0 0 38 2.6
WSH L 27 CRAIG BERUBE 80 4 3 7 -11 218 0 0 1 0 55 7.3
WSH D 19 BRENDAN WITT 44 3 2 5 -20 88 0 0 0 0 41 7.3
WSH L 44 *RICHARD ZEDNIK 11 2 1 3 -5 4 1 0 0 0 21 9.5
WSH C 23 KEVIN KAMINSKI 38 1 2 3 0 130 0 0 0 0 12 8.3
WSH D 28 ERIC CHARRON 25 1 1 2 1 20 0 0 0 0 11 9.1
WSH G 30 BILL RANFORD 55 0 1 1 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 .0
WSH D 45 *PATRICK BOILEAU 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0
WSH C 14 PAT PEAKE 4 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 9 .0
WSH D 4 STEWART MALGUNAS 6 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 3 .0
WSH L 16 STEFAN USTORF 6 0 0 0 -3 2 0 0 0 0 7 .0
WSH G 37 OLAF KOLZIG 29 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 .0
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NHL GOALIE STATS Final
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
TM NO GOALTENDER GPI MINS AVG W L T EN SO GA SA SPCT G A PIM
ANA 31 GUY HEBERT 67 3863 2.67 29 25 12 2 4 172 2133 .919 0 1 4
ANA 35 M. SHTALENKOV 24 1079 2.89 7 8 1 4 2 52 539 .904 0 0 4
ANA 1 MICHAEL O'NEILL 1 31 5.81 0 0 0 0 0 3 10 .700 0 0 0
BOS 31 TIM CHEVELDAE 2 93 3.23 0 1 0 1 0 5 33 .848 0 0 0
BOS 35 *ROBBIE TALLAS 28 1244 3.33 8 12 1 1 1 69 587 .882 0 0 0
BOS 30 BILL RANFORD 37 2147 3.49 12 16 8 0 2 125 1102 .887 0 0 0
BOS 39 *SCOTT BAILEY 8 394 3.65 1 5 0 2 0 24 181 .867 0 0 0
BOS 30 JIM CAREY 19 1004 3.82 5 13 0 2 0 64 496 .871 0 0 0
BOS 1 *PAXTON SCHAFER 3 77 4.68 0 0 0 1 0 6 25 .760 0 0 0
BUF 39 DOMINIK HASEK 67 4037 2.27 37 20 10 3 5 153 2177 .930 0 3 30
BUF 31 *STEVE SHIELDS 13 789 2.97 3 8 2 2 0 39 447 .913 0 0 4
BUF 30 ANDREI TREFILOV 3 159 3.77 0 2 0 1 0 10 98 .898 0 0 0
CGY 31 RICK TABARACCI 7 361 2.33 2 4 0 0 1 14 155 .910 0 0 0
CGY 37 TREVOR KIDD 55 2979 2.84 21 23 6 4 4 141 1416 .900 0 2 16
CGY 30 DWAYNE ROLOSON 31 1618 2.89 9 14 3 2 1 78 760 .897 0 0 2
CHI 31 JEFF HACKETT 41 2473 2.16 19 18 4 2 2 89 1212 .927 0 1 6
CHI 40 CHRIS TERRERI 7 429 2.66 4 1 2 1 0 19 192 .901 0 0 0
CHI 20 ED BELFOUR 33 1966 2.69 11 15 6 4 1 88 946 .907 0 0 26
CHI 29 JIM WAITE 2 105 4.00 0 1 1 0 0 7 58 .879 0 0 0
COL 33 PATRICK ROY 62 3698 2.32 38 15 7 3 7 143 1861 .923 0 1 15
COL 1 CRAIG BILLINGTON 23 1200 2.65 11 8 2 2 1 53 584 .909 0 2 2
COL 30 *MARC DENIS 1 60 3.00 0 1 0 1 0 3 26 .885 0 0 0
DAL 1 ROMAN TUREK 6 263 2.05 3 1 0 0 0 9 129 .930 0 0 0
DAL 35 ANDY MOOG 48 2738 2.15 28 13 5 0 3 98 1121 .913 0 1 12
DAL 32 ARTURS IRBE 35 1965 2.69 17 12 3 3 3 88 825 .893 0 2 8
DET 31 *KEVIN HODSON 6 294 1.63 2 2 1 0 1 8 114 .930 0 1 0
DET 30 CHRIS OSGOOD 47 2769 2.30 23 13 9 3 6 106 1175 .910 0 2 6
DET 29 MIKE VERNON 33 1952 2.43 13 11 8 1 0 79 782 .899 0 0 35
EDM 30 BOB ESSENSA 19 879 2.80 4 8 0 3 1 41 406 .899 0 0 4
EDM 31 CURTIS JOSEPH 72 4089 2.93 32 29 9 3 6 200 2144 .907 0 2 20
FLA 34 J. VANBIESBROUCK 57 3347 2.29 27 19 10 3 2 128 1582 .919 0 2 8
FLA 30 MARK FITZPATRICK 30 1680 2.36 8 9 9 4 0 66 771 .914 0 1 13
HFD 1 SEAN BURKE 51 2985 2.69 22 22 6 6 4 134 1560 .914 0 2 14
HFD 29 JASON MUZZATTI 31 1591 3.43 9 13 5 1 0 91 815 .888 0 1 18
HFD 47 *J SEBASTIEN GIGUE 8 394 3.65 1 4 0 0 0 24 201 .881 0 0 0
LAK 1 *JAMIE STORR 5 265 2.49 2 1 1 1 0 11 147 .925 0 0 0
LAK 34 BYRON DAFOE 40 2162 3.11 13 17 5 4 0 112 1178 .905 0 0 0
LAK 35 STEPHANE FISET 44 2482 3.19 13 24 5 4 4 132 1410 .906 0 0 2
LAK 32 J.C. BERGERON 1 56 4.29 0 1 0 0 0 4 35 .886 0 0 0
MTL 41 JOCELYN THIBAULT 61 3397 2.90 22 24 11 5 1 164 1815 .910 0 0 0
MTL 60 *JOSE THEODORE 16 821 3.87 5 6 2 0 0 53 508 .896 0 0 0
MTL 39 PAT JABLONSKI 17 754 3.98 4 6 2 0 0 50 438 .886 0 0 0
MTL 37 *TOMAS VOKOUN 1 20 12.00 0 0 0 0 0 4 14 .714 0 0 0
NJD 30 MARTIN BRODEUR 67 3838 1.88 37 14 13 5 10 120 1633 .927 0 4 8
NJD 1 *MIKE DUNHAM 26 1013 2.55 8 7 1 1 2 43 456 .906 0 0 2
NJD 35 JEFF REESE 3 139 5.61 0 2 0 0 0 13 65 .800 0 0 0
NYI 30 TOMMY SODERSTROM 1 0 .00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 0 0 0
NYI 35 TOMMY SALO 58 3208 2.82 20 27 8 7 5 151 1576 .904 0 1 4
NYI 1 *ERIC FICHAUD 34 1759 3.10 9 14 4 1 0 91 897 .899 0 0 2
NYR 30 GLENN HEALY 23 1357 2.61 5 12 4 2 1 59 632 .907 0 0 4
NYR 35 MIKE RICHTER 61 3598 2.68 33 22 6 9 4 161 1945 .917 0 0 4
OTW 1 DAMIAN RHODES 50 2934 2.72 14 20 14 2 1 133 1213 .890 0 2 2
OTW 31 RON TUGNUTT 37 1991 2.80 17 15 1 2 3 93 882 .895 0 1 0
OTW 35 *MIKE BALES 1 52 4.62 0 1 0 0 0 4 18 .778 0 0 0
PHI 30 GARTH SNOW 35 1884 2.52 14 8 8 2 2 79 816 .903 0 1 30
PHI 27 RON HEXTALL 55 3094 2.56 31 16 5 4 5 132 1285 .897 0 0 43
PHO 39 PAT JABLONSKI 2 59 2.03 0 1 0 1 0 2 24 .917 0 0 0
PHO 1 PARRIS DUFFUS 1 29 2.07 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 .875 0 0 0
PHO 35 N. KHABIBULIN 72 4091 2.83 30 33 6 7 7 193 2094 .908 0 3 16
PHO 43 DARCY WAKALUK 16 782 2.99 8 3 1 0 1 39 386 .899 0 1 4
PIT 40 *PATRICK LALIME 39 2058 2.94 21 12 2 3 3 101 1166 .913 0 0 0
PIT 30 *PHILIPPE DE ROUVI 2 111 3.24 0 2 0 1 0 6 66 .909 0 0 0
PIT 31 KEN WREGGET 46 2514 3.25 17 17 6 6 2 136 1383 .902 0 1 6
PIT 35 TOM BARRASSO 5 270 5.78 0 5 0 1 0 26 186 .860 0 0 0
SJS 40 CHRIS TERRERI 22 1200 2.75 6 10 3 4 0 55 553 .901 0 0 0
SJS 32 KELLY HRUDEY 48 2631 3.19 16 24 5 4 0 140 1263 .889 0 0 0
SJS 20 ED BELFOUR 13 757 3.41 3 9 0 1 1 43 371 .884 0 0 8
SJS 31 WADE FLAHERTY 7 359 5.18 2 4 0 0 0 31 202 .847 0 0 0
STL 31 GRANT FUHR 73 4261 2.72 33 27 11 4 3 193 1940 .901 0 2 6
STL 30 JON CASEY 15 707 3.39 3 8 0 2 0 40 299 .866 0 0 0
TBL 93 DAREN PUPPA 6 325 2.58 1 1 2 1 0 14 150 .907 0 0 2
TBL 31 RICK TABARACCI 55 3012 2.75 20 25 6 5 4 138 1415 .902 0 1 12
TBL 32 *COREY SCHWAB 31 1462 3.04 11 12 1 2 2 74 719 .897 0 1 10
TBL 35 *DEREK WILKINSON 5 169 4.26 0 2 1 1 0 12 72 .833 0 0 0
TOR 29 FELIX POTVIN 74 4271 3.15 27 36 7 6 0 224 2438 .908 0 3 19
TOR 31 *MARCEL COUSINEAU 13 566 3.29 3 5 1 1 1 31 317 .902 0 1 0
TOR 33 DON BEAUPRE 3 110 5.45 0 3 0 1 0 10 60 .833 0 0 0
VAN 1 KIRK MCLEAN 44 2581 3.21 21 18 3 3 0 138 1247 .889 0 2 2
VAN 31 COREY HIRSCH 39 2127 3.27 12 20 4 2 2 116 1090 .894 0 1 6
VAN 30 *MICHAEL FOUNTAIN 6 245 3.43 2 2 0 0 1 14 135 .896 0 0 0
WSH 37 OLAF KOLZIG 29 1645 2.59 8 15 4 6 2 71 758 .906 0 0 4
WSH 30 BILL RANFORD 18 1009 2.74 8 7 2 1 0 46 412 .888 0 1 7
WSH 30 JIM CAREY 40 2293 2.75 17 18 3 2 1 105 984 .893 0 0 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL STATS FINAL
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- NHL HAT TRICKS --
1. Tony Granato, SAN at LOS, Oct 6th, 1st season, 5th career.
2. Brian Savage, MON vs ANA, Oct 7th, 1st season, 2nd career.
3. Mike Gartner, PHO at BOS, Oct 7th, 1st season, 17th career.
4. Ryan Smyth, EDM at TOR, Oct 8th, 1st season, 1st career.
5. Chris Gratton, TAM at TOR, Oct 12th, 1st season, 1st career.
6. Eric Lacroix, COL vs EDM, Oct 15th, 1st season, 2nd career.
7. Alexei Kovalev, NYR vs PIT, Oct 16th, 1st season, 2nd career.
8. Theoren Fleury, CGY vs COL, Oct 22nd, 1st season, 11th career.
9. Rem Murray, EDM at LOS, Oct 24th, 1st season, 1st career.
10. Owen Nolan, SAN at CHI, Oct 27th, 1st season, 9th career.
11. Joe Juneau, WAS vs PIT, Nov 1st, 1st season, 2nd career.
12. Teemu Selanne, ANA vs SAN, Nov 1st, 1st season, 11th career.
13. Jaromir Jagr, PIT vs OTT, Nov 2nd, 1st season, 3rd career.
14. Martin Rucinsky, MON at ANA, Nov 6th, 1st season, 2nd career.
15. Mariusz Czerkawski, EDM at BOS, Nov 7th, 1st season, 1st career.
16. Dino Ciccarelli, TAM vs PIT, Nov 8th, 1st season, 19th career.
17. Scott Young, COL vs MON, Nov 9th, 1st season, 2nd career.
18. x-Wendel Clark, TOR vs EDM, Nov 9th, 1st season, 9th career.
19. Brian Rolston, NJD vs TAM, Nove 16th, 1st season, 1st career.
20. Dale Hawerchuk, PHI vs PIT, Nov 21st, 1st season, 14th career.
21. Mark Recchi, MON at BOS, Nov 21st, 1st season, 2nd career.
22. Mark Messier, NYR at PHO, Nov 26th, 1st season, 18th career.
23. Ray Sheppard, FLA vs BUF, Nov 26th, 1st season, 9th career.
24. Brendan Shanahan, DET vs TOR, Nov 27th, 1st season, 9th career.
25. Keith Tkachuk, PHO vs NJD, Nov 28th, 1st season, 3rd career.
26. Jaromir Jagr, PIT vs BOS, Nov 30th, 2nd season, 4th career.
27. Tony Amonte, CHI vs LOS, Nov 30th, 1st season, 3rd career.
28. Michal Grosek, BUF vs VAN, Dec 4th, 1st season, 1st career.
29. Al MacInnis, STL vs DAL, Dec 11th, 1st season, 2nd career.
30. Peter Bondra, WAS at ANA, Dec 13th, 1st season, 8th career.
31. Alexander Mogilny, VAN at STL, Dec 15th, 1st season, 16th career.
32. Mario Lemieux, PIT at STL, Dec 19th, 1st season, 38th career.
33. Mats Sundin, TOR at COL, Dec 21st, 1st season, 1st career.
34. Brett Hull, STL vs LOS, Dec 22nd, 1st season, 26th career.
35. German Titov, CGY at PHO, Dec 22nd, 1st season, 1st career.
36. Ray Sheppard, FLA at NYR, Dec 22nd, 2nd season, 10th career.
37. y-Sergei Fedorov, DET vs WAS, Dec 26th, 1st season, 3rd career.
38. Bill Guerin, NJD at BUF, Dec 31st, 1st season, 1st career.
39. Vincent Damphousse, MON vs HAR, Jan 6th, 1st season, 9th career.
40. Ed Olczyk, LOS vs VAN, Jan 7th, 1st season, 5th career.
41. Dave Reid, DAL vs DET, Jan 8th, 1st season, 2nd career.
42. Paul Kariya, ANA vs BUF, Jan 10th, 1st season, 1st career.
43. Paul Kariya, ANA at PHO, Jan 23rd, 2nd season, 2nd career.
44. Derek King, NYI at HAR, Jan 24th, 1st season, 1st career.
44. Derek King, NYI at HAR, Jan 24th, 1st season, 6th career.
45. x-Mario Lemieux, PIT at MON, Jan 26th, 2nd season, 39th career.
46. Jeff O'neill, HAR at ANA, Jan 31st, 1st season, 1st career.
47. Brett Hull, STL vs DAL, Feb 6th, 2nd season, 27th career.
48. x-John Leclair, PHI vs MON, Feb 6th, 1st season, 5th career.
49. Martin Gelinas, VAN at DET, Feb 6th, 1st season, 2nd career.
50. Brendan Shanahan, DET at PIT, Feb 8th, 2nd season, 10th career.
51. Mark Messier, NYR at NYI, Feb 8th, 2nd season, 19th career.
52. Brendan Shanahan, DET vs SAN, Feb 12th, 3rd season, 10th career.
53. Jim Mckenzie, PHO vs LOS, Feb 18th, 1st season, 1st career.
54. Mariusz Czerkawski, EDM vs TOR, Feb 19th, 2nd season, 2nd career.
55. John Leclair, PHI at OTT, Feb 26th, 2nd season, 6th career.
56. x-Martin Gelinas, VAN vs PHO, Feb 27th, 2nd season, 3rd career.
57. Trent Klatt, PHI at BOS, Mar 1st, 1st season, 1st career.
58. x-Peter Bondra, WAS vs COL, Mar 6th, 2nd season, 9th career.
59. Kent Manderville, HAR vs BOS, Mar 12th, 1st season, 2nd career.
60. Randy Mckay, NJD vs HAR, Mar 13th, 1st season, 1st career.
61. Ray Sheppard, FLA vs VAN, Mar 13th, 3rd season, 11th career.
62. Adam Graves, NYR at OTT, Mar 14th, 1st season, 6th career.
63. Joe Sakic, COL vs PIT, Mar 14th, 1st season, 2nd career.
64. Tony Amonte, CHI vs NYI, Mar 16th, 2nd season, 4th career.
65. x-Eric Lindros, PHI at TOR, Mar 19th, 1st season, 9th career.
66. x-Keith Tkachuk, PHO at CHI, Mar 20th, 2nd season, 4th career.
67. Valeri Kamensky, COL at DET, Mar 26th, 1st season, 3rd career.
68. Zigmund Palffy, NYI vs BOS, Mar 29th, 1st season, 3rd career.
69. Peter Forsberg, COL at CGY, Apr 2nd, 1st season, 3rd career.
70. Miroslav Satan, BUF vs NYR, Apr 4th, 1st season, 1st career.
71. Tony Granato, SAN vs COL, Apr 4th, 2nd season, 6th career.
72. Alexei Zhamnov, CHI vs CGY, Apr 11th, 1st season, 6th career.
73. x-Jaroslav Svejkovsky, WAS at BUF, Apr 13th, 1st season, 1st career.
74. Eric Daze, CHI at DAL, Apr 13th, 1st season, 1st career.
-- NHL SHUTOUTS --
1. Stephane Fiset, LOS vs NYI, 1-0, Oct 4th, 26 saves, 1st season, 7th career.
2. Sean Burke, HAR vs PHO, 1-0, Oct 5th, 30 saves, 1st season, 11th career.
3. Curtis Joseph, EDM vs VAN, 2-0, Oct 6th, 35 saves, 1st season, 6th career.
4. Rick Tabaracci, CGY vs BUF, 3-0, Oct 6th, 19 saves, 1st season, 9th career.
5. Patrick Roy, COL vs SAN, 6-0, Oct 8th, 24 saves, 1st season, 31st career.
6. Chris Osgood, DET vs EDM, 2-0, Oct 9th, 18 saves, 1st season, 9th career.
7. Mikhail Shtalenkov, ANA at CHI, 2-0, Oct 9th, 26 saves, 1st season,
1st career.
8. Patrick Roy, COL at CHI, 2-0, Oct 11th, 34 saves, 2nd season, 32nd career.
9. John Vanbiesbrouck, FLA vs HAR, 6-0, Oct 12th, 21 saves, 1st season,
24th career.
10. Trevor Kidd, CGY at PHI, 1-0, Oct 13th, 27 saves, 1st season, 7th career.
11. Corey Schwab, TAM at BUF, 4-0, Oct 15th, 22 saves, 1st season, 2nd career.
12. Andy Moog, DAL vs TOR, 2-0, Oct 19th, 14 saves, 1st season, 23rd career.
13. Chris Osgood, DET vs LOS, 3-0, Oct 21st, 19 saves, 2nd season, 10th career.
14. Ron Hextall, PHI vs ANA, 3-0, Oct 22nd, 12 saves, 1st season, 15th career.
15. Stephane Fiset, LOS vs CGY, 0-0, Oct 26th, 35 saves, 2nd season,
8th career.
16. Trevor Kidd, CGY at LOS, 0-0, Oct 26th, 26 saves, 2nd season, 8th career.
17. Craig Billington, COL vs WAS, 1-0, Oct 28th, 40 saves, 1st season,
6th career.
18. Andy Moog, DAL vs BUF, 2-0, Oct 30th, 24 saves, 2nd season, 24th career.
19. Dominik Hasek, BUF at COL, 0-0, Nov 2nd, 32 saves, 1st season, 16th career.
20. Patrick Roy, COL vs BUF, 0-0, Nov 2nd, 20 saves, 3rd season, 33rd career.
21. Martin Brodeur, NJD at DET, 2-0, Nov 6th, 36 saves, 1st season,
13th career.
22. Curtis Joseph, EDM at BOS, 6-0, Nov 7th, 25 saves, 2nd season, 7th career.
23. Ed Belfour, CHI vs OTT, 2-0, Nov 10th, 24 saves, 1st season, 30th career.
24. Ken Wregget, PIT vs BUF, 3-0, Nov 12th, 25 saves, 1st season, 7th career.
25. Curtis Joseph, EDM at OTT, 4-0, Nov 13th, 28 saves, 3rd season, 8th career.
26. Mike Fountain, VAN at NJD, 3-0, Nov 14th, 40 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
27. Grant Fuhr, STL vs CGY, 2-0, Nov 16th, 21 saves, 1st season, 18th career.
28. Corey Hirsch, VAN vs DAL, 2-0, Nov 19th, 36 saves, 1st season, 2nd career.
29. Corey Schwab, TAM vs LOS, 3-0, Nov 19th, 31 saves, 2nd season, 3rd career.
30. Patrick Roy, COL vs PHO, 6-0, Nov 20th, 20 saves, 4th season, 34th career.
31. Chris Osgood, DET at LOS, 6-0, Nov 23rd, 26 saves, 3rd season, 11th career.
32. Guy Hebert, ANA at SAN, 3-0, Nov 23rd, 25 saves, 1st season, 10th career.
33. Bill Ranford, BOS vs PHI, 2-0, Nov 26th, 34 saves, 1st season, 13th career.
34. Dominik Hasek, BUF at TAM, 3-0, Nov 27th, 32 saves, 2nd season,
17th career.
35. Dwayne Roloson, CGY vs LOS, 2-0, Nov 28th, 22 saves, 1st season,
1st career.
36. Dominik Hasek, BUF vs OTT, 3-0, Nov 29th, 31 saves, 3rd season,
18th career.
37. Guy Hebert, ANA vs CHI, 2-0, Nov 29th, 27 saves, 2nd season, 11th career.
38. Tommy Salo, NYI at WAS, 2-0, Nov 29th, 23 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
39. Jim Carey, WAS at MON, 2-0, Nov 30th, 27 saves, 1st season, 14th career.
40. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs FLA, 2-0, Dec 3rd, 28 saves, 2nd season, 14th career.
41. Kevin Hodson, DET vs WAS, 2-0, Dec 4th, 19 saves, 1st season, 2nd career.
42. Patrick Roy, COL vs EDM, 2-0, Dec 4th, 36 saves, 5th season, 35th career.
43. Darcy Wakaluk, PHO at STL, 3-0, Dec 5th, 33 saves, 1st season, 3rd career.
44. Glenn Healy, NYR at TOR, 4-0, Dec 7th, 24 saves, 1st season, 11th career.
45. Tommy Salo, NYI vs WAS, 2-0, Dec 7th, 24 saves, 2nd season, 2nd career.
46. Chris Osgood, DET vs EDM, 0-0, Dec 10th, 21 saves, 4th season, 12th career.
47. Curtis Joseph, EDM at DET, 0-0, Dec 10th, 52 saves, 4th season, 9th career.
48. Mike Richter, NYR at BUF, 3-0, Dec 13th, 30 saves, 1st season, 15th career.
49. Patrick Lalime, PIT at SAN, 4-0, Dec 13th, 20 saves, 1st season,
1st career.
50. Dominik Hasek, BUF at BOS, 4-0, Dec 14th, 29 saves, 4th season,
19th career.
51. Garth Snow, PHI at HAR, 4-0, Dec 14th, 21 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
52. Andy Moog, DAL at OTT, 4-0, Dec 15th, 23 saves, 3rd season, 25th career.
53. Corey Hirsch, VAN at STL, 8-0, Dec 15th, 42 saves, 2nd season, 3rd career.
54. Ron Hextall, PHI vs BOS, 6-0, Dec 15th, 28 saves, 2nd season, 16th career.
55. Mike Dunham, NJD at CGY, 5-0, Dec 16th, 28 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
56. Mike Richter, NYR vs LOS, 4-0, Dec 18th, 37 saves, 2nd season, 16th career.
57. Bill Ranford, BOS vs TAM, 3-0, Dec 19th, 34 saves, 2nd season, 14th career.
58. Garth Snow, PHI vs NYI, 5-0, Dec 19th, 24 saves, 2nd season, 2nd career.
59. Ken Wregget, PIT at STL, 4-0, Dec 19th, 25 saves, 2nd season, 8th career.
60. Guy Hebert, ANA vs CGY, 7-0, Dec 20th, 39 saves, 3rd season, 12th career.
61. Ron Hextall, PHI vs STL, 4-0, Dec 21st, 24 saves, 3rd season, 17th career.
62. Bob Essensa, EDM at VAN, 7-0, Dec 23rd, 26 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
63. Damian Rhodes, OTT at MON, 6-0, Dec 23rd, 14 saves, 1st season, 3rd career.
64. Dominik Hasek, BUF at NJD, 0-0, Dec 23rd, 37 saves, 5th season,
20th career.
65. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs BUF, 0-0, Dec 23rd, 37 saves, 3rd season,
15th career.
66. Patrick Lalime, PIT vs BUF, 2-0, Dec 28th, 21 saves, 2nd season,
2nd career.
67. Marcel Cousineau, TOR vs NYI, 2-0, Dec 30th, 28 saves, 1st season,
1st career.
68. Guy Hebert, ANA at FLA, 3-0, Jan 1st, 28 saves, 4th season, 13th career.
69. Martin Brodeur, NJD at OTT, 1-0, Jan 3rd, 19 saves, 4th season,
16th career.
70. Olaf Kolzig, WAS vs PHO, 3-0, Jan 3rd, 22 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
71. John Vanbiesbrouck, FLA at LOS, 5-0, Jan 4th, 28 saves, 2nd season,
25th career.
72. Olaf Kolzig, WAS vs NYR, 2-0, Jan 9th, 25 saves, 2nd season, 2nd career.
73. Patrick Roy, COL at OTT, 2-0, Jan 9th, 33 saves, 6th season, 36th career.
74. Mike Richter, NYR vs NJD, 3-0, Jan 12th, 33 saves, 3rd season, 17th career.
75. Rick Tabaracci, TAM at CHI, 2-0, Jan 13th, 27 saves, 2nd season,
10th career.
76. Curtis Joseph, EDM vs FLA, 4-0, Jan 15th, 40 saves, 5th season,
10th career.
77. Patrick Lalime, PIT at HAR, 3-0, Jan 15th, 31 saves, 3rd season,
3rd career.
78. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO vs VAN, 4-0, Jan 25th, 26 saves, 1st season,
3rd career.
79. Grant Fuhr, STL at TOR, 4-0, Jan 29th, 29 saves, 2nd season, 19th career.
80. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at DET , 3-0, Jan 29th, 30 saves, 2st season,
4rd career.
81. Curtis Joseph, EDM vs NYI, 1-0, Jan 31st, 24 saves, 6th season,
11th career.
82. Rob Tallas, BOS at TAM, 3-0, Feb 1st, 25 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
83. Trevor Kidd, CGY vs VAN, 3-0, Feb 1st, 31 saves, 3rd season, 9th career.
84. Rick Tabaracci, TAM at PHO, 2-0, Feb 4th, 21 saves, 3rd season,
11th career.
85. Arturs Irbe, DAL vs TAM, 4-0, Feb 5th, 28 saves, 1st season, 9th career.
86. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at DAL, 5-0, Feb 12th, 25 saves, 3rd season,
5th career.
87. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs HAR, 4-0, Feb 13th, 20 saves, 5th season,
17th career.
88. Jeff Hackett, CHI vs NYR, 2-0, Feb 15th, 17 saves, 1st season, 5th career.
89. Tommy Salo, NYI vs FLA, 1-0, Feb 15th, 29 saves, 3rd season, 3rd career.
90. Trevor Kidd, CGY vs TOR, 3-0, Feb 15th, 20 saves, 4th season, 10th career.
91. Chris Osgood, DET vs CGY, 4-0, Feb 19th, 28 saves, 5th season, 13th career.
92. Sean Burke, HAR vs WAS, 2-0, Feb 22nd, 28 saves, 2nd season, 12th career.
93. Stephane Fiset, LOS vs VAN, 4-0, Feb 22nd, 18 saves, 3rd season,
9th career.
94. Arturs Irbe, DAL vs CHI, 1-0, Feb 25th, 24 saves, 2nd season, 10th career.
95. Chris Osgood, DET vs NYR, 3-0, Mar 1st, 21 saves, 6th season, 14th career.
96. Rick Tabaracci, TAM vs FLA, 2-0, Mar 1st, 24 saves, 4th season,
12th career.
97. Stephane Fiset, LOS at VAN, 3-0, Mar 1st, 35 saves, 4th season,
10th career.
98. Jeff Hackett, CHI at PHO, 4-0, Mar 2nd, 38 saves, 2nd season, 6th career.
99. Tommy Salo, NYI at WAS, 2-0, Mar 2nd, 39 saves, 4th season, 4th career.
100. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at FLA, 3-0, Mar 5th, 14 saves, 4th season,
6th career.
101. Sean Burke, HAR vs CGY, 2-0, Mar 5th, 28 saves, 3rd season, 13th career.
102. Ed Belfour, SAN vs OTT, 2-0, Mar 6th, 29 saves, 2nd season, 30th career.
103. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at TAM, 5-0, Mar 6th, 30 saves, 5th season, 7th career.
104. Sean Burke, HAR vs MON, 2-0, Mar 7th, 26 saves, 4th season, 14th career.
105. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at CHI, 2-0, Mar 8th, 28 saves, 6th season,
8th career.
106. Ron Hextall, PHI vs WAS, 5-0, Mar 9th, 15 saves, 4th season, 18th career.
107. Jocelyn Thibault, MON at BOS, 3-0, Mar 13th, 35 saves, 1st season,
5th career.
108. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs HAR, 6-0, Mar 13th, 35 saves, 6th season,
18th career.
109. Tommy Salo, NYI at TAM, 3-0, Mar 13th, 24 saves, 5th season, 5th career.
110. Arturs Irbe, DAL vs HAR, 2-0, Mar 21st, 16 saves, 3rd season, 11th career.
111. Nikolai Khabibulin, PHO at TOR, 3-0, Mar 22nd, 33 saves, 7th season, 9th career.
112. Ron Hextall, PHI vs COL, 2-0, Mar 23rd, 19 saves, 5th season, 19th career.
113. Mike Richter, NYR vs PIT, 3-0, Mar 24th, 34 saves, 4th season,
18th career.
114. Patrick Roy, COL at HAR, 4-0, Mar 25th, 46 saves, 7th season, 37th career.
115. Rick Tabaracci, TAM vs OTT, 5-0, Mar 25th, 28 saves, 5th season,
13th career.
116. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs NYR, 4-0, Mar 27th, 26 saves, 7th season,
19th career.
117. Mikhail Shtalenkov, ANA at DET, 1-0, Mar 30th, 26 saves, 2nd season,
2nd career.
118. Martin Brodeur, NJD at WAS, 1-0, Apr 1st, 25 saves, 8th season,
20th career.
119. Ron Tugnutt, OTT at BUF, 2-0, Apr 2nd, 15 saves, 1st season, 1st career.
120. Ron Tugnutt, OTT vs WAS, 4-0, Apr 3rd, 25 saves, 2nd season, 2nd career.
121. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs TAM, 3-0, Apr 4th, 26 saves, 9th season, 21st career.
122. Mike Dunham, NJD at STL, 2-0, Apr 6th, 25 saves, 2nd season, 2nd career.
123. Grant Fuhr, STL at CHI, 1-0, Apr 9th, 23 saves, 3rd season, 20th career.
124. Martin Brodeur, NJD vs BOS, 2-0, Apr 11th, 26 saves, 10th season,
22nd career.
125. Ron Tugnutt, OTT vs BUF, 1-0, Apr 12th, 17 saves, 3rd season, 3rd career.
-- NHL Suspensions --
Date Player/Team/Length Opponent Reason
Apr 9 Eric Lindros NY Rangers High-sticking
Philadelphia Shane Churla
2 games and Ulf Samuelsson
Mar 25 Andrei Nazarov Edmonton Pushed linesman
San Jose Brad Lazarowich
13 games
Mar 7 Darren Langdon Los Angeles Initiated
New York Rangers altercation with
2 games Matt Johnson
Feb 28 Bernie Nicholls Florida Flagrant cross-check
San Jose on Ed Jovanovski
2 games
Feb 26 J.J. Daigneault Referee Struck Don
Anaheim Koharski with his
10 games stick
Feb 25 Michel Petit Florida Kneeing
Philadelphia Johan Garpenlov
2 games
Feb 25 Donald Brashear Los Angeles blind side punch
Vancouver to Ian Laperriere
4 games
Feb 18 Brent Severyn Phoenix Initiating
Colorado altercation with
2 games Kris King
Feb 5 Matt Johnson San Jose Flagrant elbow
Los Angeles against Andrei
4 games Nazarov
Feb 5 Rob Blake San Jose High-sticking
Los Angeles incident against
4 games Shean Donovan
Feb 5 Tony Granato Los Angeles Cross-checking
San Jose Dmitri Khristich
4 games in back of head
Feb 2 Peter Bondra Florida Kneeing incident
Washington against Ray Sheppard
1 game
Feb 2 Todd Harvey Buffalo Flagrant elbow
Dallas against Matthew
2 games
Jan 30 Sean O'Donnell Colorado Involved in
Los Angeles altercation on
1 game bench with
Valeri Kamensky
Jan 23 Jim Cummins Toronto Drawing third
Chicago game misconduct
1 game of the season
Jan 19 Craig Berube Ottawa Slashing
Washington Dennis Vial
2 games
Jan 11 Rich Pilon Pittsburgh Stick swinging
NY Islanders Mario Lemieux
2 games
Jan 7 Mike Craig Vancouver High-sticking
Toronto Mike Sillinger
2 games
Jan 7 Troy Mallette Dallas Flagrant elbow
Boston Grant Marshall
2 games
Jan 1 Keith Primeau Washington Slash
Hartford Joe Juneau
2 games
Dec 31 Greg Hawgood Edmonton Slash
San Jose Boris Mironov
2 games
Dec 6 Pavel Bure Buffalo Forearm blow
Vancouver Garry Galley
1 game
Nov 30 Guy Lapointe Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
2 games
Nov 30 Kevin Constantine Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary assistant coach
1 game
Nov 26 Grant Ledyard Florida Kneeing
Dallas Rob Niedermayer
2 games
Nov 26 Sasha Lakovic Edmonton Attacking a fan
Calgary
2 games
Nov 15 Mathieu Schneider Anaheim Flagrant elbow
Toronto Paul Kariya
3 games
Nov 1 Alexei Zhitnik Dallas High-sticking
Buffalo Jamie Langenbrunner
2 games
Oct 16 Daniel Lacroix Los Angeles Elbowing
Philadelphia Kevin Stevens
2 games
Oct 11 Brendan Shanahan Edmonton Cross-checking
Detroit Greg de Vries
1 game
Oct 8 Mark Messier Florida Checking from behind
NY Rangers Mike Hough
2 games
Oct 8 Louie DeBrusk Vancouver Slashing
Edmonton Dana Murzyn
4 games
Oct 7 Scott Stevens Detroit High-sticking
New Jersey Igor Larionov
1 game
--- DURACELL POWER PLAY REPORT ---
(ADV) TOTAL ADVANTAGES (PPGF) POWER-PLAY GOALS FOR
(PCTG) ARRIVED BY DIVIDING NUMBER OF POWER-PLAY GOALS
BY TOTAL ADVANTAGES
-------- HOME --------- -------- ROAD --------- ------- OVER ALL -------
TEAM GP ADV PPGF PCTG TEAM GP ADV PPGF PCTG TEAM GP ADV PPGF PCTG
1 NYR 41 135 32 23.7 PIT 41 169 41 24.3 NYR 82 287 63 22.0
2 PIT 41 169 33 19.5 COL 41 188 41 21.8 PIT 82 338 74 21.9
3 COL 41 215 42 19.5 DET 41 187 40 21.4 COL 82 403 83 20.6
4 CGY 41 184 35 19.0 NYR 41 152 31 20.4 HFD 82 321 58 18.1
5 EDM 41 207 37 17.9 HFD 41 159 30 18.9 PHO 82 359 65 18.1
6 PHO 41 193 34 17.6 PHO 41 166 31 18.7 EDM 82 406 73 18.0
7 FLA 41 194 34 17.5 EDM 41 199 36 18.1 DET 82 368 66 17.9
8 HFD 41 162 28 17.3 OTT 41 161 29 18.0 CGY 82 361 61 16.9
9 ANA 41 168 28 16.7 VAN 41 134 24 17.9 ANA 82 333 56 16.8
10 S.J 41 175 29 16.6 STL 41 153 27 17.6 VAN 82 303 51 16.8
11 MTL 41 171 28 16.4 ANA 41 165 28 17.0 OTT 82 336 56 16.7
12 WSH 41 167 27 16.2 DAL 41 157 26 16.6 WSH 82 322 51 15.8
13 VAN 41 169 27 16.0 PHI 41 182 29 15.9 MTL 82 337 53 15.7
14 TOR 41 155 24 15.5 CHI 41 139 22 15.8 TOR 82 309 48 15.5
15 OTT 41 175 27 15.4 TOR 41 154 24 15.6 STL 82 327 50 15.3
16 N.J 41 138 21 15.2 WSH 41 155 24 15.5 BOS 82 310 46 14.8
17 T.B 41 186 28 15.1 MTL 41 166 25 15.1 CHI 82 304 45 14.8
18 BOS 41 157 23 14.6 BOS 41 153 23 15.0 PHI 82 362 53 14.6
19 BUF 41 165 24 14.5 CGY 41 177 26 14.7 DAL 82 314 46 14.6
20 DET 41 181 26 14.4 NYI 41 179 26 14.5 S.J 82 349 50 14.3
21 CHI 41 165 23 13.9 L.A 41 157 22 14.0 FLA 82 352 50 14.2
22 L.A 41 181 24 13.3 N.J 41 150 19 12.7 NYI 82 346 48 13.9
23 PHI 41 180 24 13.3 T.B 41 154 19 12.3 N.J 82 288 40 13.9
24 STL 41 174 23 13.2 S.J 41 174 21 12.1 T.B 82 340 47 13.8
25 NYI 41 167 22 13.2 BUF 41 161 19 11.8 L.A 82 338 46 13.6
26 DAL 41 157 20 12.7 FLA 41 158 16 10.1 BUF 82 326 43 13.2
1066 4490 723 16.1 1066 4249 699 16.5 1066 8739 1422 16.3
--- TEAMS' PENALTY KILLING RECORD ---
(TSH) TOTAL TIMES SHORT-HANDED (PPGA) POWER-PLAY GOALS AGAINST
(PCTG) ARRIVED BY DIVIDING -TIMES SHORT MINUS POWER-PLAY GOALS AGAINST-
BY TIMES SHORT
-------- HOME --------- -------- ROAD --------- ------- OVER ALL -------
TEAM GP TSH PPGA PCTG TEAM GP TSH PPGA PCTG TEAM GP TSH PPGA PCTG
1 COL 41 167 20 88.0 N.J 41 123 12 90.2 N.J 82 235 28 88.1
2 T.B 41 187 23 87.7 PHO 41 172 20 88.4 COL 82 339 42 87.6
3 L.A 41 175 22 87.4 PHI 41 186 23 87.6 L.A 82 352 45 87.2
4 DET 41 159 20 87.4 COL 41 172 22 87.2 DET 82 346 46 86.7
5 N.J 41 112 16 85.7 L.A 41 177 23 87.0 PHO 82 334 47 85.9
6 FLA 41 166 25 84.9 WSH 41 188 25 86.7 PHI 82 342 49 85.7
7 HFD 41 153 24 84.3 DET 41 187 26 86.1 FLA 82 346 50 85.5
8 OTT 41 125 20 84.0 FLA 41 180 25 86.1 T.B 82 360 55 84.7
9 CHI 41 175 28 84.0 STL 41 164 24 85.4 WSH 82 354 54 84.7
10 BOS 41 148 24 83.8 DAL 41 157 23 85.4 HFD 82 332 51 84.6
11 VAN 41 179 29 83.8 S.J 41 220 33 85.0 CHI 82 374 59 84.2
12 BUF 41 188 31 83.5 HFD 41 179 27 84.9 S.J 82 409 66 83.9
13 PIT 41 169 28 83.4 CGY 41 176 27 84.7 BUF 82 364 59 83.8
14 PHI 41 156 26 83.3 NYI 41 168 26 84.5 STL 82 332 55 83.4
15 PHO 41 162 27 83.3 CHI 41 199 31 84.4 NYI 82 319 53 83.4
16 EDM 41 165 28 83.0 BUF 41 176 28 84.1 DAL 82 308 51 83.4
17 TOR 41 162 28 82.7 EDM 41 173 31 82.1 CGY 82 345 58 83.2
18 WSH 41 166 29 82.5 T.B 41 173 32 81.5 EDM 82 338 59 82.5
19 S.J 41 189 33 82.5 MTL 41 166 31 81.3 TOR 82 328 59 82.0
20 ANA 41 160 28 82.5 TOR 41 166 31 81.3 OTT 82 265 48 81.9
21 NYI 41 151 27 82.1 ANA 41 176 34 80.7 BOS 82 308 56 81.8
22 CGY 41 169 31 81.7 OTT 41 140 28 80.0 ANA 82 336 62 81.5
23 STL 41 168 31 81.5 BOS 41 160 32 80.0 PIT 82 338 64 81.1
24 DAL 41 151 28 81.5 NYR 41 178 36 79.8 VAN 82 344 66 80.8
25 NYR 41 166 33 80.1 PIT 41 169 36 78.7 NYR 82 344 69 79.9
26 MTL 41 181 40 77.9 VAN 41 165 37 77.6 MTL 82 347 71 79.5
1066 4249 699 83.5 1066 4490 723 83.9 1066 8739 1422 83.7
--- SHORT HAND GOALS FOR ---
--- HOME --- --- ROAD --- - OVER ALL -
TEAM GP SHGF TEAM GP SHGF TEAM GP SHGF
1 BUF 41 11 BOS 41 10 BUF 82 16
2 NYI 41 10 T.B 41 9 BOS 82 15
3 PIT 41 9 DAL 41 9 NYR 82 15
4 MTL 41 7 NYR 41 8 COL 82 14
5 TOR 41 7 PHO 41 8 NYI 82 14
6 VAN 41 7 COL 41 7 T.B 82 13
7 NYR 41 7 DET 41 7 HFD 82 12
8 CGY 41 7 S.J 41 6 VAN 82 12
9 COL 41 7 EDM 41 6 PHI 82 11
10 HFD 41 6 PHI 41 6 TOR 82 11
11 ANA 41 6 HFD 41 6 DAL 82 11
12 STL 41 5 BUF 41 5 CGY 82 11
13 BOS 41 5 VAN 41 5 PIT 82 10
14 PHI 41 5 WSH 41 5 MTL 82 10
15 OTT 41 5 NYI 41 4 DET 82 10
16 T.B 41 4 OTT 41 4 STL 82 9
17 EDM 41 3 CHI 41 4 EDM 82 9
18 L.A 41 3 CGY 41 4 PHO 82 9
19 WSH 41 3 STL 41 4 OTT 82 9
20 S.J 41 3 TOR 41 4 ANA 82 9
21 FLA 41 3 ANA 41 3 S.J 82 9
22 DET 41 3 MTL 41 3 WSH 82 8
23 N.J 41 2 FLA 41 2 L.A 82 5
24 DAL 41 2 N.J 41 2 FLA 82 5
25 CHI 41 1 L.A 41 2 CHI 82 5
26 PHO 41 1 PIT 41 1 N.J 82 4
1066 132 1066 134 1066 266
--- SHORT HAND GOALS AGAINST ---
--- HOME --- --- ROAD --- - OVER ALL -
TEAM GP SHGA TEAM GP SHGA TEAM GP SHGA
1 HFD 41 2 COL 41 2 BUF 82 4
2 PHI 41 2 BUF 41 2 NYR 82 5
3 NYR 41 2 ANA 41 2 BOS 82 6
4 DET 41 2 TOR 41 2 STL 82 8
5 BUF 41 2 NYR 41 3 DET 82 8
6 BOS 41 3 VAN 41 3 PHI 82 8
7 N.J 41 3 STL 41 3 TOR 82 8
8 MTL 41 4 BOS 41 3 VAN 82 8
9 CHI 41 4 NYI 41 4 NYI 82 9
10 T.B 41 4 S.J 41 4 T.B 82 9
11 STL 41 5 WSH 41 4 N.J 82 9
12 EDM 41 5 DAL 41 4 CHI 82 9
13 PIT 41 5 PHO 41 5 DAL 82 9
14 DAL 41 5 T.B 41 5 WSH 82 10
15 VAN 41 5 CHI 41 5 HFD 82 11
16 NYI 41 5 OTT 41 6 MTL 82 11
17 WSH 41 6 DET 41 6 ANA 82 11
18 TOR 41 6 N.J 41 6 S.J 82 11
19 OTT 41 6 L.A 41 6 COL 82 12
20 S.J 41 7 PHI 41 6 PIT 82 12
21 CGY 41 7 PIT 41 7 OTT 82 12
22 L.A 41 8 MTL 41 7 EDM 82 13
23 FLA 41 8 FLA 41 8 L.A 82 14
24 PHO 41 9 EDM 41 8 PHO 82 14
25 ANA 41 9 HFD 41 9 FLA 82 16
26 COL 41 10 CGY 41 12 CGY 82 19
1066 134 1066 132 1066 266
--- TEAMS' OVERTIME RECORDS ---
-------- HOME --------- -------- ROAD --------- ------- OVERALL -------
GP W L T PTS PCTG GP W L T PTS PCTG GP W L T PTS PCTG
--- -- -- --- --- ----- --- -- -- --- --- ----- --- -- -- --- --- -----
NYR 7 1 0 6 8 .571 6 2 0 4 8 .667 13 3 0 10 16 .615
VAN 7 2 1 4 8 .571 7 3 1 3 9 .643 14 5 2 7 17 .607
ANA 6 0 0 6 6 .500 10 3 0 7 13 .650 16 3 0 13 19 .594
DET 14 4 1 9 17 .607 13 3 1 9 15 .577 27 7 2 18 32 .593
S.J 6 2 0 4 8 .667 6 1 1 4 6 .500 12 3 1 8 14 .583
T.B 10 2 0 8 12 .600 6 2 2 2 6 .500 16 4 2 10 18 .563
DAL 7 2 2 3 7 .500 8 2 1 5 9 .563 15 4 3 8 16 .533
PHO 12 2 3 7 11 .458 4 3 1 0 6 .750 16 5 4 7 17 .531
NYI 7 2 1 4 8 .571 10 1 1 8 10 .500 17 3 2 12 18 .529
PHI 8 2 0 6 10 .625 10 1 2 7 9 .450 18 3 2 13 19 .528
BUF 10 2 2 6 10 .500 11 3 2 6 12 .545 21 5 4 12 22 .524
BOS 9 1 1 7 9 .500 6 2 2 2 6 .500 15 3 3 9 15 .500
COL 6 1 0 5 7 .583 9 2 3 4 8 .444 15 3 3 9 15 .500
WSH 7 2 0 5 9 .643 6 0 2 4 4 .333 13 2 2 9 13 .500
STL 5 1 0 4 6 .600 8 0 1 7 7 .438 13 1 1 11 13 .500
TOR 3 0 0 3 3 .500 7 1 1 5 7 .500 10 1 1 8 10 .500
FLA 10 1 1 8 10 .500 16 2 3 11 15 .469 26 3 4 19 25 .481
HFD 7 3 1 3 9 .643 11 0 3 8 8 .364 18 3 4 11 17 .472
N.J 11 1 1 9 11 .500 6 0 1 5 5 .417 17 1 2 14 16 .471
CGY 7 2 3 2 6 .429 9 1 1 7 9 .500 16 3 4 9 15 .469
MTL 12 2 3 7 11 .458 9 0 1 8 8 .444 21 2 4 15 19 .452
OTT 10 0 2 8 8 .400 7 0 0 7 7 .500 17 0 2 15 15 .441
CHI 8 0 4 4 4 .250 11 1 1 9 11 .500 19 1 5 13 15 .395
L.A 8 0 1 7 7 .438 6 0 2 4 4 .333 14 0 3 11 11 .393
PIT 9 1 3 5 7 .389 4 0 1 3 3 .375 13 1 4 8 10 .385
EDM 8 1 3 4 6 .375 8 0 3 5 5 .313 16 1 6 9 11 .344
TOT 214 37 33 144 218 .509 214 33 37 144 210 .491 214 70 70 144 428 1.000
LGM DATE SCORED BY TEAM TIME FINAL SCORE
---- ------- -------------------- -------------------- ---- ----------------
6 Oct 5 SHAWN BURR TAMPA BAY 1:37 T.B 4 AT PIT 3
19 Oct 6 VIKTOR KOZLOV SAN JOSE 4:55 S.J 7 AT L.A 6
35 Oct 10 ROD BRIND'AMOUR PHILADELPHIA 0:33 L.A 4 AT PHI 5
58 Oct 14 RICK TOCCHET BOSTON 4:45 BOS 5 AT VAN 4
129 Oct 28 MIKE GARTNER PHOENIX 1:45 PHO 5 AT MTL 4
152 Nov 1 JEFF SHANTZ CHICAGO 1:48 CHI 3 AT DAL 2
153 Nov 1 JEREMY ROENICK PHOENIX 4:08 PHO 3 AT CGY 2
154 Nov 1 ESA TIKKANEN VANCOUVER 0:42 VAN 5 AT EDM 4
165 Nov 2 DARREN TURCOTTE SAN JOSE 3:07 MTL 3 AT S.J 4
195 Nov 9 CURTIS LESCHYSHYN HARTFORD 4:55 BUF 3 AT HFD 4
207 Nov 11 DONALD AUDETTE BUFFALO 4:01 FLA 2 AT BUF 3
208 Nov 11 SAKU KOIVU MONTREAL 3:37 EDM 2 AT MTL 3
213 Nov 12 SCOTT NIEDERMAYER NEW JERSEY 3:04 WSH 2 AT N.J 3
217 Nov 13 BRYAN MCCABE NY ISLANDERS 0:45 VAN 4 AT NYI 5
222 Nov 14 ADAM OATES BOSTON 1:05 PIT 1 AT BOS 2
226 Nov 14 GERMAN TITOV CALGARY 4:55 CGY 2 AT CHI 1
266 Nov 21 +HARRY YORK ST LOUIS 0:57 PHO 3 AT STL 4
268 Nov 21 CHRIS JOSEPH VANCOUVER 3:51 CHI 1 AT VAN 2
272 Nov 22 JODY HULL FLORIDA 4:55 FLA 2 AT DAL 1
275 Nov 23 MICHAL GROSEK BUFFALO 2:39 BUF 3 AT BOS 2
304 Nov 28 KEITH TKACHUK PHOENIX 4:08 N.J 3 AT PHO 4
333 Dec 4 MIKE SILLINGER VANCOUVER 3:38 VAN 7 AT BUF 6
358 Dec 7 DARRIN SHANNON PHOENIX 2:03 PHO 4 AT N.J 3
375 Dec 11 DIXON WARD BUFFALO 2:42 BUF 3 AT MTL 2
416 Dec 18 MIKE MODANO DALLAS 0:27 DAL 3 AT CHI 2
433 Dec 21 ROBERT KRON HARTFORD 2:11 T.B 5 AT HFD 6
436 Dec 21 LUC ROBITAILLE NY RANGERS 0:42 NYR 3 AT MTL 2
447 Dec 23 RAY SHEPPARD FLORIDA 1:46 FLA 4 AT NYI 3
460 Dec 26 SERGEI FEDOROV DETROIT 2:39 WSH 4 AT DET 5
485 Dec 30 STEVE RUCCHIN ANAHEIM 4:33 ANA 4 AT OTT 3
496 Jan 1 STEVE KONOWALCHUK WASHINGTON 3:01 HFD 2 AT WSH 3
499 Jan 2 TED DONATO BOSTON 2:21 BOS 5 AT HFD 4
532 Jan 7 DAVE GAGNER CALGARY 4:00 TOR 3 AT CGY 4
544 Jan 9 IGOR LARIONOV DETROIT 0:58 DET 5 AT PHO 4
563 Jan 12 JASON DAWE BUFFALO 0:10 BUF 3 AT PHO 2
564 Jan 12 +MATS LINDGREN EDMONTON 2:27 HFD 1 AT EDM 2
594 Jan 21 BILL HOULDER TAMPA BAY 2:02 COL 2 AT T.B 3
596 Jan 22 ROBERT KRON HARTFORD 4:46 FLA 1 AT HFD 2
603 Jan 22 ALEXANDER MOGILNY VANCOUVER 1:24 VAN 4 AT CHI 3
607 Jan 23 VALERI KAMENSKY COLORADO 3:55 COL 4 AT PIT 3
614 Jan 24 KIRK MULLER TORONTO 2:07 TOR 2 AT CHI 1
649 Jan 30 JYRKI LUMME VANCOUVER 1:30 NYI 1 AT VAN 2
667 Feb 2 VYACHESLAV KOZLOV DETROIT 1:20 DAL 3 AT DET 4
695 Feb 8 BRENDAN SHANAHAN DETROIT 2:01 DET 6 AT PIT 5
697 Feb 8 BRIAN SAVAGE MONTREAL 1:01 HFD 2 AT MTL 3
703 Feb 8 PAT VERBEEK DALLAS 3:50 DAL 5 AT PHO 4
704 Feb 8 TEEMU SELANNE ANAHEIM 0:45 ANA 2 AT EDM 1
707 Feb 9 NEAL BROTEN DALLAS 4:16 L.A 1 AT DAL 2
729 Feb 13 ROBERT REICHEL CALGARY 2:20 EDM 2 AT CGY 3
731 Feb 14 STEVE KONOWALCHUK WASHINGTON 2:57 T.B 4 AT WSH 5
732 Feb 14 MIKE KENNEDY DALLAS 2:03 DET 3 AT DAL 4
735 Feb 15 CLAUDE LAPOINTE NY ISLANDERS 2:46 FLA 0 AT NYI 1
740 Feb 15 JAY MORE PHOENIX 1:14 BOS 4 AT PHO 5
757 Feb 18 CLAUDE LEMIEUX COLORADO 4:56 BOS 2 AT COL 3
774 Feb 21 MIKE RICCI COLORADO 2:26 COL 4 AT EDM 3
779 Feb 22 ERIC LINDROS PHILADELPHIA 4:03 PHI 4 AT FLA 3
806 Feb 27 ROB NIEDERMAYER FLORIDA 3:50 STL 2 AT FLA 3
829 Mar 3 NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NY RANGERS 1:24 S.J 4 AT NYR 5
854 Mar 8 FREDRIK OLAUSSON PITTSBURGH 0:19 PHI 2 AT PIT 3
864 Mar 9 ROB ZAMUNER TAMPA BAY 2:20 CGY 1 AT T.B 2
904 Mar 11 MICHAEL PECA BUFFALO 0:42 PHI 2 AT BUF 3
886 Mar 13 ERIC LINDROS PHILADELPHIA 4:16 EDM 4 AT PHI 5
890 Mar 14 NIKLAS SUNDSTROM NY RANGERS 1:24 NYR 4 AT OTT 3
934 Mar 21 +JEFF TOMS TAMPA BAY 2:46 T.B 4 AT CGY 3
956 Mar 26 +BRYAN BERARD NY ISLANDERS 1:00 NYI 3 AT BUF 2
958 Mar 26 DARREN MCCARTY DETROIT 0:39 COL 5 AT DET 6
968 Mar 28 LARRY MURPHY DETROIT 3:10 BUF 1 AT DET 2
981 Mar 30 STEVE RUCCHIN ANAHEIM 3:41 ANA 1 AT DET 0
1009 Apr 4 +STEPHEN GUOLLA SAN JOSE 0:35 COL 6 AT S.J 7
1030 Apr 8 TOMAS SANDSTROM DETROIT 4:51 DET 3 AT CGY 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALL-TIME NHL AWARD WINNERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NHL CHAMPIONS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1996-97 Detroit Red Wings
1995-96 Colorado Avalanche
1994-95 New Jersey Devils
1993-94 New York Rangers
1992-93 Montreal Canadiens
1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins
1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins
1989-90 Edmonton Oilers
1988-89 Calgary Flames
1987-88 Edmonton Oilers
1986-87 Edmonton Oilers
1985-86 Montreal Canadiens
1984-85 Edmonton Oilers
1983-84 Edmonton Oilers
1982-83 New York Islanders
1981-82 New York Islanders
1980-81 New York Islanders
1979-80 New York Islanders
1978-79 Montreal Canadiens
1977-78 Montreal Canadiens
1976-77 Montreal Canadiens
1975-76 Montreal Canadiens
1974-75 Philadelphia Flyers
1973-74 Philadelphia Flyers
1972-73 Montreal Canadiens
1971-72 Boston Bruins
1970-71 Montreal Canadiens
1969-70 Boston Bruins
1968-69 Montreal Canadiens
1967-68 Montreal Canadiens
1966-67 Toronto Maple Leafs
1965-66 Montreal Canadiens
1964-65 Montreal Canadiens
1963-64 Toronto Maple Leafs
1962-63 Toronto Maple Leafs
1961-62 Toronto Maple Leafs
1960-61 Chicago Blackhawks
1959-60 Montreal Canadiens
1958-59 Montreal Canadiens
1957-58 Montreal Canadiens
1956-57 Montreal Canadiens
1955-56 Montreal Canadiens
1954-55 Detroit Red Wings
1953-54 Detroit Red Wings
1952-53 Montreal Canadiens
1951-52 Detroit Red Wings
1950-51 Toronto Maple Leafs
1949-50 Detroit Red Wings
1948-49 Toronto Maple Leafs
1947-48 Toronto Maple Leafs
1946-47 Toronto Maple Leafs
1945-46 Montreal Canadiens
1944-45 Toronto Maple Leafs
1943-44 Montreal Canadiens
1942-43 Detroit Red Wings
1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs
1940-41 Boston Bruins
1939-40 New York Rangers
1938-39 Boston Bruins
1937-38 Chicago Blackhawks
1936-37 Detroit Red Wings
1935-36 Detroit Red Wings
1934-35 Montreal Maroons
1933-34 Chicago Blackhawks
1932-33 New York Rangers
1931-32 Toronto Maple Leafs
1930-31 Montreal Canadiens
1929-30 Montreal Canadiens
1928-29 Boston Bruins
1927-28 New York Rangers
1926-27 Ottawa Senators
1925-26 Montreal Maroons
1924-25 Victoria Cougars
1923-24 Montreal Canadiens
1922-23 Ottawa Senators
1921-22 Toronto St. Pats
1920-21 Ottawa Senators
1919-20 Ottawa Senators
1918-19 Cup Not Awarded
1917-18 Toronto Arenas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jack Adams Award Winners
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Jack Adams Award is an annual award presented by the National
Hockey League Broadcasters' Association "to the NHL coach adjudged
to have contributed the most to his team's success", which in plain
english means coach of the year. The winner is selected by a poll
among members of the NHL Broadcasters' Association at the end of the
regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Ted Nolan, Buffalo
1996 Scotty Bowman, Detroit
1995 Marc Crawford, Quebec
1994 Jacques Lemaire, New Jersey
1993 Pat Burns, Toronto
1992 Pat Quinn, Vancouver
1991 Brian Sutter, St. Louis
1990 Bob Murdoch, Winnipeg
1989 Pat Burns, Montreal
1988 Jacques Demers, Detroit
1987 Jacques Demers, Detroit
1986 Glen Sather, Edmonton
1985 Mike Keenan, Philadelphia
1984 Bryan Murray, Washington
1983 Orval Tessier, Chicago
1982 Tom Watt, Winnipeg
1981 Gordon Berenson,St Louis
1980 Pat Quinn, Philadelphia
1979 Al Arbour, NY Islanders
1978 Bobby Kromm, Detroit
1977 Scott Bowman, Montreal
1976 Don Cherry, Boston
1975 Bob Pulford, Los Angeles
1974 Fred Shero, Philadelphia
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Art Ross Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Art Ross Trophy is an annual award "to the player who leads the
league in scoring points at the end of the regular season". If two
players finish the season with the same number of points, the trophy is
awarded based on three criteria:
1. Player with most goals, 2. Player with fewer games played,
3. Player scoring first goal of the season.
Note: Leading scorers are listed prior to inception of Art Ross Trophy
for the 1947-48 season.
YEAR WINNER RUNNER-UP
1997 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Teemu Selanne, Anaheim
1996 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh
1995 Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Eric Lindros, Philadelphia
1994 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
1993 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Pat Lafontaine, Buffalo
1992 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Kevin Stevens, Pittsburgh
1991 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Brett Hull, St. Louis
1990 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles Mark Messier, Edmonton
1989 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles
1988 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1987 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Jari Kurri, Edmonton
1986 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1985 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Jari Kurri, Edmonton
1984 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Paul Coffey, Edmonton
1983 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Peter Stastny, Quebec
1982 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1981 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1980 Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1979 Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1978 Guy Lafleur, Montreal Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders
1977 Guy Lafleur, Montreal Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1976 Guy Lafleur, Montreal Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1975 Bobby Orr, Boston Phil Esposito, Boston
1974 Phil Esposito, Boston Bobby Orr, Boston
1973 Phil Esposito, Boston Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1972 Phil Esposito, Boston Bobby Orr, Boston
1971 Phil Esposito, Boston Bobby Orr, Boston
1970 Bobby Orr, Boston Phil Esposito, Boston
1969 Phil Esposito, Boston Bobby Hull, Chicago
1968 Stan Mikita, Chicago Phil Esposito, Boston
1967 Stan Mikita, Chicago Bobby Hull, Chicago
1966 Bobby Hull, Chicago Stan Mikita, Chicago
1965 Stan Mikita, Chicago Norm Ullman, Detroit
1964 Stan Mikita, Chicago Bobby Hull, Chicago
1963 Gordie Howe, Detroit Andy Bathgate, New York
1962 Bobby Hull, Chicago Andy Bathgate, New York
1961 Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Jean Beliveau, Montreal
1960 Bobby Hull, Chicago Bronco Horvath, Boston
1959 Dickie Moore, Montreal Jean Beliveau, Montreal
1958 Dickie Moore, Montreal Henri Richard, Montreal
1957 Gordie Howe, Detroit Ted Lindsay, Detroit
1956 Jean Beliveau, Montreal Gordie Howe, Detroit
1955 Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Maurice Richard, Montreal
1954 Gordie Howe, Detroit Maurice Richard, Montreal
1953 Gordie Howe, Detroit Ted Lindsay, Detroit
1952 Gordie Howe, Detroit Ted Lindsay, Detroit
1951 Gordie Howe, Detroit Maurice Richard, Montreal
1950 Ted Lindsay, Detroit Sid Abel, Detroit
1949 Roy Conacher, Chicago Doug Bentley, Chicago
1948 Elmer Lach, Montreal Buddy O'Connor, New York
1947 Max Bentley, Chicago Maurice Richard, Montreal
1946 Max Bentley, Chicago Gaye Stewart, Toronto
1945 Elmer Lach, Montreal Maurice Richard, Montreal
1944 Herbie Cain, Boston Doug Bentley, Chicago
1943 Doug Bentley, Chicago Bill Cowley, Boston
1942 Bryan Hextall, New York Lynn Patrick, New York
1941 Bill Cowley, Boston Bryan Hextall, NY Rangers
1940 Milt Schmidt, Boston Woody Dumart, Boston
1939 Toe Blake, Montreal Dave Schriner, NY Americans
1938 Gordie Drillon, Toronto Syl Apps, Toronto
1937 Dave Schriner, NY Americans Syl Apps, Toronto
1936 Dave Schriner, NY Americans Marty Barry, Detroit
1935 Charlie Conacher, Toronto Syd Howe, St. Louis-Detroit
1934 Charlie Conacher, Toronto Joe Primeau, Toronto
1933 Bill Cook, NY Rangers Harvey Jackson, Toronto
1932 Harvey Jackson, Toronto Joe Primeau, Toronto
1931 Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens Eddie Goodfellow, Detroit
1930 Cooney Weiland, Boston Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1929 Ace Bailey, Toronto Nels Stewart, Mtl Maroons
1928 Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens Aurel Joliat, Mtl Canadiens
1927 Bill Cook, NY Rangers Dick Irvin, Chicago
1926 Nels Stewart, Mtl Maroons Carson Cooper, Boston
1925 Babe Dye, Toronto Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens
1924 Cy Denneny, Ottawa Babe Dye, Toronto
1923 Babe Dye, Toronto Billy Boucher, Montreal
1922 Punch Broadbent, Ottawa Babe Dye, Toronto
1921 Newsy Lalonde, Montreal Cy Denneny, Ottawa
1920 Joe Malone, Quebec Newsy Lalonde, Montreal
1919 Odie Cleghorn, Montreal Newsy Lalonde, Montreal
1918 Joe Malone, Montreal Cy Denneny, Ottawa
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is an annual award "to the player
adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and
gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability."
The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers'
Association at the end of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Paul Kariya, Anaheim
1996 Paul Kariya, Anaheim
1995 Ron Francis, Pittsburgh
1994 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles
1993 Pierre Turgeon, NY Islanders
1992 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles
1991 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles
1990 Brett Hull, St. Louis
1989 Joe Mullen, Calgary
1988 Mats Naslund, Montreal
1987 Joe Mullen, Calgary
1986 Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1985 Jari Kurri, Edmonton
1984 Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1983 Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1982 Rick Middleton, Boston
1981 Rick Kehoe, Pittsburgh
1980 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1979 Bob MacMillan, Atlanta
1978 Butch Goring, Los Angeles
1977 Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1976 Jean Ratelle, NY Rangers-Boston
1975 Marcel Dionne, Detroit
1974 John Bucyk, Boston
1973 Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo
1972 Jean Ratelle, New York
1971 John Bucyk, Boston
1970 Phil Goyette, St. Louis
1969 Alex Delvecchio, Detroit
1968 Stan Mikita, Chicago
1967 Stan Mikita, Chicago
1966 Alex Delvecchio, Detroit
1965 Bobby Hull, Chicago
1964 Ken Wharram, Chicago
1963 Dave Keon, Toronto
1962 Dave Keon, Toronto
1961 Red Kelly, Toronto
1960 Don McKenney, Boston
1959 Alex Delvecchio, Detroit
1958 Camille Henry, New York
1957 Andy Hebenton, New York
1956 Earl Reibel, Detroit
1955 Sid Smith, Toronto
1954 Red Kelly, Detroit
1953 Red Kelly, Detroit
1952 Sid Smith, Toronto
1951 Red Kelly, Detroit
1950 Edgar Laprade, New York
1949 Bill Quackenbush, Detroit
1948 Buddy O'Connor, New York
1947 Bobby Bauer, Boston
1946 Toe Blake, Montreal
1945 Bill Mosienko, Chicago
1944 Clint Smith, Chicago
1943 Max Bentley, Chicago
1942 Syl Apps, Toronto
1941 Bobby Bauer, Boston
1940 Bobby Bauer, Boston
1939 Clint Smith, NY Rangers
1938 Gordie Drillon, Toronto
1937 Marty Barry, Detroit
1936 Doc Romnes, Chicago
1935 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1934 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1933 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1932 Joe Primeau, Toronto
1931 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1930 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1929 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1928 Frank Boucher, NY Rangers
1927 Billy Burch, NY Americans
1926 Frank Nighbor, Ottawa
1925 Frank Nighbor, Ottawa
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Calder Memorial Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award "to the player selected
as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National
Hockey League." The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional
Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Bryan Berard, NY Islanders
1996 Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa
1995 Peter Forsberg, Quebec
1994 Martin Brouder, New Jersey
1993 Temmu Selanne, Winnipeg
1992 Pavel Bure, Vancouver
1991 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1990 Sergei Makarov, Calgary
1989 Brian Leetch, NY Rangers
1988 Joe Nieuwendyk, Calgary
1987 Luc Robitaille, Los Angeles
1986 Gary Suter, Calgary
1985 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1984 Tom Barrasso, Buffalo
1983 Steve Larmer, Chicago
1982 Dale Hawerchuk, Winnipeg
1981 Peter Stastny, Quebec
1980 Ray Bourque, Boston
1979 Bobby Smith, Minnesota
1978 Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1977 Willi Plett, Atlanta
1976 Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders
1975 Eric Vail, Atlanta
1974 Denis Potvin, NY Islanders
1973 Steve Vickers, NY Rangers
1972 Ken Dryden, Montreal
1971 Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo
1970 Tony Esposito, Chicago
1969 Danny Grant, Minnesota
1968 Derek Sanderson, Boston
1967 Bobby Orr, Boston
1966 Brit Selby, Toronto
1965 Roger Crozier, Detroit
1964 Jacques Laperriere, Montreal
1963 Kent Douglas, Toronto
1962 Bobby Rousseau, Montreal
1961 Dave Keon, Toronto
1960 Bill Hay, Chicago
1959 Ralph Backstrom, Montreal
1958 Frank Mahovlich, Toronto
1957 Larry Regan, Boston
1956 Glenn Hall, Detroit
1955 Ed Litzenberger, Chicago
1954 Camille Henry, New York
1953 Lorne Worsley, New York
1952 Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal
1951 Terry Sawchuk, Detroit
1950 Jack Gelineau, Boston
1949 Pentti Lund, New York
1948 Jim McFadden, Detroit
1947 Howie Meeker, Toronto
1946 Edgar Laprade, New York
1945 Frank McCool, Toronto
1944 Gus Bodnar, Toronto
1943 Gaye Stewart, Toronto
1942 Grant Warwick, New York
1941 Johnny Quilty, Montreal
1940 Kilby MacDonald, NY Rangers
1939 Frank Brimsek, Boston
1938 Cully Dahlstrom, Chicago
1937 Syl Apps, Toronto
1936 Mike Karakas, Chicago
1935 Dave Schriner, NY Americans
1934 Russ Blinko, Mtl Maroons
1933 Carl Voss, Detroit
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King Clancy Memorial Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The King Clancy Memorial Trophy is an annual award "to the player who
best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a
noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."
YEAR WINNER
1996 Kris King, Winnipeg
1995 Joe Nieuwendyk, Calgary
1994 Adam Graves, NY Rangers
1993 Dave Poulin, Boston
1992 Ray Bourque, Boston
1991 Dave Taylor, Los Angeles
1990 Kevin Lowe, Edmonton
1989 Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders
1988 Lanny McDonald, Calgary
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Hart Trophy Winners
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hart Memorial Trophy is an annual award "to the player adjudged to
be the most valuable to his team." The winner is selected in a poll of
the Professional Hockey Writers' Association in all NHL cities at the
end of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Dominik Hasek, Buffalo
1996 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1995 Eric Lindros, Philadelphia
1994 Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
1993 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1992 Mark Messier, NY Rangers
1991 Brett Hull, St. Louis
1990 Mark Messier, Edmonton
1989 Wayne Gretzky, Los Angeles
1988 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1987 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1986 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1985 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1984 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1983 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1982 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1981 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1980 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1979 Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders
1978 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1977 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1976 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1975 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1974 Phil Esposito, Boston
1973 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1972 Bobby Orr, Boston
1971 Bobby Orr, Boston
1970 Bobby Orr, Boston
1969 Phil Esposito, Boston
1968 Stan Mikita, Chicago
1967 Stan Mikita, Chicago
1966 Bobby Hull, Chicago
1965 Bobby Hull, Chicago
1964 Jean Beliveau, Montreal
1963 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1962 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1961 Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal
1960 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1959 Andy Bathgate, New York
1958 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1957 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1956 Jean Beliveau, Montreal
1955 Ted Kennedy, Toronto
1954 Al Rollins, Chicago
1953 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1952 Gordie Howe, Detroit
1951 Milt Schmidt, Boston
1950 Charlie Rayner, New York
1949 Sid Abel, Detroit
1948 Buddy O'Connor, New York
1947 Maurice Richard, Montreal
1946 Max Bentley, Chicago
1945 Elmer Lach, Montreal
1944 Babe Pratt, Toronto
1943 Bill Cowley, Boston
1942 Tom Anderson, Brooklyn
1941 Bill Cowley, Boston
1940 Eddie Goodfellow, Detroit
1939 Toe Blake, Montreal
1938 Eddie Shore, Boston
1937 Babe Siebert, Mtl Canadiens
1936 Eddie Shore, Boston
1935 Eddie Shore, Boston
1934 Aurel Joliat, Mtl Canadiens
1933 Eddie Shore, Boston
1932 Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens
1931 Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens
1930 Nels Stewart, Mtl Maroons
1929 Roy Worters, NY Americans
1928 Howie Morenz, Mtl Canadiens
1927 Herb Gardiner, Mtl Canadiens
1926 Nels Stewart, Mtl Maroons
1925 Billy Burch, Hamilton
1924 Frank Nighbor, Ottawa
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William M. Jennings Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Willam M. Jennings Trophy is an annual award presented to the
goaltender(s) for the team with the fewest goals against during the
regular season. Goaltenders must play a minimum of 25 games to be
eligible.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Martin Brodeur
Mike Dunham, New Jersey
1996 Chris Osgood, Detroit
Mike Vernon
1995 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1994 Dominik Hasek
Grant Fuhr, Buffalo
1993 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1992 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1991 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1990 Andy Moog
Rejean Lemelin, Boston
1989 Patrick Roy
Brian Hayward, Montreal
1988 Patrick Roy
Brian Hayward, Montreal
1987 Patrick Roy
Brian Hayward, Montreal
1986 Bob Froese
Darren Jensen, Philadelphia
1985 Tom Barrasso
Bob Sauve, Buffalo
1984 Al Jensen
Pat Riggin, Washington
1983 Roland Melanson
Billy Smith, NY Islanders
1982 Rick Wamsley
Denis Herron, Montreal
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Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is an annual award under the
trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association to
"the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities
of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." The winner
is selected in a poll of all chapters of the Professional Hockey
Writers' Association at the end of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1996 Gary Roberts, Calgary
1995 Pat LaFontaine, Buffalo
1994 Cam Neely, Boston
1993 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1992 Mark Fitzpatrick, NY Islanders
1991 Dave Taylor, Los Angeles
1990 Gord Kluzak, Boston
1989 Tim Kerr, Philadelphia
1988 Bob Bourne, Los Angeles
1987 Doug Jarvis, Hartford
1986 Charlie Simmer, Boston
1985 Anders Hedberg, NY Rangers
1984 Brad Park, Detroit
1983 Lanny McDonald, Calgary
1982 Glenn Resch, Colorado
1981 Blake Dunlop, St. Louis
1980 Al MacAdam, Minnesota
1979 Serge Savard, Montreal
1978 Butch Goring, Los Angeles
1977 Ed Westfall, NY Islanders
1976 Rod Gilbert, NY Rangers
1975 Don Luce, Buffalo
1974 Henri Richard, Montreal
1973 Lowell MacDonald, Pittsburgh
1972 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1971 Jean Ratelle, New York
1970 Pit Martin, Chicago
1969 Ted Hampson, Oakland
1968 Claude Provost, Montreal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
James Norris Memorial Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is annual award "to the defense player
who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability
in the position." The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional
Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Brian Leetch, NY Rangers
1996 Chris Chelios, Chicago
1995 Paul Coffey, Detroit
1994 Ray Bourque, Boston
1993 Chris Chelios, Chicago
1992 Brian Leetch, NY Rangers
1991 Ray Bourque, Boston
1990 Ray Bourque, Boston
1989 Chris Chelios, Montreal
1988 Ray Bourque, Boston
1987 Ray Bourque, Boston
1986 Paul Coffey, Edmonton
1985 Paul Coffey, Edmonton
1984 Rod Langway, Washington
1983 Rod Langway, Washington
1982 Doug Wilson, Chicago
1981 Randy Carlyle, Pittsburgh
1980 Larry Robinson, Montreal
1979 Denis Potvin, NY Islanders
1978 Denis Potvin, NY Islanders
1977 Larry Robinson, Montreal
1976 Denis Potvin, NY Islanders
1975 Bobby Orr, Boston
1974 Bobby Orr, Boston
1973 Bobby Orr, Boston
1972 Bobby Orr, Boston
1971 Bobby Orr, Boston
1970 Bobby Orr, Boston
1969 Bobby Orr, Boston
1968 Bobby Orr, Boston
1967 Harry Howell, New York
1966 Jacques Laperriere, Montreal
1965 Pierre Pilote, Chicago
1964 Pierre Pilote, Chicago
1963 Pierre Pilote, Chicago
1962 Doug Harvey, New York
1961 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1960 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1959 Tom Johnson, Montreal
1958 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1957 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1956 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1955 Doug Harvey, Montreal
1954 Red Kelly, Detroit
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Lester B. Pearson Award
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lester B. Pearson Award is an annual award which is presented
by the NHLPA to the NHL player who had an outstanding season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Domink Hasek, Buffalo
1996 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1995 Eric Lindros, Philadelphia
1994 Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
1993 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1992 Mark Messier, NY Rangers
1991 Brett Hull, St. Louis
1990 Mark Messier, Edmonton
1989 Steve Yzerman, Detroit
1988 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1987 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1986 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1985 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1984 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1983 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1982 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1981 Mike Liut, St. Louis
1980 Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1979 Marcel Dionne, Los Angeles
1978 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1977 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1976 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1975 Bobby Orr, Boston
1974 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1973 Phil Esposito, Boston
1972 Jean Ratelle, New York
1971 Phil Esposito, Boston
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frank J. Selke Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is an annual award "to the forward who best
excels in the defensive aspects of the game." The winner is selected
in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end
of the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Mike Peca, Buffalo
1996 Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
1995 Ron Francis, Pittsburgh
1994 Sergei Fedorov, Detroit
1993 Doug Gilmour, Toronto
1992 Guy Carbonneau, Montreal
1991 Dirk Graham, Chicago
1990 Rick Meagher, St. Louis
1989 Guy Carbonneau, Montreal
1988 Guy Carbonneau, Montreal
1987 Dave Poulin, Philadelphia
1986 Troy Murray, Chicago
1985 Craig Ramsay, Buffalo
1984 Doug Jarvis, Washington
1983 Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia
1982 Steve Kasper, Boston
1981 Bob Gainey, Montreal
1980 Bob Gainey, Montreal
1979 Bob Gainey, Montreal
1978 Bob Gainey, Montreal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vezina Trophy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Vezina Trophy is an annual award "to the goalkeeper adjudged to be
the best at his position" as voted by the general managers of all
NHL clubs.
Note: Prior to the 1981-82 season the award was given to the
goaltender(s) on the team with the fewest goals against
during the regular season.
YEAR WINNER
1997 Dominik Hasek, Buffalo
1996 Jim Carey, Washington
1995 Dominik Hasek, Buffalo
1994 Dominik Hasek, Buffalo
1993 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1992 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1991 Ed Belfour, Chicago
1990 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1989 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1988 Grant Fuhr, Edmonton
1987 Ron Hextall, Philadelphia
1986 John Vanbiesbrouck, NY Rangers
1985 Pelle Lindbergh, Philadelphia
1984 Tom Barrasso, Buffalo
1983 Pete Peeters, Boston
1982 Billy Smith, NY Islanders
1981 Denis Herron
Michel Larocque
Richard Sevigny, Montreal
1980 Don Edwards
Bob Sauve, Buffalo
1979 Ken Dryden
Michel Larocque, Montreal
1978 Ken Dryden
Michel Larocque, Montreal
1977 Ken Dryden
Michel Larocque, Montreal
1976 Ken Dryden, Montreal
1975 Bernie Parent, Philadelphia
1974 Tony Esposito, Chicago (tie)
Bernie Parent, Philadelphia (tie)
1973 Ken Dryden, Montreal
1972 Tony Esposito
Gary Smith, Chicago
1971 Ed Giacomin
Gilles Villemure, New York
1970 Tony Esposito, Chicago
1969 Glenn Hall
Jacques Plante, St. Louis
1968 Rogatien Vachon
Lorne Worsley, Montreal
1967 Denis Dejordy
Glenn Hall, Chicago
1966 Charlie Hodge
Lorne Worsley, Montreal
1965 Johnny Bower
Terry Sawchuk, Toronto
1964 Charlie Hodge, Montreal
1963 Glenn Hall, Chicago
1962 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1961 Johnny Bower, Toronto
1960 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1959 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1958 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1957 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1956 Jacques Plante, Montreal
1955 Terry Sawchuk, Detroit
1954 Harry Lumley, Toronto
1953 Terry Sawchuk, Detroit
1952 Terry Sawchuk, Detroit
1951 Al Rollins, Toronto
1950 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1949 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1948 Turk Broda, Toronto
1947 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1946 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1945 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1944 Bill Durnan, Montreal
1943 Johnny Mowers, Detroit
1942 Frank Brimsek, Boston
1941 Turk Broda, Toronto
1940 Dave Kerr, NY Rangers
1939 Frank Brimsek, Boston
1938 Tiny Thompson, Boston
1937 Normie Smith, Detroit
1936 Tiny Thompson, Boston
1935 Lorne Chabot, Chicago
1934 Charlie Gardiner, Chicago
1933 Tiny Thompson, Boston
1932 Charlie Gardiner, Chicago
1931 Roy Worters, NY Americans
1930 Tiny Thompson, Boston
1929 George Hainsworth,Mtl Canadiens
1928 George Hainsworth,Mtl Canadiens
1927 George Hainsworth,Mtl Canadiens
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONN SMYTHE TROPHY WINNERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAR WINNER
1997 Mike Vernon, Detroit
1996 Joe Sakic, Colorado
1995 Claude Lemieux, New Jersey
1994 Brian Leetch, NY Rangers
1993 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1992 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1991 Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh
1990 Bill Ranford, Edmonton
1989 Al MacInnis, Calgary
1988 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1987 Ron Hextall, Philadelphia
1986 Patrick Roy, Montreal
1985 Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton
1984 Mark Messier, Edmonton
1983 Billy Smith, NY Islanders
1982 Mike Bossy, NY Islanders
1981 Butch Goring, NY Islanders
1980 Bryan Trottier, NY Islanders
1979 Bob Gainey, Montreal
1978 Larry Robinson, Montreal
1977 Guy Lafleur, Montreal
1976 Reggie Leach, Philadelphia
1975 Bernie Parent, Philadelphia
1974 Bernie Parent, Philadelphia
1973 Yvan Cournoyer, Montreal
1972 Bobby Orr, Boston
1971 Ken Dryden, Montreal
1970 Bobby Orr, Boston
1969 Serge Savard, Montreal
1968 Glenn Hall, St. Louis
1967 Dave Keon, Toronto
1966 Roger Crozier, Detroit
1965 Jean Beliveau, Montreal
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