_ _ _ _ | | ____ __ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | | ____ ___ | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | |/ _ / __| | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ | | (_ \__ \ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ |_|\____\___/ GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY GUIDE TO HOCKEY ================================================================ Five Star - ELECTRONIC EDITION - * * * * * ================================================================ Issue 76 July 1, 1997 Over 670KB ---------------------------------------------------------------- ********** 96-97 SEASON REVIEW ISSUE *********** ---------------------------------------------------------------- Visit us on the web at http://www.lcshockey.com/ for all your hockey needs. Our web site provides daily news stories, stats, and more. To subscribe/unsubscribe from the LCS Hockey mailing list send e-mail to zippy@psu.edu You may access LCS Guide to Hockey on America Online at keyword "LCS Hockey". ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1996-97 LCS Hockey Year End Awards ---------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief Since mindless superstitions and pointless rituals are all that separate us from the animals, LCS: Guide to Hockey is once again back to hand out our annual year end awards. Unlike the official NHL Awards, ours aren't presented to the winners at a posh, televised ceremony in Toronto. No, instead we alert the winners the old fashioned way, through a series of prank phone calls and bogus pizza deliveries. If it was good enough for the ancient Romans, it's good enough for us. So without further delay, here are the 1996-97 LCS: Guide to Hockey Award winners. And remember, this is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. So please, as always, no wagering. BEST FORWARD: Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins: Yes, that's right, Jaromir Jagr. The Czech wonder kid is without a doubt the most dominating player in the NHL. Jagr finished sixth in league scoring with 47 goals and 95 points in only 63 games. His .75 goals-per-game average was far and away the best in the league, almost a full tenth ahead of second place Mario Lemieux (.66). His numbers would have been far more staggering had it not been for a chronic groin injury in the second half of the season that cost him 19 games and reduced him to a one-legged skater when he did play. Before the injury took root, Jagr had ravaged the league for 41 goals in 44 games. Considering the pathetic state of the NHL, where goal-scoring is all but forbidden by the boneheads running the league, Jagr's pre-injury scoring barrage borders on the unreal. People around the league that didn't have the pleasure of watching Jagr play on a regular basis may have written off his scoring achievements this season as just a result of playing on the same line with Lemieux. Those lucky enough to witness Jagr's greatness know the truth. For it was Jagr that was carrying Lemieux, not the other way around. While Jagr is undeniably the greatest scorer in the world, the fact that he did suffer through such an injury-plagued season may make it hard for some to recognize him as the best forward of 1996-97. So to appease the doubters, we offer up four other candidates that deserve consideration. These select few are led by John LeClair (50-47-97), who finally proved once and for all that he's the real deal even when Eric Lindros is out of the lineup. Anaheim's dynamic duo of Teemu Selanne (51-58-109) and Paul Kariya (44-55-99) also deserve recognition. And the fourth guy? Well, we'll get to him later on in the MVP section... BEST DEFENSEMAN: Brian Leetch, New York Rangers: It's tough to argue with Leetch's numbers. He played in every game for the Rangers and led all NHL defensemen in scoring with 78 points. He was one of only two defensemen in the league to score 20 goals this season, finishing with an even 20, behind only Colorado's Sandis Ozolinsh who bagged 23. Leetch also didn't neglect his defensive responsibilities, leading the Rangers with an impressive +31. While this season sucked all around, it seemed defensemen took the biggest hit. Not many blueliners made an impact at both ends of the ice. Leetch did. BEST GOALTENDER: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres: This was a tough call. Martin Brodeur put up some amazing numbers, but Hasek was called upon to do more for the Sabres than Brodeur was for El Diablo. New Jersey has the best group of defensemen, one through six, in the league and are loaded with veteran forwards that know how to protect their goalie. Meanwhile, Buffalo's got Alexei Zhitnik as its number one defenseman... think about that for a minute. Scary, isn't it? Even with an average blue line in front of him and a group of young, inexperienced forwards up front, Hasek came through like a champ for the Sabres, carrying the team to a very surprising Northeast Division championship. He appeared in 67 games, posting a record of 37-20-10 while leading the league in save percentage (.930) for the third consecutive year. There are a lot of great goaltenders in the NHL, but Hasek is probably the only one that can steal games all by himself on a regular basis. He's just that good. Now all he has to do is win a playoff series. BEST ROOKIE: Janne Niinimaa, Philadelphia Flyers: In a purely criminal act, Niinimaa wasn't one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy. How'd that happen? Well, it's okay because LCS Hockey is once again here to make up for the NHL's mistake. Niinimaa walks away with the LCS Hockey hardware by performing like a seasoned veteran along the Philadelphia blue line. And we weren't swayed by his strong postseason either, we said Niinimaa should have been the rookie of the year way back in issue 66 before the playoffs even started. So don't pull any of that bandwagon-jumper-oner stuff with us. In 77 games with the Flyers, Niinimaa posted four goals and 44 points while checking in at a +12. His main competition for the honor was the Islanders' Bryan Berard, who scored four more goals that Niinimaa and claimed the Calder for his efforts. While Berard is a great player, we gave Niinimaa the nod because he had to break in with the better club. Carving out a spot on the Islander blue line, when the club wasn't expected to go anywhere anyway, can't compare to logging major minutes along the Philly stripe. BEST COACH: Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators: Ted Nolan had a magnificent season in Buffalo. He deserves all the recognition he gets. But we give the nod to Martin for leading the Senators to the first ever playoff appearance in franchise history. In his first full season behind the bench, Martin guided the Sens to a 31-36-15 record, good for 77 points and the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Along the way he completely rewrote the Ottawa record book. The 1996-97 Senators shattered every single existing team record. Here's a quick rundown of all the new marks set by Martin's crew, with the old standard in parenthesis: * Most wins in a season: 31 (18) * Most ties in a season: 15 (9) * Most points in a season: 77 (41) * Fewest losses in a season: 36 (59) * Most goals scored in a season: 226 (202) * Fewest goals allowed in a season: 234 (291) Unlike Nolan, Martin accomplished all these feats without the services of a Vezina and Hart candidate in goal. Martin had to rely on a somewhat inconsistent Damian Rhodes and the peculiar stylings of LCS Hockey favorite Ron Tugnutt to get the job done between the pipes. However, thanks to Martin's conversion of the Senators into a patient, defense-first club, the goaltenders were rarely called upon to win a game by themselves. Under their coach's watchful eye, the Sens cut their goals-against by 57 from a year ago and only exposed their goaltenders to an average of 25.4 shots a game, one of the lightest workloads in the league. This defensive renaissance is all the more remarkable when considering that Sean Hill and Stanislav Neckar, two of Ottawa's top defensemen, both went down with season-ending knee injuries after the schedule's first five games. That right there should have been enough to send the Sens to another dreadful season, but Martin simply wouldn't allow it. He stayed calm and took control of the situation, giving Ottawa some success on which to build its promising future. BEST GM: Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings: Bowman paved the way for his team winning the Stanley Cup by making three key player acquisitions throughout the season. First, he packaged Paul Coffey and Keith Primeau to Hartford in exchange for Brendan Shanahan, who gave the Wings more leadership and a talented, physical on-ice presence that they previously lacked. Second, Bowman shipped the skilled but small Greg Johnson to Pittsburgh for Tomas Sandstrom. The Swedish winger hardly tore up the scoring charts in Detroit, but he added even more size and played a steady defensive game. Bowman's final move, and perhaps the most important, was acquiring Larry Murphy from Toronto shortly before the trade deadline. Few thought the veteran blueliner had anything left, yet Bowman had faith. His devotion was rewarded when Murphy came to the Motor City and played some of the best hockey of his career in the playoffs. Murphy's presence meant that Bowman no longer had to use rookies Aaron Ward and Jamie Pushor as the club's third defensive pair, enabling him to drop the experienced Bob Rouse down to team with Ward. A subtle change, but one that made a world of difference in the postseason. And Bowman's foresight made it all possible. MVP: Tony Amonte, Chicago Blackhawks: Don't get us wrong, Dominik Hasek was a tremendously deserving MVP winner. But here at LCS Hockey we like to give attention to the guys that often get overlooked. And Tony Amonte deserves far more attention than he's receiving from the main stream media. Amonte was a one-man team this season in Chicago. When Jeremy Roenick, Joe Murphy, and Bernie Nicholls all left down over the off-season, it was widely believed that the Blackhawks' offense went with them. Don't tell that to Amonte. The speedy right winger became a national hero in the United States for scoring the winning goal for the stars and stripes at the World Cup. He carried that momentum into the regular season, along with a flowing mane of hair, to become an honest to goodness superstar. Known previously as a secondary scorer that could chip in 30 goals, Amonte stepped forward as the go-to guy for the 1996-97 Blackhawks, leading the team with 41 goals and 77 points. Amonte was the Chicago offense, accounting for 18.4% of the team's total goals. He just became a much better finisher this season. Amonte started to gain a rather infamous reputation in recent years as someone who never buried enough of the chances that his speed produced. Whatever the reason for the turnaround, whether it be the confidence from the World Cup or the strength derived from his Samson hair style, Amonte was a different man this season. It showed most on breakaways, where he even developed a lethal backhand-forehand deke that left many a goaltender swimming. And it wasn't just that he was scoring goals, it was how he scored them. Amonte took charge of games and dominated with his speed and determination. He came through with the big goals in the big games and he did all the little things to make himself and his team better. When he wasn't blasting shots on net or streaking in on breakaways, Amonte became a much more aggressive hitter and took care of business in the defensive end, racking up an incredible +35. The guy did it all. Without Amonte in the Chicago lineup, the Hawks would have been a joke. Jagr had Lemieux, LeClair had Lindros, Selanne had Kariya, but there was no one to help Amonte carry the load. Sure, Alexei Zhamnov was around, but he isn't even close to the same stratosphere as those other players. Amonte was the show. In a season that was almost completely void of excitement, Amonte was a bolt of lightning. ---------------------------------------------------------------- The State of the Game ---------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief The 1996-97 season was truly unforgettable. Because believe me, I've tried to forget it and can't. It was particularly painful for us here at LCS Hockey. It seemed everything we held dear had troubles. Mario Lemieux retired, Johnny Cullen was diagnosed with cancer, and the Hartford Whalers left town. Yet all those woes paled in comparison to the one problem facing the game itself. Quite simply, the NHL blows. This season was an absolute joke from start to finish. While interference and obstruction continue to run rampant, goal- scoring is all but outlawed in the current day NHL. The league even instituted the goal crease rule, the most idiotic doctrine in the world of sports, to further limit scoring. And even if the rules were changed to open up play, the talent level is so diluted that it would hardly make a difference. Yet instead of trying to take steps to insure that such an embarrassment as the 1996-97 season never happen again, the NHL went and signed its own death warrant in the weeks following the season by announcing plans to expand by four more teams in time for the 2000-01 season. That means the league will have 30 teams by the turn of the century. The NHL had as few as 21 teams in 1990-91. That's an increase of nine teams in 10 years. Unless something is done to correct the situation, the league will burn itself out and cease to exist within the next 10-year period. LCS Hockey is of the opinion that 1992-93 was the last great year for the NHL. The league had expanded to 22 teams in 1991-92 with the addition of the San Jose Sharks. Bringing in new blood seemed to give the league a shot in the arm and further developed the West Coast hockey scene. Despite the Sharks' tough first season in the standings, expansion was considered a rousing success. So much so that two more teams, the Ottawa Senators and Tampa Bay Lightning, came into existence the very next year for the 1992-93 season. The league now had 24 teams. The demand for talent to fill out the new rosters was aided by the changing political climates in Russia and Europe. The NHL became a global game. The best talent overseas was now heading to North America to make it big in the NHL. This tremendous influx of such highly-skilled foreigners helped the league take on the three new teams in a two-year span without losing much in the way of talent. This new source of players also helped 1992-93 usher in perhaps the single greatest crop of rookies in league history. Such stars as Eric Lindros, Teemu Selanne, Felix Potvin, Joe Juneau, Alexei Zhamnov, Vladimir Malakhov, Darius Kasparaitis, Scott Niedermayer, and Keith Tkachuk all helped raise the level of play to new heights. In 1992-93, Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins dominated the hockey landscape. The Penguins were coming off two straight Stanley Cups and were running away with the President's Trophy thanks to Lemieux's individual brilliance. Mario fought through a battle with Hodgkin's Disease and still managed to put up goals and points at a record pace. Bolstered by the long awaited Lindros trade, the Quebec Nordiques became a league power behind the offensive talents of such young stars as Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin, and Owen Nolan. The Buffalo Sabres were also a lethal force in the Wales Conference, led by the exploits of hockey's premier scoring duo, Pat LaFontaine and Alexander Mogilny. The Campbell Conference was the home of a resurgent Toronto Maple Leaf squad. With Doug Gilmour and Dave Andreychuk supplying the offense, and Potvin turning heads in net, Toronto fans were once again dreaming of a return to the Cup finals. Of course Calgary remained a factor with the steady six of Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts, Theo Fleury, Al MacInnis, Gary Suter, and Mike Vernon all still in place. Vancouver had a second-year sensation named Pavel Bure making highlight reels on a nightly basis and the Winnipeg Jets were having a memorable flight powered by the remarkable rookie tandem of Selanne and Zhamnov. 1992-93 was just a marvelous season. Offense ruled the day. Skating and skill were what determined wins, not clutching and grabbing. The goal was to outscore the opposition, not frustrate them. The game was all about excitement. Neutral zone traps were nowhere to be found. Hockey fans had seen the top of the mountain, and it was good. Sadly, the good times didn't last. The league decided to bring in two more expansion teams in 1993-94. Things would never be the same. Coming off such a golden year in '92-93, the league figured two more teams would only be more of a good thing. The league was wrong. The European talent pool that was once thought to be bottomless, was already depleted. Suddenly there were 40 more roster spots to be filled and no one left to fill them. The Ducks and Panthers pillaged the rosters of existing teams in an expansion draft, swiping several valuable third- and fourth-line skaters from the veteran clubs. Not only was every team's depth chart challenged, but now there were two full teams made up of little more than role players. The bar to be an NHL-caliber player had just been lowered. The league simply didn't have the resources to bring in five new teams in three years. San Jose was absorbed without much trouble. Bringing in Ottawa and Tampa Bay was difficult, but manageable. Inviting Florida and Anaheim to the mix was just too much, too quickly. There weren't enough legitimate NHLers to go around. In '92-93, San Jose, Ottawa, and Tampa Bay sucked, but at least they didn't take away from the quality of the teams around them. But when Florida and Anaheim arrived, they broke the backs of many teams. Essentially, the league now had five teams of subpar talent and 21 lacking quality depth. The combination was devastating. 1993-94 was a miserable season. The league became mired in mediocrity. With so many teams having lost valuable role players to the expansion clubs, that meant that guys who previously had no business being in the NHL were now finding homes on teams' third and fourth lines. The dazzling offensive displays of '92- 93 were seldom seen. Not having the talent to compete with the high-octane offenses of the Pittsburghs, Quebecs, and Detroits of the world, the expansion teams began to employ the neutral zone trap and 1-4 delays in order to survive. Obstruction soon became accepted. Instead of calling the penalties and forcing the average players and teams to elevate their games to emulate the elite, the NHL, in all its infinite wisdom, allowed the talent- impaired clubs to get away with murder. The league's response was that they wanted to keep a level playing field. That's the NHL for you. Rather than allow the superstars to shine, it would prefer to see the average survive. The lockout-shortened 1994-95 season was more of the same. The league actually took steps to improve the style of play in 1995- 96, instructing officials to clamp down on obstruction and interference. The early-season results were encouraging. Power plays were up considerably and goal-scoring increased. However, as time wore on, obstruction calls began to diminish and it was business as usual come March. Still, at least some progress had been made. The hockey played in '95-96, for the most part, was pretty entertaining. It wasn't on a par with the greatness that was '92-93, but at least it was a start. Then, in typical NHL fashion, the league shot itself in the foot before this season. Harry Sinden spearheaded a charge to get rid of marginal penalties. Citing that the many obstruction calls from a year ago ruined the flow of games and gave an advantage to team's with good power plays, Sinden actually convinced the league to go along with his misguided plan. Of course, if good ol' Harry's Boston Bruins had any talent whatsoever it's hard to believe he would have ever opened his big mouth. But that's another matter. The important point is that the NHL agreed to the no-marginal-call policy, thereby striking another blow for the skill-less. Toss in the punk-ass goal crease rule that purged the very act of goal-scoring of all its excitement, and watching an NHL game has been reduced to a perverted form of Chinese water torture. At least we still have the memories of 1992-93. For those out their that question the greatness of that golden season, consider the following facts: In 1996-97: Mario Lemieux led the league with 122 points, the lowest total to lead the league since 1969-70 when Bobby Orr bagged the Art Ross with 120. Teemu Selanne (109) was the only other player to record at least 100 points. In 1992-93: A total of 21 players recorded a 100-point season, with 10 guys scoring at least 123 points. Mario Lemieux led the league with 160 in just 60 games. In 1996-97: Keith Tkachuk led the league with 52 goals. Only three other players (Selanne, 51; Lemieux, 50; LeClair, 50) even managed to reach the 50-goal mark. In 1992-93: Teemu Selanne and Alexander Mogilny finished tied for the league lead in goals with 76. Mario Lemieux was third with 69 goals in just 60 games. In total, 13 players hit the 50-goal plateau. In 1996-97: Not one team scored 300 goals. Pittsburgh led the league in goal-scoring with 285. Only two other clubs (Colorado, 277; Philadelphia, 274) had as many as 270 goals. In 1992-93: An amazing 15 different clubs scored at least 300 goals, with Detroit's 369 leading the way. And get this, only four teams had less than 270. 1996-97: Martin Brodeur led the league with a 1.88 goals- against average. A total of nine goaltenders saw significant playing time and ended with a goals-against under 2.50. 1992-93: Felix Potvin led the league with a 2.50 goals- against average. 1996-97: New Jersey was the best defensive team, yielding only 182 goals. A total of 14 teams allowed 239 goals or less. 1992-93: Chicago was the best defensive team, giving up 239 goals. Those numbers perfectly illustrate the declining skill level of the game. Goals, the life blood of the sport, just aren't being scored. The thrill is gone. And there's no relief in sight. The blight of expansion is once again on the horizon. Nashville will join the league in 1998-99, to be followed by Atlanta (1999-2000), Columbus (2000-2001), and Minnesota (2000-2001). Where are all these new players going to come from? They might as well change the league's name to the IHL and save us all the grief of continuing the current masquerade any longer. Expansion will kill the sport. But who cares about quality hockey when there's money to made? Certainly not Gary Bettman and the rest of his near-sighted cronies. Some may argue that expansion isn't all bad. After all, weren't Anaheim, Florida, and Ottawa all playoff teams this season? Yes, they were. But were they as good as the playoff teams of 1992- 93? I don't think so. The overall standard of play has fallen so far that now the ordinary passes as the excellent. It's really quite sad. It's almost impossible for a team to send out four lines of proven NHL-caliber talent. There were only four teams this past season that displayed the depth that was routine six or seven years ago when every club ran deep. Those gifted few were Colorado, Detroit, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Most teams in the league today can't even boast two quality lines, let alone four. Rosters are now filled with mundane, interchangeable players that lack distinction. Quick, name the top six defensemen in Boston. Or how about the top six forwards in San Jose? Who's Calgary's second-line center? Teams today have a handful of recognizable players and then a whole lot of nothing. After the next expansion, be sure to read the rosters a bit more carefully. You just might see your own name there someday. The most disturbing thing about the whole mess is that the NHL refuses to acknowledge that the game is not what it once was. This is one occasion when ignorance is not bliss. Unfortunately, now that the plans for the upcoming expansion have been finalized, there's really nothing that can be done to salvage the league. But if LCS Hockey were made commissioner for a day, here's what we'd do to try and resurrect the NHL: * Fire Gary Bettman and give the gig to a true hockey man who puts the quality of the game ahead of financial concerns. If such a man can't be found, the job will be given to Ronald McDonald's good buddy Grimace. For Grimace is a big purple freak of action. * Replace Brian Burke with a bag of rocks and then count the days until someone notices. * Allow the superstars of the game the opportunity to do what they do best by enforcing the obstruction and interference rules. * Remove the punk-ass goal crease rule from the books, throw it on the ground, kick it, spit on it, and then set it on fire to burn it back to the fiery pits of hell from whence it came. * Reverse the expansion trend. Instead of adding four teams, we'd drop four clubs. Make the 1997-98 season winner-take-all. The teams that finish with the four worst records get removed from the league and their players dispersed throughout the rosters of the other clubs. This would definitely make for some interesting hockey come April. If we're lucky, we'll get one more season of merely tolerable hockey before the next wave of expansion hits in 1998-99. After that, all bets are off. It may still be breathing, but make no mistake about it... the NHL is dead. Send flowers. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The Top Stories From The 1996-97 Season ------------------------------------------------------------------- by Jim Iovino, Ace Reporter Overall, the NHL was pretty lame this past season. The mediocre talent is slowly taking over the game while the head honchos seem to be more interested in expansion than improving on the game itself. Not to worry, hockey fans. In case you fell asleep midway through the season, LCS Hockey put together a list of the top stories of the 96-97 season for your reading enjoyment. Umm...like I just said -- enjoy. 11. Dallas Stars Improve Record By 38 Points The Dallas Stars slow burn turned into a major disaster during the 1995-96 season. The Stars, who dropped from third place to fifth in the Central Division the season before, finished the 95-96 campaign with a 26-42-14 record, bad enough for dead last in the Central Division and no playoff birth for the first time since arriving in Dallas from Minnesota. But after picking up several key off-season acquisitions who fit almost perfectly into coach Ken Hitchcock's system, the Stars surprised many around the league by finishing second in the Western Conference in 96-97, just two points behind the Colorado Avalanche. Led by players like Mike Modano (83 points), Pat Verbeek (53 points) and Andy Moog (2.15 GAA), the Stars finished the season with a 48-26-8 record and 38 more points than they accumulated the year before. By winning the Central Division, the Stars became only the third team in NHL history to finish first the season after finishing last in their division. Of course, the regular season proved to be meaningless as the Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs this season, but the success they had during the "first"season should bode well as the Stars shoot for first place in the Western Conference and a better postseason next year. 10. Membership to Goal Clubs Increase The 600-goal Club granted membership to one player this season while the 500-goal Club welcomed three new members. Mario Lemieux recorded the 600th goal of his career by scoring an empty netter in a 6-4 win at the Civic Arena on Feb. 4 against the Vancouver Canucks. Lemieux finished the season, and his career, with a total of 613 goals. For the record, Lemieux's final regular season goal came on a penalty shot against John Vanbiesbrouck. Ironically, Vanbiesbrouck has allowed more goals to Lemieux than any other goalie. Lemieux's 613 goals in 745 games ranks sixth all-time, three goals more than Bobby Hull. Three players scored their 500th goal this season, Brett Hull, Joey Mullen and Dave Andreychuk. Hull was the first to hit the 500 mark when he notched a hat trick against Stephane Fiset in a 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Dec. 22. Hull's 500th goal came just three days after the St. Louis Blues fired his nemesis, head coach Mike Keenan. Keenan and Hull were never on the best of terms, so perhaps Hull's hat trick and record goal was a powerful parting shot at Iron Mike. Not only was it odd that Hull got his 500th goal on a hat trick, but the way the hat trick happened was weird as well. Everyone thought Hull got No. 500 early in the third period when he beat Fiset, but about five minutes later the video crew discovered that the goal was actually deflected off of Stephane Matteau's leg. That mean Hull was back down to 499. But Hull didn't give up; he found the back of the net again at the 10:25 mark of the third. This time it was obvious that the goal was all Hull's, as was the magic number 500. Hull began the season behind Pittsburgh's Joey Mullen in the all-time standings, 495 to 485. It was clearly apparent that Hull, 32, had a lot more hockey left in him than the 39-year-old Mullen. Due to limited playing time and some deteriorated skills, it took "Slippery Rock" Joe 38 games to score a goal this season. Actually, Mullen would have gotten the goal a game earlier if that weasel Alexei Zhitnik hadn't blocked a Mullen shot that was headed for an empty net late in a 2-0 game against Buffalo. Knowing that Mullen needed just five goals for 500, head coach Eddie Johnston put Mullen out at the end of the game when Hasek was pulled in hopes of getting his little buddy No. 496. But despite the backing of the Igloo crowd shouting "Joey, Joey!", Mullen couldn't find the back of the net. Mullen fans rejoiced in the next game, however, when he beat Olaf Kolzig for his first goal of the season on Dec. 30. Mullen's next goal came on Jan. 23 in a loss to Colorado and his 498th goal came on the same night that Mario Lemieux scored his 600th, Feb. 4. By now, Mullen was on fire. A goal a month was good compared to what he was going through early in the season. Mullen scored his 499th against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 18, a little earlier than expected, which set the tone for No. 500. The magic moment came against the Colorado Avalanche on March 14, against Patrick Roy, of all people. At 16:01 of the second period, Mullen deflected a shot from the point past Roy. It was a classic Joey Mullen goal, as he had to fight against a bigger defenseman in front for position and just somehow managed to slip into the right place to get a chance to deflect the shot. Almost lost in the whole Mullen Watch was the fact that at the age of 40, Mullen became the first American to score 500 goals in the NHL. The product of Hell's Kitchen, New York, who retired after the season with 502 career goals will go down in the history books as one of the most overachieving players to ever play the game. Who would have thought that the little kid playing hockey in urban New York with roller skates and a roll of tape for a puck would some day score 500 goals in the NHL. The day after Mullen notched his 500th, Andreychuk reached the milestone. After many successful seasons in Buffalo with Dale Hawerchuk and Pat LaFontaine and a couple more in Toronto with Doug Gilmour, Andreychuk found another good home in New Jersey, where he will always keep the memories of winning the Stanley Cup in 1995. Andreychuk will also remember the Devils as the team he scored his 500th goal with. On March 15, Andreychuk knocked a rebound (what else) past Washington's Bill Ranford. Andreychuk, 33, is the league's top active goal scorer among left wings. 9. Leafs Trade Captain Doug Gilmour To Devils Things couldn't have gotten much worse for the Toronto Maple Leafs...or could they? The Leafs were already tied for the fewest points in the league by going 23-36-2. Their pitiful record was dishonoring the Leafs franchise, which has been mired in other public relation snafus during the past couple years. But at least if they finished last in the league they would have the rights to the first pick in the 1997 Entry Draft, right? Joe Thornton's a big kid with a lot of skills -- he'd look pretty good in a Leaf uniform... One problem: the Leafs traded away that No. 1 pick to the New York Islanders when they reacquired Wendel Clark. Oops. Well, if you can't rebuild through the draft, you're going to have to do it another way. That meant the team's older stars were on the move. And the one player who would get the most in return? Team captain Doug Gilmour. The Gilmour sweepstakes was set into motion, with many teams inquiring about the price, including the Panthers, Devils and Flyers. In the end, it was the Devils who made the best offer. They sent lil' Steve Sullivan, Jason Smith and Alyn McCauley to the Leafs for Gilmour and Dave Ellett. The trade paid immediate dividends for the Devils, who quickly became one of the Stanley Cup favorites with the high-scoring Gilmour in the middle. As for the Leafs, well, only time will tell if they got a good deal for their heart and soul for parts of the past six seasons. 8. Bruins Playoff Streak Ends At 29 Years While the Leafs were having some serious problems up north, there was no shortage of mediocrity in Beantown. The Bruins, holders of the longest active playoff appearance streak in the league (29 years), looked more like a defunct IHL team in 1996-97 than an NHL squad. With the Bruins' streak coming to an end, the Chicago Blackhawks take over the role of the team with the most consecutive playoff appearances. The lock on the Bruins' coffers finally showed through this season. While other teams went out and acquired big stars or minor role players to help the cause, the Bruins did...well, not much. By the time the trading deadline rolled around, the Bruins were so far gone they decided to sell the ranch and start over. They traded superstars Adam Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford to the Washington Capitals for Anson Carter, Jim Carey, Jason Allison and a third-round pick in 1997. All three players the Bruins traded were unhappy with Bruin management for one reason or another, but most squabbles had to do with money and the lack of management to spend it to better the team. Instead of listening to the players, they traded them. Despite better talent in Washington, the three ex-Bruins still didn't make the playoffs. Place your bets now as to when the current Bruins will see postseason action again. You might want to write it down, because it could be a long time. 7. Blues Fire Mike Keenan After leaving the New York Rangers almost to the second after they won the Stanley Cup in 1994, Mike Keenan headed west to St. Louis with dreams of putting together a team of his own, without having to worry about a general manager interrupting his plans. Although he was the toughest coach to work for in the league, many thought he was also one of the best. But as the years of mediocrity piled up and the star players exited, Keenan lost most of his friends and a great deal of credibility. That left the Blues with no other decision but to end Keenan's reign in St. Louis on Dec. 19. During his time with the Blues, Keenan managed to acquire old favorites like Adam Creighton, Mike Hudson, Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan shipped off stars like Brendan Shanahan, Curtis Joseph and Steve Duchesne and was somewhat responsible for a split among players between himself and Brett Hull. And, of course, there was Wayne Gretzky. Keenan pulled off a deal to acquire The Great One, but then treated him so bad that Gretzky decided to test the free agent market instead of re-signing with the team who gave away tons of prospects and money to get him. In closing, the Blues were no better with Keenan at the helm than they were without him. The same problems were there when he left as were there when he began his tenure in St. Louis. Despite all of his antics and off-the-wall thinking, in all honesty, Keenan really didn't make a big difference in the Blues franchise. Mediocrity is still mediocrity. 6. Yee-haw!!! The Senators Made The Playoffs!!! With an average of just under 13 wins per year during the past four seasons, the 1996-97 Ottawa Senators team received little attention as a serious threat to make the playoffs for the first time in team history. But just when you get used to counting a team out, it sneaks up on you and somehow finds a way to prove you wrong. The Senators won more games this past season than they did the past two combined. That deserves a "wow". And with a 31-36-15 record, the Senators grabbed the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The hero down the stretch for the Senators wasn't Alexei Yashin or Daniel Alfredsson, but goaltender Ron Tugnutt. The former Quebec Nordique punching bag came out of nowhere (Portland of the AHL) to take over for Damian Rhodes in net and lead the Sens into the playoffs against the Buffalo Sabres. Tugnutt was 17-15-1 with a 2.80 goals against average during the regular season, and as the Senators were fighting for a playoff spot with several other teams down the stretch, Tugnutt was 9-2-1 with three shutouts and a 2.15 GAA in his last 12 starts in place of Rhodes, who was injured. Tugnutt was counted on down the stretch, but it was the usual suspects who led the Sens for most of the season. Yashin looked more like the dominating player he has been labeled as since he entered the league. He scored 35 goals and 75 points in 82 games. Alfredsson continued to be one of the game's best two-way players this year. He tallied 24 goals and managed to keep a plus 5 rating. Alexandre Daigle improved his play this season, as well, by scoring 26 goals while playing in all 82 games. Daigle still has a long way to go, however. He finished the regular season with a -33 rating. Ouch. 5. Buffalo Finishes First In Northeast As surprising as the Ottawa Senators first playoff birth was, the Buffalo Sabres first place finish in the Northeast Division could have been an even bigger story. Head coach Ted Nolan, who won the Jack Adams Trophy for the league's top coach, led an overachieving Sabre squad to a 40-30-12 record, eight points better than Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Unlike many teams, Buffalo's success was not due to a powerful offense. No player on the Sabres squad recorded a point-per-game average this season. Derek Plante led the team in scoring with 53 points in 82 games, and only three players scored 50 or more points during the regular season (Plante, Brian Holzinger and Donald Audette). So without a great offense, the Sabres relied on their wild and crazy Czech between the pipes, Dominik Hasek, to finish second in the Eastern Conference. "The Dominator" singlehandedly won numerous games for the Sabres. He recorded five shutouts to go along with a 2.27 goals-against average and an incredible .930 save percentage. Hasek was so valuable to his team he was named the league's MVP and the top goaltender, as well. It was the first time since 1962 that a goalie won both trophies. Hasek accomplished all of this without eight extra inches on each shoulder pad. He also managed to do it despite a reported tiff between himself and Nolan. Their squabbles went on all season, but neither Hasek or Nolan let it get to them while on the ice. After the regular season, however, things started to fall apart. During the team's first round matchup with the Senators, Hasek went down with a knee injury. A sportswriter in Buffalo, Jim Kelley, suggested that Hasek wasn't injured but was not playing because he was angry with Nolan. That led to a deep media probe into the situation. It also led to Hasek's near fistfight with Kelley. The situation between Hasek and Kelley might be over now, but the one between Hasek and Nolan continues. Hasek recently said that he didn't want Nolan, who is a free agent, to return to the team. Nolan rejected a one-year offer the Sabres made to him last week. 4. Protect Your Crease If it were up to LCS Hockey, the 1996-97 season would have an asterisk beside it in the record books. This past season was pure torture on the league because of the insane interpretation of the goal crease rule. In years past, players were allowed to be inside the blue shaded crease when a goal was scored, but before this season began, the league decided to use the original, more strict interpretation of the rule. No player can go into the crease before the puck does. If they do and a goal is scored, the goal is disallowed. The rule change was introduced to protect goaltenders. For years players charged toward the goal with no thoughts of the goalies health or safety. And with more and more teams entering the league and goalies at a premium, the league decided that they should protect their investments. Voila! The goal crease rule became more strict. For the most part, the rule worked -- goalies were more protected. But the hassle it made for the rest of the league turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. First off, there were the long stoppages in play after just about every goal was scored so video replay judges could decide if a player was in the crease. This ruined the momentum of a ton of games and left fans at the rinks wondering why there is such a long stoppage of play. Remember, the fans can't see the same things the judges and the people at home see. What a lovely way to slow down one of greatest fast paced sports in the world... Second problem: When young players are taught the fundamentals of the game, they are told to crash the net and look for rebounds. This philosophy doesn't work with the new crease rule, however, due to timing. If a player crashes toward the net but the shooter doesn't get the shot off when expected, there will be a man in the crease before the puck and any potential goal will be disallowed. Believe it or not, these were just a few minor flaws in the plan. More important was the disallowed goals due to an inch of a skate blade in the crease at the opposite side of the net where the goal was scored. A ton of goals were disallowed because of this. A forward might not have any impact on the play going on at the other side of the net, but if a goal is scored and that player's skate is just an inch in the blue area, the goal didn't count. This infraction in no way interfered with the goalie, but due to the black and white decisions made by the referees, the goal wouldn't count. Amazingly enough, despite all of the criticism the league has decided not to change the rule for next season. There was talk of not making the rule a black or white issue. There was also talk of changing the size of the crease. But in the end, the league decided to do nothing. Perhaps they were more concerned with filling their pockets with all of the money generated from the four more expansion teams that will be joining the NHL soon. Let me get this straight -- there were 12 teams this season which did not have a leading scorer who averaged a point per game -- how is the league going to be able to support four more teams??? I guess that will be a headline in years to come. 3. Wings End 42-year Drought; Win Stanley Cup Forty-two years can be a long time. The city of Detroit knows that for a fact. It had been 42 years since the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. Fourteen years can be a long time, as well. That's how long Red Wing captain and superstar Steve Yzerman has been in the league, and each year ended without the Cup. But after the Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup finals, the wait was over for the Wings and Yzerman. The Red Wings are Stanley Cup Champions. Looking back over the past couple seasons, the Red Wings were always odds-on favorites to win it all, but somehow they would find a way to lose. Even last year when the Wings set the regular season record for most wins in a season, they didn't even make it to the Stanley Cup finals. Seeing that the current formula wasn't working, coach Scotty Bowman and company reevaluated the team and decided to change one thing: size. The Wings set out on a mission to acquire players that would at size and toughness, enabling Detroit to take on any big boys in the postseason. The Wings acquired players like Brendan Shanahan from the Hartford Whalers and Tomas Sandstrom from the Pittsburgh Penguins in order to get bigger. And then there was the left-wing lock. The defensive scheme didn't receive much attention until the playoffs, where it shut down every opponent. The left-wing lock took the ugly practice of clutching and grabbing and turned it into a masterpiece. The lock left the Avalanche frustrated and the Flyers scratching their heads. It was just that good. If a player tried to beat the lock by carrying the puck into the zone, he would have to beat three defenders. Not good odds. And if a player dumped the puck in and tried to chase, he would automatically be greeted by at least two defenders who would hold him up while a third would go back and get the puck. So what's a team to do? Well, if I knew the answer I'd be an NHL coach. But I don't, so I'm not, etc... It was a smothering defense and some great goaltending by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Mike Vernon that won the Cup for the Wings, but if it hadn't been for "The Brawl", they might not have been able to but the incredible run together. For those of you not in the know, The Brawl was the final meeting of the regular season between the Wings and Avalanche. It was also payback time against Claude Lemieux. Lemieux, who plastered Kris Draper's face into the boards in the 96 playoffs, was pummeled by Darren McCarty in a donnybrook that saw many fights, including Patrick Roy going toe-to-toe with Vernon. And after the muscular Wings beat up the Avs, they beat them on the scoreboard as well. McCarty scored the game-winning goal to give the Wings momentum and confidence as they began their journey for the Stanley Cup. Once the Wings won the Cup, however, they had little time to celebrate. During the week following the Cup win, a limo carrying Vladimir Konstantinov, Slava Fetisov and the team masseur crashed, leaving Konstantinov and the masseuse in comas. The two were still in comas at press time, but doctors said they were showing some positive signs. All of us at LCS: guide to hockey send our best wishes to the fallen Red Wings and their families and are hoping for a full recovery. 2. Lemieux Calls It A Career All of the game's greatest players have to stop playing sometime -- even Gordie Howe. But despite the knowledge that a superstar's career must end, it was quite sad to see Mario Lemieux retire. As one of the game's all-time greats, Lemieux created an aura of royalty that put him above and beyond everyone else in the league. While Wayne Gretzky was open and talkative, Lemieux was more quiet and reserved, letting his actions on the ice speak for him instead of commercials for camcorders or soup. There's a lot more on Lemieux elsewhere in this issue, so this will be brief. The best of all time? That's open for debate. But the fact is that Lemieux gave people more memories, encouraged more people and saved more franchises than just about anyone else the game has ever seen. Like his number, Lemieux is unique. Rest assured, there will never be another player like him. It's just a shame that he won't be able to be on the ice anymore to give us more memories. Au revoir, Mario. Je conduire une vache bleu. 1. Whales Become Extinct When one of the game's all-time greatest players retires it would usually be the top story of the season. But since this is LCS: guide to hockey and we love ourselves some Whale, the biggest story of the season would have to be the departure of the Whalers from the insurance capital of the world to the natural disaster stricken area of Carolina. The Hartford Whalers have been the butt of many jokes at LCS Hockey since our humble little publication began in 1994. But as we've always said, we kid because we care. The Whalers were like our little brother...but none of us have a little brother so that's really a bad analogy. The Whalers were like...well, a bad hockey team that played in a hockey rink in a mall. You know, half hockey rink, half mall...50/50, a little bit of this, a little bit of that. No where else in the league could you go to a hockey game, then step out into the concourse and buy some socks. Or maybe a new sweater. Or maybe some Biggie fries at Wendy's, the official hamburger joint of the National Hockey League. Wonder where Dave Thomas got the idea to sponsor the NHL... Anyway, Hartford has always held a piece of our heart. It was the site of the first LCS Hockey road trip. The crew hopped in the Taurus and cruised into Hartford for the 1994 Entry Draft. It was also the site of our first press passes being taken away from us. What memories. But the piece of our heart that Hartford held is the same piece of our heart that died the day the Whalers made it official that they would be leaving. Due to significant financial losses and the lack of a new arena (how could they say that?), the Whalers moved to Carolina and became the Hurricanes. They might not be the Whalers, but that doesn't mean LCS Hockey can't rip on them anymore. Ya know there's nothing like naming your team after a natural disaster that kills people... Aw, that was fun. Here's Zippy's idea: Just to get the fans in the mood, they should board up all the windows at the Hurricanes' arena, sell canned foods and bottled water and call it the Disaster Center. Yee-haw!! All this entertainment and the season hasn't even started yet!!! --------------------------------------------------------------- 1996-97 Breakthrough Players --------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief LCS: Guide to Hockey likes to keep an eye out for the up and coming stars in the NHL. Each year sees new players making their bids to become more than just card-carrying members of the NHLPA. Either through increased ice time or just a vastly improved work ethic, these Breakthrough Players emerge from obscurity to make a name for themselves in the league. In order to qualify to be an LCS: Guide to Hockey Breakthrough Player, the individual has to have been in the league for at least one year prior to this season. No rookies allowed. He also had to have a major impact on his team in 1996-97, if not the league itself. And of course bribes never hurt a guy's chances either. Now, without further delay, here's our list of 1996-97 Breakthrough Players. Steve Rucchin, Anaheim Mighty Ducks: The unknown member of Anaheim's top line, Rucchin enjoyed the best season of his three-year NHL career, matching his career high in goals (19) and setting new personal standards in assists (48) and points (67). Some might argue that the 25-year-old center's production is linked directly to playing between Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne on the Ducks' top unit and, well, they'd be right. Rucchin is the perfect fit for Kariya and Selanne. He doesn't have superstar talent, but he has great size (6'3, 210), works extremely hard, and has enough skill to get the puck to his wingers. While hardly an intimidating player, Rucchin likes to take the body and enjoys going to the net. The true measure of Rucchin as a player is watching the Ducks struggle when he's not in the lineup to anchor that top line. He's also one of Anaheim's best penalty killers, usually teaming up with Kariya in that department. Jozef Stumpel, Boston Bruins: With the departure of Adam Oates, Stumpel became Boston's number one center. Thanks to his performance this season, that sentence isn't inspiring the fear it once would. Stumpel has always had tremendous individual skills, his problem was displaying them on a consistent basis. That concern may be in the past. Stumpel set career highs in every offensive category this season, leading the Bruins in scoring with 21 goals and 76 points in 78 games. His 55 assists were 19 better than his pervious best (1995-96) and his 76 points eclipsed his old mark by 22 (1995-96). A 22-point improvement in a year when offense was down all over the league is a mighty impressive achievement, especially when playing in Boston. The only sad thing is that with the Bruins now poised to be in the cellar for the next couple seasons, few people, if any, outside the Boston area will take notice of the 25-year-old Czech's improved play. But after all, that's why LCS: Guide to Hockey is here... to let you, our valued readers, know about the Jozef Stumpels of the world. It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres: No one's laughing about that Alexander Mogilny trade anymore. Peca exploded onto the scene this year with the upstart Sabres, becoming one of the leaders on the brash, overachieving squad. At just 5'11, 175 pounds, Peca isn't exactly built like the typical checking center. Yet that's precisely the role he filled this year for the Sabres, going against the opposition's best scorers night after night. Despite the tough assignment, Peca led the Sabres with a +26. The 23-year-old's stellar defensive work wasn't lost on observers around the league, as he skated away with his first ever Selke Trophy. But Peca was hardly a one-trick pony. He also showed quite the scorer's touch, finishing fourth on the Sabres with 20 goals and 49 points and leading the NHL with six short-handed goals. Tony Amonte, Chicago Blackhawks: Usually breakthrough players are guys that go from being a nobody to becoming a good player. Amonte went about things a little differently. He was already a solid NHL citizen, but in 1996-97 he became a legitimate superstar. Amonte rose to the occasion in the wake of Chicago losing such scorers as Jeremy Roenick, Joe Murphy, and Bernie Nicholls to carry the team on his back into the postseason. He was the Chicago offense. Amonte lit up the opposition for 41 goals and 75 points, that's 19 more goals than his next closest teammate (Eric Daze, 22). No doubt about it, Amonte is a bad man. Adam Deadmarsh, Colorado Avalanche: Okay, so he disappeared in the playoffs faster than a bottle of cheap win at an LCS: Guide to Hockey office party... he still had a hell of a regular season. Deadmarsh served notice during Colorado's championship run in 1995-96 that he would eventually be a big- time player. He delivered on that promise with a great effort his season, picking up the slack for the injured Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg to lead the Avalanche in goals with 33. Deadmarsh's big problem is ice time. His lethal combination of strength and speed makes him dangerous at either center or wing, but the bulk of his production this season came while playing the middle. With Forsberg and Sakic ahead of him, getting quality minutes at center could be rough. Of course Sakic is a free agent this summer, but Deadmarsh is nowhere near filling those superstar skates. Deadmarsh, 22, would be best served to apply himself as a winger and make a career of playing the right side for Sakic. That would be one of the most enviable gigs in show business. Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars: Lehtinen had a great World Cup this past fall playing on Finland's "Huey, Duey, and Luey" line with Ville Peltonen and Saku Koivu. He carried that momentum into the regular season and became an impact player for the Dallas Stars. The 24-year-old right winger was limited to just 63 games because of injury but still compiled 16 goals and 43 points. Lehtinen gained the most attention, though, for helping bolster Dallas' already sturdy defensive scheme. He finished the year at a +26 and earned a somewhat surprising Selke Trophy nomination over linemate Mike Modano. Now that Lehtinen has made his mark, and Koivu is already on the verge of superstardom, Peltonen is the only member of the crafty Finn line to not have a regular spot in the league. Would it kill San Jose to give the guy a shot? Because what, with Peltonen seeing a lot of time the Sharks would finish 21 points out of a playoff spot instead of 19? Who cares? He's cool... play him. Ryan Smyth, Edmonton Oilers: Talk about a breakthrough player, if Smyth would have broken through any harder he would have hurt somebody. The 21-year-old left winger was a tremendous surprise this season in Edmonton, leading the team with 39 goals and finishing second behind Doug Weight with 61 points. When the Oilers drafted him sixth overall in 1994, word was that he could someday develop into a physical winger that worked the boards and chipped in 20-30 goals. Bagging 39 in just his second year came as an enormous surprise, especially after he scored just twice in his 48-game rookie campaign. However, this year was the easy part. The difficulty sets in next season when everyone expects him to score 39 again. While that's a tall order, with Smyth it's not completely out of the question. Rhett Warrener, Florida Panthers: Ed Jovanovski was supposed to be the next great defenseman along the Florida blue line, taking up root alongside the amazing Robert Svehla. But a funny thing happened on the way to stardom. Jovanovski had his game completely fall apart this year, while Rhett Warrener stepped from his shadow to become South Florida's new defensive darling. With Eddie Jo struggling, Warrener became one of the Cats' top four defenders, forming a steady pairing with partner Gord Murphy and posting a team best +20. At one point in the season, coach Doug MacLean came out and said that Warrener was his club's best defenseman. That might be strong considering that Svehla still calls Florida home, but the point was made. Trent Klatt, Philadelphia Flyers: Not a whole lot was expected of Klatt when he was acquired from Dallas in exchange for Brent Fedyk last season. A third or fourth line role player that could chip in the occasional goal was about it. But that quickly changed this season when Klatt surprised everyone by scoring 24 goals and 45 points, besting his previous career high in goals by 10 (1993-94). He also earned a reputation as one of the league's hardest working players, always finishing his checks and even finding a place among Philly's top four penalty killers. Oleg Tverdovsky, Phoenix Coyotes: At the start of the season we picked Oleg as one of three players to watch in 1996-97, and he didn't disappoint. Drafted second overall in 1994 by Anaheim, the 21-year-old blueliner is starting to deliver on the offensive potential that made Phoenix willing to part with Teemu Selanne to acquire him. Tverdovsky was fourth among defensemen in scoring, recording 10 goals and 55 points. He appeared in every game for the Coyotes and played in all situations, often spending the full two minutes at the point. While trading Selanne was hardly a stroke of genius by the Phoenix franchise, at least Tverdovsky is making the bitter pill a little easier to swallow. Chris Gratton, Tampa Bay Lightning: Everyone knew Gratton had the skills to be an impact player when Tampa Bay drafted him third overall in 1993. He had excellent size, knew his way around the net, and liked to mix it up. All are great qualities to have in a young center. In Gratton's rookie season of 1993-94, he posted 13 goals and 42 points. Modest numbers, but not a bad start. The following year in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season, Gratton put up similar numbers with seven goals and 27 points in 46 games. However, instead of making a big jump in his third year, Gratton suffered through a disappointing 1995- 96 campaign that saw him score just 17 goals and 38 points. That's not the kind of improvement the Bolts had in mind. Things changed for the better this year, though, when Gratton took on a greater leadership role with the club and became one of the Lightning's go-to guys. He led the Bolts in scoring and set career highs in goals (30), assists (32), and points (62). He also led the team in penalty minutes with 201, shattering his previous career high of 123. Gratton joined Keith Tkachuk as the only two players in the league to lead their club in both scoring and penalty minutes. Now that's impressive. --------------------------------------------------------------- Lemieux Is Gone, But His Impact Remains --------------------------------------------------------------- by Jim Iovino, Ace Reporter As Mario Lemieux's career was near its end, the hosts of the WDVE morning radio show in Pittsburgh wrote a song to describe their feelings about No. 66's imminent retirement. The chorus goes something like this: "Bye, bye big French-Canadian guy, Drove the Beemer to the Igloo but the Igloo was dry, And there were no beer vendors selling no I.C. Light, This will be the day the Pens died, This will be the day the Pens died." Granted, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be around next season despite Lemieux's retirement, but one has to wonder just how long the franchise can survive without their big French-Canadian guy. Will fans continue to support the game of hockey now that Le Magnifique has left the building? When Lemieux was drafted by Pittsburgh in 1984, the team was one step away from total destruction. The Penguins were last in the league in attendance, averaging 6,839 fans per game. They hadn't had a winning season since 1978-79. The team had already gone bankrupt back in 1975 (the IRS even padlocked the doors to the Civic Arena at one point), and it was believed that only a miracle would be able to save the franchise from doing it again. Mario Lemieux was that miracle. Said Edmonton Oiler general manager Glen Sather in 1986, "Without Lemieux, they pack up the team and move to another city." Indeed, Lemieux saved the franchise in Pittsburgh. In his first season, Lemieux's presence on the ice meant a 46 percent increase in attendance. And the Igloo packed in more and more people every year after that. But Lemieux did more than just save the Penguins from extinction. He turned a whole city into hockey fans and gave the children of Western Pennsylvania the opportunity to play ice hockey, themselves. Before Lemieux arrived in Pittsburgh, the Steel City was known more for its love of football than hockey. The Steeler teams of the mid-70s, led by celebrities like Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris, made sure of that with their four Super Bowl wins. Football was the sport of choice for sports fans in the Burgh. Hockey was more of an odd sideshow attraction. Football was also the sport of kids growing up in the area. Western Pennsylvania was, and still is, known as a breeding ground of great talent for college and pro gridiron teams. Dan Marino is a product of the Pittsburgh area. So was Jim Kelly. But once Lemieux led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons, the city of Pittsburgh sat up and took notice of their graceful big French-Canadian guy. Kids started taking to the streets and tennis courts to play hockey after school instead of the backyards for a football game. Soon after it was realized kids were interested in hockey, ice rinks popped up all around the area. By the time a double rink was built in Harmarville, a suburb of Pittsburgh, it was clear to all that hockey had firmly dug its roots into Western Pennsylvania. High schools all over the area started hockey teams, driving the demand for ice time through the roof. Kids started playing hockey at younger ages, which would only increase the skill level in the area up over time. But hockey wasn't just a fad that kids went through a couple years ago. It is still thriving today. Membership to youth hockey teams and high school teams keeps growing. Just last week a new double rink opened up in Delmont, a town of about 2,400 people, and already several local high schools have signed up for ice time. Delmont is squashed between Greensburg, which has an ice rink, and Monroeville, which also has an ice rink. Yet the double rink in Delmont doesn't seem like a bad location. Ice time is just that precious. And if you ask any of the kids playing on the rinks of Western Pennsylvania who or what got them interested in hockey, and most will say Mario Lemieux. His creative play and saintly aura has made the imaginations of kids all over the area run wild. Instead of dreaming about hitting the Series-winning home run like Bill Mazeroski or a Super Bowl touchdown catch like Lynn Swann, kids started to imitate Mario as he stickhandled through two defensemen and beat Jon Casey like a rented mule. Lemieux started a new youth movement in Pennsylvania, a movement toward the ice rink. I joined that movement before my freshman year in high school, the same year the Penguins won their first Stanley Cup. Although I had never skated before in my life, and had limited experience in street hockey, I was fascinated enough with the sport that despite my obvious lack of ability, I tried my luck anyway. I quickly fell in love with the sport, and, seven years later, I still play in recreational leagues today. Obviously I never had a shot at the NHL. Not many other players from the Pittsburgh area have. Unfortunately, while having the opportunity to watch one of the greatest players of all time, Lemieux's skills haven't seeped into the bodies of the kids in the area. No player from the Pittsburgh area has made it to the NHL. Only Bob Beers, who was born in Pittsburgh then moved elsewhere at an early age, has spent time in the big leagues. It is going to take a little longer for the best players in the area to match up with the best players in other parts of the country, and even longer for them to equal those in Canada. At the moment, all of the best talent in Western Pennsylvania has a choice to make: either stay in the area and beat up on lesser talent or move to an area of North America where they can play against good competition and improve their skills. Most choose the second option. The core members of the staff of LCS Hockey are all from the Pittsburgh area, myself included. I think I speak for all of us when I say that a great deal of our love for the game is due to watching Lemieux. His grace, his perseverance for the game and his ability to create something out of nothing in a split second made fans out of all of us. Just by watching Lemieux, we not only gained an appreciation for his work, but for the game itself. You see, Mario Lemieux can do a lot of things on a daily basis that most players can't do in their careers. It took us a little while to find that out. Lemieux made such an impact on us that we even started this magazine devoted to the sport he has ruled over. That's right, you, our valued readers, wouldn't be reading LCS: guide to hockey today had the Penguins not tanked the 1983-84 season so they could get the number one pick in the draft instead of the New Jersey Devils. Maybe four young punks from Hoboken would have started LCS Hockey instead of us. Hell, if they would have made a buck on this venture, more power to em. But I digress... Mario Lemieux might have exited the game, but his impact on hockey, and the city of Pittsburgh, will last forever. Every time a kid picks up a stick and heads on down to Lynch Field for a pickup game on the tennis courts, he should pause a moment and thank the big French-Canadian guy for the opportunity. Thanks, Mario. --------------------------------------------------------------- Memories of Mario --------------------------------------------------------------- by Dan Hurwitz, Featured Writer To many, he was inaccessible, a boor, a slacker, and not worth the hype. To others, his career was one of whining and fat paychecks and a prima donna status never before seen in the National Hockey League. I wouldn't argue any of these points, but still and all, that is not the Mario I remember. Le Magnifique, Montreal's native son, was, quite simply, the most poetically brilliant player ever to lace up the skates. His 613 goals, 881 assists and 1,494 total career points make him a certain entry into the Hall of Fame, and that he did it in a span of 12 seasons, none of which he went through completely healthy and one of which he missed entirely, makes him positively legendary. Right from the moment it was suggested to him he give up his junior hockey number 27 in favor of the more marketable 66, Mario invited comparisons to the only other player of this era remotely as brilliant on the ice, number 99, Wayne Gretzky. Frankly, the point totals, accolades and double numbers are where the comparisons end. Mario saved a franchise. When he arrived in Pittsburgh, a gawky, lanky kid with only a partial command of the English language and a reputation for being a "soft" player, attendance at Penguin games was so low, an IHL team would relocate. So Mario stepped up and immediately turned the tables for his troubled organization. In his first game, played October 11, 1984, Lemieux and his team were in venerable Boston Garden. Rather than be intimidated by the intensity of Beantown's famous fans, Lemieux just went to work, and on his first shift of his first NHL game, he put his first shot behind Boston goaltender Pete Peeters. The "soft" image he would silence a week later. In his home debut, before a tentative though curious Pittsburgh crowd, young Lemieux dropped his gloves and fought Gary Lupul of the Canucks. The kid had talent and heart. That first year finished with Mario having compiled 100 points (43 goals, 57 assists), only the third rookie to ever reach that mark. The Calder Trophy for rookie of the year became his first piece of hardware. Calder would be joined by the Lester B. Pearson award for the "players' player" as selected by his peers a year later. Though he trailed Gretzky in both points and Hart Trophy voting, Mario had distinguished himself as the most lethal individual in hockey. The differences between Gretzky and Lemieux were many. To begin with, Mario is a far more capable skater. Despite his seemingly gargantuan size, Lemieux is captivatingly swift and graceful on the ice. His stickhandling may be second to none in league history (though fellow Penguin Jaromir Jagr has certainly come close). His arsenal of shots is incredible, from his laser-sighted wrist shot to his guided-missile backhand to his right-on-target slap shot, Lemieux can beat a goalie any way imaginable. Just ask then-Devil Chris Terreri, who stood like a deer in headlights on December 31, 1988, as Mario became the first (and only) player in NHL history to score short-handed, at even strength, on the power play, on a penalty shot and into an empty net in the same game. Wayne Gretzky's name is synonymous with passing, and well it should be, though Mario's 881 assists in 745 career games, and most notably his 114 in 1988-89, show his offensive skills were not "limited" to breakaways and dekes. No player in history has averaged more goals per game than Mario (.823). Gretzky only barely edges him out in terms of points per game (2.026 for Gretzky, 2.005 for Lemieux). We, the fans, can only wonder to ourselves what would have happened if Mario had been healthy all the time? What if he could play as long as Gretzky, another five years at least? Teammates relate stories of how Lemieux would play (and score) in games when his bad back would be so painful, he couldn't bend over to lace up his skates. Which brings up another knock Lemieux so undeservedly dealt with his whole career: they said he wasn't a winner, that his heart wasn't in it. Pointing to three Hart Trophies, two Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) and two Stanley Cups, and six scoring titles should alone silence those critics. But if his shear greatness on the ice doesn't convince you of his strength of character, the story of the 1992-93 season should. Diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form of cancer, Lemieux missed 24 games. Simply returning to the ice, which he did March 2, 1993 in Philadelphia (where he was actually cheered by the Flyers' faithful), would have been heroic. That he overcame Pat LaFontaine's 12-point lead in the scoring race and scored 26 goals in those final 12 games for his third highest point total ever (160) is something no athlete will ever match in terms of pure inspiration. Mario was often considered a p.r. liability because of his lack of comfort in front of a microphone, and even worse for his public outcry against poor officiating. So, he wasn't a model citizen. His retirement, in fact, is largely because he can't abide by the lack of enforcement of restraining fouls, and not just because of his ailing back. Already a savior, there are those around the league who hope this announcement by Lemieux will also make him a martyr. Never is a very long time, but it's pretty safe to say that, barring freaky genetic engineering experiments, there will never be another Mario Lemieux. As recently as February 27, 1996, Lemieux proved he could still innovate in ways never thought of before. Putting his stick between his legs the way a witch flies her broom, Mario picked up the puck behind his right foot and flicked it over Canucks goaltender Kirk McLean while in full flight. Penguins hockey is now in the very capable hands of Jaromir Jagr, though Jagr will never make his teammates better the way Lemieux did. When Rob Brown is among the league's scoring leaders, there can only be one explanation: somebody's really helping him out. So here's to you, Messieur Lemieux. You were one-of-a-kind, and we, the public, are better for knowing you. May your other endeavors be far less painful than the one you loved so much. --------------------------------------------------------------- Lemieux Goes into Print --------------------------------------------------------------- by Jim Iovino, Ace Reporter Along with Mario Lemieux's retirement at the end of the Pittsburgh Penguins' season came numerous collectibles documenting Le Magnifique's incredible career, including posters, cards and books. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had a hand in two of the publications to hit the stands since the Pens-Flyers series: Mario Lemieux: Best There Ever Was and Mario: A Tribute. Best There Ever Was by Dave Molinari, Ron Cook and Chuck Finder Price: $24.95 (U.S.), $34.95 (Can.) Availability: Seen in bookstores around Pittsburgh, could also be available through mail. Best There Ever Was is a colorful tribute containing many memorable photos and stories describing just about everything that has ever happened in Mario Lemieux's career. The first three chapters consist of new stories written by current Post-Gazette sportswriters Dave Molinari, Ron Cook and Chuck Finder. The final chapter of the hardback, 160-page book is made up of numerous Post-Gazette articles written about Lemieux during his career in Pittsburgh. Finder opens the book by looking back at Lemieux's childhood. From his earliest years of hockey with his brothers in his family's basement in Montreal to his amazing junior years in Laval, Finder digs up some interesting early stories and anecdotes from Lemieux's life. There are stories from a 15-year-old Lemieux's agents (one also represented Wayne Gretzky at the same time), tales from Mario's older brothers and even the truth behind uniform number 66. Chapter Two tells the tale of a terribly troubled hockey franchise in Pittsburgh that was saved from tax collectors by one very large French-Canadian kid and transformed into a National Hockey League powerhouse in just seven seasons. Before the Penguins began their run on Stanley Cup wins, current Pens beat writer Molinari describes the not-so-memorable years Lemieux had to endure. But who wants to hear about those awful times in a Lemieux tribute book? The story almost jumps right into the good times and the back-to-back Cup wins. Molinari's article brings readers back to those wonderful years in Pittsburgh history, but the color photos (most of which were taken by Post-Gazette photographer Pete Diana) do a great job of making the memories come to life, not only in this chapter, but the whole book. There are plenty of photos of Lemieux early in his career which clue new Mario fans into the boyish kid who arrived in Pittsburgh without a grasp of the English language wearing tight-fitting uniforms with TV numbers on the shoulders. There are also a ton of newer pictures of the majestic-looking Lemieux in the new Penguin jerseys. Speaking of his majesty, the third chapter of the book, written by Post-Gazette columnist Cook, takes a look at the legacy Lemieux leaves behind. This chapter is full of great facts, numbers and a slew of colorful pictures pitting Lemieux at his best. Chapter Four is close to 100 pages of articles on Lemieux that have appeared in the Post-Gazette since 1984. The first article ushers in the Lemieux Era in Pittsburgh with the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. From there, the memories move to Boston Garden for Lemieux's first NHL goal on his first shot on his first shift. And after that, the memories just keep on coming. Not only are the stories straight from the sports section without any updating, but the pictures that went along with the original stories are there as well. The stories from the past are always a great touch, but what really makes this book special is the fact that it follows Lemieux's career all the way up to the very end, including the first-round loss to the Flyers in the 97 playoffs. Rating: This book would complement any Lemieux fan's collection. There are plenty of great stories from Lemieux's career that prove to be good reading material. And if you can't read, hey, there's many excellent color photographs to keep you occupied for at least an hour. Despite the somewhat steep price, this, my friends, is a four Cullen book. Mario: A Tribute Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Special Report Price: $15.00 (U.S.) includes tax, shipping and handling Availability: Call Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at (412) 263-1741 This 38-page booklet is a reprint of a special section that appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Sunday, April 20, 1997. Though not as colorful as the book mentioned above, there are still plenty of good articles about Lemieux to enjoy. What makes this booklet different than the book is that this tribute is more than just articles. There are perspectives from Lemieux's peers as well as a special section where the PG asked readers to share their favorite Mario memories. This lets readers get a feel for not only what Lemieux meant to other players and coaches in the NHL, but to the average Pittsburgh fan, as well. There are heartfelt emotions and some comical situations told by fans from all around Pittsburgh that really get to the heart of what Lemieux meant to western Pennsylvania. Other neat features of the booklet is a Lemieux time line which highlights Mario's career, a swell color centerfold of Mario after he scored the 600th goal of his career, and the complete list of each and every goal Lemieux scored during the regular season; all 613 of them. Not only does the list say the date and what team the goal was scored against, but also what time the goal was scored, who got the assists and which goalie was in net. Great stuff for any true stat fan. Rating: While not as colorful as the book, this booklet does pack a lot of stories and pictures into it, as well as all of the little extras mentioned above. Still a nifty collectable for the Lemieux fan of any age. Let's give it three Cullens. --------------------------------------------------------------- More Mario Stuff --------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief We were planning on having a big tribute to Mario Lemieux this issue, but what else could we say that hasn't already been said? LCS Hockey considers Lemieux the greatest player to ever play the game. In fact, without Lemieux LCS: Guide to Hockey would have never came to be. Like many fans around Pittsburgh, Lemieux is the reason myself and the other founders of LCS: Guide to Hockey started following the sport. If not for Mario, right now you'd probably be reading LCS: Guide to Lawn Darts. It was through Lemieux's brilliance that we learned the game of hockey. He'll always have a special place with us. Every game Lemieux played left a lasting impression. Trying to rank his greatest goals or moments would be an impossible task. How to choose from the myriad displays of magnificence? However, when I run the memories through my mind, the first three are always the same. It was Game Four of the 1991-92 Wales Conference finals. The Penguins held a 3-0 series lead over the Boston Bruins and were looking to close out the series on Boston Garden ice. The Bruins were trying to muster a comeback and had their cause aided by a two-man advantage. Undaunted by the odds, Lemieux stole a pass intended for Ray Bourque at the point and proceeded to skate directly at the Hall of Fame blueliner. He was on Bourque so quickly that the Bruin legend never had a chance to turn and face his tormenter. Mario began dangling the puck back and forth between Bourque's skates as the two men raced their way through center ice, never allowing him to turn around. After toying with Bourque for what seemed an eternity, Lemieux then turned on the jets and blew right around him for a breakaway. The perfectly placed wrist shot over Andy Moog's catching glove for the goal seemed somewhat anticlimactic. Pittsburgh's very next contest was Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but Lemieux rallied the troops, and thanks to a little magic from Jaromir Jagr, had the game tied at 4-4 late in the third. Lemieux almost broke behind the defense for a breakaway with 15 seconds left in regulation, but was hauled to the ice by Steve Smith, drawing a hooking penalty. The ensuing faceoff took place in the right wing circle of the Chicago zone. Lemieux stationed himself at the left point. When Ron Francis managed to work the faceoff back to Larry Murphy at the right point, Lemieux gambled and swung wide towards the goal while Brent Sutter and Steve Larmer pressured out high. Had Murphy's shot been blocked, Chicago would have had a two-on-none. But Murphy got his shot through to the net like a champ. That left Mario all by his lonesome to pounce on the rebound and bury it past a diving Ed Belfour to seal the dramatic 5-4, come-from- behind win. The third goal came just this past postseason. It was clear the Penguins were no match for the Philadelphia Flyers, but Lemieux still provided an unforgettable scene in the closing moments of Game Four, which would prove to be his final appearance in Pittsburgh. Wanting to give the fans in the 'Burgh one final gift, Mario again rose to the occasion. Taking a swell lead pass from Ian Moran, Lemieux busted in behind the defense on a clear breakaway. Fans everywhere were lifted from their seats by the sight of Lemieux closing in on Philadelphia's Garth Snow. There was a time when breakaways were automatic for Lemieux. But Mario had struggled in one-on-one confrontations all season and he hadn't exactly been playing his best hockey to that point in the game. The anticipation of would he or wouldn't he was almost unbearable. But was there ever really any doubt? Lemieux abused Snow with his patented forehand, five-hole move to send the Civic Arena into hysterics. As he circled away from the net, Mario extended his arms and looked to the heavens, almost more in relief than celebration. The outpouring of emotion that followed will last forever. That final goal summed up Lemieux's career. No matter what the situation, or how adverse the circumstances, Mario always found a way to come through. And he did so with a style and flair for the dramatic that were uniquely his own. We'll miss Mario Lemieux. But he made sure we'll never forget him. --------------------------------------------------------------- Who Shot Badaboum? --------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief It brings LCS: Guide to Hockey great sorrow to inform you, our valued readers, that Badaboum may be dead. And police have reason to believe foul play was involved. Nevada State Police are currently investigating a possibly fatal accident involving the car of the former Quebec Nordiques mascot. While no body was found inside the vehicle, Badaboum's car was discovered by police at the bottom of a ravine just outside of Las Vegas. Authorities were called to the scene when passers-by noticed a guard rail down and flames coming from the bottom of the steep embankment. "The car was discovered at 5:15 AM on Sunday morning, June 22," reported Officer James Foster of the Nevada State Police. "We were lucky enough to salvage the license plate from the fire. It was a Canadian plate and was registered to one Irving J. Badaboum. Further checking revealed that it was indeed Badaboum's 1982 Pacer." As fate would have it, Officer Foster is an avid reader of LCS Hockey and was aware of the search to find our big blue hero. He called us mere minutes after the car's positive identification. "I figured you boys were the closest thing he had to next of kin," explained Foster at the time. "Not many other people seemed too concerned about his well-being these past few years." Upon receiving the phone call I immediately headed for the airport and made my way to Las Vegas. Not long after the plane touched down that Sunday night, I was meeting with Foster to discuss the details of the case. "At this point it is still publicly being viewed as an accident," Foster told me during our initial face-to-face discussion. "There's no body, so it can't be classified as a murder. But there's no doubt in my mind that Badaboum didn't drive that car of the road himself. Someone forced his vehicle off the road." When the car did go astray, it busted through a guard rail and rolled some 150 feet before coming to a rest on its driver side at the bottom of the ravine. Foster's skepticism about the validity of the accident stems from a discovery he made while combing through the charred remains of the car. "The interior of the vehicle was pretty burned up. While I was giving the driver's side a quick going over, I noticed a shiny piece of metal among the ashes on the floor. It was a .38- caliber bullet. It was flattened out, as if it hit something extremely hard before finding the floor. I kept searching and found two more slugs, one stuck in the back seat behind the passenger side and one in the head rest of the driver's seat." The windshield, while busted up, showed no signs of bullet holes. The driver's side window, though, was rolled down. That fact, combined with the trajectory of the bullets found lodged in the seats, leads Foster to believe that the shots were fired through the driver's side window from an angle in front and to the side. "Someone was obviously trying to kill Badaboum. They knew he'd be traveling this road and they set up an ambush. This was an attempted murder," summarized Foster. "Whether or not it was successful is still unknown." Unknown because no body was found. Did Badaboum dive clear? Did he crawl to safety after the car made its plummet? Or maybe his body was removed by the perpetrator? Before the investigation could go any further, one obvious question had to be answered. What was Badaboum doing in Las Vegas? After Foster and I did some checking around, it turned out the United Mascot Federation (UMF) was holding a week-long convention at Caesar's Palace. Mascots from all over North America were pouring into Vegas for the festivities that started Saturday night, June 21. Could it be a coincidence that Badaboum was in town the same exact time as the UMF convention? Not likely. We decided to pay the Caesar's Palace hotel a visit on Monday night and found some old familiar faces. The guest list read like a who's who of NHL mascots: Calgary's Harvey the Hound, Buffalo's Sabretooth, Pittsburgh's Iceburgh, San Jose's Sharky, Toronto's Carlton the Polar Bear... the list went on and on. But to me, there was one name that stood out. Bippy the Snow Elf. It was back in issue 59 that we first chronicled the special relationship between Badaboum and Bippy. Once bitter college rivals, Badaboum was responsible for saving Bippy from a life of drunken excess and then leading him back to the straight and narrow. The two were best of friends right up until the time the Nordiques left Quebec and Badaboum disappeared. If anyone would know why Badaboum was in town, it would be Bippy. We found Bippy in his hotel room. He had obviously already heard the news of Badaboum's apparent car crash. The lights were dim and empty liquor bottles were strewn about the floor. On the bed was a copy of that morning's newspaper which carried the story. Bippy was still visibly shaken by the events. "It just isn't fair," cried a distraught Bippy. "All those months of worrying... and then once I finally see him again, he gets taken away... it just isn't fair." Bippy collected himself long enough to share his story of how he came to know Badaboum was in town. It was Friday night. Bippy had just checked into his hotel room at Caesar's Palace when there was a knock at the door. When he opened it he was startled to see Badaboum. "There he was, big as life!" recalled Bippy. "I was so happy to see him... so happy." After the two chums shared an emotional greeting, Badaboum told Bippy that he was in town to see all the old gang. He wanted to make up for lost time. "He wouldn't tell me where he had been the past few years. He just said he wandered around trying to find out who he really was," Bippy said, still wiping tears from his eyes. "He apologized for not contacting me earlier, but he said he had to get some things straight... I didn't really care, I was just so happy he was healthy and safe... it's not fair." The two friends chatted into the wee hours of the morning. Bippy asked if Badaboum was staying in the hotel and he said he wasn't. It was a little out of his price range. Bippy invited Badaboum to share his room, but Badaboum declined, saying that he was staying at a motel just outside of town. That was a definite lead. But before we followed up on it, we wanted to find out what else Bippy could tell us. "He left that night and went back to his motel, but we made plans to meet again the next night at the party," continued Bippy, referring to the Saturday night bash the UMF was throwing in the hotel's main ballroom to welcome all the mascots. Badaboum did return the next night at 10 PM. He and Bippy then made their way to the ballroom as planned. "Everyone was so happy to see him. It was like welcoming back a member of the family. The convention itself almost took on secondary importance," admitted Bippy. "The important thing was that Badaboum was back." But as the night wore on, and the booze started flowing, the atmosphere changed a bit. "Badaboum was drinking more than I ever remembered. He never used to touch the stuff, but he was pounding it down pretty good that night. It was probably just the excitement of seeing everyone again," theorized Bippy. After knocking back a few more cocktails, Badaboum informed Bippy that he had an announcement to make. "He asked me to gather up all the NHL mascots. He then told everyone he had just signed a big contract with Green Leaf Publishing to write a book about all his days in the NHL. He said it would blow the roof of the mascot world... I thought it was a great idea. I mean, no one ever writes about mascots. But I guess not everyone shared my opinion." Bippy told us that the initial reactions to Badaboum's announcement were positive. At first, everyone cheered with a show of support. But as the gathering started to break up, a few mascots began to seem uneasy about the prospect of a book. "Harvey the Hound came over and had a few heated words with Badaboum," said Bippy. "But that was just Harvey being Harvey. Those two never really got along. I also saw Carlton and Sabretooth talk to Badaboum, but not much came of it. I really don't know what was said. After everyone else split, Badaboum and me hung out for a bit. He took off around 3:30. Said he'd come back on Sunday and we'd go play some golf... but I never saw him again... it's just not fair." With that, we left to let Bippy get some rest. He was a wreck. Outside in the hallway Foster and I agreed... we had our motive. We made a call to Green Leaf Publishing and talked to one Ms. Alicia Sebastien, the person in charge of new talent. She informed us that Green Leaf signed Badaboum to a $300,000 contract six months ago after reading the outline for his proposed book. He was given a small advance and the rest of the money would be paid on completion. They weren't expecting a finished manuscript for another few weeks, but they fully anticipated it being filled with juicy material. In Ms. Sebastien's words, "No secrets will be kept and lives will likely be changed. It's gonna be hot stuff." Obviously the prospect of Badaboum writing a tell-all book ruffled more than a few feathers among his mascot brethren. But what did Badaboum know that would drive someone to murder in order to keep him quiet? We didn't have the answer, but we felt Badaboum's motel room was as good a place as any to start looking for it. Since Badaboum's car was found heading away from Caesar's Palace, we surmised that he was on his way back to his motel late Saturday/early Sunday, depending on how you look at it, when the incident occurred. After consulting a map and a phone directory, we began visiting the various motels along Badaboum's projected route. On our fifth try we struck gold. The Majestic Motel hardly lived up to its name. It was the kind of place that would give Norman Bates chills. The man at the desk confirmed that a mascot matching Badaboum's description had checked in the previous Thursday, which would have been June 19. He paid for a week in advance and signed in under the name "Danny Ocean". No one ever uses their real name at cheap motels. Badaboum's choice of aliases refers to Frank Sinatra's character in the classic movie "Ocean's Eleven". The film was about a group of old army buddies that went to Las Vegas to knock off five casinos on New Year's Eve. Perhaps the choice of name reflected Badaboum's mood. Maybe he felt like he was going to Las Vegas on a mission. Badaboum was staying in room #6. The motel clerk said he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary the last few nights, but was eager to provide us with a spare key so we could see for ourselves. When Foster opened the door a disaster scene was revealed. The room had been ransacked. It didn't appear to be from a struggle, but rather a deliberately brutal search of the premises. The mattress was flipped, drawers were tossed about, and the garbage was poured across the floor. It was impossible to tell if whoever did it found what they were looking for, only that they gave it their best shot. Foster began dusting for fingerprints, but then we remembered... mascots don't have fingerprints. Was the manuscript for Badaboum's book the reason for the search? If so, who would have known he was staying at the motel? Before Saturday night, the only mascot who knew he was in town and staying at a motel was Bippy. No one else met Badaboum until the party on Saturday. And if someone would have followed Badaboum home from the party, how did they get to the motel room first to ransack it? Badaboum's car went off the road while he was on the most direct route from Caesar's Palace to his motel. It just wouldn't make sense for Badaboum to drive all the way back to his motel after a night of drinking, thus allowing his attacker to follow him, then get back in his car and drive back into town, before returning once more for a second time in order for the shooting to take place. Whoever tried to rub out Badaboum had to know where he was staying prior to Saturday night. That makes Bippy a suspect. With this new bit of information at our disposal, Foster and I went back to Caesar's Palace Tuesday afternoon to continue the investigation. While things were pointing to Bippy, our guts told us he was innocent. We wanted to talk to the other parties involved. We started with Harvey the Hound. We found him at the hotel bar. It's no secret Harvey hated Badaboum. Not only had Bippy seen the two go at it during the party, Harvey was also less than helpful when LCS Hockey first contacted him about Badaboum's disappearance back in issue 61. When Foster and I asked him about Badaboum's accident, he wasn't exactly sympathetic. "Ha! Good for the no talent bum!" erupted Harvey. "He was drunk as a skunk that night. He probably just blacked out and drove off the road. Maybe now people will finally forget about that overgrown bath mat." It was hard to ignore Harvey's blatant malice towards Badaboum. His every word was drenched in hate. When we informed him we had reason to believe someone may have murdered Badaboum, Harvey's response was even more despicable. "Even better!" he exclaimed. "I'm just sorry I wasn't there to see it." If Harvey did kill Badaboum, he wasn't doing a very good job of drawing suspicion away from himself. We hardly needed another motive to pin Harvey to the crime, but we asked him about Badaboum's book anyway. "That big dummy couldn't write his name let alone a book," responded Harvey. "And even if he did, he's got nothin' on me, Jack! Why the hell should I care what he does? I'm Harvey the Hound, dammit! I've got money, I've got power, and I've got women. Badaboum can have the book-of-the-month club. He could choke on it for all I care." Harvey didn't have an alibi for Saturday night. He said he was with some show girl, but he couldn't remember her name. When asked if he owns a gun Harvey replied, "yeah, I've got a gun... in my pants! Now beat it, you're crampin' my style." Typical Harvey. He's still very much a suspect. The remaining two names on our list were the other mascots seen by Bippy to be talking to Badaboum after the book announcement: Sabretooth and Carlton. We were on our way up to Carlton's room when we saw Sabretooth milling about in the lobby. We decided to hit him first. Unlike Harvey, Sabretooth seemed genuinely upset about the accident. He shared a few stories about the old days when the Nordiques and Sabres were Adams Division rivals. As in LCS Hockey's earlier meeting with him a few months back in issue 60, it sounded like he was friends with Badaboum. If he was, the more information Badaboum could know about him. Maybe he knew more than he should. "The only reason I was mad about him writing the book is that it was originally my idea," offered Sabretooth as a reason why the two mascots exchanged words that fateful night. "We talked about writing a book together four or five years ago. But he said he didn't want to do it. Then here he is showing up out of nowhere to say he's got some big publishing deal for a book. I just felt he was cheating me out of my share of the deal, that's all." Sabretooth assured us he still wasn't mad, but money is always a good motive for murder. He also didn't have a real great alibi, saying that he just went straight to bed after the party. He jumped to the top of our list. We found Carlton the Polar Bear in his room. He opened the door wearing a smocking jacket and holding a pipe in his right hand. He was spending the afternoon in, occupying his time with a copy of "Hamlet". He invited us in and offered us a martini. Carlton hardly appeared the murdering sort. "I didn't really know Badaboum that well," explained Carlton. "I became the Leafs' mascot in 1995-96. Badaboum was already out of the league by then. It was a shame to see the poor chap disappear like he did. I heard tell that he was quite the showman." Carlton was one refined bear. It was hard to imagine him getting his paws dirty in murder. "The only reason I objected to Badaboum's announcement about the book is because I feel it denigrates the occupation to write about it in such a way," said Carlton. "We should conduct ourselves as gentlemen at all times. Having one of our own write such tell-all drivel is embarrassing." Not surprisingly, Carlton didn't have an infallible alibi either. He said he left the party early and retired for the evening, falling asleep while reading in bed. We were surprised, however, to find out that Carlton was familiar with firearms. In fact, he had one in his room. "Don't be scared, dear boys, it's not loaded," said Carlton as he opened his bedside table drawer to reveal a .22-caliber pistol. "But one does need a means to defend oneself against the criminal element. And you need not worry officer, I have a permit to carry it. I have permits for all my revolvers." The .22 was the only gun Carlton had with him and it didn't match up with the slugs found in Badaboum's car, but the fact that he knew how to handle a weapon was very interesting. While we uncovered some clues, we're really no closer to finding out who tried to kill Badaboum. We've got four main suspects. * Bippy: Is Bippy really as torn up about Badaboum's accident as he lets on? Or are his emotions meant to cover up the fact that he tried to kill his formal rival and supposed "best friend"? He was the only mascot to know Badaboum was in town before the party. His career has thrived since Badaboum's disappearance. And Badaboum would certainly have enough dirt on Bippy to make his book some anxious reading for the Snow Elf. * Harvey: Harvey's just one ornery S.O.B. His enormous hatred for Badaboum is only surpassed by his massive ego. Harvey hardly needs a motive to try and kill Badaboum, but jealousy over the book deal could have pushed him over the edge. And you can bet good ol' Harvey has some skeletons in his closet, a few of which would have likely ended up between the covers of Badaboum's book. * Sabretooth: He claims the idea to write a book about the lives of mascots was his. By Badaboum leaving him out in the cold, that means Sabretooth is losing out on at least a $150,000 split. Greed usually equals murder. * Carlton: Is trying to uphold the good name of mascots really a reason for getting into a verbal battle at a party? That seems kind of fishy. There might be more to Carlton's dispute with Badaboum than meets the eye. He also knows how to handle a gun. That tidbit shouldn't be overlooked. Finding the guilty party won't be easy. And even once we discover who tried to kill Badaboum, there's still the small matter of finding out what happened to our furry blue buddy. If he's dead, where's the body? And if he's alive, where's he hiding? Unfortunately, I had to return home to finish preparing the Season Review issue before solving the mystery. Foster and the Nevada State Police are continuing the investigation and I hope to join them again soon. So be here next season, same LCS Hockey time, same LCS Hockey channel, when we try to answer the question... Who shot Badaboum? --------------------------------------------------------------- The Secret of Snow's Shoulder Pads Revealed! --------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief "Garth Snow very bad man... very bad." Those are the words of one Georghe Ruiz, a 10-year-old Guatemalan boy that has good reason to dislike the Philadelphia Flyer goaltender. Because for the past several months, Georghe and his eight-year-old brother Pedro have been serving a rather thankless job under Snow's watchful eye. While their names may not be recognizable, everyone knows of young Georghe and Pedro. But they know them by their more famous collective name: Garth Snow's shoulder pads. Yes, the secret of Snow's ridiculously large shoulder pads as finally been revealed, and what a shocking one it is. LCS Hockey stumbled across the startling truth when the young Ruiz brothers contacted us about their plight. Being the world-wide publishing juggernaut that LCS: Guide to Hockey is, naturally we receive thousands of letters each week from our valued readers. But from the minute we laid eyes on Georghe and Pedro's letter, we knew it was different. The envelope boasted a return address near Detroit and showed the strain of its arduous journey. The message inside was printed with a shaky, uneducated hand and purple crayon was the writing implement of choice. It was also impossible to ignore the tiny water stains scarring the bottom of the page, almost certainly caused by the tears of its author. The letter itself read as follows: "Dear LCS, Garth Snow very bad man. Please help. -- Georghe and Pedro" With a little luck, we were able to track Georghe and Pedro down through the return address on the letter. The destination turned out to be an all-night 7-11 on the outskirts of town. Not only was it the home of a damn fine Slush Puppy, it was also acting as the temporary home of Georghe and Pedro. We found them curled up in the back corner near the frozen burritos. The two little tykes were rather small for their age, no doubt a result of their harsh upbringing. Their frailty was undeniable under the fluorescent lights. Sitting there barefoot, clad in little more than rags, the two boys seemed the definition of pitiful. After treating the lads to a few slushies, they opened up and began to tell their sad story. Being the older of the two, Georghe did most of the talking while Pedro respectfully remained silent, with the only sound coming from the straw through which he enjoyed his beverage. Born in Guatemala, their parents, Raul Ruiz and his wife Maria, brought them to the United States shortly after Pedro was born. With dreams of making it big in television, Georghe and Pedro's parents came to the U.S. with stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts. Unfortunately, Raul Ruiz wasn't exactly Magellan with a map. Instead of California, the Ruiz family ended up in Philadelphia. Needless to say, acting jobs were scarce. It wasn't long before the money ran out. Their situation grew all the more dire with each passing day. With no other options at their disposal, Raul and Maria reluctantly left their children at the doorstep of the Mother of the Blessed Shroud Orphanage, hoping to give their kids a chance at the happy, healthy life they themselves could no longer provide. While the separation from their parents was incredibly traumatic, Georghe and Pedro relied on each other to get through the early years at the orphanage, strengthening their bond as brothers. "It was tough, but we had each other," explains Georghe. The orphanage wasn't exactly Shangri-La. Meals normally consisted of a bowl of soup and a few scraps of bread. The clothes on their backs were handed down from year to year, becoming worn and tattered along the way. And the winters were cold. Very cold. For entertainment, the nuns that ran the orphanage would often gather the kids around an old piano and sing songs. Surprisingly, the tunes weren't always of a religious nature. The sisters seemed to favor the contemporary songs of their youth, paying particular respect to such songwriters as Barry Manilow and Neil Diamond. The orphanage also had one old black and white TV that, along with the nuns, served as Georghe and Pedro's English teacher. They learned to speak the language from watching reruns of "Gilligan's Island". It wasn't long before the brothers were mimicking what they had seen, with Georghe playing Skipper to Pedro's Gilligan. "We tried to make lagoon in basement," admits Georghe. "Nuns not happy." With each passing year, the brothers became more accustomed to their orphanage life. It wasn't much, but it was all they knew. That soon changed. A few months ago, the orphanage was visited by Garth Snow. The Mother of the Blessed Shroud wasn't known for having professional athletes stop by. In hopes that he would help raise the spirits of the children, Snow was welcomed with open arms. "It was very exciting to have a real hockey player come visit. We never had many visitors at orphanage," recalls Georghe. "There was a clown once, but he was stupid." At first Snow's visit seemed authentic. He handed out hockey cards to the kids, told stories about the NHL, and even brought along all his equipment for display. The children were having such a good time that many of them didn't notice the tape measure. "He had tape measure in pocket. Once nuns left room, Mr. Snow began seeing how tall all the kids were," Georghe remembers. "He then asked us to curl up like ball and measured us again." After sizing up all the children in the room, Snow took a particular liking to Georghe and Pedro. It wasn't long before the children were asking Snow to put on his equipment so they could see what a real goaltender looks like in person. Snow was more than happy to comply. Once fully dressed, Snow asked Georghe and Pedro for assistance. "Mr. Snow said he forgot some pads. He asked us to pretend to be his shoulder pads... to curl up like ball and sit on his shoulders," recounts Georghe with a steely gaze. "He then pulled on his jersey. It was like being in big tent. Reminded me of circus." With Georghe and Pedro secured under his jersey, Snow went about showing the kids his typical stance and the motions of a few routine saves. "It was fun. Circus is fun," rationalized Georghe. Snow's visit was the talk of the orphanage. When he returned a few days later to ask permission to take Georghe and Pedro home for the weekend, the nuns in charge agreed without much discussion. After all, it meant two less kids for them to be bothered with, not to mention the fact Georghe and Pedro seemed eager to go. "We were very happy to leave orphanage," said Georghe. "Mr. Snow seemed very nice man." At first Snow was a very nice man. During their weekend together, Snow acted as a true father figure for the boys, taking them home and giving them the attention they had done without for most of their lives. He also took them on a tour of the city, showing them the many sights. Their tour ended up at CoreStates Center. While all his teammates were their for a practice, Snow didn't introduce Georghe and Pedro. Saying that children weren't allowed in the dressing room, Snow asked that the boys wait for him by a back door while he went in through the front so he could sneak them past security. He then let the children in and led them through a series of tunnels to a now empty dressing room. With Snow's teammates already on the ice, he quickly got suited up and asked Georghe and Pedro to once again play "circus". And so it started. That first practice went by without incident. With the help of Georghe and Pedro, getting a shot over Snow's shoulders was a virtual impossibility. His Flyer teammates were a little in awe of his hefty new shoulder pads, but they did seem to take away the high shots, so what did they care. Anything to get that little edge over the opposition, right? It wasn't long before Georghe and Pedro began playing "circus" for Snow during games, all the while being kept hidden from the team and fans alike. The secretive trips to the dressing room and the hurried moments spent dressing soon became a mundane routine, with Georghe always taking position on Snow's left shoulder and Pedro on the right. Thanks to his new "equipment", Snow was enjoying the best season of his career. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite so enjoyable for Georghe and Pedro. Soon the fun of the game began wearing off, replaced by the aching sting of a hockey puck. "Puck hurt very bad," Georghe painfully remembered. "It was hard to see shots coming. We just curled up and kept our heads covered. Pucks make us dizzy. Pedro once thought he was Mr. Howell for three days." Despite the occasional pain of stopping shots with their heads, Georghe and Pedro remained loyal to Snow because of the world he provided them. Finally outside the orphanage walls, the brothers wanted to do whatever they could to avoid going back. Whenever they began to question their new guardian, Snow eased the situation with a few special treats. "Pop Tarts. He would give us Pop Tarts to keep us quiet. We love frosted cinnamon Pop Tarts, especially Pedro," Georghe said while tossing a glance to his younger sibling. As if on cue, Pedro's eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the mere mention of the sugary snacks. However, as time wore on, the brothers realized they couldn't take much more. Snow was named the Flyers' number one goaltender at the beginning of the playoffs and started nine consecutive games in net, the longest such streak of his career. The grind began to catch up to Georghe and Pedro. The brothers were still trying to get over the queasiness induced by Jaromir Jagr turning Snow inside-out on a breakaway in the first round when Buffalo's Donald Audette rang a bullet off Pedro's melon in round two. Pop Tarts are great, but they do little to ease the pain of an Audette blast to the skull. Snow began to sense that the brothers' willingness to continue helping him was starting to wane. In order to prevent his beloved shoulder pads from running away in the cover of night, Snow made sure to never let the brothers out of his sight and kept them locked at home when he wasn't around. In the moments they were left to themselves, Georghe and Pedro began plotting their escape. "We started whispering things in his ears during games," Georghe revealed with a sly smile on his face. "In Game Four against Buffalo we sang Barry Manilow songs. Mr. Snow hates Barry Manilow." The ploy worked. Snow was so bothered by Georghe and Pedro's repeated renditions of "Mandy" that he had his worst outing of the postseason to that point, giving up several weak goals in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Sabres. Snow was so bad that Ron Hextall got the start in Game Five, giving the two brothers a much deserved rest. Snow returned to the starting job against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Finals. After performing like their old selves in a 3-1 Game One victory, Georghe and Pedro reverted to more sabotage in Game Two. "Mr. Snow told us 'no more Barry Manilow!'" said Georghe, imitating Snow by looking cross and shaking his finger. His expression quickly changed and he flashed a devilish smile when he added, "We sing Neil Diamond instead." By the time the brothers belted out the chorus to "Coming to America", Snow had yielded five goals on just ten shots and was yanked from the game. The pathetic showing was enough to cost Snow his starting job. "He was very angry. No Pop Tarts for us that night," offered a still smiling Georghe. Snow would only see the ice once more during the playoffs, that being Game Two of the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Detroit Red Wings. By that time his confidence had been so shaken that Georghe and Pedro didn't have to say a word. The mere threat of a Manilow or Diamond lyric being uttered into his ear was enough to keep Snow off his game. The result was a few more soft goals and yet another loss. Georghe and Pedro stuck around long enough to get a free trip to Detroit for Games Three and Four of the Finals, knowing that their moment of truth was almost at hand. When the Flyers dropped Game Four, giving the Red Wings their first Cup in 42 years, the brothers seized the moment and used the pandemonium at Joe Louis Arena to slip out from under Snow's jersey and disappear into the frenzied celebration. It was the last they'd see of Snow. Free of their oppressor, they wandered the streets until Pedro spotted a box of Pop Tarts through the window of the 7-11. It seemed like a good enough place to call home. "We're little, so we can hide in store. But we knew we couldn't stay here forever and we needed help. We heard of LCS Hockey and the things you do while staying with Mr. Snow. He hated you very much, very much," explained Georghe. "We wrote you as soon as we could." And thank God they did. LCS Hockey has taken Georghe and Pedro under our wing and are allowing them to stay with us until a suitable foster home is found. Their first few days with us took some adjusting. Every time someone entered a room wearing a sweater, Georghe and Pedro attempted to crawl up their sleeves and curl into a ball just out of habit. LCS Hockey won't turn our backs on the unfortunate kids. We'll stand by their sides and give them the support they need to resume the happy and productive lives their parents dreamed for them. We'll protect them from the Garth Snows of the world, making sure that no one ever takes advantage of them again. They can stay with us as long as they want. We're already teaching them the important skills needed to make it in the world. For instance, Georghe excels at such domestic skills as cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry, while Pedro is aces at detailing a car and can mix a mean martini. Yes, they're coming along just fine. --------------------------------------------------------------- NHL Round-up --------------------------------------------------------------- by Zippy, Wonder Chimp NHL HANDS OUT AWARDS The 1996-97 NHL Awards were announced at a nice ceremony on June 19 in Toronto: Hart Trophy Most Valuable Player: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo James Norris Trophy Top Defenseman: Brian Leetch, N.Y. Rangers Frank Selke Trophy Top Defensive Forward: Mike Peca, Buffalo Calder Trophy Top Rookie: Bryan Berard, N.Y. Islanders Lady Byng Trophy Sportsmanship: Paul Kariya, Anaheim Venzina Trophy Leading Goaltender: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Jack Adams Award Coach of the Year: Ted Nolan, Buffalo SABRES TOSS NOLAN ASIDE Ted Nolan, who coached the overachieving Buffalo Sabres to the Northeast Division title and an appearance in the Eastern Conference semifinal this season, told a radio station Monday night the team has pulled its one-year contract offer off the table. Speaking to WBEN Radio in Buffalo from his home in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, Nolan said new Sabres general manager Darcy Regier flew to his house to tell him the news. "Darcy flew up to me and said they're going to no longer extend the contract offer to me. It was about a five-minute conversation," Nolan said. "Darcy's the general manager of this hockey club and he told me it was his decision and his decision only, and I have to take his word for it. He came to the conclusion that I would not be his coach and so be it. The fans in Buffalo have been sensational to me and I've enjoyed my time in Buffalo these two years." Last Thursday, Nolan rejected the one-year contract offered by Regier. Nolan, who won the Jack Adams Award for his performance this season, had been the Sabres coach for two seasons and compiled a 73-72-19 record in the regular season and a 5-7 playoff mark. DENIS SAVARD ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT The man that made the spin-o-rama famous, Denis Savard, announced his retirement on Thursday. Savard had 473 goals and 865 assists for 1,338 points in 1,196 career games over his 17-year NHL career and ranks 17th on the all-time points list. "I gave everything I could to be a good hockey player," said Savard. "I was lucky. Seventeen years I played and I've never had any major injuries." As a Blackhawk, Savard had 377 goals and 719 assists for 1,096 points in 881 games. The 36-year-old holds club records for single-season points (131 in 1987-88), single-season assists (87 in 1981-82 and 1987-88) and most 100 point seasons (five). But Savard struggled through the 1996-97 season. He had nine goals and 18 assists in 64 games with a minus-10 rating and had just two assists in six playoff games. Savard will remain with the Blackhawk organization as both a developmental coach and in a community relations capacity. Savard, the third overall pick in the 1980 draft, played the first 10 years of his career with the Blackhawks and led the team in scoring seven consecutive seasons from 1981-82 to 1987-88. He also played three seasons with Montreal and was a member of the Canadiens' 1993 Stanley Cup championship team. The Tampa Bay Lightning signed Savard as a free agent in July of 1993 and he was reacquired by Chicago in April 1995. CAMPBELL AGREES TO EXTENSION WITH RANGERS Coach Colin Campbell has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the New York Rangers. Campbell is entering the final year of his current contract and is scheduled to earn $500,000 in 1997-98. According to Newsday (New York), Campbell will receive a two-year extension worth about $1.45 million. Campbell, who guided the Rangers to a surprising playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals this past season, was interviewed last week by Team Canada general manager Bob Clarke for Canada's head coaching position at the Nagano Olympics in February. The 44-year-old Campbell has a 101-84-27 record in three years as Rangers coach. NHL COMMITS SUICIDE; APPROVES FOUR EXPANSION FRANCHISES The National Hockey League's Board of Governors formally granted expansion franchises to four new cities -- Nashville, Tennessee; Atlanta; Columbus, Ohio and Minneapolis-St. Paul. The NHL's Expansion Committee recommended the four sites last week and the Board of Governors unanimously approved each of the four new franchises at a meeting in New York. The Nashville franchise will begin play in the 1998-99 season, followed by Atlanta in 1999-2000 and St. Paul and Columbus in 2000-01. Each will pay an $80 million entrance fee and must have their club president, general manager, head coach and marketing director in place at least one year prior to the expansion draft. "Each of these markets will have a significant impact in continuing hockey's growth and I congratulate the ownership groups on their vision for hockey in their markets," said NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. "The Expansion Committee over the course of the past 12 months formulated an expansion plan that was thorough and made sense for the entire league." As part of the expansion plan, the NHL and the NHL Players' Association have agreed to a four-year extension to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which would put the basic terms of the contract in effect until Sept. 15th, 2004. NHL officals would not comment on rumors that Gary Bettman has approved cloning experiments that could provide an endless supply of borderline NHL-caliber players to fill the rosters of the expansion franchises. GAINEY WILL REMAIN STARS GENERAL MANAGER New Toronto Maple Leafs president Ken Dryden made a run at getting his former teammate to become his general manager, but Bob Gainey has decided to remain in the same position with the Dallas Stars. Dryden, who starred with Gainey for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s, wooed the Dallas GM unsuccessfully. Gainey, 43, could have gone to the Maple Leafs, who would have given Dallas defenseman Mathieu Schneider in return. Can't blame the guy for trying. REPORT: GRETZKY TO MAKE 1997-98 SEASON HIS LAST XTRA Radio in Los Angeles reported Friday that Gretzky will announce soon, possibly within two weeks, that the 1997-98 season will be the last in his historic National Hockey League career. XTRA cited a source close to the New York Rangers superstar. The 36-year-old Gretzky, who spent parts of eight seasons in Los Angeles with the Kings, has one year remaining on a two-year pact that paid him just over $5 million last season. ISLANDERS' SALE REPORTEDLY HITS SNAG OVER PAYMENTS The sale of the New York Islanders to John Spano from John O. Pickett, approved by the National Hockey League in February, reportedly has hit a financial snag. Newspaper reports in the New York area Saturday claim that payments due to Pickett either were not fully paid or have not been paid at all. The NHL Board of Governors approved the complicated $165 million sale to a group headed by Spano, a Dallas real estate developer who is the president of a group that leases heavy equipment and aircraft. But reports claim that Spano has not made the payments, which New York's Newsday said could be as much as $20 million. The New York Daily News reported that the snag could cause the NHL to withdraw its approval of the deal while Newsday reported that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has ordered Spano not to touch team assets until the situation is resolved. CONDITIONS OF KONSTANTINOV AND MNATSAKANOV UPGRADED Detroit Red Wings star defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and team trainer Sergei Mnatsakanov are both gradually emerging from a coma and have been upgraded from critical to serious condition. At an afternoon news briefing Sunday, doctors at William Beaumont Hospital reported that they have removed the ventilator from Konstantinov, and he is breathing completely on his own. Konstantinov is now consistently opening his eyes, is able to follow simple commands, and his vital signs are stable. Mnatsakanov is in the process of being weaned from a ventilator. He is also showing steady improvements in responding to commands from family and doctors, and his vital signs are stable. DILLER NAMED PRESIDENT OF NHL NASHVILLE EXPANSION FRANCHISE Jack Diller, former president and chief executive officer of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, was named the president of the franchise by majority owner Craig Leipold. Diller joined the Spurs in May of 1994 and was responsible for basketball and business operations. He was moved into an advisory capacity last week. Diller is expected to do the bulk of the hiring of the team's top executives. The hiring of a general manager and a head coach are expected in the coming months. TRANSACTIONS Anaheim Mighty Ducks 06/25 - Signed center Antti Aalto, goaltender Chris Mason and defenseman Lloyd Shaw. Boston Bruins 06/21 - Acquired left wing Mike Sullivan from the Calgary Flames for a 1998 seventh-round draft pick. 06/26 - Signed defenseman Andrei Yakhonov to a one-year contract and goaltender John Grahame to a two-year contract. 06/27 - Signed Bobby Francis to a four-year contract as an assistant coach. 06/30 - Signed defenseman Elias Abrahamsson to a three-year contract. 07/01 - Signed free agent left wing Ken Baumgartner (Anaheim) to a three-year contract. Buffalo Sabres 06/30 - Made qualifying offers to the following free agents: defensemen Bob Boughner, Alexei Zhitnik, Darryl Shannon, centers Derek Plante, Michael Peca and winger Michal Grosek; made a qualifying offer to entry-level winger Miroslav Satan; did not make qualifying offers to center Terry Yake, right wing Ed Ronan and Paul Rushforth. Calgary Flames 06/21 - Acquired goaltender Rick Tabaracci from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth-round pick in the 1998 draft. Carolina Hurricanes 06/27 - Signed forwards Steve Rice and Jeff Daniels, defenseman Adam Burt and goaltender Jason Muzzatti to multi-year contracts; traded defenseman Alexander Godynyuk to the St. Louis Blues for forward Stephen Leach and a sixth-round draft pick in 1998. Chicago Blackhawks 06/26 - Center Denis Savard announced his retirement and will remain with the organization as both a developmental coach and in a community relations capacity. Colorado Avalanche 07/01 - Signed defenseman Jon Klemm to a three-year contract. Signed goaltender Craig Billington to a one-year contract. Dallas Stars 06/27 - Signed defenseman Craig Ludwig to a one-year contract. 06/30 - Re-signed defenseman Dan Keczmer to a two-year contract. Detroit Red Wings 06/24 - Signed pro scout and minor league defensemen coach Mark Howe to a two-year contract. Edmonton Oilers 06/19 - Announced the resignation of pro scout Peter Mahovlich to accept a position with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida Panthers None. Los Angeles Kings 06/30 - Signed left wing Sean O'Brien to a one-year contract. Montreal Canadiens None. National Hockey League None. New Jersey Devils 06/26 - Signed free agent forward John Madden. New York Islanders 07/01 - Signed free agent left wings Mike Hough and Jim Storm and goaltender Wade Flaherty. New York Rangers 06/21 - Acquired left wing Mike Peluso from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. 06/30 - Extended the contract of head coach Colin Campbell. Ottawa Senators None. Philadelphia Flyers 06/19 - Re-signed defenseman Kjell Samuelsson to a one-year contract; acquired the rights to center Martin Cerven from the Edmonton Oilers for a seventh-round pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Phoenix Coyotes 06/23 - Named John Tortorella assistant coach. Pittsburgh Penguins None. St. Louis Blues 07/01 - Released goaltender Jon Casey, defenseman Trent Yawney, left wing Sergio Momesso and right wing Rob Pearson. San Jose Sharks 06/21 - Acquired the 23rd pick in today's NHL draft from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second-round pick and a 1998 third-round pick; acquired left wing-center Shawn Burr from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fifth-round pick in today's NHL draft. Tampa Bay Lightning 06/19 - Re-signed defenseman Jamie Huscroft to a multi-year contract. Toronto Maple Leafs None. Vancouver Canucks None. Washington Capitals None. --------------------------------------------------------------- NHL Free Agent List --------------------------------------------------------------- The following players are free agents subject to equalization, compensation or the right to match (Group II): Group II Compensation SALARY: COMPENSATION: Under $400,000 None $401,000-$550,000 3rd Round Choice $551,000-$650,000 2nd Round Choice $651,000-$800,000 1st Round Choice $801,000-$1,000,000 1st and 3rd Round Choices $1,000,000-$1,200,000 1st and 2nd Round Choices $1,200,000-$1,400,000 2 1st Round Choices $1,400,000-$1,700,000 2 1st and 1 2nd Round Choices $1,700,000-$2,700,000 3 1st Round Choices $2,700,000-$3,700,000 4 1st Round Choices $3,700,000+ 5 1st Round Choices Anaheim (11) -- Ted Drury, Guy Hebert, JF Jomphe, Paul Kariya, Dave Karpa, Dmitri Mironov, Igor Nikulin, Sean Pronger, Jeremy Stevenson, Darren Van Impe, Bob Wren. Boston (9) -- Dean Chynoweth, Mark Cornforth, Ted Donato, Steve Heinze, Dean Malkoc, Trent McCleary, Jozef Stumpel, Mike Sullivan, Robbie Tallas. Buffalo (7) -- Bob Boughner, Michael Grosek, Michael Peca, Derek Plante, Darryl Shannon, Dixon Ward, Alexei Zhitnik. Calgary (12) -- Joel Bouchard, Aaron Gavey, Ravil Gusmanov, Marko Jantunen, Trevor Kidd, Marty McInnis, Dale McTavish, Gary Roberts, Dwayne Roloson, Paxton Schulte, Todd Simpson, Cory Stillman. Carolina (7) -- Kevin Brown, Manny Legace, Marek Malik, Kent Manderville, Steve Martins, Jason Muzzatti, Steven Rice. Chicago (9) -- Tony Amonte, James Black, Enrico Ciccone, Jim Cummins, Steve Dubinsky, Marc Lamothe, Michal Sykora, Jimmy Waite, Eric Weinrich. Colorado (8) -- Rich Brennan, Rene Corbet, Keith Jones, Jon Klemm, Eric Lacroix, Joe Sakic, Brent Severyn, Pascal Trepanier. Dallas (7) -- Manny Fernandez, Derian Hatcher, Benoit Hogue, Jere Lehtinen, Grant Marshall, Mike Modano, Darryl Sydor. Detroit (3) -- Sergei Fedorov, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Martin Lapointe. Edmonton (9) -- Dennis Bonvie, Marius Czerkawski, Greg de Vries, Scott Ferguson, Ralph Intranuovo, Andrei Kovalenko, Daniel McGillis, Boris Mironov, Rem Murray. Florida (4) -- Trevor Doyle, Mark Fitzpatrick, Johan Garpenlov, Rob Niedermayer. Los Angeles (11) -- Philippe Boucher, Dan Bylsma, Byron Dafoe, Craig Johnson, Ian Laperriere, Jaroslav Modry, Glen Murray, Sean O'Donnell, Yanic Perreault, Jeff Shevalier, Vladimir Tsyplakov. Montreal (9) -- Valeri Bure, Jassen Cullimore, Vincent Damphousse, Dion Darling, Francois Groleau, Craig Rivet, Brian Savage, Scott Thornton, David Wilkie. New Jersey (7) -- Sergei Brylin, Mike Dunham, Bill Guerin, Bryan Helmer, Randy McKay, Pascal Rheaume, Brian Rolston. NY Islanders (7) -- Ken Belanger, Travis Green, Kenny Jonsson, Scott Lachance, Claude Lapointe, Tommy Salo, Bryan Smolinski. NY Rangers (7) -- Sylvain Blouin, Alexander Karpovtsev, Alexei Kovalev, Darren Langdon, David Oliver, Mike Peluso, Ryan Vandenbussche. Ottawa (10) -- Daniel Alfredsson, Phil Crowe, Justin Hocking, Denny Lambert, Janne Laukkanen, Mike Maneluk, Christer Olsson, Mike Prokopec, Patrick Traverse, Jason York. Philadelphia (6) -- Brett Bruininks, Craig Darby, Patrik Juhlin, Dan Kordic, Garth Snow, Chris Therien. Phoenix (4) -- Kevin Dahl, Scott Levins, Jim McKenzie, Oleg Tverdovsky. Pittsburgh (6) -- Josef Beranek, Joe Dziedzic, Patrick Lalime, Ian Moran, Petr Nedved, Jason Woolley. St. Louis (4) -- Craig Conroy, Chris Kenady, Igor Kravchuk, Pierre Turgeon. San Jose (6) -- Jan Caloun, Jeff Friesen, Vlastimil Kroupa, Andrei Nazarov, Ville Peltonen, Mike Rathje. Tampa Bay (7) -- Chris Gratton, Brantt Myhres, Brent Peterson, Patrick Poulin, Jeff Toms, Jason Wiemer, Derek Wilkinson. Toronto (8) -- Sergei Berezin, Brandon Convery, Tie Domi, Kelly Fairchild, Mark Kolesar, Matt Martin, Todd Warriner, Brian Wiseman. Vancouver (10) -- Adrian Aucoin, Lonny Bohonos, Donald Brashear, Bret Hedican, Alexander Mogilny, Markus Naslund, Leif Rohlin, Mike Sillinger, Steve Staios, Scott Walker. Washington (8) -- Andrew Brunette, Eric Charron, Martin Gendron, Sergei Gonchar, Kevin Kaminski, Stewart Malgunas, Andrei Nikolishin, Stefan Ustorf. The following are unrestricted free agents who are 32 or older and have played in the league at least four years (Group III): Anaheim (2) -- Brian Bellows, Jari Kurri. Boston -- None. Buffalo (3) -- Garry Galley, Charlie Huddy, Anatoli Semenov. Calgary (2) -- Dave Gagner, Corey Millen. Carolina -- None. Chicago (1) -- Steve Smith. Colorado -- None. Dallas (4) -- Neal Broten, Mike Lalor, Grant Ledyard, Andy Moog. Detroit (5) -- Viacheslav Fetisov, Joe Kocur, Igor Larionov, Mike Ramsey, Tomas Sandstrom. Edmonton (3) -- Bob Essensa, Petr Klima, Kevin Lowe. Florida (2) -- Mike Hough, Brian Skrudland. Los Angeles -- None. Montreal -- None. New Jersey (2) -- Bob Carpenter, Dave Ellett. NY Islanders (1) -- Randy Wood. NY Rangers (6) -- Russ Courtnall, Patrick Flatley, Glenn Healy, Doug Lidster, Mark Messier, Esa Tikkanen. Ottawa -- None. Philadelphia (1) -- Michel Petit. Phoenix (1) -- Brad McCrimmon. Pittsburgh (2) -- Joe Mullen, Craig Muni. St. Louis (2) -- Gary Leeman, Craig MacTavish. San Jose (4) -- Ed Belfour, Bob Errey, Tim Hunter, Ron Sutter. Tampa Bay (2) -- John Cullen, Jay Wells. Toronto (1) -- Don Beaupre. Vancouver (3) -- Dave Babych, Sergei Nemchinov, Mike Ridley. Washington (1) -- Rick Tocchet. The following players are potential Group V Free Agents. They have completed 10 or more pro seasons, earned less than the league's annual salary in 1995-96 and have received a timely qualifying offer. These players have the right to elect once in their careers to become unrestricted free agents. Since his prior club has tendered him a qualifying offer, he shall be subject to draft choice compensation and right to match as applies to Group II Free Agents. The players listed below have until July 15th to elect Group V status Colorado -- Mike Keane (Group II -- elected Group V). Dallas -- Brent Gilchrist (Group II -- elected Group V). Edmonton -- Luke Richardson (Group II -- elected Group V). Florida -- Terry Carkner (Group II). Phoenix -- Jeff Finley (Group II), Kris King (Group II). Tampa Bay -- Bill Houlder (Group II). Toronto -- Rob Zettler (Group II). The following players were not tendered a qualifying offer and are unrestricted free agents: Anaheim (6) -- x-Ken Baumgartner, Brian Corcoran, x-JJ Daigneault, Chris Herperger, Valeri Karpov, Adrien Plavsic. Boston (8) -- Bob Beers, x-Todd Elik, Sheldon Kennedy, Scott Kirton, Troy Mallette, Kevin Sawyer, Cameron Stewart, Tim Sweeney. Buffalo (3) -- Ed Ronan, Paul Rushforth, Terry Yake. Calgary (2) -- Yves Racine, Pavel Torgajev. Carolina (3) -- Mike Harding, x-Derek King, Brian Mueller. Chicago (4) -- Dennis Chasse, Kip Miller, Matt Oates, Gaetan Royer. Colorado (4) -- x-Craig Billington, x-Mike Hartman, Yves Sarault, Steffon Walby. Dallas (7) -- Neil Brady, x-Pat Elynuik, Brent Fedyk, Bill Huard, Arturs Irbe, Mike Kennedy, Jim Storm. Detroit -- None. Edmonton (6) -- Jeff Daw, Louie Debrusk, Dominic Fafard, Joaquin Gage, Ryan Haggerty, Nick Stajduhar. Florida (5) -- Gilbert Dionne, Jamie Linden, Eric Montreuil, Geoff Smith, Rhett Trombley. Los Angeles (8) -- Mark Astley, JC Bergeron, Paul DiPietro, Brent Grieve, Ken McRae, Kai Nurminen, Barry Potomski, Stephane Soulliere. Montreal (2) -- Alan Letang, Pierre Sevigny. New Jersey (3) -- x-Shawn Chambers, x-Jeff Reese, Mark Strobel. NY Islanders (9) -- x-Shawn Anderson, Niklas Andersson, Derek Armstrong, Jarrett Deuling, Jim Dowd, x-Doug Houda, x-Brent Hughes, x-Dave McLlwain, Nick Vachon. NY Rangers (4) -- Micah Aivazoff, Eric Flinton, Ken Shepard, Rick Willis. Ottawa (2) -- Daniel Guerard, Brett Lievers. Philadelphia (2) -- Yanic Dupre, Darren Rumble. Phoenix (4) -- x-Mike Hudson, x-Pat Jablonski, Igor Korolev, x-Mike Stapleton. Pittsburgh (4) -- Oleg Belov, Philippe DeRouville, x-Brad Lauer, Ed Patterson. St. Louis (4) -- Paul Broten, Mike Buzak, Alexander Vasilevskii, David Williams. San Jose (6) -- Wade Flaherty, Iain Fraser, Dean Grillo, Greg Hawgood, Darrin Madelay, Chris Tancill. Tampa Bay (3) -- Paul Brosseau, Alexandre Laporte, x-Rudy Poeschek. Toronto (5) -- Trent Cull, Scott Pearson, Tom Pederson, Shayne Toporowski, Paul Vincent. Vancouver (8) -- Troy Crowder, Rick Girard, x-Chris Joseph, Brian Loney, Bogdan Savenko, Alexander Semak, Rod Stevens, Brent Tully. Washington (3) -- Joel Poirier, Marc Potvin, Robb Stauber. X-Players eligible to elect Group V Free Agency who did not receive a qualifying offer. --------------------------------------------------------------- 1997 NHL Entry Draft Review --------------------------------------------------------------- by Zippy, Wonder Chimp On June 21, 1997 the hockey world focused on Pittsburgh as the NHL Entry Draft rolled into town. Here are a few notes from the event: * Prior to the draft three Penguin players, Ron Francis, Kenny Wregget and Alex Hicks, signed autographs outside of the Civic Arena. Other fans opted to hang out around the player entrance to obtain autographs of ex-players, such as Lanny McDonald or Phil Esposito. * New Penguin coach, Kevin Constantine, was formally introduced to the fans of Pittsburgh prior to the start of the draft. After receiving a loud ovation, Constantine spoke... here's what he had to say. "Thanks so much for having me, and I can't wait to get going." * Gary Bettman was greeted with a chorus of boos when he made his way to the podium to begin the draft. Bettman tried to make light of the situation with a witty remark, "Good Morning, it's not that bad." If fans continue to boo him around the league, I recommend that Gary learn some better one-liners. If the guy didn't appear so stiff, people may actually like, or at least not despise, him. A nice personality still won't win over all the fans in Pittsburgh. Many blame him for the current state of the NHL and for the early retirement of Mario Lemieux. * As expected, the Boston Bruins selected Joe Thornton with the number one overall selection in the draft. During an interview, Thronton mentioned that he will likely wear number 6 with the Bruins. His current number (19) is being worn by Rob Dimaio. * Prior to the draft it was expected that the New York Islanders would try to trade one of their first round picks (No. 4 and No. 5). The Islanders selected goaltender Roberto Luongo with the fourth selection and then called a time-out prior to their next pick. Isles GM Mike Milbury met with Tampa Bay GM Phil Esposito but failed to reach an agreement. As a result, the Islanders selected defenseman Eric Brewer with the fifth pick. The NY Islanders also turned down an offer from the Edmonton Oilers that would have given the Oilers the fourth and fifth selections in the entry draft in exchange for Jason Arnott and the Oilers' first round pick (14th overall). * History was made when the NY Islanders selected goaltender Roberto Luongo. Selected fourth overall, Luongo became the highest drafted goaltender in NHL history. Prior to his selection, three goaltenders have had the honor of being selected fifth overall, Tom Barrasso (1983), John Davidson (1973), and Ray Martiniuk (1970). * The Dallas Stars selected Steven Gainey with the 77th overall pick of the draft. Steven Gainey is the son of Dallas GM Bob Gainey. * The Vancouver Canucks debuted their new jerseys for draft day. Despite the wacky logo, the jerseys featured a simple, yet sharp, design. (i.e. no wacky stripes) The Carolina Hurricanes did not have a jersey ready for the event and their first-round selection, Nikos Tselios (cousin of Chris Chelios), had to wear a plain white jersey with an NHL logo. * The 1998 draft will be held in Buffalo. * 1997 NHL Entry Draft Transactions Boston Bruins: Acquired left wing Mike Sullivan from the Calgary Flames for a 1998 seventh-round draft pick. Calgary Flames: Acquired goaltender Rick Tabaracci from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth-round pick in the 1998 draft. New York Rangers: Acquired left wing Mike Peluso from the St. Louis Blues for future considerations. San Jose Sharks: Acquired the 23rd pick in today's NHL draft from the Carolina Hurricanes for a second-round pick and a 1998 third-round pick; acquired left wing-center Shawn Burr from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fifth-round pick in today's NHL draft. --------------------------------------------------------------- Entry Draft Notes --------------------------------------------------------------- by Meredith Martini, Featured Writer BEFORE THE DRAFT The NHL's annual entry draft is a time of great excitement for the teams, the players, and their families. It's an event for fans too, and Pittsburgh planned a few extra events to involve them, such as a hockey clinic for area youngsters taught by Joe Thornton, Paul Mara, Eric Brewer and Jason Ward, and a public introduction for several of the top prospects at an arts festival in Point State Park. "It's been great, they've done a real good job down in Pittsburgh, I can't say anything but good things about them," says the Sudbury Wolves' Mara, who was one of the first prospects to arrive in Pittsburgh. "With the activities they're doing, it's been really nice for me." Not all the prospects arrived in town early enough to take in all the events; at least one player barely made it to the Meet the Prospects event. "I just got here two hours ago so this is pretty much new for me," says Val D'Or Foreurs goaltender Roberto Luongo. "I just went to the presentations [at Point State Park] and that was quite something, really had some fun." But the purpose behind early arrival in town, for both the teams and the prospects, had much more to do with business than pleasure, as the teams interviewed as many of the players as possible, trying to whittle down the possibilities. "Generally interviews have been going pretty well," Mara says. "It's so hard to say which team's going to take you with trades and everything, so I haven't gotten any signs from any team." "[I've] just been running around the whole time," says the Erie Otters' Jason Ward. "No indications from anybody, just taking it step by step right now." Indeed, that seemed to be a common thread as the teams hid their cards well from their prospective players. "I can't tell from anything they say, it's pretty general," notes Prince Albert Raiders goaltending prospect Evan Lindsay. "I don't think anyone's getting any strong feelings, I think [the teams] want to keep it in tight quarters and when it comes to their selection they'll make it known," explains Boston College's Jeff Farkas, the highest rated collegian in the draft. Of course, the most common factor among the prospects seemed to be nerves, as in, plenty of them. "Definitely it's a nerve-wracking situation, it's a dream to get drafted and the dream's getting closer and hopefully I'll get drafted by a good team," says Ward. "I wouldn't say I'm nervous," says Farkas. "I'm just a little bit anxious." "[I'm] just kind of anxious to get it over with, but not that nervous," explains Lindsay, who has a game plan for overcoming his draft day nerves. "I think I'll just go to breakfast early, and get it over with, and hope it doesn't take too long." Breakfast or the draft? Luongo might have the most unusual situation of the group, as he was facing the possibility of becoming the highest drafted goaltender in history. "I'm feeling pretty nervous about it but it's not really about getting drafted as the highest goaltender, just getting drafted," he thinks. "I can't do nothing about it if I'm going to be the highest goaltender or not, it's up to the teams." And when you get down to it, it is all up to the teams. AFTER THE DRAFT The Point State Park gang did very well at the draft, thank you very much. Taken with the fourth pick, Luongo was indeed the highest drafted goaltender in NHL history in a very deliberate move by New York Islanders GM Mike Milbury; as Milbury also controlled the number five pick and could just as easily used that pick for Luongo. While Mara - and a lot of others - believed he was destined to become a member of his hometown Boston Bruins, the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Bruins to the punch and selected Mara with the seventh pick. Ward slipped out of the top ten, but went to the Montreal Canadiens with the eleventh pick. The Calgary Flames used their second round pick to take Lindsay, while the Toronto Maple Leafs used their first pick of the draft (they lost their first and second round picks in trades) to take Farkas in the third round. Former LCS Hockey features Mara and Ward did well at the draft; another former feature, the Kitchener Ranger's Vratislav Cech, didn't have quite as much luck. Despite being rated as a potential first round pick, Cech fell to the middle of the third round before the Florida Panthers called his name. Cech had no problem with his draft position though, because he's more than happy with the team he joins. "It's awesome," he says of his selection by the Panthers. "Right now I'm happy with what team picked me, I can't wish anything better." Cech attended the draft with his mother; his father made the trip from the Czech Republic at Christmas so his mother got the 'honors' of the 20-hour flight this time around. Despite being chosen and thus free to leave the building, Cech stayed through the end of the draft to lend support to his friend, countryman and Kitchener teammate Michal Podolka, who was rated as a sixth-round prospect but never heard his name called. After spending twenty minutes with the Panthers at the draft, Cech was to meet with them again the next day, and will be in NHL training camp this fall. "I'm supposed to go to the summer training camp, it starts July 7th and finished up July 25th, and after that I go to Miami training camp," lists Cech, who is ticketed to return to Kitchener for another season. But July in Miami? Sounds...hot. As for the other LCS Hockey feature subjects, Brett Gibson and Vadim Sharapov just plain did not have good days; while a member of the Erie Otters' brass indicated the Montreal Canadiens had promised to select Gibson, they didn't: neither did anyone else. Sharapov was also completely passed over in the draft, and neither player opted to attend after being discouraged by their final rankings. They had company; several players rated in the third through sixth rounds never heard their names called despite a solid reputation among scouting staffs. Gibson will return to the Otters and Sharapov likely will as well in the hopes of getting a shot next year. TRY, TRY AGAIN Several well rated players never signed contracts with the teams that drafted them in 1995 and returned to the draft with highly mixed results. Former Canucks draftee Todd Norman returned to the draft but was passed over; former Avalanche fourth-rounder John Tripp went back in the pool and moved his stock up to the second round, when the Calgary Flames selected him. Other players were drafted more or less in the same round but by a different team, as the Edmonton Oilers selected former Ottawa pick Kevin Bolibruck and the Carolina Hurricanes plucked Shane Willis from Tampa's clutches. The most ironic redraft, however, was Brad Larsen. Larsen was originally selected two years ago by the Ottawa Senators, who upon failing to sign him traded his rights to the Colorado Avalanche for Janne Laukkanen. Larsen went on to captain Swift Current and perform admirably for Team Canada in the World Juniors tournament but never signed with Colorado either. Unfortunately for Larson, Colorado doesn't give up easily - they drafted him again! No word on whether he'll sign with them this time or not. TIME WON'T GIVE ME TIME Something the NHL may need to work on in future drafts is preventing abuse of the time limits for making a pick. The host Penguins were particularly guilty in this category, using more than their originally allotted time, plus their five minute timeout, plus dragging the timeout beyond five minutes before finally making their first pick; the Penguins then continued this pattern and used more than the allotted time for eight of their nine picks. The draft, which ran nearly two hours overtime, could attribute a full hour of that time to the Penguins alone. Other teams also abused the system, which obviously needs either an overhaul or enforcement - listening, Mr. Burke? DIE, SCALPER SCUM! Tickets to the first round of the draft were free, but had to be requested through the mail many moons ago and no, I didn't get one. The tickets were officially all gone. However, there were plenty of tickets being given away outside the Civic Arena and to the Neanderthalian scalper who wanted $20 for a free ticket, all I can say is Pfffbbbttt! Got one for free, ha ha. So did the rest of us. HOT HOT HOT Pittsburgh's weather was somewhat cooperative for the events of the weekend - no rain, but boy was it hot. The temperature soared into the mid-nineties each day with accompanying humidity, much to the discomfort of all and particularly the prospects. Hey, would you want to march around outside in a hockey sweater on a hot day? FRIDAY IN THE PARK The NHL's 'meet-and-greet' the top prospects, held in the city's Point State Park on Friday afternoon and touted as an event for the fans, turned out to be an almost exclusively media event. The 19 chosen prospects were hustled over from the Hilton Towers, introduced onstage to those in attendance (about half media and family members), hustled into a pen reserved for the media for interviews, and rushed back to the hotel for photographs. (One questions the wisdom of marching the players hither and yon in the extreme heat for an hour, then sending them for photos, but I digress.) The players weren't hurried enough, however, as the fans who were in attendance still managed to meet most of the players and get photos and autographs. The selection of players turned out to be very accurate as well, as the first 11 players drafted were from the Point group and 16 of the players brought to the Point were taken in the first round (the exceptions were Evan Lindsay, drafted by Calgary in the second round; Jean-François Fortin, picked by the Capitals in the second round; and Jeff Farkas, drafted by Toronto in the third round). YOU MUST NOT BE DRINKING ENOUGH Some teams made draft selections which might make one wonder what they had to drink the night before, particularly when it came to goaltending. The New York Islanders, thick on defense and goaltending, used their top picks on, you guessed it, defense and goaltending. Trade bait, anyone? The Washington Capitals, with a dozen NHL experienced and/or ready defensemen in the system, used their top two picks to take more defensemen. No word on where they'll shoehorn in the new guys. The Penguins needed just about everything - goaltending, defense, and centermen. With a dozen quality players in the aforementioned categories available, the Pens used their number one pick on - a right wing. That really helped. With the controversy surrounding Dominik Hasek, it wasn't really surprising that the Sabres would use their first pick on a goaltender. What was odd was that in Mika Noronen they selected one of only three European goaltenders Central Scouting even found worth mentioning. The selection was even odder considering Buffalo's recent history with Finnish goaltenders - heard from Markus Ketterer lately? First ever Swiss top pick Michel Riesen made it clear before the draft it would take a lot of money to convince him to leave his club team, so who selected him? The perpetually strapped-for-cash Edmonton Oilers. So to all of these teams - what WERE you thinking? CLOTHES MAKE THE PROSPECT Preparation is key for the draft. Naturally, Hartford/Carolina didn't pay heed to that piece of advice as they didn't have jerseys ready for their prospects and instead tossed their selections a plain white sweater with the NHL logo on it. Given the simplicity of their new logo, I can only suggest to Carolina that next time they should give me a couple of Magic Markers and the sweaters and I'd have a logo on there in minutes. FAMILY AFFAIR The draft is an event for families but this year went a little overboard in that department. Among the family ties: Dallas GM Bob Gainey drafted his son, Steve, from the Kamloops Blazers. Edmonton drafted the Erie Otters' Patrick Dovigi, who is cousin to Phil and Tony Esposito. Colorado drafted Wade Belak in the first round of the 1994 draft; they took younger brother Graham in the second round this year. San Jose's Jeff Friesen stopped by to see brother Terry be taken in the draft. Tampa first-rounder Paul Mara is the younger brother of Blackhawks' 1994 pick Rob Mara. Washington selected goaltender Curtis Cruickshank, whose cousin Mitch Lamoreaux is legend in the American Hockey League. Most of the players in attendance were joined by immediate family and significant others, but some players did a little better than that. A contingent of nearly one hundred Erie Otters fans dropped in to cheer on Jason Ward and stayed to support Patrick Dovigi as well. Several of them continued to hang out long enough to applaud the Otters' Adam Nittel, who was chosen by San Jose in the fifth round. Smaller in number but larger in visual effect were the Windsor Spitfire fans who joined eventual second round Islanders pick Jeff Zehr in the stands: they brought letter cards and spelled out Zehr's name when he was called. --------------------------------------------------------------- LCS Hockey Staffer Snubbed at Draft --------------------------------------------------------------- By Chris Foreman, Featured Writer (Disclaimer: The following is a dramatization of events which occurred Saturday, June 21 at the 1997 National Hockey League's annual Entry Draft. The author embellished many of the descriptions and altered or imagined various conversations for your entertainment.) Excitement pumped through the veins of thousands of potential NHL draftees, team management staffs, members of the media and bright-eyed fans on the sunny morning of June 21 as they converged at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena to participate in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. For many, it signaled the initiation of a career in the world's preeminent hockey league. I had hoped to share their exuberance, and experience the adrenaline rush of hearing my name called, conceivably changing my life forever. After seven exhausting rounds of selections, however, this 18-year-old from Greensburg, Pa, the headquarters of LCS: Guide to Hockey, remains an undrafted free agent. My promising road to the NHL encountered an ominous myriad of detours as the days dwindled and the draft grew near. Potholes and crossing caribous came in the form of my failure to appear on the Central Scouting Bureau's player index. I touted myself ad nauseam as "the next Theo Fleury, only not as fast, skilled or even as big." Somehow that analysis failed to entice many organizations to even ponder choosing the bait that is this 5'6", 130-pound forward. Realizing than I am 30 pounds lighter than Fleury, I began to worry than my analogy was creating confusion. Pleading my case, I insisted to anyone who would listen that I play much larger than my size, comparable to someone who stands 5'7" and weighs 143 and a half pounds. Such a contention still didn't incite much enthusiasm from scouts. Assessing that it was possible that an American bias saddled me, such as a possible dislike of my Pittsburgh accent, I even tried modifying my name to Christoffe Foremane and my birthplace to Pointe Gatineau, Quebec, the same as the recently-retired Denis Savard. The only really printable response to that was, "Would you mind following his lead?" Actually, that's a variation of the statement as printing expletives is forbidden. When the big day came, which we have since nicknamed, "Black Saturday," my friend and fellow draftee, Mike Graham, were forced to drive to the "Igloo" upon the realization that a police escorted limousine wasn't planning on transporting us to the draft. Stiffed by the league, we considered a boycott of the event, but ultimately decided to pose as fans to avoid confrontation. Of course, the fact is that the league instructed arena security to not allow anyone displaying a prospect tag with either of our names to enter the building. Thus, our disguises as modest fans had a three-pronged effect. The first was, obviously, arriving incognito assured us of entering the building without a hassle from security. Second, having planned beforehand to shun the recommended attire of a suit and tie in protest of the league and its refusal to crack down on obstruction, which played a minor role in Mario Lemieux's retirement, the disguise of a T-shirt and shorts was ideal. Finally, we could avoid the autograph seekers and hockey groupies. Hockey groupies are great, but, we had an imposing task ahead of us. Sadly, irritating fans who confronted me with, "Mr. Bettman, it's 11:00! Why are you still wearing street clothes?" Folks, I can accept quips about my height, but to say there is a resemblance between myself and Commissioner Gary Bettman is leading you into the danger zone. We immediately headed toward The Igloo Club when we entered the arena, as that was the Stanley Cup's home for the day. A $5 donation to the Leukemia Society of America served as one's ticket to have their picture taken with the Cup. Confident that my future included a few championships (not encompassing any championships titled, "How many beer nuts can you eat in one minute?"), I decided that I could wait to pucker-up and plant one on the shiny chalice. I mean, wasn't it enough that this draft pick-to-be (or is it wannabe?) was only hours away from joining a professional organization and having his smug smile immortalized in a picture with the Cup? Hey, what can I say? I'm a considerate guy! After we received our instant photos, we exited stage right only to see Edmonton Oilers' General Manager, Glen Sather. Gleaming at the opportunity for a personal plug, I stuck my hand out and stated proudly, "Hello, Mr. Sather. Meet your new draft pick!" Sather stopped dead in his tracks and his right eyebrow raised in wonderment over such a bold salutation. After a slight pause, his demeanor rotated 180 degrees as he chuckled and curtly replied, "Lay off the booze, kid!" Following close behind was head coach Ron Low who also found the conversation humorous. I failed to find their reactions amusing. Unfazed, yet disappointed, we took our "fan seats" in Section B20, Seat K 13. Instantaneously, a kind, balding gentleman with his wife and his four young boys seated nearby, leaned over and whispered, "Shouldn't you be up at the podium, Commissioner Bettman?" Fearing that I might permanently damage the youngsters' pristine personalities and offending a woman by spewing a river of profanities, I responded, "No, no, I'm that other really short guy who likes hockey, Michael J. Fox." The man exploded in laughter exclaiming, "Ever looked in a mirror, buddy?" I figured that this was a milestone, my first heckler! My aspirations remained high. Amid a chorus of boos and "draft the little-known kid from Hempfield High School in Greensburg, Pa," from the Pittsburgh crowd, the real Bettman supplied the audience with the rules and announced that the Boston Bruins were on the clock with the first overall pick. Even I conceded that Joe Thornton would go to Boston, and probably Patrick Marleau second to San Jose. I mean, that Central Scouting Bureau business was difficult to overcome. I believed, however, that a constant, abrasive, relentless campaign could possibly mean a fourth or fifth round selection. Now, naysayers disputed this point with me, and even had some strong arguments. They asserted that I had never played a second of high school hockey, or even tossed a water bottle to a player as the prestigious H20 distributor. I refuted that my solid statistics during the 1996 Winter deck hockey season at HotShots in Delmont, Pa (home of LCS Ace Reporter, Jim Iovino) were difficult to ignore. Ignore, they did, much like many have neglected the comedic genius of Joe Piscopo. I vociferously explained that my 3-goal, 5-assist season (10 games) was an aberration indicative more of the weather conditions than of my talent. My totals were a result of my role as a checking forward on a snow-engulfed rink. "Gordie Howe couldn't have scored a goal more than one hundred," I boasted. They reminded me than the Red Wing great would have been 68 at the time. I replied, "Exactly!" Realizing the stupidity of my rebuttal, I knew my chances grew slimmer. I noted also that I didn't compile a single penalty minute that year. "What a wimp," they cried. I questioned, "Why is Paul Kariya the Lady Byng Trophy recipient for sportsmanship in amassing only six penalty minutes, while I'm a wimp for getting none?" A short hesitation ensued, followed by a resounding, "WIMP!" Again my crusade met opposition, even as I attempted to acquaint teams with my versatility. I also tended goal for two games, going 0-2 with a 7.00 goals against average. If Jean-Francois Damphousse, a 146-pound defender of the crease, was a prospect with a 5.53 GAA, why couldn't I have a future as well? I could be the next Darren Pang! So the first round passed and I wasn't among the picks. However, I saw New Jersey Devils' coach, Jacques Lemaire, who made his way up into our section. I quickly turned on the charm and suggested that he draft me. "We have enough hockey pucks," Lemaire dead panned, then walked quickly away where he met two security officers and gestured toward me. I split. Somewhere ESPN's Rece Davis was shouting, "No soup for you!" The rounds and the rejections continued. Panicking through four frustrating rounds, Mike began calling me "Guy" as I accelerated my male-pattern baldness by 30 years, or in reference to "Le Flower," equivalent to Guy Lafleur at the age of 25. My last real opportunity to make a positive impression was when I saw Pittsburgh Penguin number one pick, Robert Dome. I lobbied feverishly to entice Dome to convince the Penguins to take me. After all, he was something of an unknown commodity, playing sparingly over the past two seasons in the International Hockey League. And, I was, well, okay, sometimes even my parents forget who the heck I am. I attempted to enlist his help. "Welcome to Pittsburgh!" "Thanks." "Can I take a picture with you?" "Sure." Click "Can you tell Patrick to draft me? I'll do anything." "Will you get that girl's phone number? I need to start building up the ol' Rolodex, ya know." "Uh, that's kinda awkward." "Well, the only other option is to hook me up with a Wonder Chimp so we can paint the town, how do you say --- plaid." "Um, that's red. Sorry, I can't help ya." I returned to watch the concluding rounds, never hearing my name called. I sum such disillusionment up in this revised Ernest Thayer excerpt: Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; But there is no joy in Greensburg-- little Foreman was left out. --------------------------------------------------------------- 1997 NHL Entry Draft - Round-by-Round Selections --------------------------------------------------------------- Round One 1. Boston -- Joe Thornton, c, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 2. San Jose -- Patrick Marleau, c, Seattle (WHL) 3. Los Angeles -- Olli Jokinen, c, IFK Helsinki (Finland) 4. N.Y. Islanders (from Toronto) -- Roberto Luongo, g, Val d'Or (QMJHL) 5. N.Y. Islanders -- Eric Brewer, d, Prince George (WHL) 6. Calgary -- Daniel Tkaczuk, c, Barrie (OHL) 7. Tampa Bay -- Paul Mara, d, Sudbury (OHL) 8. Boston (from Carolina) -- Sergei Samsonov, lw, Detroit (IHL) 9. Washington -- Nick Boynton, d, Ottawa (OHL) 10. Vancouver -- Brad Ference, d, Spokane (WHL) 11. Montreal -- Jason Ward, c-rw, Erie (OHL) 12. Ottawa -- Marian Hossa, c, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) 13. Chicago -- Daniel Cleary, lw, Belleville (OHL) 14. Edmonton -- Michael Riesen, lw, Biel-Bienne (Switzerland) 15. Los Angeles (from St. Louis) -- Matt Zultek, lw, Ottawa (OHL) 16. Chicago (from Phoenix) -- Ty Jones, rw, Spokane (WHL) 17. Pittsburgh -- Robert Dome, rw-c, Utah/Long Beach/Las Vegas (IHL) 18. Anaheim -- Mikael Holmqvist, c, Djurgarden (Sweden) 19. N.Y. Rangers -- Stefan Cherneski, rw, Brandon (WHL) 20. Florida -- Mike Brown, c, Red Deer (WHL) 21. Buffalo -- Mika Noronen, g, Tappara (Finland) 22. Carolina (from Detroit) -- Nikos Tselios, d, Belleville (OHL) 23. San Jose (from Carolina via Philadelphia) -- Scott Hannan, d, Kelowna (WHL) 24. New Jersey -- Jean-Francois Damphousse, g, Moncton (QMJHL) 25. Dallas -- Brenden Morrow, lw, Portland (WHL) 26. Colorado -- Kevin Grimes, d, Kingston (OHL) Round Two 27. Boston -- Ben Clymer, d, Minnesota (WCHA) 28. Carolina (from San Jose) -- Brad DeFauw, lw, North Dakota (WCHA) 29. Los Angeles -- Scott Barney, c, Peterborough (OHL) 30. Philadelphia (from Toronto) -- Jean-Marc Pelletier, g, Cornell (ECAC) 31. N.Y. Islanders -- Jeff Zehr, lw, Windsor (OHL) 32. Calgary -- Evan Lindsay, g, Prince Albert (WHL) 33. Tampa Bay -- Kyle Kos, d, Red Deer (WHL) 34. Vancouver (from Carolina) -- Ryan Bonni, d, Saskatoon (WHL) 35. Washington -- Jean-Francois Fortin, d, Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 36. Vancouver -- Harold Druken, c, Detroit (OHL) 37. Montreal -- Gregor Baumgartner, c, Laval (QMJHL) 38. New Jersey (from Ottawa) -- Stanislav Gron, c, Bratislava (Slovakia) 39. Chicago -- Jeremy Reich, c, Seattle (WHL) 40. St. Louis -- Tyler Rennette, c, North Bay (OHL) 41. Edmonton -- Patrick Dovigi, g, Erie (OHL) 42. Calgary (from St. Louis) -- John Tripp, rw, Oshawa (OHL) 43. Phoenix -- Juha Gustafsson, d, Kieko Espoo (Finland) 44. Pittsburgh -- Brian Gaffaney, d, Northern Iowa (USHL) 45. Anaheim -- Maxim Balmochnykh, lw, Lada Togliatti (Russia) 46. N.Y. Rangers -- Wes Jarvis, d, Kitchener (OHL) 47. Florida -- Kristian Huselius, lw, Farjestad (Sweden) 48. Buffalo -- Hendrik Tallinder, d, AIK (Sweden) 49. Detroit -- Yuri Butsayev, c, Lada Togliatti (Russia) 50. Philadelphia -- Pat Kavanagh, rw, Peterborough (OHL) 51. Calgary (from New Jersey via Carolina) -- Dmitri Kokorev, d, Moscow Dynamo (Russia) 52. Dallas -- Roman Lyashenko, c, Yaroslavl (Russia) 53. Colorado -- Graham Belak, d, Edmonton (WHL) Round Three 54. Boston -- Mattias Karlin, c, Modo (Sweden) 55. Colorado (from San Jose via St. Louis) -- Rick Berry, d, Seattle (WHL) 56. Florida (from Los Angeles) -- Vratislav Cech, d, Kitchener (OHL) 57. Toronto -- Jeff Farkas, c, Boston College (Hockey East) 58. Ottawa (from New Jersey) -- Jani Hurme, g, TPS Turko (Finland) 59. N.Y. Islanders -- Jarrett Smith, c, Prince George (WHL) 60. Calgary -- Derek Schutz, c, Spokane (WHL) 61. Tampa Bay -- Matt Elich, rw, Windsor (OHL) 62. Philadelphia (from Carolina) -- Kris Mallette, d, Kelowna (WHL) 63. Boston (from Washington) -- Lee Goren, rw, North Dakota (WCHA) 64. Vancouver -- Kyle Freadrich, lw, Regina (WHL) 65. Montreal -- Ilkka Mikkola, d, Karpat (Finland) 66. Ottawa (from New Jersey) -- Josh Langfeld, rw, Lincoln (USHL) 67. Chicago -- Mike Souza, lw, New Hampshire (ECAC) 68. Edmonton -- Sergei Terkovich, d, Las Vegas (IHL) 69. Buffalo (from St. Louis) -- Maxim Afinoganov, rw, Dynamo Moscow (Russia) 70. Calgary (from Phoenix) -- Erik Andersson, c, Denver (WCHA) 71. Pittsburgh -- Josef Melichar, d, Budejovice (Czech Republic) 72. Anaheim -- Jay Legault, lw, London (OHL) 73. N.Y. Rangers -- Burke Henry, d, Brandon (WHL) 74. Florida -- Nick Smith, c, Barrie (OHL) 75. Buffalo -- Jeff Martin, c, Windsor (OHL) 76. Detroit -- Petr Sykora, c, H.C. Pardubice (Czech Republic) 77. Dallas (from Philadelphia) -- Steve Gainey, c, Kamloops (WHL) 78. Colorado (from New Jersey via St. Louis) -- Ville Nieminen, w, Tappara Tampere (Finland) 79. N.Y. Islanders (from Dallas) -- Robert Schnabel, d, Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) 80. Carolina (from Colorado via N.Y. Islanders and Calgary) -- Francis Lessard, d, Val d'Or (QMJHL) Round Four 81. Boston -- Karol Bartanus, rw, Drummondville (QMJHL) 82. San Jose (from N.Y Rangers) -- Adam Colagiacomo, rw, Oshawa (OHL) 83. Los Angeles -- Joseph Corvo, d, Western Michigan (CCHA) 84. Toronto -- Adam Mair, c, Owen Sound (OHL) 85. N.Y. Islanders -- Petr Mika, c, Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) 86. St. Louis (from Calgary) -- Didier Tremblay, d, Halifax (QMJHL) 87. Colorado (from Tampa Bay) -- Brad Larsen, lw, Swift Current (WHL) 88. Carolina -- Shane Willis, rw, Lethbridge (WHL) 89. Washington -- Curtis Cruickshank, g, Kingston (OHL) 90. Vancouver -- Chris Stanley, c, Belleville (OHL) 91. Montreal -- Daniel Tetrault, d, Brandon (WHL) 92. Calgary (from Ottawa) -- Chris St. Croix, d, Kamloops (WHL) 93. N.Y. Rangers (from Chicago via San Jose) -- Tomi Kallarsson, d, HPK (Finland) 94. Edmonton -- Jonas Elofsson, d, Farjestad (Sweden) 95. Florida (from St. Louis) -- Ivan Novoseltsev, rw, Krylja Sovetov (Russia) 96. Phoenix -- Scott McCallum, d, Tri-City (WHL) 97. Pittsburgh -- Alexandre Mathieu, c, Halifax (QMJHL) 98. St. Louis (from Anaheim via Colorado) -- Jan Horacek, d, Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) 99. Los Angeles (from N.Y. Rangers) -- Sean Blanchard, d, Ottawa (OHL) 100. Calgary (from Florida) -- Ryan Ready, lw, Belleville (OHL) 101. Buffalo -- Luc Theoret, d, Lethbridge (WHL) 102. Detroit -- Quintin Laing, lw, Kelowna (WHL) 103. Philadelphia -- Mikhail Chernov, d, Yaroslavl (Russia) 104. New Jersey -- Lucas Nehrling, d, Sarnia (OHL) 105. Dallas -- Marc Kristofferson, w, Mora (Sweden) 106. St. Louis (from Colorado) -- Jame Pollock, d, Seattle (WHL) Round Five 107. San Jose (from Boston) -- Adam Wittel, rw, Erie (OHL) 108. Tampa Bay (from San Jose) -- Mark Thompson, d, Regina (WHL) 109. Tampa Bay (from Los Angeles) -- Jan Sulc, c, Litvinov (Czech Republic) 110. Chicago -- Benjamin Simon, c, Notre Dame (CCHA) 111. Toronto -- Frantisek Mrazek, c, Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic) 112. Tampa Bay (from N.Y. Islanders) -- Karel Betik, d, Kelowna (WHL) 113. Calgary -- Martin Moise, lw, Beauport (QMJHL) 114. Vancouver (from Tampa Bay) -- David Darguzas, lw, Edmonton (WHL) 115. N.Y. Islanders (from Carolina) -- Adam Edinger, c, Bowling Green (CCHA) 116. Washington -- Kevin Caulfield, rw, Boston College (Hockey East) 117. Vancouver -- Matt Cockell, g, Saskatoon (WHL) 118. Montreal -- Konstantin Sidulov, d, Chelybinsk (Russia) 119. Ottawa -- Magnus Arvedsson, f, Farjestad (Sweden) 120. Chicago -- Peter Gardiner, rw, RPI (ECAC) 121. Edmonton -- Jason Chimera, c, Medicine Hat (WHL) 122. Montreal (from St. Louis) -- Gennady Razin, Kamploops (WHL) 123. Phoenix -- Curtis Suter, d, Spokane (WHL) 124. Pittsburgh -- Harlan Pratt, d, Prince Albert (WHL) 125. Anaheim -- Luc Vaillancourt, g, Beauport (QMJHL) 126. N.Y. Rangers -- Jason McLean, g, Moose Jaw (WHL) 127. Florida -- Pat Parthenais, d, Detroit (OHL) 128. Buffalo -- Torrey DiRoberto, c, Seattle (WHL) 129. Detroit -- John Wikstrom, d, Lulea (Sweden) 130. Chicago (from Philadelphia) -- Kyle Calder, c, Regina (WHL) 131. New Jersey -- Jiri Bicek, w, HC Kosice (Slovakia) 132. Dallas -- Teemu Elomo, w, TPS Turko (Finland) 133. Colorado -- Aaron Miskovich, c, Green Bay (USHL) 134. N.Y. Rangers -- Johan Lindbom, w, HV-71 (Sweden) Round Six 135. Boston -- Denis Timofeev, d, CSKA Moscow (Russia) 136. N.Y. Rangers (from San Jose) -- Michael York, c, Michigan State (CCHA) 137. Los Angeles -- Richard Seeley, d, Prince Albert (WHL) 138. Toronto -- Eric Gooldy, lw, Detroit (OHL) 139. N.Y. Islanders -- Bobby Leavins, lw, Brandon (WHL) 140. Calgary (from N.Y. Islanders) -- Ilga Demidov, d, Dynamo (Russia) 141. Edmonton (from Tampa Bay) -- Peter Sarno, c, Windsor (OHL) 142. Carolina -- Kyle Dafoe, d, Owen Sound (OHL) 143. Washington -- Henrik Petre, d, Djurgarden (Sweden) 144. Vancouver -- Matt Cooke, lw, Windsor (OHL) 145. Montreal -- Jonathan Desroches, d, Granby (QMJHL) 146. Ottawa -- Jeff Sullivan, d, Halifax (QMJHL) 147. Chicago -- Heath Gordon, lw, Green Bay (USHL) 148. Vancouver (from Edmonton) -- Larry Shapley, d, Weiland (Jr. B) 149. St. Louis -- Nicholas Bilotto, d, Beauport (QMJHL) 150. Los Angeles -- Jeff Katcher, d, Brandon (WHL) 151. Phoenix -- Robert Francz, lw, Peterborough (OHL) 152. Pittsburgh -- Petr Havelka, lw, Sparta Praha (Czech Republic) 153. Tampa Bay (from Anaheim) -- Andrei Skopintsev, d, TPS Turko (Finland) 154. N.Y. Rangers -- Shawn Degagne, g, Kitchener (OHL) 155. Florida -- Keith Delaney, c, Barrie (OHL) 156. Buffalo -- Brian Campbell, d, Ottawa (OHL) 157. Detroit -- B.J. Young, rw, Red Deer (WHL) 158. Philadelphia -- Jordon Flodell, d, Moose Jaw (WHL) 159. New Jersey -- Sascha Goc, d, Schwenningen (Germany) 160. Dallas -- Alexei Timkin, w, Yaroslavl (Russia) 161. David Aebischer, g, Fribourg (Switzerland) Round Seven 162. Boston -- Joel Trottier, rw, Ottawa (OHL) 163. San Jose -- Joe Dusbabek, rw, Notre Dame (CCHA) 164. Philadelphia (from Los Angeles) -- Todd Fedoruk, lw, Kelowna (WHL) 165. Toronto -- Hugo Marchand, d, Victoriaville (QMJHL) 166. N.Y. Islanders -- Kris Knoblauch, lw, Edmonton (WHL) 167. Calgary -- Jeremy Rondeau, lw, Swift Current (WHL) 168. Tampa Bay -- Justin Jack, rw, Kelowna (WHL) 169. Carolina (from Philadelphia) -- Andrew Merrick, c, Michigan (CCHA) 170. Tampa Bay (from Washington) -- Eero Somervuori, w, Jokerit (Finland) 171. Vancouver -- Rod Leroux, d, Seattle (WHL) 172. Montreal -- Ben Guite, rw, Maine (Hockey East) 173. Ottawa -- Robin Bacul, w, Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) 174. Chicago -- Jerad Smith, d, Portland (WHL) 175. N.Y. Rangers -- Johan Holmqvist, g, Brynas Gavle (Sweden) 176. Edmonton -- Kevin Bolibruck, d, Peterborough (OHL) 177. St. Louis -- Ladislav Nagy, c, Kosice (Russia) 178. Anaheim (from Philadephia via Phoenix) -- Tony Mohagen, lw, Seattle (WHL) 179. Pittsburgh -- Mark Moore, d, Harvard (ECAC) 180. Boston -- Jim Baxter, d, Oshawa (OHL) 181. Anaheim -- Mat Snesrud, d, Northern Iowa (USHL) 182. N.Y. Rangers -- Mike Mottau, d, Boston College (Hockey East) 183. Florida -- Tyler Palmer, d, Lake Superior State (CCHA) 184. Buffalo -- Jeremy Adduono, rw, Sudbury (OHL) 185. Tampa Bay -- Samuel St. Pierre, rw, Victoriaville (QMJHL) 186. Detroit -- Mike Laceby, c, Kingston (OHL) 187. Edmonton (from Philadelphia) -- Chad Hinz, c, Moose Jaw (WHL) 188. New Jersey -- Mathieu Benoit, rw, Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 189. Dallas -- Jeff McKercher, d, Barrie (OHL) 190. Toronto (from Colorado) -- Shawn Thornton, rw, Peterborough (OHL) Round Eight 191. Boston -- Antti Laaksonen, lw, Denver (WCHA) 192. San Jose -- Cam Severson, lw, Prince Albert (WHL) 193. Los Angeles -- Jay Kopischke, lw, Northern Iowa (USHL) 194. Toronto -- Russ Bartlett, c, Phillips-Exeter (US High School) 195. Carolina -- Niklas Nordgren, lw, Modo (Sweden) 196. N.Y. Islanders -- Jeremy Symington, g, Petrolia (Jr. B) 197. Montreal (from Calgary) -- Petr Kubos, d, Vsetiv (Czech Republic) 198. Tampa Bay -- Shawn Skolney, d, Seattle (WHL) 199. Carolina -- Randy Fitzgerald, lw, Detroit (OHL) 200. Washington -- Pierre-Luc Therrien, g, Drummondville (QMJHL) 201. Vancouver -- Denis Martynyuk, lw, CSKA Moscow (Russia) 202. Montreal -- Andrei Sidyakin, lw, N/A (Russia) 203. Ottawa -- Nick Gillis, rw, Cushing Academy (US High School) 204. Chicago -- Sergei Shikhanov, rw, Lada Togliatti (Russia) 205. Edmonton -- Chris Kerr, d, Sudbury (OHL) 206. St. Louis -- Bobby Haglund, lw, Des Moines (USHL) 207. Phoenix -- Alex Andreyev, d, Weyburn (Tier II) 208. Pittsburgh -- Andrew Ference, d, Portland (WHL) 209. Anaheim -- Rene Stussi, c, Thurbau (Switzerland) 210. N.Y. Rangers -- Andrew Proskurnicki, lw, Sarnia (OHL) 211. Florida -- Doug Schueller, d, Twin Cities (USHL) 212. Buffalo -- Kamil Piros, c, Chemopetrol Litvinov (Czech Republic) 213. Detroit -- Steve Wilento, c, Prince Albert (WHL) 214. Philadelphia -- Marko Kauppinen, d, JYP Jyvaskyla (Finland) 215. New Jersey -- Scott Clemmensen, g, Des Moines (USHL) 216. Dallas -- Alexei Komarov, d, Yaroslavl (Russia) 217. Colorado -- Doug Schmidt, d, Waterloo (USHL) Round Nine 218. Boston -- Eric Van Acker, d, Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 219. San Jose -- Mark Smith, c, Lethbridge (WHL) 220. Los Angeles -- Konrad Brand, d, Medicine Hat (WHL) 221. Toronto -- Jonathan Hedstrom, w, Skelleftea (Sweden) 222. N.Y. Islanders -- Ryan Clark, d, Lincoln (USHL) 223. Calgary -- Dustin Paul, rw, Moose Jaw (WHL) 224. Tampa Bay -- Paul Comrie, c, Denver (WCHA) 225. Carolina -- Kent McDowell, rw, Guelph (OHL) 226. Washington -- Matt Oikawa, rw, St. Lawrence (ECAC) 227. Vancouver -- Peter Brady, g, Powell River (Tier II) 228. Montreal -- Jarl-Espen Ygranes, d, Furuset (Norway) 229. Ottawa -- Karel Rachunek, d, ZPS Zlin (Czech Republic) 230. Chicago -- Chris Feil, d, Ohio State (CCHA) 231. Edmonton -- Alexandre Fomitchev, g, St. Albert (Tier II) 232. St. Louis -- Dmitri Plekhanov, d, Mizhnekamsk (Russia) 233. Phoenix -- Wyatt Smith, c, Minnesota (WCHA) 234. Pittsburgh -- Eric Lind, d, Avon Old Farms (US High School) 235. Anaheim -- Tommi Degerman, w, Boston University (Hockey East) 236. N.Y. Rangers -- Richard Miller, d, Providence (ECAC) 237. Florida -- Benoit Cote, c, Shawinigan (QMJHL) 238. Buffalo -- Dylan Kemp, d, Lethbridge (WHL) 239. Detroit -- Greg Willers, d, Kingston (OHL) 240. Philadelphia -- Par Styf, d, Modo (Sweden) 241. New Jersey -- Jan Sorinko, N/A, N/A 242. Dallas -- Brett McLean, c, Kelowna (WHL) 243. Colorado -- Kyle Kidney, lw, Salisbury (US High School) 244. St. Louis -- Marek Ivan, lw, Lethbridge (WHL) 245. Colorado (from Boston) -- Stephen Lafleur, d, Belleville (OHL) 246. Boston (from Colorado) -- Jay Henderson, lw, Edmonton (WHL) --------------------------------------------------------------- 1997 NHL Entry Draft -- Player Profiles --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Joe Thornton, c, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) Born: July 2, 1979, London, Ontario 6-4, 198 lbs., Shoots left. Drafted by Boston Bruins Scouting Report An excellent skater with a powerful stride, explosive speed, and strong balance... able to deceive opponents through rapid changes of pace... possesses exceptional puckhandling skills... has a unique vision of th eice and is able to create and find the open spaces... is a powerful shooter and an accurate passer who knows exactly when they should be used... an opportunist around the net... a finesse player who possesses a tremendous amount of aggression... will face up to any challenge and has the ability to dominate a game... is mentally tough and holds an excellent attitude towards the game... an unselfish player with a very strong work ethic... a team leader. 2. Patrick Marleau, c, Seattle (WHL) Born: September 15, 1979, Swift Current, Saskatchewan 6-2, 190 lbs., Shoots left. Drafted by San Jose Sharks Scouting Report An outstanding skater with quick acceleration and speed...uses his speed to jump on loose pucks... a power forward who is a threat every time he has the puck... likes to handle the puck... has excellent stickhandling skills... with soft hands, is effective on the power play as well as killing penalties... has incredible instincts... a competitive player who scores big goals for his team... gets involved physically... does not run players over but is not afraid to go into traffic... will always take a check to make a play... his focus is on skating and scoring... has the ability to play an excellent two-way game... he reads the game and reacts accordingly. 3. Olli Jokinen, c, IFK Helsinki (Finland) Born: December 5, 1978, Kuopio, Finland 6-2, 198 lbs., Shoots left. Drafted by Los Angeles Kings Scouting Report An offensive minded player with excellent hockey sense... has the ability to make big things happen... he is a very confident and creative player with an extremely high skill level... he is a playmaker and a solid, accurate passer... he has a very good attitude towards the game and is eager to learn... he is a hard competitor and very determined to succeed... he is very unselfish and a good team player. 4. Roberto Luongo, g, Val d'Or (QMJHL) Born: April 4, 1979, St-Leonard, Quebec 6-3, 181 lbs., Catches left Drafted by New York Islanders Scouting Report Is a butterfly goaltender... has an outstanding butterfly form... he takes advantage of his size both on his feet and in the butterfly... he sets up with a big upright stance while he covers the lower net with big pads and fast legs... he relies heavily on the butterfly but keeps his body upright taking away the upper net... he is very quick and well balanced and is able to recover from scrambles extremely fast... he maintains a good position in the net and is excellent at covering the angles... he has solid control of rebounds and can handle shots equally from his feet or the butterfly... he has an exceptional glove and is very tough to beat in tight... he has an excellent level of concentration and is very focused... he is very patient and displays a very precise sense of timing... he plays with maturity and tremendous poise... he has the potential to be a solid franchise goaltender. 5. Eric Brewer, d, Prince George (WHL) Born: April 17, 1979, Vernon, British Columbia 6-3, 195 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by New York Islanders Scouting Report An excellent skater with good speed and lateral movement... is able to move the puck well... has the ability to be an offensive force and can rush the puck end to end... has good hands and a hard, accurate shot... he is a two way player who quickly adapts from defensive to offensive situations... very strong in the defensive zone... a solid competitor who is very consistent in his overall play... has a strong physical presence and uses his size to his advantage... possesses a very good work ethic and desire to improve... a strong leader. 6. Daniel Tkaczuk, c, Barrie (OHL) Born: June 10, 1979, Toronto, Ontario 6-0, 190 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Calgary Flames Scouting Report A very good skater with speed and stamina... A very good skater with speed and stamina... gifted around the net and score or set up a play in all game situations... works hard in both ends of the ice... has a very high skill level... is a very creative playmaker and a tenacious penalty-killer... when forechecking, he creates turnovers for scoring opportunities... a good face-off man... outstanding hockey sense... he doesn't know the word "quit"... always involved, not shy in a physical game... he plays hard and is willing to pay the price to gain the puck... a leader and consistent player. 7. Paul Mara, d, Sudbury (OHL) Born: September 7, 1979, Ridgewood, New Jersey 6-4, 186 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Tampa Bay Lightning Scouting Report Is a very smooth and powerful skater with excellent speed... he is very mobile for a big defenseman... takes advantage of his long reach when checking... has very good puck skills and can effectively move the puck up the ice... likes to join the offensive rush... is an excellent point shot... plays with authority in the defensive end and possesses a unique ability to anticipate the play... he is used in all game situations and receives a lot of ice time... can play both right and left defense effectively... he successfully takes out the opponent without emphasizing aggression... he is a very mature player who gets the job done... he has excellent stamina and a strong desire to win... an excellent worker with leadership qualities. 8. Sergei Samsonov, lw, Detroit (IHL) Born: October 27, 1978, Moscow, Russia 5-8, 184 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Boston Bruins Scouting Report An excellent skater with a smooth, quick stride... outstanding agility and balance... is able to change direction quickly... elusive with a fast first step... he maneuvers very well in tight spaces... an outstanding offensive player who sees the ice extremely well... he has a quick release when shooting and is very capable of scoring picturesque goals... he is very aware of his defensive responsibilities... he is a very competitive player who plays with poise and maturity... he has an outstanding ability to regain his composure and resume play after being knocked down. 9. Nick Boynton, d, Ottawa (OHL) Born: January 14, 1979, Toronto, Ontario 6-2, 210 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Washington Capitals Scouting Report A strong skater who moves well in all directions with exceptional balance... as great vision on the ice... excellent knowledge of the game... has good hands and passes the puck on the tape most of the time... moves the puck quickly to his forwards... can also carry it cut of his end effectively... shoots the puck hard and accurately from the point... has quick reaction to any situation... is used in all aspects of the game... plays with poise and confidence... plays the body with authority... excels one-on-one... has a good physical presence on the ice... throws his weight arcund when needed... possesses great stamina... is a good all-around player. 10. Brad Ference, d, Spokane (WHL) Born: April 2, 1979, Calgary, Alberta 6-3, 185 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Vancouver Canucks Scouting Report A good skater with mobility... very good lateral movements and a said bade wands skater... possesses good puckhandling skills and passes well... he has a very hard and very accurate point shot... he is a good two-way player who likes to get involved in the play... an excellent bodychecker who thrives on the physical game... extremely aggressive in front of the net and punishes opponents along the beards and in the corners... he is a tough competitor who will initiate a challenge... has a good attitude towards the game. 11. Jason Ward, c-rw, Erie (OHL) Born: January 16, 1979, Chapleau, Ontario 6-2, 184 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Montreal Canadiens Scouting Report A strong skater who is hard to knock off balance... has a wide skating stride... is used in all game situations... has very good strength... is also used on right wing... is most effective when playing a physical game... has very good skills and hockey sense... uses his long reach well in one-on-one situations... exemplifies a power forward with his style of play... uses his size effectively... a very good competitor... a good team player... his intimidating physical style creates scoring opportunities... can handle himself if challenged... improving agility and quickness could enhance his overall performance. 12. Marian Hossa, c, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia) Born: January 12, 1979, Stara Lubovna, Slovakia 6-1, 187 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Ottawa Senators Scouting Report Plays his position well... has excellent hands and scoring skills... possesses fine instincts in one-on-one situations ... a natural scorer with a wide selection of shots ... is a fast skater with fine acceleration... has a knack for scoring big goals... needs to work on his defensive game. 13. Daniel Cleary, lw, Belleville (OHL) Born: December 18, 1975, Carbonear, Newfoundland 6-0, 203 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Chicago Blackhawks Scouting Report A smooth skater who can pull away from an opposing player... one of the better stickhandlers in this year's draft... turns defensemen inside out one-on-one... uses the point effectively when other areas to pass are closed... can score with a variety of shots... dangerous in close when opposition is attempting to tie him up... a good competitor... doesn't initiate physical play but doesn't hide when it occurs... has the character and ability to succeed in big games... need to be more consistent... worked hard at turning all aspects of his game around after a slow start this season. 14. Michael Riesen, lw, Biel-Bienne (Switzerland) Born: November 4, 1979, Aarrberg, Switzerland 6-2, 185 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Edmonton Oilers Scouting Report A fine two way player with great attitude and dedication to the game... works hard and is effective close around the net... a natural scorer with very good hockey sense ... not afraid on the ice, can give and take a big hit... a key player for the surprising Swiss team at the European World junior Championships. 15. Matt Zultek, lw, Ottawa (OHL) Born: March 12, 1979, Windsor, Ontario 6-4, 218 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Los Angeles Kings Scouting Report A smooth skater with good balance and has an excellent burst of speed... creates scoring opportunities by cutting hard to the net... possesses good, soft hands... passes the puck accurately... has a tremendous shot but needs to use it more... excels at deflecting pucks around the net... carries the puck very well... has an excellent physical presence on the ice... plays his position well... strong and tough in the corners and along the boards... takes a hit to make a play... will not be intimidated... has good desire and attitude. 16. Ty Jones, rw, Spokane (WHL) Born: February 22, 1979, Richland, Washington 6-3, 210 lbs., Shoots right Drafted by Chicago Blackhawks Scouting Report A strong skater with good speed and acceleration... has very strong balance and is hard to knock off the puck... he is a power forward with good hands around the net... a solid passer and a strong puckhandler... he takes advantage of his size and strength and enjoys the physical game... he is a strong checker... he is usually first to e puck and possesses the size to protect it... he is primarily an offensive player... has the desire to improve. 17. Robert Dome, rw-c, Utah/Long Beach/Las Vegas (IHL) Born: January 29, 1979, Skalica, Slovakia 6-0, 214 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins Scouting Report He is a very good skater with a powerful stride and excellent acceleration... he has good outside speed who sees the ice well and is always first to the puck... he has a strong shot with a fast release... he is a strong backchecker who responds well to play transitions... he is strong in the corners and along the boards... he goes to the net well and is able to find the open spaces to receive a pass... he is a good competitor who plays with a mature poise despite his young age in an older league. 18. Mikael Holmqvist, c, Djurgarden (Sweden) Born: June 8, 1979, Stockholm, Sweden 6-3, 189 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Anaheim Mighty Ducks Scouting Report An excellent playmaker who can create scoring chances for himself and his teammates... has very good hands... is a smart, clever player on the ice... needs to learn how to use his size... could improve his shot... needs to be more active on the ice. 19. Stefan Cherneski, rw, Brandon (WHL) Born: September 19, 1978, Winnipeg, Manitoba 6-0, 183 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by New York Rangers Scouting Report A deceptive skater with exceptional puckhandling skills... is able to read and react to all situations... a solid passer with an excellent shot and a quick release... is extremely effective on special teams... a fierce competitor who will sacrifice for his team and his teammates... an excellent two-way player who displays desire and discipline. 20. Mike Brown, c, Red Deer (WHL) Born: April 27, 1979, Surrey, British Columbia 6-5, 185 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Florida Panthers Scouting Report Is a good skater with a good stride and balance... handles the puck well... capable of making the soft pass in tight quarters... can score in goal mouth scrambles because he is tough to move... he has deceiving hands and is a good defensive player... a very solid bodychecker who finishes his check with authority... mean and nasty... is a good competitor who contributes at both ends of the ice... needs to play at a high intensity level more consistently... room for improvement on his shot and has to improve his speed off the mark... played all three forward positions this year but was most effective at center. 21. Mika Noronen, g, Tappara (Finland) Born: June 17, 1979, Sweden 6-1, 191 lbs., Catches left Drafted by Buffalo Sabres Scouting Report Saw limited action in Finland. 22. Nikos Tselios, d, Belleville (OHL) Born: January 20, 1979, Oak Part, Illinois 6-4, 187 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Carolina Hurricanes Scouting Report Has a very wide skating stride and had better than average agility... likes to jump into the offensive rush and has a good ability to read the play... is a good point man on the power-play - knows when to shoot and when to look for an alternative... has a good reach for stick-checking... is not an overly physical player preferring to ride an opponent into the boards or corners... in his rookie year of major junior, learned as the season progressed how to compete at this level... adapted well to major junior hockey... a real competitor for the puck in the corners ... needs to improve his acceleration and backwards skating. 23. Scott Hannan, d, Kelowna (WHL) Born: January 23, 1979, Richmond, British Columbia 6-1, 210 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by San Jose Sharks Scouting Report Is a strong skater... when he gets the room he can rush the puck effectively... takes the puck wide and to the net well... can handle the puck well in all situations... a very good passer who hits the open man... can go end-to-end... has a hard wrist and slap shot... plays with poise and confidence... a good competitor who plays very steady.... not overly aggressive but will get involved... at times tries to do too much in his own end... he has been very consistent in his overall play... a team player with a good work ethic. 24. Jean-Francois Damphousse, g, Moncton (QMJHL) Born: July 21, 1979, St-Alexis-des-Monts, Quebec 6-0, 146 lbs., Catches left Drafted by New Jersey Devils Scouting Report He is a butterfly style goaltender... relies heavily on the butterfly for most shots. using the paddle down technique in tight... has a good set-up and a strong stance... he is excellent at reading the play and anticipating the shots, especially through traffic... possesses a great sense of timing and moves into the shots very well... he moves very smoothly and has an excellent transition to the butterfly from his feet is very strong at angling and effectively closes down the net... is strong at controlling shots and rebounds with his pads and stick... has a very strong glove hand and excellent quickness... he is an intense competitor yet plays with a very cool demeanor... he is a clutch goaltender and is a valuable asset in tight situations. 25. Brenden Morrow, lw, Portland (WHL) Born: January 16, 1979, Carlisle, Saksatchewan 5-11, 196 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Dallas Stars Scouting Report Very strong on his skates and hard to knock off balance... he has good handling skills and plays with a unique creativity... he has a very hard and accurate shot with a quick release... he enjoys the physical aspect of the game and is an excellent checker... he is very strong and refuses to be moved from in front of the net... he is a very determined player with a very strong work ethic... he is a consistent two way player and is very effective on special teams... he is an unselfish player who will sacrifice for his team. 26. Kevin Grimes, d, Kingston (OHL) Born: August 19, 1979, Ottawa, Ontario 6-2, 202 lbs., Shoots left Drafted by Colorado Avalanche Scouting Report He is a good skater with a long, smooth stride with strong balance and fair mobility... he is good in one-on-one situations and doesn't get beaten very often... he has a good, low, accurate shot from the point... he is very effective on the penalty-killing unit... he is a very aggressrve player who punishes his opponents in front of net and in the corners... must learn to control his emotions and use better judgement and timing to prevent unnecessary penalties. --------------------------------------------------------------- Johnny Cullen Update --------------------------------------------------------------- by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief As avid readers of LCS: Guide to Hockey know, Johnny Cullen, our hero and the idol of millions from eight to eighty, is currently battling Lymphoma, a form of cancer. The good news is that Cullen is progressing extremely well with his treatment. He has undergone four chemotherapy sessions without complication and has two more left to go. Doctors remain optimistic for a full recovery. Naturally, fans everywhere have been writing to Cullen to offer support. Since he is our hero, we here at LCS were quick to send Johnny a package of get well gifts. We didn't expect anything in return. We just wanted to be there for our hero, and the idol of millions from eight to eighty. Then, just this past week, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a card from Cullen in the mail thanking us for our support. Cullen and the Lightning have put together quite the swell thank you note to give to the many fans that sent letters. Of course, Johnny, being the great guy that he is, even went further out of his way to write "Thank you for the gifts!" on our envelope. The note and envelope will soon be framed and hung in a place of honor at the LCS offices with a spotlight illuminating it for all the world to see. Even though things appear to be going well, we ask that everyone keep Cullen in their thoughts until he makes a full recovery. But we're confident he'll come through. After all, he's our hero for a reason. If you'd like to offer your support to good ol' Johnny Cullen, you can send letters to: Johnny Cullen c/o Tampa Bay Lightning The Ice Palace 401 Channelside Drive Tampa, FL 33602 Or you can also leave a message for him at this special web site set up in his honor, entitled We Care John (http://members.aol.com/WeCareJohn/WeCareJohn.html). --------------------------------------------------------------- Rupp's: Official Hockey Supplier of LCS Guide to Hockey --------------------------------------------------------------- People write us all the time and ask where they can get the best hockey jerseys and equipment at fair prices. Our answer is always the same... "Go to Rupp's, Kenny!"... unless, you know, their name's not Kenny... then we replace "Kenny" with the name of the person asking. It's a simple formula, really. Yes, Rupp's Hockey and Inline Equipment is the official hockey supplier of LCS: Guide to Hockey. With two locations in the Pittsburgh area, Rupp's is the best source for all your hockey equipment needs. When we need jerseys or equipment, we go to Rupp's. So should you. What, you don't live near Pittsburgh? No problem! Rupp's has an excellent and reliable mail-order business. You can score a free catalogue by visiting their web site at www.rupps.com Thank you very much. --------------------------------------------------------------- World Domination Update, Vol.2 No.25 --------------------------------------------------------------- by LCS: guide to hockey World Domination ain't easy, it takes time. You know, it took Don Knotts, the star of the Andy Griffith Show, years to reach stardom. So how can we complain. Here is a recap of the latest from the offices of LCS Guide to Hockey... Vacation Time With the conclusion of the hockey season, LCS Hockey will not publish issues during the month of July. Our next issue will be published in mid-August. Until that time, keep an eye on the web extra for updates on NHL transactions and major news stories. During our off-season, the LCS Hockey web site will also be undergoing a complete overhaul. Starting next season, LCS Hockey will have a new-and-improved look, additional areas, and more valuable information for you, our valued readers. If you have an idea that could improve the LCS Hockey web site, please send your comments to zippy@psu.edu. Have a bitchin' summer. LCS Hockey Celebrates Three Years On June 15, LCS Hockey celebrated three years of hockey reporting madness. Yes, it's been three years. Three long years. Some would even consider it a wasted three years. Sure, we have a classic t.v. spokesman and a retarded space goat mascot...but what have we really accomplished by our efforts to inform the hockey loving masses? Probably nothing. Because of this troubling realization, the staff of LCS Hockey will mourn the passing of three years with many a bottle of cheap wine. We ask that you, our valued readers, do the same. Also feel free to send gifts. We love gifts. LCS Hockey on America Online...Update Our America Online area is now back online. It took a while, but it is back. To access our AOL area, use keyword "LCS Hockey" or "LCS". If you access our site on AOL, you will find many exclusive features not available on our web site. We provide daily recaps of NHL contests and news in the new Daily Extra section. If you like exclusive weekly columns, we offer those, too. Our AOL coverage is the perfect compliment to our web-based content. In addition to the new content, we also offer message boards and a chat room on AOL. On our message boards, you can post your thoughts on various topics including current NHL events, the Hartford Whalers, John Cullen and waffles. Also be sure to take part in our chat room. Each week night, members of the LCS Guide to Hockey staff will host chats on various topics. These topics are only suggestions, we prefer to run our chat room as an open discussion where thoughts flow without hinderance. So, talk about whatever you want. Here is the current chat schedule: AOL Chat Schedule Monday - Pez Addiction 11:00 PM to Midnight EST Tuesday - Tribute to Donuts 11:00 PM to Midnight EST Wednesday - Breakfast Cereals Midnight to 1:00 AM EST Thursday - Beer: Bottled Joy 1:00 AM to 2:00 AM EST Friday - Don Knotts Midnight to 1:00 AM EST If hockey comes up during our discussion, so be it. We hope to see you online. 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 "NOT" to make your search even more productive. Is that a smart search engine or what? LCS: The Announcement List Do you want to be reminded of future issues of LCS? If so, sign up for the LCS Announcement List by sending an e-mail message to zippy@psu.edu. The list will 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 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON CAPITALS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ================================================================= TEAM REPORTS ================================================================= WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION ----------------------------------------------------------------- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- CALGARY FLAMES ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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! ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ============================================================================= lcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohockeylcsguidetohoc =============================================================================