While thereis still another couple of months or so left on the NHL regularseason schedule, it seems congratulations are in order to allof you.
It's certainlybeen a while since your respective teams have done this well.Indeed, when the season began, no one - other than a handful ofdie-hards - would've predicted the Blackhawks and Bruins wouldbe battling for first overall in their respective conferences.
The lastseveral years haven't been very good to your respective clubs,members of the once-elite "Original Six". I'm sure you'rereally enjoying the change in your teams fortunes.
And forgood reason! Your teams are not only two of the biggest surprisesin this wacky 2001-02 season, they're also a lot of fun to watch.The main reason for this, of course, is the style of game bothclubs are playing.
The Blackhawks,thanks to new head coach Brian Sutter, have employed a very simpleapproach to this season: out-work the other guy. Sutter had usedthis approach previously in Calgary, but the club he had thenwas still young and developing and consequently, prone to mistakes.All he needed was a club with a good mix of veterans and youthto buy into his game, and he found just that club in the 'Hawks.
Meanwhile,the Bruins have seemingly made a return to the good old days ofthe 1970s and the "Big Bad Bruins". That's not to saycoach Robbie Ftorek's bunch aren't working hard, but there's anasty aggressive edge to their game that hasn't been seen in Bostonsince disco was king. It's certainly been a contributing factorto the Bruins rise this season.
Anotherreason why your teams are fun to watch is their offensive game.Boston and Chicago are deep in offensive talent, the 'Hawks withTony Amonte, Alexei Zhamnov, Steve Sullivan and rookie Kyle Calder;the Bruins with Sergei Samsonov, Bill Guerin, Glen Murray andBrian Rolston.
Poweringboth offensive engines have been two players who have emergedas genuine forces this season. In Chicago, Eric Daze, and in Boston,Joe Thornton. Both have had to overcome adversity to become thestars they are today.
Up untillast summer, Daze was perhaps one of the most hated Blackhawkplayer ever, derisively nicknamed "Daisy" by you Chicagofans for his soft game. You Bruins fans, on the other hand, weremore patient with Thornton, the golden boy of the 1997 draft,but there was talk prior to this season that, while he was goingto be a good NHL player, he wasn't going to develop into the superstarBoston management believed he would be.
I'm bettingno one in Beantown or the Windy City is deriding either playernow. Daze and Thornton are presently among the top ten scorersin the NHL, both sitting within four points (as of this writing)of Calgary's Jarome Iginla for the lead.
I agreewith you it's a sin neither player was selected to play for TeamCanada in the 2002 Olympics, but to be fair to Wayne Gretzky andhis management team, nobody would've picked these two for theOlympics prior to the start of this season. Rest assured, they'llend on on Canada's 2006 squad (if the NHL still wants to participatein the Olympics by then) should they continue their fine play.
Lookingat the defence corps of both clubs, there isn't a Norris contenderto be found. Yet they're perhaps two of the hardest working bluelinesquads in the NHL. Hiring Sutter was a boon for Chicago's BorisMironov, another 'Hawk who was once so despised, you Chicago fanswere screaming for him to be traded last summer. "Bo-bo"has flourished playing for Sutter, as has Phil Housley, pluckedoff the waiver wire from Calgary. "Phil the Thrill"played for Sutter in Calgary, and is obviously enjoying the experienceagain. Perhaps the biggest impact player was low-cost free agentpickup Jon Klemm. His leadership, experience and strong defensiveplay has helped turn around a defence that was one of the worstin the league last season.
In Boston,your're lacking a good offensive blueliner in the mold of a Housleyor Mironov, and a season-ending injury to Kyle McLaren will hurtin the long run, but the Bruins are making do regardless. Theonce inconsistent Hal Gill has been steady on the blueline, veteranfree agent acquisition Sean O'Donnell has been a model of consistency,and Nick Boynton is having a good rookie campaign. An overallstrong team defence has also contributed to overcoming a lackof depth on the their blueline.
Sometimesoverlooked in the success of the Blackhawks and Bruins this seasonhas been the calibre of their starting goaltenders. After seeingtwo seasons cut short with knee injuries, Boston's Byron Dafoehas had a healthy and productive season. While his stats aren'tas strong as they were back in 1999 when Dafoe was considereda Vezina candidate, there's no question the Bruins play betterknowing "Lord Byron" is in goal.
The BlackhawksJocelyn Thibault probably won't get a Vezina nod with his 2.48GAA and .901 SP (as of this writing). Quite frankly, the 'Hawksand their fans could care less. The scrawny netminder has beena workhorse for Chicago, currently leading the NHL in wins with28 and games played with 49. He will probably win 40 games thisseason, a career high, and may have a shot at the NHL record of47.
Barringthe unforeseen, both clubs should easily make the playoffs thisseason. While nobody is seriously considering them to be Cup contenders,I'll wager those of you who cheer for these guys take comfortin the fact nobody seriously expected your teams to be playoffcontenders at the start of the season, too.
There'sa lot of good to cheer about with both teams. There are also areasof concern, too. Please understand, Bruins and Blackhawks fans,I'm not trying to rain on your parade with what I'm about to say.I'm merely pointing out that, once the euphoria of this seasonhas passed, there are problem areas that will need to be addressed.
First andforemost, there a lack of depth in goal. Dafoe and Thibault areplaying well, but their respective backups leave a lot to be desired.Boston's John Grahame has not developed into the challenger forDafoe's role as starting goaltender. As for Thibault, there'sa very good reason why he's played so many games. Namely, thereis a lack of confidence in backup Steve Passmore. While Dafoeand Thibault claim to relish their heavy workloads, fatigue willbecome a factor throughout the remainder of the season and intothe playoffs.
The Bruinshave an additional worry, that being their blueline. They so desperatelywant a quality puck-moving blueliner, they even contacted retiredformer Bruin Ray Bourque to inquire about a possible comebackin Boston. Instead, they're left with giving former Bruin andunrestricted free agent Gord Murphy a try-out. That doesn't bodewell for your hopes of a sustained Cup run this season.
There isalso the issue of Tony Amonte and Bill Guerin, two free agents-to-bewho in all likelihood won't be back next season. The strong playof both your teams this season has left your respective GMs witha dilemma. Do they hang onto both guys for the playoffs and risklosing them for nothing in July? Or do they trade them and riskupsetting team chemistry heading into the playoffs?
Finally,there's the respective front offices of both your clubs. The ownersof the Bruins and Blackhawks have well-earned reputations foran unwillingness to spend the money to retain their better players.Over the years both teams have seen popular stars traded away,due in no small part to the front office hierarchy not wishingto pony up the bucks to keep them.
In Boston,they take it one step further, as every year they force theirrestricted free agents into protracted holdouts that not onlyadversely affects the club's on-ice performance, but leaves bitterfeelings amongst the players toward management and ownership.
In Chicago,despite their strong season, they're having trouble attractingfans. Many of you Blackhawks faithful been turned off by yearsof lousy hockey and owner Bill Wirtz's high ticket prices andhis stupid decision to black out the televising of Blackhawksgames in the Chicago area.
Once theafter-glow of this season has faded, both your clubs face a summerof potential uncertainty. Two key veterans will be gone, otherkey players will be up for new contracts, and they'll have toaddress the aforementioned weak spots on their respective rosters.This could dramatically affect any possible improvement for nextseason. What they do this summer will determine if your teamsare ready to take the next step.
For youBoston fans, it could send a cold shiver of remembrance down theirspines. In the summer of 1999, most hockey publications had theBruins as potential Cup contenders. You Bruins fans know whathappened next. Contract disputes and injuries conspired to sinkthem. Is this what's in store for both of your clubs next season?
Whetheryour teams can properly address these potential problem areasremain to be seen. For now, they're months away. What mattersnow is the fact both your teams have emerged, not just as playoffclubs after several years of mediocrity, but as serious challengersfor the Stanley Cup, in my opinion.
So I concludethis letter to you Bruins and Blackhawks fans by wishing yourrespective teams continued success the rest of the way. It's goodto see these clubs riding high in the standings again. Enjoy theride this season, and let's hope your team's management hierarchydoesn't do anything to screw them up this coming summer!
Readingthe latest hockey-related news of the past several weeks, I'mbeginning to wonder about the collective sanity of some of thepeople involved in the sport.
Perhapsit's the time of year that's bringing about some of the crazybehaviour. It's late January, and a lot of us are facing the winterblahs, as well as the post-holiday depression when the creditcard bills come rolling in.
Whateverthe reason, there's been a genuine strain of what reknowned gonzojournalist Hunter S. Thompson would call "full-blown weirdness"working it's way into the hockey news.
Take, forinstance, the recent sale of the Ottawa Senators to a US-basedfinancial group. Everyone cheers it as a great move, one thatwill allow the Sens to finally have the funds to remain a competitiveteam. Best of all, the franchise will remain in Ottawa.
Wonderfulnews, right? Sure it is. But I'm left puzzled as to why the saleof the Senators to a US-based ownership is touted as a great thing,yet last year, the Canadian media went overboard with hysteriawhen the Montreal Canadiens were sold to an American. Despitethe assertations the club would never leave Montreal by incomingowner George Gillett and former majority owner, Molson's, theCanadian press wailed and gnashed their collective teeth aboutthe sale being a dark day for Canadian professional hockey.
So it'sa national tragedy when one Canadian team is American-owned, butit's okay for another Canadian club to be owned by a Yank? Thatwouldn't be a double-standard, would it? Or perhaps the Senatorsjust don't merit the same type of warmth in the co*ckles of theheart as the Habs do?
Perhapsit's not so shocking in 2002 for a Canadian team to have Americanownership as it was in 2001? Or maybe it was just much ado aboutnothing in the first place?
Then there'sthe increase of eye injuries suffered by NHL players. The mostrecent to be stricken was St. Louis winger Scott Young, who requiredsurgery to re-attached the retina in one of his eyes, and GaryRoberts of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Surely thesescary injuries, where the two players in question came withina whisker of losing the sight in their injured eyes permanently,would convince them to wear visors from now on? Surely it wouldconvince them to speak to the Player's Association about makinga ruling to make visors mandatory for all NHL players?
I didn'thear what Young had to say on the subject, but Roberts said hisinjury wouldn't force him into wearing a visor.
Time andagain, we keep hearing players, including those who suffer seriouseye injuries, say they won't wear visors. They claim the visorsrestrict their vision, that they fog up, that they're uncomfortableand adversely affects their performance.
Funny, butrecently retired defenceman and Hall-of-Fame shoo-in Ray Bourquehad a stellar 22 year career wearing a visor. Didn't seem to affecthis performance too much.
The reasonwhy there is such reluctance to visors, of course, stems fromthe macho attitude that such protection is for the weak, thatonly wimps and puss*es wear visors. A visor, you see, is perceivedas less than manly in the ultra-macho world of pro hockey.
In otherwords, it's a good thing to be a stupid blind player whose careerwas prematurely cut short than a smart one with perfect visionand a long career in the NHL.
Want furtherproof the NHL is run by nut-bars? How about having an All-StarGame weekend a couple of weeks prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics?And on Super Bowl weekend, to boot!
The playerschosen for both the Olympics and the All-Star game don't wantit. The compressed schedule this season has been tiring enough.They'd like to have a little bit of time to rest up before theOlympics commence. Some of those chosen for the All-Star game,like Toronto's Curtis Joseph and Dallas's Mike Modano, hintedthey might consider skipping the event altogether.
Fear grippedNHL headquarters! What if they gave an All-Star Game, but onlyaverage joes showed up to play? Horrors! No one would wanna plunkdown their hard-earned cash for over-priced tickets and concessionsfor that! Well, that just wouldn't do!
So the leaguecirculated a warning letter, letting those players who were chosento participate in the All-Star soiree they were contractuallyobligated to participate, and if they didn't , they'd face finesand possible suspension.
Bear inmind, now, that the current Collective Bargaining Agreement isdue to expire at the end of the 2003-04 season. Don't think thissituation won't be remembered by the NHLPA when it comes timeto sit down with the league hierarchy to hammer out a new deal!
Speakingof the All-Star game, how about using the process of letting thefans vote for the starting lineups for the North American andWorld teams?
An ideathat had it's heart in the right place nevertheless was exploitedby groups of fans of certain teams who had a lot of time on theirhands and access to lots of computers.
Reportslast week observed the selection of San Jose Sharks forward OwenNolan and Teemu Selanne to their respective All-Star team rosters,when neither player is among the top 25 in scoring. This cameat the expense of more worthy players, such as Chicago's JocelynThibault, Philadelphia's Kim Johnsson and Minnesota's Marian Gaborik.Evidently, there was ballot-stuffing going on by certain fansof the Sharks, who openly bragged about how many people in theirlittle groups voted thousands of times and otherwise abused thesystem.
The NHLAll-Star game was already a sad joke. These folks merely emphasisedthe fact.
And howabout the compassion shown to Peter Forsberg by the hockey media?
The Avalanchestar centre decided, rightfully so, to take time off from thisseason to rest up a body ravaged in recent years by injury, aswell as a ruptured spleen suffered during last spring's playoffs,which required emergency surgery.
During thattime, speculation abounded amongst fans and media as to when Forsbergmight make his return. Nothing wrong with that. But the mediamusings were tinged with doubts as to the seriousness of the Swede'sdesire to rest his body. There were dark mutterings as to thehuge contract the Avalanche were paying Forsberg while he sathome in Sweden. There were even suggestions Forsberg, one of thetoughest two-way forwards in the league, was trying to milk theAvs for all he could get, that he wasn't willing to put in theeffort to earn his big salary.
But lo!January brought reports of "Peter the Great's" imminentreturn to Colorado, to re-join the Avs prior to the Olympics.Suddenly, the dark thoughts were dispelled. All talks of contractsand hints of Forsberg "faking it" were shoved aside.He was coming back. His NHL team would benefit, and so would theSwedish Olympic team.
However,the comeback was dashed, when an MRI conducted by the Avalancheteam doctor revealed Forsberg had tendon damage in one foot, requiringsurgery to repair. He would be out for at least four months, possiblylonger.
What wasthe media's response? Were they concerned for Forsberg's health?Did they hope he'd make a speedy recovery? Did they feel sorryfor him at all?
Well, afew in the press did. Most, however, were more interested in howthis would affect his current contract with the Avalanche. It'stouching, in this jaded day and age, to see compassion such asthis!
And whileI'm on the subject of the media, did anyone catch the articlewritten a month ago in the Toronto Sun after Canadian Olympichockey GM Wayne Gretzky announced the roster for Team Canada atthe Salt Lake City winter games?
In writingof his hopes that Team Canada 2002 would put an end to Canada'sfifty-year gold medal drought in Olympic hockey, the writer comparedthe hockey team to those brave Canadian soldiers of the Firstand Second World War and the Korean Conflict and their battlefieldvictories.
Now I canunderstand feeling patriotic about your country's gold medal hopesin international sporting events. I can sympathize with my countrymen'srecent inferiority complex regarding our place in the hockey world.
But comparinga hockey team to those who fought and died for Canada in the majorconflicts of the 20th century? There is no comparison! Those whowent to war did so for ideals they were willing to die for. Theyleft behind their families, their friends, their homes to go toforeign climes and face death on a daily basis.
In the Olympics,we're sending a bunch of spoiled, over-paid multi-millionairesto Salt Lake City to play a child's game in hopes of reclaimingbragging rights as that sport's top nation. Hardly the same thing!
Somebodyneeds to hire a new copy editor at the Toronto Sun.
Ah, butthe weirdness isn't limited to the National Hockey League. Takea recent court case involving the playing of street hockey inthe streets of Hamilton.
An elderlylady, an immigrant to Canada, was upset that the neighbourhoodboys were trampling her lawn and flower beds in pursuit of strayhockey balls during their street hockey games. She politely askedthe lads several times to either be more careful, or to move theirgame further down the street.
When theboys refused, she asked their parents if they would do somethingabout it. Probably because she was an immigrant and elderly, theyrefused to listen.
She callsthe city police to break up the games, but they shrug and tellher that as long as the boys aren't obstructing traffic, or otherneighbours aren't complaining, there isn't much they can do.
So she checksout the city by-laws, and discovers there's something on the booksthat prohibits games and sports being played on the city streets.She takes the parents of the boys to court.
The mediaseizes the story, and next thing we know, this poor woman, whomerely wanted her property to be left undisturbed, is attackedby the press. She was pilloried for daring to object to the fineCanadian tradition of street hockey.
When I wasyounger, I too played street hockey. Only we didn't play it inthe street, but in the local schoolyard. Why? Because our parentsdidn't want us out on the street where we might not only be anobstruction to traffic and a nuisance to our neighbours, but -get this - they were also worried we might get hit by a car!
Can youimagine? Parents who gave a damn about their children's safety,the feelings of their neighbours, and the local laws. Pity wedon't see more of that nowadays.
Oh, by theway, the elderly lady lost her case. And what's the lesson thosekids learned? Be an asshole and you'll always get your way. Yes,it was a proud day for hockey in Canada!
Weirdnessand insanity isn't always laughable or annoying or rude. Sometimes,it's dark and sad, with no winners.
Such wasthe recent court proceedings of what the catch-phrase happy folksat CNN dubbed "the Hockey Dad Trial".
The trialcame about from the beating death in Massachusetts in July 2000of a pee-wee hockey official named Michael Costin by hockey dadThomas Junta. The reason for the altercation that led to Costin'sdeath? Junta was upset over the way Costin was running a pee-weegame in which Junta's son was participating, as well as Costin'syoung sons.
Followingdeliberation, Junta was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.Sentencing is to follow, and while the maximum penalty for hisactions is 20 years in prison, most believe Junta will receiveone-to-three years.
No one emergesa winner from this sad affair. The Costin children face life withouta father. The Junta children face life with a father in prison,a convicted felon. Even when he's served his time, Junta willbe forever tarred with having caused the death of another humanbeing. Lives destroyed over a parental disagreement in a pee-weehockey game.
What's amazingis that we haven't seen or heard of more incidents like this.Not all hockey parents, or parents who support their children'ssporting activities, are raging, obnoxious buffoons. But a lotof them are, and statistics have shown their numbers are rising.
So what'sthe answer to combatting potentially lethal violent behaviourfrom hockey parents? How does one address the obnoxious attitudeof street hockey kids and their parents? How should hockey reportersget a grip on their emotions before publishing embarassing articlesthat threaten their credibility. How do one get a grip and fightthe weirdness that has raised it's ugly head?
By rememberingone very simple thing: hockey is just a game. That's all. Justa game.
Sure, it'sfun to get involved in it. It's exhilirating to get caught upin the emotions of it. It's enjoyable to watch and play.
But it'sonly a game, people.
It's notworth losing an eye over. It's not worth heightening labour tensionsbetween the professional players and their bosses. It's not worthcheating for. It's not worth comparing to war heroes, nor is itworth adding to a nation's anxiety complex. It's not worth givingup decency and compassion. Most of all, it's not worth dying over.
It's justa game.
We'd allbe better off to remember that.
THE VISORARGUMENT REVISITED: One would've thought NHL players might getthe hint it's a good idea to wear visors in today's game, afterseeing Bryan Berard's career nearly cut short by an eye injuryin March 2000. One would think the rise in near-misses of eyeinjuries, most notably to Toronto's Mats Sundin and then-MontrealCanadien Martin Rucinsky this season, would make players realizethe importance of ensuring their eyes were protected.
Accordingto the NHL, the number of players wearing visors is on the rise,which, to quote Martha Stewart, is a good thing. What isn't agood thing is the number of players who refuse to wear one. Theseguys claim the visor "restricts their vision", thatit's "uncomfortable to wear". Even Sundin suggestedhe might ditch his new visor, despite coming within a whiskerof suffering the same fate as his former teammate Berard.
Much hasbeen made of the fact the increase in facial injuries, notablyaround the eyes, is due to the increase in uncalled highstickingpenalties. There's justification for making this assessment, butuntil the league does something to eradicate this problem, playershave to be responsible to ensure their sight is protected.
Indeed,even if the league eliminated high-sticking, there would be enoughaccidental contact, as well as the fact a flying puck can suddenlyricochet into a player's face, to warrant making visors mandatory.
However,the NHL Players Association refuses to consider such an option.There remains a stupid macho stigma about visors, that those whowear them are somehow less manly, less courageous. There are thosewho even suggest wearing visors simply encourages high-sticking.
There'san old infantry saying that comes into play when responding tothis. It goes, "there's a thin line between hard and stupid".Just how manly and courageous would these players feel, havingtheir careers ended by a serious eye injury? How macho is it tobe blind in one, or both eyes, for the rest of your life? Whichwould be more uncomfortable, boys? Wearing a visor? Or being blinded,your career cut short, and bearing the burden for the rest ofyour life that your stupidity did you in?
It's timefor the league and it's players to drop the macho posturing andemploy common sense.
ROY WINSHIS 500TH: Colorado Avalanche netminder Patrick Roy continuesto make his mark on the NHL record books, recently winning his500th career game.
As impressiveas that is, Roy is also making an attempt to win his fourth Vezinatrophy, the first in ten years. He currently sits atop the leagueleader board in wins, goals-against average and save percentage.
TSN's BobMcKenzie recently suggested Roy may consider retiring at the endof this season, having reached the milestone of 500 wins. Don'tbelieve it. Despite being in his late-thirties, Roy is showingno signs of packing it in. While 500 victories is an impressivemark, part of what drives him is to make his records unattainablefor his rivals, such as New Jersey's Martin Brodeur, to reach.
As longas the competitive fires burn in Roy, and he retains the physicalability to back up that fiery intensity, he'll continue playingfor a long time.
And don'tthink not being made the de facto starter for Canada's 2002 Olympichockey team hasn't stoked that fire. Again, what was Team CanadaGM Wayne Gretzky thinking in making this guy compete for the starter'sjob?
COULD SABRESSLUMP BRING A COACHING CHANGE? One of the most puzzling storiesthis season has been the poor play of the Buffalo Sabres. Considereda lock for a playoff berth last fall, the Sabres (as of this writing)sit six points out of the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.
Observersclaimed the reason for this was the departure last summer of all-worldgoalie Dominik Hasek, dealt to the Detroit Red Wings for an inconsistent,and now injured, Slava Kozlov and draft picks. However, that doesn'ttell the whole story.
While goaltenderMartin Biron has struggled at times, he's still posting up decentnumbers. They're still playing the same defensive style that wassuccessful in the past, with much of the same cast. The Sabresproblem, much like last season but on a larger scale, is theirlack of offensive production. This is puzzling, as the Sabrespossess decent offensive talent in Miro Satan, JP Dumont, MaximAfinogenov and Stu Barnes.
The factis, since their strong performances in 1998 and 1999, which sawthem make two trips to the Eastern Conference finals and pushingthe Dallas Stars to six games in the '99 Stanley Cup finals, theSabres have flat-lined. They bowed out meekly in the opening roundseries against the Flyers in 2000, and failed to put away thePittsburgh Penguins in their second round series last year.
This season,the Sabres are playing uninspired hockey. While the depaturesof Hasek, and former heart-and-soul captain Michael Peca, do havebearing on this, the main reason is head coach Lindy Ruff hasbeen unable to motivate his charges as he could in years past.
It justdoesn't make sense for this team, with the talent it possesses,to be playing as poorly as they have. Blaming it on the absenceof Hasek isn't addressing the issue, it's merely camouflagingit. Ruff may be a local hero in Buffalo for how he turned aroundthe Sabres in the late-90s, but it now appears his players aretuning him out.
If the Sabresfail to make the playoffs this season, don't be surprised if Ruffgets the axe.
FLEURY LOSINGIT. At the risk of sounding crass, is part of Theo Fleury's rehabfrom substance abuse to act like an ass on the ice?
Fleury hasalways been one of the league's peskier players, and that hardedge to his talented play has earned him the praise of teammatesand the wrath of opponents. Lord knows, everyone is pulling forhim to overcome the personal demons that led him into substanceabuse.
But despitehis apparent triumph over his off-ice problems, Fleury is makingit harder for folks to respect him. He's crying the referees areout to get him. He's gone overboard in antagonizing opponents,the most infamous moment being his "chicken-dance" directedat NY Islanders tough-guy Eric Cairns for refusing to fight Fleury'steammate, Sandy McCarthy, earlier this season. He's lost his temperon more than one occasion during the course of a game, the resultof which has him sitting third amongst the league's penalty-minuteleaders.
His loose-cannonact went too far when he was ejected from a recent Rangers-SanJose Sharks game. The Sharks mascot, "Sharkey", playfullytaunted Fleury, who allegedly responded by bumping the mascotand knocking him down. The mascot sustained a rib injury, andRangers GM Glen Sather had to step in and smooth things over.
The latestcame in a recent game against Pittsburgh, when Fleury stormedoff the ice with less than 8 minutes remaining in the game, afterbeing assessed his third slashing penalty of the game. He showered,dressed and had boarded the team bus by the time his teammatesfinished the game and was unavailable for comment. A Rangers spokesmansaid Fleury has upset over an off-ice personal matter that wasunrelated to his rehab for substance abuse.
One couldalmost understand these antics if Fleury were a young kid tryingto make his mark in the league. But he's in his mid-thirties,been in the league 14 seasons, potted over 400 goals and 1000points, earned a Cup ring and automatic invitations to internationaltournaments involving Canadian professionals.
It's onething to be talented and driven by competitive fury. It's anotherto have that fury overcome your talents. Fleury has skills aplenty,and his battle against substance abuse must be applauded, buthis immaturity is getting the most headlines this season.
Grow up,Theo!
ANOTHERCONCUSSION FOR LINDROS: Meanwhile, Fleury's teammate, Eric Lindrosrecently suffered the seventh concussion of his career.
Lindrosand the Rangers tried to dismiss the fears of the New York fansand press by saying it was a "very mild concussion".Lindros proclaimed he felt fine, the Rangers insisted their bringingin a specialist from Montreal to examine him was precautionary,and everyone involved said it was best to allow Eric time to recuperate,to be "on the safe side".
The scarything about this, however, is Lindros didn't get his bell rungby a brutal head shot in the same way he suffered his six previousconcussions. Instead, he got it by laying out a hit on a San JoseShark player in a recent game. No part of the opponent's bodytouched Lindros's head in the collision, and the Big E himselfwasn't knocked to the ice. This time, it was an average bodycheckthat brought about a self-imposed concussion on Lindros.\
It shoulddrive home the point that the talented Lindros is playing on borrowedtime. He was away from the game for an entire season. Many thought- or hoped - the rest would make him less susceptible to concussions.Yet, barely half-way through this season, a less than rigourouscheck, laid out by himself, brought about a mild concussion.
This shouldbe sending up a red flag to all concerned, especially Lindros.But he and the Rangers seem happy to dismiss this as flippantlyas one would dismiss a head cold.
Pride goethbefore a fall, as the old saying claims, and Lindros's pride issetting him up for a major one. He wants to fulfill the loftygoals expected of him since he was a Junior sensation. He wassupposed to dominate this game, the vaunted "Next One"to carry the torch handed down from Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.He was supposed to accumulate countless individual accolades andawards, and most importantly, lead a team to the Stanley Cup.He has addeded incentive to do this for the NY Rangers, as itwould be a slap in the face of his former GM and tormentor, Philadelphia'sBob Clarke. He wants to prove his critics wrong.
But hisbody isn't letting him do it. While one can admire his determination,one also wonders if such desires are worth risking serious, permanentinjury.This latest bell-ringer is a warning. The next one couldbe much worse.
Rememberthe image of Lindros getting nailed in the 2000 playoffs, hittingthe ice like a sack of potatoes, out cold? You may just see thatsickening sight repeated, but this time, the consequences couldbe much worse for Eric Lindros.
TEAM CANADAAT WORLD JUNIORS: Canada's loss to Russia in the 2002 World JuniorChampionship is bound to cause anxious hand-wringing among somejournalists, who'll trot out the loss as yet another example ofthe problems in Canadian hockey.
Yes, thereare problems in Canada's minor hockey system that must still beaddressed. Youngsters in the Canadian system face playing schedulesalmost as gruelling as NHL stars. Many are forced to leave homebefore their sixteenth birthdays to pursue their hopes of havinga professional hockey career. They have to endure bullying coacheswho stress winning above the teaching of fundamental skills, aswell as obnoxious, demanding parents. It's becoming more expensiveto put kids into minor hockey, and other interests, such as computers,and sports such as soccer and basketball, are having more of apull on today's youth than in years past. Add this up and it'sno wonder the number of Canadian kids involved in minor hockeyhas been declining.
These problems,however, had nothing to do with Canada's defeat in the 2002 WJC.Indeed, this year's edition was one of the best teams Canada hadsent to the tournament in several years, as those who selectedthe roster wisely went with speed and talent, rather than slow-footedcheckers and grinders that were selected in recent years.
Put simply,Team Canada's goaltender, Pascal Leclaire, who has a bright futureahead of him, had an off-game, and the Russians - no slouchesthemselves in the talent department, who themselves have problemswith their system to address - capitalized.
It was atribute to the talent of Team Canada 2002 that they played aswell as they did in the tournament, and in the gold medal game,which was one of the most exciting performances in WJC history.The presence of such talent should give hope to those who fearfor the future of Canada's minor hockey system.
With the2001-02 season now half-over, it's time to rate the teams andsee how well each is doing.
ANAHEIMMIGHTY DUCKS: The Ducks woes continue. They've shown little improvementfrom their weak start, and it doesn't appear they're going tobe in line for a playoff berth by April. Team chairman Tony Taverserecently re-signed amid rumours of Disney seeking a buyer forthe franchise, and speculation abounds as to whether or not GMPierre Gauthier will still have a job by season's end. Worse,there are reports team captain Paul Kariya is getting fed up andmight demand a trade by this summer.
ATLANTATHRASHERS: Barring a miracle, the Thrashers have no chance ofmaking the post-season. They possess the worst record in the leagueand sit in the bottom of the league standings. Their goaltendingand defense are awful, and their veteran forwards have struggled.However, there are a couple of reasons to be optimistic abouttheir future. First, rookies Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk arenot only leading all rookie scorers, they're also leading theThrashers in scoring. Second, should they finish dead-last asprojected, theThrashers are a lock for the first overall pick,which will probably be highly touted blueline prospect Jay Bouwmeister.
BOSTON BRUINS:Thanks to the goaltending of Byron Dafoe and the continuing improvementof young stars Joe Thornton, Sergei Samsonov and Brian Rolston,the Bruins have surged to the top of the standings in the EasternConference. Some observers now believe the Beantowners have anexcellent shot at finishing first overall in the Conference. Thetrade status of impending free agent Bill Guerin hasn't been adistraction, and many feel the Bruins will hang onto him for theplayoffs. One area of concern, however, is their blueline, whichstill lacks a quality offensive defensem*n. It also took a hitwhen oft-injured Kyle McLaren was lost for the next three monthswith a wrist injury. If they can address this problem area, theBruins could be a team to watch in the 2002 post-season.
BUFFALOSABRES: With the talent level this club possesses, it's puzzlingas to why they're in danger of falling out of playoff contention.While Dominik Hasek's departure last summer has left a void, abig problem is the team has gotten away from the strong team gamethey used to play. They possess genuine offensive talent in MiroSatan, Stu Barnes, Maxim Afinogenov and JP Dumont, but they'renot producing as hoped. There is also talk of a lack of leadership,proving the now-departed Michael Peca was more valuable than previouslybelieved. While these are contributing factors, the real reasonfor the Sabres malaise is they're tuning out head coach LindyRuff. If the Sabres don't turn things around soon, not only willthe miss the playoffs, but Ruff's job could be in jeopardy.
CALGARYFLAMES: After a red-hot start that say them challenging the DetroitRed Wings for first overall in the West, the Flames have coolednoticeably. They're now struggling to hold onto one of the finalplayoff berths in the West. The reasons for the dropoff? GoalieRoman Turek's performance has fallen noticeably since November;league scoring leader Jarome Iginla's torrid pace has cooled off;injuries have struck their blueline core, and they've gotten awayfrom the strong team game preached by head coach Greg Gilbert.Calgary has the talent to be a playoff club, but they're goingto have to work hard the rest of the way to ensure their strongstart wasn't for nothing.
CAROLINAHURRICANES: It's about time hockey fans got to know this teambetter, because they're going to be a perennial playoff club overthe next few years. Following a late-November slump that threatenedto send them into a tailspin, as well as placed Paul Maurice'stenure as head coach in jeopardy, the 'Canes bounced back witha strong performance in December. Thanks to comeback kid Tom Barrasso'sgoaltending, the emergence of Sami Kapanen as a true offensiveforce, and the continued strong play of veterans Ron Francis andRod Brind'Amour, the Hurricanes are sitting among the top fourclubs in the Eastern Conference. Barring a late-season meltdown,the 'Canes could be looking at their best regular season performancein years.
CHICAGOBLACKHAWKS: Amazing what the right coach can do to turn arounda moribund team. Indeed, Brian Sutter's coaching has the 'Hawkssitting where no one expected them to be back in October: secondoverall in the Western Conference. Despite an average bluelinecorps and an overworked Jocelyn Thibault in goal, the Blackhawkshave been winning by utilizing their offensive speed to out-hustleand out-work their opponents. While speculation remains as towhether they'll trade impending free agent Tony Amonte, it hasn'tbeen a distraction for the resurgent Blackhawks. The only areaof concern is in goal, where it is feared Thibault might weardown from the heavy workload he's faced this season. Still, barringa major collapse, the Blackhawks seem poised to make their firstplayoff appearance since 1997.
COLUMBUSBLUE JACKETS: Give it up to the fans in Columbus, as they continueto sell out the Blue Jackets home games. It takes a hearty bunchto show that much support for a team that's doing so poorly. TheJackets simply aren't showing the type of development expectedof them in their second season of existence, particularly in comparisonto their expansion rivals, the Minnesota Wild. Put simply, theJackets just can't score, being limited to two goals or less inthe majority of their games thus far. GM Doug MacLean has a lotof work ahead of him in addressing this problem. The healthy fansupport won't be enough to get Columbus into the 2002 playoffs.
COLORADOAVALANCHE: After a uncharacteristic slow start, the Avalanchesurged back up the standings in the Western Conference. Thanksin no small part goes to goaltender Patrick Roy, who's strongplay this season has him in line for his fourth career Vezinatrophy, as well as whispers of a Hart trophy nomination. The Avsstill have room for improvement, as forwards Chris Drury, MilanHejduk and Alex Tanguay have seen their offensive production suffer.With Peter Forsberg now out for the season due to foot surgery,the Avalanche can stop waiting for him and start concentratingmore on preparing to defend the Stanley Cup.
DALLAS STARS:Much was made of the Stars seeking to improve offensively lastsummer, when they brought in free agents Pierre Turgeon, DonaldAudette, Jyrki Lumme and Valeri Kamensky. In fact, these fourhave done little to help Dallas this season. Audette and Lummewere traded, Kamensky's contract may be bought out and Turgeonhas struggled since returning from an ankle injury. Worse, theirstalwart in goal, Eddie Belfour, has not played well this season,and is in risk of losing his job as starting goalie to youngsterMarty Turco. The Stars scrapped their plans to play a more offensivegame and gone back to their grinding defensive style. They shouldmake the playoffs, but they're no longer taken seriously as Cupcontenders.
DETROITRED WINGS: The Red Wings continue to roll along as the top clubin the NHL, but there are concerns at the mid-way point. The Wingsstruggled at times in December, and they need to address theirlack of a physical presence on the blueline. Sniper Brett Hullsaw his production cool off. There are also concerns about fatiguebeing a factor, as nearly half the roster will be participatingin the Salt Lake City Olympics. The age of many of their top playerswill continue to be a cause for concern. The Wings are ridinghigh now, and are a lock for a playoff berth, but many will bewatching their performance closely over the more strenuous secondhalf.
EDMONTONOILERS: Doug who? Thoughts of the Oilers struggling without formercaptain Doug Weight have faded, as the Oilers continue to provethey're more than a one-man team. Their blueline depth is suchthere's talk of trading offensive defenceman Tom Poti, who'd bea boon on most other clubs. Up front, Anson Carter has come intohis own, and sophom*ore Mike Comrie looks like a budding superstar.They also got a shot in the arm with the early return from a brokenankle by heart-and-souler Ryan Smyth. If there is one real areaof concern, it's between the pipes. Tommy Salo has been terrificas usual, but the Oilers still haven't found a quality backupto help him share the load. It could come back to haunt them downthe stretch and into the playoffs. As things stand for now, theOilers seem headed for their best regular season finish sincethe glory days of the 1980s.
FLORIDAPANTHERS: Given the lousy start of this club, it came as no surpriseownership cleaned house by firing coach Duane Sutter and GM BillTorrey. What was a surprise was the hiring of Mike Keenan, whois proving to have more lives than a cat when it comes to coachingin the NHL. Keenan has his work cut out for him this time, inheritinga Panthers team in disarray. There is a good core of young talentto build on, such as goalie Roberto Luongo and rookie KristianHuselius, as well as superstar Pavel Bure, who's having an off-year.Unfortunately, the Cats lack experience and leadership, and arepaper-thin on the blueline. Keenan will do his best to make thePanthers work harder, but that won't overcome their problem areas,nor will it get them into the playoffs.
LOS ANGELESKINGS: A horrific start threatened to scuttle their hopes of buildingon last season's strong finish and playoff success. Thankfullyfor Kings fans, their club reversed their fortunes with a strongperformance in December, which has put the boys from Tinseltownback into the hunt for a playoff berth. The acquisition of formerBruin Jason Allison has begun to pay dividends, as he leads theKings in scoring. The return from injury of key players such asZiggy Palffy and blueliner Mathieu Schneider should further boosttheir playoff hopes. Perhaps the biggest reason for the Kingsturnaround is their improvement in goal. While starter Felix Potvinhas improved from a rough start, the strong play of backup JamieStorr has given the Kings much needed depth between the pipes.
MINNESOTAWILD: In only their second season, the Wild have made huge stridestoward respectability. GM Doug Risebrough has done a terrificjob thus far in building this club, and head coach Jacques Lemaire'sreknowned defensive system makes the Wild a tough team to playagainst. Sophom*ore forward Marian Gaborik looks to be a futuresuperstar. The combination of Gaborik and former Atlanta ThrasherAndrew Brunette have given the Wild a formidable first line offensively,and defenceman Filip Kuba is emerging as a skilled offensive defenceman.The Wild probably won't make the playoffs this season, but they'veserved notice they're a team to watch for in the near future.
MONTREALCANADIENS: Despite another season of injuries and bad luck tokey players, the Habs are hanging in there. Against all odds,they're playing .500 hockey and staying in close contention fora playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. A big reason for theCanadiens improvement this season has been the goaltending ofJose Theodore, who have given the Habs the type of netmindingthey've been missing since Patrick Roy was traded away. ForwardsRichard Zednik and rookie Mike Ribeiro are improving with eachgame, giving Montreal's struggling offense a much-needed boost.However, if Les Canadiens are to make the playoffs, they mustget more offensive production from struggling forwards Brian Savageand Yanic Perreault, and they must improve their overall defensiveplay. Otherwise, they'll miss the playoffs for the fourth straightseason.
NASHVILLEPREDATORS: The Predators are becoming a more mature hockey clubin their fourth NHL season. Few teams play their overall defensivesystem as well as Nashville. Young players such as David Legwandand Andy Delmore have shown improvement, while aging forward CliffRonning shows no signs of slowing down. However, there are problemareas the Preds must address if they're to make the playoffs thisseason. Their goaltending, which was a pillar of strength lastseason, has been shaky this season. Last year's 25-goal man, ScottWalker, remains sidelined with injury, while the remainder ofthe roster is still struggling offensively. Put simply, the Predsneed to score more and tighten up in goal if they're to have ashot.
NEW JERSEYDEVILS: Hold off on the regular season obituary! Reports of theDevils demise may be premature. The former Cup champions, whospent the first two months of the season reeling in the unfamiliarterritory of the lower half of the Conference standings, ralliedin December and have laid claim to the 8th and final playoff berth.The return to form of goaltender Martin Brodeur, and a returnto the trapping style they made infamous in the mid-90s have theDevils moving slowly but surely up the standings. However, problemsare looming for this once-mighty club. Several players, includingJason Arnott, Patrick Elias and Randy McKay, have expressed theirunhappiness regarding ice time. 2000 Calder winner Scott Gomezcontinues to struggle without a scoring winger to pass to, andthe trade status of impending free agent Bobby Holik has casta pall over the club. The Devils have the talent to make the playoffs,but if things keep up the way they have, they'll be hard-pressedto get past the first round.
NEW YORKISLANDERS: After an explosive 11-1-1-1 start, the Islanders struggledin December, and while still riding high in the Eastern Conferencestandings, there are concerns they may have to fight to hang ontoone of the final playoff berths. The reason is quite simple: theIslanders blueline has been ravaged by injury. Roman Hamrlik,Kenny Jonsson and rookie Radek Martinek have been sidelined byserious injury. Worse, the Isles defense corps lacked a strongphysical presence prior to these guys going down. The end resulthas been the Islanders losing the battles in their own end ofthe rink. There's speculation afoot of GM Mike Milbury pursuingformer Islander and current Pittsburgh Penguin Darius Kasparaitisto address this problem. If their present slump deepens, Milburymay be forced to act more quickly.
NEW YORKRANGERS: There have been many surprises to the 2001-02 season,and the play of the Rangers ranks among them. Not even considereda playoff contender at the start of the hockey year, the Blueshirtsspent most of December battling for first overall in the EasternConference. Part of the credit goes to goaltender Mike Richter,who's made a near-miraculous recovery from a serious knee injury.More credit goes to Eric Lindros, who's presence in the lineupthis season has made the Rangers a better team. However, theytoo are facing potential problem areas as the season progresses.Winger Theo Fleury has been a loose cannon this season and appearson the verge of an emotional breakdown. The lack of real depthon their blueline to compliment Brian Leetch has been catchingup to them recently. Worse, Lindros suffered a mild concussionlaying out a check in a recent game and missed four games. IfLindros gets hurt more seriously and Fleury ends up taking timeoff, the Rangers could be in trouble down the stretch.
OTTAWA SENATORS:Early in the season, the Senators looked to be missing a qualitycentre for their second line, but thanks to the surprising playof Todd White and Mike Fisher, that problem appears rectified.The Senators haven't sunk without Alexei Yashin as some believed,but they're not exactly burning up the league either. For everyplus, such as the play of White and Fisher, plus Daniel Alfredssonheading for a career season, there have been minuses, such asMarian Hossa's inability to score at home, Shawn McEachern's prolongedslump and Bill Muckalt's firing blanks. If the Sens can't gettheir act together in the second half of the season, they'll befacing another first round elimination come playoff time.
PHILADELPHIAFLYERS: The Flyers made real strides in December, moving furtherup the Eastern Conference standings, giving hope to their supportersof a big break-out in the second half. Still, there remains afeeling the Flyers, for all their talent, are having trouble gellingas a club this season. Power forward John LeClair and long-timeblueline stalwart Eric Desjardins have both struggled with injuryand inconsistent play. Keith Primeau, Brian Boucher and SimonGagne have also been bitten by the injury bug. There's no questionthe Flyers have the talent to make the playoffs, but until recently,they have not played like the dominating force everyone expectedthem to be. Giving their improvement over the past month, perhapsthey're finally rounding into form.
PHOENIXCOYOTES: More and more, the Phoenix Coyotes braintrust, headedby part-owner Wayne Gretzky, former agent Michael Barnett andassistant GM Cliff Fletcher, are looking like geniuses for dumpingtheir former star players and rebuilding with youth. Rather thanwallowing in the cellar of the Western Conference, the DesertDawgs are in the midst of the playoff hunt, playing .500 hockeyin the first half. Goaltender Sean Burke and veteran leader ClaudeLemieux deserve part of the credit, but so does workhorse defensemanDanny Markov and two-way forward Michal Handzus. If they can keepup the pace, a playoff spot is not out of the questions for theCoyotes.
PITTSBURGHPENGUINS: Despite injuries to key players, adapting to the lossof their team captain to an off-season trade, and an early-seasoncoaching changes, the Penguins hung in there during the firsttwo months of the season, battling for the final playoff spotin the East. However, there have been recent signs the strainis catching up to the Pens. They struggled badly in December,squabbles amongst players broke out, and they slipped down thestandings to 11th overall. If the Penguins are to have any chanceof making the playoffs, they'll need their captain, Mario Lemieux,to have a strong return from the hip injury that sidelined himfor several weeks. With a healthy and productive Lemieux, thePens should climb right back into the race for a playoff berth.Without him, the odds aren't good for a comeback.
ST. LOUISBLUES: The Blues are still a playoff club, and sit as of thiswriting fourth overall in the West. However, there are clear signsthat things just aren't quite right in St. Louis. Former OilerDoug Weight has struggled to find his scoring groove with hisnew club, while Cory Stillman has also battled to break out ofa scoring slump. 2000 Hart and Norris winner Chris Pronger hasplayed hurt this season, and it's adversely affected his performance.Observers feel GM Larry Pleau made too many roster changes overthe past year, with the end result being a Blues club still strugglingat mid-season to gel as a team. When the Blues made the WesternConference Finals last spring, there was talk of them taking thenext step this season and becoming serious Cup contenders. However,if they don't step up their play in the second half of the season,they'll be lucky to even reach the Conference finals this timearound.
SAN JOSESHARKS: Are they a serious contender, or aren't they? Just whenit seems the Sharks are poised for the big breakthrough expectedof them, they stumble. A slow start was seemingly erased by strongperformances in late November up through to mid-December, whichsaw flirt with second overall in the West. But as the mid-waypoint approached, the Sharks began to falter again. Given thedepth of talent on their roster, one has to wonder if the problemlies behind the bench. Darryl Sutter deserves a lot of creditfor making the Sharks a nasty team to play against, but whetherhe can take this team to the next level remains to be seen.
TAMPA BAYLIGHTNING: Written off by many as a joke, the Lightning are finallyshowing signs of promise. Rather than wallow in the league basem*ntas they've done for years, the Bolts have made noticeable improvement,so much so there's talk of making the playoffs amongst long-sufferingfans in Tampa Bay. Much of the credit for the Lightning's improvementbelongs to goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, who has been one of thetop goalies in the league after coming off a two-year hiatus.Credit also GM Rick Dudley for adding much-needed depth to theroster, although his handling of Vincent Lecavalier has left muchto be desired. It's debatable as to whether or not the Lightningcan make the playoffs this season, but for the first time, there'sreason for hope and optimism.
TORONTOMAPLE LEAFS: If the Toronto media are to be believed, this year'sversion of the Leafs may be poised to end their 35-year StanleyCup drought. They are a much deeper team than in years past ontheir forward lines, and they've played a grittier style thisseason. Captain Mats Sundin has brought in a tougher attitudeto his game, and his leadership, long a weak point, has improved.One reason for the optimism of Toronto's Cup chances is they haven'tshown signs of faltering at the mid-point as they did over thelast three seasons. As usual, they've been getting superb goaltendingfrom Curtis Joseph. But before Leafs supporters start planningtheir team's Cup route through Toronto, they should remain concernedabout the lack of depth on their team's blueline. It could, onceagain, be the main obstacle that stands between their club anda championship.
VANCOUVERCANUCKS: After such a promising improvement last season, the Canuckshave stumbled badly this season. The primary reason for Vancouver'sslump has been poor defensive play and a lack of toughness throughoutthe roster. Some of the promising youth, such as the Sedin twins,have not played up to expectations this season. GM Brian Burkehas already made three trades to improve things, bringing in experiencedleadership (Trevor Linden), a goal-scoring winger (Jan Hlavac)and depth (Trevor Letowski). Thus far, it's done little to pullthe Canucks out of their malaise. Luckily, they remain in strikingdistance of the playoffs, but they'll need to have a much improvedsecond half to make it happen.
