Hockey Newsletter - Feb. 11, 2000
Post All-Star Blues
"The world is too much with us..."
...and North America didn't win a thing. But is it really surprising? The players who represent "the World" at the All-Star game come from hockey programs that encourage skating, puck-handling, passing, finesse. The North American hockey training method is to have kids play as many games and tournaments as they possibly can to give them real game experience. So it's no wonder that the World won the skills competition -- in spite of some beautiful skating by Phil Housely and stellar puck control by Ray Bourque -- and won the Game itself. The All-Star game isn't a "real game experience." So when we saw Lindros, LeClair and Roenick all wind up to make big hits, they lost a step and an edge by pulling back. This wasn't their game, and the final score reflects that.
The competition brought the league's new rules to the front again, and there is speculation that the NHL may move to a 4-on-4 scenario in the future. Watching skilled players have more room to roam may be Bettman's way of getting hockey into the mainstream US psyche. It's wide open. It's exciting. And CTVSportsnet.com's Steve Milton has something to say about that:
"Jaromir Jagr and Pavel Bure both supported the 4-on-4 notion during All-Star week, but in the NHLPA each of them has exactly the same number of votes as a fourth-line winger: one. The union -- my, they're silent these days, aren't they? -- would figure that 4-on-4 would reduce the number of jobs, but we don't know that for sure. It might, conversely, require more intense skating, and therefore more substitutions and the same-size roster as today's. If it didn't, it wouldn't be worth it, would it?
Anyway, it's not necessarily the number of jobs that would change, but the KIND of jobs: 'faster, more skilled, more creative,' the job descriptions would read."
Read more of Steve Milton's article at:
(retired link)
The Russian Pocket Rocket?
Seeing Pavel Bure and his little brother Valeri light up the Air Canada Centre last week may have Panthers owner Wayne Huizenga licking his chops. Wouldn't Valeri look good in a Panthers sweater on a line with the Russian Rocket? Huizenga wants another winner in Florida. His Dolphins bowed out of the NFL postseason with their fins between their legs, and after the fire sale he had with his baseball stars after the Marlins won the World Series, he decided to sell the whole team altogether.
The Panthers may not need another sniper; the team is looking solid this year, with every line contributing. But the Russian Pocket Rocket might just bring consistency to Pavel's game (he's been great, then he's been invisible) and a bigger reason to win the big prize (wouldn't mum and dad be thrilled?)
A tandem of Bures would bring a lot of excitement back to the hockey sunbelt... remember the rats in the 1996 finals? And the Flames might be looking for some experience to push them back into playoff contention. Are we just starting another trade rumour? Probably. But the big question is, what will Anna Kournikova do with another Bure in Miami?
Who's hot...
* The Dallas Stars. Remember when they were at the bottom of the hotter than hot Pacific division? (Remember when the Pacific Division was THE division?) Well like a shooting star, Dallas has come out of nowhere to light up the western hockey sunbelt. They've done it quietly with consistent solid play from all their lines. They've done it over a couple of months when Derian Hatcher, Shawn Chambers, Darryl Sydor, Brian Skrudland, Jamie Langenbrunner, Joe Nieuwendyk, Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen have all missed substantial time because of injuries. So were we a little early in writing them off as last year's news?
Who's not...
* The Ottawa Senators. Maybe all the whining and politicking from owner Rod Bryden has finally become a distraction for the team. How long can you play well when you're constantly under the threat of a move? The Sens have only won 2 of their last 10 games... remember, they were the top team in the East last year. Maybe now would be a good time for the team to make the Yashin move... shore up for another playoff run. It's obvious the guy isn't going to play for the capital city squad again and has "no regrets." So why not make the Big Trade™ and move out of the CTVSportsnet.com doghouse?
And if you missed Yashin's comments from the swanky Swiss Alps, you can find them here:
(retired link)
In the corners
Nice to see a slew of old fashioned hockey injuries making a comeback in this wild and wacky era of the groin. Remember the good old days when Bobby Orr was done in by his knees, or Cam Neely's knee was blown out by an awful hit? Ah yes, it was a time when players' shoulder pads were made of leather, not titanium, leading to dislocated joints and bruised shoulders. We'd like to salute some modern-day players who are bringing the old game back in style. So this week's CTVSportsnet.com's injury list is called:
"Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Kenny Jonsson - Head
Peter Forsberg - Concussion
Joe Nieuwendyk - Shoulder
Saku Koivu - Shoulder Surgery
Cory Stillman - Shoulder Surgery
Marty McSorley - Shoulder
Trevor Kidd - Shoulder
Shawn Chambers - Knee
Mike Richter - Knee
Vladimir Malakhov - Knee
Felix Potvin - Knee
Grant Fuhr - Knee
Damien Rhodes - Knee/ Ankle
Jere Lehtinen - Ankle
Todd Reirden - Broken Foot