Hockey Newsletter - Mar. 1, 2000
Back up goalies
Martin Biron, Fred Brathwaite, Marc Denis, Brian Boucher, Jean-Sebastien Aubin, Jose Theodore. At the beginning of the season, these names didn't roll off the hockey fan's tongue very easily. Things are different now.
These young second-string goalies have taken advantage of injuries or sloppy play by icons like Hasek, Fuhr, Roy, Vanbiesbrouck, Barrasso, Hackett: big-money goalies. While fans and pundits alike are questioning the quality of play in today's NHL, goaltending never comes up. And it's really quite strange when you look at history... it used to be that when the league would expand, the number of goals scored would increase. No more. The goaltending pool is strong, and looks to be getting stronger every year. Recent back-up goalies who have done well include Olaf Kolzig, the one-time second-banana to Jim Carey. Byron Dafoe was also in the Washington system at the time. Then, of course there's this year's darling between the pipes, Roman Turek. Last year we hardly ever saw him play, as Ed Belfour was leading the Stars to the top. But this year, shooters wish they didn't have to see Turek when they face the stingy fella in the St. Louis net. So, even though we fans are feeling a little tender lately about the state of hockey, we can still feel the excitement of the game played by those kids behind the masks.
Rocket Launched
With Jagr down and out again for an extended period of time, it looks like this will be the year that the Russian Rocket will win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard scoring trophy. Teemu Selanne was the first player to have his name etched on the prize, but with Paul Kariya out of the lineup again, the Finnish Flash just ain't pottin' them like last year. As of Wednesday, Pavel Bure had 4 more goals than second place Owen Nolan, and the Panthers have played 2 fewer games than the Sharks.
But it's hard to say if winning this award will be the highlight of the Rocket's year. If you haven't heard by now, Pavel and teenage tennis star Anna Kournikova are engaged. The two Russians are neighbours in a swanky high-rise condo and have dated for months. A recent Panthers charity auction offering dinner with the couple sold earlier this month for $12,500. Really.
The CTVSportsnet.com society column will keep you posted on details of this upcoming Russian "royal" nuptial.
Who's hot...
* The Edmonton Oilers. Every year, against all the odds, Glen Sather puts together a team that isn't the BEST team in the league, but is the team that all other teams fear down the stretch. They've made it clear that they will win the Northwest Division race and start the playoffs with home ice advantage. The Oilers usually don't need this advantage, playing playoff spoilers in the past to teams like Detroit and Colorado. But with Guerin, Weight and Smyth getting the points, Grier becoming one of the league's premier checkers, and a surprising Salo keeping just about everything out of the net, we may just see them in the Conference finals this year.
* Toronto Maple Leafs' Darcy Tucker. Montreal couldn't find a place for him; they had too many players like him. Tampa Bay enjoyed him, but they needed a goal-scorer and traded him for Mike Johnson. And the fit has been perfect for the Leafs. Tucker's role in Hogtown was to be the smart, tough power forward they lacked in last year's playoffs. A guy who will deter the opposition from picking on the Leafs' finesse players. A guy who can also put the puck in the net in a pinch. And that's what he's been doing. In Toronto's skid last week, the line of Tucker, Adams and Korolev was the best in blue and white. And since the Leafs have picked it up again, Tucker has still been the best: 3 goals and 3 assists in the last 4 games, which were all wins. This guy might make the difference in the playoffs this year. (Just don't tell the Devils!)
Who's not...
* The Colorado Avalanche. Clearly these guys have no intention of winning another Stanley Cup. Okay, we can blame injuries for a lot of the team's earlier woes... but Sakic and Forsberg are healthy now, so what's the excuse? Since Forsberg has been back in the lineup, has anyone noticed? Has he even scored? A couple of years ago, the Denver ice men looked like a dynasty team. But the snow's melting, and they'll be on the golf greens by May.
In the corners
Do you suppose we'll ever have an Iron Man streak again? Or does every player in the NHL now miss a game or seven a year? Recent workhorses like Recchi, Brind'amour and Linden have all suffered injuries or pneumonia in the past year or so. We can't even figure who has the longest games-played
streak these days (no doubt the crack CTVSportsnet.com researchers will be on this like white on rice, so stay tuned!)
This week, we notice that ankle injuries are making a good showing: Paul Kariya, Damien Rhodes, Cale Hulse, Jim Cummins, Brad Isbister, Jamie Heward, Keith Tkachuk. Couple that with an onslaught of concussions (Bobby Dollas, Jay
More, Marcus Ragnarsson, Richard Zednick, and, of course, Donald Brashear), and the groin count doesn't look quite so overwhelming.
Prominent groins:
Marty McInnis
Michael Grosek
Curtis Leschyshyn
Gary Roberts
Ed Olczyk
Todd Marchant
Dan McGillis
Gino Odjick
Sandy McCarthy