LCS Hockey - More Stuff...

More Stuff...
by Michael Dell, editor-in-chief

Here's some crazy, kooky stuff about the 1998-99 season that might interest you. Then again, it might not. It's a crap shoot, really...

20 YEARS AIN'T NO JOKE
This just in... Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky, and Mark Messier are old. All three are competing in their 20th NHL season. Only 23 other men in the history of the sport have played in 20 or more campaigns. Gordie Howe holds the record, skating 26 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers.

Aside from playing 20 seasons and being old, Bourque, Gretzky, and Messier all have something else in common. Not one of them is named Keith.

OTHER PENDING MILESTONES
There are several other noteworthy milestones that might occur in the 1998-99 season. Here's a quick list. The number in parenthesis is how many goals/assists/points/wins are needed to reach the mark at the start of the season.

900 Goals
Wayne Gretzky (15)
Darcy Tucker (886)

600 Goals
Mark Messier (3)
Steve Yzerman (37)
Brett Hull (46)
Darcy Tucker (586)

500 Goals
Luc Robitaille (22)
Bernie Nicholls (25)
Darcy Tucker (486)

1,100 Assists
Paul Coffey (10)
Darcy Tucker (1,074)

900 Assists
Steve Yzerman (54)
Darcy Tucker (874)

800 Assists
Adam Oates (4)
Doug Gilmour (5)
Darcy Tucker (774)

700 Assists
Dale Hunter (12)
Darcy Tucker (674)

2,800 Points
Wayne Gretzky (5)
Darcy Tucker (2,760)

1,500 Points
Paul Coffey (27)
Ron Francis (66)
Darcy Tucker (1,460)

1,200 Points
Dino Ciccarelli (7)
Doug Gilmour (24)
Darcy Tucker (1,160)

1,100 Points
Adam Oates (28)
Darcy Tucker (1,060)

1,000 Points
Brett Hull (13)
Brian Bellows (14)
Pierre Turgeon (68)
Pat Verbeek (69)
Darcy Tucker (960)

900 Points
Joe Sakic (17)
Vincent Damphousse (20)
Kirk Muller (24)
Darcy Tucker (860)

400 Wins
Grant Fuhr (18)
Patrick Roy (20)
Darcy Tucker (400)

300 Wins
Ron Hextall (12)
Darcy Tucker (300)

BARN RAISINGS
Three new arenas will be unveiled this season.

Nashville Arena: The home of the expansion Nashville Predators will seat 16,746 for hockey. It was opened in December of 1996 when it hosted Amy Grant's Tennessee Christmas event. Dude, no joke. That's serious. Amy Grant. Tennessee Christmas. Let's take a moment to compose ourselves... Okay, let's move on.

National Car Rental Center: The Florida Panthers have a new litter box to call their own. The National Car Center will seat 19,200. That's a significant increase over the old Miami Arena's capacity of 14,703. The building itself was completed in just 25 months, making it the fastest arena construction project from start to finish in the history of the United States. That's really impressive... until you realize that the Empire State Building was constructed in just a year and 14 days. Come to think of it, that adult bookstore out the highway was built in like three weeks tops. Twenty-five months? Big whip. But if you go to the Car Rental Center, make sure to get the insurance because then you can beat the hell out of your seat all you want.

Air Canada Centre: It's sad to say, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are leaving Maple Leaf Gardens this season. They'll play 27 regular season games in the storied building before bolting for the Air Canada Centre on Saturday, February 20. The Air Canada Centre will have all the modern conveniences and luxuries of a true palace, without any of that nasty old tradition. God bless corporate greed.

IMPORTANT DATES DURING 1998-99 SEASON
October 9: 82nd NHL regular season begins.
October 26: The fourth season of Mr. Show begins on HBO.
November 16: Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Celebration (Toronto).
December 7-8: Board of Governors Meeting (Phoenix).
December 9: Governors get bailed out of jail after two days of drunken mischief.
December 26: World Junior Hockey Championship begins (Winnipeg).
January 23: NHL All-Star Saturday (Tampa Bay).
January 24: 49th NHL All-Star Game (Tampa Bay).
March 23: Trade deadline.
March 24: Jaromir Jagr meets new teammates.
April 18: End of the regular season.
April 19: Pittsburgh Penguins begin their summer vacations.
April 21: Start of Stanley Cup Playoffs (tentative).
May 1: World Championships begin (Norway).
June 15: LCS Hockey turns five years old.
June 16-18: LCS staffers sober up.
June 19: Last possible date to end Stanley Cup Final (tentative).
June 24: NHL Awards Night
June 25: Expansion Draft (Boston).
June 26: NHL Entry Draft (Boston).

WACKY NOTES AND WHATNOT
* Ray Bourque has played longer with his original team than any other athlete in the five major pro sports... which are, of course, hockey, baseball, basketball, football, and lawn darts. Bourque began his career with the Bruins way back on October 11, 1979. Cal Ripken is second, having been a Baltimore Oriole since August 10, 1981. Lewis Lacey rounds out the top three, pitching darts since May 25, 1982 for the Topeka Torpedoes.

* Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya are like good and stuff. The duo has played 115 games together, with Selanne notching 75 goals and 161 points and Kariya bagging 79 goals and 167 points during those contests. When both superstars are in the lineup the Ducks are 57-41-17 (.570). When one or both are missing the club's record drops to 22-44-12 (.359). I haven't seen two people make that big a difference on something since Ron Howard and Donny Most left the cast of "Happy Days."

* Did you know Eric Lindros was the ninth fastest player to record 500 career points? You did? Well, you're wrong, bucko. He's actually the fifth. Lindros recorded his 500th point on February 28th of last season in just his 352nd career game. Only Wayne Gretzky (234), Mario Lemieux (287), Peter Stastny (322), and Mike Bossy (349) have reached the milestone in fewer games.

* Peter Forsberg can pass like a chimp. Need proof? The Colorado centerman has collected 245 assists in 266 career games, good for an average of .92 assists per contest. Only Wayne Gretzky (1.35), Mario Lemieux (1.18), and Bobby Orr (.98) have averaged more assists in their career.

* One reason why new LCS Pittsburgh Correspondent Jerry Fairish is so admired is that he once met James Brown in a Las Vegas bathroom. One reason why Steve Yzerman is so admired is that he's played his entire career for the Detroit Red Wings. Both are unique claims, but finding loyalty such as Yzerman's in professional sports is rare. I mean, who hasn't shared a bathroom with James Brown at least once? Even rarer is finding someone who has scored more goals for one club. Stevie Y has rung up 563 goals for the Wings. The only players to score more goals with one club in NHL history are Gordie Howe (783 with Detroit), Mario Lemieux (613 with Pittsburgh), Bobby Hull (604 with Chicago), Wayne Gretzky (583 with Edmonton), and Mike Bossy (573 with the New York Islanders).

* Over the past three seasons, it's no surprise that the Detroit Red Wings have the best winning percentage in the NHL at .667 (144-62-40). The Colorado Avalanche is second at .622 (135-75- 36). But Detroit's dominance actually extends back to the 1990- 91 season. The Wings have won more games in the 90s than any other club, compiling a record of 347-194-81. The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't far off, tho', with a mark of 336-218-68.

SEASON-OPENING SILLINESS
* One area where Detroit isn't the best is in season openers. Including this season's loss to Toronto, the Wings have a mere .479 winning percentage (28-31-14) on opening night. The Colorado/Quebec franchise has the best such mark, despite the recent loss to Ottawa, winning .700 percent (12-4-4) of its openers. The St. Louis Blues are now second at .641 percent (18- 9-5), followed by New Jersey (.640, 13-6-6), Montreal (.628, 44- 23-15), and Buffalo (.603, 16-10-3).

At the other end of the spectrum, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have yet to win a season opener in six tries. The San Jose Sharks aren't much better, earning a win and two ties in eight attempts. Carolina/Hartford also has a knack for early failure, posting a .300 winning percentage (4-12-4).

* When Boston tied St. Louis to open up the 1998-99 season, the Bruins extended their unbeaten streak in season openers to a league high 12 games (9-0-3). Montreal holds the all-time record, going unbeaten in 17 straight season-opening games from 1963 to 1979.

* Greg Adams has a history of getting out of the gate quick. He set an NHL record for most assists in a season-opening game when he recorded five helpers as a member of the New Jersey Devils in 1985. Two years later, as a Vancouver Canuck, Adams tied the modern day record for goals in a season opener by potting four against St. Louis.

Adams' assist mark was later tied by none other than LCS hero and the idol of millions from eight to eighty, Johnny Cullen. Good ol' JC collected his five assists against the Capitals in 1990.

That same game against Washington also witnessed Kevin Stevens setting a new standard for points in a season opener with two goals and four assists. Aw, Pittsburgh's Option Line was in full glory. Those were the days...

* Speaking of fast starts, Minnesota's Kent Nilsson holds the record for the fastest goal from the start of a season opener, connecting just 10 seconds into the North Stars' 1986 debut against Quebec.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Most of the above info and dates were provided by the fine folks at the NHL media department. They do superb work. Or at least they did until someone slipped up and sent us a press kit. Heads will likely roll. But until the error is discovered, we'll enjoy the assistance and be extremely grateful for the help.)