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----------------------------------------------------------------
Early Season Nuttiness
----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

Hey, don't look now, but the NHL is actually kind of fun again. 
Sure, all you have to do to find a minor-leaguer is throw a rock,
but the lack of talent hasn't been able to completely overshadow
a noticeable increase in excitement over the opening weekend of
the 1998-99 season.

Whatever the reason, whether it's the two extra feet behind the
net, the smaller neutral zone, or a continued crackdown on
interference, the initial contests of the new campaign have been
entertaining.  I realize that sounds strange, considering recent
years, but it's true.  The NHL is entertaining.  Who would have
thought it was possible?

Games have been action packed.  There has definitely been room to
skate.  One would think that would be good news for guys like
Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, but Anaheim is one of the teams
that have struggled out of the gate.  The Ducks have only scored
one goal in their first three games.  Needless to say, they've
lost all three decisions.  Even though it looks bleak, it's only
a matter of time before Kariya and Selanne explode.  The Ducks
have actually played pretty good defense, allowing just six goals
in the three losses.  Once the big guns start firing, the wins
will follow.      

The New York Rangers have matched Anaheim's futility, dropping
their first three games by a combined score of 12-3.  But unlike
the Ducks, there are few encouraging signs for the Blueshirts. 
Wayne Gretzky and crew appear dead in the water.  This club's in
trouble.  Neil Smith might be forced into going after free agents
Doug Weight, Petr Nedved, or Ziggy Palffy in an attempt to spark
the lethargic offense.    
            
Surprisingly, the Colorado Avalanche are also searching for their
first win of the season.  Colorado lost 4-3 to Ottawa on opening
night and was then shut out 3-0 by Dominik Hasek and the Sabres. 
Both losses came on home ice.  That's no way to welcome new head
coach Bob Hartley.  One of Chicago's leading psychologists, Bob
gave up a successful practice to follow his dream of coaching in
the NHL.  He deserves better.  

Four of the five major free agent signings of the summer, John
Vanbiesbrouck, Curtis Joseph, Doug Gilmour, and Brett Hull, have
all gotten off to quick starts.  Vanbiesbrouck has backstopped
Philadelphia to a 2-0-0 mark, earning a 1-0 shutout over the
Rangers in his Flyer debut.  The Beezer looks like a good fit in
Philly.  

Joseph has also lived up to advanced billing, leading the Maple
Leafs to a 2-0-0 record with wins over Detroit and Edmonton. 
Joseph has been spectacular, earning every penny of his $6-
million contract.  But while CuJo shines, Felix Potvin stews. 
The Leafs are still waiting for the right deal, preferably one
involving a proven second-line center, to come along before
parting with the Cat.
     
Gilmour has brought some much needed intensity to the Chicago
offense.  His scrappy nature should serve the team well.  He
certainly got his Blackhawk career off on the right foot, setting
up Tony Amonte for the game-winner in Chicago's season-opening
victory over New Jersey.

Hull has yet to find the net himself, but he has assisted on a
pair of goals by Mike Modano to help the Stars to a 2-0-0 start. 
The newly forged line of Modano, Hull, and Jere Lehtinen could
very well be the best in hockey.

Ron Francis, the one remaining marquee free-agent prize, has
played well for Carolina despite the Hurricanes scuffling early. 
The Canes blew a 4-1 third-period lead to Tampa Bay on opening
night and had to settle for a 4-4 tie.  They followed that up
with a 3-2 lose to Nashville.  Aw, that's sick.  But don't sweat
it, Francis will get Carolina on track before long.  He's just
that kind of guy.

The season isn't even a week old, but it already has its first
casualty.  Tampa Bay fired GM Phil Esposito after the men with
lightning bolts on their pants opened up 0-1-1.  Good thing they
didn't lose both games or Espo might have been hung at dawn. 
Coach Jacques Demers will take over the GM chores and will
hopefully guide the Bolts back to respectability.  

But the big news in Tampa is, of course, the return of LCS hero
and the idol of millions from eight to eighty, Johnny Cullen. 
Cullen did us all proud by making a successful return to the NHL. 
He's still looking for his first point, but that's no big thing. 
Nothin' to it but to do it.  We'll have plenty more on Cullen
next issue.

The first week of the season also saw the Pittsburgh Penguins
declare bankruptcy for the second time in their history, beating
the mark previously held by Red Foxx.  The decision to file
Chapter 11 was apparently made jointly by co-owners Roger Marino
and Howard Baldwin.  The club has reportedly lost $37 million
over the past two seasons and had no other choice in order to
find protection from its creditors.  All parties insist that this
will not affect the daily operations of the hockey team.  Good
luck.

That's it for now.  I've got nothin'.  This article would have
been much funnier, but I've been typing for 14 straight hours and
could use a nap.  There's some funnier stuff later on in the
issue.  Honest.  Well, maybe...  

Enjoy!

     
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CREDITS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Dell........................Editor-in-Chief
Zippy..................................Computer Boy
Jim Iovino.............................Ace Reporter
Matthew Secosky.......Does Not Have a Police Record
Nicole Agostino.........Was Right About the Calcium
Dan Hurwitz.........................Featured Writer
John Alsedek........................Featured Writer
Alex Carswell.................Anaheim Correspondent
Matt Brown.....................Boston Correspondent
Mark Zampogna.................Buffalo Correspondent
Simon D. Lewis................Calgary Correspondent
Vacant.......................Carolina Correspondent
Thomas Crawford...............Chicago Correspondent
Greg D'Avis..................Colorado Correspondent
Jim Panenka....................Dallas Correspondent
Dino Cacciola.................Detroit Correspondent
Aubrey Chau..................Edmonton Correspondent
Vacant........................Florida Correspondent
Matt Moore................Los Angeles Correspondent
Jacques Robert...............Montreal Correspondent
Vacant.....................New Jersey Correspondent
David Strauss...............Islanders Correspondent
Alex Frias....................Rangers Correspondent
The Nosebleeders..............Ottawa Correspondents
Eric Meyer...............Philadelphia Correspondent
Bob Chebat....................Phoenix Correspondent
Tom Cooper..................St. Louis Correspondent
Al Swanson...................San Jose Correspondent
Seth Lerman.................Tampa Bay Correspondent
Jonah Sigel...................Toronto Correspondent
Jeff Dubois.................Vancouver Correspondent
Jason Sheehan..............Washington Correspondent
Tricia McMillan...................AHL Correspondent
Chad Lindburg and Joe Whalen.........Correspondents
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LCS Hockey - Issue 105 - October 15, 1998.  All rights reserved 
because we, like, called ahead and stuff. Email address: 
info@lcshockey.com  Street Address: 406 Sheffield Drive, 
Greensburg, PA 15601.  Web Address: www.lcshockey.com
Direct Address: Something from the meat case, Linda?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------
A Few Predictions
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

Normally, we like to make our predictions for the upcoming year
in our annual Season Preview.  But a broken thumb sort of cramped
our style.  So we're back this issue with some more fearless
forecasting.  Keep in mind, this is not a competition.  This is
only an exhibition.  Please, as always, no wagering.  Oh yeah,
one more thing... only remember the ones we get right.  Thanks.  

PRESIDENT'S TROPHY
The Dallas Stars should repeat as the league's best team during
the regular season.  Not only will the addition of Brett Hull
give the club two potent scoring lines, but the Stars return with
the best group of defensemen in the league and a star netminder
in the form of Ed Belfour.  They'll be tough to beat.  The only
real question mark will be the health of Joey Nieuwendyk.

Other Notables:  Colorado should make mince meant of its
Northwest competition and Philadelphia will be the dominant force
in the East.

HART TROPHY
Mike Modano would be the obvious choice, since Dallas is going to
be a powerhouse.  However, Eric Lindros gets the nod from us. 
He's not going to take Bobby Clarke's challenge lightly.  Lindros
will be a mission man.  Lining up alongside the best left winger
in hockey certainly won't hurt his cause, either.

Other Notables:  Aside from Modano, Dominik Hasek should
get his share of consideration, as will Paul Kariya if he can
stay healthy.  And don't be surprised to see Ron Francis get some
much-deserved recognition when he turns Carolina into a playoff
squad.  
    
ART ROSS
This is a tough call.  There are plenty of worthy candidates,
although you can pretty much scratch Jaromir Jagr's name off the
list now that Ron Francis is in Carolina.  Paul Kariya and Teemu
Selanne are sure to ring up lofty numbers, and the same can be
said for Colorado's lethal duo of Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg. 
But in the end I'm goin' with the E Train.  This will be Lindros'
year to stay healthy.  Mike Maneluk is an upgrade in talent on
his right side and everyone knows what John LeClair can do.  The
Legion of Doom will be back.      

Other Notables:  The four guys mentioned above will be
serious threats for the title.  In fact, that should be your top
five in scoring right there: Lindros, Kariya, Selanne, Forsberg,
and Sakic.  And not many points will separate the pack.  Jagr
could slip in there if he really dedicates himself to carrying
the Pittsburgh franchise.  

RICHARD TROPHY
This year the NHL will award the Maurice Richard Trophy to the
player that leads the league in goals.  One favorite would have
to be big John LeClair.  The guy's 50 goals in the bank.  But
with the league looking to further crack down on obstruction, the
days of the small, speedy scorers may have returned.  That's one
reason why we think Sakic will be such a force.  Look for the
Colorado captain to be back in the 50-goal range once again. 
It's too bad he doesn't get to play with Selanne.  That's why
Kariya will lap everyone.  Not only will the Mighty Duckling have
the Finnish Flash at his side, but Anaheim acquired some muscle
to protect him.  The combination should mean plenty of open ice.  

Other Notables:  Peter Bondra is almost a lock for 50+. 
Jagr, LeClair, Lindros, Sakic, and Selanne should also be in the
picture.    

NORRIS TROPHY
The league's not going to be able to ignore Chris Pronger two
years in a row.  He may not score the most, but he's the best
defenseman in the game today.  There's just no arguing the point
anymore.  Pronger is the man.

Other Notables:  Rob Blake and Nicklas Lidstrom will be
returning contenders.  Al MacInnis should also get some
consideration, even though Pronger will steal most of the heat. 
A new face among the crowd?  Alexei Zhitnik.  The Russian has
matured so much over the past year that it's hard to believe he
used to be the Red Cross of the NHL, always being found at the
scene of catastrophes.  But those days are long gone.  Zhitnik
could be one of the three finalists for the hardware.       

VEZINA TROPHY
What's the point?  Just give it to Hasek now.

Other Notables:  Ed Belfour can't help but put up amazing
numbers in Dallas.  Martin Brodeur is always there at the end. 
If not for the Dominator, Brodeur would have a mantle full of
Vezinas at home.  Pittsburgh's decline will remove Tom Barrasso
from the race, but John Vanbiesbrouck should see a renaissance in
Philadelphia.  And don't rule out Patrick Roy, who will be
playing for a new contract this season.  

CALDER TROPHY
While there's little doubt Vincent Levavalier will be an impact
player, he doesn't have much help in Tampa Bay.  It would take an
astounding effort on the part of the number one pick to cop
rookie-of-the-year honors.  Put your money on Colorado's Milan
Hejduk.  At 22, Hejduk has international experience with the
gold-medal winning Czech national team to go with his marvelous
puck skills.  He'll also be skating on a line with Sakic.  Aw,
that's nice work if you can get it.
  
Other Notables:  Lecavalier isn't the only competition for
Hejduk.  Check out Jim Iovino's feature article elsewhere in this
issue for more about this year's rookie crop.

SELKE TROPHY
Peter Forsberg is too good defensively to have never won a Selke. 
This will be his year.

Other Notables:  Michael Peca, Jere Lehtinen, and Mike
Modano will all receive a mess of votes.  The Rangers sucking
will all but take Niklas Sundstrom out of contention, likewise
with Rob Zamuner. 

LADY BYNG TROPHY
Does anyone care?  Wayne Gretzky will probably get it out of
pity.

Other Notables:  Francis, Kariya, and Adam Oates.

JACK ADAMS TROPHY
Usually the winner is the guy that forges the greatest single-
season turnaround.  The table is definitely set for Paul Maurice
in Carolina, but he may not be a good enough coach to get the job
done.  He'll either reach the top of the mountain or fall to
earth hard.  The latter is more likely.  If Maurice falters, look
for Dirk Graham to swipe the trophy in the end for getting the
Blackhawks back into the postseason.

Other Notables:  Ken Hitchcock will be a contender, as
will first-year man Bob Hartley if he can light a fire under the
complacent Avalanche.

STANLEY CUP

Michael Dell, Editor-in-Chief:  I've been picking a
Colorado-Philadelphia Stanley Cup Final for the past forever, so
there's no real point in breaking tradition.  It has to happen
eventually.  And I'll go with Carolina and Dallas as the
respective runner-ups.     

Philly is clearly the team to beat in the East.  Eric Lindros
will be on a mission.  As for Colorado, they would have beaten
Detroit last season if they met in the playoffs.  Unfortunately,
the Avalanche had a knack of playing down to the level of their
competition.  All they need is inspiration.  New coach Bob
Hartley will provide it.  Patrick Roy will also have something
else to play for, as he's set to become a free agent this summer. 
In the end, Colorado and Roy will claim their second Cup over
John Vanbiesbrouck.

Zippy, Wonder Chimp:  Finals: Dallas vs. Buffalo

Dallas in six.

Regular season champs:  Dallas, Philadelphia.

Lindros will lead the team to a regular season victory, but will disappear in
the playoffs... probably due to an injury.  

The Sabres will sneak into the playoffs and the Dominator will make another
run at the Cup.

However, Dallas, with a very balanced lineup, will oust Buffalo with their
superior offensive.  It will be a low scoring series, but Dallas will be
victorious in the end. 

Detroit and Colorado will be forces in the playoffs, but will fall short.
Detroit won't have Bowman to lead them and Colorado needs a few younger
wingers for Sakic and Forsberg.

Jim Iovino, Ace Reporter: The Dallas Stars will defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals...  oh, let's say in six games.  

Matthew Secosky, Private Eye:  I predict that an advanced race of space goats will come to Earth and enslave all its inhabitants... except, of course, for the Earth goats, who will all be given positions of power.

                          
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Expansion!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

The season isn't even a week old, yet it already seems clear that
the level of play has improved dramatically from last year. 
Games now actually have flow.  Teams are waging contests with
plenty of back-and-forth action, putting a greater emphasis on
speed and skill instead of clutching and grabbing.  As amazing as
it sounds, it's almost fun to watch hockey again.  Almost.

While the game's tempo has increased, the talent level is at an
all-time low.  It's really just pathetic.  Expansion has crippled
the sport.  The Green Death has ravaged NHL rosters, spreading
the legitimate talent desperately thin and creating so many jobs
for undeserving players that the line between the major and minor
leagues hasn't just been blurred, it's been obliterated.  

Even though the games have been more wide open, it's hard not to
notice that most teams are still struggling to score more than
two or three goals a night.  And it's not because of the crease
rule or over-sized goaltending equipment.  The reason is simply
that there isn't enough talent to supply 27 teams.  Overall, the
style of games may have improved, but what's the point if there
aren't enough NHL-caliber scorers to finish this novel surplus of
chances?

Reading the current NHL rosters can be quite the confounding
experience.  In the immortal words of Jerry Seinfeld, "Who are
these people?"  Apparently clubs are just picking players off the
street, because I believe I saw a few of my next-door neighbors
playing defense for Pittsburgh on opening night.  And the sad
thing was, they didn't look out of place.  

Clearly, this is not the NHL LCS Hockey, and so many other fans,
first came to love; the one that featured teams with three solid
lines and six deep on defense.  Now clubs are lucky to have one
scoring line and three dependable defensemen.  Things have
changed.  It's sort of like the friend that comes home after a
few years at college.  He's still the same kid as before, but now
he listens to different music, always smells a bit like weed, and
can't communicate complete thoughts without laughing and staring
at his hand.  While it can still be fun to hang out with him,
things tend to get old when the only topics open for discussion
are Doritos and old Cheech and Chong movies.  Soon, more and more
time passes between phone calls until eventually you lose touch. 
I haven't called the NHL in months.      

Expansion is the evil behind it all.  The league would still be
awesome today if it only had 21 teams.  An argument could even be
made that 24 teams would be acceptable, since the Golden Year of
1992-93 was played with San Jose, Tampa Bay, and Ottawa in the
mix.  But fewer is definitely better.  

Just consider the numbers.  There are now six more clubs than
there were back in 1990-91.  With an average of 23 players per
roster, that means there are at least 138 guys in the NHL today
thanks solely to expansion.  That's 138 minor-pros masquerading
as big-leaguers.  And it's only going to get worse, as Atlanta,
Minnesota, and Columbus will all join the league in the next
couple years, creating 69 more imposters.  NHL, we hardly knew
ye.

This whole mess got me thinking, exactly who are the 138 players
that owe their jobs to expansion?  So, what the hell?  I made a
list.  

Keep in mind, this isn't meant to be ignorant.   And it's not
like all these guys are lousy players.  Some are youngsters that
could become solid citizens, but, at this stage in their careers,
their spots would most likely be filled by proven veterans if
there were still enough proven veterans to go around.  

It should also be noted that a whole lot of thought didn't go
into the list, these are just the first 138 guys that caught my
eye.  This is merely an attempt to put in perspective the watered
down state of the NHL.  So if you see your name, or the name of
someone you admire, listed below, please do not take offense. 
There are many more important things to take offense to in the
pages of LCS Hockey.  Save the letters on this one.

Players are listed by team. 


Ted Drury, Anaheim
Dominic Roussel, Anaheim
Jeff Nielsen, Anaheim
Antii Aalto, Anaheim
Pascal Trepanier, Anaheim
Johan Davidsson, Anaheim
Mike LeClerc, Anaheim
Matt Cullen, Anaheim
Mike Crowley, Anaheim
Chris Taylor, Boston
Antii Laaksonen, Boston
Peter Nordstrom, Boston
Peter Ferraro, Boston
Ken Baumgartner, Boston
Rob Tallas, Boston
James Patrick, Buffalo
Wayne Primeau, Buffalo
Jason Holland, Buffalo
Dwayne Roloson, Buffalo
Dave Roche, Calgary
Ed Ward, Calgary
Eric Charron, Calgary
Greg Pankewicz, Calgary
Steve Smith, Calgary
Clarke Wilm, Calgary
Martin St. Louis, Calgary
Paul Ranheim, Carolina
Nolan Pratt, Carolina
Arturs Irbe, Carolina
Alain Nasreddine, Chicago
Craig Mills, Chicago
Remi Royer, Chicago
Ty Jones, Chicago
Mark Fitzpatrick, Chicago
Dan Smith, Colorado
Jeff Odgers, Colorado
Shean Donovan, Colorado
Tony Hrkac, Dallas
Brent Severyn, Dallas
Jamie Wright, Dallas
Joey Kocur, Detroit
Mathieu Dandenault, Detroit
Kevin Brown, Edmonton
Boyd Devereaux, Edmonton
Bob Essensa, Edmonton
Pat Falloon, Edmonton
Fredrik Lindquist, Edmonton
Craig Millar, Edmonton
Dwayne Hay, Florida
Peter Worrell, Florida
Johan Garpenlov, Florida
Nathan Lafayette, Los Angeles
Josh Green, Los Angeles
Sandy Moger, Los Angeles
Brett Clark, Montreal
Sergei Zholtok, Montreal
Trent McCleary, Montreal
Miroslav Guren, Montreal
Craig Rivet, Montreal
J.J. Daigneault, Nashville
Jay More, Nashville
Darren Turcotte, Nashville
Greg Johnson, Nashville
Jamie Heward, Nashville
John Slaney, Nashville
Jeff Nelson, Nashville
Brad Smyth, Nashville
Andrew Brunette, Nashville
Patrick Cote, Nashville
Brad Bombardir, New Jersey
Sergei Brylin, New Jersey
Sheldon Souray, New Jersey
Bryan Muir, New Jersey
Sasha Lakovic, New Jersey
Mike Hough, NY Islanders
Wade Flaherty, NY Islanders
Barry Richter, NY Islanders
David Harlock, NY Islanders
Mike Watt, NY Islanders
Eric Brewer, NY Islanders
Michael Knuble, NY Rangers
Scott Fraser, NY Rangers
Todd Harvey, NY Rangers
P.J. Stock, NY Rangers
Geoff Smith, NY Rangers
Esa Tikkanen, NY Rangers
Jan Mertzig, NY Rangers
Brent Fedyk, NY Rangers
Andreas Johansson, Ottawa
David Oliver, Ottawa
Patrick Traverse, Ottawa
Sami Salo, Ottawa
Ron Tugnutt, Ottawa
Mike Maneluk, Philadelphia
Dmitri Tertshny, Philadelphia
Dave Babych, Philadelphia
Colin Forbes, Philadelphia
Mike Stapleton, Phoenix
Bryan Helmer, Phoenix
Mike Sullivan, Phoenix
Scott Langkow, Phoenix
Peter Skudra, Pittsburgh
Brad Werenka, Pittsburgh
Rob Brown, Pittsburgh
Jeff Serowik, Pittsburgh
Patrick Lebeau, Pittsburgh
Ian Moran, Pittsburgh
Victor Ignatjev, Pittsburgh
Jan Hrdina, Pittsburgh
Kip Miller, Pittsburgh
Maxim Galanov, Pittsburgh
Scott Hannan, San Jose
Jamie Baker, San Jose
Jarrod Skalde, San Jose
Ron Sutter, San Jose
Marty Reasoner, St. Louis
Pascal Rheaume, St. Louis
Michal Handzus, St. Louis
Mikael Andersson, Tampa Bay
Steve Kelly, Tampa Bay
Enrico Ciccone, Tampa Bay
Garry Valk, Toronto
Yannick Tremblay, Toronto
Daniil Markov, Toronto
Tomas Kaberle, Toronto
Igor Korolev, Toronto
Dave Scatchard, Vancouver
Adrian Aucoin, Vancouver
Bill Muckalt, Vancouver
Jamie Huscroft, Vancouver
Bert Robertsson, Vancouver
Steve Staios, Vancouver
Jason Strudwick, Vancouver
Markus Naslund, Vancouver
Garth Snow, Vancouver
Corey Hirsch, Vancouver
Matthew Herr, Washington


       
          
-----------------------------------------------------------------
All Toronto Poised for Potvin's Pending Departure
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jonah A. Sigel

It all started late in the playoffs, as Toronto papers considered
how the Leafs should best spend their cash in the off-season.  It
was argued by some that the best free agents available would be
those who play goal.  The Leafs, as is well known, already had a
premiere goaltender in Felix Potvin.  Therefore, it seemed the
club would go after the next tier of free agents, including the
likes of Brett Hull, Doug Gilmour, Al MacInnis, etc.  

But what if the Leafs were unable to lure those stars to Toronto? 
What then?  There was one option.  The possibility existed of
signing another front line goalie and then dealing Potvin for the
much needed help up front.

Not many gave that proposal much thought.  However, when the
Leafs were dissed by several free agents, what once seemed a pipe
dream became more and more of a reality.  

It was first rumored that the Leafs would trade Potvin to
Pittsburgh in a deal for holdout Petr Nedved and then sign Curtis
Joseph, with the Pens then sending Barrasso to the Flyers.  But
the Flyers shocked the hockey world and signed John
Vanbiesbrouck, scrapping the original plans.  Thus, it seemed
that the Leafs would be thwarted in their attempt to upgrade
their talent this season.

As more free agents continued to turn away from Maple Leaf
offers, the heat began to increase on the team to do something. 
Frankly, the press was killing the Leafs.  In the most bizarre
turn of events, the club finally got its man.  

Around 2:30 PM on that fateful afternoon, ESPN reported that the
Florida Panthers were on the verge of signing Mike Richter away
from the Rangers.  If true, the Rangers would be left without a
goalie, and would surely sign Curtis Joseph.  Giving some
credence to the old rumor mill, the Leafs decided to up the 
ante on CuJo and get the deal done before the Rangers entered the
picture.

The following day, Joseph was introduced to the Toronto Media and
the Felix Potvin watch began.  Since then, months have passed. 
The Leafs have had to demote Glenn Healy to the IHL while a deal
can be made.  There is no question the Cat will be dealt.  The
only question is where and for what?  

Two teams seemed to be natural fits from day one: the Canadiens
and the Canucks.  An additional two candidates emerged in the
Panthers, who got turned down by Richter, and the Islanders, who
don't seem overly comfortable with Tommy Salo.  

Things heated up with the Panthers and a trade seemed imminent. 
The deal rumored to be on the table would have seen Potvin and
Jeff Ware head to Florida for Rob Niedermayer and Rhett Warriner. 
However, the Leafs were wary of dealing for Niedermayer in lieu
of his history of concussions.  The Leafs asked the Panthers for
medical clearance on Niedermayer and were denied.  The Leafs 
became more cautious as the Panthers turned down every request
for medical assurances about Niedermayer's health.  The deal
ended in a huff and the Panthers signed Sean Burke.

Training camp went on with a daily watch of life between the Cat
and the Dog.  Would Felix come to camp?  Would he stay in camp?
What if he got hurt?  Would he play?  What would happen to Healy? 
Would they lose Healy in the waiver draft?  All these questions
and more filled the papers as the team headed for the 
end of camp.  It appeared that the Habs were willing to part with
any player or combination thereof with the exception of Saku
Koivu, whom the Leafs coveted.  Talks with the Canucks seemed to
center around Alexander Mogilny, Bryan McCabe, and prospect Josh
Holden.  With the Isles, a deal seemed to be in the works for 
Bryan Berard and perhaps Bryan Smolinski.  None ever
materialized.   

Clouding things a bit was that Mathieu Schneider never signed a
deal with Toronto.  Wanting to unload the unhappy blueliner, the
Leafs made Schneider an addition to any Potvin deal, further
complicating any proposed trades.  

Just prior to the waiver draft a rumor hit the wires that seemed
to have serious merit.  ESPN reported the story only to retract
it later.  This would have been a major three-way trade that
would have carried the moniker of blockbuster.  The Leafs would
send Potvin and Schneider to the Canucks, the isles would also
send Smolinski to the Canucks.  The Leafs would get Linden (then
unsigned) and Berard, and the Isles would get Pavel Bure.  All
parties denied the story, however, there seemed to be too many
people reporting it to totally dismiss it.  

Since then, little of significance has happened.  The waiver
draft went down and the rest of the league passed on Healy.  He
has since accepted his assignment to Chicago of the IHL. 
Schneider has demanded a trade and Potvin remains a backup with
the club.  

The Leafs, largely on the play of CuJo, defeated the Stanley Cup
Champions in the season opener (the last one ever to be played at
Maple Leaf Gardens).  As the Leafs play Edmonton at press time,
they are on a western road trip with games against Calgary and
Vancouver on tap for Friday and Saturday, respectively.  It is
widely assumed that Potvin will see action in on of those games,
although a decision has yet to be made.  

Many fans are in limbo.  So long as the team plays well, and if
they can put some wins together, they will remain in the driver's
seat as far as a trade goes.  If the Leafs go in the tank, other
teams will try to pick GM Mike Smith's pocket.  

With the Rangers and the Hurricanes in deep need for an offensive
pointman, it appears that a Schneider deal could come before a
deal involving the Cat.  However, if a deal is close then perhaps
a team who wants Felix may be forced to ante up before it's
ready.  Hypothetically, a deal for Potvin will involve at least
one more Leaf and two players from another team.  With Vancouver,
for example, a Potvin for Mogilny deal is unlikely.  It would be
easier to make a deal with Schneider in the mix.  If Mathieu is
gone, then so too may be the opportunity to get a deal done for
Felix.  This could hasten the process.  

So far the Leafs have done a great job handling this.  The fans
will fall in line as long as the team is winning or is at least
competitive.  This is, without a doubt, the most important deal
the team has faced in years.  Unfortunately, Smith has failed to
realize the importance of the Toronto media.  His continued
failure to deal with them in a straightforward manner has cost
him bad press lately.  Should the team suffer a losing streak,
the heat will once again get turned up.  It is unlikely that a
deal will be done until at least the 10-game point when teams
will re-evaluate what they have and what they need.  

It says here that Potvin and Schneider will go together to either
the Canucks or the Isles.  Time will tell.  However, these are
exciting days for Leaf fans.  And that's the first time one could
say that in many a moon.



-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Devils and the Deep Blue Sea
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Why New Jersey's favorite NHL team is stuck between a rock and a
hard place, an irresistible force and an immovable object, Scylla
and Charybdis, blah blah blah.

by John Alsedek

Since I'm already starting with a bunch of cliches, how about one
more: the more things change, the more they stay the same. If any
team in the NHL is destined to exemplify that in 1998-99, it's
the guys with the pointy tail on their jerseys. 

For most of the 1990's, the New Jersey Devils have been the NHL's
answer to Prozac: a (generally) airtight
defense-first-last-and-always squad that won lots of 2-1 snooze-
a-thons that were seldom memorable even to the Devils themselves.
Hell, there were probably games that a guy like Bobby Holik
didn't even know he'd scored till he checked the boxscores the
next morning. 

Coach Jacques Lemaire took a lot of flak from, well, everybody,
for making the game so darned boring, and he certainly deserved a
portion of the blame. However, to be fair, when your only two
proven stars are a goalie and a stay-at-home defenseman, you
can't be faulted too much for emphasizing defense above all. 

It would have been all well and good if the Devils hadn't won the
Cup in 1995; however, they did, and thus inspired a plethora of
other NHL teams to adopt their own neutral-zone trap systems -
remember Mike Milbury's 'Lobster Pot', or that drowsy feeling
that overcame you the instant puck hit ice in a Florida-Ottawa
game? However, some of those teams learned a bit too well.
That the Devils got bounced in the first round of the playoffs
this year by one of their own progeny, the Ottawa Senators, seems
a fitting irony, albeit one that Lemaire could have done without:
shortly afterwards, he resigned. It seemed to be a sign of New
Jersey's imminent retooling - and it was, but not in a good way.

First, long-time Albany River Rats coach Robbie Ftorek was named
to replace Lemaire, a move that many thought would lead to a more
offensive game. Unfortunately, these folks must have never seen
the River Rats play.  While players might get the green light to
rush the puck a little more often, Ftorek has already said that
he intends to have his boys play a smart, defense-first game...in
other words, the trap. However, if that move was considered a
modest step forward (Ftorek is considered more of a player's
coach than his predecessor), the steps that followed were most
definitely of the walking-backwards variety. 

Prior to the Expansion Draft, the Devils tried to trade
little-used but highly-prized backup Mike Dunham to the Oilers;
however, no doubt still smarting from the aftermath of his
ill-advised trade for underachiever Jason Arnott, Devils GM Lou
Lamoriello tried to squeeze Edmonton's Glen Sather for two hot
young forward prospects (Boyd Devereaux and Mike Watt). Sather,
no dummy he, wasn't biting, so Lamoriello lost Dunham for nothing
to the Nashville Predators. 

Things only got worse on July 1st. After offering New Jersey
unrestricted free agents Steve Thomas and Doug Gilmour new
contracts worth $1.7 million and $4 million, respectively, both
signed with new teams. The loss of Thomas was unfortunate, but
fixable: while still a gutsy, hard-nosed player, Thomas' scoring
touch had cooled off to the point that his roster spot could be
ably filled by a younger player like Jay Pandolfo or Vadim
Sharifajanov.

Gilmour, on the other hand... When the Devils let 'Killer' go off
to greener pastures, they lost their power-play QB, best
penalty-killing forward, and, most valuable of all, a leader for
promising kids like Petr Sykora and Brendan Morrison to learn the
finer points of the game from. How did Lou Lamoriello replace
that? Um, he didn't. And it's going to show, sooner or later.
And, to top it off, New Jersey's premier - okay, only -
puck-rushing defenseman, Scott Niedermayer, is locked in mortal
combat with Lamoriello over a new contract, which, given Lou's
track record, means that Nieds will get traded, sooner rather
than later. Just ask Claude Lemieux or Bill Guerin. Not a good
way to prepare for the new season.

So what will Lamoriello do? Probably what he's done over the past
few seasons: deal off one or two prospects to get some short-term
veteran help, then lose 'em over the summer. He did it in '96,
trading steady young blueliner Cale Hulse to Calgary for a
month's rental on Phil Housley. He did it again in '97, sending
Alyn McCauley, Steve Sullivan, and Jason Smith off to the Leafs
for 'Killer'. This year's candidate to go? Probably someone like
Petr Sykora or Brian Rolston, talented kids who, so far, haven't
lived up to their potential as scorers. For that, Lamoriello will
get a guy like Theo Fleury, who'll come in, score enough goals to
get the Devils into the playoffs - where they'll get knocked off
early on - and then follow a big-bucks contract off to Philly or
New York or Dallas during the off-season. Next year, they'll
probably do the same, etc. etc. 

Does that mean that GM Lou Lamoriello is at the heart of the
Devils' problems? No, not really. Actually, if it wasn't for
Lamoriello, they wouldn't even be able to make deals like that.
For all his faults as a trader (the ill-advised
Lemieux-for-Thomas and Guerin-for-Arnott swaps are just two
examples), Lamoriello and his staff are great judges of young
talent, and have traditionally drafted well. That they've been
able to trade off young players the way they have, and yet never
lose a guy that they felt was a core player, is a testament to
their smart drafts. Unfortunately, they haven't - and won't -
reap the full benefits of their drafting for one reason: money.
     
Ah yes, money. Not unlike the teetering-on-the-edge Pittsburgh
Penguins, the Devils have a number of strikes against them in
today's $-driven NHL. They are a small-market team (compared to
NYC, Philly, etc) in an aging arena that they've got an
unfavorable lease in. That means enforced fiscal responsibility,
which, in itself, is not too unappealing to team owner John
McMullen, who has always preached fiscal responsibility anyway.

But what it also means is that Lamoriello has to save his pennies
where he can. What that means is that veteran free agents aren't
re-signed, regardless of whether or not they are, in fact,
invaluable to the team. 

What that means is that you let 1996 fourth-round entry draft
selection Scott Parker (to give an example) go back into the
draft and have a fairly promising career with another team,
rather than spend the extra bucks to get him under contract. 

What that means is that you play hardball on a new contract with
your only real scoring threat on the blue line, and take the
chance that another team will sign him to an offer sheet, or
you'll have a disgruntled player on your hands who you'll never
get full value for, or who'll sit out the season. 

And what all that means isn't anything good.
     
In the short term, the Devils should be okay this year - at least
in the regular season. They likely won't contend for the
President's Trophy again, but they should be above .500, and good
enough to get the sixth or seventh seed in the East. But, in the
long term, the Devils are in deep trouble. 

That they need new digs isn't argued by anybody. Where, however,
is being argued quite vociferously. McMullen wants the State of
New Jersey to finance the construction of a brand-new arena in
cosmopolitan Hoboken, and wants for himself the prime plum of any
arena - the luxury box revenues. Not surprisingly, the State of
New Jersey isn't real enthused by McMullen's plan. Instead, they
want him to share a proposed new arena in Newark with the NBA's
Nets, which McMullen absolutely refuses to do. The most likely
solution to this impasse? Remember back to 1995, when the Devils
came within a hair of moving to Nashville? Heck, they'd just won
the Stanley Cup when that happened. If it could almost happen to
that team, it could happen to this year's edition.
     
And then there'll be, um, hell to pay.



-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rookie Watch
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jim Iovino

The 1997-98 season brought a so-so crop of rookies into the NHL. 
The No. 1 pick of the 1997 draft, Joe Thornton, struggled in
limited action with the Boston Bruins after being hyped up after he
was selected first overall.  But Thornton's teammate, the
diminutive Sergei Samsonov, flourished during the second half of
the season en route to winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of the
year.  

Like Thornton, the No. 1 pick of the 1998 draft is also being highly
touted.  Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier has been billed as a savior
for the Lightning franchise and is compared to Mario Lemieux.  Living
up to expectations like that aren't easy.  Just ask Alexandre Daigle.
 

Will Lecavalier score 100 points like Super Mario did in his first
season?  Or will he struggle like Thornton did a year ago while
another youngster, such as the Rangers' Manny Malhotra, steals the
spotlight and the Calder Trophy?  

Here's a look at the top rookies heading into the new NHL season in
no particular order...  

Vincent Lecavalier, center, Tampa Bay

As if being selected first overall wasn't enough pressure, Tampa
Bay's 18-year-old savior also has to deal with a monster of a
deal.  As in a huge contract.  As in being the highest paid rookie
in NHL history.  Yes, even higher than Alexandre Daigle's deal a
few years back.  

Now that's pressure.  But at least he didn't dress up in a nurse's
outfit at the press conference...  

The 6-4, 180-pound Lecavalier has shown flashes of brilliance during
his brief stint in the NHL.  He led the Bolts in scoring in the
preseason with four goals and nine points.  Of course, leading the
Lightning in scoring isn't all that hard to do, but let's give the
kid some credit.  He did help the Bolts come back from a three-goal
deficit in a preseason tilt against the Florida Panthers by racking
up two goals and an assist in the 5-4 win.  

Lecavalier broke out of his shell a little more in his first regular
season game with move that could make highlight reels for the rest of
his career.  The shifty center, who, by the way, wears the
respectable No. 8 jersey instead of a crazy high-end number, picked
up a puck at center ice and skated into the Panthers' zone to go
one-on-one with Florida defenseman Jaroslav Spacek.  As Lecavalier
approached the defender he faked as if he was going to go left, then
cut back to the right, pushing the puck between Spacek's skates.
Spacek bit on the first move, and by the time he spun himself back
around Lecavalier was already by him.  Lecavalier caught up to the
puck, but didn't have a lot of time to bear down on goaltender Sean
Burke.  So Lecavalier snapped a quick wrister high over Burke's
shoulder.  

Had this been a tear-jerking novel, the puck would have gone in the
net, Lecavalier would have scored his first NHL goal and he would
received a big hug and kiss from a leggy supermodel.  But this is
the real world, and in the real world we have to deal with things
called goal posts.  Lecavalier's shot hit one of those goal posts. 
It made a pretty sound, but that and 75 cents will get you a bag of
those Olean poop chips.  So Lecavalier's first brush with greatness
was two inches off.  Damn the goal posts, damn them straight to
hell...  

Mike Maneluk, right wing, Philadelphia

Every once in a while a story like Mike Maneluk's comes along.  It's
a sweet story, one you tell the kids as they sit around a campfire
making smores.  Or one you tell your friends as you sit around a
campfire getting all liquored up on Goldschlager and cheap wine...
 

Maneluk was acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers a year ago for a
dollar.  That's right, one lousy buck.  But that one lousy buck
seems to be a solid investment by Flyer GM Bob Clarke.  Maneluk led
the AHL Philly Phantoms to the Calder Cup last season by scoring an
AHL-high 34 points in the postseason.  

This season Clarke has given Maneluk a chance to add a Calder Trophy
to his resume.  How could a 25-year-old winger who has spent the past
four seasons in the AHL and IHL be considered for the NHL rookie of
the year award?  It's simple:  stick him on a line with Eric Lindros
and John LeClair and let them feed him some pucks.  

Maneluk was placed on the first line with Lindros and LeClair during
the preseason because of several reasons. First of all, Maneluk has
good speed and a nose for the net, which fits well with the
Legionnaires.  Second, the Flyers are rather weak at right wing and
needed someone, anyone, who has some offensive talent that could be
of use on the right side.  

The 5-foot-11, 188-pound Maneluk scored five goals and added an
assist in the preseason, then registered assists in his first two
regular season games.  But the question still lingers as to whether
Maneluk is a long-term solution to the Flyers problem or just a
novelty that will wear off faster than the edges on his skate
blades.  If he sticks with the big club, Maneluk could find a
Calder Trophy waiting for him at the end of the season.  If he
doesn't, it's quite possible that no one will remember his name.
 

Mark Parrish, right wing, Florida

Florida Panther GM Bryan Murray took a lot of heat late last season
when he traded team captain Tom Fitzgerald to the Colorado
Avalanche for a little-known prospect named Mark Parrish.  But by
the end of the Panthers' first game of the 1998-99 season, every
Florida fan knew the name of that obscure prospect.  

The 21-year-old forward started the opening game of the season on a
line with fellow rookie Oleg Kvasha and Viktor Kozlov.  He finished
it with two goals and a lot more expectations for his season than
he started with.  

Parrish, who scored six goals in 1998 preseason games, had a
tremendous season of junior hockey last year, scoring 92 points,
including 54 goals, in 54 games for Seattle in the Western Hockey
League.  The year before that Parrish had a field day in college
hockey.  He led the WCHA in goals with 27 in 35 games played.  

Oleg Kvasha, center, Florida

Parrish's teammate, Oleg Kvasha, was also a surprise starter on
opening night for the Panthers.  He's a big kid at 6-foot-5 and 205
pounds who can be physical if needed but is more comfortable just
playing his game.  Last season Kvasha put up modest numbers with New
Haven (AHL), scoring 29 points (13 goals) in 54 games.  Kvasha
outplayed fellow rookie Marcus Nilson in the preseason to win a job
on the team.  

Milan Hejduk, left wing, Colorado

Milan Hejduk has already had an interesting hockey career.  The
21-year-old played in the 1998 Winter Olympics for the Czech
Republic and won a gold medal.  

On opening night of the 1998-99 NHL season, Hejduk, a sixth-round
pick in 1994, lined up alongside the great Joe Sakic. 

Talk about starting your career in style. 

Hejduk didn't disappoint in his first game, as he scored on a
one-timer against Damian Rhodes.  That's what Hejduk's role is with
the Avs.  He's there to score goals, and plenty of them.  Colorado
coach Bob Hartley said Hejduk has above-average skating ability,
great hands and can pick a corner of the net from up to 30 feet
away.  

Hejduk's time on the Sakic line could be limited if the injured Adam
Deadmarsh makes a quick return to the lineup. But if Hejduk proves he
can hang with a guy like Joe, the underachieving Deadmarsh could wind
up on another line or with another team.  

Chris Drury, center, Colorado

Colorado rookie Chris Drury shouldn't feel too bad for himself
despite the fact he doesn't own a gold medal like Hejduk, his
teammate and fellow rookie on the Avs.  Drury has been a winner at
every sport he's tried.  Drury, you might remember, was the little
kid who was the winning pitcher in the 1989 Little League World
Series.  He also led Boston University to an NCAA hockey
championship and became the Terriers' all-time leading scorer.  And
then there's that Hobey Baker thing...  

Drury brings his winning ways to an organization that has been
accustomed to winning over the past few years. However, Colorado
seems to be at a standstill.  The team's not improving much with
the players already there, but it's losing just enough skill and
talent each year to get knocked out early in the postseason.  

The Avs are hoping Drury and Hejduk can help increase the team skill
level and depth back to the point it was at when the team won the Cup
in 1996.  

Drury has decent speed, good passing instincts and hands around the
net and a hard slap shot.  The 22-year-old center showed his
offensive talent last season with the Terriers by scoring 28 goals
in 38 games - good numbers for college hockey.  He also scored five
goals for the Avs in the preseason.  

Drury started this season on a line with Rene Corbet, who can also
display some offensive skills when asked, and either Jeff Odgers or
Warren Rychel.  Needless to say, the scoring from this line will
come from Drury and Corbet...  

Brendan Morrison, center, New Jersey

By the number of times he was drafted this summer, it's quite
obvious that fantasy hockey league owners took notice of Brendan
Morrison's nine points in 11 NHL games at the end of the regular
season last year.  

The New Jersey Devils also took notice.  The team's banking on
Morrison to relieve some of the offensive pressure off the forwards
following the departure of Doug Gilmour to Chicago.  While it could
be a stretch to think that Morrison can match Gilmour's skills and
importance to the team, the 23-year-old center could be ready to
make his impact felt for a full NHL season.  

Morrison scored 84 points in 72 games for Albany of the AHL last
season before being called up to the big show. His offensive
prowess was also displayed in college hockey for Michigan. 
Morrison led the CCHA in scoring each of his last three seasons
with the Wolverines.  In his final season at Michigan, 1996-97,
Morrison scored an incredible 88 points in 43 games en route to
winning the Hobey Baker Award.  

Morrison still has some trouble in his own end at times, but he can
beat a defense with either a shot or a pass as he doesn't rely on
one single facet of his offensive repertoire to be successful. 
After four years of college hockey and a year of seasoning in the
minors, now is the time for Morrison to prove he can play in the
bigs.  

Rico Fata, center, Calgary

Every time I think of Rico Fata, the same thing comes to mind -
damn, that's a cool name.  I mean, really, wouldn't you like to be
named Rico Fata?  That name is just chocked full of frothy
coolness.  

But Fata's more than a name.  He's an 18-year-old prospect that
worked his way onto the Calgary Flames opening- day roster.  Fata's
got a lot of speed.  He's got some good offensive instincts.  But
what he doesn't have is NHL experience and a solid team around him
that can help with his adjustment to the league.  

The Flames, as a whole, are a young, inexperienced squad.  Veteran
leaders are few and far between.  That's bad news for Fata.  He's
going to need someone to pal along with in his first NHL experience
and learn the ropes from. It's not going to happen in Calgary. 
Here's hoping the youngster doesn't get too lost this season and he
doesn't get too accustomed to losing.  

Manny Malhotra, center, New York Rangers

Out of all of this year's first-round draft picks, Malhotra was the
one who people said could stick with an NHL club right out of
training camp.  The 18-year-old proved those wise sages correct. 
Malhotra made the Rangers as a possible third-line center. 
However, the coaching staff has decided that the kid should be
worked into the lineup slowly.  He didn't play on opening night,
and wasn't supposed to play until this weekend.  But injuries to
several other centers gave Malhotra a chance to play in the second
game of the season.  

Malhotra has a lot of confidence in his game.  He's mature beyond
his age.  And he's a demon in the defensive zone. But it's still
going to take some time for him to be a complete NHL player.  Does
this sound familiar to anyone?  I'm thinking Jarome Iginla a few
years back with the Flames...   Luckily for Malhotra, there's a lot
more veteran leadership on the Rangers.  This should bode well for
his development during the upcoming season.  

Others to watch:

Two rookie defensemen have a chance to make an impression this
season - Tom Poti in Edmonton and Dmitri Tertyshny in
Philadelphia.  Both are offensive-minded blueliners who should see
some decent playing time for their respective squads.  Poti joins
an explosive blue line in Edmonton with Boris Mironov, Roman
Hamrlik and Co., while Tertyshny will be manning the point early in
the year on Flyer power plays.  And no, I really don't know how to
say Tertyshny.  My best guess would be something like
"Ter-ti-shinny."  But perhaps we could just call him
Knuckles... 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Changing Rules
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

Last season the NHL was, shall we say, "uneventful"?  Shall we
say "boring as hell"?  We shall say boring as hell.  

In hopes of improving its product, the league will be
implementing several new rule changes for the 1998-99 season. 
The purpose behind most of the alterations is to increase
scoring.  More scoring means more excitement.  More excitement
means happy fans.  Happy fans mean more money.  And money is what
makes the world go round... well, that plus those elves in the
center of the Earth that turn the crank.  But there's not much
the league can do to make those little bastards work harder.

GOAL LINE MOVED
The goal line will be moved to 13 feet from the endboards,
creating two additional feet of space behind the net than in past
years.  The extra two feet from each end will be taken from the
neutral zone, reducing it to 54 feet in length.  Each end zone
will now be 73 feet long, with the distance between the goal line
and blue line remaining at 60 feet.

Of all the new rules, this one should have the biggest effect. 
The main reason for the change is to make it more difficult for
goaltenders to play the puck behind the net.  This should result
in better forechecks for the offense, since the likes of Tom
Barrasso and Martin Brodeur will have to think twice before
venturing out of the crease to cut the puck along the backboards. 
But there is some concern that the two extra feet will result in
Dominik Hasek getting lost, so the league will provide the
Dominator with a bag of bread crumbs before each and every game.

Another motive behind the move was to give forwards extra room
behind the cage to create plays.  While it's a nice idea and all,
it really will be more of a detriment to playmakers than anything
else.  Guys like Wayne Gretzky work behind the net in order to
use the goal as a pick to get separation from defenders.  The two
extra feet will make it easier for defensemen to slip around the
cage and pressure the puck.  That's not a good thing.  And if you
were talented enough to make plays behind the net to begin with,
chances are you're not going to need two extra feet.  
             
While the game's craftiest passers won't be able to use the net
as a blocker anymore, neither will defensemen looking to carry
the puck behind the cage to buy time.  This goes back to that
whole improving-the-forecheck thing.  The extra ice will allow
forwards to sweep behind the cage without breaking stride or
fearing a collision with the twine.  Defensemen are going to have
to move the puck in a hurry.  This could lead to plenty of
turnovers.  And if your team has either Phil Housley or Dmitri
Mironov on its roster, it could lead to more turnovers than a
Mayberry church bake sale.  Enjoy.

GOAL CREASE CLIPPED
After two years of merciless criticism from smart people, the NHL
will finally do something to address the punk-ass goal crease
rule.  While the rule won't be erased from the books entirely,
the crease itself will change shape.  It will no longer be the
mammoth blue semicircle of despair.  Instead, it will now look
more like half a Black Beauty... er, I mean vitamin pill.

To quote the league: "The sides of the crease will be defined by
straight lines four feet in length that run perpendicular to the
goal line, one foot outside each goal post, and intersect with
the arc that forms the top of the crease."

In English, they pretty much just cut off the triangular-looking
corners on either side of the crease.  This means that guys
standing completely out of the play don't have to worry about
having a goal disallowed simply because they had their toes in
the paint.  How 'bout that for progress?

NO MORE ACTING ON ICING
Goaltenders will no longer be allowed to feign playing the puck
on icings in an attempt to confuse and bewilder the opposition. 
As soon as a netminder makes a move to go play the puck, the
linesmen will wave the ice and play will continue.  

GOALTENDING EQUIPMENT LIMITED
New restrictions have been placed on goaltender equipment.  Here
are the basics:

*  No raised ridges are allowed on the front edges or sides of
the chest, on the inside or the outside of arms, or across the
top of the shoulders.  So this means Garth Snow will give up
about three more goals a game. 

*  Circus tents may no longer be used as jerseys.  A goalie's
sweater cannot exceed 32 inches in length, and it cannot cover
any area between the legs.  The other measurements must not
exceed the following parameters: from hip to hip - 30 inches;
from armpit to armpit - 29 inches; from armpit to shoulder - 14
inches; width at elbow - 14 inches; cuff - 9 inches.  If you
cannot afford a tailor, one will be appointed by the court.

*  No extra pads will be permitted to be sewn on the inside or
the outside of the pants for any other reason than to provide
protection.  The maximum width of the thigh pad cannot exceed 11
inches.  This measurement includes any groin or hip pads that
extend beyond the front thigh pad.  Only 11 inches of protection
per customer, please.    

*  The maximum perimeter of catching gloves is now limited to 50
inches.  All gloves must also have a cuff of at least four-and-a-
half inches.  However, the decision on whether or not to wear
cuff links is still left to the player.       

LINE CHANGE PROTOCOL
If someone hops over the boards too early on a line change the
result will be a stoppage of play and a faceoff at center ice. 
This will prohibit fresh skaters from jumping off the bench to
join the flow while tired guys are still dragging themselves to
the bench behind the play.  

TWICE AS MANY BLOWN CALLS
From October 16, 1998 to February 28, 1999, a two-referee/two-
linesmen system will be phased into effect.  Each team will play
20 games (10 at home, 10 on the road) with two officials.  

It's important to note the term "phased into effect."  This is
not just an experiment.  The league seems serious about making
the switch to two referees.  In fact, if there aren't too many
complaints, there could be two refs working the postseason. 
That's enough to make coaches everywhere reach for the... vitamin
pills.    
           
POWER TO THE VIDEO GOAL JUDGE
The video goal judge is now permitted to call down to the referee
to advise that a player was in the crease after a goal is scored. 
In the past, only the referee was able to request a replay.  The
video dude will also be allowed to phone the referee to update
him on the happenings of particularly hot episodes of "Melrose
Place" or to alert him when that new Hole video comes on MTV.  

HARDCORE DISCIPLINE
Since Brian Burke is no longer around to screw things up, the
league is promising to hand out more serious suspensions when
stuff gets ugly.   Colin Campbell is now the man in charge of
laying the smack down.  He doesn't exactly have a tough act to
follow, tho'.  A bag of rocks would be an improvement on Burke,
who would have given Charles Manson two games.

To once again quote the league: "There also will be a stricter
standard for suspensions on any action deemed deliberate by a
player with his elbow or stick that is directed to the head of an
opponent or results in an injury to the head of an opponent. 
Further, acts which are deemed intended to injure an opponent,
whether or not a severe injury results, will be scrutinized
strictly and treated severely."   

The above statement could be called the Paul Kariya Rule.  The
NHL wants to do whatever it can to eliminate concussions. 
Harsher penalties for shots to the head are a good, if not
obvious, start.  And so far the league is living up to the hype,
slapping Ruslan Salei with a five-game suspension for rubbing out
Daniel Briere in the preseason.  

In other suspension news, a player who comes on the ice from a
line change and immediately starts an altercation will be subject
to supplementary discipline.  So, please, hold all vendettas
until the end of your shift.  Thank you. 

ENFORCE THIS
The league is going on record as stating that rules regarding
diving and closing your hand on the puck will be strictly
enforced.  Ooh, you've been warned!  As per usual, this probably
means they'll call 'em tight for the first few weeks and then
forget about 'em as the year progresses.  Tradition is a
beautiful thing.


Well, that's everything.  Will it be enough to salvage the sport
from the impending doom of expansion?  Doubtful.  But at least
the NHL is trying to help itself.  It's always so sad to just
watch a drowning man sink.  While these rule changes may seem
little more than the frantic flailing of a desperate soul, the
least we can do is stand on the shore and applaud the effort.  
               


-----------------------------------------------------------------
My Thoughts On...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Dan Hurwitz

Yeehaw!  The NHL season has begun again, and this time, they even
get to play the national anthems on banjos in Nashville!  So while
the revamped Atlantic Division continues its downward spiral, free
agency continues to threaten the game and the Ducks continue to
quack, let's take a look at who skated, sticked, and got called
from upstairs for a disallowed goal this week...  

EXPANSION PAINS

ENOUGH EXPANDING ALREADY!  Not only does Nashville have the weakest
expansion roster, like, ever, but the continued diluting of talent
has reared its head all over the place.  As I watched the Canucks
host the Kings this Monday, I took a look at Vancouver's roster. 
Burt Robertsson?  Dave Scatchard?  Hello, but who are these guys? 
And the funny thing is, Vancouver won!  

The NHL has not been adding many superstars to its ranks, and with
Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Ray Bourque all hitting their 20th
anniversaries as professional players, the fact is that all the
rule changes in the world will not increase scoring if every team
ends up being described as "a bunch of hardworking grinders."  I
speak press conference.  That means "talentless."  

KIDZ RULE

That diatribe finished, I'm excited by some of the rookies we're
seeing so far this season.  In Los Angeles, Josh Green has won a
spot on one of the top two lines (can the Kings really be said to
have a "first" or "second" line?).  The guy is huge.  He doesn't
have the best acceleration, but he has a real Dave Andreychuk-style
of play that has Larry Robinson doing somersaults. Meanwhile, Olli
Jokinen will likely make the team any day now, bringing speed and
puckhandling to the mix.  

Philly's Mike Maneluk has gotten the most recent assignment with
John LeClair and Eric Lindros.  Given the pressure on Lindros to
produce this season, that kid stands to rack up some points if he
can hold onto the position.  

New Jersey's contract squabble with Scott Niedermayer will make room
for any number of younger defensemen, including Brad Bombardir and
sophomore Sheldon Souray. 

And in Tampa, Vincent Lecavalier is the highest-rated rookie since,
well, Alexandre Daigle.  But before him, there was a certain
French-Canadian named Mario Lemieux, and those comparisons are
continuing.  

STRUCK BY LIGHTNING

Ah, but timing is everything.  In addition to Lecavalier, Tampa
spent the offseason boosting what was last year's worst team in
hockey.  They acquired Craig Janney, exactly the kind of playmaker
everyone wants (until they have him, apparently) and Bill Ranford,
who can help plug the hole in goal when Darren Puppa hits his
annual injury bug.  And the return of John Cullen from cancer
treatment, while it doesn't add a superstar to the picture, does
provide an emotional lift that can carry a lot of weight on a team
that had little to celebrate last season.  

So, with Tampa poised to be this year's Bruins, i.e., most improved
franchise, what does senior management do?  Naturally, they fired
Phil Esposito and his brother Tony from their positions as general
manager and director of player personnel, respectively.  Now, the
Espo boys have never been the most emotionally stable people in the
gene pool of hockey's front offices, but it seems like odd timing
for the Bolts to clean out the front office, what with things on
the up and up.  

That said, however, there are a few signals that suggest the
promoting of head coach Jacques Demers to the GM chair is a great
move.  The first is that Espo will always be a nut.  He signed
Stephane Richer for how much money?  And he should forever be
pegged with the incident, back when he ran the Rangers, when he
fired head coach Michel Bergeron DURING THE PLAYOFFS over a
personality conflict.  

Meanwhile, Demers is one of the underrated minds in hockey.  The
team is getting used to his system, and they're more talented than
people give them credit for.  I'd say watch out for the Lightning
when the season wraps up this spring. 

BARRY, YOU (ICE) DOG

I had a chance toward the end of the summer to have a chat with
Barry Kemp, who, along with his wife, Maggie, owns one of the most
successful minor-league franchises in sports, the Long Beach Ice
Dogs of the International Hockey League. 

After making it to the Turner Cup finals two seasons ago, Long Beach
followed up by finishing with the best record in the IHL for the
1997-98 season.  And, according to Kemp, the team has done a
remarkable job of sticking together, which is rare at the
minor-league level.  "We look like we'll be returning 12-13 players
from last year," says Kemp about the roster.  "One of the things
that's changed the most is that we'll be getting six players from
the Kings instead of just three."  

That those players include veterans like defenseman Jaroslav Modry
is indicative of the new direction the IHL is taking as the league
gradually figures out its role in the hockey cosmos.  "I think
you're going to see more NHL-IHL affiliations this year," predicted
Kemp.  "(IHL President - CEO) Doug Moss has a good, long-standing
relationship with the NHL (Moss worked with Madison Square Garden,
parent company to the New York Rangers, and the Buffalo Sabres). 
As our role has become clearer, the league has become more amenable
to affiliations."  

Changes at the NHL level add to this new sense of identity, Kemp
says.  "The NHL recognizes the need for two-way contracts, but a
situation where you only have 20-year-old players with limited
experience (such as with the American Hockey League) may not be the
best development option for players who are not quite ready to make
the NHL full-time.  Veterans also don't want to play with
20-year-olds who are more developmental."  

The Ice Dogs' home opener set a record last week, attracting just
shy of 10,000 fans, which has prompted the Los Angeles Times to
suggest the Ice Dogs may relocate to the soon-to-be-vacated Great
Western Forum when the Kings and the NBA's Lakers move to the
Staples Center next season.  Don't believe that hype, though, as
the Kemps are very excited about their identity as a Long Beach
franchise.  

"We promote `hockey at the beach.'" Explains Kemp.  "We have a
sandbox with beach chairs and a cooler in the corner, and every
game, we pick two fans who get to move down to that area, so that's
a lot of fun.  We do a lot in the community." 

Long Beach is an expanding destination for visitors in Southern
California, already.  As part of a $600,000,000 renovation effort
called the Queensway Bay Project, Long Beach this year opened a
new, state-of-the-art aquarium which has been pulling southern
Californians and other tourists in by the boatload. And at the
center of the built-up new area is the Long Beach Arena, a facility
the Kemps are very excited to inhabit.  

"We have a large glass atrium," Kemp says, describing the unique
feature which, unlike most arenas, is Long Beach's sole entrance. 
"There's an interactive game area in the atrium.  We have
air-hockey, puck shooting, surfing machines, bands playing.  Kids
can have their faces painted.  And we also have a great mascot in
Spike (a big bulldog in an Ice Dogs jersey), one of the best in all
of sports."  

The Ice Dogs, who share a market with the Kings and Mighty Ducks of
the NHL, are a model for success at the minor league level.  And
the NHL could learn some lessons from this franchise, as well. 

MONEY MONEY EVERYWHERE

Exactly when did player agents think the average revenue base for a
hockey team exploded in the past couple of seasons?  The average
salary of NHL players has topped the $1 million mark (remember when
Wayne Gretzky set the sports world abuzzing when he hit that figure
as the highest paid player in history?) And yet the product gets
continually watered down.  

Barry Kemp analyzes the problem facing the NHL as such: "The NHL is
suffering from their players looking at other major league sports,
and that comparison isn't fair, because the media deals are not the
same."  

In terms of basic economics, the goals of the NHL and the NHLPA are
not compatible.  Even the league's new TV deal, which begins next
year, only provides each team with enough money to pay one
slightly-above average player the kind of money Petr Nedved thinks
he can beat on the open market. Meanwhile, the league is expanding
in an effort to increase its fan base...only it's doing this at a
time when a sharply decreasing number of fans can afford tickets.
 

And here's the real catch: in fickle markets like New Jersey, where
Scott Niedermayer's sitting out really weakens the Devils, how can
a team afford to pay its holdouts more when the fans don't want to
buy tickets to see depleted franchises? 

My theory involves another conspiracy: player agents collectively
want to retire early by getting 10% of a much bigger stake early on
and don't care about the fiscal viability of the sport in the wake
of this salary increase.  

MISCELLANY

Speaking of money, just how bad can the Mighty Ducks and New York
Rangers get with some of the deepest pockets in the NHL? 

Paul Kariya is back and healthy.  No complaints here. 

I called the Kings about getting credentials for their home opener
against Boston, explaining I wanted to do a piece to the follow-up
season to huge turnarounds for both franchises.  The Kings'
response was that "the NHL does not credential on-line
publications."  Not only is that obviously bunk, since most LCS
Hockey correspondents are credentialed, but it also makes no sense. 
Why would the NHL, desperate for increased exposure, be the one
business scurrying to get away from an Internet presence?  

Jaromir Jagr should turn selfish and beg to be traded before the
Penguins' downward spiral threatens the career of  one of the most
talented players in the past 15 years. 

Attention Petr Nedved: you're not that good.  Get over it. 

I say it here in my first column of the season: Dallas will beat
Philadelphia for the Stanley Cup.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
More Stuff...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

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.) 



-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chimp Bytes: General NHL News and Notes
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Zippy

Penguins File for Bankruptcy

The Pittsburgh Penguins, unable to reach agreement with Spectacor, 
filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Tuesday for the second time in franchise history. 

Saying they want "to ensure the long-term future of Penguins
hockey in Pittsburgh," co-owners Roger Marino and Howard
Baldwin filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Federal
Bankruptcy Code. 

"This will have absolutely no effect on Penguins' games, on our
payroll, on the club's 1998-99 playing schedule or any of our hockey
operations," Marino and Baldwin said in a joint statement. "The
team, our season-ticket holders and our corporate sponsors will be
protected during this reorganization." 

According to Marino, the team has lost more than $37 million over
the past two seasons. The Penguins have made significant
progress in talks with two creditors - former player Mario Lemieux
and Fox Sports Pittsburgh. But they were unable "to coax any
assistance out of" SMG, the company that operates the Civic
Arena. 

Months ago, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman cautioned the
Penguins against declaring bankruptcy, warning it could lead to
forfeiture of the franchise. Tuesday, he issued a statement calling
the move "disappointing." 

"We have a commitment from Penguins' ownership that the team
will be adequately funded and we are optimistic that this process
will ultimately ensure that the franchise will be financially and
competitively successful in the city of Pittsburgh," Bettman stated. 

Oilers re-sign Ryan Smyth

The Oilers re-signed left wing Ryan Smyth, a restricted free agent, to a 
one-year contract on Monday. Smyth, 22, had 20 goals and 13 assists in 
65 games last season, following a 39-goal season in 1996-97. 
Financial details weren't released.

Samuelsson agrees to terms with Tampa

The Lightning have agreed to contract terms with
defenseman Kjell Samuelsson pending a release from his
European club, according to a report in The Tampa Tribune.
Samuelsson, 40, had three assists and 28 penalty minutes in 49
games with the Philadelphia Flyers last season. 

Espositos fired in Tampa shakeup

The Lightning fired brothers Phil and Tony Esposito
Tuesday in a front-office shakeup by a team with the worst record in
the NHL last season. Phil Esposito, the general manager, and Tony
Esposito, the director of hockey development, are both in the Hall of
Fame and have been with the Lightning since their inception in
1992-93. Coach Jacques Demers will also become GM while head
scout Don Murdoch takes over as director of hockey development.

TRANSACTIONS

Tuesday, Oct. 13

Edmonton Oilers: Re-signed restricted free agent LW Ryan
Smyth to a one-year contract. 

New Jersey Devils: Assigned D Bryan Muir to Albany (AHL). 

Philadelphia Flyers: Acquired the rights to D Ryan Blast and an
eighth-round pick in the 1999 draft from the Calgary Flames for a
third-round pick in 1999.

San Jose Sharks: Assigned G Bruce Racine to Fort Wayne (IHL).

Tampa Bay Lightning: Fired general manager Phil Esposito and
director of hockey development and scouting Tony Esposito.
Named coach Jacques Demers as general manager. Named Don
Murdoch director of player personnel. 

Washington Capitals: Recalled LW Trevor Halverson from
Portland (AHL). 

Monday, Oct. 12

Calgary Flames: Assigned G Jean-Sebastien Giguere to Saint
John (AHL). 

Edmonton Oilers: Re-signed LW Ryan Smyth to a one-year
contract.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Signed Brian Leitza and assigned him to
Arkansas (WPHL).

San Jose Sharks: Assigned G Bruce Racine to Fort Wayne (IHL).

Sunday, Oct. 11

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Recalled D Mike Crowley from
Cincinnati (AHL).

Colorado Avalanche: Recalled D Dan Smith from Hershey
(AHL).

Saturday, Oct. 10

Montreal Canadiens: Assigned D Stephane Robidas to
Fredericton (AHL).

Friday, Oct. 9

NHL: Suspended Anaheim D Ruslan Salei for five games without
pay and fined him $1,000 for his hit on Phoenix's Daniel Briere in a
preseason game Oct. 6.

Buffalo Sabres: Assigned C Erik Rasmussen to Rochester
(AHL).

Montreal Canadiens: Signed D Vladimir Malakhow to a two-year
contract. Signed F Trent McCleary to a one-year contract. 

New Jersey Devils: Assigned C John Madden to Albany (AHL).

New York Rangers: Signed LW Esa Tikkanen.

Phoenix Coyotes: Assigned LW Louis DeBrusk to Las Vegas
(IHL).

Pittsburgh Penguins: Signed LW Martin Sonnenberg and
assigned him to Syracuse (AHL).

Tampa Bay Lightning: Returned D Paul Mara to Plymouth (OHL).
Assigned G Corey Schwab to Cleveland (IHL). Sent RW Alex
Selivanov to Cleveland (IHL) for two games for conditioning.


Thursday, Oct. 8

Anaheim Mighty Ducks: Assigned G Jamie Ram to Cincinnati
(AHL). 

Boston Bruins: Named Mike O'Connell vice president of hockey
operations. Promoted Jeff Gorton to assistant to the vice president
of hockey operations. 

Buffalo Sabres: Agreed to terms with F Miroslav Satan on a
one-year contract. 

Calgary Flames: Signed RW Rico Fata, their 1998 first-round
draft pick. 

Chicago Blackhawks: Loaned C James Black to Chicago (IHL).

Dallas Stars: Placed D Dan Keczmer and C Brian Skrudland on
the injured reserve list. 

Florida Panthers: Assigned RW David Nemirovsky to Fort
Wayne (IHL). 

Nashville Predators: Assigned D Rob Zettler to Utah (IHL).

New Jersey Devils: Signed C Alexander Semak and sent him to
Albany (AHL).

Pittsburgh Penguins: Assigned C Sean Pronger and D Sven
Butenschon to Houston (IHL), C Brian Bonin and D Tuomas
Gronman to Kansas City (IHL) and LW Robert Dome to Syracuse
(AHL). Signed LW Patrick Lebeau.

St. Louis Blues: Assigned D Ricard Persson to Worcester (AHL).

San Jose Sharks: Assigned D Brad Stuart to Regina (WHL). 

Wednesday, Oct. 7

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Sent RW Frank Banham, Ds Mike
Crowley and Dan Trebil and LW Jeremy Stevenson to Cincinnati
(AHL). Loaned G Patrick Lalime to Kansas City (IHL).

Buffalo Sabres: Signed D James Patrick.

Chicago Blackhawks: Loaned LW James Black to Chicago (IHL).

Detroit Red Wings: Placed F Brent Gilchrist on the injured
reserved list. Sent F Darryl Laplante and D Maxim Kuznetsov to
Adirondack (AHL).

Edmonton Oilers: Sent LW Joe Hulbig and RW Georges Laraque
to Hamilton (AHL). Designated C Mark Lamb for minor league
assignment. 

Florida Panthers: Sent F Marcus Nilson and Ds Peter Ratchuk
and Filip Kuba to New Haven (AHL). Designated F Dave
Nemirovsky for minor league assignment.

Los Angeles Kings: Sent D Mark Visheau and D Jaroslav Modry
to Long Beach (IHL).

Nashville Predators: Sent LW Jeff Daniels, RWs Brad Smyth
and Vitali Yachmenev, Ds Marc Moro and Kimmo Timonen and G
Chris Mason to Milwaukee (IHL).

New Jersey Devils: Sent G Richard Shulmistra, Ds Geordie
Kinnear, Ken Sutton and LW Eric Bertrand to Albany (AHL).
Returned C Scott Gomez to his junior team (Tri-City, WHL).

New York Islanders: Sent C Mike Kennedy and D Zdeno Chara
to Lowell (AHL).

Philadelphia Flyers: Signed RW Jody Hull to a two-year contract.
Sent D Jeff Lank to Philadelphia (AHL). 

Phoenix Coyotes: Waived LW Louie DeBrusk. Recalled D Bryan
Helmer from Las Vegas (IHL).

St. Louis Blues: Reclaimed D Rory Fitzpatrick off waivers and
sent him to Worcester (AHL). 

Tampa Bay Lightning: Signed C Vincent Lecavalier to a
three-year contract.


Tuesday, Oct. 6

Chicago Blackhawks: Sent G Marc Lamothe, D Rob Mara, and
RW Ryan VandenBussche to Indianapolis (IHL).

Dallas Stars: Assigned Fs David Roberts and Jon Sim to
Michigan (IHL). Loaned G Manny Fernandez to Houston (IHL).

Montreal Canadiens: Sent Ds Sylvain Blouin and Francis
Bouillon and F Jonathan Deslisle to Fredericton (AHL).

New York Islanders: Signed C Trevor Linden to a one-year
contract.

Ottawa Senators: Re-signed D Stan Neckar.

St. Louis Blues: Assigned D Jan Horacek to Worcester (AHL).

Tampa Bay Lightning: Sent Cs Jason Bonsignore and Daymond
Langkow, LW Brent Peterson, and D Mike McBain to Cleveland
(IHL). Designated G Corey Schwab for minor league
reassignment. Returned D Paul Mara to his junior team (Plymouth,
OHL).

Toronto Maple Leafs: Signed D Glen Featherstone and LW
Garry Valk. Named Richard Peddie president and CEO of Maple
Leaf Sports and Entertainment.


Monday, Oct. 5

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim: Acquired G Dominic Roussel from
the Nashville Predators for G Chris Mason and D Marc Moro. 

Buffalo Sabres: Assigned F Randy Cunneyworth, F Scott Nichol
and D Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre to Rochester (AHL).

Carolina Hurricanes: Assigned Fs Scott Levins, Shane Willis,
Craig MacDonald and Byron Ritchie and D Marek Malik to New
Haven (AHL).

Dallas Stars: Signed F Jamie Langenbrunner to a two-year
contract.

Detroit Red Wings: Re-acquired F Brent Gilchrist, who had been
selected in the waiver draft, from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a
sixth-round pick in the 1999 entry draft. 

Florida Panthers: Assigned D John Jakopin, F Ryan Johnson and
G Todd MacDonald to New Haven (AHL). 

New Jersey Devils: Assigned Ds Vlastimil Kroupa, Sergei
Vyshedkevich and Colin White to Albany (AHL). Returned G
Jean-Francois Damphousse to his junior team (Moncton, QMJHL).

Philadelphia Flyers: Acquired LW Valeri Zelepukin from the
Edmonton Oilers for C Daniel Lacroix.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Released F Alexander Semak. Assigned D
Chris Joseph to Cincinnati (IHL).

St. Louis Blues: Assigned RW Chris Kenady, C Terry Yake and
D Libor Zabransky to Worcester of the AHL.

San Jose Sharks: Re-signed restricted free agent D Mike Rathje
and unrestricted free agent RW Dave Lowry. Signed D Scott
Hannan. Assigned RW Mike Craig, G Sean Gauthier and D Jon
Rohloff to Kentucky (AHL). Loaned D Shawn Heins to the
Canadian National team. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned Fs Kevyn Adams, Mark Deyell
and Ladislav Kohn to St. John's (AHL). Loaned F Niklas Andersson
to Chicago (IHL).

Vancouver Canucks: Re-signed G Corey Hirsch to a one-year
contract. 

Sunday, Oct. 4

Calgary Flames: Assigned Fs Chris Dingman, Hnat Domenichelli,
and Travis Brigley to Saint John (AHL).

Dallas Stars: Assigned Fs Mel Angelstad and Greg Leeb and Ds
Petr Buzek, Richard Jackman and Brad Lukowich to Michigan
(IHL).

New York Islanders: Assigned Ds Vladimir Chebaturkin, Jeff
Libby and Ray Schultz; and Fs Steve Webb, Sean Haggerty,
Dmitri Nabokov, Vladimir Orszagh, Craig Charron and Warren
Luhning to Lowell (AHL).

Ottawa Senators: Loaned G Jani Hurme, LWs Brian Felsner and
Yves Sarault and C Steve Martins to Detroit (IHL). 

San Jose Sharks: Re-signed C Mike Ricci and D Mike Rathje.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned D Nathan Dempsey to St.
John's (AHL). Released Fs Steven Rice and Nikolai Borschevsky.


Saturday, Oct. 3

Boston Bruins: Sent RWs Landon Wilson and Cameron Mann
and Cs Shawn Bates and Andre Savage to Providence (AHL).
Recalled LW Jay Henderson and Cs Marquis Mathieu and Eric
Nickulas from Providence.

Los Angeles Kings: Assigned G Manny Legace to Long Beach
(IHL).

Montreal Canadiens: Agreed to terms with LW Shayne Corson
on a one-year contract.

Phoenix Coyotes: Assigned C Tavis Hansen, Ds Brad Tiley and
Radoslav Suchy, LW Barry Nieckar and F Joe Dziedzic to
Springfield (AHL). Loaned F J.F. Jomphe to Las Vegas (IHL).

Vancouver Canucks: Assigned C Josh Holden, LW Peter
Schaefer, D Brent Sopel and G Mike Valley to Syracuse (AHL).
Returned D Brad Ference to his junior team (Spokane, WHL). 


Friday, Oct. 2

Boston Bruins: Sent RWs Landon Wilson and Cameron Mann
and Cs Shawn Bates and Andre Savage to Providence (AHL).
Recalled LW Jay Henderson and Cs Marquis Mathieu and Eric
Nickulas from Providence.

Los Angeles Kings: Assigned G Manny Legace to Long Beach
(IHL).

Montreal Canadiens: Agreed to terms with LW Shayne Corson
on a one-year contract.


Thursday, Oct. 1

NHL: Suspended Nashville Predators RW Sergei Krivokrasov
three preseason games and fined him $1,000 for an incident in
Saturday's game against St. Louis. Suspended Montreal
Canadiens D Sylvain Blouin for two preseason games and fined
him $1,000 for an incident in Sunday's game against Chicago.
Suspended Calgary Flames LW Dave Roche, pending a hearing
scheduled for Friday. 

Boston Bruins: Agreed to terms with restricted free agent C
Jason Allison on a two-year contract. Re-signed free agent C/LW
Ted Donato to a one-year contract. 

Chicago Blackhawks: Signed D Dimitri Tolkunov to a multiyear
contract.

Detroit Red Wings: Traded F Mike Knuble to the New York
Rangers for a third-round draft pick in 2000. 

Edmonton Oilers: Traded G Eric Fichaud and D Drake
Berehowsky and D Greg de Vries to the Nashville Predators for F
Jim Dowd and G Mikhail Shtalenkov. Signed D Marty McSorley to a
one-year contract.

Florida Panthers: Assigned C Viacheslav Butsayev to Fort
Wayne (IHL).

New Jersey Devils: Assigned RW Steve Brule to Albany (AHL).

St. Louis Blues: Assigned F Lubos Bartecko, F Jochen Hecht
and F Reed Low to Worcester (AHL).

Toronto Maple Leafs: Assigned Ds Jeff Ware and Marek
Posmyk and RW Jason Podollan to St. John's (AHL). Assigned
LW Scott Pearson to Chicago (IHL). 

Vancouver Canucks: Assigned LW Larry Courville to Syracuse
(AHL).


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Are Scoring Records Made to Be Broken?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Jim Iovino
             
The 1998 baseball season proved that even the most unthinkable
records could be broken.  Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire each
shattered Roger Maris' single-season home run record with what
seemed like incredible ease.  The two prolific power hitters showed
the world that with skill, luck and desire, any record could be
surpassed. 

But is hockey an exception to the rule?  Can the major offensive
records in ice hockey be broken?  

To put it in plain and simple terms -- no.  No offensive records
will be broken with the mediocre talent the league has today, that
is.  

The NHL equivalent to the home run record is highest single-season
goal total.  Wayne Gretzky holds the record with 92 goals scored
for the Edmonton Oilers during the 1981-82 campaign.  Can anyone
match, let alone break, that mark?  Scoring that many goals is
possible, but the style of play in the NHL would have to change
significantly for anyone to get close to 90 goals.  

The league would have to get rid of the clutching and grabbing that
goes on today.  It would have to give the players more room than
they have now.  Moving the nets away from the endboards a couple
extra feet and checking goaltenders' equipment sizes is a start,
but it won't allow anyone to score 90 goals. Hell, three or four
teams would have to fold for the talent level to rise back up to
par and any offensive records to be broken. 

Fast-paced, end-to-end action would be needed for someone to break
Gretzky's goal record.  The same could be said for his assist and
point totals, as well.  Gretzky scored an all-time high of 163
assists and 215 points for Edmonton in 1985-86.  The Great One has
scored over 200 points four times in his career.  Not even Mario
Lemieux, who was in his prime when he tallied 199 points in 88-89,
could reach the 200-mark.  

As for Gretzky's career records for goals, points and assists,
there's not a single player in the game today who is within
striking distance of his accomplishments.  Eric Lindros can't stay
healthy enough.  Jaromir Jagr doesn't have the teammates he needs. 
If Paul Kariya can stay healthy, Teemu Selanne remains on his far
wing and the Ducks spend some of Disney's cash to improve the rest
of the talent on the roster, he could have a shot at getting close
to 2,000 points.  Surpassing Gretzky, however, is a definite long
shot.  

But does that mean Gretzky's records will never be broken?  Never
say never, but it's probably safe to say The Great One's name will
be printed all over the record books for quite some time.  

Ok, so Gretzky is safely in command of the record setting by
centers. Left wing and right wing records are still available for
the taking, however.  

Look out Luc, your records are in jeopardy. Kariya, John LeClair and
some of the other left wingers in the game are eyeing the record
books.   

Luc Robitaille holds the record for the most goals and points by a
left wing in a single season.  He scored 63 goals and 125 points
for Los Angeles in 1992-93.  Both numbers are attainable.  So is
the single-season assist record of 70, which is held by Joey
Juneau.  

The records for right wingers will take a little more effort to
grab.  Brett Hull holds the goal-scoring mark with 86, Jagr the
assist and point records with 87 and 149, respectively.  

With more room behind the goal line, power plays could become a
little more potent.  And if that happens, people will start to bear
down on Tim Kerr's record of 34 goals with the man-advantage.  Last
season Ziggy Palffy led the league with 17 power-play tallies, a
far cry from Kerr, who was the forerunner of today's power forwards
when he played with the Flyers.  

Offensive records for defensemen seem to be safe for the moment, as
well.  Paul Coffey holds the record for most goals by a defenseman
with 48.  The great Bobby Orr stakes his claim on the assist record
(102) and the point record (139).  

As for goaltenders, Bernie Parent backstopped the most wins in a
single season with 47 victories for the 1973-74 Flyer squad. 
Martin Brodeur came close last year by winning 43 games for the
Devils.  Most losses in a season belong to poor old Gary Smith, who
suffered through 48 losses with the California Golden Seals in
1970-71.  Perhaps Nashville's Mike Dunham should take note...  

Perhaps we're stretching things a little bit here.  There was only
one 100-point scorer in the entire league last season, so trying to
see who would be able to break one of Gretzky's or Orr's records is
a silly idea.  

But how about milestones?  There are several players who started the
season looking to join some exclusive company.  Steve Yzerman began
the year 37 goals away from the 600 Club.  Robitaille was the
closest player to No. 500 as the season started, needing just 22
goals to reach the mark.  Broadway Bernie Nicholls needed 25 and
Brian Bellows was 32 away.  

On defense, Coffey was 17 away from 400 goals for his career.  Ray
Bourque was close behind, needing 25 to join the club.  Phil
Housley, who is back in Calgary to perhaps finish off his career,
was nine goals away from No. 300 at the start of the season.  

One final note.  If all of the new rules the league has implemented
to help increase scoring doesn't work, there's one record we should
all be looking at that has a great chance to be broken -- fewest
goals by a team in one season.  The current modern-day record is
held by the Chicago Blackhawks, who scored 133 goals in 70 games
during the 1954-55 campaign.  Sure, today teams have 82 games to
work with, but remember, never say a record can't be broken.  The
lowly Tampa Bay Lightning came close last season, scoring a measly
151 goals.  

A few more seasons of expansion and there's no doubt that one
unlucky team will get its name in the record books for all the
wrong reasons.  

    
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Chasing History
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

The talk has already started.  The 1998-99 NHL season is barely
underway, yet many experts are predicting that this could be a
very special year.  A year to remember.  The year that Paul Laus
breaks Roger Maris' 1961 mark for goals in a single season.

"I think he's going to do it," says MIT professor and hockey fan
Arthur Jessup.  "I'm quite confident it will happen."

Jessup should know.  He's spent the past four months studying the
probabilities of the rugged Florida Panther defenseman actually
beating Maris' 37-year-old record of zero goals.  

"The idea of Laus surpassing Maris was once considered folly, but
the moment is right for the record to fall," assures Jessup. 
"It's only a matter of time."

The professor has several theories to support his claim.    

"First of all, as in 1961 when Maris established the benchmark,
1998-99 is an expansion year," explains Jessup.  "The league-wide
dilution of talent increases Laus' chances of scoring by 6.7%."

That number may not seem like much, but Laus will take all the
help he can get.  He's failed to register a goal in each of the
past two seasons, appearing in 154 games over that time.  It took
Maris no games to reach that same goal total back in '61.    

Expansion isn't the only thing in Laus' favor.  There's also the
juiced-puck theory.  The professor believes that a subtle change
in the production of pucks may lead to Laus lighting the lamp.

"Many believe that the pucks are wound tighter now then when
Maris didn't play, making them more lively.  The result is a
faster shot by as many as four or five miles per hour.  The puck
also takes more unpredictable bounces, increasing the likelihood
of a deflection or otherwise uncommon goal," reports Jessup.

When one considers that the league promises to place a greater
emphasis on offense this season, the combination of expansion and
juiced pucks could be all the more lethal.  But exactly what are
the odds of Laus beating Maris?

"I'd say the odds of Laus scoring a goal are 146 to 1," ventures
Professor Jessup.  "Those are, by far, the best odds of his
career."

The good doctor carried his odds making a bit further to try and
predict exactly which opposing team will be victimized by the
fateful goal.  And if things go according to the numbers, it
might very well be the men with lightning bolts on their pants.  

After weighing such factors as the new divisional alignments and
the extra intensity of the Sunshine State rivalry, Professor
Jessup believes the odds of the goal coming against the Tampa Bay
Lightning are 3 to 1.  Carolina is second at 6 to 1.  The long
shot?  The Dallas Stars at 250,000 to 1.  And just between you
and me, he's got the Indianapolis Colts at only +11 at San
Francisco this Sunday.  You might want to get a piece of that
action while you can.  And don't sweat it, the prof keeps
everything on flash paper in case he hears the fuzz coming up the
stairs.  Good man that Jessup.       

Anticipation of Laus' titanic feat is not being lost on the fans
of South Florida.  Thousands have been showing up for practices
and pre-game skates in hopes of seeing their hero work his shot. 
The spirits of those in attendance are extremely high, only
surpassed by their expectations.  

"He's gonna score three this year!" boasts season-ticket holder
Elaine Braddock.  "You heard it here first!"

It seems everyone has a prediction.  While not all are as bawdy
as Ms. Braddock's, most believe this will be the year Maris'
record falls.  But some people aren't getting caught up in the
hype.

"Who cares about goals?" snarls Panther fan Michael Woodman.  "I
know one thing for sure.  Laus could kick Maris' ass.  And that's
the bottom line."

Sadly, Laus won't be allowed to punch the puck into the net. 
However, if the magical moment does arrive when the blueliner
makes the scoresheet, that once-in-a-lifetime piece of vulcanized
rubber will be in hot demand.  The Hall of Fame has put in a
claim for the souvenir, but several outside parties have already
offered as much as $22.50 for the valuable prize.      

As is usually the case, stay tuned to the pages of LCS Hockey for
updates on this developing story.  We'll be with Laus the entire
way as he chases history.  We'll also be gambling with Jessup the
whole way as long as he doesn't punk out on that 49ers bet. 
Remember, kids... gambling isn't just illegal, it's also fun!  
  
  

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Lack of Power Rankings
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

At this time we would like to unveil the LCS Hockey Lack of Power
Rankings.  Using a complicated formula involving some sort of
like math and stuff, we've devised an all-around worthless system
that determines which NHL team is the worst.  And considering the
current state of the league, in which just about every team
sucks, being selected as the absolute worst is quite the honor.  

So, without further delay, here are the Lack of Power Rankings
running from "really suck" to "not sucking as much."  All
rankings are as of October 14, 1998.  Because these things can
change in a heartbeat, Chumley.

1. Nashville Predators:  Seriously, wasn't there room in
the IHL?

2. Calgary Flames:  Theo Fleury and not much else.

3. San Jose Sharks:  No Nolan?  No Friesen?  Why play?

4. New York Rangers:  Is it too late for Gretzky to
retire? 

5. New York Islanders:  New uniforms are sweet, but
where's Ziggy?     

6. Tampa Bay Lightning:  Johnny Cullen keeps Tampa out of
the basement.

7. Florida Panthers:  Young scoring won't hold up.

8. Vancouver Canucks:  Deserve credit for being the first
NHL team without goaltenders.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs:  Mats Sundin and Curtis Joseph
keep things from being completely ridiculous.

10. Pittsburgh Penguins:  Tom Barrasso is the only reason
this club will be competitive. 

11. Edmonton Oilers:  No Doug Weight means no offense.

12. Anaheim Mighty Ducks:  Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne
still might not be enough.

13. St. Louis Blues:  First season without Hull could be a
trying one.

14. Phoenix Coyotes:  Lack of quality depth up front is
needed to make room for Tkachuk's ego.  

15. Chicago Blackhawks:  Gilmour gives the club some much
needed intensity.

16. Boston Bruins:  Failed to improve over the off-season.

17. Ottawa Senators:  Could ride Yashin and Alfredsson to
a third straight playoff spot.

18. Los Angeles Kings:  New uniforms are gay.  

19. Montreal Canadiens:  Is anyone still reading? 

20. Carolina Hurricanes:  Power rankings are stupid.

21. New Jersey Devils:  The guy that invented 'em must be
a real jagoff.

22. Buffalo Sabres:  The next time you see Power Rankings
anywhere, like say ESPN, just laugh at 'em and call the guy that
wrote 'em a "peck."

23. Washington Capitals:  That reminds me, "Willow"
sucked. 

24. Colorado Avalanche:  Wow, I have to write about three
more teams.

25. Detroit Red Wings:  Let's see, what's on TV?  Aw,
David Justice is a punk.

26. Philadelphia Flyers:  Peter Gammons would learn 'em.

27. Dallas Stars:  Gammons 3:16.  

       
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------
20 Questions with Ottawa's Jason York
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Chad Michael Lindburg and Joe Whalen

1. If you where a character from Star Wars, which one would you
be?

Han Solo

2. If you were stranded on a desert island, what five CD's would
want to have with you? 

Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks; Led Zeppelin - Box Set; Rod
Stewert - Greatest hits; Amanda Marshal; Guns 'n' Roses - Use
Your Illusion Blue Cover. 

3. What five movies would you want with you?


What About Bob, Kingpin, Shawshank Redemption, Tommy Boy, and a
good porno.


4. What was something as a child that you did that got you in
trouble?

Beat up on my sister.

5. Cupcakes or Muffins?

Muffins.

6. Who is your toughest opponent?

Jaromir Jagr.

7. What is the first thing you do after you get your paycheck?


Invest.


8. What was you favorite cereal as a kid?


Honeycombs.


9. What was a toy that you wanted as a child, but never got?


A Bigwheel.


10. Elevator music or Rap?


Rap.


11. Gary Bettman, thumbs up or thumbs down?


No Comment.


12. What instrument would you play if you could play any one?


Guitar.


13. Expansion, good or bad?


Excellent.


14. What was your favorite TV show as a kid?


The Incredible Hulk.


15. And your favorite cartoon?


Superfriends.


16. Preparation or luck?


Luck.


17. Who is the coolest guy in the NHL?


Ron MacLean.


18. Why did you choose your number?


I wore in the minors and seemed to have success with it.


19. Mary Anne or Ginger?


Mary Anne.


20. What is hard on the outside and soft on the inside?


A Chipwich.


      
-----------------------------------------------------------------
AHL News
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Tricia McMillan

Strike Three Means You're Out: Big surprise, of course, but Bobby Clarke
didn't know that. And not content to have his farm team already housing
soon-to-be-convicted Jesse Boulerice, Clarke invited Gary Coupal - yes, THAT 
Gary Coupal - to Flyers camp with the intent of signing him for the Phantoms.
Thankfully, the AHL intervened and saved Clarke from his own violence-loving 
self, refusing to approve a contract for Coupal and generally making it known 
that any guy kicked out of three different leagues would not be welcome in 
theirs. 

On a related note, the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to finally do what 
they should have done in the first place - trade for Saint John Flames 
defenseman Ryan Bast. After trying to sign him to a contract effective upon 
the expiration of his Flames contract, the Flyers will settle for conventional 
means and Calgary will receive an early draft pick in next year's Entry Draft, 
the exact pick to be determined any day now. Meanwhile, the Flames let Bast 
know what they thought of the whole thing - he wasn't invited to training 
camp, when under normal circumstances he would have been.

Watch Your Mouth: Hartford WolfPack defenseman Lee Sorochan was a
restricted free agent this summer, but the Rangers neither offered him the 
contract he wanted nor would they permit another team to sign him and hence,
Sorochan wound up with what he considered a low-ball contract and a trip back 
to Hartford. Sorochan said as much to the <u>Hartford Courant</u>, which 
printed his comments. Lo, the Rangers kicked Sorochan off the Wolfpack and
sent him home, intending a season-long suspension. As it turns out, you can't 
suspend a player for complaining and Sorochan will now spend the remainder of 
the season in IHL Fort Wayne.

Easy Come...: The Rochester Americans, desperately seeking offense, 
signed free agent sniper Craig Fisher during the summer. He didn't last his 
first game before having a hand broken by a slash. He'll be out until 
mid-October. Meanwhile, Rochester GM Jody Gage continues trading with the IHL,
taking goalie Tom Draper off Cleveland's hands for 'future considerations',
which in this case means saying thank you to Cleveland at some point.

Additional Assistance: Rather than wait and see with Randy Cunneyworth, 
the Amerks signed Jon Cristiano as an assistant coach. Cristiano was last in 
the AHL as an assistant with the Carolina Monarchs; he's been scouting for the 
Sabres since then. Also, the Kentucky T-Blades added longtime NHLer Nick Fotiu 
to their coaching staff. Fotiu ran the ECHL's Johnstown Chiefs for the last 
few years.

Ouch: For the second year in a row, the Hershey Bears' training camp
featured a defenseman needing emergency surgery to correct a life-threatening 
condition. Last year Mike Gaul landed in the hospital with acute appendicitis; 
this year, Ryan Brown wound up there with compartment syndrome (layman's 
version - a muscle in his leg swelled, interfering with the circulation in his 
leg). Brown will be out at least two months, but if the rest of his season goes 
as Gaul's did last year, he probably won't complain much. The Bears also 
found themselves without Evgeny Lazarev due to an infected wisdom tooth, and 
missing Jeff Buchanan to a misdiagnosed gastro-intestinal disorder. Buchanan 
wasn't damaged so much by the disease as he was by the originally prescribed
medication, but is recovering quickly.

You Sure?: The Carolina Hurricanes demoted four players to New Haven,
then recalled them again a few days later. Seems the Canes failed to really 
comprehend just how many exhibition games they were about to play in one week 
and found themselves shorthanded.  Eventually all four wound up back in New 
Haven.

Newfangled Planning: The Washington Capitals and the Portland Pirates
re-upped their affiliation agreement, but some changes were made to the deal 
giving the two teams a unique arrangement no other team has at this point - 
the Capitals have complete control of the roster. All of it. The whole 
enchilada. The Pirates will have no players under contract to Portland on 
their roster, at least until massive callups/injuries absolutely require it. 
(If you're wondering, Kent Hulst and Steve Poapst are under contract to 
Portland because they had multi-year deals in place prior to the agreement 
with the Caps.) The Caps then made a separate agreement with the Blackhawks
to accept some players, but the Capitals determine which Chicago players may 
or may not play for Portland, not the Blackhawks. 

Better Late Than...: The Saint John Flames and Kentucky Thoroughblades 
will be a few days behind the rest of the AHL in setting their roster. Blame 
it on Japan - literally. Calgary and San Jose will kick off the NHL season in 
Japan, and the NHL has required both teams to bring extra players on the 
trip - players who ordinarily would have been in Saint John and Lexington to
start the season. They will be in the AHL by the following week, however.

Waive Good-Bye: A few longtime AHLers won't be back this year,
compliments of the waiver draft (any player taken in the draft has to clear 
waivers before going back to the minors).  The players: Maxim Galanov to the 
Penguins, Pascal Trepanier to the Mighty Ducks, Dennis Bonvie to the 
Blackhawks. Have fun in the big-time guys. Rory Fitzpatrick also went to the 
Bruins in the waiver draft, but Boston tried to send him to Providence and 
the Blues claimed him back.

It's A Maracle: Or at least pretty close to it. Norm Maracle will be in net for
the Adirondack Red Wings' season opener - for the fourth consecutive season. 
And his fifth in Glens Falls. Fortunately for Norm, this time it's just 
temporary, as in a rehab assignment necessitated by his training camp ankle 
injury. Maracle will be back in Detroit after a couple of games. 

Let the Games Begin...: St. John's and Saint John kicked off the 98-99 
season with an ugly game. The only repeatable aspects were the three assists 
for Flames' blueliner Chris Clark in his first professional game, and the hat 
trick plus two helpers for the Leafs' Jason Podollan...

Podollan wasn't done yet either - the two teams renewed hostilities Oct. 12 
and Podollan notched his second hat trick in five days. His third goal tied 
the game at 6-6 and that became the final score...

New Haven began this season the same way they ended last season - losing to the
Hartford Wolfpack...

Bob Errey had a goal and an assist in that game, his first minor league game 
in 12 years...

18,394 fans showed up for the Kentucky Thoroughblades' home opener Oct. 9. 
That's the second largest crowd in the history of the AHL, and all they got 
was a tie as the T-Blades blew a two-goal lead in the final minutes...

The Albany River Rats stayed perfect in season openers, winning for the third 
straight opening night against Hamilton no less. The Rats are now 5-0-1 in 
opening-night games...

And while it took a little longer, the Rats beat Hamilton again the next 
night when Jiri Bicek scored in overtime for a 4-3 final...

Longtime IHL stalwart Rich Parent picked up a shutout in his first weekend 
of AHL work, stopping 26 New Haven shots in a 1-0 win. Jochen Hecht scored 
only goal of the game...

Cincinnati's Tom Askey also opened the season with a shutout, stopping 33 
Hershey shots in the Ducks' home opener...

The Hartford Wolfpack made an impression on the Providence Bruins, scoring 
four goals in the first period en route to a win Oct. 10...

Then the next night it was deja vu all over again, as Hartford got five goals 
from five different players in the first 12 minutes. John Grahame got the 
hook as a result and Jim Carey (!) made 27 saves for the P-Bruins to no avail...

Martin Gendron picked up where he left off with Fredericton last season, 
getting three points in the baby Habs' 4-3 win over the baby Leafs...

A whole lotta nothin' in Philadelphia, as the Phantoms and the Crunch could 
only manage a rare 0-0 tie for the Phantoms' home opener. Brian Boucher 
stopped 25 shots, Craig Hillier stopped 33...

Podollan who? New Haven's Byron Ritchie had his own hat trick plus two assists 
against Lowell, and that wasn't the best night for a Beast. Rookie Shane 
Willis had a hand in all six Beast goals, scoring two and setting up the 
rest, as the Lock Monsters were plastered 6-1. The Beast were four for eight 
on the power play...

Providence's Shawn Bates scored on a penalty shot against Springfield on 
opening night...

Rochester's Martin Biron appears to have dodged the sophomore jinx, picking 
up a shutout Oct. 12 against Hamilton...

Norm Maracle stopped 39 of 40 shots against Worcester as his rehab assignment
continued...



-----------------------------------------------------------------
LCS Hockey Names Official Baby
-----------------------------------------------------------------
by Michael Dell

A while back, LCS Hockey announced it had named Whitman Mayo as
its Official Celebrity Spokesperson.  The move was greeted with
such success that we quickly began searching for other
spokespeople to help spread the good word of LCS Hockey.  After
months of tireless pursuit, we have finally found another worthy
representative.   

It gives us great pride to take this opportunity to declare Mira
Rose Strauss as the Official Baby of LCS Hockey.

The daughter of New York Islander correspondent David Strauss and
his wife Heather, Mira was born into the LCS family on August 30,
1998.  We knew she was LCS material when her first words were
"Johnny Cullen."  

As the Official Baby of LCS Hockey, Mira will be asked to
represent our fine publication in a variety of ways.  Her
responsibilities will include making personal appearances at day
care centers, filming a series of educational videos for young
hockey fans, and lending her likeness to merchandise ranging from
teething rings to rubber nipples.  She'll also be asked to sleep
up to 18 hours a day and eat plenty of strained carrots.  No,
wait a minute... that's me.  Of course, much of Mira's job will
be made easier once she's off the bottle and develops better
motor skills.  Wait... that's me again.  Never mind.

In summary, congratulations to Dave and Heather on the birth of
their first child and to little Mira for already helping the
cause.  However, it's only fair to mention that if for some
reason Mira is unable to live up to the high standards set for
our Official Baby, we'll be forced to take away her title and
award it to the runner-up, "60 Minutes" correspondent Andy
Rooney.  He cuts quite the striking figure in a diaper.  

 
================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Rob Ftorek 
   
Roster: C - Bobby Holik, Bob Carpenter, Denis Pederson, Petr
Sykora, Jason Arnott, Sergei Brylin, Brendan Morrison. LW - Dave
Andreychuk, Brian Rolston, Scott Daniels, Jay Pandolfo, Sasha
Lakovic.  RW - Patrik Elias, Randy McKay, Vadim Sharifijanov, 
Krzysztof Oliwa. D - Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, Ken
Daneyko, Lyle Odelein, Kevin Dean, Sheldon Souray, Brad
Bombardir. G - Martin Brodeur, Chris Terreri.
       
Injuries: Randy McKay, rw (groin, day-to-day); Jason Arnott, c
(finger surgery, day-to-day). 

Transactions: Assigned Bryan Muir, d, to Albany (AHL).

Game Results
10/10 at Chicago  L 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Michael Dell

Scott Niedermayer is close to signing a contract and could be in
the Devil lineup by this weekend.  Niedermayer is willing to sign
a two-year deal worth $3.5 million a season... what a guy!  The
club is still just offering $3.25 million per, but what's
$250,000 between friends?

New Jersey lost its season opener 2-1 in Chicago.  After Patrik
Elias gave El Diablo a 1-0 lead in the first, Martin Brodeur
allowed an Eric Daze dump-in from center ice to squirt through
his pads to tie the game 1-1 at 18:46 of the second period.  Doug
Gilmour then rose to the occasion in the third period, feeding a
perfect centering pass to Tony Amonte for the game-winner at
10:59.  That's no way to treat your former mates.

Other game highlights included Sasha Lakovic getting involved in
three fights before receiving the automatic game misconduct.  Not
wanting to lose his title as team goon, Krzysztof Oliwa got in
two fights of his own.  All and all, it reminded me of my last
family reunion.
      
That's about all the big Devils news at the moment.  We're still
looking for a New Jersey correspondent, so write to us if you're
interested.  But before I go I'd like to express many fans'
feelings towards Doug Gilmour at the moment as only I can...
that's right, through Haiku.

<center>
Gilmour split for cash. 
He then made winner of Hawks. 
Hey, Gilmour... suck it!

</center>



-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Mike Milbury  
   
Roster: C - Robert Reichel, Trevor Linden, Bryan Smolinski, 
Claude Lapointe, Sergei Nemchinov. LW - Mike Watt, Mike
Hough, Ken Belanger, Tom Chorske, Gino Odjick. RW - Zigmund
Palffy, Jason Dawe, Joe Sacco, Mariusz Czerkawski, Kevin Miller.
D - Kenny Jonsson, Bryan Berard, Scott Lachance, Richard Pilon,
Eric Brewer, David Harlock, Barry Richter. G - Tommy Salo, Wade
Flaherty. 

Injuries: Defenseman Richie "An injury a month" Pilon is
sidelined with the flu and a sore groin.  And while we're at it,
see if his warranty just ran out...

Transactions: Signed Kevin Miller, rw.

Game Results
10/10  Pittsburgh L 3-4
10/12  at Boston  L 0-3

TEAM NEWS by David Strauss

Islanders Report

On this episode of "As the Island Turns...."

<dd> * Lawsuits! 
<dd> * Leases! 
<dd> * Contracts! 
<dd> * Falling scoreboards! 
<dd> * Holdouts! 
<dd> * And did we mention lawsuits!

Hockey?  Oh yeah, there was supposed to be some of that this
season, too, wasn't there?

The group that owns the New York Islanders, New York Sports
Ventures, just missed the Guinness Record for shortest honeymoon. 
(A record currently held by Larry King and one of his 17 wives. 
Number eleven, I think.)  After taking over the team last season
after John "Sure, I've Got $185 million Right Here" Spano
defaulted on his payments, the new bosses promised a return to
glory, a competitive hockey team that would be willing to
compete, and a few less lines at the Coliseum bathrooms.

Well, I guess Pete Townshend was an Islanders fan.  "Meet the new
boss, same as the old boss...."

The first season of Islanders hockey under NYSV (a group headed
by New York real estate magnate Howard Milstein and his brother,
Eddie, as well as businessman Steven M. Gluckstern) opened with
three-time 40-goal scorer Zigmund Palffy home in Skalica,
Slovakia, practicing his English by watching Chris Farley movies
subtitled in Slovakian.  What he isn't doing is accepting the
Isles' contract offer, reported at $4.3 million over three years. 
Palffy is reportedly seeking almost $7 million a season, which
puts Ziggy in the "Yeah, right, Zig.  Suuuuure" category.   The
Islanders strongly denied a report they had offered to sell
Palffy's contract for $20 million to whomever would pay
it.

Captain Trevor Linden and Ken Belanger were only signed after
stressful negotiations that included take-it or leave-it offers. 

Last month, the team abandoned Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale,
declaring it unsafe for fans, but returned by court order after
National Hockey League inspectors had declared that conditions at
the arena posed no current danger.  Easy for them to say, they
didn't have to eat the nachos.

For the home opener, the video wall on the scoreboard, now hung
without the hoist system the Islanders claimed was unsafe, did
not work.  The game wasn't on TV, a last-minute decision by
Madison Square Garden Network and Fox Sports New York. 

There has been talk of dumping salaries in an effort to offset
what the team claims will be projected losses of more than $10
million this season -- and a host of suggestions that Palffy will
be traded if he does not take his take-it or leave-it deal soon.
Suggestions that the team might be moved to Houston, Cleveland or
even Portland, Oregon -- though denied -- have not helped restore
faith with fans. 

The team is fighting legal issues with Nassau County and S.M.G,
its landlord, and is busy trying to convince fans who say the
whole safety issue isn't just a smokescreen to get more public
funds.

Hockey?  Oh yeah, there was some of that involved.

After a summer of soothing goalie Tommy Salo's ego, first by
trading his backup Eric Fichaud, and then by flying over his
Swedish goalie teacher, in order to give Salo the number one
spot, Salo looked a lot like the troubled Salo of last season in
his first two games.  He allowed seven goals in the first 38
shots this season, including three on the first six shots he
faced. 

If the first 18 minutes and four seconds of the season did not go
as well as the Islanders had planned (Bryan Berard said, "In the
first period, we looked like 20 rookies running around the ice"),
-- then there was at least some hope in how the Islanders
responded in their season-opener against the Penguins
Saturday.   Down 4-0 in the first, the Islanders staged a
near-comeback against the Penguins before falling, 4-3. The
Islanders then traveled to Boston for the start of a three-game,
week-long road trip and out-performed the Bruins in several key
areas, only to lose to Boston, 3-0, at the FleetCenter on Monday. 

Fans waited about 100 seconds before chanting "We Want Ziggy.  We
Want Ziggy."  How long the owners wait is sure to be an ongoing
plot thread.  Tune in next week, same Isles time, same Isles
station.




-----------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK RANGERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: John Muckler

Rosters:  C - Wayne Gretzky, Manny Malhotra, Scott Fraser, Harry
York, P.J. Stock.  LW - Esa Tikkanen, Adam Graves, Kevin Stevens,
Brent Fedyk, Darren Langdon.  RW - Niklas Sundstrom, Alexei
Kovalev, Todd Harvey, John MacLean, Michael Knuble.  D - Brian
Leetch, Ulf Samuelsson, Jeff Beukeboom, Alexander Karpovstev,
Peter Popovic, Eric Cairns, Jan Mertzig, Geoff Smith.  G - Mike
Richter, Dan Cloutier.

Injuries: Todd Harvey, rw (strained hip flexor, day-to-day).  

Transactions: None.

Game Results:
10/09  Philadelphia L 1-0     
10/10  at Montreal  L 7-1
10/12  St. Louis    L 4-2

TEAM NEWS by Alex Frias

Offense, Where are You?:  Three games, 59 shots, three
goals. 

"We've got a lot to think about," said Rangers coach John Muckler
after a 3-2 loss to Al MacInnis and a 4-2 loss to St. Louis.  

I guess that's one way to put it.  This 1998-99 version is, not
surprisingly, drawing comparisons to the 1997-98 troops.  They've
basically been outworked in everyone of their games so far this
season.  Philly is just at a level that the Rangers can't even
see with a telescope.  In Montreal, they forgot that a game is 60
minutes not 40.  And St. Louis just out hustled them to every
loose puck.  

"Sports is played so much on confidence," Wayne Gretzky said.
"People sometimes refer to it as momentum. Whatever you want to
call it, our team, as players, seem to be headed the other way.
We seem to be lacking confidence, and a lot of that may have to
do with nerves."

Nerves or not, this ship is sinking fast and they need to call
the Coast Guard to stop it from disappearing in the ocean. 
Alexei Kovalev has been the Kovalev that put that Happy Gilmour
look on Colin Campbell's face.  Esa Tikkanen needs to have his
skate blades sharpened as he looks like he's skating still.  And
Gretzky is beginning to look his age.

The lack of depth has been especially evident at center as the
Rangers have been getting annihilated on faceoffs.  They lost 30
of 52 against St. Louis to make it 62 wins and 116 losses for the
season.  That means acquiring a No. 2 center has become even more
urgent.  Petr Nedved and Doug Weight are on the market but will
most likely cost them either Kovalev or Niklas Sundstrom.  Anyway
you slice it, this city is in for some tough hockey times.  At
least the Garden scoreboard isn't falling apart.

Tikk Attack is Back: The all too familiar face is back in
Ranger blue.  Esa Tikkanen, who came to camp as a tryout was
signed after leading the team in scoring during the preseason. 
Tikkanen, now 33, had more goals in exhibition games (five) than
all of last year (three) while playing with Florida and
Washington.  

While no one can argue Tikkanen's tenacity and competitiveness, I
think this signing tells you a lot about this Ranger team.  A
team that lacks productive wingers picks up a winger who scored
all of three goals last season yet was instrumental in the
Capitals' dive to the Stanley Cup Finals to play on their top
line.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this playoff warrior
will get a chance to do the same with this squad.  

Top pick signed: The Rangers have agreed to contract terms
with Manny Malhotra, a center who was their first-round pick in
the 1998 NHL entry draft.  The Rangers announced the signing in a
news release Wednesday night just a couple of hours before a
midnight deadline that would have forced the Rangers to return
Malhotra, to the junior ranks for the entire 1998-99 season. 
Malhotra signed a three-year deal at $975,000 a season, with
performance bonuses similar to but more lucrative than the
$1-million package Calder Trophy winner Sergei Samsonov earned
last year.  

"It's not so much I was terrified of it, but having a taste of
what life is here and the skill level, and having an opportunity
to play would be the greatest thing in the world," said Malhotra
when asked his thoughts about going back to juniors.   "Going
back to junior would have been a disappointment."  

Malhotra, 18, dazzled in the preseason with his hockey sense and
emotional maturity.   GM Neil Smith avoided a public relations
disaster by not allowing their highly touted first-round pick to
slip back to juniors.  Smith blames Boston GM Harry Sinden for
breaking the bank with 1997 rookies Samsonov and Joe Thornton,
and the ridiculous contracts he threw at them.

"The Bruins ruined it for everybody because they paid Samsonov
and Thornton all this money.  Now we're all fighting
tooth-and-nail with ever high-level player," Smith said.     

The argument, while valid, is not as ferocious when coming from
the mouth of a GM who, if I can recall correctly, signed Joe
Sakic to a front-loaded 3-year $21-million offer sheet last
season. 

Galanov Lost to Pens: The Rangers, who lack a young
offensive defensemen, lost Maxim Galanov, one of the few in the
organization, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the waiver draft. The
6-foot-1, 195-pound Russian defenseman scored 30 goals his first
two professional hockey seasons in the Western Hemisphere,
playing for the Rangers' American Hockey League affiliate in
Binghamton, N.Y. 

Galanov displayed enough explosive speed, skilled puck handling,
and slick passing in the preseason to force the division-rival
Penguins to snatch him with the seventh of the nine selections in
the draft.  

"It was a surprise," said Galanov when asked about his initial
reaction the news.  "I don't like to change something."

I really don't know what Neil Smith was thinking here.  On a team
that, minus Brian Leetch, lacks offense behind the blue line, a
kid like Galanov can't be given away.  Now you have Smith looking
towards Toronto and restricted free agent Mathieu Schneider to
answer the bell.  

Fedyk Makes the Cut: Brent Fedyk, former "Crazy Eights"
linemate of Eric Lindros and Mark Recchi, has been a pleasant
surprise this year. 

Fedyk is attempting to reconstruct a career hampered first by a
fractured neck, then weakness in his right leg, a condition that
forced Fedyk out of the NHL for the 1996-97 season.

No doctors could find the problem until physical therapist Gary
Gray discovered Fedyk's right leg was shorter than the left and
had caused his hip muscles to deteriorate.

With rehabilitation and a temporary lift in his skate, Fedyk has
regained his strength and skating stride. He had 39 goals and 36
assists for the IHL Detroit Vipers and Cincinnati Cyclones last
season and the Rangers signed him as a free agent over the
summer.

"It's been cool for a lot of reasons, especially because of the
year I had to sit out with the injury. It'll be all around
special," Fedyk said. "The hardest thing in this league is to get
a second chance."

Now that's cool.  

Short Game Recaps:

Oct. 9, lost to Philly 1-0: Former Ranger John
Vanbiesbrouck stopped 20 weak shots to shut out the Blueshirts
1-0.  Alexandre Diagle had the lone goal as the Rangers went 0-
for-6 on the power play.

Oct. 10, crushed at Montreal 7-1: By making 21 saves, Mike
Richter held the fort for two periods before he buckled under the
weight of far too many unstopped offensive thrusts by the Habs.
What had been a 2-1 game going into the third, avalanched into
the landslide left on the scoreboard.  Adam Graves had the only
red light for the Rangers.  

Oct. 12, beat up by St. Louis 4-2:  Al MacInnis put on a
slap shot clinic as he had a natural hat trick to single-handedly
overpower the now infamous Broadway Blueshirts.  Brian Leetch and
Alexander Karpovtsev scored two meaningless third-period goals.

      

-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Roger Neilson

ROSTER: C - Rod Brind'Amour, Marc Bureau, Alexander Daigle, Eric
Lindros, Mike Sillinger. LW - Colin Forbes, Chris Gratton, Dan
Kordic, John LeClair, Shjon Podein, Valeri Zelepukin. RW - Jody
Hull, Mike Maneluk, Dainius Zubrus. D - Dave Babych, Eric
Desjardins, Dan McGillis, Luke Richardson, Petr Svoboda, Chris
Therien, Dmitri Tertyshny. G - Ron Hextall, John Vanbiesbrouck.

Injuries: Chris Therien, d (collarbone, day to day, expected out
7-10 days).

Transactions: Traded Daniel Lacroix, c,  to Edmonton in exchange
for Valeri Zelepukin, lw. Signed Jody Hull, rw. Placed Trent
Klatt, rw, on waivers.

Game Results:
10/11 at Rangers  W 1-0
10/13 Anaheim     W 4-1

TEAM NEWS by Chuck Michio

GET TO THE PLAYOFFS ALREADY!
The Flyers are off to a good start, which is nice. But I'm
thoroughly convinced that we won't have any idea what to expect
from this team for at least another week. That's when the New
Jersey Devils come to town.

With the exception of goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, the Flyers
are basically the same team that got spanked by anti-christ
Matthew Barnaby and the rest of those uppity Sabres last spring.
And that debacle was merely the culmination of a season-long
trend. The Flyers struggled mightily against the league's better
teams all last season. So is there any reason to believe that
this year's edition will fair any better against the elite teams
of the league?

The answer is "maybe." Although victories against a paper-thin
Rangers squad and the Disney-backed softies from Anaheim don't
amount to much, there are signs that the Flyers may be a more
cohesive unit this year.

For starters, consider the way the team has responded to physical
challenges. When Anaheim's Kevin Haller took some liberties with
Chris Gratton Sunday night, Eric Lindros immediately responded by
pummeling his former teammate into the boards. Later, supergoon
Stu Grimson attempted to goad Lindros into a fight. But before 88
could even discard his gloves, defenseman Luke Richardson stepped
up to the dish and risked his life to stick up for his more
valuable teammate.

That type of team spirit was noticeably absent last season. So
maybe Roger Neilson's training camp mantra of "togetherness" got
into some heads. Who said volleyball is good for nothing?

The play of John Vanbiesbrouck has also been encouraging. Sure, a
naked anorexic could have shut out the Rangers for the last two
periods on Friday night. But that doesn't diminish the fact that
Vanbiesbrouck has yet to allow one of those ugly, deflating
five-hole goals. Perhaps that steadiness will give the rest of
the team enough confidence to avoid becoming scared stiff and
tentative against the stronger teams in the league. We'll know
soon enough.

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES
It's still early, but right wing Mike Maneluk (pronounced
Man-uh-luk) looks like a good fit with Lindros and LeClair. He's
a faster skater than Trent Klatt and much better with the puck.
And he also seems to have some chemistry with his new linemates.
He made a nifty pass on Lindros' second goal against the Ducks.

Dmitri Tertyshny looks like a player, too. He's the most mobile
defenseman on the squad and an excellent shooter and playmaker.
But at 178 pounds, he might not be able to push around Kate Moss.
And that, combined with Bob Clarke's well-documented love of
Russian players, will probably limit his playing time for now.
He'll get some PT in the next week with Chris Therien out. But
he'll probably become the seventh defenseman again when Therien
returns. Expect Tertyshny to contribute more in the second half
of the season.

Not all of the Flyers' new players are making such a strong first
impression. Free agent acquisition Marc Bureau was a healthy
scratch in his first game. That's a pretty big surprise
considering the fact that the Flyers shelled out $3.3 mil to get
him in orange and black.

Bureau's down-time is partially due to Alexander Daigle's move to
center. The Daigle move certainly makes sense in some respects.
Coach Roger Neilson believes that Daigle will have more room to
use his superior wheels in the middle of the ice. It's possible.
But unless Daigle shows a lot more offense, expect the experiment
to be short-lived. God knows he's not likely to compete for the
Selke Trophy.

MR. OCTOBER
After banging homeruns in three consecutive at-bats in the 1977
World Series clincher, the sportswriters christened Reggie
Jackson "Mr. October." But for me, the real Mr. October is #88,
Eric Lindros. He's at it again. Perhaps because of all that
gentle prodding from Bob Clarke, Lindros was a terror throughout
the exhibition season. And he carried that intensity into the
first two regular season games, as well.

A lot of people around Philadelphia are convinced that Clarke's
comments and Lindros's unresolved contract situation will finally
give him enough incentive to have the season the Flyers have been
waiting for. Even though he's off to a strong start, I'm not so
sure. Lindros continues to respond to interview questions like
his old passionless, robotic self. And even if does have a
monster regular season, there's nothing in his past to suggest
that he'll be at his best when the Flyers really need him to be.

Bob Clarke is taking a very big gamble with Lindros. Even though
he has a handshake agreement that the center won't shop himself
around the league next summer when his contract expires, there's
no guarantee that it won't happen. The league office called the
handshake deal "a figment." And that puts the team in a
precarious situation.

What if Lindros and the Flyers fall short again next spring and
contract negotiations turn sour? At that point, the Flyers will
be forced to overpay to retain him - just like the Red Wings had
to do to keep Sergei Fedorov in the fold. I believe that the
Flyers should have traded Lindros when he refused to sign for the
long-term. If the nightmare scenario plays out, I'm sure most
fans will agree with me.

GOODBYE TRENT KLATT?
The signing of Jody Hull forced the Flyers to put a roster player
on waivers. They chose Trent Klatt. That's a sure sign of how far
Klatt's stock with the team has fallen in the past year.
Personally, I think Klatt is still a good player. He's an
excellent defensive player, perhaps the Flyers' most enthusiastic
hitter, and a decent goal scorer. Sure, he looked terrible on the
Lindros line last year. But his failure there was Bob Clarke's
fault, not his. If Clarke had been able to trade for a proven
scorer on the right wing, Klatt would never have been forced into
the scorer's role.

Fortunately, his recent pay raise will probably discourage most
teams from claiming him. And if no one claims him by the end of
today, he'll remain property of the Flyers. Here's hoping he gets
another chance to be just a solid, two-way player.

 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Kevin Constantine
     
Roster:  C - Martin Straka, Robert Lang, Jan Hrdina, Tyler
Wright, Kip Miller. LW - Stu Barnes. German Titov, Patrick
Lebeau, Ian Moran.  RW - Jaromir Jagr, Aleksey Morozov, Robby
Brown, Dan Kesa. D - Darius Kasparaitis, Kevin Hatcher, Brad
Werenka, Jiri Slegr, Chris Tamer, Bobby Dollas, Neil Wilkinson,
Jeff Serowik, Victor Ignatjev, Maxim Galanov. G - Tom Barrasso,
Jean-Sebastian Aubin, Peter Skudra. 

Injuries: Peter Skudra, g (shoulder, day-to-day); Darius
Kasparaitis, d (knee, a couple more weeks).

Transactions: Acquired Kip Miller, c; and Maxim Galanov, d;
through waiver draft.  Assigned Sean Pronger, c; Robert Dome, rw;
and Todd Hlushko, lw; to Syracuse (AHL).  

Game Results
10/10 at NY Islanders  W 4-3

TEAM NEWS by Jerry Fairish

"It's a great day for hockey!"  

That was a phrase uttered by late Penguin coach Bob Johnson.  To
Penguin fans of the early 90's, it used to mean that there was a
sense of dominance.  A feeling that their mighty Arctic Birds
were on the verge of a dynasty.  A feeling that all was well in
the 'Burgh.  

Well, guess what?  That day has come and gone.  The Penguins of
today are only a shell of what they used to be earlier in this
decade.  Feelings of desperation and hopelessness, not dominance,
are what now plague the black and gold followers.  The bandwagon
that was carrying all the fans through the early 90's has now
been reduced to a Radio Flyer with Dick Trickle at the helm. 
"What does that mean?" you may be asking yourself... it means
they're gonna suck.

Ron is Gone:  Ron Francis returned "home" this off-season. 
The Penguin captain and leader signed a contract with the
Carolina Hurricanes for more money than the Pens were willing to
part with.  Francis holds just about every scoring record in
Carolina's franchise history, recording 264 goals and 821 points
during his 10 seasons (1981-91) in Hartford. 

The simple fact is that Francis undoubtedly deserved more than
Pens' owner Roger Marino wanted to pay him.  Francis is a true
professional and it was a slap in the face that the Penguins made
no real effort to keep this guy.  He will now sport the number 21
and lead the Canes to the playoffs for the first time in years.  

Jagr Needs to Step Up:  Will Jaromir Jagr be able to fill
the void left by Ron Francis?  I doubt it.  Jagr, who was elected
as the team's new captain, is not the same type of player that
Francis is.  Sure, Jagr is the best one-on-one player in the
world, but he doesn't possess the same qualities to lead this
team the way Ronnie was able to.  Jagr is the type of player that
wants the table set for him.  With Lemieux and Francis on his
line, Jagr was able to really dominate the game the way only he
can.  He is now going to have to be the player that sets up guys
like Stu Barnes and Martin Straka.  He won't be able to be the
finisher all the time.  This may hurt his ego.  Jags claims that
he will step up and "know his role", but I think it's a temporary
solution.  Jagr will grow tired of the situation, and will
probably ask to be traded.  Don't expect to see Jagr in
Pittsburgh by season's end.
  
Barrasso: Friend or Foe?:  As anyone who knows me will
tell you, Jerry is NOT a fan of Tom Barrasso.  This may be the
case, but I must give Tommy his props.  The veteran goaltender
returned to his old form last season.  He made himself a true
contender for the Vezina.  That was last season, this is a whole
new campaign.  

I'm not saying that Barrasso can't play like he did last season. 
Wait, I am saying that Barrasso can't play like he did last
season.  Why?  Because the Pens are gonna suck.  Barrasso has no
help out there.  The Pens will not score goals this season like
they have in the past, therefore it puts more pressure on Tommy
to hold opponents to one or two goals per game.  That's a tall
order, my friend.  And with Darius Kasparaitis on the shelf,
there's nobody to clear the crease and keep Barrasso from being a
shooter-tutor.  

Although, I must say, I'm pulling for him this season, but only
because all the good goalies were gone in our fantasy hockey
draft.

Darius Not Done:  While it was originally feared that he
could miss the entire season, Kasparaitis did not have surgery on
his injured knee.  He is currently in rehabilitation and could be
back by the end of the month.  Yeehaw!  

Dear Roger: Roger Marino has been shopping this team
around the country even though the contract with the city of
Pittsburgh does not end until the year 2007.  I think he wants
out.  He has talked to Las Vegas and Oklahoma City about moving
the team there.  Marino is not well liked around the Steel City
and is anxious to get out.  Well, Rog, if you don't like it here
sell the team to someone who does.  Someone that will keep the
club here and try to rebuild this franchise into a contender. 
Remember this, it's not about you, it's about the fans.  
  
Secondly, pull the trigger on a deal for Petr Nedved.  I don't
care what it is we get for him, but get something.  Nedved will
spend his second straight season playing hockey outside the NHL. 
Roger needs to focus his attention on shopping Nedved around
rather than the team itself.  

Big News:  The Pittsburgh Penguins are undefeated and well
on their way to the Stanley Cup!  Not really, but the Pens did
manage to win 4-3 over the New York Islanders to start off the
season as the team to beat.  Will this trend continue?  It's
unlikely because they're gonna suck. 

Early Lines:  Here's how the lines looked in the Islander
game:


OFFENSE
Stu Barnes - Martin Straka - Jaromir Jagr
German Titov - Robert Lang - Aleksey Morozov 
Patrick Lebeau - Jan Hrdina - Rob Brown
Ian Moran, Tyler Wright

DEFENSE
Jeff Serowik - Victor Ignatjev
Kevin Hatcher - Brad Werenka 
Jiri Slegr - Bobby Dollas
Chris Tamer


Notice that Morozov now spells his first name "Aleksey" and not
"Alexei."  No real reason for the change.  Although, sometimes I
spell my name with a G... and an I!

LCS Hockey will have more on some of those other unrecognizable
names next issue, once we get more of a chance to see 'em play.
  
=================================================================
  
================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHEASTERN DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
BOSTON BRUINS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Pat Burns

Roster: C - Jason Allison, Anson Carter, Joe Thornton, Ted
Donato, Tim Taylor, Chris Taylor.  LW - Sergei Samsonov, Ken
Baumgartner, Rob Dimaio, Peter Ferraro, Antii Laaksonen. RW -
Dimitri Khristich, Steve Heinze, Per Johan Axelsson, Peter
Nordstrom.  D - Ray Bourque, Don Sweeney, Dave Ellett, Kyle
McLaren, Hal Gill, Darren Van Impe, Grant Ledyard, Dennis Vaske,
Jonathan Girard. G - Byron Dafoe, Rob Tallas.

Injuries: None.

Transactions: None.

Game Results
10/10  St. Louis     T 3-3
10/13  NY Islanders  W 3-0  

TEAM NEWS by Matt Brown

The Bruins started out the 1998 campaign shorthanded, but so far
it has not hurt them.  Defenseman Kyle McLaren remains unsigned
and out of uniform, with no contract talks in sight.  Anson
Carter finds himself in the same situation, the latest victim of
the Bruins' typical contract tactics.

Every year, the business side of hockey bleeds through in Boston,
with a negative effect on the team. In previous years it has been
a Cam Neely or an Adam Oates or a Glenn Wesley, etc, etc. This
year, it could have been a record setting four-bagger (four
players sent packing) but Jason Allison and Ted Donato blinked.

The sad part is that the people who pay to sit in the FleetCenter
are the ones who suffer, either with higher prices, or less
product on the ice than they expected. 

And every year, some other NHL team does something so boneheaded
as to make us wonder if the Beantown GM dynamic duo of Harry
Sinden and Mike O'Connell are right after all in their approach
to players and contracts.  Last year, Paul Kariya missed 60 games
between his concussion injury and his contract disputes. Another
big money guy, Joe Sakic, has missed close to 20 games in each of
the last two years after Colorado's Cup win and his big payout. 
These kinds of free agent disappointments after big contracts are
cited annually by Harry and Mike as reasons to stay out of the
free agent market, and to be very conservative in giving out
raises.  It almost seems like a superstition ("If we stiff him,
he won't suffer a season ending injury.")

This year, however, Mike and Harry have been handed the mother of
all excuses: there is the possibility that the Pittsburgh
Payrolls (err, Penguins) might be filing for bankruptcy.  This
could be the ultimate "I told you so." for Harry to throw back at
his critics, who over the years have called him "Ol' Tightwad"
(or lots worse) for his penny-pinching ways.  Harry can now say
that financial mismanagement can indeed cause the kind of
franchise collapse he has often warned about.  People could
respond that the Pens won two Stanley Cups with that payroll, and
they would be right.  But two Stanley Cup banners hanging from an
empty Igloo would be all the sadder if the franchise folded or
snuck out of town.

In any event, you won't hear Bruins coach Pat Burns moaning and
whining about missing players.  Pat is focused on building a team
around the players he has, not wishing for the players he doesn't
have.  If they sign, fine, then they will get the same chance to
win a job as anyone else.  Until then, the Bruins have games to
play and win.

The start of the season dispelled one worry that was hanging over
the Bruins.  Goaltender Byron Dafoe had off-season shoulder
surgery, so there were concerns about his recuperation,
particularly his regaining the range of motion so crucial to a
world-class goaltender.  Byron pretty much silenced those
concerns with good performances in the preseason, and nailed them
shut in the first two regular season games by backstopping the
Bruins to a tie and a win. Against St. Louis, he registered 32
saves in a
3-3 tie and kept the Bruins in the game when they were
struggling.  Then in the second game of the season, he shut out
the Islanders on a night when the rest of the Bruins were being
outplayed by New York.

Another question mark for the opening was Dimitri Khristich.
Dimitri also went through contract negotiations with the Bruins,
but resolved things just in time to injure his shoulder (shades
of Harry Sinden) in an exhibition game.  Dimitri missed game one,
but returned against the Islanders to score a key goal, and
looked as if he hadn't missed a step. 

There are some new faces on the team this year. Well, one is not
so new: Peter Ferraro joined the team as the Harry Sinden
retread-of-the-year.  Ferraro spent most of his pro hockey career
in the Rangers farm system, though he did play 29 games for the
Penguins in 97-98.  Peter joins the ranks of past and present
lunchbucket Bruins, who are expected to play solid all-around
hockey in workman like fashion, with an occasional spark of
offense. Ferraro adds depth and versatility: "Peter's a good
skater who is a natural center but is also comfortable at either
wing," said Mike O'Connell.

In much the same category, center Chris Taylor, 26, signed a
one-year contract in July and made his Bruins debut against the
Islanders.  Taylor, who is the younger brother of Tim Taylor, has
been in the Islanders system for six seasons, surfacing for 22
games with the Isles. There is no truth to the rumor that he was
signed because his skates are one size smaller than his brother's
(that's a joke, see.  Tim's toe in the crease disallowed a
crucial playoff goal last year and... never mind.)

From Finland, the Bruins have a player whose name sounds to
Boston ears like a new cure for gastric distress: Antii
Laaksonen.  So far, however, Laaksonen hasn't caused Pat Burns
any ulcers.  Antii was one of the positive surprises out of
training camp this year, and showed good hustle and instincts in
the opener against the Blues. Laaksonen was drafted by Boston
191st overall in the 1997 NHL Entry, but unlike most Finnish
players, he is no stranger to North America, having played four
seasons of college hockey at the University of Denver.  

Another new Bruin with a European background is Peter Nordstrom. 
Nordstrom played three years in the Swedish Elite League for
Farjestad, and was a linemate of Peter Forsberg in the 1998 World
Championships.  Peter is anything but a finesse-only player,
however, having rung up close to a minute per game in penalties
(114 minutes in 129 games) in the usually sedate (at least by NHL
standards) Swedish League.  

But the most heralded addition is defenseman Jonathan Girard. 
Girard, who played for Laval in Quebec Junior, follows Joe
Thornton's example as a first round pick who made the big club
rather than being sent back to his junior team.  Girard showed
lots of offensive promise in the preseason, but did not suit up
for the first to regular season games.  This could be another
example of the method in Pat Burns' madness, similar to his
bringing Joe Thornton around slowly during his rookie year,
rather then let the NHL overwhelm him. Bruins fans are hoping
that Pat's patience is rewarded one more time.

Conspicuous in his absence is goaltender Jim Carey.  The Net
Detective hasn't been able to buy a clue as a Bruin, and will
start the season where he left off, in Providence.  The Bruins
seem approachable for a deal or a loan arrangement, but Carey,
who also had off-season surgery, made it through waivers
untouched, and nobody is beating down the doors.  Meanwhile, he
is saddled with the chore of bricking up a porous Providence
Bruins defense, so the chance of his goals-against average
impressing anyone from afar is fairly slim.  Carey was in net for
the P-Bruins' 5-1 thrashing by the Hartford Wolfpack, and while
he didn't get much for support, neither did he look like a Vezina
winner.  

The early candidate for surprise goal of the year has to go to
the Bomber.  Anyone who crafted a custom bet in Vegas that Ken
Baumgartner would go another year without a goal lost their money
on opening night.  Baumgartner, who had not scored a goal since
January of 1996 with Toronto, was in the right place at the right
time when a St. Louis defenseman inexplicably passed the puck
back to goalie Grant Fuhr with Baumgartner bearing down on him. 
The usually unflappable Fuhr bobbled the puck just enough for Ken
to tap it loose and backhand it in to tie the game. 
Baumgartner's comment: "I hope it's not quite so long before I
get another one."  Gotta love a guy who thinks positively.




-----------------------------------------------------------------
BUFFALO SABRES
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
Head Coach: Lindy Ruff

Roster C - Michael Peca, Brian Holzinger, Curtis Brown, Wayne
Primeau, Derek Plante. LW - Dixon Ward, Geoff Sanderson, Michal
Grosek, Paul Kruse. RW - Vaclav Varada, Miroslav Satan, Matthew
Barnaby, Rob Ray. D - Richard Smehlik, Alexei Zhitnik, Jason
Woolley, Jay McKee, James Patrick, Darryl Shannon, Jason Holland,
Rumun Ndur. G - Dominik Hasek, Dwayne Roloson.

Injuries: James Patrick, d, (neck stinger, day-to-day).

Transactions: Assigned Mike Hurlbut, d; and Erik Rasmussen, c; to
Rochester (AHL); signed James Patrick, d; Alexei Zhitnik, d; and
Miroslav Satan, rw.

Game results
10/10 at Dallas  L 4-1

TEAM NEWS by Mark Zampogna

Two summers ago, the Marine Midland Arena was the set of the
Jerry Springer Show.  This past summer, it was Mister Rogers'
Neighborhood.  Matthew Barnaby and Dominik Hasek buttoned up
their warm, fuzzy cardigan sweaters and played nice at a charity
hockey tournament in the Czech Republic.  No one threatened to
run the world's best goaltender.

Season ticket holders slipped into comfortable shoes and started
coming back, gradually forgetting about fired President Larry
Quinn, still hated in Buffalo even if most of his decisions -
trading Pat LaFontaine and replacing the back-stabbing duo of
John Muckler and Ted Nolan, among others - have turned out to be
right. No one burned their tickets.

Grandfatherly new owner John Rigas kindly made a generous but
unsuccessful bid for free agent center Ron Francis a few months
after making Dominik Hasek one of the highest-paid alien life
forms in the NHL. No one wondered if the next payroll would be
met.

Then everyone orderly boarded a jumbo jet for a 12-hour,
trapped-in-close-quarters flight to Austria and a late-summer
hockey vacation before school starts. No one was shoved out an
emergency exit over Gander, Newfoundland.

Won't you be my neighbor?

Beast of Burden

The quietest off-season - certainly the shortest - in the history
of the Buffalo Sabres has given way to one of the most optimistic
Octobers in 29 seasons.  Ridiculously high expectations are being
heaped on a team that is still one of the youngest, if not the
youngest, in the NHL.

Head Coach Lindy Ruff did the most to ratchet up the pressure on
his team with some very bold preseason predictions.

Top six overall in the NHL.  The Stanley Cup Finals.

"If you don't start off with the goal of winning the Cup, why
play?" he asked rhetorically while trying on a set of Marilyn
Manson-style contact lens.

The Sabres in the Finals?  Al Morganti of ESPN thinks so, and the
Sabres are the consensus preseason pick to win the Northeast
Division.

Uncharted territory for a team that has relished in the role of
the classic underdog the last two seasons.  The Sabres want the
hockey world to underestimate them.  Sneak into town with Dominik
Hasek all folded up in an unmarked trunk and sneak away with two
points or even a playoff sweep while players like Martin Rucinsky
wonder how they could have lost to an "average team with a great
goaltender."

But clearly, in 1998-99, the Sabres won't sneak up on anyone. 
The whole world will be watching on ESPN, espn2 and all points in
between.  They might even be watching until early summer.

Why Not the Sabres?

A quickly maturing team with blazing speed, a maniacal work ethic
and almost perfect chemistry is growing up together after last
spring's stunning run to the Eastern Conference Finals. There are
few egos on the well-coached team, and the team is solidly united
with just enough flaky characters like Hasek and Barnaby to keep
things interesting.

And, oh yeah, they happen to be led by the double-jointed circus
freak whose sheer presence on the ice at once gives the Sabres
the confidence to win and robs the other team of it, and
routinely, their jock straps.

The Dominator.

Don't repeat Rucinsky's error in judgment, though. In front of
The Amazing Rubber Man is more than an average team: a Selke
Trophy winner in Captain Mike Peca, a possible Norris Trophy
contender in Alexei Zhitnik, a two-time 40-goal scorer in Geoff
Sanderson and young players on the come like Matthew Barnaby,
Michal Grosek, Brian Holzinger...

The optimism is well founded.

But before everyone jumps on board the Trolley to the
Neighborhood of Make-Believe thinking this season will be a
martini-sipping ride to a Cup parade in downtown Buffalo, be
warned: There's always a stoned-out-of-his-mind conductor ready
to drive the train off a bridge and into an alligator-infested
bog.

Reality Check, Please

Young players don't always get better the next year. Sometimes
they take two steps back. Dominik Haseks don't always play at
such a mind-boggling level every year. Sometimes emotionally
unstable goaltenders pack up in the middle of the season and move
to a cabin in Montana to write manifestos.

The even scarier thought here is that the Sabres still rely on
the umbilical cord that is Hasek to win games when the offense
that was outscored by 17 teams last season goes
January-on-the-shores-of-Lake-Erie cold. When Hasek is merely
human, like he was in giving up four goals in just 26 shots to
the Dallas Stars on opening night, the Sabres chances of winning
are Rob Razor-thin. The Stars won, 4-1.

The Sabres rarely tested Stars goaltender Ed Belfour, throwing 28
mostly perimeter shots at the Dallas net. When Alexei Zhitnik did
score the apparent tying goal just a day after ending his
holdout, center Wayne Primeau was smack in the middle of the
NHL's downsized crease.

Then, in the early going of the third period with the Stars
leading 3-1, Miroslav Satan gathered in a crazy carom off the
corner boards and found himself all alone five feet to the left
of Belfour.

The Unabrow-mer shot the puck into the goaltender's left pad.

In the city that made famous the sniper on a grassy knoll, the
Sabres kept missing the limousine altogether.

Mostly, they misfired on the power play. The Sabres were 1-for-6
and failed to convert on three straight power plays in the third
period when they were still very much in the game, trailing 3-1.
Like half the teams in the National Football League, the Sabres
power play, ranked 18th last season, is in desperate need of a
quarterback. 

The Answer?

Does GM Darcy Regier cash in some of the team's future stocks to
find that badly needed offensive player? Or does he remain
patient and hope the superstar playmaker the Sabres crave is
already on the roster waiting for his supernova?

Can they afford in the pocketbook to make a big move and can they
afford not to with the window of opportunity labeled "Hasek" soon
to slam shut?

Petr Nedved might provide the answer to all of those questions.
Both Ruff and Regier admit the Sabres are interested, and
Nedved's agent confirms he has talked to the Sabres. He would be
costly, not only for owner John Rigas' bank account at about $4
million a season but for the future, coming with the price of
five first-round picks or a combination of picks and players. The
Toronto Sun recently speculated that the cost for Nedved would be
centers Derek Plante and Brian Holzinger.

In return the Sabres would get a 26-year-old center who scored 99
points three seasons ago but is a headcase who held out the
entire 1997-98 season.

By signing the Penguins' holdout, Regier would be experimenting
with the chemistry of a team seemingly ready to bubble over. If
the move fails, and the beaker blows up in his face, fans and
media will openly wonder why the general manager tinkered with a
team on the brink of making a run at the Cup.

Chances are, the Sabres will wait and see if they can generate
more offense from the players on board. Matthew Barnaby and
Michal Grosek, who scored 15 goals in the entire regular season
then 13 in the playoffs alone, can't help but carry that momentum
forward and have better regular seasons. Brian Holzinger,
Miroslav Satan and Mike Peca will all be asked to more frequently
turn on the red light.

But the Sabres may have one wild card up their sleeve: Geoff
Sanderson. Sanderson is coming off an understandably miserable
season that saw him play for three different teams, an
energy-sapping and confidence-rattling time in his career. In his
short time with the Sabres, though, anyone could easily see the
classic speed and uncanny knack for finding the puck that define
Sanderson.

Sanderson scored the Sabres' lone goal in Dallas - albeit just a
deflection - and that's an encouraging sign. If he regains the
goal-scoring form of his Whaler days, the question in Buffalo
might become, "Petr who?"

Without acquiring a player like Francis or Nedved, however, the
Sabres front office is pulling the blanket over its head and
hoping the youngsters have matured much more than just four
months since Joey Juneau tapped the puck past Hasek in overtime
of Game 6 to send the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Boys and girls, can you say "leap of faith"?

Players to Watch

Jay McKee. With the loss of Bob Boughner to the expansion
Nashville Predators, the Sabres need a physical defenseman. The
just-turned-21 McKee last season showed flashes of hitting,
toppling opponents into their own benches and flattening forwards
at the Sabres line, but he's been too inconsistent. Now, the
beefed-up boy should get a full season to show his stuff.

Matthew Barnaby. Barnaby showed in the opener he might be
serious about being a full-time Killer. The Smile was back,
throwing snow on Ed Belfour, turtling on Craig Ludwig - drawing a
penalty that led to the Sabres' only goal - and setting up
scoring opportunities. But for Wayne Primeau in the crease,
Barnaby would have assisted on Alexei Zhitnik's overturned goal.

Alexei Zhitnik. Will he continue his seemingly inevitable
development into a Norris Trophy candidate or will he fizzle with
a big contract in hand?

Geoff Sanderson. Will his scoring touch come back?

Dominik Hasek. Worth the price of admission.

In the (Buffalo) Wings

October 16 - Home opener against Florida. Pregame ceremony will
remember the late co-founder of the Sabres, Northrup Knox, who
died on July 23 at the age of 69. The Knox Brothers...the
Aud...the crossed-sabres logo...the voice of the Sabres, Ted
Darling... Much of what Buffalo Sabres hockey meant for so long
to so many people has been lost in recent years. One symbol of
the Sabres does remain, stronger than ever.  More on that in the
next issue.

October 23 - The Washington Capitals come to the Marena for a
rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals.

October - The Sabres play six of nine games on the road. Another
stumbling start may be in store. Remember, the team's slow start
a year ago cost them the Northeast Division.

The good news for the Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars is that
twice in the last four seasons the losers in the conference
finals one season went on to win the Stanley Cup the next.
(You'll recall that the New Jersey Devils won the Cup in 1995 a
year after being eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals by
the eventual champion New York Rangers and that the Detroit Red
Wings won the Cup in 1997 after losing first to the
Devils in the finals in '95, then to the Colorado Avalanche in
the Western Conference Finals in '96.)

But the Sabres and Stars, losers in last spring's conference
finals in six games and oft-mentioned to go to the finals in
1999, must hear the bad news, too. Since the league expanded from
six to 12 teams in 1967-68, the sixty losers in the NHL's Final
Four have been more likely to miss the playoffs the next season
(eight teams) than win the Stanley Cup (six teams).

Take last season's Rangers. Please. After being defeated by the
Philadelphia Flyers in five games in the 1997 Eastern Conference
Finals, the Rangers suffered a collective concussion and finished
11th in the Eastern Conference to miss the playoffs altogether.

A little more than half of the sixty teams, unlike the 1998
Rangers, did make the playoffs the next season but lost before
getting back to the semifinals.

Here's how the other 21 teams, the ones that got back to the
semifinals or beyond, fared:

* Six won the Stanley Cup. Teams to do it before the Devils and
the Red Wings were the 1980 New York Islanders, the 1976 Montreal
Canadiens, the 1974 Philadelphia Flyers and the 1970 Boston
Bruins.

* Five lost in the finals. The last such team was the Minnesota
North Stars, who lost in the semifinals to Philadelphia in 1980,
then were defeated in 1981 by a New York Islanders team that was
winning its second of four consecutive Stanley Cups. Minnesota
that year got by the Sabres in the quarterfinal round a year
after Buffalo lost in the conference finals to the Islanders. The
Islanders, by the way, won their first Cup after losing four of
the previous five semifinal rounds from 1975 to 1979.

* Ten lost in the semifinals again. Most recently, the Toronto
Maple Leafs were knocked out by eventual Cup runners-up Los
Angeles and Vancouver in 1993 and 1994.

So if you're one of those prognosticators, like Al Morganti of
ESPN, who picked Buffalo and Dallas to produce the hockey
equivalent of Super Bowls 27 and 28 when the Bills and Cowboys
squared off, take this statistical cold shower: Not once since
the league's original six expansion have the two semifinal losers
played each other for the Stanley Cup the next season.



-----------------------------------------------------------------
MONTREAL CANADIENS  
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Alain Vigneault
   
ROSTER: C - Saku Koivu, Vincent Damphousse, Scott Thornton, Matt
Higgins, Trent McLeary, Serguei Zholtok. LW - Shayne Corson,
Martin Rucinsky, Benoit Brunet, Terry Ryan, Patrick Poulin,
Andrei Bashkirov, Dave Morissette. RW - Mark Recchi, Brian
Savage, Turner Stevenson, Jonas Hoglund. D - Vladimir Malakhov,
Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Brett Clark, Brad
Brown, Miloslav Guren, Stephane Robidas, Craig Rivet, Igor
Ulanov, Dave Manson.  G - Jocelyn Thibault, Jose Theodore. 

Injuries: Patrice Brisebois, d (back spasms, day-to-day).

Transactions: Signed Vladimir Malakhov, d.

Game Rsults: 
10/10  NY Rangers W 7-1

TEAM NEWS by Jacques Robert        

A Tremendous Start... But So Many Unanswered Questions!

"Les Boys de Montreal" are in for quite a new challenging NHL
campaign, folks! But surprisingly, the player roster has not been
complete yet, since the club hasn't signed Martin Rucinsky and
Brian Savage... and just recently agreed to terms with Vladimir
Malakhov. 

Still, Montreal fans have nothing to expect but an average season
performance. Six players gone and no major additions due to a
tight budget are likely to leave fans of their appetite.  A shot
at Stanley Cup contention has never been so unrealistic.

Even if a victory doesn't make a season, the Habs started out on
a positive note, routing the NY Rangers 7-1 in the season opener.
More interestingly, seven different players scored.  Mark Recchi
- the best Montreal player last season - had four assists while
lesser-known players scored (Craig Rivet, Benoit Brunet, Scott
Thornton, Igor Ulanov and Brett Clark) the goals.

Let's face it: Rucinsky (who got injured at home in Czech
republic this summer) and Savage haven't reached a financial
agreement yet with Reggie Houle, while defenseman Malakhov
finally signed a two-year contract worth more than $5 million US
before Montreal was to take on NY Rangers for the season opener.
That is to say, Damphousse is all alone on the second offensive
line with Rucinsky and Savage still missing. As for the defensive
squad, the Habs won't have to play without Malakhov this year.
That's good news since Peter Popovic and Zarley Zalapski were
traded to the New York Rangers during the summer, and defensive
forward Marc Bureau signed with Philadelphia. New comers like
Zholtok, Morissette, McCleary, Guren and Robidas are supposed to
make up for those losses? OK. Time will tell.

Actually, one more time, money will decide whether or not
Montreal is ready to be a team with depth. If current
negotiations fail, Montreal will hardly make it to the
postseason. You can bet your life on it!

For the time being, let's take a look at the Habs line up.

IN THE NET
Veteran goalie Andy Moog is gone, having retired over the summer.
Now, Jocelyn Thibault has to step up and prove to everyone that
he is the #1 goalie that Montreal desperately needs to be a
Stanley Cup contender. Let's keep in mind that Jose Theodore is
not far behind "Tbo" in Vigneault's book because he seems to be
psychologically stronger. If Jocelyn fails to deliver quickly, he
may be traded away before long and replaced by... Felix Potvin
(Toronto). 

ON DEFENSE
From now on, Quintal, Manson, and Brisebois are on a mission: to
make sure fans forget the mistake made by Rejean Houle when he
traded Popovic and Zalapski, even though those strong players
were willing to stay in Montreal at a reasonable cost. As a
matter of fact, Montreal couldn't afford to go without Malakhov
at the blue line, where he is indispensable, particularly
on the special teams. Hopefully, Brisebois (currently on the
injury list), Manson (+22 last season), Quintal (+13) and Ulanov
will repeat the good performances they posted last year.  Before
taking on NY Rangers for the season opener at home, Vigneault had
this to say about his defensive squad: "Popovic and Zalapski's
departures shouldn't affect our defensive play.  Quintal,
Malakhov, Manson and Brisebois used to play between 90 and 100
minutes out of the 120 minutes posted by our defensemen. So..."

ON OFFENSE
The first offensive line is unchanged compared to last year. And
chances to make it to the playoffs will definitely depend on
Recchi, Koivu, Corson. Those players have all signed big
contracts recently and, if they remain injury free, they are
likely to be one of the best NHL offensive line again. Among the
players who made up the second line last season, only
Damphousse is sure to play since Savage and Rucinsky's faiths are
still on hold.  However, Damphousse has to be more consistent
than he was a year ago.  All of his 18 goals came in just 12
games last season, meaning he went scoreless in 64 contests.  An
inadmissible performance for Captain "Vinnie", whose salary was
substantially raised over the summer. But, Vinnie has been the
leading scorer of his team through eight exhibition games. 
Surprise! Usually, he's such a slow starter. 

Moreover, if Savage does not sign an agreement, the situation
will not be that disastrous. Stevenson or Brunet would fill in
efficiently - both played good games in last season's final
stretch. 

Now, on the third and fourth lines, new faces have emerged.
Center Sergei Zholtok, who stood out in preseason games, will
play along with Scott Thornton and Jonas Hoglund. The "tough
line" is made of Dave Morissette and Trent McCleary who cracked
the lineup during training camp. They will see action... thanks
to their fists. In preseason games, Terry Ryan was merely
eclipsed by those tough cookies. Hey, Terry never won a single
fight in four occasions!

Over the next few weeks, the Habs will play on home ice seven out
of 10 times. It's about time the Molson Centre becomes a place
where opponents don't look forward to playing. Judging by what
happened against New York, Montreal is on its way to have an
awesome home season. 

For the moment, let's hope that Reggie Houle comes to  a
financial agreement with Rucinsky and Savage.
                                                               
                  

-----------------------------------------------------------------
OTTAWA SENATORS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Jacques Martin

Roster: C - Alexei Yashin, Vaclav Prospal, Radek Bonk, Shaun Van
Allen, Bruce Gardiner. LW - David Oliver, Shawn McEachern, Marian
Hossa, Magnus Arvedson, Andreas Johansson. RW - Daniel
Alfredsson, Stephen Leach, Andreas Dackell, Chris Murray, Phil
Crowe. D - Lance Pitlick, Patrick Traverse, Chris Phillips, Sami
Salo, Wade Redden, Radim Bicanek, Stan Neckar, Jason York, Janne
Laukkanen, Igor Kravchuk. G - Damian Rhodes, Ron Tugnutt.

Injuries: Janne Laukkanen, d (off-season abdominal surgery, out
until Dec. 1); Marian Hossa, lw (torn ACL left knee, out until
Dec. 1); Daniel Alfredsson, rw (torn MCL left knee, out until
mid-November, placed on IR Sept 16); Jason York, d (shoulder
strain, day-to-day).

Transactions: Stan Neckar, d, signed contract Oct. 6.  Returned 
Steve Martins, c; Jani Hurme, g; Yves Sarault, lw; and Brian
Felsner, d; to Detroit (IHL) Oct. 4.

Game Results
10/10 at Colorado    W 4-3
10/11 at Phoenix     W 4-1

TEAM NEWS by The Nosebleeders

"How to Destroy Your Image in Ten Easy Steps" by Pierre
Gauthier

He was known in these here parts as "The Ghost", and rightly so.
Although Pierre Gauthier was respected for the minor miracles he
pulled off during his three years as GM in Bytown, local fans and
media never really felt comfortable with their 'petit' leader.
This was a man, after all, who was as talkative as a mute monk
with tape over his mouth, and as honest in his statements as that
other guy up on Capitol Hill.


So when word got out in the early stages of the off-season that
Gauthier had quit his post with the Ottawa Senators hockey club,
Sens faithful braced themselves for what would follow. And, true
to form, it wasn't pretty.

Without boring you with the minor details (we'll leave that up to
Kenneth Starr), Gauthier explained that life as an NHL GM became
too much of a strain on him and his family, so he decided to quit
while he was ahead and spend more time with the wife and kids.
Noticing a tinge of sincerity in his voice, we all embraced his
'courage', and wished him well.

Fast forward to today, and most of us are still trying to pull
the fishhooks from out of our mouths. Before we could all say
"Time Magazine's Man of the Year", Gauthier now sits as president
and GM of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.  Apparently, life as a
hockey executive in California isn't quite as hectic, even with
double the workload. That's up for debate. But there is one
undeniable truth in this whole saga: Gauthier treated Ottawa fans
like a bunch of suckers.

Since Day 1 with the Sens, there was much speculation that
Gauthier would one day desert the club and return to his original
stomping grounds with the Walt Disney, er, Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
He still owned a home in Anaheim, returned there as often as
possible, as was continuously hailed within hockey circles as the
man who would one day replace Jack Ferreira as the Ducks GM.

'Stop the presses', Gauthier would scream, 'I'm not going to
Anaheim. Jack is my friend, and I would never want to see him get
fired for little ol' me. Besides, I like it here in Ottawa, and
I'm dedicated to seeing the Stanley Cup return to hockey's
birthplace.' And we believed him...sort of.

If there is any loser here, it is Gauthier. He'd better pray to
the Almighty above that his Ducks become playoff contenders
pronto. For should he one day find himself unemployed, who's
going to hire somebody with such a lousy reputation for lying to
his real boss - the fans.

Conspiracy Theory?

One last note on the Gauthier fiasco. Let's take you back to the
dog days of winter, 1998. It is days before the trading deadline,
and Sens fans (and your ever-faithful Nosebleeders) are screaming
for the team to go out and hire an enforcer to help protect their
stars in Alexei Yashin and Daniel Alfredsson. Notable thugs like
Stu Grimson and Sandy McCarthy are available, but Gauthier
proceeds to sit on his hands. The season ends, and Ottawa gets
bounced around like a rag doll in their second round series
against the Washington Capitals.

At the time, Gauthier explains that he is content with his team's
chemistry and didn't feel the need to disrupt it with any trades.
And, once again, we believed him....sort of.

What's our point? Take a look at the Ducks current roster, and
you will notice a familiar name in the lineup that wasn't there
in the pre-Gauthier days - Stu Grimson.

Conclude as you see fit.

A Breath of Fresh Air

With the Gauthier shenanigans behind us, Sens fans welcomed the
team's fifth GM in Rick Dudley. Dudley, if you recall, played for
many years with the Buffalo Sabres and even coached them during
the early 1990s. His impressive track record with the IHL's
Detroit Vipers was enough to convince Senators brass that he was
the man to lead the Sens into the next generation.

But if you were expecting some sweeping changes out of Dudley,
forget it. "I feel my biggest job here is to build on what we
have. I really didn't see any reason to go out and make any major
changes," Dudley recently explained in an Ottawa Sun interview.

Despite those words, Dudley nevertheless realizes that the Sens,
although sound on defence, desperately need help on offense. So
far, Dudley has brought in the likes of Andreas Johansson
(formerly of Pittsburgh), David Oliver, and Stephen Leach.

Nothing Earth-shattering, but a respectable start.

Comings and Goings

The Sens front office wasn't the only area which saw new blood
injected in preparation for the season. 

On the bench, Ottawa lost a future head coach in Craig Ramsay,
who left to take the assistant's position in Philadelphia. This
was a key loss, as many credit Ramsay for building the Senators
solid defensive gameplan. However, Ottawa more than made up for
Ramsay's departure by hiring former Toronto Maple Leaf head coach
Mike Murphy.

Murphy endured a tough season last year having to put up with the
oft-critical Toronto media, but make no mistake, he is a quality
coach who deserves to be in the NHL. More importantly to the
Senators, Murphy brings aboard a certain expertise that the team
sorely lacked last year - penalty-killing. Last year, the Leafs
were sixth in penalty-killing and second on the road at 89%.
Compare that to Ottawa, who ranked 16th overall. Not
surprisingly, Sens head coach Jacques Martin recently appointed
Murphy to handle the team's special teams.

On the ice, the most notable change in the lineup was the
departure of Randy Cunneyworth. Cunneyworth was given his walking
papers in the early part of the off-season, and promptly joined
the club which originally drafted him way back in 1980, the
Buffalo Sabres.

Unfortunately, Buffalo recently left Cunneyworth unprotected and,
when he wasn't picked up by any clubs, gave him his unconditional
release.

If the Nosebleeders were King for a Day, Cunneyworth would be
re-hired in the Senators front office. This guy is a natural
leader, and his presence and experience would do wonders in
whatever capacity he is given.

The Injury Bug Striketh

Good lord, it's not even two games into the season, and the
Senators roster is already depleted with key injuries. In fact,
this streak of bad luck happened even before the first puck was
dropped in the silly season.

Prospect Marian Hossa went down with a torn ACL in his left knee
during the Memorial Cup final last May and isn't expected to join
the club until December. 

Then, prior to camp, word gets out that Sens defenseman Janne
Laukkanen - who complained of abdominal pains last season - would
require corrective surgery that would keep him out until
December, as well.

Follow that up with a fluke injury to star forward Daniel
Alfredsson - who ripped the MCL in his knee after his skate got
caught in a groove in the Corel Centre ice days before the team's
first exhibition game.

These injuries not only mean more pressure on Martin and his
staff to pull a few miracles from their hats, but it also puts a
lot of demand on guys like Radek Bonk, David Oliver and Stephen
Leach to step up big and prove to Senator critics that they
belong on the team.

Say It Ain't So, Alexei

Just looking at the Senators official roster the other day, it
wasn't all of the new faces that first caught our eye. Listed
under Alexei Yashin's mug shot: "Favorite Musical Group - The
Spice Girls."

Alex, tell us it was a misprint. Puh-lease.

Trivia Time

Speaking of the Sens lineup, here's an interesting fact. During
last year's amazing playoff run, the Senators became known as
'Canada's Team.' But, ironically, the Senators list only 10
Canucks on their roster, second fewest in the NHL.

Which team currently has the least number of Canadians on its
roster? Answer at the end of this column.

One Word: Putz

Just a few words to our friendly neighborhood NHL schedule-maker
- what did Ottawa Senators' fans ever do to deserve such cruelty?

Other teams got to kick off their season with classic rivalries
to help jump start fan interest. In Toronto, Buds fans got to
celebrate the final season opener at the historic Maple Leaf
Gardens with an Original Six tilt against two-time champion
Detroit Red Wings. Montreal initiated its 1998-99 season with a
classic against the New York Rangers. The Rangers, in turn,
opened their home schedule against the hated Philadelphia Flyers.
Heck, even Florida fans were able to indulge in early state
rivalry as their Panthers took on Tampa Bay.

As for Ottawa? Sens fans get to dive headfirst into what promises
to be an exciting season with their home opener against....the
Nashville Predators.

Can you feel the goosebumps, people?

Putz, Jr.

We can't help but knock on poor little Alex Daigle just one last
time. Daigle was in Ottawa over the off-season bragging to
anybody within earshot that he and former Baywatch babe Pamela
Anderson Lee were an item. When shock jock Howard Stern asked
Pamela of this on his TV show just this Saturday, Pamela shot
back without hesitation, "No."

Alex, you don't need to win us over with your fancy cars, cool
threads, and Hollywood connections. We don't like you, and never
did. Now be gone with you, once and for all.

Floating High in Mile High

The Senators kicked off their 1998-99 season with a big road game
in the Rockies against the Colorado Avalanche.

Coming out of a week in which the team shacked themselves up in
Banff, Alberta, for some quality team-building exercises, the
Sens bolted out of the gates with an impressive 4-3 victory.

Sens defensemen were the keys to this victory. Wade Redden banked
a shot off the Avs' Alexei Gusarov with just a minute and 22
seconds left to give the Sens the win. In addition to Redden's
winner, Ottawa got two goals from Chris Phillips, who is proving
once again that he is a future Norris winner.

* This was only Ottawa's second season-opening victory in seven
years. The last season opening win? Their inaugural 5-2 victory
over the Montreal Canadiens in 1992.

* Ottawa has only lost once in the last 63 regular season games
in which they led after two periods of play.

Just As We Suspected

The Sens' win over Colorado was partly due to goalie Patrick
Roy's uneasy relationship with his newly downsized goaltending
equipment.

For years, critics have argued that Roy's success was only due to
his enormous equipment that seemed to cover up the entire net
plus half of the upper deck behind him. With new regulations in
place forcing goaltenders to wear only league approved equipment,
Roy looked...well...human.

"I noticed a big difference," said Sens goaltender Ron Tugnutt.
"He looked really tall and skinny and uncomfortable."

But Tugger was quick to defend Roy. "Realistically, we're talking
about the best that ever played the game...I'm sure he's going to
be able to adjust and get back to the way he plays."

Can we say the same for Trevor Kidd? Stay tuned, folks!

Foote to the Head

The ugliest part of the Sens-Avs match came courtesy of Colorado
defenseman Adam Foote's stick. Sens star Alexei Yashin was
carrying the puck up ice while being harassed from behind by a
Colorado player. As they neared the Avs' blue line, the puck fell
into their skates. Yashin looked down to try and fish the puck
out. Just as he looked up again, Foote came crashing into
Yashin's face, stick shaft between both hands at mouth level. Had
Yashin not been wearing a mouthguard, Yashin would still be
fishing for missing teeth in the upper deck of McNichols Sports
Arena. This hit was about as ugly as Gary Suter's
knock-to-the-noggin on Paul Kariya. In the end, however, Foote
was only given a double-minor by referee Dan O'Halloran. 

Scratchin' Our Heads

More discouraging than O'Halloran's apparent cataracts was the
reaction of the Ottawa Senators, both on and off the ice, to
Foote's stupidity. True to their form as the least penalized team
in the league last year (and perennial Cinderellas), the Sens
simply turned the other cheek. In fact, Sens GM Rick Dudley had
the opportunity to send video replay of the incident to Colin
Campbell, the league's new VP of After School Detentions.
Instead, they decided to forego registering a complaint. The
reason? As Sens bench boss Jacques Martin explained: "(Colorado)
plays Buffalo on Tuesday."

Ah, let's get this straight. The Sens decided not to pursue
disciplinary action against an individual who could have easily
sidelined the Sens' star player indefinitely, because pursuing
such action against the aforementioned individual would possibly
jeopardize Colorado's ability to deny division rival Buffalo's
ability to earn two points? Did we get that right, Jacques?

The playoff stretch run, we can understand. The third game of a
seven month, 82-game marathon, we can't.

Bob Probert, take us away.

A Howlin' Time in Phoenix

Yashin mouthwash aside, the Sens were happy to escape Denver with
a win. And that enthusiasm was evident as the Senators blew into
Phoenix and emerged with a convincing 4-1 victory.

This was a game completely dominated by the Sens from start to
finish. About the only entertainment Coyotes' fans got out of the
game was the chintzy fireworks display during the opening
ceremonies, which isn't saying much.

* How bad was it for the Coyotes? Even Radek Bonk figured in the
scoring with a low wrister that beat Nikolai Khabibulin just a
few minutes into the second period.

* Talk about a bad start. The Sens built up a 3-0 lead before the
midway point of the game, all at the expense of the Coyotes' big
free agent signing, defenseman Jyrki Lumme.

Yet Another Bunch of Putzes

Those of you who know the Nosebleeders know how much we dislike
Sports Illustrated and their obvious ignorance of the game of
hockey. Well, step aside SI, you've got company.

In an obviously futile attempt to preview the upcoming NHL
season, ESPN.com predicted that Ottawa would not make the
post-season this year, mainly because of the departure of winger
Pat Falloon, which they described as a "major loss." ESPN even
goes so far as to predict that Sens bench boss Jacques Martin is
on "thin ice."

Exactly who is doing ESPN's hockey research?

Drumroll Please

The Pittsburgh Penguins currently sport the least number of
Canadians on their roster, with only nine. With the likes of
Marian Hossa, Daniel Alfredsson and Janne Laukkanen returning
over the next few months at the expense of Canadians like Patrick
Traverse, Phil Crowe and David Oliver, Ottawa can easily overtake
the Pens for the league lead by early winter.

The team with the most Canadians? The San Jose Sharks with 23,
followed by Montreal at 20.

A Dedication

The Nosebleeders dedicate this column in the memory of Stephane
Morin, the 29-year-old former Quebec Nordique who died last week
of a heart attack during a game in Germany. As a Nordique, Morin
played with current Sen Ron Tugnutt and Jacques Martin, who was
an assistant coach.

Our sympathies go out to the Morin family.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Pat Quinn

Roster: C - Mats Sundin, Darby Hendrickson, Steve Sullivan, Alyn
McCauley. LW - Fredrik Modin, Steve Thomas, Todd Warriner, Derek
King, Kris King, Igor Korolev, Garry Valk. RW - Sergei Berezin,
Tie Domi, Mike Johnson, Adam Mair, Lonny Bohonos. D - Sylvain
Cote, Dimitri Yushkevich, Mathieu Schneider, Jason Smith, Daniil
Markov, Dallas Eakins, Kevin Dahl, Glen Featherstone, Tomas
Kaberle, Yanick Tremblay. G - Curtis Joseph, Felix Potvin. 

Injuries: None.

Transactions: Signed Glen Featherstone, d; and Garry Valk, lw. 
Claimed Kevin Dahl, d, off waivers.  Released left wingers Steven
Rice and Nikolai Borschevsky.  Assigned Jason Podollan, lw, to
St. John's (AHL).  Assigned Scott Pearson, rw, to Chicago (IHL). 
Assigned Glenn Healy, g, to Chicago (IHL). 

Game Results
10/10  Detroit    W 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Jonah A. Sigel

START THE PLAYOFFS, PLEASE!!!!!

Well, Leaf fans, we are 1-0, and seeing how we beat the Stanley
Cup Champions, we therefore must be the best, too.  Despite the
tongue-in-cheek optimism, it is hard to be anything but with the
way the Leafs played throughout the exhibition season and through
their first regular season game.  

After recording the best exhibition season record in the league,
many were holding their collective breaths on the eve of the
first game vs. Detroit.  Well, the Leafs, who are going to have
to play very hard every game to compete, certainly battled in
their debut.  

If the first game is an indication of things to come, at least on
an individual basis, then the Leafs should not be nearly as bad
as many of the touts claim.  The goals were scored by two guys
who are going to have to contribute in a big way this year. 
Steve Thomas will be a help, but both Alyn McCauley and Sergei
Berezin, who both seemed to lose directions to the net under Mike
Murphy, will have to tickle the twine regularly this season.  And
after game one they are on pace for 82-goal seasons!

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was the play of a
relatively unknown player to most fans, Tomas Kaberle, a young
defenseman who seems to have come out of nowhere to not only be
the most impressive rookie in camp, but the most impressive
player in camp completely.  In the first game, the youngster
never appeared to be caught up in the moment, and he lead all
players with the most ice time, an incredible 29 minutes and 13
seconds.  For new Leaf coach Pat Quinn, this was consistent with
how he has always coached, allowing rookies to play so long as
they felt comfortable.  Gone were the Leaf days of old when 
kids sat on the bench until they were ice cold and thrown to the
wolves in complete fear of making a mistake.

Part of Quinn's confidence comes from the pillar of strength that
is between the pipes.  Newly acquired Curtis Joseph is a fierce
competitor who battles every puck he is able to see.  For
whatever reason (it says here it was his tendency to let the soft
goal in of late) the Buds seemed to have lost confidence in Felix 
Potvin over the past couple of years.  It was obvious enough to
management that they took the great gamble in signing CuJo prior
to having a deal cut for Potvin.  Throughout the preseason and
now through game one, CuJo was solid as, well, a rock.  Making 37
saves and allowing but one past him.

Before we get too excited, however, there are many questions to
be answered about this club.  The offense on this team will
remain anemic until Mats Sundin gets some serious help up front. 
That help should be on the way, whenever a deal can be made for
Potvin and or Mathieu Schneider.  It is for the same reason that 
there is all this hype and optimism.  Quinn realizes how
important a good start is.  Every point the team earns here in
the early going is worth double at the end of the season when
they will likely be in the hunt for a playoff position.  

Without their best offensive point-man, and their starting goalie
from last season in limbo, the pressure is on to win.  Any type
of losing streak or negativity could easily effect what other 
teams offer for Potvin.  GM Mike Smith will have a much easier
time getting quality back if the team is on the good side of
.500.  Right now he doesn't look desperate and can afford to wait
for the right deal.  

It has been speculated that Schneider will be dealt very shortly,
perhaps in the next day or so, and that could intensify a Potvin
deal.  Hypothetically, if a team knows that if it wants Potvin it
will have to take Schneider too, and it hears that a deal is
close with Schneider and another team, the club in question may
have to make a move before it's ready.  

So with the final season-opening game at Maple Leaf Gardens in
the books, all Leaf fans can do is watch and wait as this whole
thing unfolds.  

================================================================
  
================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
================================================================
EASTERN CONFERENCE
SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CAROLINA HURRICANES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Paul Maurice

Roster: C - Ron Francis, Kent Manderville, Keith Primeau, Jeff O'Neill. 
LW - Gary Roberts, Martin Gelinas, Paul Ranheim, Jon Battaglia. 
RW - Kevin Dineen, Robert Kron, Nelson Emerson, Sami Kapanen, Ray
Sheppard.  D - Glen Wesley, Steve Chiasson, Nolan Pratt, 
Adam Burt, Curtis Leschyshyn, Sean Hill, Dave Karpa, Mike
Rucinski. G - Arturs Irbe, Trevor Kidd.

Injuries: None.

Transactions: October 6 - Assigned forwards Scott Levins, Shane Willis, Craig
MacDonald and Byron Ritchie and defenseman Marek Malik to
New Haven of the AHL.

Game Results
10/10  Tampa Bay     T 4-4
10/13  Nashville     L 3-2

TEAM NEWS by Matthew Secosky

Hurricanes Downgraded to Tropical Storm

Slow starts have become a way of life in Carolina.  Maybe it's the 
weather or corn whiskey, but a Hurricane Watch has been called off
in Carolina with the team winless in two games.

With the signing of free-agent Ron Francis to a large contract, great
things were expected of this year's blow boys. But a 4-4 no decison
in Tampa Bay and an un-nerving 3-2 loss the expansion Nashville
Predators have many wondering if anything has really changed. Last season, 
Carolina started the season 0-4 and stumbled to a 1-7-2 record
in its first ten games. 

Ron Francis has three points in his first two games as a Hurricane but
the Carolina offense hasn't really shown a chemistry to be highly
effective.  It may take some time for the line combinations, but 
time is one thing coach Paul Maurice may be lacking. Either he gets 
the team on the winning track or he joins me in the unemployment 
line.  My mom may even yell at him, too!


-----------------------------------------------------------------
FLORIDA PANTHERS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Bryan Murray
   
Roster: C - Kirk Muller, Dave Gagner, Viktor Kozlov, Rob Niedermayer.
LW - Bill Lindsay, Ray Whitney, Peter Worrell, Johan Garpenlov, Dwayne
Hay, Mark Parrish, Oleg Kvasha. RW - Radek Dvorek, Dino 
Ciccarelli, Scott Mellanby.  D - Terry Carkner, Paul Laus, 
Gord Murphy, Jeff Norton, Rhett Warrener, Robert Svehla, Ed
Jovanovski. G - Kirk McLean, Sean Burke.

Injuries: They look healthy to me, Jackson...

Transactions: October 9 - Assigned right wing David Nemirovsky, rw, to Fort Wayne 
of the IHL.

Game Results
10/09  Tampa Bay     W 4-1
10/10  Nashville     W 1-0

TEAM NEWS by Matthew Secosky

Panthers Hot in Florida

For the second time in three years, the Panthers have started
a season 2-0.  But before Florida fans get too excited, it is best
to point out that the victories came at the expense of the hopeless 
Tampa Bay Lightning and first-year Nashville Predators.

The Panthers opened the season Friday night in Tampa Bay and 
won the "Battle of Florida" 4-1.  The best news of the night for 
the Panthers, though, is that the number one line of Viktor Kozlov (C), 
and rookie wingers Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha seemed to be effective.
They combined for 13 shots and accounted for all four goals Florida scored.  
Sean Burke got the nod in goal and turned in a superb performance,
stopping 28 of 29 shots. 

Another great goaltending performance was turned in Saturday 
night, but this time Kirk McLean was the culprit. Stopping
all 26 shots that came his way, McLean tallied his 21st career
shutout while damning the Nashville Predators to a 1-0 loss, their
first in franchise history. Ray Whitney scored the lone Panther goal. 
Florida wore their new 'third' jerseys in the game.       

Last season, the Panthers only recorded back-to-back victories 
six times and did not earn their second road win until October 
25th.  



-----------------------------------------------------------------
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Jacques Demers
   
Roster:  C - John Cullen, Craig Janney, Vincent Lecavalier, Darcy
Tucker. RW - Mikael Renberg, Stephane Richer, Benoit Hogue, Rob
Zamuner, Mikael Andersson.  LW - Wendel Clark, Alexander
Selivanov, Sandy McCarthy, Steve Kelly, Paul Ysebaert. D - Cory
Cross, Karl Dykhuis, David Wilkie, Michal Sykora, Jassen
Cullimore, Enrico Ciccone, Pavel Kubina, Kjell Samuelsson. G -
Bill Ranford, Daren Puppa.

Injuries: Alexander Selivanov, lw (wrist, indefinite).

Transactions: Assigned Corey Schwab, g, to Cleveland (IHL). 
Signed Kjell Samuelsson, d, to a contract.

Game Results
10/09 at Florida  L 4-1
10/10 at Carolina T 4-4

TEAM NEWS by Seth Lerman

For the first five periods of the 1998-99 season, the Tampa Bay
Lightning looked a lot like last year's club.  But before you can
yell "Bring back Hamrlik", the Lightning pulled off a come from
behind tie - on the road.

After beginning the season with a lackluster performance against
the Florida Panthers (4-1 loss), and falling behind to the
Carolina Hurricanes 4-1, Wendel Clark started a third-period
rally with his second goal of the night after retrieving the puck
in the corner and beating Trevor Kidd with a wrist shot on the
right post.

"I'm not going to fool you, I didn't think we'd go back out in
the third and tie the game," said Lightning coach Jacques Demers
to Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.  "But I told the guys that
we have to do better than that.  For our fans, we have to.  We
couldn't have them thinking negative like that about us after
just two games."

Negative is a word that has been associated with the Lightning
for more than a year - and with good reason.  The performance of
the club through most of last season was poor.  Their effort
through the first five periods of the new campaign was much the
same.  There is one simple difference.  Last season the
Lightning would have folded the tent when trailing by three goals
after two periods.  They went 0-42-4 in that situation.  
  
Another bright spot for the Bolts has been the play of veteran
forward Wendel Clark.  In the first two games, Clark has three
points, including two goals.  Craig Janney has also played well. 
He had a goal and assist in the second contest.  His first of the
season, from Mikael Renberg and Pavel Kubina, tied the score at
four with 9:27 remaining in the game.

On defense, the Lightning have struggled.  Cory Cross said that
they settled down a bit in the third period against the
Hurricanes, but for the most part have played inconsistent. 
Rookie Pavel Kubina has the best defenseman on the ice against
the Hurricanes.  He logged approximately 25 minutes and finished
a plus-one.
  
Demers has Jassen Cullimore paired with Cory Cross, and Michal
Sykora teamed up with David Wilkie.  Kubina has played mostly
with Karl Dykhuis.  The forward lines consist of Vincent
Lecavalier with Stephane Richer and Sandy McCarthy, and Craig
Janney centering Wendel Clark and Mikael Renberg.  
  
Early this week, the Lightning agreed to terms with Kjell
Samuelsson, late of the Philadelphia Flyers, who was playing in
Austria.  Samuelsson is expected to be in the lineup when the
Lightning return home to face the New York Islanders on October
14. 
  
Also expected back in the lineup is Alexander Selivanov, who was
on an injury rehab with Cleveland of the International Hockey
League.  Early indications are that Selivanov will play on a line
with Lecavalier and Rob Zamuner.

    

-----------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Ron Wilson

Roster: C - Adam Oates, Joe Juneau, Trevor Halverson, Dale
Hunter. LW - Richard Zednik, Matt Herr, Chris Simon, Jeff Toms,
Todd Krygier. RW - Peter Bondra, Brian Bellows, Craig Berube,
Kelly Miller, Mike Eagles. D - Calle Johansson, Mark Tinordi, Joe
Reekie, Brendan Witt, Dmitri Mironov, Ken Klee. G - Olaf Kolzig,
Rick Tabaracci.

injuries: Steve Konowalchuk (achy all over, 1-6 weeks); Michal
Pivonka (shoulder surgery, 12 weeks).

transactions: Jeff Toms, lw, assigned to Portland (AHL); Nolan
Baumgartner, d, assigned to Portland.

Game Results
10/10  Anaheim W 1-0

TEAM NEWS by Jason Sheehan

Banner Raising Ceremony Opens New Season

There wasn't a dry eye in the house. For a change, years of
playoff misery are gone. No more what could have beens or gods
being against the Washington Capitals. Opening night was
different from past years, very different.  It was indeed a
banner night for the Capitals - in more ways than one.

The crowd at MCI Center, usually subdued, was on fire. Folks,
Washington, D.C. is becoming a hockey town. When the banner
marking the Capitals' Eastern Conference championship was raised
to the roof, fans greeted players with a hero's welcome.

All the good moments from last season were relived. Brian
Bellows' overtime goal to end Boston's series in six games
vibrated with goosebumps, and Joe Juneau's magical touch to send
the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance sent
tingles down everyone's spine.  But nothing made the crowd cheer
more than the many saves Olie Kolzig made in the playoffs.

It was pure magic.

But the banner raising ceremony wasn't meant to be the beginning
of an end. Instead, Washington hopes it's the beginning of many
good things to come.

Oh yeah, there was a game yet to be played that night against
coach Ron Wilson's former club, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

It wasn't the prettiest game ever played in the National Hockey
League, but it did have its moments. Kolzig flashed the
brilliance that led his team to the finals and Richard Zednik
sharpened his skills with a power-play goal in the first period
to lead the Capitals to a 1-0 victory over the Ducks.

It was a great opening night appearance for a team that has
always been shunned by its hometown...until now.

With the Redskins off to a miserable 0-6 start and the NBA
strike, combined with the Capitals success last season,
Washington's hockey club is the only winning team in town to
watch this winter. Through two games - the final score of the
Stanley Cup rematch against Detroit was played after deadline -
fans are flocking in droves to MCI Center, bringing a playoff
intensity to regular season matchups.

More than anyone, Kolzig is becoming a staple in Washington and
its surrounding suburbs. He's a man everyone, big and small, can
identify with. Kolzig, adored as 'Zilla, is very personable to
fans, but not to opposing NHL players. His size is daunting to
the opposition, but gives Capitals fans reason to feel
comfortable.

With Kolzig defending the goal, there's reason for fans to be ga'
ga' in the Nation's Capital. The decibels are louder than ever
and the Capitals are out to prove that last season's finals
appearance was not a fluke.

"The Cap fans are really into it," said Brendan Shanahan, when
asked about the atmosphere Tuesday night inside MCI Center during
the second intermission.

If Shanahan, who plays in Hockeytown, thinks Capitals fans are
the most improved die-hards in the league, who's going to
disagree?

Now, it's up to the Capitals to continue playing well. If that
happens, the city no one thought could support an NHL team will
be skating circles around its doubters.

News and Notes

University of Michigan product Matt Herr turned heads in
training camp and started opening night...

Holdouts Sergei Gonchar and Andrei Nikolishin are at a stalemate
in negotiating new deals, according to general manager George
McPhee.

================================================================


=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
CENTRAL DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Dirk Graham
   
roster:  C - Steve Dubinsky, Doug Gilmour, Mark Jansenss, Chad
Kilger, Jeff Shantz, Todd White, Alexei Zhamnov.  LW - Dan Cleary,
Eric Daze, Jean-Yves Leroux, Ethan Moreau, Bob Probert, Reid
Simpson.  RW - Tony Amonte, Dennis Bonvie, Ty Jones, Craig Mills,
Ed Olczyk.  D - Chris Chelios, Paul Coffey, Christian LaFlamme,
Alain Nasreddine, Remi Royer, Cam Russell, Eric Weinrich, Trent
Yawney, Doug Zmolek.  G - Mark Fitzpatrick, Jeff Hackett. 

injuries: Paul Coffey, d (back, day-to-day); Jean-Yves Leroux, lw
(groin, indefinite); Reid Simpson, lw (broken hand, indefinite);
Todd White, c, (bruised ribs, indefinite).

transactions: Acquired Doug Zmolek, d, from Los Angeles for a
third-round pick in 1999 September 3; named Dale Tallon director of
player personnel September 4; signed Ethan Moreau, rw, September
13; assigned Sylvain Cloutier, c, Andy Johnson, d, Jeff Paul, d,
Colin Pepperall, lw, and Steve Tardif, c to Portland of the AHL;
Chris Herperger, lw, Andrei Kozyrev, d, Marko Makinen, rw, Nathan
Perrott, rw, and Marty Wilford, d to Indianapolis of the IHL; and
Alexandre "Haute" Couture, lw, Chris "X" Feil, d, Jason "My Friend"
Flick, g, Sean "Merv" Griffin, d, Jonathan "Free Leonard"
Pelletier, g, Jerad "Vivian Smith-Smythe" Smith, d, Jason "Sing a
Song of Six" Spence, lw, and Dmitri "Nice Guy But He Doesn't"
Tolkunov, d, to the juniors September 17; Signed Eric Daze, rw,
September 20; assigned Mark Bell, c to Ottawa of the OHL and Geoff
Peters, c, to the Canadian National Team September 21; assigned
Casey Hankinson, lw, to Portland of the AHL; Bryan Fogarty, d, to
Indianapolis of the IHL; and Kyle Calder, c, and Jeremy Reich, c,
to the juniors September 26; assigned Jean-Pierre Dumont, rw, and
Todd Rohloff, d, to Portland of the AHL September 29; assigned
Justin Hocking, d, to Indianapolis of the IHL October 2; claimed
Dennis Bonvie, rw, from Edmonton in the waiver draft October 5;
assigned Marc Lamothe, g, Rob Mara, d, and Ryan Vandenbussche, rw,
to Indianapolis of the IHL October 6; assigned James Black, lw, to
Chicago of the IHL October 7. 

game results:

10/10 New Jersey W 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Tom Crawford

Here We Go Again . . . Or?

Around 8 o'clock Saturday night the mood at the United Center was
ugly. Some five months earlier the beloved Blackhawks had been
eliminated from playoff contention, and since then promises of
change, change, and more change had issued forth from every member
of the organization.  

And changes had indeed been made.  Visible ones.  The mousy, vaguely
unsatisfying presence of Craig Hartsburg had been replaced behind the
bench by the solid form of Dirk Graham.  (Can you believe people try
to give this guy a nickname?  Come on fellas, you ain't ever gonna do
better than "Dirk Graham".)  Career underachievers and defensive
liabilities had been shipped out in favor of, well, different guys at
least.  

But Hawks fans couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy as the new
occupants of the Indian-head sweaters loafed through an exhibition
season painfully reminiscent of the regular season they were trying
to forget.  Worse still, the new man in charge was having the same
old problems:  

<I>"They're not playing hard." 

"Not seeing any intensity out of ... the veterans." 

"These guys are in position to lose jobs." </I>

So please forgive these United Center fans if they thought more of
Graham's scouting than his coaching ability.  Because the Hawks
looked awful in the first period Saturday (or so I'm told by those
lucky enough to witness the carnage).  Not just your garden-variety
awful either, but record-book awful.  

For the first time in the history of the franchise, the Blackhawks
were held without a shot for an entire period.  You don't have to
be particularly old to remember some Blackhawk squads that were
mind-numbingly dull and talentless, but no Tom Lysiak or Cliff
Koroll-led team ever managed a full 20 minutes without disturbing
the reverie of the opposing netminder.  

Nor did this landmark occur during a defensive chess match of a
hockey period.  In fact, while the Hawks struggled to recall the
function of that piece of lumber squeezed in their mitts, their
opponents managed 18 shots on net.  That's a full night's
production for the Hawks on all too many occasions. 

And then they won the damn game. 

Turns out they just had a bad period.  "We were nervous and back on
our heels," said Graham. 

"We were all over the place," added new acquisition Doug Gilmour.
 

After that, it was pretty much what you'd expect from the Hawks and
New Jersey -- except for an Eric Daze 70-footer that went through
Martin Brodeur's legs.  The only explanation can be that Brodeur
was asleep at the time -- and who could blame him? 

Fights Aplenty

The Hawks came out firing with their fists in the first period
Saturday.  Rookie Alain Nasreddine and recently anointed assistant
captain Ethan Moreau dropped the gloves within a minute and a half
of each other early in the Hawks' 2-1 victory.  Both were pummeled,
but that's beside the point. Coach Dirk Graham had stressed the
need for greater intensity and physical play going into the game
and backed up the talk by benching a number of veterans he felt
weren't paying the price in favor of rookies like Nasreddine, Ty
Jones and Remi Royer, all of whom eventually found sparring
partners Saturday night.  

Apparently eager to show the young ones how it's done,  veteran
enforcers Bob Probert and Mark Jansenss then found their way into 
third-period bouts, with Probert scoring a decisive victory over
sometime roller-hockey bruiser Sasha "The Masha" Lakovic. 

Amonte Toughs It Out

He's not the perfect hockey player.  His hair is funny.  He doesn't
pass so much on the 2-on-1's.  But Tony Amonte is fast, has a nice
one-timer, and plays so damn hard you can't believe Mike Keenan
gave up on him as some rich kid from New England.  Amonte took
another step up on my personal hockey ladder Saturday night by
playing the Hawks' opener with a torn ligament in his left elbow. 
Evidently, the pain didn't affect his shot too badly, as he scored
the game-winner and had another apparent goal wiped out by an
offsides call.  

Olczyk Sits It Out

It's a bit early to start second-guessing coaching moves, but this
one was a bit of a head-scratcher.  The Hawks signed Ed Olczyk this
summer for a variety of reasons, but the top one was almost surely
the veteran leadership they hoped he could provide.  And during
training camp Olczyk said all the things a coach loves to hear,
expressing his joy at being back in his hometown, vowing to take on
former teammate Alex Zhamnov as his personal project, even offering
to play defense when injuries started to mount.  Then comes opening
night, and who's watching from the press box?  Eddie O.  

Predictably, Graham claimed it was nothing personal to Eddie, and
Olczyk for his part was disappointed but refused to criticize the
decision.  But were Craig Mills, Ty Jones, and Chad Kilger such
standouts at right wing that Olczyk just couldn't crack the
lineup?  Perhaps Graham wanted to send a message that the best 12
forwards in practice that day would suit up that night, no room for
sentiment.  While that's an admirable message, the dozen or so of
Eddie's friends and family at the United Center Saturday probably
found it unduly harsh.  

Captain Kid

At the end of last season, Ethan Moreau was a free agent coming off
a year of injury, poor production, and some criticism from coaches
for playing much smaller than his 205 lbs.  Long, perhaps bitter,
contract negotiations were foreseen for him and fellow young
forward, Eric Daze.  Then one day Ethan said "to hell with it,"
told his agent to do what he had to do to get him into training
camp on time, and started working on making 1998-99 a better year. 
His coach has rewarded this effort with a share of the assistant
captaincy with veterans Doug Gilmour and Tony Amonte.  

"I think Ethan is ready to evolve into the role of leader for us,"
Graham said of his 23-year old assistant captain, while Moreau
called it "an honor" to be selected.  And how about getting in that
referee's face when one too many calls have gone the opposition's
way?  Said Moreau:  "I'll leave that to Cheli." 

News and Notes

Jeff Hackett erased the memory of a mediocre postseason by stopping
35 of 36 shots Saturday, including 17 of 18 in a potentially
disastrous first period ... The sight of Doug Gilmour placing a
perfectly flat puck on the tape of Tony Amonte's stick during a
Hawks' power play was especially sweet to Hawks fans who haven't
enjoyed the talents of a true power-play setup man since Bernie
Nicholls left town ... A nice new (well, new to me) Hawks website
can be found at www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3815/index2.html. It
lacks the wit and personal insight of your LCS home, but it does
scary things like update line combinations and summarize
interesting newsgroup activity. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
DETROIT RED WINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Scotty Bowman
   
Roster C - Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Kris Draper, Sergei
Fedorov. LW - Brendan Shanahan, Vyacheslav Kozlov,  Doug Brown, Tomas
Holmstrom, Kirk Maltby, Brent Gilchrist. RW - Darren McCarty,  Joey
Kocur, Martin Lapointe,  Mathieu Dandenault, Stacey Roest D - Nicklas
Lidstrom, Larry Murphy, Jamie  Macoun, Aaron Ward, Uwe Krupp, Anders
Eriksson, Yan Golubvosky, Doug Houda. G - Chris Osgood, Kevin Hodson. 

TRANSACTIONS: Mike Knuble rw, traded to NY Rangers for a third-round
pick; Brent Gilchrist, lw, selected by Tampa Bay in the NHL waiver
draft; Lightning traded Gilchrist back to Detroit for a sixth- round
pick in the 1999 entry draft; acquired Doug Houda, d, from Anaheim
for future considerations. 

INJURIES:  Brent Gilchrist, lw (hernia, indefinite). 

GAME RESULTS
10/10  at Toronto  L 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Dino Cacciola

The Red Wings made their final trip to the hallowed halls of the
Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto for the season opener.    The defending
two-time Stanley Cup Champions hope to make this season into a 
three-peat achievement.  But opening  night was not a good indication
of things to come it seems.  The Wings came up  short, losing 2-1 to
their long-time  rivals. 

Defenseman Larry Murphy scored the lone goal for the Wings, who went
1-for-7 on the power play, including 0-for-3  in the final stanza.


Curtis Joseph proved to be too much for the Wings to handle in the
loss.   Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan  praised his former
teammate.   "Cujo seemed to be the difference," Shanahan  said. "He
made key stops when it  counted. That was classic Cujo in his
element. This was a direct challenge for  him and that's when he's at
his best. I  played with him for years in St. Louis, I know what he
can do. That's why the  Leafs went out and got him." 

Osgood made 25 saves for the Red Wings and CuJo stopped 38 shots for
the Leafs. The game featured a mini-battle  between heavyweights
Darren McCarty and Tie Domi (whose anagram is ME IDIOT)  that was
considered a draw.  In  all, the Red Wings played fairly well but a
majority of shots were long and not  within the perimeter for high
quality  chances.   Chris Osgood misplayed a clearing pass that
resulted in a goal for  the Leafs. 

So long Maple Leaf Gardens...thanks for the memories. 
 
Notes:

Assistant coaches Barry Smith and Dave Lewis are currently sharing
the bench duties while coach Scotty Bowman decides his future while
recovering from heart surgery and knee surgery. Current indications
are that he will be out for a few months, but some believe that he
may not return until the playoffs, if at all. 

Brent Gilchrist, who is on the injured list due to a hernia, was
left unprotected by the Wings for the annual waiver draft.  Tampa
Bay selected Gilchrist in the draft, but then traded him back to
Detroit for a sixth-round pick in 1999.

On deck:  

Washington, St. Louis, Calgary, Nashville, Toronto, and Montreal.
 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Barry Trotz
   
roster: C - Darren Turcotte, Greg Johnson, Jeff Nelson, Patric
Kjellberg, Sebastien Bordeleau.  LW - Andrew Brunette, Blair
Atcheynum, Scott Walker, Danny Lambert, Ville Peltonen, Jeff
Daniels.  RW - Sergei Krivokrasov, Brad Smyth, Tom Fitzgerald,
Patrick Cote.  D - Joel Bouchard, Bob Boughner, John Slaney, Jamie
Heward, Jayson More, J.J. Daigneault, Drake Berehowsky, Greg
DeVries, Jan Vopat.  G - Mike Dunham, Eric Fichaud. 

injuries: Ville Peltonen, lw (shoulder, day-to-day); Sebastien
Bordeleau, c (ankle, day-to-day); Jan Vopat (hand, day-to-day).

transactions: Acquired rights to Zdeno Ciger, lw, from Edmonton in
waiver draft; traded Mikhail Shtalenkov, g, and Jim Dowd, lw, to
Edmonton for Eric Fichaud, g, Drake Berehowsky, d, and Greg
DeVries, d; traded Dominic Roussel, g, to Anaheim for Chris Mason,
g, and Marc Moro, d. 

game results: 

10/10 Florida  L 1-0

team news by Jeff Middleton

Well, the season is finally here. 

Nashville's team has arrived.  After playing all of the preseason
games on the road, the inaugural game was truly the first NHL game
ever played in Nashville.  There was quite a bit to look forward to
-- the Predators had not been blown away in any of the preseason
losses and actually put together a respectable 2-4-2 record. 
Granted this means about as much as the regular season does during
the first round of the playoffs, but when you don't have a "last
year" to provide perspective, you reach a little.  

The biggest question in Nashville is one facing many NHL teams these
days...where are goals going to come from?  The preseason answer was
former Philadelphia Phantoms defenseman Jamie Heward, who actually
tied for the NHL preseason goal-scoring lead with six.  However,
having a defenseman as leading scorer does not make anybody feel good
about the corps of forwards being thrown out on the NHL ice.  Big
seasons are needed from former all-star Darren Turcotte and perennial
underachiever Sergei Krivokrasov to fill scoring gaps up front.
Defense and goalkeeping actually look pretty good, relatively
speaking of course, with Bob Boughner and Joel Bouchard providing the
foundation and Mike Dunham holding up well between the pipes.

Clearly no Detroit or Philadelphia (or even Ottawa, for that
matter), the Predators have a lot to prove. October 10 was a big
night.  Finally, trivia questions have answers.  Inaugural games
have a way of doing that.  

It was a night of firsts.  Tom Fitzgerald had the first penalty, two
minutes for high sticking.  Patrick Cote had the first fight,
sparring with Peter Worrell in the first period.  Mike Dunham got
the first start in goal, and played a great game, saving 25 of 26
shots.  Unfortunately that was not enough, leading to several more
firsts: first shutout and first loss.  

For the fans that attended the game, hockey did not disappoint. 
There was not a lot of scoring, but there was not really a lack of
offense, either.  Both teams fired away, while Dunham and Panthers
goalie Kirk McLean made it difficult to find the twine.  This was
in large part due to the fact that there was definitely no shortage
of special teams' play, as Florida was 1-for-9 and Nashville
0-for-6 on the power play.  As we have heard hundreds of billions
of times, special teams once again made the difference.  

Early in the third period, Predators RW Scott Walker took offense to
the hit of Kirk Muller and decided to pound him a lesson. 
Unfortunately, he pounded himself into the sin bin with a double
minor for roughing. Although the shorthanded Nashville squad was
able to kill off the first half of the penalty, the Panthers
capitalized on the second.  A beautiful cross-ice pass from Gord
Murphy was sent home by Ray Whitney, the first goal ever scored in
Nashville Arena.  McLean held down the fort for the rest of the
game, with heavy pressure and some good chances for Nashville in
the last minute.  

Not a bad showing for a first game, as hard-fought 1-0 losses show a
lot about the character of a team. Even though Nashville's fans went
home unhappy, they were not distraught. It was clear that there would
be many nights with results like these, but the Predators actually
showed some bright spots.  They demonstrated that they could play in
the NHL, and they were not going to be run over by anyone. 

But they still leave many questions unanswered.  The one on
everyone's mind is (of course):  what player will score the first
goal in Nashville Predator history?  

Random notes:

Mindy McCready sang the National Anthem, but everyone is still
debating who will sing "O, Canada" for the first time (Calgary,
Oct. 23). ... All of the inaugural game festivities are taking
place again on Tuesday, October 13 against Carolina. ... Blue-chip
prospect David Legwand was not signed and will return to the
Ontario Hockey League. ... The players arrived at the first game in
HumVees with a police escort. ... Video presentations detailing the
short but robust history of the Predators were played on the
scoreboard before the game. ... Owner Craig Leipold and NHL
commissioner Gary Bettman participated in the ceremonial
puck-dropping ceremony. 



-----------------------------------------------------------------
ST. LOUIS BLUES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Joel Quenneville
   
Roster: C  - Craig Conroy, Mike Eastwood, Pascal Rheaume, Pierre
Turgeon, Michal Handzus, Marty Reasoner. LW - Geoff Courtnall,
Michel Picard, Tony Twist, Pavol Demitra. RW - Jim Campbell, Kelly
Chase, Scott Pellerin, Scott Young. D  - Marc Bergevin, Todd Gill,
Al MacInnis, Chris McAlpine, Rudy Poeschek, Chris Pronger, Jamie
Rivers. G  - Grant Fuhr, Jamie McLennan. 

Injuries: Jamal Mayers, rw (broken wrist, November).

Transactions:  September 4 - Agreed to terms with Kevin Dahl, d,
Libor Zabransky, d, Kevin Sawyer, lw, and Rich Parent, g; 
September 14 - agreed to terms Rory Fitzpatrick, d, and Jamie
Rivers, d; September 28 - assigned Parent, Brent Johnson, g,
Fitzpatrick, Daniel Corso, f, and Dahl to Worcester (AHL); October
1 - assigned Lubos Bartecko, f, Jochen Hecht, f, and Reed Low, f,
to Worcester; October 5 - assigned Chris Kenady, rw, Terry Yake, c,
and Zabransky to Worcester; October 6 - assigned Jason Horacek, d,
to Worcester; October 7 - reclaimed Fitzpatrick from waivers and
assigned him to Worcester; October 8 - assigned Ricard Persson, d,
to Worcester. 

Game Results:

10/10 at Boston      T 3-3 
10/12 at NY Rangers  W 4-2

TEAM NEWS by Tom Cooper

The First Step

In their first game of the season, the St. Louis Blues tried to do
what they will have to do for the other 81 games in the regular
season - prove that they can win without Brett Hull.   

And for the first half of their season opener at Boston, it looked
like they were starting to prove something.

Tony Twist became the team's improbable leading scorer when he
netted his first goal of the young season, deflecting an Al
MacInnis shot past Bruin goaltender Byron Dafoe to give the Blues a
1-0 lead nine minutes into the game.        

A little over seven minutes later, the Blues' power play got a chance 
to prove it could make it without both Hull and defenseman Steve 
Duchesne, who bolted back to Los Angeles as a free agent. Their 
presence on the man-advantage, which netted 15 goals for the Blues last
season, was not expected to be replaced.

But all great teams have to try and find a way to fill the holes in 
their lineups. For the Blues to be great, they had to find others who 
could put the puck in the net.  

In this match, Pavol Demitra contributed with his first goal of the
year on the team's third power play of the night. His goal, assisted by
Al MacInnis and Pierre Turgeon, gave the Blues a 2-0 lead. 

But the Bruins got one back when Steve Heinze scored a power-play goal
of his own to bring narrow the deficit to just one goal at 2-1 heading
into the first intermission.                   

After the break, the Bruins had the chance to tie the game with three 
power-play opportunities in the first eight minutes. None of them were
fruitful and the Blues lead remained at 2-1.

That changed with 6:29 left in the middle frame when Pavol Demitra put 
his second goal of the game on the board to give the Bluenotes a 3-1 
lead.                          

But, once again, the Bruins fought back and returned their deficit to 
one when Sergei Samsonov picked up his second point of the night, this
one a power-play goal from Heinze and Dave Ellett to make it 3-2
going into the break.       

With the Blues gaining and losing leads throughout the game, it seemed
inevitable that the St. Louis lead would be lost. 

And, indeed it was, but the person that erased that lead wasn't
anybody that the Boston faithful even dreamed of.       

Bruin left wing Ken Baumgartner (yes, Ken Baumgartner!) scored his
first goal since the 1995-96 season when he was a member of the
Toronto Maple Leafs. His unassisted goal 3:17 into the third tied
the game at 3-3 and proved that, if he and Tony Twist can score a
goal in the same game, anything is possible. 

But it wasn't possible for anybody to win the game as the final
16:43 of regulation and five minutes of overtime failed to yield a
goal as the Bruins and Blues tied in the first game of the season
for both squads. 

"There's two ways to look at it," MacInnis said. "It's good to get a
point, but we had the lead."                                     
 

The Blues were able to put some offense up in their first real game 
without Brett Hull. And, even though they let up three goals, an
absent Hull was something the Bruin defense was happy to see.  

"He's synonymous with St. Louis," said Boston's goaltender Byron
Dafoe. "As a goaltender, its kind of nice. Brett Hull or no Brett
Hull, though, they're still a good hockey club." 

Discovering an Arsenal

The Blues found out they could put the puck in the net without Brett
Hull. Their three goals in the Boston game showed that St.  Louis
still had some firepower left.  

On the night of their game with the New York Rangers, that player
proved to be Al MacInnis.    

His natural hat trick during a 12-minute span of the first period
was all the Blues needed to beat the hapless Rangers. Goal No. 1
came on a power play when MacInnis blasted a shot from the point
that beat Rangers netminder Mike Richter for a 1-0 lead. Goal No. 2
came on a slapshot from the red line. The shot that MacInnis has
used in the past to beat Chris Osgood and Felix Potvin beat Richter
for a 2-0 lead 11:49 into the game. Goal No. 3 came off of a
face-off. Pierre Turgeon won an offensive zone face-off back to
MacInnis who beat Richter cleanly for the natural hat trick.  That
would be the last goal Richter would allow in the contest, as he
was replaced at the beginning of the second period by Dan
Cloutier.       

The switch didn't matter as Geoff Courtnall got his first goal of the
season 9:05 into the second.  Third-period goals by Brian Leetch and
Alexander Karpovtsev didn't make a difference as the Blues went on to
a 4-2 victory, earning their first win of the season.  St. Louis
goaltender Grant Fuhr ended up facing 18 shots, stopping 16 of them.
Richter and Cloutier had to fend off a combined 42 shots, stopping 38
of them.     

In their first two games, the St. Louis Blues have four points. It's
not a bad start, but they could have had six points if they kept their
lead in the Boston game. Right now, the Blues' problem is not putting
the puck in the net, but rather keeping it out of the net. If the Blues
want to move into the upper echelon of NHL clubs, they have to learn to
protect the lead, especially in the big games against the teams they
want to join. 
================================================================


=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CALGARY FLAMES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Brian Sutter
   
roster:  C - Andrew Cassels, Rico Fata, Clarke Wilm, Cory Stillman,
Bob Bassen. LW - Marty McInnis, Ed Ward, Jason Wiemer, Dave Roche. 
RW - Valeri Bure, Theoren Fleury, Jarome Iginla, Greg Pankewicz,
Martin St. Louis, Rocky Thompson. D - Tommy Albelin, Cale Hulse,
Derek Morris, Todd Simpson, Sami Helenius, Eric Charron, Steve
Smith, Phil Housley.  G - Tyler Moss, Ken Wregget, Jean-Sebastien
Giguere. 

Injuries: Bob Bassen, c (suffered knee injury Sept. 18, indefinite);
Michael Nylander, c (injured knee March 26, indefinite).

Transactions: Signed Rico Fata, c; assigned Chris Dingman, f, Hnat
Domenichelli, f, and Travis Brigley, f,  to Saint John (AHL).

Game Results:
10/09 San Jose  T 3-3 (in Japan)
10/10 San Jose  W 5-3 (in Japan)

TEAM NEWS by Simon D. Lewis

Sayonara Sharks!

Calgary Flames coach Brian Sutter didn't want to go to Japan.  He
thought it was a waste of time and a good way to burn out his
"Young Guns" at the beginning of the season.  That may be true, but
at least the Flames came away with a win and a tie.  That's got to
be better than looking at two losses, a 15-hour time change,
followed by a return to the NHL regular season meat grinder.  

Sutter had already shut up about the stupidity of sending a couple
of teams to the Far East.  He was told, in no uncertain terms, that
dumping on league policy was not in his best interests.  Gary "The
Count" Bettman is very much the iron fist within the velvet glove.
 

It's hard to say who looked good and who looked bad when you're
talking about games played under, what can gently be termed,
"unusual" conditions.  The high diving board at one end of the rink
was constant reminder that this was really a swimming pool designed
for the 1964 Olympics.  

(P.S.: If you're wondering about that "Count" reference to Lord
Bettman I suggest you catch up on your Sesame Street.) 

Rico Draws Long Straw

This should be an indication of just how desperate the Flames are
for some talent.  In the year after Joe Thornton showed why most 18
year olds can't play in the NHL, especially for a less than great
team, the Flames are about to throw centre Rico Fata to the lions. 
Best wishes to the kid, but he's got his work cut out.  If he were
going in on a team like Detroit, then coach Sutter could ease the
kid in, let the veterans show him the way.  On the Flames, that
ain't an option.  There are a lot of guys in Red and White who
could easily be drawing a paycheque somewhere else come trading
deadline next March.  

The Young Guns

That's what the marketing people call `em and they're right.  These
guys are young.  With the exception of Theo Fleury, your retread
coach Steve Smith, your journeyman Ken Wregget, and your career
defensive liability Phil Housely, very few of these Flames even had
the chance to see first-run episodes of The Mod Squad.  The changes
made in the off season have only patched holes with players of
approximately equal caliber.  You've got Wregget for Tabaracci, Bob
Bassen for Ronnie Stern, Housely for Zalapski, and Steve Smith for
James Patrick.  There are a bunch of guys like Jarome Iginla, Jason
Wiemer, Cale Hulse and Todd Simpson who still have to prove that
they belong.  One guy, Hnat Domenichelli has already been shipped
to the farm along with top draft pick Daniel Tkaczuk.  

Sutter's hopeful.  He has to be.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
COLORADO AVALANCHE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Bob Hartley
   
Roster:  C - Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Stephane Yelle, Chris Drury.
LW - Valeri Kamensky, Rene Corbet, Eric Lacroix, Milan Hedjuk.  RW -
Claude Lemieux, Adam Deadmarsh, Keith Jones, Jeff Odgers, Shean
Donovan, Warren Rychel. D - Sylvain Lefebvre, Adam Foote, Alexei
Gusarov, Jon Klemm, Aaron Miller, Eric Messier, Wade Belak, Dan
Smith.  G - Patrick Roy, Craig Billington. 

Injuries: Eric Messier, d (broken elbow, mid-January); Adam
Deadmarsh, lw (ribs, day-to-day); Wade Belak, d (groin,
day-to-day). 

Transactions: Recalled Dan Smith, d, from Hershey (AHL).

Game results:
10/10 Ottawa   L 4-3
10/12 Buffalo  L 3-0

TEAM NEWS by Greg D'Avis

Sound the alarms! 

Day by day, the Avalanche fall even farther behind the mighty Flames
in the race for the Northwest Division -- the toughest,
most-contested division in sports today! 

Oh, ok, just a little early-season giddy panic there. We all know
that the Avs are going to win the division hands down. It's just
that the team that was supposed to have new guts and new spirit
under new coach Bob Hartley has shown precious little thus far. 

In losses -- home losses -- to Buffalo and Ottawa, two teams the Avs
should beat, the burgundy-and-blue have been showing the same stupid
habits that got them an early exit last spring. 

Lack of heart: in the Ottawa game, they spent much of the time going
through the motions as they allowed the Senators to steal a game.
Stupid penalties: in the frustrating loss to Buffalo, the Avs spent
about 20 seconds with a full staff. Lack of effort from key guys: the
important line of Forsberg, Lemieux and Kamensky has been all but
invisible.  

And, to make matters worse, the importance of holdout defenseman
Sandis Ozolinsh becomes clearer by the day. The power play has been
anemic, and with Uwe Krupp gone and Eric Messier injured, Alexei
Gusarov -- known for steady defense rather than his two goals a
year -- has been pressed into duty as the top point man.  

There are a few bright spots -- Joe Sakic started strong with two
goals in the first game. And rookie winger Milan Hedjuk continued
from his strong preseason with two points early on. 

Ok, that's all the bright spots. 

Messier injured

The Avs' thin defense took a further hit in the opening game when
Eric Messier went down with a broken elbow. Messier, expected to
shoulder much of the defensive load after Uwe Krupp jumped ship for
the hated Red Wings, will be out for about three months. 

To replace him, the Avs called up Dan Smith from Hershey, and
frankly, I've never heard of him. Anyone who can give me info on
Dan Smith gets their name in the Avs' report next time out. Fame
can be yours!  

Rookie Report

Perennial rookie Wade Belak is back with the team, and this is the
year he's supposed to stick. Unfortunately, the oft-injured tough
guy is on the sick list again with a troublesome groin. 

The aforementioned Hedjuk, a member of the Czech Olympic Team last
year, has been the big surprise. He beat out more-favored players
to win a spot and has looked slick. 

One-time Little League baseball hero Chris Drury is on board as a
sort of utilityman, capable of being a third- or fourth-line center
or wing. He surprised the team with his spirit and toughness in
preseason.  

First-round draft pick Alex Tanguay was spectacular in the
preseason, but unfortunately couldn't come to terms with the
Avalanche and was returned to the junior Halifax Mooseheads, where
he promptly scored a whole mess of points in his first two games.
 

Scott Parker, favored to win the enforcer's role, started the season
in Hershey and racked up a goal and two fights in his first two
games.  

Scrappy defenseman Pascal Trepanier was lost to the Ducks in the
waiver draft, which sucks. 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
EDMONTON OILERS
----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Ron Low
   
Roster:  C - Todd Marchant, Rem Murray, Boyd Devereux, Josef
Beranek, Daniel Lacroix. LW - Dean McAmmond, Mats Lindgren, Ryan
Smyth. RW - Bill Guerin, Mike Grier, Andrei Kovalenko, Fred
Lindquist, Pat Falloon, Bill Huard, Craig Millar, Kevin Brown. D -
Sean Brown, Roman Hamrlik, Boris Mironov, Frank Musil, Janne
Niinimaa, Tom Poti, Marty McSorley.  G - Bob Essensa, Mikhail
Shtalenkov. 

Injuries:   Mats Lindgren, lw (dislocated shoulder, indefinite).

Transactions: Mats Lindgren, lw, placed on injured reserve
indefinitely; traded Valeri Zelepukin, lw, to Philadelphia for
Daniel Lacroix, c;  traded Greg deVries, d, Drake Berehowsky, d,
and Eric Fichaud, g,  to Nashville for Mikhail Shtalenkov , g, and
Jim Dowd, c; signed unrestricted free agent Marty McSorley to a
one-year contract; lost goon Dennis (the Menace) Bonvie, lw, to
Chicago and Zdeno Ciger, lw, to Nashville in the waiver draft.
Signed Ryan Smyth, lw, to a one-year contract. 

Game Results:

10/11 Los Angeles  L 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Aubrey Chau

Oilers Weight-less

The Oilers opened the season in the building formerly known as
Edmonton Coliseum against the Los Angeles Kings.  The building, now
known as the Skyreach Centre, hosted a sold-out season opener which
saw the Oilers without two of their top forwards, center Doug
Weight and left winger Ryan Smyth.  Both restricted free agents were
still trying to hammer out a contract.  

Oilers' GM Glen Sather and Weight's agent, Steve Bartlett, are still
reportedly $1 million dollars apart on a contract.  Sather is
offering one year for $3 million, while Bartlett is looking for $4
million a year.  

Smyth was closer to signing as he flew into town this week to
practice with the University of Alberta Golden Bears.  Smyth and
Sather finally agreed on a new one-year deal on Monday. 

But Sather still had better sign Weight soon, because without him
the Oiler's season could end up looking like Mr. T's career
by December.  We all cringe at the thought of Joe Beranek as our
first-line center...hmmm...maybe we should see what Mr. T is doing.
 

What about Bob? 

Bob Essensa started in his first season opener in a long time
against LA.  The last time he started a season opener was in his
good 'ol Winnipeg Jets days.  But Bob had to leave late in the
first period after an ankle injury.  Mikhail Shtalenkov was solid
in his place for the rest of the game, facing 23 shots in the last
two periods, until Luc Robitaille netted the winner late in the
third.  Luc had left his hands in LA, and after stops in Pittsburgh
and New York maybe he found them again.  

No word on the extent of Essensa's injuries or how long he'll be
out.  

Notes, and other stuff: 

Billy (the Butcher) Guerin was wearing the "A" on his jersey in Doug
Weight's absence.  It's a contract year for the laziest man in the
universe, Andrei Kovalenko, so look for 25 goals from him this year.
Don't be surprised if Roman Hamrlik is gone by Christmas, he makes
$2.7 million a year, which in Sather's books makes him expendable,
especially with the excess of puck-rushing defencemen.  Young Boyd
Devereux is looking more confident this year, and with Kevin Brown
and Kelly Buchberger, they combined for the best line for the Oilers
opening night.  Let's hope young Devereux doesn't become a pure
defensive specialist, like what they did to Mats Lindgren.  The
Oilers top five D -- Boris Mironov, Roman Hamrlik, Tom Poti and Craig
Millar -- easily form the best offensive blue line in the NHL. 

After seeing the Oil hard-pressed to score against the Kings, the
Oilers' solution is simple: sign Weight fast!


-----------------------------------------------------------------
VANCOUVER CANUCKS 
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Mike Keenan

Roster:  C - Mark Messier, Peter Zezel, Dave Scatchard, Brandon
Convery, Matt Cooke.  LW - Todd Bertuzzi, Marcus Naslund, Donald
Brashear, Brad May, Bert Robertsson. RW - Alex Mogilny, Bill
Muckalt, Brian Noonan, Steve Staios. D - Adrian Aucoin, Murray
Baron, Bret Hedican, Jamie Huscroft, Chris McAllister, Dana Murzyn,
Mattias Ohlund, Jason Strudwick.  G - Garth Snow, Corey Hirsch. 

INJURIES:  Bret Hedican, d ( sprained ankle, day-to-day).

TRANSACTIONS:  Assigned Bryan Allen, d, to Oshawa (OHL); assigned
Brad Ference, d, to Spokane (WHL); assigned Josh Holden, c, Brent
Sopel, d, Peter Schaefer, lw, Mike Valley, g, to Syracuse (AHL). 

GAME RESULTS:
10/13 Los Angeles  W 4-2

TEAM NEWS by Jeff Dubois

When it rains, it pours. 

Whether you're talking about the climate or the Canucks you'll never
hear a truer statement out of Vancouver in October. 

After a season that saw a coach, a general manager and half a dozen
popular players go elsewhere, the Canucks' chances for
respectability took another hit when the once Russian, now Rushin'
Rocket Pavel Bure made public his demands for a trade. As the
Canucks enter their first week of regular season play, they are
still without the most popular player in team history, or anything
to show for him.  

One of the many new additions to the team, GM Brian Burke has taken
a hard line on the Bure issue, and has refused to comment on his
status to any media, even your hard workin', tough checkin' source
here at LCS Hockey. All indications, though, point to a long,
loss-filled standoff, as very few teams have both the resources to
put together a deal attractive to the Canucks and the coin to pay
Bure the $9-million salary he is due this season. 

Another problem spot is defenceman Bryan McCabe, whose rough, steady
play was among one of the few bright spots as the Canucks wrapped up
their 97-98 schedule. He remains in Calgary awaiting a new contract,
and sides are still far apart. At an early September "State of the
Franchise Address" for season ticket holders, Burke set McCabe's
asking price at $2.5 million a year, while the Canucks opened
negotiations in the $1.1 million range. As I write from my secret
perch high above the Vancouver skyline, McCabe's agent has yet to
respond to the Canucks latest offer, submitted Friday, Oct. 9. 

Despite all the negative news surrounding the team as it enters the
season, there is reason for optimism. Many Canucks' have stepped up
their play, including Calder runner-up Mattias Ohlund and bulked-up
winger Todd Bertuzzi. 

Bertuzzi's play through the preseason has left many comparing him to
Flyer winger John LeClair, another former prospect who only found
his scoring touch after a trade sent him to Philadelphia. Bertuzzi
led the Canucks in exhibition scoring, including a few spectacular
individual efforts, and his new-found commitment to conditioning
has him ready to jump into the league's elite. 

Brian Burke sent the team to training camp promising a trade for a
starting goalie by the season opener, but changed his tune after
Garth Snow, already penciled in as a backup, and Corey Hirsch, whose
training camp play earned him a contract, acquitted themselves
during the exhibition schedule. Snow is poised to start the
season, while Hirsch will also see action as the backup. 

It is still expected by many that the Canucks will acquire a goalie
when Bure is traded, and many expect that goalie to be Felix Potvin,
who has recently been rumoured to come out West in a three-way deal
involving the Islanders.  Bure rumours have only trailed comments on
the witty, hard-hitting style of LCS Hockey on local talk radio
shows, and you'll read a lot of them in this column (Linden/ Berard
to Toronto, Bure/Schneider to the Isles and Potvin/Smolinski to
Vancouver is the latest to hit the West Coast). 

After a season as poor as the Canucks 97-98, you'd expect a flurry
of changes, but as the season begins only four new Canucks have
joined the lineup. 

The lone free agent signing was former-everything ( Blue, Hab,
Coyote etc.) Murray Baron, picked up by the 'Nucks after the team
was spurned by Dmitri Mironov, who took a higher offer in
Washington. He'll bring some toughness and experience to the blue
line along with resident-pylon Dana Murzyn, who makes up in
tenacity what he lacks in speed.  

Corey Hirsch re-joins the team after a year with the Canucks' AHL
affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He stole the Canucks starting job
from Kirk McLean in 1996, and now looks to succeed in a second
go-round with the team. 

Rookie forwards Bill Muckalt (RW) and Matt Cooke (C) cracked the
lineup with aggressive play in the preseason. Muckalt will begin the
season on a line with Peter Zezel and Todd Bertuzzi, while Cooke will
probably see spot action on both the third and fourth lines. Two
rookies expected to make the team, Josh Holden and Peter Schaefer,
had poor exhibition showings, but will likely have the chance to show
their stuff mid-season, as they are the two most likely to receive
call-ups. Defencemen Brad Ference, the 10th overall pick in 1997, and
Bryan Allen, the Canucks' fourth overall selection in June, both had
surprisingly strong exhibition performances, with Allen being sent
back to junior only when a contract could not be reached by the
league-imposed deadline. Both will be fixtures on the Canucks blue
line for years to come. 

The Canucks begin the season with three home contests before they
head out on the traditional mid-October Eastern swing. The road
trip should give the team a chance to establish some chemistry and
charge the rookies with a few expensive dinners. By the end of
October we should have a pretty good idea of where this team is
going without Bure, and if it's nowhere, we can expect Brian Burke
to make his first trade as Vancouver GM. 
================================================================
=================================================================
TEAM REPORTS
=================================================================
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Craig Hartsburg
   
ROSTER: C - Matt Cullen, Travis Green, Josef Marha, Steve Rucchin.
LW - Johan Davidsson, Ted Drury, Stu Grimson, Paul Kariya, Mike
Leclerc, Jim McKenzie. RW - Antti Aalto, Jeff Nielsen, Tomas
Sandstrom, Teemu Selanne. D - Mike Crowley, Kevin Haller, Jason
Marshall, Frederik Olausson, Jamie Pushor, Ruslan Salei, Pascal
Trepanier, Pavel Trnka. G - Guy Hebert, Jamie Ram, Dominic
Roussel. 

INJURIES: Guy Hebert, g (shoulder sprain, returned 10/11 after
missing one game); Josef Marha, c (sprained ankle, day-to-day).

TRANSACTIONS: 10/10 - recalled Mike Crowley, d, from Cincinnati
(AHL); 10/9 - traded Doug Houda, d, to Detroit for future
considerations; Ruslan Salei, d, suspended five games by NHL; 10/5
- claimed Pascal Trepanier, d, from Colorado in NHL Waiver Draft.

GAME RESULTS:

10/10 at Washington    L 1-0
10/11 at Philadelphia  L 4-1

TEAM NEWS by Alex Carswell

The Mighty Ducks start the 1998-99 campaign with one big problem
solved and another still lingering. 

Solved is the issue of executive leadership, with Pierre Gauthier
returning from Ottawa to assume the mantle of president and general
manager. Gauthier, through savvy decision-making both on and off the
ice, was instrumental in turning the Senators from a floundering
franchise into a team on the rise. The Ducks hope he can bring that
ol' black magic south of the border, too, and reverse Anaheim's
fast-fading fortunes of '97-98. 

Rather than be "aggressive" in the free agent market, as former GM
Jack Ferreira pledged he would, Gauthier seems unapologetically
intent on letting his home-grown youngsters carry a bigger load
this year, as evidenced by the presence of Antti Aalto, Matt
Cullen, Johan Davidsson, Mike Leclerc, Josef Marha and Jeff Nielsen
on the opening-day roster. Gauthier's only significant off-season
moves were picking up Kevin Haller and Stu "Hands Off Paul" Grimson
from Carolina (in exchange for David Karpa) and the re-acquisition
of defenseman Fredrik Olausson, who is expected to lead the power
play.  

NOW THE BAD NEWS

Lingering is a defense that, while boasting some youthful promise,
can't yet be legitimately considered competitive with the top half
of the league.  

With another season like his last, Jason Marshall could emerge as a
real defensive leader, and Olausson (if he stays healthy) could
steady a high-power power play. But relying on Kevin Haller to play
half the game, as the Ducks must, is indicative of Anaheim's need
to bolster the blue line. Picking up Pascal Trepanier for nothing
won't hurt, but the team will have to rely on overall team defense
if it is going to post solid goals-against numbers -- not to
mention a decent record -- this year.  

As to the team D, in progress is the team's Craig Hartsburg
makeover. You remember Hartsburg, don't you? He was the former
Chicago coach last heard calling Paul Kariya a big, whining crybaby
who was exaggerating his head injury, delivered courtesy of
Hartsburg hit-man Gary Suter. But if Kariya and the Ducks are
willing to let bygones be bygones, then I guess we are, too. As to
whether the Hartsburg hire will prove as provident as Gauthier
tabbing Jacques Martin in Ottawa, well, we're pessimistic.  

A COOL START

The opener was a face wash courtesy of former Ducks coach Ron
Wilson, who raised the Eastern Conference banner in the MCI Center
before lowering the boom on the Anaheim, 1-0. Dominic Roussel,
picked up when it became clear that Patrick Lalime is not NHL
material after all, got the start in lieu of Guy Hebert, whose
surgically-repaired right shoulder was tweaked in a preseason
collision with Haller. The only thing that could have made it
sweeter for Wilson, who didn't hide his glee at the
schedule-maker's ironic delivery of these sitting Ducks on flag
day, would have been the presence of former Anaheim president Tony
Tavares, who banished him from SoCal for, um, speaking.  

If the Ducks were heartened by a game effort against the Caps --
which they got -- they crashed back to earth against Philadelphia.
The Flyers dominated Anaheim in rolling to a 4-1 win. Defensive
lapses? Natch. But it was more than that: It was David going in
unarmed against Goliath.  

The Ducks, rearmed with their dynamic duo of Kariya and Teemu
Selanne, have a long way to go before they stack up favorably with
the upper echelon in the NHL. 

OPENING LINES

The top line remains unchanged from last year, with Steve Rucchin
centering Kariya and Selanne. The rest of the opening night combos
were (l-c-r) as follows: 

Johan Davidsson-Matt Cullen-Tomas Sandstrom
Mike Leclerc-Travis Green-Antti Aalto
Stu Grimson-Josef Marha-Jeff Nielsen 

Marha turned his ankle late in the opener and sat out the tilt
against Philly.  

On defense, the top pairing, as expected, was Haller and Marshall.
Olausson played with Pavel Trnka, and Jamie Pushor paired up with
Pascal Trepanier. Trepanier will likely be the odd man out (and may
see some action as a forward, a la Brent Severyn last year) when
Ruslan Salei returns from his five-game suspension for pitchforking
diminutive Phoenix rookie Daniel Briere into the exhibition-season
ice, rendering him briefly unconscious. 

THE OUTLOOK

Bleak, but not as bad as an Ottawa winter. With Gauthier at the
helm, the overall defense will tighten up...or else. And with a
crop of gifted youngsters (Aalto, Cullen, Davidsson, Marha) given
the chance to wet their feet now, the future looks bright up front.
For entertainment value, of course, there's always Paul and Teemu.
And fight fans get a double bill of Grimson and McKenzie. 

But Disneyland tourists want entertainment. Hockey fans want
wins. 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
DALLAS STARS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head coach: Ken Hitchcock

roster: C-Mike Modano, Guy Carbonneau, Joe Nieuwendyk, Tony Hrkac,
Aaron Gavey, Brian Skrudland. LW- Jamie Langenbrunner, Jason
Botterill, Dave Reid, Brent Severyn, Jere Lehtinen, Jamie Wright.
RW- Brett Hull, Mike Keane, Grant Marshall, Pat Verbeek. D-Derian
Hatcher, Craig Ludwig, Darryl Sydor, Shawn Chambers, Richard
Matvichuk, Sergei Zubov, Sergei Gusev. G-Ed Belfour, Roman Turek. 

injuries: Richard Matvichuk, d, (knee surgery, day-to-day); Joe
Nieuwendyk, c (knee surgeries, one month); Aaron Gavey, c,
(fractured hand, one week); Brian Skrudland, c, (kneecap injury,
two weeks); Dan Keczmer, d, (viral meningitis, one week). 

transactions: None.

game results: 
10/10 Buffalo   W 4-1

TEAM NEWS by Jim Panenka 

Stars Storm Out of the Gate as Expected

This is the year. That is the prevailing attitude. The Minnesota
North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise has never been more seriously
poised to take the Stanley Cup home than they are this season.  

Thanks to more off-season roster moves, Dallas will field a team
that has a slightly different look than the 97-98 version. And some
say the changes make this team even more deep and potent than its
predecessor.  

Gone are Greg Adams, Todd Harvey, Benoit Hogue, Mike Kennedy, Bob
Bassen, Juha Lind, and Craig Muni. 

In came Brett Hull, Brent Severyn, Tony Hrkac (again), Jason
Botterill, Sergei Gusev, and Aaron Gavey.  

And in the Stars' locker room, the attitude has reportedly never
been more positive and committed to winning. "It's all smiles in
there," reported a Stars staff member recently.  

That is one of the main reasons Brett Hull passed up more money and
a chance to play on his father's former team, the Chicago
Blackhawks. He opted instead to sign with the Stars for a chance to
have fun playing hockey again, and to be in the envious position of
playing on a proven, winning team - right now.  

Brett only has to be there to be a threat on the ice. Gone is the
pressure he had in St. Louis to carry the weight of the entire team
on his shoulders. Now he is the setup man for Modano and Lehtinen,
as well as a vocal leadership presence in the locker room. His
swagger will boost the confidence of all the players around him.
 

Once Hull gets the puck while hovering in the middle, as is planned
during the power play and other times, the attention paid to him
will open up plenty of room for Modano and Lehtinen. And either of
those two players can burn the opposition, badly, if given some ice
and time to work with.  

Of course, Hull is still a premier sniper, and will light the lamp
plenty of times when he gets the opportunity. Each goal will be a
bonus to the team, pure gravy, because his mere presence instantly
gives the Stars the depth and credibility needed to topple the
favorite sons of hockey, the Detroit Red Wings.  

Think a first line of Lehtinen-Modano-Hull, a feisty Pat Verbeek,
and a healthy Joe Nieuwendyk mean trouble to any team? Well just
add the potent punch of new enforcer Brent Severyn into the mix,
and you have a team that has addressed all the shortcomings from
the previous version and has the muscle to protect its top stars.
 

The team has never been more complete. The new additions were the
perfect complement to the existing core of players, which proved
their grit and determination during last year's playoffs, making it
all the way to the conference finals despite being banged up and
missing the key contributions of Joe Nieuwendyk.  

The defensive squad, already ranked as one of the best in the
league, got even stronger when newcomer Sergei Gusev impressed the
coaches during the preseason. When Gusev - a good skater - was
teamed with fellow Russian Sergei Zubov, he developed confidence
and greatly improved his offensive game.  

Now the Stars are improved thanks to the luxury of having three
mobile, scoring defensemen in Zubov, Sydor, and Gusev. This added
mobility and extra offensive punch means Dallas will do even better
on the power play, a category in which they already led the league
during much of last season.  

The way it is looking, the promise now is of nothing other than the
best, the ultimate prize in sports, the Stanley Cup. 

"We had a rough road for four or five years in this organization,"
said center Mike Modano. "Now we're on the upswing. We're all
pretty lucky to be on this team, and we want to ride this wave as
long as we can."  

Couldn't have said it any better. 

Stars win on Opening Night

The Stars opened the season in fitting fashion by defeating the
Buffalo Sabres, 4-1, in front of a sellout home crowd (16,928) on
Oct. 10. The President's Trophy banner was raised in a pre-game
ceremony, as well as banners signifying their Central Division and
Western Conference regular-season titles.  

During the game, most of Dallas' offense came on the power play and
was spread out equally among the team, both of which are very good
indications of possible future success.  

Defenseman Darryl Sydor gained the dubious distinction of scoring
the first goal of the season for Dallas, capitalizing on a
cross-ice pass from Mike Modano during an early power play. Modano
later scored during the last minute of the first period, and ended
the night with a goal and two assists.  

The other two players to light the lamp for Dallas were Verbeek and
Lehtinen. Lehtinen finished with a goal and an assist, and Brett
Hull had some quality near misses off of his six shots, but
finished the night with an assist anyway.  

In case you weren't counting, that's six points from the top line.
The team scored on three of eight power plays. Belfour stopped 27
of 28 shots faced. Not a bad start.  

Except for a short lapse during the second period where Dallas sat
back on the puck and allowed Buffalo to gain some momentum, the
Stars were well in control, and the offense was impressive against
the formidable Dominik Hasek. This was a good test of Dallas'
mettle against a quality opponent, and the team measured up well.
 

"The way we moved the puck in the first 12 minutes, I haven't seen
our team play like that," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "There was some
good transition to our game."  

Hitchcock also praised the line of Reid-Langenbrunner-Verbeek, which
created the necessary energy to compete as an effective second line,
until Joe Nieuwendyk can fully recover from his knee surgeries and
return to the team.  

Other News:

* Brent Severyn dropped the gloves early during the season opener,
and came out on the good end of a fight with Buffalo's Rob Ray. He
is turning into an instant fan-favorite (Texans just love them
fights, ya know!) and is measuring up as a capable bodyguard to
Modano, Hull, and Nieuwendyk. His contributions should help fill in
one of the few last missing pieces to last year's team.  

* The Stars signed captain Derian Hatcher to a four-year contract
extension through the 2002-2003 season. Hatcher, who had one year
(1998-99) remaining on his existing contract, is now under contract
for the next five seasons at a total of $18.6 million.  

"We had an opportunity to have one of the top defensemen in the NHL
under contract for the next five seasons, and we decided to take
advantage of that opportunity," said GM Bob Gainey. "We look
forward to having Derian lead not only our defense, but our hockey
club as captain, for the next five seasons."  

* Dallas also signed forward Jamie Langenbrunner to a two-year
contract through the 1999-2000 season. No further terms of the deal
were disclosed.  

"We are happy to have Jamie under contract for the next two
seasons," said Gainey. "He has progressed well in his first two NHL
seasons and we look forward to his future contributions to our
hockey club."  

Langenbrunner, 23, was a Group II restricted free agent. In 1997-98,
he recorded 23 goals and 29 assists for 52 points with 61 penalty
minutes in 81 contests. He had the most points of any second-year
player in the NHL.  

* To round out the contract updates, the team has signed defenseman
Darryl Sydor to a four-year contract through the 2001-2002 season.
The deal was reportedly worth about $10 million over four years.
 

"We are happy to have Darryl under contract for the next four
seasons," said Gainey. "He is a core member of our group and we
look forward to having him back on the ice."  

Sydor, 26, was a Group II restricted free agent. In 1997-98, Sydor
played in 79 contests, recording a career-high 11 goals with 35
assists for 46 points. He was second on the team in power play
points (28), third in assists (35) and was fourth in plus/minus
(+17). He also played in his first NHL All-Star Game, suiting up
for the winning North American squad.  

* More importantly Sydor, as well as Langenbrunner, both settled for
"fair money" rather than holding out and missing the opportunity to
work out with the team.  

"It's enough," said Darryl Sydor. "The bottom line is I can wake up
every morning and be happy about it, knowing I can go to the rink
with a good chance of winning the Stanley Cup."  

Rare words from a rare player. No, better yet a whole team full of
rare players. Their chances have never been better. This is the
year. 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
LOS ANGELES KINGS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach:  Larry Robinson

Roster:  C - Jozef Stumpel, Ian Laperriere,  Ray Ferraro,  Roman
Vopat, Yanic Perreault.  LW - Steve McKenna,  Vladimir Tsyplakov, 
Luc Robitaille,  Craig Johnson,  Josh Green.  RW - Russ Courtnall, 
Nathan LaFayette,  Glen Murray,  Sandy Moger.  D - Garry Galley,
Rob Blake, Sean O'Donnell, Doug Bodger, Mattias Norstrom,  Steve
Duchesne, Philippe Boucher.  G - Stephane Fiset,  Jamie Storr. 

Injuries: None.

Transactions: Sent Mark Visheau, d, and  Jaroslav Modry, d, to Long
Beach (IHL). 

Game Results

10/10 at Edmonton  W 2-1

TEAM NEWS by Matt Moore

The start of a new season.  Now will the Kings tank it or get better
than last year?  The pressure is on, particularly with the opening of
the Staples Center at the start of the 1999-2000 season, since what
better way to fill seats than to have a playoff contender? 

Duchesne brings power 

The Kings went out to improve their power play during the
off-season, with Steve Duchesne as a result. This is his second
tour with the Kings, and still holds records for most goals by a
defenseman in both a season and career.  He brings both speed and
scoring to the blue line, which should combine with Rob Blake's
hard shot much like it did last season between Duchesne and Al
MacInnis in St. Louis.   So the prospects of the Kings doing better
than the sad 15th-best power play in the league.  

Berg take a hike

Aki Berg has been lost for the season due to his holding out and
signing a contract in Finland.  He apparently feels that his pay
actually went down going into this season once his signing bonus,
which he received last year, is figured into the equation. 
Considering Berg's still learning the game and the fact that he
would have been a fifth or sixth defenseman this season, maybe it
is best he play in Finland where he would get more ice time than
what he could have gotten in LA.  

Kings win Game ONe...

The Kings first game versus Edmonton was just about what you would
expect in a first game.  Not the most well played game, but still
good.  The Oilers scored first on a goal by former King Kevin Brown
(lots of former Kings around) but responded with a power-play goal
by Yanic Perreault on a pretty nice pass from Luc Robitaille. 
Robitaille then scored the game-winner with 4:35 left in the third
period on a pass from Perreault.  This was a game that the Kings
should win, since the Oilers appear to be a team stuck in neutral
due to the lack of resources of the organization.  

Goal, defense lookin' strong

The Kings defense should be excellent this season, with the
goaltending duo being one of the best if not the best in the
league.  Jamie Storr is the future No. 1 goalie and showed that
promise at the end of last season and the playoffs.  Stephane Fiset
is a workhorse who can dominate stretches of the season.  Hopefully
with Storr's emergence Fiset will not be forced to play the 60
games he did last season, which will let him be well rested in the
playoffs.  

The defenseman situation is also one of the best in the league.  Led
by Norris Trophy-winning Rob Blake and Mattias Norstrom in the No. 1
pairing, and the acquisition of the steady Doug Bodger in the
off-season, they are now deep enough that they were able to sit
Garry Galley in the first game in Edmonton. 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX COYOTES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Jim Schoenfeld 

Roster: C - Jeremy Roenick, Cliff Ronning, Bob Corkum, Mike
Stapleton, Juha Ylonen, Daniel Briere. LW - Keith Tkachuk, Greg
Adams, Jim Cummins, Mike Sullivan. RW - Rick Tocchet, Dallas Drake,
Brad Isbister, Shane Doan, Jocelyn Lemieux. D - Keith Carney,
Gerald Diduck, Bryan Helmer, Jyrki Lumme, Teppo Numminen, Oleg
Tverdovsky, Deron Quint, Michel Petit, Sean Gagnon, Jason Doig. G -
Nikolai Khabibulin, Jimmy Waite. 

Injuries:  Daniel Briere, c (concussion, indefinite).

Transactions: Assigned Louis DeBrusk, lw, to Las Vegas (IHL);
assigned Tavis Hansen, c, Brad Tiley, d, Radoslav Suchy, d, Barry
Nieckar, lw, and Joe Dziedzic, f, to Springfield (AHL); loaned J.F.
Jomphe, f, to Las Vegas; signed Keith Tkachuk, lw, to a one-year
contract extension through the 2000-2001 season. 

GAME RESULTS

10/06 Anaheim  W 6-0 
10/11 Ottawa   L 4-1

TEAM NEWS by Bob Chebat

Coyotes sporting a new look

When the Phoenix Coyotes took the ice for the first regular season
game on October 11 against the Ottawa  Senators, fans had to have
their rosters handy because there were a lot of new  faces attached
to some of  those familiar numbers they've cheered for the past
couple seasons. 

Several player changes have taken place over the last few months in
an attempt to help the Coyotes get  past the first round of the
playoffs and hopefully deeper. It became rather  apparent that the
team the  Coyotes were putting on the ice was not getting the job
done, so GM Bobby Smith  got to work right away.


On June 11, the shake up began with a deal that sent center Craig
Janney to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a much needed left
winger, Louie DeBrusk, along with a fifth-round pick in the 1998 NHL
Entry Draft. DeBrusk had one goal, two assists and 166 penalty
minutes with the Lightning last season in 54  games. Entering his
eighth season, DeBrusk has 963 penalty minutes and was a  restricted
free agent. The  Coyotes avoided an arbitration hearing and signed
him August 10. 

In a surprising move, the Coyotes waived DeBrusk last week and then
sent him to Las Vegas in the IHL.  The burly left winger has been a
disappointment for every team he's played for.  Unfortunately for
the Coyotes, they found this out too late, having already given up
Craig Janney for him and signing him to a contract.

Fans also said farewell to veteran tough guy Jim McKenzie when Smith
sent him to the Mighty  Ducks of Anaheim in exchange for
Jean-Francois Jomphe. "Jean-Francois is a solid  two-way player with
good speed," Smith said. "Over the past season, we have added toughness to our 
lineup in Jim Cummins (and) Mark Janssens ... Jomphe will improve our
skill and speed at the forward  position." The 25-year-old native of
Harve St. Pierre, Quebec, signed as a free  agent with Anaheim on
September 7, 1993. In 1994-95, Jomphe played 52 games with the
Canadian National Team, registering 33-25-58 and 85 PIM. 

Defenseman John Slaney was the next victim to fall from the Coyotes
roster as the Nashville Predators  selected him in the expansion
draft on June 29th. The Predators also selected  forward Mike
Sullivan from  the Boston Bruins, and the next day, sent the
30-year-old, seven-year veteran to  the Coyotes for a seventh-
round draft pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. 

Since entering the NHL in 1991, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Sullivan has
appeared in 453 games with San  Jose, Calgary and Boston, scoring 41
goals and collecting 62 assists for 103  points with 137 PIMs. In 24
career playoff games, Sullivan has registered 4-7-11 totals with 12
PIMs.  

Before the week was over, Smith made another announcement, this time
by signing veteran defenseman  Jyrki Lumme to a five-year contract.
Lumme, an unrestricted free agent with the  Vancouver Canucks,
brought what the Coyotes hope to be the missing piece to the
defensive puzzle for the team this season.  "I'm very pleased to add
a player of Jyrki Lumme's character and ability to our  team," Smith
said. "Lumme's  addition gives the Coyotes one of the most skilled
defensive corps in the NHL,  and certainly the best defense this
franchise has ever had. The addition of Jyrki Lumme underscores 
ownership's and  management's commitment to bring a winner to the
Valley of the Sun." 

The Tampere, Finland, native was originally drafted by Montreal in
1986 (third choice, 57th overall). Lumme  made his NHL debut with the
Canadiens in 1988-89, playing as a teammate of Smith  in his first
two NHL  seasons, and finishing third in scoring among all rookie
defensemen while  splitting the 1989-90 season
between Montreal and Vancouver. 

The day before the Coyotes had signed Lumme, the team announced that
radio color commentator Tom  Kurvers would become a professional
scout, leaving a vacancy along side play-by- play man Curt Kielback.
Known widely for his hockey knowledge and insight into the game,
Kurvers will be based in Phoenix and will  be responsible for
evaluating the players and playing styles of other NHL teams.  

The news this summer was not all about acquisitions as 13-year
veteran defenseman Jim Johnson decided to retire after sustaining a
concussion early last season. During the same announcement, the
Coyotes offered Johnson the color commentary position left vacant
by Kurvers. Johnson played in 829 NHL games, recording 29 goals and
166 assists for 195 points. He signed with Phoenix as a free agent
on July 15, 1996 after playing two and a half seasons with
Washington. In two seasons with the Coyotes, Johnson registered 
5-8-13 in 71 games. 

The last big move of the summer came on Sept. 1 when the Coyotes
announced the signing of veteran  forward Greg Adams. Last season,
the 6-foot-3, 195 pound forward played 49 games  with the Dallas
Stars,  registering 14-18-32 and 20 penalty minutes. In addition,
Adams scored seven  power-play goals (tied for fourth on the Stars)
and was a plus-11. Adams played in 12 playoff games with  Dallas,
recording 2-2-4. 

Goaltending remained a question mark with the team all summer long
until the 25th of August when the  team re-signed last seasons'
backup Jimmy Waite. The 29-year-old native of Sherbrooke, Quebec was
originally acquired by the Coyotes from Chicago on September 28, 1997
in the NHL Waiver Draft.  In his 10th NHL season, the 6-foot-1, 180
pound netminder played in 17 games  with the Coyotes last season,
registering the second-best record of his career. Waite posted a
5-6-1 record with a 2.12 GAA, a .913 save percentage and one  
shutout. In addition, Waite played in four NHL playoff games in the
Western Conference Quarterfinals versus Detroit. 

Prior to joining Phoenix, Waite played eight seasons with the
Blackhawks, appearing in 58 games and posting a 14-23-7 record.
During the 1993-94 season, Waite played 15 games for the San Jose
Sharks, going 3-7-0. His best season came during the '92-93
campaign, when he played a career high 20 games with Chicago,
posting a 6-7-1 record and a 2.95 GAA.  

Not only was Smith busy grabbing up some free agents and making
trades, but he was also taking care of some Coyotes whose contracts
were up after the season ended last year. Shane  Doan, Bob Corkum
and Dallas Drake were among a group of players who the Coyotes
protected in the expansion draft and  managed to get under contract
before camp started. 

Michele Petit was brought back for another season as well, agreeing
to terms with the team on August 31.  The 34-year-old Petit joined
the Coyotes last season, signing as a free agent on  November 25,
1997. In his  16th NHL season, Petit played in 32 games with the
Coyotes, recording 4-2-6 and  77 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-1, 205
pound Petit reached a career milestone on Dec. 5, playing in his 
800th NHL game at Carolina.  In addition, he appeared in five
playoff games versus Detroit, collecting 8 PIM.  Petit started the
1997-98 season with the Detroit Vipers (IHL), registering 2-3-5 and
24 PIM in nine games. 

Several players decided to change numbers, as well. Jim Cummins who
wore No. 20 last season, took over  the number 15, which was vacated
by Craig Janney. Rick Tocchet was donning No.  92 last season, and
decided to return to his old 22 when Mike Gartner retired and left
it behind. 

All of these changes should help the Coyotes get to the next level
this season, but only time will tell. In order to be successful,
they must come together as a team. The Coyotes appear to be ready
to do so. 

Oh yeah, Keith Tkachuk ended his standoff with management and signed
a one-year extension with the club that should keep him in Phoenix
until the 2000-2001 season.  Unless, you know, he feels he's
underpaid and decides to sit out again... 


-----------------------------------------------------------------
SAN JOSE SHARKS
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Head Coach: Darryl Sutter 
     
roster: C - Bernie Nicholls, Patrick Marleau, Marco Sturm, Mike
Ricci, Tony Granato, Jaime Baker. LW - Shawn Burr, Murray Craven,
Stephane Matteau, Dave Lowry, Jeff Friesen. RW - Ron Stern, Owen
Nolan, Joe Murphy. D - Bryan Marchmant, Bill Houlder, Marcus
Ragnarsson, Mike Rathje, Andrei Zyuzin, Bob Rouse, Gary Suter. G -
Mike Vernon, Steve Shields, Bruce Racine. 

injuries: Marcus Ragnarsson, d (knee, day-to-day); Steve Shields, g
(broken finger, 2-3 days); Gary Suter, d (shoulder, indefinite).

transactions: None.

game results:

10/09 Calgary  T 3-3 (in Japan)
10/10 Calgary  L 5-3 (in Japan)

TEAM NEWS by Al Swanson
 
It's been an El Nino summer here in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Long
hot days with the highest temps in years. Even San Francisco, long
home to the "coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San
Francisco" jokes, was a hot place.  

Yep, everywhere was hot, even Dean Lombardi's office. 

Yeah, the man they call Dumbo was hard at work this summer. He spent
the summer following his semi- successful pattern of bringing in new
blood and just past-their-prime veterans. He did change a bit as he
focused solely on protecting the blue line by adding vets Gary Suter
to help the anemic power play and hiring Bob Rouse away from the Red
Wings to provide some size. He added rookie Scott Hannen (their 1997
first-rounder) to the defense corps as well.  

Lombardi and Sutter surprised the world this draft by trading DOWN
to take defensemen Brad Stuart. Stuart played in most of the
preseason games, scoring some decent points, but not enough to
hammer out a contract prior to the deadline. Given the Sharks
history of starting them young, burning them out, then trading the
`potential' away, probably a good move for Stuart. They also added
the Hasek-schooled Steve Shields. A fortuitous move given how the
minor league goalies played in the preseason.  

And what a preseason! The Sharks managed a paltry 2-5 record against
rivals like Calgary, Los Angeles and Vancouver. True, LA may be a
real rival, but Calgary and the Canucks? The Finned Flops surprised
no one with their lack of dedication in the preseason.  

To be fair, Sutter fielded a unit of hopefuls including: Jamie Baker
(he's back for a year), Dave Lowry (again for a year), goalies Racine
(not bad, but not good enough) and Gauthier (letting in those six
goals against Colorado must have meant he didn't like California
cuisine, cause it was a sure ticket back to the minors) and Stuart,
plus Hannan, Heins and a sordid cast of others.  These were on the
ice while opponents like the Avs put their A lines out.  However,
guys like Billy Houlder and Bryan Marchmant, men the Sharks are gonna
look to if they are to make the playoffs this year, looked like they
were bored and couldn't be bothered with preseason play. Joe Murphy
may have been the one standout in these warm-ups and a possible
rising star in the organization.  

So, with the regular season upon us -- if you consider a trip to
Japan regular -- Jeff Friesen and Owen Nolan still aren't signed.
Steve Shields and Gary Suter are nowhere to be seen (both are out
with injuries). And the Fish are floundering.  

Opening night in Tokyo and the Sharks give up three to Calgary with
Vernon in net. True, Ken Wregget in net for the Flames gave up
three also, but we are talking the Flames. In order to be serious
contenders for the playoffs, the Sharks need to discard teams like
the Flames much as Bill Gates does with pennies. The second game a
night later was worse. Much worse. The Sharks stiffened blue line
allows five, count `em, five goals to slide in including a hat
trick for Theo. Fin fans are flabbergasted. The best that can be
said is that the team escaped Japan with a point.  

Every Fin Fan was expecting a big-time, first-line point scorer
signing this summer, actually, every summer, but none were
forthcoming. Worse, our top pole-banger (Nolan), still isn't signed
and neither is fan fav Friesen. Teal Town is expecting big things
from the men in the fish suits this year. After two truly bottom of
the fish-barrel seasons and one sorta, kinda OK year, the Tank had
better be hoppin' this year or the idea of fish for dinner will
take on a whole new meaning. Stayed tuned. 
================================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT ISSUE: Wednesday, October 28
----------------------------------------------------------------  
----------------------------------------------------------------
NHL Standings (as of Oct. 13)
----------------------------------------------------------------
                             Eastern Conference
Northeast Division  GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  Ottawa             2   2   0   0     4    8    4   0-0-0    2-0-0    0-0-0
  Toronto            2   2   0   0     4    5    3   1-0-0    1-0-0    0-0-0
  Montreal           2   2   0   0     4    8    1   2-0-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Boston             2   1   0   1     3    6    3   1-0-1    0-0-0    0-0-1
  Buffalo            2   1   1   0     2    4    4   0-0-0    1-1-0    0-0-0
Atlantic Division   GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  Philadelphia       2   2   0   0     4    5    1   1-0-0    1-0-0    0-0-0
  Pittsburgh         1   1   0   0     2    4    3   0-0-0    1-0-0    0-0-0
  New Jersey         1   0   1   0     0    1    2   0-0-0    0-1-0    0-0-0
  NY Islanders       2   0   2   0     0    3    7   0-1-0    0-1-0    0-0-0
  NY Rangers         3   0   3   0     0    3   12   0-2-0    0-1-0    0-0-0
Southeast Division  GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  Florida            2   2   0   0     4    5    1   1-0-0    1-0-0    0-0-0
  Washington         2   1   1   0     2    3    3   1-1-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Carolina           2   0   1   1     1    6    7   0-0-1    0-1-0    0-0-1
  Tampa Bay          2   0   1   1     1    5    8   0-0-0    0-1-1    0-0-1

                             Western Conference
Central Division    GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  St Louis           2   1   0   1     3    7    5   0-0-0    1-0-1    0-0-1
  Chicago            2   1   1   0     2    3    4   1-0-0    0-1-0    0-0-0
  Nashville          2   1   1   0     2    3    3   1-1-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Detroit            2   1   1   0     2    4    4   0-0-0    1-1-0    0-0-0
Northwest Division  GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  Calgary            2   1   0   1     3    8    6   0-0-1    1-0-0    0-0-1
  Vancouver          1   1   0   0     2    4    2   1-0-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Edmonton           2   0   2   0     0    3    5   0-2-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Colorado           2   0   2   0     0    3    7   0-2-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
Pacific Division    GP   W   L   T   PTS   GF   GA   HOME     ROAD     OT
  Dallas             2   2   0   0     4    7    2   2-0-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Los Angeles        2   1   1   0     2    4    5   0-0-0    1-1-0    0-0-0
  San Jose           2   0   1   1     1    6    8   0-1-0    0-0-1    0-0-1
  Phoenix            1   0   1   0     0    1    4   0-1-0    0-0-0    0-0-0
  Anaheim            3   0   3   0     0    1    6   0-0-0    0-3-0    0-0-0
          
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAYER STATS (thru Oct. 13)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PAUL KARIYA       ANA    3   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  0  0  17   5.9
FREDRIK OLAUSSON  ANA    3   0   1   1   2-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
TEEMU SELANNE     ANA    3   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
ANTTI AALTO       ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MIKE CROWLEY      ANA    1   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
MATT CULLEN       ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
JOHAN DAVIDSSON   ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TED DRURY         ANA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GUY HEBERT        ANA    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TRAVIS GREEN      ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    6  0  0  0  0  11   0.0
STU GRIMSON       ANA    3   0   0   0   0    10  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KEVIN HALLER      ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    8  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
JEFF NIELSEN      ANA    3   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JASON MARSHALL    ANA    3   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOSEF MARHA       ANA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE LECLERC      ANA    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JIM MCKENZIE      ANA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PASCAL TREPANIER  ANA    3   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JAMIE PUSHOR      ANA    3   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DOMINIC ROUSSEL   ANA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
STEVE RUCCHIN     ANA    3   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
TOMAS SANDSTROM   ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    6  0  0  0  0  11   0.0
PAVEL TRNKA       ANA    3   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
STEVE HEINZE      BOS    2   2   1   3   1     0  1  0  0  0   4  50.0
SERGEI SAMSONOV   BOS    2   1   2   3   0     0  1  0  0  0   3  33.3
JASON ALLISON     BOS    2   0   2   2   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
PER-JOHAN AXELSSON BOS   2   1   0   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
KEN BAUMGARTNER   BOS    2   1   0   1   0     5  0  0  0  1   2  50.0
DIMITRI KHRISTICH BOS    1   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  1  0   4  25.0
ROB DIMAIO        BOS    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
TED DONATO        BOS    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVE ELLETT       BOS    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
GRANT LEDYARD     BOS    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
RAY BOURQUE       BOS    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
CHRIS TAYLOR      BOS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BYRON DAFOE       BOS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PETER FERRARO     BOS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
HAL GILL          BOS    2   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ANTTI LAAKSONEN   BOS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PETER NORDSTROM   BOS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DON SWEENEY       BOS    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
TIM TAYLOR        BOS    2   0   0   0   1     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOE THORNTON      BOS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DARREN VAN IMPE   BOS    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JASON WOOLLEY     BUF    2   1   1   2   0     2  1  0  1  0  10  10.0
ALEXEI ZHITNIK    BUF    2   1   1   2   0     4  0  0  0  0   9  11.1
MIKE PECA         BUF    2   1   0   1   0    14  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
GEOFF SANDERSON   BUF    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  0  0   6  16.7
MATTHEW BARNABY   BUF    2   0   1   1   0     6  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
CURTIS BROWN      BUF    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MICHAL GROSEK     BUF    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MIROSLAV SATAN    BUF    2   0   1   1   0     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
RICHARD SMEHLIK   BUF    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
VACLAV VARADA     BUF    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BRIAN HOLZINGER   BUF    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DOMINIK HASEK     BUF    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JASON HOLLAND     BUF    1   0   0   0   0     8  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
PAUL KRUSE        BUF    2   0   0   0   0    12  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JAY MCKEE         BUF    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
JAMES PATRICK     BUF    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DEREK PLANTE      BUF    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
WAYNE PRIMEAU     BUF    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ROB RAY           BUF    2   0   0   0   0    15  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DARRYL SHANNON    BUF    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DIXON WARD        BUF    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
THEOREN FLEURY    CGY    2   3   3   6   4     4  0  0  0  0  12  25.0
VALERI BURE       CGY    2   1   2   3   0     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
ANDREW CASSELS    CGY    2   1   1   2   4     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
DAVE ROCHE        CGY    2   1   1   2   0     2  1  0  1  0   4  25.0
PHIL HOUSLEY      CGY    2   0   2   2   2     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DEREK MORRIS      CGY    2   1   0   1   2     6  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
JASON WIEMER      CGY    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
MARTY MCINNIS     CGY    1   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CORY STILLMAN     CGY    2   0   1   1   1-    4  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
TODD SIMPSON      CGY    2   0   1   1   1     4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
TOMMY ALBELIN     CGY    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ERIC CHARRON      CGY    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
RICO FATA         CGY    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CALE HULSE        CGY    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
JAROME IGINLA     CGY    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
MARTIN ST. LOUIS  CGY    2   0   0   0   2     4  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
GREG PANKEWICZ    CGY    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
STEVE SMITH       CGY    1   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ED WARD           CGY    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CLARKE WILM       CGY    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KEN WREGGET       CGY    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
RON FRANCIS       CAR    2   1   2   3   0     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
STEVE CHIASSON    CAR    2   1   1   2   0     0  1  0  0  0  10  10.0
NELSON EMERSON    CAR    2   1   1   2   0     0  1  0  0  0   8  12.5
KEITH PRIMEAU     CAR    2   1   1   2   1-    2  0  0  0  0   7  14.3
JEFF O'NEILL      CAR    2   0   2   2   1-    0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
GARY ROBERTS      CAR    2   0   2   2   0     4  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MARTIN GELINAS    CAR    2   1   0   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
ROBERT KRON       CAR    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  0  0   6  16.7
KEVIN DINEEN      CAR    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVE KARPA        CAR    2   0   1   1   2-   14  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
RAY SHEPPARD      CAR    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
SEAN HILL         CAR    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ARTURS IRBE       CAR    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JON BATTAGLIA     CAR    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SAMI KAPANEN      CAR    2   0   0   0   3-    2  0  0  0  0  11   0.0
TREVOR KIDD       CAR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
CURTIS LESCHYSHYN CAR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KENT MANDERVILLE  CAR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
NOLAN PRATT       CAR    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PAUL RANHEIM      CAR    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE RUCINSKI     CAR    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GLEN WESLEY       CAR    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DOUG GILMOUR      CHI    2   0   2   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
TONY AMONTE       CHI    2   1   0   1   2-    0  1  0  1  0   4  25.0
ERIC DAZE         CHI    2   1   0   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
CHAD KILGER       CHI    2   1   0   1   1     4  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
CHRIS CHELIOS     CHI    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
ALAIN NASREDDINE  CHI    2   0   0   0   1     7  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DANIEL CLEARY     CHI    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ETHAN MOREAU      CHI    2   0   0   0   0     7  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JEFF HACKETT      CHI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MARK JANSSENS     CHI    2   0   0   0   1-    5  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TY JONES          CHI    2   0   0   0   1-    5  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CHRISTIAN LAFLAMME CHI   2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CRAIG MILLS       CHI    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ED OLCZYK         CHI    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BOB PROBERT       CHI    2   0   0   0   0    14  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
REMI ROYER        CHI    2   0   0   0   1-    5  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JEFF SHANTZ       CHI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ERIC WEINRICH     CHI    2   0   0   0   2-    4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ALEXEI ZHAMNOV    CHI    2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DOUG ZMOLEK       CHI    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOE SAKIC         COL    2   2   1   3   1     0  1  0  0  0   8  25.0
MILAN HEJDUK      COL    2   1   1   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
KEITH JONES       COL    2   0   2   2   0     6  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PETER FORSBERG    COL    2   0   1   1   2-    4  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
ALEXEI GUSAROV    COL    2   0   1   1   1-    4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
RENE CORBET       COL    2   0   0   0   0     5  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SHEAN DONOVAN     COL    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
CHRIS DRURY       COL    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ADAM FOOTE        COL    2   0   0   0   1-   10  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
VALERI KAMENSKY   COL    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
JON KLEMM         COL    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ERIC LACROIX      COL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SYLVAIN LEFEBVRE  COL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CLAUDE LEMIEUX    COL    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0  13   0.0
ERIC MESSIER      COL    1   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
AARON MILLER      COL    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JEFF ODGERS       COL    2   0   0   0   0    15  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PATRICK ROY       COL    2   0   0   0   0    10  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
WARREN RYCHEL     COL    1   0   0   0   0    10  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DAN SMITH         COL    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
STEPHANE YELLE    COL    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MIKE MODANO       DAL    2   2   2   4   3     2  0  0  2  0   7  28.6
DARRYL SYDOR      DAL    2   1   2   3   1     2  1  0  0  0   7  14.3
PAT VERBEEK       DAL    2   2   0   2   1     2  2  0  0  0   7  28.6
JERE LEHTINEN     DAL    2   1   1   2   2     0  1  0  0  0   3  33.3
BRETT HULL        DAL    2   0   2   2   2     0  0  0  0  0  10   0.0
JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER DAL  2   0   2   2   0     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
SERGEI ZUBOV      DAL    2   0   2   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
RICHARD MATVICHUK DAL    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
GRANT MARSHALL    DAL    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ED BELFOUR        DAL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GUY CARBONNEAU    DAL    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SHAWN CHAMBERS    DAL    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DERIAN HATCHER    DAL    2   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
TONY HRKAC        DAL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE KEANE        DAL    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CRAIG LUDWIG      DAL    2   0   0   0   0     8  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DAVE REID         DAL    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BRENT SEVERYN     DAL    2   0   0   0   0    10  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JAMIE WRIGHT      DAL    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DARREN MCCARTY    DET    2   1   1   2   1     5  1  0  0  0   6  16.7
LARRY MURPHY      DET    2   1   1   2   1     0  1  0  0  0   6  16.7
TOMAS HOLMSTROM   DET    2   0   2   2   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DOUG BROWN        DET    2   1   0   1   0     4  0  0  1  0   4  25.0
BRENDAN SHANAHAN  DET    2   1   0   1   0     4  0  0  0  0   9  11.1
SERGEI FEDOROV    DET    2   0   1   1   2-    0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
UWE KRUPP         DET    2   0   1   1   1-    0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
IGOR LARIONOV     DET    2   0   1   1   0     4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
STEVE YZERMAN     DET    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   9   0.0
MATHIEU DANDENAULT DET   2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KRIS DRAPER       DET    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ANDERS ERIKSSON   DET    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JOE KOCUR         DET    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
VYACHESLAV KOZLOV DET    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
NICKLAS LIDSTROM  DET    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MARTIN LAPOINTE   DET    2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JAMIE MACOUN      DET    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KIRK MALTBY       DET    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CHRIS OSGOOD      DET    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
AARON WARD        DET    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BILL GUERIN       EDM    2   1   0   1   1     4  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
KEVIN BROWN       EDM    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1 100.0
REM MURRAY        EDM    2   1   0   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   7  14.3
BOYD DEVEREAUX    EDM    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JOSEF BERANEK     EDM    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
KELLY BUCHBERGER  EDM    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
MIKE GRIER        EDM    2   0   1   1   1-    2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MARTY MCSORLEY    EDM    2   0   1   1   0     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BOB ESSENSA       EDM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
FREDRIK LINDQUIST EDM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PAT FALLOON       EDM    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ROMAN HAMRLIK     EDM    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
ANDREI KOVALENKO  EDM    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DANIEL LACROIX    EDM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DEAN MCAMMOND     EDM    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CRAIG MILLAR      EDM    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
BORIS MIRONOV     EDM    2   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
JANNE NIINIMAA    EDM    2   0   0   0   2     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
TOM POTI          EDM    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MIKHAIL SHTALENKOV EDM   2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TODD MARCHANT     EDM    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
VIKTOR KOZLOV     FLA    2   2   2   4   4     2  0  0  0  0  10  20.0
OLEG KVASHA       FLA    2   0   3   3   4     0  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
MARK PARRISH      FLA    2   2   0   2   4     0  0  0  1  0   5  40.0
RAY WHITNEY       FLA    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  1  0   1 100.0
ED JOVANOVSKI     FLA    2   0   1   1   2     9  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
GORD MURPHY       FLA    2   0   1   1   2-    2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
RHETT WARRENER    FLA    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BILL LINDSAY      FLA    2   0   0   0   1-   12  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
SEAN BURKE        FLA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
RADEK DVORAK      FLA    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
DAVE GAGNER       FLA    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JOHAN GARPENLOV   FLA    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DWAYNE HAY        FLA    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
PAUL LAUS         FLA    2   0   0   0   1    16  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KIRK MCLEAN       FLA    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KIRK MULLER       FLA    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
ROB NIEDERMAYER   FLA    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ROBERT SVEHLA     FLA    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JAROSLAV SPACEK   FLA    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PETER WORRELL     FLA    2   0   0   0   0     5  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
YANIC PERREAULT   LOS    2   3   1   4   2     2  1  2  0  0   6  50.0
LUC ROBITAILLE    LOS    2   1   1   2   0     2  0  0  1  0  14   7.1
DOUG BODGER       LOS    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
RUSS COURTNALL    LOS    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
SEAN O'DONNELL    LOS    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
VLADIMIR TSYPLAKOV LOS   2   0   1   1   1     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ROB BLAKE         LOS    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
PHILIPPE BOUCHER  LOS    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
CRAIG JOHNSON     LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
STEVE DUCHESNE    LOS    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
STEPHANE FISET    LOS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOSH GREEN        LOS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
NATHAN LAFAYETTE  LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
IAN LAPERRIERE    LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MATT JOHNSON      LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SANDY MOGER       LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
GLEN MURRAY       LOS    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
MATTIAS NORSTROM  LOS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JAMIE STORR       LOS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOZEF STUMPEL     LOS    2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
MARK RECCHI       MON    2   0   5   5   3     2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
BENOIT BRUNET     MON    2   1   2   3   2     2  0  1  0  0   3  33.3
VINCENT DAMPHOUSSE MON   2   1   1   2   2     2  1  0  1  0   8  12.5
SAKU KOIVU        MON    2   1   1   2   3     0  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
SHAYNE CORSON     MON    2   0   2   2   3     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
BRETT CLARK       MON    2   1   0   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
VLADIMIR MALAKHOV MON    2   1   0   1   1     2  1  0  1  0   2  50.0
CRAIG RIVET       MON    2   1   0   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   4  25.0
SCOTT THORNTON    MON    2   1   0   1   1     4  0  0  0  0   1 100.0
IGOR ULANOV       MON    2   1   0   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
PATRICK POULIN    MON    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
STEPHANE QUINTAL  MON    2   0   1   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
SERGEI ZHOLTOK    MON    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
BRAD BROWN        MON    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MILOSLAV GUREN    MON    1   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JONAS HOGLUND     MON    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVE MANSON       MON    2   0   0   0   2     4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
TRENT MCCLEARY    MON    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
TURNER STEVENSON  MON    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
JOCELYN THIBAULT  MON    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GREG JOHNSON      NAS    2   0   2   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
ANDREW BRUNETTE   NAS    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
J.J. DAIGNEAULT   NAS    2   1   0   1   0     8  1  0  1  0   4  25.0
DENNY LAMBERT     NAS    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
BLAIR ATCHEYNUM   NAS    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
SEBASTIEN BORDELEAU NAS  1   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
JOEL BOUCHARD     NAS    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JAMIE HEWARD      NAS    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
DRAKE BEREHOWSKY  NAS    1   0   0   0   0     8  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BOB BOUGHNER      NAS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PATRICK COTE      NAS    2   0   0   0   0    10  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GREG DEVRIVES     NAS    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE DUNHAM       NAS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TOM FITZGERALD    NAS    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
JAY MORE          NAS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PATRIC KJELLBERG  NAS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SERGEI KRIVOKRASOV NAS   2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JEFF NELSON       NAS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JOHN SLANEY       NAS    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
BRAD SMYTH        NAS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
DARREN TURCOTTE   NAS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
SCOTT WALKER      NAS    2   0   0   0   1-    8  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
PATRIK ELIAS      NJD    1   1   0   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
KEVIN DEAN        NJD    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DAVE ANDREYCHUK   NJD    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BRAD BOMBARDIR    NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
SERGEI BRYLIN     NJD    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BOB CARPENTER     NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BOBBY HOLIK       NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
KEN DANEYKO       NJD    1   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SASHA LAKOVIC     NJD    1   0   0   0   0    25  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MARTIN BRODEUR    NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BRENDAN MORRISON  NJD    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BRYAN MUIR        NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
KRZYSZTOF OLIWA   NJD    1   0   0   0   1-   10  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JAY PANDOLFO      NJD    1   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DENIS PEDERSON    NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
BRIAN ROLSTON     NJD    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
SHELDON SOURAY    NJD    1   0   0   0   0     5  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
SCOTT STEVENS     NJD    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PETR SYKORA       NJD    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TREVOR LINDEN     NYI    2   2   0   2   3-    0  2  0  0  0   5  40.0
KENNY JONSSON     NYI    2   1   1   2   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1 100.0
BRYAN BERARD      NYI    2   0   2   2   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
TOM CHORSKE       NYI    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   9   0.0
ROBERT REICHEL    NYI    2   0   1   1   3-    2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
BRYAN SMOLINSKI   NYI    2   0   1   1   2-    2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
ERIC BREWER       NYI    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MARIUSZ CZERKAWSKI NYI   2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
JASON DAWE        NYI    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVID HARLOCK     NYI    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE HOUGH        NYI    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SCOTT LACHANCE    NYI    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
CLAUDE LAPOINTE   NYI    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KEVIN MILLER      NYI    2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
                  PIT    0   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
                  TOTAL  2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
SERGEI NEMCHINOV  NYI    2   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
GINO ODJICK       NYI    2   0   0   0   0    26  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
RICH PILON        NYI    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BARRY RICHTER     NYI    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JOE SACCO         NYI    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
TOMMY SALO        NYI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE WATT         NYI    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
WAYNE GRETZKY     NYR    3   0   2   2   1-    0  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
ADAM GRAVES       NYR    3   1   0   1   2-    4  1  0  0  0   5  20.0
ALEXANDER KARPOVTSEV NYR 2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   4  25.0
BRIAN LEETCH      NYR    3   1   0   1   2-    2  0  0  0  0  10  10.0
MIKE KNUBLE       NYR    3   0   1   1   3-    0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
ALEXEI KOVALEV    NYR    3   0   1   1   1-    6  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
NIKLAS SUNDSTROM  NYR    3   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JEFF BEUKEBOOM    NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DAN CLOUTIER      NYR    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BRENT FEDYK       NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
SCOTT FRASER      NYR    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GEOFF SMITH       NYR    2   0   0   0   4-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TODD HARVEY       NYR    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DARREN LANGDON    NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOHN MACLEAN      NYR    3   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MANNY MALHOTRA    NYR    2   0   0   0   3-    0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
JAN MERTZIG       NYR    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
PETER POPOVIC     NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE RICHTER      NYR    3   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ULF SAMUELSSON    NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    6  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KEVIN STEVENS     NYR    2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PJ STOCK          NYR    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ESA TIKKANEN      NYR    3   0   0   0   2-    4  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
HARRY YORK        NYR    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SHAWN MCEACHERN   OTT    2   0   3   3   1     0  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
ALEXEI YASHIN     OTT    2   0   3   3   2     2  0  0  0  0  11   0.0
ANDREAS DACKELL   OTT    2   2   0   2   1     0  1  0  0  0   3  66.7
CHRIS PHILLIPS    OTT    2   2   0   2   3     2  1  0  0  0   6  33.3
BRUCE GARDINER    OTT    2   1   1   2   2     7  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
IGOR KRAVCHUK     OTT    2   0   2   2   3     2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MAGNUS ARVEDSON   OTT    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   4  25.0
RADEK BONK        OTT    2   1   0   1   1     4  0  0  1  0   3  33.3
WADE REDDEN       OTT    2   1   0   1   3     0  0  0  1  0   4  25.0
CHRIS MURRAY      OTT    2   0   1   1   0     9  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
VACLAV PROSPAL    OTT    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
SHAUN VAN ALLEN   OTT    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ANDREAS JOHANSSON OTT    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
STEVE LEACH       OTT    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DAVID OLIVER      OTT    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
LANCE PITLICK     OTT    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DAMIAN RHODES     OTT    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SAMI SALO         OTT    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
PATRICK TRAVERSE  OTT    2   0   0   0   3-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JOHN LECLAIR      PHI    2   1   3   4   2     2  1  0  1  0   7  14.3
ERIC LINDROS      PHI    2   2   0   2   2     6  0  0  0  0   6  33.3
MIKE MANELUK      PHI    2   0   2   2   2     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DAN MCGILLIS      PHI    2   0   2   2   2     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ALEXANDRE DAIGLE  PHI    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  1  0   3  33.3
ROD BRIND'AMOUR   PHI    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  0  0   3  33.3
CHRIS GRATTON     PHI    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DMITRI TERTYSHNY  PHI    1   0   1   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVE BABYCH       PHI    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
ERIC DESJARDINS   PHI    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
COLIN FORBES      PHI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
JODY HULL         PHI    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TRENT KLATT       PHI    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
SHJON PODEIN      PHI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
LUKE RICHARDSON   PHI    2   0   0   0   0     7  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MIKE SILLINGER    PHI    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
PETR SVOBODA      PHI    2   0   0   0   0     8  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CHRIS THERIEN     PHI    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JOHN VANBIESBROUCK PHI   2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
VALERI ZELEPUKIN  PHI    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DAINIUS ZUBRUS    PHI    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JEREMY ROENICK    PHO    1   1   0   1   2-    0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
DALLAS DRAKE      PHO    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
GREG ADAMS        PHO    1   0   0   0   3-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KEITH CARNEY      PHO    1   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BOB CORKUM        PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JIM CUMMINS       PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
GERALD DIDUCK     PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SHANE DOAN        PHO    1   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BRYAN HELMER      PHO    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN PHO   1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JYRKI LUMME       PHO    1   0   0   0   3-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
TEPPO NUMMINEN    PHO    1   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
CLIFF RONNING     PHO    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MIKE STAPLETON    PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MIKE SULLIVAN     PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KEITH TKACHUK     PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
RICK TOCCHET      PHO    1   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
OLEG TVERDOVSKY   PHO    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
JUHA YLONEN       PHO    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JAROMIR JAGR      PIT    1   1   1   2   1     4  1  0  0  0   6  16.7
ROBERT LANG       PIT    1   1   1   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
BRAD WERENKA      PIT    1   1   1   2   1     2  0  0  1  0   2  50.0
MARTIN STRAKA     PIT    1   0   2   2   1     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ALEXEI MOROZOV    PIT    1   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
ROB BROWN         PIT    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JEFF SEROWIK      PIT    1   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
GERMAN TITOV      PIT    1   0   1   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
STU BARNES        PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BOBBY DOLLAS      PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KEVIN HATCHER     PIT    1   0   0   0   2     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JAN HRDINA        PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
IAN MORAN         PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
VIKTOR IGNATJEV   PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
PATRICK LEBEAU    PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JIRI SLEGR        PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TOM BARRASSO      PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
CHRIS TAMER       PIT    1   0   0   0   0     5  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TYLER WRIGHT      PIT    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JOE MURPHY        SAN    2   1   1   2   1-    0  1  0  0  0  14   7.1
SCOTT HANNAN      SAN    2   0   2   2   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MARCO STURM       SAN    2   0   2   2   2-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
TONY GRANATO      SAN    2   1   0   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
BILL HOULDER      SAN    2   1   0   1   2-    2  1  0  0  0   1 100.0
PATRICK MARLEAU   SAN    2   1   0   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   5  20.0
MIKE RATHJE       SAN    2   1   0   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
MIKE RICCI        SAN    2   1   0   1   1-    0  0  0  0  1   3  33.3
JAMIE BAKER       SAN    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ALEX HICKS        SAN    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
DAVE LOWRY        SAN    2   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MURRAY CRAVEN     SAN    2   0   1   1   3-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
STEPHANE MATTEAU  SAN    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BRYAN MARCHMENT   SAN    2   0   0   0   2-   15  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
SHAWN BURR        SAN    1   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BERNIE NICHOLLS   SAN    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
RON STERN         SAN    2   0   0   0   1     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
RON SUTTER        SAN    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BOB ROUSE         SAN    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
JARROD SKALDE     SAN    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MIKE VERNON       SAN    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ANDREI ZYUZIN     SAN    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
AL MACINNIS       STL    2   3   2   5   4     4  1  0  1  0   9  33.3
PIERRE TURGEON    STL    2   0   4   4   2     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
PAVOL DEMITRA     STL    2   2   1   3   2     4  1  0  0  0   8  25.0
JIM CAMPBELL      STL    2   0   2   2   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
GEOFF COURTNALL   STL    2   1   0   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   8  12.5
TONY TWIST        STL    2   1   0   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
MIKE EASTWOOD     STL    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CHRIS PRONGER     STL    2   0   1   1   1     6  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
MARTY REASONER    STL    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
JAMIE RIVERS      STL    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MARC BERGEVIN     STL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CRAIG CONROY      STL    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
GRANT FUHR        STL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TODD GILL         STL    2   0   0   0   2-    4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MICHAL HANDZUS    STL    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CHRIS MCALPINE    STL    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
PASCAL RHEAUME    STL    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
SCOTT PELLERIN    STL    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   8   0.0
SCOTT YOUNG       STL    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
WENDEL CLARK      TAM    2   2   1   3   0     0  1  0  0  0   7  28.6
CRAIG JANNEY      TAM    2   1   2   3   2     0  0  0  0  1   3  33.3
JASSEN CULLIMORE  TAM    2   2   0   2   1     4  0  0  0  0   3  66.7
CORY CROSS        TAM    2   0   2   2   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
PAVEL KUBINA      TAM    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
MIKAEL RENBERG    TAM    2   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
STEPHANE RICHER   TAM    2   0   1   1   2-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DARCY TUCKER      TAM    2   0   1   1   0     9  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
MIKAEL ANDERSSON  TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
ENRICO CICCONE    TAM    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DAVID WILKIE      TAM    1   0   0   0   2     4  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
KARL DYKHUIS      TAM    2   0   0   0   2-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BENOIT HOGUE      TAM    2   0   0   0   0     6  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
JOHN CULLEN       TAM    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
STEVE KELLY       TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
VINCENT LECAVALIER TAM   2   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
SANDY MCCARTHY    TAM    2   0   0   0   2-    7  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ANDREI NAZAROV    TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DAREN PUPPA       TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BILL RANFORD      TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MICHAL SYKORA     TAM    1   0   0   0   2-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
PAUL YSEBAERT     TAM    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
ROB ZAMUNER       TAM    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MATS SUNDIN       TOR    2   2   0   2   1-    0  1  0  1  0   8  25.0
SERGEI BEREZIN    TOR    2   1   1   2   0     2  1  0  0  0  10  10.0
STEVE THOMAS      TOR    2   0   2   2   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
ALYN MCCAULEY     TOR    2   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  1  0   4  25.0
GARRY VALK        TOR    2   1   0   1   0     0  1  0  0  0   3  33.3
TIE DOMI          TOR    2   0   1   1   0     7  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
TOMAS KABERLE     TOR    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
IGOR KOROLEV      TOR    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
FREDRIK MODIN     TOR    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
SYLVAIN COTE      TOR    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DEREK KING        TOR    2   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DARBY HENDRICKSON TOR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
JASON SMITH       TOR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
MIKE JOHNSON      TOR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
CURTIS JOSEPH     TOR    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
KRIS KING         TOR    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DANIIL MARKOV     TOR    2   0   0   0   1     6  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
YANNICK TREMBLAY  TOR    2   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
DIMITRI YUSHKEVICH TOR   2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
PETER ZEZEL       VAN    1   2   1   3   1     2  1  0  1  0   5  40.0
ALEXANDER MOGILNY VAN    1   1   0   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
DAVE SCATCHARD    VAN    1   1   0   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2  50.0
ADRIAN AUCOIN     VAN    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
DONALD BRASHEAR   VAN    1   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BRAD MAY          VAN    1   0   1   1   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BILL MUCKALT      VAN    1   0   1   1   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MATTIAS OHLUND    VAN    1   0   1   1   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
TODD BERTUZZI     VAN    1   0   1   1   1     2  0  0  0  0   2   0.0
BERT ROBERTSSON   VAN    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MURRAY BARON      VAN    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
BRANDON CONVERY   VAN    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JAMIE HUSCROFT    VAN    1   0   0   0   0     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MARKUS NASLUND    VAN    1   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
MARK MESSIER      VAN    1   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
DANA MURZYN       VAN    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
GARTH SNOW        VAN    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
STEVE STAIOS      VAN    1   0   0   0   1     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
JASON STRUDWICK   VAN    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
DMITRI MIRONOV    WAS    2   0   2   2   2     2  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
CRAIG BERUBE      WAS    2   1   0   1   1    15  0  0  0  0   3  33.3
PETER BONDRA      WAS    2   1   0   1   0     4  0  0  0  0   7  14.3
RICHARD ZEDNIK    WAS    2   1   0   1   0     2  1  0  1  0   4  25.0
JOE JUNEAU        WAS    2   0   1   1   0     2  0  0  0  0   7   0.0
ADAM OATES        WAS    2   0   1   1   0     0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
JOE REEKIE        WAS    2   0   1   1   2     0  0  0  0  0   3   0.0
BRIAN BELLOWS     WAS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
CALLE JOHANSSON   WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
TREVOR HALVERSON  WAS    1   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
MATT HERR         WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   4   0.0
DALE HUNTER       WAS    2   0   0   0   1     2  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KEN KLEE          WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
OLAF KOLZIG       WAS    2   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
STEVE KONOWALCHUK WAS    1   0   0   0   0     0  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
KELLY MILLER      WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   6   0.0
CHRIS SIMON       WAS    2   0   0   0   0     4  0  0  0  0   1   0.0
JAROSLAV SVEJKOVSKY WAS  2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   5   0.0
MARK TINORDI      WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    2  0  0  0  0   0   0.0
BRENDAN WITT      WAS    2   0   0   0   1-    0  0  0  0  0   0   0.0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOALTENDER STATS (thru Oct. 13)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOALTENDER         GPI MINS   AVG   W  L  T EN SO  GA   SA SPCTG  G  A  PIM
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOHN VANBIESBROUCK   2  120  0.50   2  0  0     1   1   42  .976  0  0    0
       PHI TOTALS    2  120  0.50   2  0  0  0  1   1   42  .976
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOCELYN THIBAULT     2  120  0.50   2  0  0     1   1   51  .980  0  0    0
       MON TOTALS    2  120  0.50   2  0  0  0  1   1   51  .980
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KIRK MCLEAN          1   60  0.00   1  0  0     1   0   26 1.000  0  0    0
SEAN BURKE           1   60  1.00   1  0  0     0   1   29  .966  0  0    0
       FLA TOTALS    2  120  0.50   2  0  0  0  1   1   55  .982
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ED BELFOUR           2  120  1.00   2  0  0     0   2   42  .952  0  0    0
       DAL TOTALS    2  120  1.00   2  0  0  0  0   2   42  .952
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BYRON DAFOE          2  125  1.44   1  0  1     1   3   60  .950  0  0    0
       BOS TOTALS    2  125  1.44   1  0  1  0  1   3   60  .950
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIKE DUNHAM          2  119  1.51   1  1  0     0   3   62  .952  0  0    0
       NAS TOTALS    2  120  1.50   1  1  0  0  0   3   62  .952
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
OLAF KOLZIG          2  119  1.51   1  1  0     1   3   54  .944  0  0    0
       WAS TOTALS    2  120  1.50   1  1  0  0  1   3   54  .944
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CURTIS JOSEPH        2  120  1.50   2  0  0     0   3   69  .957  0  0    0
       TOR TOTALS    2  120  1.50   2  0  0  0  0   3   69  .957
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARTIN BRODEUR       1   59  2.03   0  1  0     0   2   15  .867  0  0    0
       NJD TOTALS    1   60  2.00   0  1  0  0  0   2   15  .867
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GARTH SNOW           1   60  2.00   1  0  0     0   2   25  .920  0  0    0
       VAN TOTALS    1   60  2.00   1  0  0  0  0   2   25  .920
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHRIS OSGOOD         2  119  2.02   1  1  0     0   4   57  .930  0  0    0
       DET TOTALS    2  120  2.00   1  1  0  0  0   4   57  .930
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
JEFF HACKETT         2  119  1.51   1  1  0     0   3   66  .955  0  0    0
       CHI TOTALS    2  120  2.00   1  1  0  1  0   4   67  .940
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOMINIK HASEK        2  120  2.00   1  1  0     1   4   58  .931  0  0    2
       BUF TOTALS    2  120  2.00   1  1  0  0  1   4   58  .931
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAMIAN RHODES        2  120  2.00   2  0  0     0   4   43  .907  0  0    0
       OTT TOTALS    2  120  2.00   2  0  0  0  0   4   43  .907
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOMINIC ROUSSEL      1   60  1.00   0  1  0     0   1   34  .971  0  0    0
GUY HEBERT           2  119  2.52   0  2  0     0   5   56  .911  0  0    0
       ANA TOTALS    3  180  2.00   0  3  0  0  0   6   90  .933
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
GRANT FUHR           2  125  2.40   1  0  1     0   5   42  .881  0  0    0
       STL TOTALS    2  125  2.40   1  0  1  0  0   5   42  .881
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEPHANE FISET       1   60  1.00   1  0  0     0   1   24  .958  0  0    0
JAMIE STORR          1   59  3.05   0  1  0     0   3   23  .870  0  0    0
       LOS TOTALS    2  120  2.50   1  1  0  1  0   5   48  .896
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIKHAIL SHTALENKOV   2   99  2.42   0  2  0     0   4   52  .923  0  0    0
BOB ESSENSA          1   20  3.00   0  0  0     0   1    9  .889  0  0    0
       EDM TOTALS    2  120  2.50   0  2  0  0  0   5   61  .918
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KEN WREGGET          2  125  2.88   1  0  1     0   6   51  .882  0  0    0
       CGY TOTALS    2  125  2.88   1  0  1  0  0   6   51  .882
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOM BARRASSO         1   60  3.00   1  0  0     0   3   25  .880  0  0    0
       PIT TOTALS    1   60  3.00   1  0  0  0  0   3   25  .880
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARTURS IRBE          1   48  0.00   0  0  0     0   0   22 1.000  0  0    0
TREVOR KIDD          2   77  5.45   0  1  1     0   7   33  .788  0  0    0
       CAR TOTALS    2  125  3.36   0  1  1  0  0   7   55  .873
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOMMY SALO           2  120  3.50   0  2  0     0   7   38  .816  0  0    0
       NYI TOTALS    2  120  3.50   0  2  0  0  0   7   38  .816
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRICK ROY          2  119  3.53   0  2  0     0   7   61  .885  0  0   10
       COL TOTALS    2  120  3.50   0  2  0  0  0   7   61  .885
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
MIKE VERNON          2  125  3.84   0  1  1     0   8   62  .871  0  0    0
       SAN TOTALS    2  125  3.84   0  1  1  0  0   8   62  .871
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAREN PUPPA          1   65  3.69   0  0  1     0   4   34  .882  0  0    0
BILL RANFORD         1   60  4.00   0  1  0     0   4   36  .889  0  0    0
       TAM TOTALS    2  125  3.84   0  1  1  0  0   8   70  .886
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIKOLAI KHABIBULIN   1   60  4.00   0  1  0     0   4   25  .840  0  0    0
       PHO TOTALS    1   60  4.00   0  1  0  0  0   4   25  .840
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAN CLOUTIER         1   39  1.54   0  0  0     0   1   28  .964  0  0    0
MIKE RICHTER         3  139  4.75   0  3  0     0  11   74  .851  0  0    0
       NYR TOTALS    3  180  4.00   0  3  0  0  0  12  102  .882
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
===========================================================================
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===========================================================================