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October 28, 2013
The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions about the NHL and leagues across North America and the world.
PREDATORS’ PAIN AND GAIN
SHOCK RANG THROUGH THE Hockey News office. “They traded who?!” It was April 3, 2013, a.k.a. deadline day. The late-afternoon announcement: Washington had sent Filip Forsberg to Nashville for Martin Erat and Michael Latta. The Capitals were fighting tooth and nail to win the South-east division and needed to enhance their top six forwards. But GM George McPhee had just traded one of his organization’s jewels. Forsberg, a, lanky scorer with soft hands, was drafted 11th overall in 2012. He was Washington’s No. 2 prospect in Future Watch 2013 and No. 21 league-wide. Yet McPhee sent Forsberg away for an NHLer who, while plenty useful, still sought his first 60-point season at 31, plus a third-round checking forward in Latta. It was hard not to view the trade as a coup for the Predators,…
MR. HOCKEY WAS MR. CLUTCH
In your recent “Follow The Leader” (Inside Hockey, Season Preview), you mention Gordie Howe is noticeably absent from the list of all-time gamewinning goals leaders. However, that stat was only officially tracked by the NHL beginning in 1967-68, so much of Howe’s career was not included (he’s credited with 17 game-winners). This brought to mind a note from Charles L. Coleman’s The Trail Of The Stanley Cup. As Howe was chasing Maurice Richard’s career goal record in October 1963, The Rocket quipped that Howe was not a big-game player and that he didn’t “remember him scoring many game-winning goals.” The NHL did some research and found that Howe was actually the career leader at the time with 96, to Richard’s 83. James Benesh, Regina, Sask. CONTACT US: letters@thehockeynews.com /thehockeynews /+thehockeynews STEEP SLIDE You predict the Avalanche will…
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
AT 20, GREG OZUBKO STORED HIS PADS AND PUT AWAY HIS dream, however unlikely, of playing in the NHL. At 36, he dragged the bulky brown Coopers out of the attic. At 48, he was on a professional hockey team’s roster. Ozubko has acted as the Gwinnett Gladiators emergency backup goalie, or EBUG, the past two seasons and will again this year when the need arises. In doing so, Ozubko is savoring an opportunity he never expected to have and infusing the team, full of players the same age as his kids, with a sense of appreciation and enthusiasm. And perspective. It’s a lot more to Ozubko than two sticks and $75, the going rate for an EBUG in the ECHL. “It’s the fulfillment of a dream,” he says. “It’s being able…
PUNCHING HIS TICKET
LAST SEASON THE KINGS WERE RAVAGED by injuries to key players in the playoffs. Captain Dustin Brown was hobbled with a bad knee while Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll missed several post-season games with a concussion. Stoll eventually returned and was able to participate in the conference final, but this past summer he received a bigger scare when he was rushed to the hospital following a seizure at his home in July. An official cause hasn’t been released, but Stoll was cleared to play before training camp opened in September. “I feel great now,” he said. “It didn’t get in the way of me having a great summer. I love to travel and had the opportunity to go the wine country in Napa Valley, along with spending some time in New…
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