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February 7, 2006
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.
Mario leaves Penguins’ nest
He never played goal, but Mario Lemieux sure did make some spectacular saves. The first occurred in 1984, when he joined the pathetic Pittsburgh Penguins and thus prevented their certain demise. Fifteen years later, he saved them again, this time fishing the team out of bankruptcy. Some labeled it a Mario Money Grab, and, to be sure, recouping the $25 million owed to him was the major factor in his becoming an unlikely owner. But let’s not forget he was actually owed $32 million and forgave the first $7 million. What’s more, he could have easily made up his losses by playing a year or two with the New York Rangers. Either another group would have bought and relocated the Penguins, or the NHL would have carried out a plan to disband them. Instead,…
Depth Charts
SEE PG. 37 FOR TRANSACTIONS, INJURIES | TOP TWO PLAYERS ON PP UNIT PLAY THE POINTS…
JERSEY HOUND
Columbus Cottonmouths circa 1998 Think it’s easy selling the sport of hockey? Maybe if you’re working for an NHL team in Minnesota or Detroit, but what about an Southern Pro League squad in Columbus, Ga.? Well, the Columbus Cottonmouths of the SPHL (and formerly of the International League) are a creative bunch, which is how they came up with their unique “snake numbers” look in the late 1990s. Messing around with numbers usually gets a team sent to the uniform sin bin, but give the ‘Mouths credit for having fun without sacrificing readability. After all, you need an edge when you’re playing the FireAntz or the Havoc.…
Magnificent memories
At his worst, at 40, Mario Lemieux still mustered 22 points in 26 games. In his second incarnation as a player, which began a little more than three years after he retired straight into the Hall of Fame, he piled up 229 points in 170 games. But the realization he could no longer control games with those magnificent hands, that X-ray vision and sheer force of will prompted Lemieux to announce his retirement, Jan. 24 in Pittsburgh. “If I could still play this game, I would be on the ice,” said Lemieux in a news conference at Mellon Arena. “This is it, and it hurts.” The news came less than a week after Lemieux, also the team’s primary owner, announced his intention to sell the franchise. A significant factor in his frustrating final season was…
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