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March 14, 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.
Great One day-to-day
Asked if he plans to coach the team beyond this season, Phoenix’s Wayne Gretzky was noncommittal. “It’s just day-today right now,” said Gretzky, following his return from Canada’s disappointing showing at the Olympics. “I love what I do. I love the organization. I love this city. Right now, I’m just trying to get through each and every day and to get our team ready for each and every game…Once the season is ended, we’ll sit down and figure out what goes on in the future.” CENTRAL DIVISION CHICAGO When Dustin Byfuglien made his NHL debut March 1 against Nashville, he became the eighth rookie blueliner to play for the Hawks this season. He scored in his first game. COLUMBUS The Jackets need only seven wins in their final 24 games to set a…
Slumping Ribeiro center of rumors
ON THE HOT SEAT In 2003-04, when hockey was last played, Mike Ribeiro was Montreal’s leading scorer with 65 points in 81 games. It isn’t so much that Ribeiro is enduring a bad season this year, it’s the manner in which it has occurred. As February ended, Ribeiro had gone 14 games without a goal. Earlier, he scored once in 27 games, prompting Claude Julien, in one of his final acts as coach, to bench him for two games. Ribeiro returned and went another two games without a point. Overall, he has 10 goals and 35 points in 55 games. The Habs have tried everything. Ribeiro started the season with Pierre Dagenais and Michael Ryder. At one point, Ribeiro was demoted to the fourth line. Lately, he has been teamed with Alex Kovalev,…
Top prospect set for college
Erik Johnson is still, in part, the wide-eyed kid who grew up cheering his heart out for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. It was not long ago the native of Bloomington, Minn., sat in the stands as the Jordan Leopold-led Golden Gophers won the 2002 NCAA title at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, a 15-minute drive from his home. In those days, Johnson was just a diehard Gophers fan, tagging along with his father, a season-ticket holder. “My dad took me to their games every weekend since I was four or five,” Johnson said. “I’d get all decked out in the Gopher gear and go cheer them on.” These days, the 17-year-old defenseman is getting set to suit up for the Gophers in the fall. Harder for him to believe, people are…
Can Koltsov score? That’s the question
ON THE HOT SEAT Konstantin Koltsov, Pittsburgh’s first round pick in 2001 (18th overall), might be the NHL’s fastest skater. Problem is, he too often plays the role of the headless horseman, endlessly performing wind sprints from one end of the ice to the other without producing anything tangible. Like, say, a goal. Koltsov hadn’t scored since March 27, 2004, a stretch of 40 games and had just nine goals in 121 NHL games. Ex-Pens coach Eddie Olczyk was convinced he could make a player out of Koltsov, who can be useful as a penalty killer and checker. Current coach Michel Therrien is also convinced he can change Koltsov. But unless Koltsov starts scoring, he will go down as a draft bust. The latter part of the season should be his last chance to…
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