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December 31, 1966
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.
Olmstead Doing Wonders Without Scoring Stars As Canucks Hold Second
VANCOUVER, B.C.— With one-third of the Western League season completed, it appears the performance of Bert Olmstead’s Vancouver Canucks is for real. The club is without most of last year’s top scorers, including Billy McNeill, who retired early this season after the latest of a series of disagreements with Olmstead. Other unhappiness has produced a list of suspended players as long as Bert’s arm. Only recently Bert indicated he had given up on Gerry Brisson, who refused to report in the trade which sent Bob Kabel to California. However, after winning four of their last five games, the Canucks are half-a-dozen games above the 500 level and solidly entrenched in second place. Chances are they can’t overhaul front-running Portland, but chances are they can’t be caught from behind either, though Oakland has…
Crozier Admits He’s Let Team Down; Slump “Humiliating” Says Wing Goalie
DETROIT, Mich.— Roger Crozier propped his foot up on the arm of the seat ahead of him. He looked out the window into the darkness, gulped a little when the Red Wings’ chartered Viscount bumped as it bucked the 80 mile an hour headwinds on the flight from Montreal to Detroit. “I don’t like this,” Crozier said, lie meant the flying. But he didn’t like the way he’d been playing either. Crozier, who had just gotten back into the lineup after a four-game benching, felt a little better after turning in a pair of back-to-back shutouts against Boston and New York. The Wings were feeling a little more secure, too, after Roger’s double barrel blanking job. They were beginning to wonder if Crozier was ever going to snap out of his slump. They weren’t…
Tighter Defense Poses Problem For Flaman
LOS ANGELES, Calif.— Under extraordinarily difficult circumstances, Ferny Flaman has made considerable headway strengthening and straightening out the Los Angeles Blades, lastplace finishers in the Western League the last two seasons, but the new manager-coach continues to be plagued with problems. Flaman picked up NHL veteran Al Langlois, who had just joined California Seals, and the experienced defenseman seemed to steady the Blade rearguard almost immediately, but then Langlois suffered a severe facial injury. When X-rays disclosed no cheekbone fracture as feared, Langlois returned to duty, but he was handicapped. Flaman then traded skilled, but temperamental Howie Young to Detroit and got defenseman Al LeBrun and center Murray Hall, a deal that has bolstered the Blades considerably. Hall can score goals which will please Flaman. LeBrun, too can move the puck and has…
WESTERN… …NOTES
SEATTLE, Wash— With a 6-3-4 road record, matched only by Portland, California Seals faced a rugged tour of eight games in 10 nights optimistically, but promptly lost two of the first three, in Victoria and Vancouver. They won in Seattle. The Seals, who outshot 11 out of 12 foes recently, have done well in the close ones. They’d won all five games decided by a single goal until they lost 3-2 in Vancouver, and are unbeaten in seven overtimes, winning three and tying four. On Dec. 19, co-owner Barry Van Gerbig, manager-coach Rudy Pilous and chief scout Bob Wilson were to leave on a lengthy scouting trip to plot next year’s promotion to the NHL, leaving last year’s playing-coach Charley Burns in charge again until after the first of the year. Centerman…
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