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.

June 1, 1969

The Hockey News June, 1969

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-07" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-0764/2856678-1-eng-US/f0003-072.jpg"></div><h2>FIRST TEAM</h2><h2>SECOND TEAM</h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-0843/2856671-1-eng-US/f0003-082.jpg" title="f0003-08" width="1245" height="257"></div>(Points secured shown in parenthesis) &#9632;

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IN THIS ISSUE

How They Picked Them

<div class="byline">BY PAT CURRAN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-01776/2856864-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Canadiens&rsquo; cup stars SERGE SAVARD, left, and JOHN FERGUSON are shown holding a harness racing horse called r. Paul, which players presented to team coach Claude Ruel as a souvenir of his first Stanley Cup victory. Horse will run at Blue Bonnets track.</figcaption></div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;Coach Claude Ruel would have preferred an award for every one of his Stanley Cup Champions, nevertheless he&rsquo;s not complaining about the choice of Serge Savard for the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player to his team in the playoffs.&ldquo;Everything was a team effort the way we finished first and won the Stanley Cup, said Canadiens&rsquo; rookie coach. &ldquo;But Serge was marvellous the way he made so much progress all season. I always said he was going to become a big star and he&rsquo;s going to get better from now on.&rdquo;The 23-year-old sophomore defenceman won the Smythe Trophy and the $l,500 monetary prize over at least three other brilliant teammates, goalie Rogatien Vachon, Dick Duff and the great Jean Beliveau. He became the first defenceman honored since the trophy was placed in competition five years ago.Jean Beliveau was the initial winner in 1965 followed by goalie Roger Crozier, although Detroit lost the Cup final to Montreal four games to two. Dave Keon took it with the champion Toronto Leafs in 1967 before Glenn Hall&rsquo;s fabulous netminding paid off with St. Louis last season.&ldquo;The writers kept telling me I was going to win the trophy but I didn&rsquo;t believe them,&rdquo; said Savard who rated rearguard mate Jacques Laperriere as his personal choice. &ldquo;Now I&rsquo;m really happy &mdash; the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy is like a dream. Still I have to thank the whole team for helping me, especially Coach Ruel who gave me confidence and some good advice.&rdquo;Although the tabulation of votes, by NHL Governors or their representatives, was not announced, Savard&rsquo;s closest competitor was young Vachon who came up under pressure to play eight of Canadiens&rsquo; 14 playoff games. Following injuries to Gump Worsley, Vachon won the third game of the New York quarter-final and two of his last three games against Boston before working the whole series against St. Louis.However Savard played every game and had a big part in each series win for the Habs. Besides filling his defence post well, &ldquo;Superboy&rdquo; also turned in strong efforts as a penalty-killer and wound up as Montreal&rsquo;s fourth leading point-getter with four goals and six assists.Savard became the early hero of that great semi-final round with the Bruins. He figured in the scoring of both Montreal comebacks at the Forum, drawing three assists as the Habs rallied to win the first game 3-2 in overtime, then getting the tying goal and an assist on the second game winner.Savard connected for another goal although in a losing cause in the fourth game at Boston. He finished that series with his fourth tally that tied the deciding sixth game before Beliveau netted the overtime winner.Including the $1,500 prize that accompanies the Smythe Trophy, Savard&rsquo;s bonus money from the NHL hit a total of $11,250. He had already earned $2,250 as his bonus share for Montreal&rsquo;s first-place finish, plus $7,500 as one of the Stanley Cup Champions. &#9632;

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Habs’ Cup Win Team Effort Says Ruel But Coach Elated As Savard Gets Smythe Trophy

OFFICIAL NATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLYFounded October 1st, 1947Published weekly except monthly June through September by Ken-Will Publishinq Co. Ltd.1434 St. Catherine Street Wesl Montreal 107, Canada.Kenneth William McKenziePresident and PublisherCharlie HalpinEditorial DirectorYearly Subscription Rates: $5.00 in Canada $6.00 in the U.S.A, and S8 00 in Foreian Countries.Postage paid at Rouses Point, N.Y. Authorized as second Class mail, Post Office Department, OttawaSecond class mail registration number 1327Printed in CanadaVol. 22 MONTREAL, JUNE, 1969 No. 32<h2>More Equality Needed To Help New NHL Clubs</h2>After watching the recent Stanley Cup finals and with the thought of further expansion not too far off, I have come to the conclusion that the NHL should follow two points of interest. First, when they do expand and hold the expansion draft again, the six Eastern clubs should have to give up more players than the Western teams. Further expansion is going to weaken the league anyway so why should the new clubs suffer the same losses as the six old ones.Second, l do not think Montreal Canadiens should be allowed the concession of selecting two players from the Providence of Quebec for the simple reason that teams such as Pittsburgh could use players like Houle and Tardif. Another reason is that Toronto cannot claim two players from Ontario.Comments are welcome.KEN JANSEN, 3823 Elm Street. Ridgeway, Ont.<h2>Hockey Fan Wants To Trade Photos</h2>I would like to know if there are any hockey fans who collect pictures of different NHL teams who would like to trade photos that I have of the Montreal Canadiens for pictures of the Toronto Maple. Leafs, Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe.Please write if you have.Read the piece in the &ldquo;Fan Forum&rdquo; of the Hockey News, dated March 29, 1969.I agree with Robert McKenna of Tinley Park, Ill. that Danny Grant of Minnesota North Stars should not have considered for the &ldquo;Calder Trophy&rdquo;, as he played for Montreal the year before, and also in the Stanley Cup, which shouldn&rsquo;t qualify him as a rookie.Anyone that has not played in the NHL or Stanley Cup before was more deserving, such as Norman Ferguson.GEORGIE PARSONS, 6023 Cherry street, Halifax, N.S.<h2>Better Playoff Plan Must For NHL Teams</h2>I have once again been angered at the way Hockey is being mishandled by us humans! If it is all possible I hope you will be able to publish this letter, if not, maybe you will have some comments to make yourself?Keep the schedule at 76 games, but play more games during the week to reduce long playing schedule which presently stretches from October to May.Develop a better playoff series. Let&rsquo;s face it, the better series was played between Montreal and Boston, and not the anticlimatic Montreal&mdash;St. Louis series! Two years in a row fans have had to watch a one-sided final. It&rsquo;s time the N.H.L. took notice of their product. They need to take immediate action? Solution: 1st Round: 1st Place East plays 1st place West; 2nd Place East plays 2nd place West; 3rd place East plays 3rd place West; 4th place East plays 4th place West; 2nd Round; 1st place winner plays 2nd place winner, and 3rd place winner plays 4th place winner; 3rd Round: Winners of 2nd round playoff for Stanley Cup. This should attract full audience viewing and provide a competitive series.I feel CBS is getting too powerful in the television aspect of the game. Whatever happened to Hockey Night In Canada? Let&rsquo;s get Saturday Night Hockey back each and every Saturday during the winter months.We should pull out of World Hockey until we can send our best. (Our best are in the N.H.L., everyone knows this). Best of luck to Hap Emms who will try his best in organizing some sort of Canadian team.And Vancouver should have an N.H.L. Franchise!JACK BIDINOST, Hamilton, Ont. &#9632;

Fan Forum

<h2>EASTERN LEAGUE</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01456/2858022-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="571" height="150"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2Nashville 3 at Clinton 2Sat. Apr. 5Nashville 3 at Clinton 4Thurs. Apr. 10Clinton 2 at Nashville 3Fri. Apr. 11Clinton 3 at Nlashville 1Sun. Apr. 13Nashville 2 it Clinton 5Tues. Apr. 15Clinton 2 at Nashville 9Fri. Apr. 18Nashville 2 at Clinton 3<h2>NORTHERN DIVISION FINALS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02366/2858015-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="625" height="142"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Mar. 19New Haven 2 at Clinton 5Thurs. Mar. 20New Haven 2 at Clinton 3Fri. Mar. 21Clinton 3 at New HavenSun. Mar. 23Clinton 5 at New Haven 6Tues. Mar. 25New Haven 3 at Clinton 7Wed. Mar. 26Clinton 3 at New Haven 5Sat. Mar. 29New Hoven 1 at Clinton 3Semi-finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03270/2858008-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="576" height="135"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-04213/2858001-1-eng-US/f0018-042.jpg" title="f0018-04" width="582" height="153"></div>SOUTHERN DIVISIONFinals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-05159/2857994-1-eng-US/f0018-052.jpg" title="f0018-05" width="615" height="165"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Mar. 26Nashville 4 at Greensboro 2Fri. Mar. 28Nashville 5 at Greensboro 2Sat. Mar. 29Greensboro 2 at Noshville 9Sun. Mar. 30Greensboro 3 at Nashville 5Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-06131/2857987-1-eng-US/f0018-062.jpg" title="f0018-06" width="615" height="159"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-07115/2857980-1-eng-US/f0018-072.jpg" title="f0018-07" width="624" height="177"></div> &#9632;

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EHL Playoff Picture

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0001-01144/2858260-1-eng-US/f0001-012.jpg" title="f0001-01" width="289" height="285"></div>Veteran netminder Glenn Hall of the St. Louis Blues again became a trail blazer for the National Hockey League&rsquo;s comparatively new expansion division.Hall was selected to the NHLs first All-Star team to become the first player from a West Division team to make the grade.Last season, the NHLs expansion teams didn&rsquo;t get a look as the East dominated all 12 All-Star positions. This year, Hall changed all that by being named goaler on the first team ahead of New York&rsquo;s Ed Giacomm.It was the fourth major first for the new NHL teams since they came into operation in the 1967-68 season. Hall and Plante combined this season to annex the Vezina Trophy from the East&rsquo;s best puck stoppers and young Danny Grant of Minnesota North Stars set a precedent by winning the rookie award in a close Calder Cup vote.Hall gave the West its first chance to make inroads on the East last spring when he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as best playoff performer despite the fact St. Louis lost the Stanley Cup to the Montreal Canadiens.Hall didn&rsquo;t win the Smythe this season but Canadiens&rsquo; defenseman Serge Savard did. Savard also pocketed the $1,500 bonus money to raise his playoff bonus swag to $11,250 &mdash; the same amount won by Hall this year.Pioneering the East is becoming a habit with Glenn Hall and a lucrative one, too.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0001-0352/2858253-1-eng-US/f0001-032.jpg" title="f0001-03" width="1338" height="2097"></div> &#9632;

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West Achieves All-Star Break Through

<div class="byline">BY ED FITKIN</div>LOS ANGELES, Calif.&mdash;One thing Los Angeles Kings have lacked in their two-year tenure in the National Hockey League has been a sparkplug, a pepper pot type of guy who could skate onto the ice and stir things up. Now Owner Jack Kent Cooke and GM Larry Regan feel they have just the man they need in irrepressible Eddie Shack.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0001-02117/2858291-1-eng-US/f0001-022.jpg" title="f0001-02" width="268" height="438"><figcaption class="caption-body">Eddie Shack</figcaption></div>Eddie the &lsquo;Entertainer&rsquo; will be displaying his flamboyant style of hockey for Los Angeles fans next season and if the 6-foot, 204 pounder can duplicating the spectacular fan appeal he had in Toronto and more recently in Boston, he could become the toast of the West Coast.The Kings have acquired Shack from Boston Bruins, along with 22-year-old leftwinger Ross Lonsberry. They gave the Bruins 23-year-old right-winger Ken Turlik, a rookie with their Springfield AHL club in 1968-69, plus two future draft choices.Shack, who can play left or right wing and wouldn&rsquo;t mind having a shot at center, has had his high and low moments in NHL competition. Originally a New York chattel, he was hailed by the Ranger coach, Phil Watson, as &ldquo;the eighth wonder of the world&rdquo; when he first appeared at training camp in 1957.<h2>DAB LING OF FANS</h2>But the big city never appelad to Shack, the butcher boy from Sudbury, Ontario, and he never did strike his stride. Traded to Toronto for Pat Hannigan and Johnny Wilson in 1960, Eddie spent seven riproaring seasons with the Maple Leafs. He became the darling of the fans, if not Coach Punch Imlach, and his pell-mell, bull-in-a-china-shop peregrinations on ice occasioned one Toronto man, Brian MacFarlane, to write a song about him entitled: &ldquo;Clear the track &hellip; here comes Shack.&rdquo;In the seven seasons he spent with the Leafs, they won four Stanley Cups. His greatest season was in 1965-66 when he returned from a brief stint in Rochester to suddenly blossom out into a 20-goal scorer for the first time in his pro career. He scored 26 while working on a line with Red Kelly and Bob Pulford. He also had 17 assists.&ldquo;Eddie is not only colorful, he&rsquo;s good with the puck,&rdquo; Kelly commented. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s rough and he&rsquo;s unpredictable and he can sure stir things up.I never saw anything like the two-minute show he put on against us in Boston one night last winter. He seemed to have the puck the whole time, racing in on our goal, firing sizzling shots&rsquo; and knocking everybody down. Those Boston fans went crazy.&rdquo;Shack was traded to the Bruins at the close of the 1966-67 season for Murray Oliver and cash. In his first season with the Bruins he scored 23 goals and had 19 assists. This past year he had 11 goals and 11 assists while being used sparingly. In 12 NHL seasons he has compiled 140 goals and 143 assists but the one rap against Shack, apart from his unpredictability, is that he has been hard to handle and also that he draws too many penalties.But Owner Cooke is convinced that Shack is just the kind of excitingly rambunctious type of player who will stimulate LA hockey fans and hypo hockey interest in the city of stars.Lonsberry, whose balding pate belies the fact that he&rsquo;s only 22, had an outstanding season with Boston&rsquo;s CHL club, the Oklahoma City Blazers. The 5-foot-1pounder from Humboldt, Saskatchewan, fired 28 goals and had 39 assists for 67 points in 66 games.Like Shack, he plays it rough, as his 169 minutes in penalties attest.The Kings have been lacking in left-wing depth. Now they feel they have plugged that gap and are concentrating on other deals that will bolster the center ice and right wing positions. And they wouldn&rsquo;t mind acquiring another right defenseman. &#9632;

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‘Entertainer’ To L. A. In Deal

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0002-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-01683/2856519-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-02644/2856512-1-eng-US/f0002-022.jpg" title="f0002-02" width="1708" height="2201"></div>*&mdash;Cup final was enlarged to a best-of-seven series for the first time.**&mdash;Cup final was decided on a total-goal basis. &#9632;

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Stanley Cup Story By Years

The annual statistical issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS will be published in the July edition. It will include complete final records of the National, American, Western, Central, Eastern and International leagues. For all the figure filberts in hockey, this is a collector&rsquo;s item and one you will want to get. The issue will include an inside look at the prospects for the summer hockey draft. So look for it on the newsstands in time for the start of the summer meetings June 9. &#9632;

Statistical Issue Next Month

<div class="byline">BY PAT CURRAN</div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;Winning the Stanley Cup for the 16th time in club history and in four of the last five seasons should be old hat for the Canadiens. But you&rsquo;d never believe it from the way the champions and their closest followers have been celebrating ever since they polished off the Blues on John Ferguson&rsquo;s payoff goal two weeks ago.The celebrations started in the dressing room at St. Louis Arena where the television cameras and writers&rsquo; note books were splashed in champagne.Barry McDonald, the club&rsquo;s hard-working director of services, had made a rush trip to obtain the bubbly-stuff even during the deciding game of the final series.The celebrations continued on the charter plane bringing the Habs home immediately after the game, and hit fever pitch when thousands of fans turned out to hail their hockey heroes at the airport.A parade through downtown Montreal stopped at City Hall where the players signed the Golden Book and ended in a reception tendred by the city.The Canadiens hardly had time for a breather from that one before they gathered their wives ice the club&rsquo;s official victory party at the swank Queen Elizabeth Hotel.And to add a more homey touch to the sweet taste of success, the players enjoyed a couple of exclusive get-to-gethers first at teammate Henri Richard&rsquo;s tavern, then as guest of former coach To Blake at his suds-parlor a few blocks from the Forum.The last session came at Blue Bonnets race track where the players paid tribute to Claude Ruel. The Habs chipped in to buy the young coach a horse and presented him with a four-year-old pacer, Mr. Paul.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a well-known fact,&rdquo; said team-captain Jean Beliveau, &ldquo;that after his wife and the Canadiens, the coach loves harnessracing best. So the boys thought it would make a nice gift for him.&rdquo;Beliveau said he hpped the pacer would display &ldquo;the same winning spirit that Coach Ruel showed throughout the past season.&rdquo;Only hitch in the celebration at Blue Bonnets was that Ruel&rsquo;s horse had to be scratched from the race.It was suggested that if Mr. Paul didn&rsquo;t race up to expectations &mdash; the lightly-run pacer had been second and third in two previous starts &mdash; John Ferguson might be persuaded to give him a jolt. Fergy has a way with horses and is in partnership with an uncle in building up a thoroughbred stable on the West Coast. He will also spend some time in public relations at Blue Bonnets during the summer.HAB-NOTES: &mdash; Larry Hillman missed the parade while traveling to St. Catharines to pick up his wife Marjorie so she could also enjoy the victory by trade. Although Larry didn&rsquo;t play much after joining Montreal by trade from Minnesota, he was a popular member of the Canadiens &mdash; always ready after working so hard in practice. Chances are Hillman will be part of an off-season trade, a solid guy for whatever team gets him &hellip; Club physiotherapist Yvon Belanger joins the Benedicts in July when he will wed Marsha Wallace in Vancouver &hellip; Both the Jacques Lemaires and the John Fergusons are awaiting family additions during the summer &hellip; Claude Provost, definite that he won&rsquo;t play for any other club than the Canadiens, will wait out the draft at his recently purchased summer hotel at St. Calixte. Que.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-03535/2856574-1-eng-US/f0002-032.jpg" title="f0002-03" width="553" height="1269"><figcaption class="caption-body">Habs&rsquo; Savard Smythe Winner</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Winning Cup Old Hat — But Canadiens Can Still Live It Up

Following is a complete list of players who received points in the All-Star voting:&mdash; Goal: Glenn Hall, St. Louis, 115; Ed Giacomin, New York, 102; Jacques Plante, St. Louis, 61; Bernie Parent, Philadelphia, 30; Gerry Cheevers, Boston, 9; Lorne Worsley, Montreal, 4; and Bruce Gamble, Toronto, 3.&mdash; Defense: Bohbv Orr. Boston. 176: Tim Horton. Toronto. 123: Ted Green, Boston, 77; Ted Harris, Montreal, 67; Al Arbour, St. Louis, 52; Jim Neilson, New York, 47; Bill White, Los Angeles, 28; J C. Tremblay, Montreal, 18; Carol Vadnais, Oakland, 16; Jacques Laperriere, Montreal, 11; Bob Baun, Detroit, 10; Pat Stapleton. Chicago, 7; Barclay Plager, St. Louis, 3; Brad Park, New York, 3; Gary Bergman. Detroit. 2: Ed Van Impe. Philadelphia, 2; Noel Picard, St. Louis, 2, Arnie Brown, New York, 1; Bert Marshall, Oakland, 1; Dallas Smith. Boston, 1; and Doug Harvey, St. Louis, 1.&mdash;Center: Phil Esposito, Boston 174; Jean Beliveau, Montreal, 66; Red Berenson, St. Louis, 43; Stan Mikita, Chicago, 20; Norm Ullman, Toronto, 12; Alex Delvecchio, Detroit, 3; Jean Ratelle, New York, 3; Ted Hampson, Oakland, 2; and Dave Keon, Toronto, 1.&mdash; Right Wing: Gord Howe, Detroit, 174; Yvan Cournoyer, Montreal, 83; Ken Hodge, Boston, 59; Rod Gilbert, New York, 2; Bob Nevin, New York, 2; John McKenzie. Boston, 1; Claude Larose, Minnesota, 1; Ken Schinkel, Pittsburgh, 1; and Gary Sabourin, St. Louis, 1.&mdash;Left Wing: Bobby Hull, Chicago, 175; Frank Mahovlich Detroit, 108; Vic Hadfield, New York. 17; Danny Grant, Minnesota. 10; Bill McCreary, St. Louis, 3; Yvan Cournoyer, Montreal, 2: John Ferguson, Montreal, 2; Paul Henderson, Toronto, 2; John Bucyk, Boston, 2; Jacques Lemaire, Montreal, 1; Norm Ferguson, Oakland, 1; and Dennis Hull, Chicago, 1. &#9632;

The All-Star Voting

<div class="byline">BY CHARLIE HALPIN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0003-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-01685/2856640-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">TIM HORTON &hellip; Firt Team Defense Post In Farewell</figcaption></div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;Tim Horton is an industrious man who usually gets what he wants and says what he means.Like last week after it was announced that he had been named to the National Hockey League&rsquo;s first All-Star team for the second successive season.&ldquo;This is a nice way to end my NHL career,&rdquo; said the indestructible 39-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; defenseman seriously.&ldquo;I made a decision to quit at the end of the season and I intend to make it stick. I really appreciate this very much. But I&rsquo;m dead serious about my plans to retire. I&rsquo;m just too busy now with business,&rdquo; disclosed Horton, who operates a chain of doughnut shops across the Province of OntarioHorton and goaler John Bower threw in the towel after the Leafs fired manager-coach Punch Imlach a few minutes after the Boston Bruins ignominously belted Toronto out of the playoffs in four straight games while outgunning them 24-5 in the series.&ldquo;I said I was retiring when they let Punch out and I&rsquo;m serious about it now as then. I also said it before that when Punch goes, I&rsquo;ll go out the same door and I mean it,&rdquo; said the durable Horton, who has played 17 seasons while performing in 1,126 league games.The Leafs have made no secret of the fact they would like Horton to come back and play at least one more year to lend his experience to the team&rsquo;s &lsquo;kiddie&rsquo; corps rearguard. Leafs&rsquo; New gm Jim Gregory may dangle a $50,000 contract in front of Horton to get him to reconsider. He made $40,000 last season.Meanwhile, Horton joined veteran goaler Glenn Hall of St. Louis, defenseman Bobby Orr of Boston, center Phil Esposito, also of the Bruins, right winger Gordie Howe of Detroit and left wing Bobby Hull of Chicago on the NHLs first All-Star squad.The Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens were snubbed by the selectors for the first team but they easily dominated the second team with three players &mdash; center Jean Beliveau, right wing Yvan Cournoyer and rugged defenseman Ted Harris &mdash; being named. New York goaler Ed Giacomin was also chosen. So was defenseman Ted Green of Boston and left wing Frank Mahovlich of Detroit.Voting was conducted at the end of the regular schedule by three members of the National Hockey League Writers&rsquo; Association in each of the 12 league cities.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-04223/2856633-1-eng-US/f0003-042.jpg" title="f0003-04" width="1166" height="1645"><figcaption class="caption-body">GORDIE HOWE &hellip; Record-breaking 11th Time At Right Wing</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-02566/2856626-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="556" height="569"><figcaption class="caption-body">GLENN HALL St. Louis &hellip; Goal</figcaption></div>First team members received $2,000 apiece and second team picks $1,000 each. Voting was based on the system of five points for a first-place choice, three for a second and one for a third.Voting for the All-Stars was closest in the goaltending ballot where Hall edged Giacomin by 13 points. Third was Jacques Plante with 61 points.The rest of the members of the first team had wide margins over the runners-up, even though no player received a unanimous vote of 80 points Orr was the closest with 176 points.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-03377/2856619-1-eng-US/f0003-032.jpg" title="f0003-03" width="536" height="569"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY ORR Boston &hellip; Defense</figcaption></div>Other than Hall, the strongest showings by West Division players were at center and defense and both were by St. Louis members. Red Berenson was third behind Esposito and Beliveau at center with 43 points and Al Arbour finished fifth among defensemen with 52 points, five points more than sixth-place Jim Neilson of New York.Orr, Horton, Howe and Hull are all repeaters from the 1967-68 first team. Hall replaced Montreal&rsquo;s Lome Worsley in goal while Esposito ended the three-year reign of Chicago&rsquo;s Stan Mik-ita, who had been on either the first or second team for the last seven seasons. Giacomin is the only player from the 1967-68 second team to be named to the same position again, although Esposito was the center last season, his first appearance as an All-Star.Howe&rsquo;s selection to the first team was his 11th such nomination, which broke the record of 10 he shared with Doug Harvey, former defenseman with Montreal and New York and now with St. Louis. It was also Howe&rsquo;s 14th consecutive All-Star selection &mdash; either first or second team &mdash; which ties the mark established by former Montreal great right winger, Maurice Richard. Howe long ago broke the record for total All-Star selections. This is his 20th in 23 seasons.Hull now has been named to the first team for six straight seasons and eight altogether. He also has one second-team selection. Beliveau now has six first-team nominations and four for the second team. Horton has been named to three first teams and three second teams while Orr has two firsts and a second in three seasons. Giacomin was on the first team in 1966-67 and the second team the last two seasons.This is also the first time in eight seasons that Chicago hasn&rsquo;t had at least two players on the first team after selectors overlooked the Hawks&rsquo; center in the voting placing him fourth behind Esposito, Beliveau and Berenson.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-05134/2856612-1-eng-US/f0003-052.jpg" title="f0003-05" width="549" height="573"><figcaption class="caption-body">PHIL ESPOSITO Boston &hellip; Center</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-0692/2856605-1-eng-US/f0003-062.jpg" title="f0003-06" width="557" height="553"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY HULL Chicago &hellip; L. Wing</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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Nice Way To End NHL Career Insists All-Star Tim Horton

<div class="byline">By Ken McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-01747/2856754-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="378" height="449"></div>&bull; HOCKEY MEN have hailed the selection of Canadiens&rsquo; Serge Savard as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as a deserving tribute to a promising young hockey player who can easily become the Habs&rsquo; next superstar, Savard was among the NHLs big winners, too, in playoff bonus money. His Smythe Trophy win earned him $1,500 plus Canadiens&rsquo; $9,750 share per player for winning the cup. It amounted to $11,250 and put Savard in the top three. Glenn Hall also won $11,250 but both lost out to big Jean Beliveau, who turned over a playoff dividend of $11,500 to lead all players in post-season loot &hellip; The trading of Tommy Williams by the Bruins to Minnesota is believed to be just the start of a round of pre-draft swapping that could be the most productive in years. Outside of Montreal and St. Louis, every NHL team is expected to be in the market for a trade or two &hellip; Leafs&rsquo; Tim Horton, who says he will make his retirement plans stick, is going to Europe with his wife using his $2,000 All-Star bonus money to help pay the way &hellip; The Leafs didn&rsquo;t make the playoffs but it didn&rsquo;t stop one member of the Toronto club from realizing a fair-sized profit. He is reported to have &lsquo;cleaned up&rsquo; on the stock market to the tune of $250,000 &hellip; The appearance of Dickie Moore at the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs in St. Louis spurred reports that he would be named bench coach of the Blues freeing Scotty Bowman to handle the general manager&rsquo;s job. Bowman has scotched the rumor. His St. Louis bosses have said Scotty can write his own ticket as far as they&rsquo;re concerned.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-03600/2856747-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="273" height="424"><figcaption class="caption-body">Jean Beliveau</figcaption></div>&bull; IF THE NHL governors had been receptive to Clarence Campbell&rsquo;s playoff plan, they could have averted the lacklustre final that the NHL presented as its showcase attraction this season. Camp bell had proposed that the winners of the quarterfinal series in each division play each other in the semi-finals with the survivors meeting in the Stanley Cup final series. That way they would be relatively assured of getting the two strongest NHL teams together for the cup showdown. Had the NHL followed such a plan they would have had a Boston-Montreal final, which was by far the best series of the entire 1969 playoffs &hellip; What was the difference between the Blues and Canadiens this year compared to last season&rsquo;s final? Some figure the fact Jean Beliveau missed the &lsquo;68 final and performed in this one did it for Montreal while St. Louis missed Dickie Moore&rsquo;s aggressiveness this year and a pretty dependable fellow named Doug Harvey, too &hellip; Claude Ruel took his place in NHL playoff history by winning the cup in his rookie season. Only two others turned the trick. Toe Blake did it in 1956 and Jimmy Skinner in 1955 &hellip; In spite of their defeat, Blues&rsquo; coach Scotty Bowman figures his team proved this season they belonged with the best in the NHL. The Blues won the division title, played in its second cup final in two years, won the Smythe Trophy and made the first All-Star team with Glenn Hall, also won the Vezina, set a record for shutouts and Red Berenson became the first to score six goals in an NHL game.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-02698/2856740-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="255" height="433"><figcaption class="caption-body">Clarence Campbell</figcaption></div>&bull; JOHN FERGUSON of the Canadiens is the greatest. After scoring the winning goal in the deciding cup game, Fergy turned his stick over to a rinkside lady fan who had been jeering him throughout the game. However, Ferguson declined to shake hands with an old adversary after it was over. The man was Bobby Hull &hellip; Gordon Smith, a Maple Leaf Gardens&rsquo; stockholder, has been plumping for the nomination of James and Billy Strachan to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Jimmy was president of the old Montreal Wanderers and later founded the Montreal Maroons. Billy played with Wanderers and helped the club win the Stanley Cup in 1907 and 1908 &hellip; American League MVP Gilles Villemure who may wind up in the NHL next season after a trade from the Rangers, is also an adept harness racing driver and extremely popular around Montreal tracks &hellip; Canadiens&rsquo; Henri Richard and trainer Eddie Palchak report an entry list of 135 youngsters for their Montreal summer hockey school &hellip; Claude Ruel escaped the usual post-game dunking accorded rookie coaches after the cup conquest through the intervention of big Jean Beliveau &hellip; The NHL Hockey Writers Association did a commendable selection job on the individual league awards and All-Star teams and they did it all in one poll. For the past 15 years, the selections were spread over two polls &hellip; Winning the Hart Trophy put Phil Esposito in rather select company among the Bruins. He is only the fourth Boston player to be named MVP. Eddie Shore won it four times, Bill Cowley twice and Milt Schmidt once &hellip;The Minnesota North Stars picked up the final payment on their two-for-three trade with the Chicago Black Hawks made last February when the Hawks last week sent along Doug Shelton, a hard-nosed forward-defenseman to the Stars &hellip; Wren Blair still thinks he can persuade retired Brian Conacher to take up the game again. He is now the property of Minnesota &hellip; Blair figures to do a little trading after a short overseas vacation. He said he would like to acquire another defenseman and a winger. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been talking to four clubs and I&rsquo;m hopeful of swinging a trade,&rdquo; was all Blair would say at this time &hellip; IHL Commissioner Andy Mulligan claims he won&rsquo;t seek reelection. The dynamic 63-year-old ice leader has headed the International League for the last seven years. He said the time has come for the IHL to hire a full-time man for the job so that he can get out and build up the league and be paid for it.&rdquo; Mulligan&rsquo;s role was a parttime one. If Mulligan goes, hockey loses one of its finest figures at the executive level.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-04520/2856733-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="257" height="414"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gilles Villemure</figcaption></div> &#9632;

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PASSING THE PUCK

<h2>JACK KENT COOKE, owner of teams, Los Angeles, Calif.:</h2>&ldquo;Of course I&rsquo;m a fan, first and foremost. And Howie Morenz was far and away the greatest and most exciting player I ever saw. He could do things no one else ever could do. He could come in on two defensemen and fake them to opposite sides of the rink, splitting them right down the middle as he waltzed in on the goal-tender. Rocket Richard was exciting. Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Eddie Shore and others were great. But Morenz was easily the greatest of all time. And Bobby Orr is easily the most exciting player today, and he could become as great as any of them.&rdquo;<h2>IRA GITLLR, jazz critic, New York City:</h2>&ldquo;Gordie Howe. He could do more things better and has done them longer than anyone who ever played the game. I did not see all the old-timers, but I think the record books support what we all see in Howe, even today, when he is 40 or so and has been playing 20 years or so.&rdquo;<h2>BOB HAKKIb, newsman, Montreal:</h2>&ldquo;Doug Harvey. In my estimation this guy was the greatest defenseman probably of all time. I never saw Eddie Shore at his peak, but if he was half as good as Harvey, then he must have been something. Doug could really lift a crowd when he carried that puck out of his end. When he was back there it was like having two goalkeepers. No wonder Dur, nan and Plante won so many Vezinas. They had Harvey to protect them. My only regret is Doug didn&rsquo;t quit qhen he had the chance instead of hanging on.&rdquo; &#9632;

THE FANS’ CORNER

<div class="byline">BY SPENCE CONLEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-01699/2856833-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">BARRY VAN GERBIG &hellip; Still Holding Onto Seals</figcaption></div>OAKLAND, Calif. &mdash;Selling the Oakland Seals is something like selling a piece of flypaper&mdash;getting a buyer is one thing, but getting it off your hands is another.Back on Jan. 3, the Seals were &ldquo;sold&rdquo; to Niagara Frontier Hockey, Inc., the group headed by Seymour Knox III and his brother, Northurp, the Buffalo heirs to the F. W. Woolworth chain store fortune.But that &ldquo;sale&rdquo;, just as an earlier one to Labatt&rsquo;s Breweries of British Columbia, was contingent on the team being moved to Buffalo.Well, the National Hockey League stepped in again to block such a move and declared once and for all that the Seals were to stay put&mdash;in Oakland!In the meantime, the financial problems continued in Oakland and the NHL itself eventually came up with a buyer who would abide by the requirement that the Seals remain &mdash; Trans-National Communications, a New York-based media and leisure time industry business operation.TNC, headed by Ellis (Woody) Erdman, moved quickly and with the help ot Don Ruck, the NHL vice president and official spokesman, set up a press conference in Oakland where it announced it had joined with the Knoxes and purchased the Oakland franchise for about $4 million.The San Francisco Seals, Ltd., headed by Barry Van Gerbig, and a flock of attorneys representing the 54 (count &lsquo;em 54) owners, at last had an apparently solid deal to dumn the biggest money loser in NHL history.Despite the announced sale, not one penny had changed hands between TNC and the Knoxes and Seals, Ltd.No fewer than four deadlines for closing came and went and still the Seals had not changed hands.Finally, last week, Erdman explained the reason why TNC, the 80 percent investors in the deal, had not closed.The biggest problem, he said, was not the purchase price, or the $2.1 million downpayment, but the $1.9 million in additional obligations TNC would assume upon purchase.Those debts include the remainder of the $2 million original franchise price, money owed to Shasta Corp., an original partner in the NHL Seals which Van Gerbig had bought out, unpaid indemnification to the Western Hockey League, repayment of $680,000 loan-downpayment to Labatt&rsquo;s, payments to the initial owners of the minor League Seals, and money due to a group known as Hockey Investors, Inc., another facet of the multi-tiered ownership structure, and the settlement of contract difficulties with former general manager Rudy Pilous, and former general manager-coach Bert Olmstead and his aide, Gordon Fashoway.&ldquo;Although it appears these obligations can be transferred,&rdquo; Erdman said, &ldquo;They are not so structured. We have agreed to take them over, but the sellers do not appear to be in a position to transfer them.&rdquo;Erdman added that TNC had sent a telegram to the sellers two weeks ago offering to close the deal, but only within the frame-work of the original sale agreement, an agreement which allegedly would allow the added obligations to be freely assumed.What has happened, Erdman indicated, is that the parties involved in those obligations was immediate settlement and TNC is not prepared to do that.&ldquo;We do not feel we ought to dig into the pockets of TNC to come up with another $2 million to pay off those obligations immediately.&ldquo;We will close this deal,&rdquo; Erdman insisted, &ldquo;but it will be closed in such a fashion that it is satisfacfatory to TNC stockholders. We are working within the framework of the Jan. 3 sale agreement.&rdquo;In the meantime, the stall has created difficulties in the Seal front office staffs efforts to prepare for the June draft, hiring of a chief scout to replace the late Bob Wilson, and establishment of a development team. &#9632;

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New York Group Insists They’ll Close Seals’ Deal At Their Terms

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0007-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-01727/2856902-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Canadiens&rsquo; coach CLAUDE RUEL signs golden book at city hall while team president DAVID MOLSON, left, looks on approvingly after Montreal nailed down its 16th Stanley Cup triumph. Members of Habs in background are MICKEY REDMOND, left, and RALPH BACKSTROM.</figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-02647/2856895-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="1468" height="2213"><figcaption class="caption-body">Not one to pass up a good cigar and an opportunity to clutch the famed Stanley Cup once again, bad man JOHN FERGUSON of the Canadiens is all aglow as Montreal City executive chairman LUCIEN SAULNIER lights up his stogie at city hall reception.</figcaption></div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;Serge Savard has waited a long time to get his name on hockey&rsquo;s celebrated Stanley Cup and when his big day came someone forget to engrave it on the historic old mug.The giant Montreal defenseman was busily posing alongside the cup at a city hall celebration when he peered close enough to the shiny silverware to notice that his name had been inadvertently been omitted when the Canadiens&rsquo; names were engraved on the cup.It&rsquo;s not the first time it has happened though. Some years ago it was discovered Bobby Rousseau&rsquo;s name had been missing for three straight cup winning years. And a fellow named Ted Kennedy of the Leafs was also left off the cup once. &#9632;

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Savard’s Name Missing Off Cup

<div class="byline">&#x2014;By Bill Libby</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-02673/2856940-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="297" height="375"></div><h2>The Kind Of Game It Is</h2>IN THE BEGINNING &mdash; The season began in September with training camo. In the Los Angeles King&rsquo;s camp, Paul Popeil was still a member of the team then, trying to win a position. Coach Red Kelly was in the dressing room when trainer Norm Mackie came in to tell Red that Bill Flett had just suffered a broken nose out on the ice.&ldquo;How did it happen?&rdquo; Red asked.&ldquo;Popeil shot and accidentally hit Flett in the face.&rdquo;Red shook his head. &ldquo;Popeil always had a tendency to shoot too high,&rdquo; he said.The Kings still had three goal-tenders, veteran Terry Sawchuk, sophomore Wayne Rutledge and rookie Gerry Desiardins. near the end of the Dre-season season. They expected to trade Sawchuk, so Desjardins expected to go west when camp broke to open the season with the NHL team. He phoned his brand-new wife in Eastern Canada to tell her to fly to camp because she&rsquo;d have to drive their car home. It would be a long drive and she&rsquo;d have to make it alone. She made the flight in glumly.The day she was to arrive, manager Larry Regan told Gerry they hadn&rsquo;t been able to complete a deal for Sawchuk, so Gerry would be farmed out to Springfield. When his wife arrived, Gerry told her about it, pointing out now he&rsquo;d drive East with her. She was relieved and happy, a young girl not thinking that it meant her husband had not made the majors and was being returned to the minors. Within hours, Regan called Gerry in and told him a deal for Sawchuk was about set and he&rsquo;d be going west with the team, after all. He told his wife she&rsquo;d have to make the drive east alone, after all. &ldquo;She was very upset,&rdquo; Gerry grins.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-01762/2856933-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="549" height="737"><figcaption class="caption-body">BOBBY ORR &hellip;Coaches Pick As MVP</figcaption></div>IN THE MIDDLE &mdash; For a long time, Boston didn&rsquo;t lose and it looked like Montreal might not win the Eastern Division Dennant. Bruin coach Harry Sinden said, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a funny thing, but I don&rsquo;t have trouble sleeping when my teams are losing, only when they&rsquo;re winning. I don&rsquo;t mean I don&rsquo;t worry myself sick when my teams are losing, but when I finally hit the sack, I&rsquo;m determined to close all my misery out of my mind and I usually black out real quick. When we&rsquo;re winning, I&rsquo;m not worried about sleeping, I&rsquo;m so excited and happy I lay awake smiling at the darkness all night, thinking how I can keep this beautiful thing going.&rdquo;St. Louis had the Western Division pennant clinched by Christmas. Scotty Bowman said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;d rather be in this position, far ahead, than in the position of the other team trying to catch up, but it has its problems. They pay off on the playoffs in this league. I want to finish first, but I also want to get into the playoffs in good shape and ready to do our best. We have to sustain our desire. Fortunately, we have a lot of veterans on our team. They&rsquo;ve played this game a long time and they know you have to keep putting out or you can all of a sudden go into a slump from which you may never recover.&rdquo;Old men were doing well, like the Blues&rsquo; Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall, who were on their way to the Vezina Trophy for the outstanding goal-tending in the league; the Leafs&rsquo; Tim Horton, who may have been on his way out of hockey, but was still the best defensive defenseman in the game, and Gordie Howe, who was not better than ever, but was producing more points than ever. And Howe was still as tough as ever.Howe said, &ldquo;Rules are meant to be stretched. There is not a rule in the books I haven&rsquo;t bent a little. That&rsquo;s the way this game is played. It&rsquo;s a rough game. I play it rough&rsquo;. People say I&rsquo;m rough, quick with the elbows. I am. I push before I&rsquo;m pushed. I like to test players, especially kids. I see it they&rsquo;ve got what they have to have to play this game well. I let them know I&rsquo;m there. When they go into the corners, I let them know they&rsquo;re not alone and no one&rsquo;s going to let them do anything easily. I don&rsquo;t get into many fights any more, but I do play rough. I never complain when I&rsquo;m roughed up, you know.&rdquo;<h2>Canadiens Touch Like Celtics</h2>AT THE END &mdash; Like the Celtics in basketball and the Packers in football, the Canadiens seem to be on another cycle of domination such as has been theirs many times in the past. One gets the feeling that in the clutch, the rivals, are beaten before they go out; that it doesn&rsquo;t matter what teams try to do to build themselves up or what happens along the way, that in the end, the same team is going to win, so what&rsquo;s the point of it all? More power to the Canadiens and the Celtics. They come through when it counts. They deserve the credit. But it&rsquo;s like knowing the result of a horse race before it&rsquo;s run. The race then isn&rsquo;t very exciting. You have to con yourself into thinking this year may be different. It seldom is.The Canadiens had won their pennant and the playoffs again when the season ended in May. It&rsquo;s like they own it all. The Bruins seemed to have them beaten many times in the playoffs, but in the end, the guys who owned it, took it home with them. Somehow, they found a way. Just like in basketball. The Lakers seemed superior to the Celtics this season, but in the end, the Celtics found a way and took it all home with them again. Maybe the Celtics are getting too old to keep going much longer, but it&rsquo;s too late now for anyone to beat them when they were still good. The Canadiens, on the other hand, have a lot of youngsters, and a great young coach, Claude Ruel. Ruel said &ldquo;it&rsquo;s the pride of this organization. They expect to win and they win. The guys won it, not me.&rdquo; But Jean Beliveau said, &ldquo;We won this one for claude.&rdquo; It didn&rsquo;t matter. They won it, like they usually do. And they embarrassed the expansionists with another four-game sweep in the final.Boston set most of the records and had most of the individual stars. The coaches voted Bobby Orr the most valuable player unofficially, and indicated they felt he might become the greatest player ever, but the writers voted the award officially and went for Phil Esposito, who collected more scoring points than any man ever before. Chicago&rsquo;s Bobby Hull broke his own record with 58 goals and totalled more than 100 points, but settled for second in the scoring race. By his public conduct, he also won more fans for himself and for his game all over the U.S. and Canada than any hockey player in history. It was the year of the goal. It was also the year of the Canadiens. As it usually is. &#9632;

f0008-02

Hockey Ad Lib

<div class="byline">BY JACK BERRY</div>DETROIT, Mich. &mdash;You&rsquo;d think when a man reaches Gordie Howe&rsquo;s ripe old age &mdash; 41 &mdash; and after a long, strenuous season, he&rsquo;d just collapse into a hammock and watch the clouds glide by.Not Howe.&ldquo;The summers seem to get busier all the time,&rdquo; the Red Wing superstar said before collecting sons Marty and mark and heading for a week&rsquo;s deep sea fishing off Ecuador.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m scheduled to have three days off this summer,&rdquo; Howe said wryly.So before the real busy season set in &mdash; he started making personal appearances just after the season ended and, for the Red Wings, that was March 30, the day before he turned 41 &mdash; Howe took his oldest sons fishing.&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be an education for them and something they&rsquo;ll remember as long as they live,&rdquo; Howe said. &ldquo;It was set up by some hockey fans<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-03554/2856971-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="251" height="393"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gordie Howe</figcaption></div>who used to live in Detroit, Al and Jennie Philpot, who went into business down there.&rdquo;Joining the Howes on the excursion was Red Wing coach Bill Gadsby and they hoped their luck would be better than it was during the hockey season when the Wings faltered in the stretch despite another great performance by Howe and failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs.Howe had a heavy schedule ahead of him on his return to Detroit. He recently signed a three-year contract to join Lincoln-Mercury&rsquo;s Sports Panel and will make appearances on the company&rsquo;s behalf from coast-to-coast.Much of July will be spent traveling across Canada for Eaton&rsquo;s, an annual expedition for Howe for many years now, plus playing in the new American Airlines Astrojet hockey tournament in Toronto.Then there&rsquo;s the Howe-Gadsby franchised hockey schools. Basically that consists of six instructional films on every phase of the game. And, Howe also has schools at his own suburban Detroit rink that run a month or so.Besides that, Howe is learning the insurance business &mdash; with his last contract club president Bruce Norris made Howe a vice president of the Norris insurance agency.Throw in the assorted banquets Howe attends, both in the Detroit area and in Canada and it&rsquo;s easy to see why his summers are getting busier.Howe happily would&rsquo;ve put off summer&rsquo;s arrival if the Wings had made the playoffs. He didn&rsquo;t make any of the games, actively or as a spectator, but caught some on television.&ldquo;There was a lot of criticism about the final but I thought it still was good hockey,&rdquo; Howe said. &ldquo;Maybe they were spoiled by the Boston-Montreal series &mdash; that was one of the best ever.&rdquo;While Howe thought the final &ldquo;still was good hockey,&rdquo; he and some friends thought that perhaps a new playoff system, with the Eastern and Western Division quarterfinal winners playing each other and those winners then playing for the Stanley Cup might be a better idea. &#9632;

f0008-03

Off-Seasons Becoming More Hectic Than Ever For ‘Busy’ Gordie Howe

<div class="byline">BY NORMAN MacLEAN</div>NEW YORK N.Y &mdash;This is the time of year that try men&rsquo;s souls in the world of hockey. It is the time when next year is now and mistakes made in the lull of the offseason come back to haunt you next Fall.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-01741/2857009-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg" title="f0009-01" width="268" height="446"><figcaption class="caption-body">Emile Francis</figcaption></div>Most teams point to the June draft meeting in Montreal with the hope of being able to pick up some needed talent. However, Emile Francis, the scrappy little general manager-coach of the New York Rangers debunks this theory.&ldquo;If you have to wait until the draft at the annual meeting, you are apt to find the bones picked awfully clean,&rdquo; says Emile.Instead Francis and most of his opposite numbers plan, scheme and plot prior to the draft. They are constantly on the phone making Bell Telephone rich via long distance calls and they make proposal and counter proposal. Some come through and big trades like the famous Boston-Chicago swap, which liberated Phil Esposito and buried Chicago, are the results.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-02682/2857002-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="1204" height="1359"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ranger goaler ED GIACOMIN receives West Side Association of Commerce award as the most valuable player on the New York club from WILLIAM P. SCHWEIKERT.</figcaption></div>It is a safe bet that there will be more action prior to the draft than at the actual sessions this June. Each NHL team must protect 14 players plus 2 goalkeepers. This is the second year of this system, with the first year of expansion (1967-68) having been set up with an eleven plus two system.Of even more long range interest is the fact that this is the third year of the 20 year old amateur draft. Two seasons ago, the present Eastern Division was allowed to protect 15 juniors, last year 10 and this year the number is 5. In 1969-70, there will be no more sponsored clubs and the expansion teams will have an even crack at the available talent in the junior ranks.Of especial interest to the general managers in the National Hockey League will be the continuance or repeal of the special grant by which Montreal is able to pick the first two players of French descent, which are developed in the Province of Quebec. This season this rule is in effect and the Canadiens undoubtedly will use it to pick the two top members of their Memorial Cup winning Junior Canadiens, &mdash; Rejean Houle and Marc Tardif.Nonetheless, hockey front offices are working overtime these days getting ready for the June drafts. There are five in all. They are the interleague draft from the minor league teams; the intra-league draft between the NHL clubs; the reverse draft in which the minor league teams draft from the NHL after the NHL has protected 25 players; the 20 year old amateur draft and finally the draft of overage players. &#9632;

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Francis Plots To Gain Draft Edge For Rangers

NEW YORK. N.Y.&mdash;Harry Howell is recovering nicely from his spinal fusion surgery &hellip; Ron Stewart is due for surgery on his knee which has a bad case of water on the knee &hellip; Realignment may be in the wind if the Stanley Cup final is to retain its luster. If not the divisions may have to crisscross in the semi-final round. This may not sit well in the West but the NHL must compete with the fantastic TV reception which the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics of the N.B.A. got in the ratings&hellip; It is too bad that CBS did not spare prime time for the final Boston-Montreal battle. This was the double overtime decided by Jean Beliveau&rsquo;s first overtime goal &hellip; Bobby Hull did a fantastic job of color commentary for CBS in the one TV game this observer saw. Maybe the NHL could find someone just as good to work durin the regular season next vear&hellip; &#9632;

Howell Mending After Surgery

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-01758/2857127-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg"></div><h2>STANLEY CUP FINALS</h2>EAST WESTMontreal Canadiens vs St.Louis Blues<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-02659/2857120-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="1162" height="165"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDSunday, April 27St. Louis 1 at Montreal 3Tuesday, April 29St. Louis 1 at Montreal 3Thursday, May 1Montreal 4 at St. Louis 0Sunday, May 4Montreal.2 at St. Louis 1<h2>EASTERN DIVISION SERIES &lsquo;A&rsquo;</h2>Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03548/2857113-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="559" height="144"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2New York 1 ot Montreal 3Thurs. Apr. 3New York 2 ot Montreal 5Sat. Apr. 5Montreal 4 at New York 1Sun. Apr. 6Montreal 4 at New York 3SERIES &lsquo;B&rsquo;Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-04425/2857106-1-eng-US/f0010-042.jpg" title="f0010-04" width="547" height="147"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2Toronto 0 at Boston 10Thun. Apr. 3Toronto 0 ot Boston 7Sat. Apr. 5Boston 4 at Toronto 3Sun. Apr. 6Boston 3 ot Toronto 2SERIES &lsquo;E&rsquo;Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-05323/2857099-1-eng-US/f0010-052.jpg" title="f0010-05" width="538" height="156"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDThur. Apr. 10Boston 2 at Montreal 3Sun. Apr. 13Boston 3 at Montreal 4Thun. Apr. 17Montreal 0 at Boston 5Sun. Apr. 20Montreal 2 at Boston 3Tue. Apr. 22Boston 2 ot Montreal 4Thun. Apr. 24Montreal 2 at Boston 1<h2>WESTERN DIVISION</h2>SERIES &lsquo;C&rsquo;Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-08139/2857092-1-eng-US/f0010-082.jpg" title="f0010-08" width="571" height="144"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2Philadelphia 2 at S. Louis 5Thun. Apr. 3Philadelphia 0 at St. Louis 5Sat. Apr. 5St. Louis 3 at Philadelphia 0Sun. Apr. 6St. Louis 4 at Philadelphia 1SERIES D&rsquo;Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-09108/2857085-1-eng-US/f0010-092.jpg" title="f0010-09" width="577" height="142"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2Los Angeles 5 at Oakland 4Thun. Apr. 3Los Angeles 2 at Oakland 4Sat. Apr. 5Oakland 5 at Los Angeles 2Sun. Apr. 6Oakland 2 at Los Angeles 4Wed. Apr. 9Los Angeles 1 at Oakland 4Thun. Apr. 10Oakland 3 at Los Angeles 4Sun. Apr. 13Los Angeles 5 at Oakland 3SERIES 8216;F&rsquo;Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-1089/2857078-1-eng-US/f0010-102.jpg" title="f0010-10" width="577" height="183"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDTue. Apr. 15Los Angeles 0 at St. Louis 4Thun. Apr. 17Los Angeles 2 at St. Louis 3Sat. Apr. 19St. Louis 5 at Los Angeles 2Sun. Apr. 20St. Louis 4 at Los Angeles 1<h2>Playoff Scoring</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-06252/2857071-1-eng-US/f0010-062.jpg" title="f0010-06" width="550" height="1383"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-07183/2857064-1-eng-US/f0010-072.jpg" title="f0010-07" width="544" height="1338"></div> &#9632;

f0010-01

Stanley Cup Picture ’69

<div class="byline">BY ED CONRAD</div>PHILADELPHIA, Pa. &mdash;Possible realignment of the National Hockey League is something Flyers&rsquo; coach Keith Allen will accept &hellip; with regrets.&ldquo;What I&rsquo;ve been hearing is that, once the league adds two new teams, our club probably will be playing in a seven-team division which would include Montreal, Boston and New York from the Eastern (old) Division,&rdquo; said Keith. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re the three clubs which finished one-two-three in the East this season, so we&rsquo;ll be in some real it iff company.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-1170/2857158-1-eng-US/f0010-112.jpg" title="f0010-11" width="258" height="439"><figcaption class="caption-body">Keith Allen</figcaption></div>&ldquo;It&rsquo;ll really make things rough on us if we hope to make the Stanley Cup playoffs because it would seem quite probable that all three of them would make it. So that would leave us and the other two expansion clubs they say will be in our division &mdash; probably Pittsburgh and Minnesota &mdash; fighting it out with the newest expansion team, which ever city that might be, for the final playoff berth.&rdquo;The other division undoubtedly would find Toronto, Chicago and Detroit of the Eastern Division joining St. Louis, Los Angeles and Oakland in addition to the newest club &mdash; Vancouver, which seems assured of a franchise. This division would appear to be more competitive than the other, simply because all three established clubs it would contain had finished in the lower half of the Eastern Division this past year.&ldquo;Boy, it will be really be tough on us trying to win a playoff berth if this new realignment comes to pass in the near future and parity isn&rsquo;t yet reached,&rdquo; continued Allen, whose Flyers won the Western Division title in their maiden season, then finished third this past year. &ldquo;A playoff berth certainly won&rsquo;t come easy in the new setup. It&rsquo;s tough enough right now.&rdquo;Proof of the Eastern Division&rsquo;s superiority was most noticeable in the Stanley Cup playoffs when the St. Louis Blues, who were runaway winners in four straight over both the Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings, dropped four in a row to the classy Montreal Canadiens.&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no doubt that Mont-al is a superior hockey team,&rdquo; reasoned Allen. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got great teamplay, excellent balance and substantial depth. They certainly have no weaknesses.&ldquo;However, the new division can boast of superior strength in certain areas, too,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;For example, I feel the expan-, sion clubs have the edge in goaltending with guys like Jacques Plante and Glenn Hall for St. Louis, and Bernie Parent for us. I really feel our goaltending is better than the other side of the league.&ldquo;The big difference, I feel, is that we don&rsquo;t have the great scorers which means we don&rsquo;t have the great scoring punch. Every forward on the teams over there (the Eastern Division) is potentially a great scorer. &#9632;

f0010-11

Allen Sees Realignment, Expansion Hard On Philly

NEW YORK, N.Y. &mdash;The New York Greenleafs, three time holders of the Art Keegan Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the playoff champion of the Metropolitan Junior Hockey Association, are the winners of the first annual Bill Chadwick Trophy, emblematic of Eastern junior hockey supremacy.New York played the Acton Flyers of the Massachusetts Junior Hockey League in what was scheduled as a best-of-three series and beat them in straight games, 7-4 at Acton, Mass, and 6-2 at Skateland.Julio Acosta, the Cuban Flash, hijacked the latest trophy as he led the Greenleafs attack with seven goals, five in the first game. Julio scored the winning tally in each game.The Chadwick Trophy is donated by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League. Chadwick, a former NHL referee, was elected to the NHLs Hall of Fame in June 1964. As a youth he played amateur hockey in the now defunct Metropolitan Hockey League. &#9632;

New York Wins Chadwick Cup

<h2>CENTRAL LEAGUE</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-03582/2857279-1-eng-US/f0011-032.jpg" title="f0011-03" width="613" height="132"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDSun. Apr. 13Dallas 2 at Oklahoma City 5Tues. Apr. 15Dallas at Oklahoma City 4Wed. Apr. 16Oklahoma City 2 at Dallas 6Fri. Apr. 18Oklahoma Citv 2 at Dallas 3Sat. Apr. 19Dallas 5 at Oklahoma Citv 4Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-04492/2857272-1-eng-US/f0011-042.jpg" title="f0011-04" width="613" height="141"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-05412/2857265-1-eng-US/f0011-052.jpg" title="f0011-05" width="601" height="153"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDFri. Apr. 4Dallas 4 at Omaha 3Sat. Apr. 5Dallas 4 at Omaha 3Sun. Apr. 6Omaha 1 at Dallas 4Quarter-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-06364/2857258-1-eng-US/f0011-062.jpg" title="f0011-06" width="631" height="141"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-07331/2857251-1-eng-US/f0011-072.jpg" title="f0011-07" width="613" height="144"></div> &#9632;

f0011-03

CHL PLAYOFFS

<div class="byline">BY BILL LIBBY</div>LOS ANGELES, Calif. &mdash;Like owner Jack Kent Cooke and coach Red Kelly, manager Larry Regan says he was &ldquo;deeply disappointed&rdquo; with this past season in which the Los Angeles Kings dropped from second to fourth among expansion teams, but picked up from the first to the second round in the playoffs.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-01749/2857220-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="263" height="354"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dale Rolfe</figcaption></div>&ldquo;We began last season with the youngest team in the National Hockey League, which we still have,&rdquo; Regan points out. &ldquo;I felt then and I feel now that this was the proper approach to building a solid team. I felt then and feel now that we have to acquire the volume of talent to prosper over the long haul.&ldquo;However, I have been disappointed by some of my original draft picks and by the lack improvement in some of out younger players. I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s a manager in the Western Division who wouldn&rsquo;t like to make some of his original picks over again. I think we have more of our original cast left than most clubs. But we all make some mistakes. And we have to overcome these.&rdquo;&ldquo;Regan added, &ldquo;Basically, 1 think we have the nucleus of a winning club. However, I think we must strengthen our roster by adding some key men in the right spots. We have to alter our style of play to take advantage of what we do best. And we have to continue to build a strong, firm organization with a winning spirit.&rdquo;First, the leadership structure must be resolved. Regan figures to return, but Kelly&rsquo;s status is uncertain. However, with the pro basketball playoffs out of the way, Cooke may have settled this situation by the time this reaches print. Jack is determined to get the club moving upwards.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-02690/2857213-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg" title="f0011-02" width="1176" height="1644"></div>The Kings have not been busy in the trade mart previously but this could change now. Goal-tender Gerry Desjardins is probably the only player the Kings wouldn&rsquo;t consider trading at this point. &ldquo;We will be active in the draft meetings, but the type of player we need probably is available only in trades, Regan pointed out.The conclusion has been reached that the defensemen are not too bad. While Bill White had a poor second-half, he can bounce back to be among the best in the league, and Dale Rolfe and Brent Hughes made great strides as the season wore on. Larry Cahan is aging and may retire, though he had a pretty fair playoff, so a good all around defenseman may be needed.With Desjardins and Wayne Rutledge, the Kings are as well set in the critical nets as any NHL team figures to be for the next five or six seasons. However, the pressure on them must be relieved by some forwards who hit and forecheck and backcheck and help out the rearguard.&ldquo;We need some more tough forwards more than anything else,&rdquo; Regan says. Kelly feels the team&rsquo;s most critical need is for a veteran leader, who&rsquo;ll steady the team and show the way with hustle and execution in the clutch. He says it doesn&rsquo;t have to be a super-star, just someone like underrated Jim Roberts of St. Louis, who he felt made the key plays in the Blues&rsquo; sweep of the Kings in the playoff, or his old teammate. Dick Duff of Montreal. Regan says, &ldquo;I agree we could sure use someone like this and if a good one is available. I&rsquo;ll go after him.&rdquo;Regan says, &ldquo;With a young team, we should benefit by the experience we&rsquo;ve been gaining. We&rsquo;ve got to free-wheel more, carry the puck into the other team&rsquo;s zone instead of shooting it in, head-man the puck more. We&rsquo;ve got one of the best-skating teams in the league, although we didn&rsquo;t show it much this season. We didn&rsquo;t get the breakaways we should have gotten. We&rsquo;ve got to play a Montreal style.&rdquo;He concludes, &ldquo;Ours is a difficult area in which to succeed in hockey. We&rsquo;ve been on the verge catching fire with the fans a few times, but haven&rsquo;t made it yet. We need more color. More important, we need a consistent winner. I think we&rsquo;re on the right track, but we&rsquo;ve reached the point where we have to help ourselves along now. No one will go to camp next fall thinkin he&rsquo;s got a job won. As an organization, we still have a big job to do.&rdquo;Speaking out in the open more realistically than he has previously, Regan&rsquo;s attitude lends hope for improvement.KINGS THINGS &mdash; It is no knock on Danny Grant, Norm Ferguson and Brad Park to point out that Gerry Desjardins&rsquo; finishing fourth in the &ldquo;rookie of the year&rdquo; voting emphasizes the need to put the all-star voting and special-award voting in the hands of the coaches or players, who are better qualified and less confused by statistics than the writers. Desjardins, the coaches&rsquo; choice as top rookie, was a unanimous choice as MVP of his team. None of the others would have been such on their teams. Some of the writers have not followed hockey very long. &#9632;

f0011-01

Regan Says L.A. Kings Show Need For Tougher Forwards, Ice Leader

<div class="byline">with ED FITKIN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-01728/2857310-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="327" height="429"></div>HERE IN LOS ANGELES in April there was a considerable segment of the California population convinced that the prophets of doom would be right and that, as predicted, California would disappear into the blue Pacific. It didn&rsquo;t happen, and it hasn&rsquo;t happened yet, otherwise I would not be writing this column.It still could happen. California always seems to be having earthquakes of minor nature; in fact, the first time I went to a hockey game in LA, when the Blades of the Western League there in operation, the Sports Arena began to rock significantly, birds flew out of their hidden nooks in the cavernous roof, people got up from their seats and hurried toward the exits.&ldquo;What&rsquo;s going on?&rdquo; I asked one of the fans. An earthquake was the farthest thing from my mind, so the question was posed with sincere concern.&ldquo;An earthquake,&rdquo; was the natural answer. &ldquo;Nothing to get excited about. Unless, of course, we get a couple more shocks.We didn&rsquo;t. And we stayed to the end of the game. The biggest shock of the night was that the Blades won, a rarity in that final season of 1966-67.THE BLADES HAVE GONE NOW, replaced by Jack Kent Cooke&rsquo;s Kings of the NHL, and hockey is no longer played at the Sports Arena but at Jack Kent Cooke&rsquo;s fabulous Forum in the LA suburb of Inglewood. But the earthquakes are still doing their thing, whatever it is.To be honest, people really were scared by this latest epidemic of dire predictions about California&rsquo;s future, particularly since so much attention has been focussed on such psychic individuals as Jeane Dixon and others gifted in clairvoyance, as well as the predictions of the &ldquo;sleeping prophet&rdquo; &mdash; the late Edgar Cayce.If Cayce proves right, the NHL might as well forget about expansion problems on both coasts. Not only Los Angeles but San Francisco-Oakland, New York, Philadelphia and Boston will be destroyed. I can just hear Milt Schmidt &ldquo;Wouldn&rsquo;t you know? Just when we finally get a winning team together!&rdquo;In Los Angeles, when April ended and none of us was floating around in the Pacific, people breathed such a collective sigh of relief, all 8,000,000 of them, that gusty winds kicked up dust storms all through the desert area.FOLKS OUT HERE, however, still have something to worry about. There is a distinct possibility that more earth tremors are in store, and these could be of a type that could set the Richter scale soaring off in all directions. To say nothing of California.Or hadn&rsquo;t you heard that Eddie Shack is heading for Los Angeles?Yup, as Gary Cooper used to drawl. Eddie the Entertainer will be making LA his home next season. Old Perpetual Motion himself, the Whirling Dervish of the Ice Lanes, has been acquired by the Kings from Boston Bruins. Life in LA will never be the same.If he doesn&rsquo;t help put hockey across in the city of the stars, nobody ever will. Shack may not be the world&rsquo;s greatest hockey player but there isn&rsquo;t any one in the game who can &ldquo;turn on&rdquo; a crowd like he does. When he steps on the ice, you know something is going to happen. The whole arena comes alive. So do Eddie&rsquo;s opponents, and his own teammates. The law of selfpreservation is in force.I was with the Toronto Maple Leafs when Shack was the idol of Maple Leaf Gardens fans. There were times when he drove Punch Imlach to distraction, and back. But never the fans. He was so popular they even cheered him when he did his waltzing routine in warmups. A song was written about him and the title became a roaring chant for Toronto fans;&ldquo;Clear the track &hellip; here comes Shack!&rdquo;He helped, in his own inimitable way, to win three successive Stanley Cups, and four all told, for the Leafs during seven years in Toronto. Then they traded him to Boston for Murray Oliver. Is there anything significant in the fact that the Bruins have been tremendous the last twowouldn&rsquo;t know. But I do know that Los Angeles fans ave to be made of wax if they don&rsquo;t react frenziedly to t. It&rsquo;s happened everywhere. There should be few dull nts in the fabulous Forum next winter.fornia may never know what hit it! &#9632;

f0012-01

Footloose

<div class="byline">BY GEOFFREY FISHER</div>ST. LOUIS, Mo &mdash;The bruises are healing, the bitter tears of a frustrating defeat at the hands of the magnificent Montreal Canadiens have long since been wiped away, but the roar of their devoted St Louis fans must continue to reverberate in the heads of the St. Louis Blues.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-02630/2857341-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg" title="f0012-02" width="253" height="431"><figcaption class="caption-body">Scotty Bowman</figcaption></div>They lost the battle for the prized Stanley Cup, they failed to bust the string of 18 consecutive victories the Canadiens have stacked against them, but these remarkable Blues have lost no friends in this city where they are held in the kind of esteem usually reserved for conquering heroes.Those friends and devoted followers came to pay tribute to these ice warriors who were rated by the experts as something less than the caliber that should be associating with the blue bloods of the established division.You couldn&rsquo;t convince the St. Louis fans that the Blues didn&rsquo;t belong with the best hockey teams in the world. They remembered too well how this collection of rookies, rejects and allegedly worn-out old journeymen had Startled the sports world with a dazzling charge to the Stanley Cup finals in their first season.They poured into the dolled-up old Arena on Oakland Avenue in ever increasing numbers.The writers, the broadcasters and the ivory tower pundits were asking the question: &ldquo;How were the Blues going to top that act?&rdquo;They got their answer. It was an answer fashioned by a fledgling hockey organization of management and players that has a ready carved a significant niche in the record books of the National Hockey League.This time the Blues raced off to the Western Division title with such assurance and domination that mid-way of the regular season there was no contest for first place. And the fans kept coming in bigger and bigger waves until there was no place to put them at all. For the season of 38 games, 548,508 watched the Blues rip ihrough to the Clarence Campbell Bowl that goes to the winner of the West. In six playoff games in St. Louis 94,655 jammed the Arena for a total of 643,163. An all-time record crowd of 16,338 were on hand for the first home playoff tilt with the Canadiens, Thursday night, May 1. Nearly that many were there for what eventually proved to be the finale on Sunday afternoon, May 4. And after their heroes had lost three straight.Unable to hit their normally aggressive stride in the first three games against the Canadiens (it could have been too long a layoff after eliminating the L. A. Kings, too much time to think about the hex the Canadiens held over them) the Blues made a valiant effort to regain their rhythm in the fourth contest. They were determined to win one for the Ians and for the owners who have done so much for them even if the Stanley Cup apparently was already beyond reach. They came out hitting and skating like the team that had swept through the Western Division. They actually took the lead. The final reckoning was 2-1 against St. Louis but the Blues and their fans had gained some satisfaction.It&rsquo;s not likely that there has ever been a team or fans anywhere who wanted a victory more than did St. Louis and its followers. For them the Montreal nightmare had lasted too long. But it was not to be at this time.General Manager and Coach Scotty Bowman, an ex-agent of the Canadiens, managed a grim smile when it was all over. There is nothing Scotty could have wanted more than to have busted he Montreal jinx.&ldquo;We gave it all we had,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think we could have played any better than we did. When you lose to a team like the Canadiens, you know you have lost to the best. After all, we were no worse than New York against them. And we had a pretty good season. Won the Western Divison, won the playoffs in the West, won the Vezina Trophy, had a player (Red Berenson) score six goals in one game to tie an all-time record. Not a bad season.&rdquo; said Scotty.The fact is that the Blues were a far better hockey team this time around then they were in their first campaign. What they didn&rsquo;t have going for them this year were the near-miracles that marked their first season. This time they did it with skating, checking and a winning spirit that mostly defied all obstacles. Even against the superior forces of the Canadiens, the Blues deep pride came glaring through. They all proved to be as courageous and indomitable in defeat as they had been in victory.Minus the services of the old blueline wizard Doug Harvey who missed the entire playoffs because of a head injury, St. Louis was unable to muster the playoff wisdom that they received from Harvey and the incomparable Dickie Moore a year earlier.And in balmy Miami Beach, Fla., where the Blues and their lamilies were hosted for the second year by owner Sidney Salomon Jr., and his son Sid, III, the pounding of the surf at the Golden Strand Hotel sounded not unlike the cascading roar of the St. Louis fans screaming for revenge.There&rsquo;s always next year to get the Canadiens. &#9632;

f0012-02

“We Gave It All We Had” Says Blues’ Coach Bowman As Crowds Soar To 643,163

ST. LOUIS, Mo. &mdash;Captain Al Arbour, the Blues&rsquo; great defenseman and a prime example of the caliber of hockey player who was kicked around the minor leagues prior to expansion, was a magnificent performer throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. Battered and bruised from stopping as many shots as the goaltenders, Arbour scorned medical treatment time and again and elected to stay at his post.Prior to the selection of Montreal&rsquo;s Serge Savard as winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy for being named the most valuable player in the playoffs, Coach Scotty Bowman was asked for his nomination.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-03499/2857372-1-eng-US/f0012-032.jpg" title="f0012-03" width="506" height="604"><figcaption class="caption-body">AL ARBOUR</figcaption></div>&ldquo;Arbour,&rdquo; said Bowman, &ldquo;I&rsquo;d have to pick Arbour.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0012-03

Bowman Picks Al Arbour As Blues Best In Playoffs

<div class="byline">BY GLENN REDMANN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-01716/2857410-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="545" height="590"><figcaption class="caption-body">TOMMY WILLIAMS &hellip; His Knee OK</figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02669/2857403-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="562" height="577"><figcaption class="caption-body">BARRY GIBBS &hellip; He Can Hit</figcaption></div>TWIN CITIES, Minn.&mdash;The Minnesota North Stars moved to strengthen their chances for a berth in the 1969-70 National Hockey League playoffs by dealing with Boston for Tommy Williams, the one-time U.S. Olympic hero from Duluth, and promising young defenseman Barry Gibbs.Following a disappointing season which saw the Stars tie Pittsburgh for fifth and sixth places in the six-team West Division of the NHL, general manager and coach Wren Blair said he would do everything in his power to add depth at left wing and defense.The 29-year-old Williams, who has scored 96 goals and assisted on 140 others in 390 games with Boston since 1961-62, shoots right but has proven capable of playing both wings.He joins the Minnesotans in a transaction which calls for Boston to get a player to be mutually agreed upon after the 1969-70 season. &ldquo;If Tommy has a 20-goal year, it will be a man of 20-goal caliber close to his age,&rdquo; said Blair.Gibbs, a reputed hitter who won&rsquo;t turn 21 until a few days before the 1969-70 campaign starts, could turn out to be a steal since he was named the Central League&rsquo;s most valuable blue-liner in only his second year as a pro at Oklahoma City this season. He had three goals and 25 assists.Barry, who like Williams stands just under six feet and weighs in at close to 190 pounds, was traded by Boston for Minnesotas No. 1 choice in the 1969 world 20-year-old draft.Blair theorized that the rugged youngster was deemed expendable because the Bruins are loaded with such fine young blueliners as two-time Norris Cup winner Bobby Orr, Dallas Smith, Don Awrey and Rick Smith who, along with veteran Ted Green played key roles in Boston&rsquo;s second-place East Division finish this season.&ldquo;We gave up our top choice in the 20-year-old draft, added Blair, &ldquo;because our reports showed that while Gibbs is definitely ready for the NHL, not too many draftable juniors were.&ldquo;And an added bonus is the fact that we won&rsquo;t have to protect Gibbs this year (because of his age) even though he has two years of pro experience. We have 12 players in this category.Blair has known Williams for close to 10 years, having turned him pro in the old Eastern League at Kingston, Ont., (1960-61) where, according to Wren Tommy showed immediate NHL potential.&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve wanted him for as long as I&rsquo;ve been connected with the North Stars,&rdquo; said Blair.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m fully aware of the fact that Tommy missed more than half of last season after having a knee operation in December,&rdquo; added Wren, &ldquo;but I talked to him recently in Montreal and he assured me that the knee is close to 100 per cent now.&rdquo;If this is so, the fans here-abouts who have made the North Stars the No. 2 draw (St. Louis is first) in the West Division can be sure ot seeing quite a bit of a man considered to be among the NHLs fastest skaters.&ldquo;He can do more than skate,&rdquo; continued Blair.&rdquo;When he puts his mind to it, he&rsquo;s a fine defensive hockey player. He proved that the season before last (18 goals and 32 assists) when Harry"Sinden, the Boston coach, frequently used him in checking situations.&rdquo;As of now, Blair indicated that he was figuring on Williams to play the left side, although Wren made it a point to say that tommy broke into pro hockey as a center and could easily be returned to that position. &#9632;

f0013-01

North Stars Add Depth Landing Williams, Gibbs

<div class="byline">BY JOHN TRAVERS</div>HERSHEY. Pa. &mdash;The Hershey Bears skated back into the Calder Cup spotlight for the first time since 1959 and they did it inmuch the same way as the old Hershey clubs by overpowering the opposition.The power-packed Bears trounced the younger Quebec Aces in five games to grab the best-of-seven cup finals behind the stellar netminding of long John Henderson.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-01716/2857455-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="264" height="444"><figcaption class="caption-body">Frank Mathers.</figcaption></div>The veteran goalkeeper was near unbeatable in the finals twice slamming the door on the Aces as Hershey outscored the Quebecers 18-12 in the five games.The Bears, who won 4-0, 4-3 and 3-0 at home, after splitting two in Quebec, thus became the first Hershey team to annex the Calder Cup since the 1958-59 and 1957-58 seasons. Frank Mathers was the club coach during those golden years and this season he is still holding forth behind the Bears bench as he racked up his third cup triumph although he has been knocking on the door in four other years as AHL finalists.With Henderson stifling the Aces&rsquo; big guns, the hard-checking Bears set out to slow the faster-skating Quebec team down and it is obvious they succeeded. Outside of a fourth-game 6-3 win on home ice, Vic Stasiuk&rsquo;s Aces were no match for the more experienced and heavier Bears.In the series, Garnet Bailey and Don Marcotte showed the way with three goals each against the Aces. Barry Ashbee, Bob Leiter and Ted Snell each counted twice to spark the Pennsylvanians. Leading AHL scorer Gil Gulbert was limited to one goal in the final series but as has been the case with Hershey this season, there were others who could take up the scoring slack.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02605/2857448-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="565" height="591"><figcaption class="caption-body">GARNET BAILEY&hellip; Led Bears&rsquo; Scorers</figcaption></div>The victory was worth $2,000 to each of the Hershey players while Quebec&rsquo;s losing skaters pocketed $1,400 apiece.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03467/2857441-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="1173" height="1308"><figcaption class="caption-body">JOHN HENDERSON &hellip; Slams Door On Quebecers</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0014-01

Bears Knock Off Aces In Five For First Title Win Since 1959

<h2>SAT. APR. 26</h2>QUEBEC 0 at HERSHEY 4<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04338/2857521-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="616" height="477"></div><h2>WED. APR. 30</h2>QUEBEC 3 at HERSHEY 4<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-05256/2857514-1-eng-US/f0014-052.jpg" title="f0014-05" width="607" height="644"></div><h2>FRI. MAY 2</h2>HERSHEY 4 at QUEBEC 3<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-06215/2857507-1-eng-US/f0014-062.jpg" title="f0014-06" width="622" height="564"></div>Penalties &mdash; Leiter 3.03; Paiement 3.56; Koller, Edestrand 4.15; Drolt (misconduct) 4.15. Shots by: Hershey 36; Queboc 26.Attendance: 6,946(Herhey leads best-of-von finals 3-0)<h2>SUN. MAY 4</h2>HERSHEY 3 at QUEBEC 6<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-07173/2857500-1-eng-US/f0014-072.jpg" title="f0014-07" width="627" height="303"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-08148/2857493-1-eng-US/f0014-082.jpg" title="f0014-08" width="607" height="561"></div><h2>WED. MAY 7</h2>QUEBEC 0 At HERSHEY 3<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-09134/2857486-1-eng-US/f0014-092.jpg" title="f0014-09" width="625" height="471"></div> &#9632;

f0014-04

Calder Cup Playoff Summaries

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-10" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-10118/2857552-1-eng-US/f0014-102.jpg"></div> &#9632;

f0014-10

Calder Cup Winners

<div class="byline">BY CHUCK SANTANIELLO</div>SPRINGFIELD, Mass &mdash; Rumblings and rumors infaraway Los Angeles can have much effect here. Reports have it that all is not what it appears on the surface in the coaching and general managing jobs with the Los Angeles Kings parent club.There is a general feeling that Red Kelly is not too satisfied there as a coach; in fact he is rumored as desiring to go back to Canada. In addition, Kelly and general manager Larry Regan reportedly do not hit it off too well.It might affect the Springfield Kings. For if the parent club does seek another coach, there is always the chance Johnny Wilson of Springfield would be in line for the job to replace Red Kelly.Some members of the press even reported at the end of the season Wilson in fact was in line to succeed Billy Reay, as coach of the Chicago Black Hawks. Wilson has all the temperament, background and experience to coach on the NHL level.For the record, he had a distinguished National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Wilson knows the game, the players and would make a great coach.Wilson as such gave up security when he left his coaching job at Princeton University to come to work for the Los Angeles Kings organization. However, if the coaching job were open, Wilson is likely to get first crack at it.If that should happen, it would leave the Springfield Kings looking for a coach. We believe they would not have to look far. They have a guy right under their noses. He can get the job done.That would be Jimmy Anderson, 37-year-old veteran at the twilight of a great AHL career. It should be pointed out with pride what a great job he did with some of the Kings&rsquo; rookies, including Gary Croteau.Andy was a special assistant to Wilson, before he went back on skates. He has the patience, understanding, ability and skill to coach young players. He has expressed a desire many times to go into coaching when he finishes playing. &#9632;

If Wilson Moves Up, Springfield Kings May Eye Anderson

<h2>AMERICAN LEAGUE</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-01690/2857642-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="628" height="246"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDSun. Apr. 26Quebec 0 at Hershey 4Wed. Apr. 30Quebec 2 at Hershey 4Fri. May 2Hershey 4 at Quebec 3Sun. May 4Hershey 3 at Quebec 6WED. MAY 7Quebec 0 at Hershey 3SEMI-FINALS<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02621/2857635-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="616" height="120"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr 9Hershey 4 at Buffalo 2Sat. Apr. 12Buffalo 2 ot Hershey 4Wed. Apr. 16Buffalo 5 at Hershey 4Fri. Apr. 18Hershey 3 at Buffalo 2Sun. Apr. 20Hershey 0 at Buffalo 8Wed. Apr. 23Buffalo 1 at Hershey 6<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-03525/2857628-1-eng-US/f0015-032.jpg" title="f0015-03" width="628" height="114"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDFri. Apr. 18Quebec 4 at Providence 5Sun. Apr. 20Quebec 4 at Providence 3Mon. Apr. 21Providence 3 at Quebec 4Wed. Apr. 23Providence 2 at Quebec 1Fri. Apr. 25Quebec 8 at Providence 1<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-04408/2857621-1-eng-US/f0015-042.jpg" title="f0015-04" width="625" height="123"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-05309/2857614-1-eng-US/f0015-052.jpg" title="f0015-05" width="589" height="138"></div><h2>PLAYOFF LEADERS</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-06257/2857607-1-eng-US/f0015-062.jpg" title="f0015-06" width="568" height="633"></div> &#9632;

f0015-01

AHL Playoffs

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. &mdash;Gilles Villemure, a unanimous pick for the 1968-69 Amercan Hockey League A 11-Star team, has been selected as the AHL&rsquo;s most valuable player by the press, radio and television of the league. For this honor the Buffalo goalie, whose 2.41 average led the league, receives the Les Cunningham Plaque along with a monetary award of $300.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-07231/2857680-1-eng-US/f0015-072.jpg" title="f0015-07" width="261" height="432"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ron Ward</figcaption></div>Villemure, credited by most as the mainstay in Buffalo&rsquo;s record-breaking season, has now collected $600 in awards including the $300 for being selected to the first team AllStars. He is only the fourth goaltender to receive the award since its inception in 1947-48.In winning the award Villemure missed by only one vote of being the unanimous choice of those qualified to vote. Hershey&rsquo;s Gil Gilbert, the league&rsquo;s leading scorer, was a distant second.Villemure celebrated his most brilliant season with six shutouts.His average never went higher than his leading 2.41 total. He participated in 62 games, had 3674 actual minutes played and gave up 148 goals. His won-loss total was 36-12-14.Another Buffalo player, Bob Blackburn, emerged as a runaway winner in the voting for the Eddie Shore Plaque as league&rsquo;s outstanding defenseman as selected by the press, radio and TV representatives.Blackburn collected a total of 21 votes, eight more than Hershey&rsquo;s Ralph Keller who finished second with 13. His teammate Ron Ingram and Hershey&rsquo;s Barry Ashbee tied for third place with 8 votes apiece.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-08207/2857673-1-eng-US/f0015-082.jpg" title="f0015-08" width="1108" height="1320"><figcaption class="caption-body">GILLES VILLEMURE&hellip;Unanimous MVP In AHL</figcaption></div>In winning the award and the $300 bonus Blackburn has also upped his post-season earnings to $600 including the $300 he received for being named to the first All-Star team. He is also the first backliner from Buffalo to receive the Shore award in the 11 years it has been presented.Meanwhile, Rochester&rsquo;s Ron Ward, whose pro hockey career consisted of two seasons in the Central Hockey League and a single game in the Western League, before coming to Rochester this season, has been named the winner of the Dudley &ldquo;Red&rdquo; Garrett Memorial Trophy for the 1968-69 season.The Garrett Trophy is emblematic of the AHL&rsquo;s rookie of the year. He also receives a bonus of $300 from the league for his outstanding achievements during the season.Ward finished in a tie with AHL veteran Willie Marshall for the fourth spot on the final scoring statisties. He scored 35 goals and had 47 assists for a total of 78 points, In the voting Ward was a runaway winner collecting 32 votes. Hershey&rsquo;s Garnet &ldquo;Ace&rdquo; Bailey was runnerup with 19 points while Quebec&rsquo;s Guy Dufour and Cleveland&rsquo;s Bob Berry each had 8 points. &#9632;

f0015-07

Villemure, Blackburn, Ward Win AHL’s Individual Awards

SEATTLE, Wash. &mdash;For the third consecutive season, the San Diego Gulls have broken the official Western Hockey League attendance record.Figures released by the WHL office show that the Gulls&rsquo; official total attendance for the 37-game 1968-69 season was 325-657 &mdash; 13,800 more than the record-setting 1967-68 total of 311,857.The Gulls established a WHL attendance record by drawing 291,786 fans during their first season in the league, then eclipsed that mark last season with the 311,857 total.This is a great tribute to our fans and the kind of support that they have given us in the past three seasons,&ldquo;said Gulls&rsquo; General Manager-Coach Max McNab.&rdquo;This is not a team record, it&rsquo;s a record that belongs to our fans<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-01537/2857718-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="275" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body">Max McNab</figcaption></div>This is the type of encouragement that pionship team to the fans. We have made progress every year and we are determined to keep making progress, McN-ab con-cludedmakes all of us work harder to bring a chamThe Western League actually enjoyed an increase in attendance of 145,473 over the previous year in regular season and playoff play. During the regular season San Diego led the way with 325,657 with Vancouver next with 281,979. These figures do not include Exhibition Games. Attendance by Cities:<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02462/2857711-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="1222" height="501"></div> &#9632;

f0016-01

WHL Shows Increase Of 145,473 At Gate As San Diego Leads

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah &mdash;Officials of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles professional hockey team are hard at work making plans for the hosting of the 1969 Western Hockey League annual meetings in Salt Lake City on May 19, 20 and 21.The yearly confab, the principle meeting of the WHL and the only time in the year when all league and individual club executives all get together, will be held at the Hotel Utah.On the agenda for discussion and action will be items such as new franchise applications, consideration of a league television package, meetings with player representatives on the league pension plan and other related subjects, approval of schedules, es+ablishement of draft procedures, amendments of by-laws and rules, and many others.It is anticipated that formal applications from Mexico City will be submitted for league membership. Other cities are also expected to have representatives present.The WHL meetings will commence on Monday, May 19, with public relations directors of each club conferring. Meetings of the WHL Pension Society Directors and the league player relations committee will be held the same day. Coaches and general managers will meet to discuss rules while owners will have a dinner meeting.The entire day Tuesday, May 20, will be set aside for owners, coaches and general managers to conduct league business meetings. Business sessions will conclude on Wednesday.&ldquo;We feel extremely fortunate that the league has expressed its confidence in our operation by awarding us the annual meetings&rdquo;, stated Golden Eagle owner-president Daniel H. Meyer.&ldquo;It should be an excellent op-nortunity for the local news media to meet the directors of the WHL and also the owners, coaches, general managers and publicity directors of each of the teams. It will also afford our visitors the opportunity to view the magnificent new Salt Palace and give them an idea of the type of facilities we are offering to the league,&rdquo; he said.Meanwhile, two of the amateur performers the Salt Lake Golden Eagles signed to tryout agreements, Ron Williams and Dale Conrad, turned in standout performances for their respective clubs in post-season playoff competition.Williams, a hustling 20-year-old center for the Edmonton Oil Kings junior team, sparked his club before losing to favored Flin Flon in the Canadian western junior championship.Williams, rookie-of-the-year in the WCHL (Western Canadian Hockey League), has played well in the playoffs.Conrad, a strapping six-foot, 190-pound winger, had been instrumental in leading the Calgary Stampeders to the finals of the Canadian senior championship against Galt.Golden Eagle general managercoach Ray Kinasewich witnessed a contest matching Calgary against Spokane and saw Conrad score the winning goal in a 4-3 contest with five seconds left in the game. He also scored the first goal and assisted on the second.&ldquo;Conrad definitely was the star of the game and overshadowed the other players on both clubs. I&rsquo;m sure this is the kind of play we can expect from Conrad next year,&rdquo; said Kinasewich.The Golden Eagles have contracted with radio station KSL as its official broadcast outlet for the 1969-70 campaign.In an announcement made jcintly by Meyer, and Joseph A. Kjar, vice-president and general manager of KSL radio, it was revealed that KSL will broadcast live and direct from the point of origin the entire 72-game Golden Eagle regular-season schedule plus two pre-season contests.&ldquo;There is no question that hockey will become the greatest sports attraction in the state of Utah,&rdquo; said Meyer. &ldquo;It was inevitable, therefore, that KSL, with the widest coverage area of any station in the area, would obtain broadcast rights,&rdquo; said Meyer. &#9632;

WHL Meets In Salt Lake City AsNew Team Entries Expected

<h2>WESTERN LEAGUE</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03363/2857787-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="640" height="171"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 16Vancouver 6 at Portland 3Fri. Apr. 18Portlond 2 at Vancouver 5Sun. Apr. 20Vancouver 3 at Portland 2Tues. Apr. 22Portland 1 at Vancouver 2Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04290/2857780-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="631" height="141"></div><h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Tues. Apr. 1Vancouver 7 at Seattle 1Wed. Apr. 2Vancouver 6 at Seattle 0Fri. Apr. 4Seattle 1 at Vancouver 3Sat. Apr. 5Vancouver 3 at Seattle 2<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05219/2857773-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="613" height="141"></div><h2>GAMES COMPLETED</h2>Wed. Apr. 2San Diego 3 at Portland 4Thurs. Apr. 3Portland 0 at San Diego 1Sat. Apr. 5Portland 1 at San Diego 6Sun. Apr. 6Son Diego 1 at Portland 3Wed. Apr. 9Portland 5 at San Diego 1Thurs. Apr. 10Portland 4 at Son Diego 5Sat. Apr. 12San Diego 4 at Portland 5 &#9632;

f0016-03

WHL Playoffs

NEW YORK. N.Y. &mdash;CBS is still romancing the National Hockey League despite unfounded reports that the love affair is off.Don Ruck, vice president of the NHL and the man responsible for bringing about the television hockey association, said such reDorts that CBS had cancelled out are absolutely absurd.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know how these stories pop up or where they come from, but they just aren&rsquo;t true no matter what you hear,&rdquo; said Ruck bitterly.&ldquo;Of course we are negotiating a new contract, but we expect no hitches and hope to sign it as soon as possible,&rdquo; added Ruck, who disclosed that the NHls lucrative three-year contract with CBS totalling $3,600,000 had expired after the Stanley Cup finals.CBS is currently pondering the option to renew the pact, which has aroused speculation that maybe the U.S. network had had a changef heart. Ruck denies this is the case.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01451/2857825-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="259" height="441"><figcaption class="caption-body">Don Ruck</figcaption></div>Commenting on the rumors, Ruck said such talk about CBS dropping hockey are not exactly surprising. &ldquo;After all,&rdquo; commented Ruck, &ldquo;both the NHL and CBS are jockeying trying to get the advantage.&rdquo;The NHL executive said he doubted CBS would drop hockey for many reasons, particularly with the NHL headed for a world showdown with the Russians in the near future. &ldquo;That would have to be a sports spectacular when it happens and wouldn&rsquo;t imagine CBS would want to miss out on a game like that.&rdquo;Recent reports have indicated that U.S. pro basketball playoffs had nudged the NHL in the TV ratings but Ruck quickly pointed out that this was misleading.&ldquo;The basketball telecasts (which are relayed by ABC) have 201 outlets as compared to 146 for hockey. Also they are more established with U.S. home viewers than we are. So I don&rsquo;t see where anyone can draw a comparison,&rdquo; said Ruck.CBS televised 15 NHL Sunday &lsquo;game-of-the-week&rsquo; attractions this season including the Stanley Cup playoffs.<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03329/2857818-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="1725" height="1005"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ice Quips&hellip; &hellip;by Maki&ldquo;Now &hellip; show me where it hurts!&rdquo;</figcaption></div> &#9632;

f0017-01

Don Ruck Says NHL Negotiating New TV Contract With CBS

WINNIPEG, Man.&mdash;Plans are progressing for the staging of the second half of the World Hockey Tournament here in 1970.Officials report that ticket sales have reached 4,500 sets which is equivalent to 67,500 for the 15 games, which will be held at the Winnipeg Arena March 22-29.Tickets have been sold to groups in Sweden, where a Swedish travel agency plans to bring almost 700 fans over for the championships next March.Terry Hind, director of promotions, said that hockey fans may secure tickets by mail simply by writing to World Hockey 1970, Room 16, Winnipeg Arena, Winnipeg 21, Manitoba or by calling on the telephone at 204 783-1970.Allocation of seats is on a first-come-first-served basis. Hind says the tickets go for $75 for the 15 games. &#9632;

World Hockey Sales Moving

TORONTO, Ont. &mdash;A handful of National Hockey League players have indicated they are ready to play for Canada&rsquo;s National Hockey Team in world competition &mdash; if they could get permission.Lou Angotti, the hard-skating center of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL, disclosed at a minor hockey kids&rsquo; awards dinner here that he personally would like to perform for Canada and added that several top NHL players told him that they would like to join him and restore Canada&rsquo;s tarnished world hockey image.&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a challenge all right. A great one and I&rsquo;d sure like to play for Canada. I think if the matter was proposed to the NHL club owners in proper fashion, they would understand,&rdquo; said Angotti.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02399/2857880-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="285" height="458"><figcaption class="caption-body">Lou Angotti</figcaption></div>The peppery little Pittsburgh center, who is a native of Toronto and played U.S. college hockey for Michigan Tech before going up to the NHL, said he isn&rsquo;t alone in his desire to play for Canada.&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not the only NHL player who would like a chance to play either. Mike Walton, Bobby Orr and Stan Mikita all told me they would like to play on a team against the Russians.&ldquo;But let&rsquo;s not forget that we would have to play the way we were taught and not International rules,&rdquo; said Angotti.Asked who would win if the Russians met a select NHL squad? Angotti snapped.&ldquo;They (the Russians) are pros in every way that we are but I don&rsquo;t think for a minute they have a chance of beating an NHL team.&rdquo;Another individual who agrees with Angotti that the players are sincere and want to help Canada is Alan Eagleson, the executive director of the National Hockey League Players&rsquo; Association, who has most of the big NHL stars locked up.Eagleson said the major problem will be convincing U.S. club owners to release two of their players to help a Canadian team. &ldquo;But I&rsquo;ll tell you this definitely, the players are interested, they&rsquo;ve told me so.&rdquo; &#9632;

f0017-02

Angotti Says NHL Players Want To Help Canada In World Hockey

<h2>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04258/2857925-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="636" height="144"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDThurs. Apr. 10Muskegon 6 at Dayton 7Sat. Apr. 12Muskegon 1 at Dayton 4Sun. Apr. 12Dayton 7 at Muskegon 2Semi-Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-05211/2857918-1-eng-US/f0017-052.jpg" title="f0017-05" width="630" height="138"></div>Tues. Apr. 1Muskegon 2 at Toledo 4Thurs. Apr. 3Toledo 4 at Muskegon 6Sat. Apr. 5Muskegon 5 at Toledo 7Sun. Apr. 6Toledo 2 ot Muskegon 3Tues. Apr. 8Muskegon 5 at Toledo 4<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-06176/2857911-1-eng-US/f0017-062.jpg" title="f0017-06" width="627" height="153"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 2Fort Wayne 0 at Dayton 7Thurs. Apr. 4Dayton 2 at Fort Wayne 1Sat. Apr. 5Fort Wayne 3 at Dayton 5 &#9632;

f0017-04

IHL PLAYOFFS

<div class="byline">BY HARVEY POLLACK</div>NASHVILLE &mdash;Expansion of the Eastern Hockey League for the 1969-1970 campaign won&rsquo;t be too prolific with an outside chance that a new club will be installed in Macon, Georgia.Such an eventuality would be welcome as it would even up the divisions at six teams apiece. It had been indicated at the recent league meeting that all 11 teams from the past season would be back, so a team at Macon would raise the south to six teams to match the six already in the north.Actually Macon still had to fulfill some obligations in order to be eligible for play this year. They were given until the next league meeting, slated for May 26 at New York, to comply with EHL obligations and requirements.Macon had been the scene of half a dozen EHL games this past season. They were actually the home games of the Jacksonville Rockets which had been transferred there. Due to the interest that was exhibited by the fans there, the other EHL magnates are heartily in favor of Macon&rsquo;s entry.In addition the city is ideally located geographically for the southern division. It is the ideal stopping off place for games in Florida, and building manager Bill Lavery is confident all the league requirements will be met.Four other cities also made preliminary overtures towards joining the circuit. Memphis, Tenn, and Miami, Fla., are interested in joining for the 197071 campaign, and Richmond and Norfolk, Va., are thinking in terms of 1971-72. Down in Miami, a 5,000-seat building is being erected and should be ready in a year. Memphis is losing its Central League team and is looking for a replacement. Memphis feels it would have a ready made state rivalry with the Nashville team and would do better than the Knoxville franchise which is defunct. Bud Daily is negotiating for Memphis and Cal DeAngelo for Miami.Denzil Skinner represents the Richmond interests and Frank McKaine the Norfolk group. There is talk that there are other groups in Norfolk interested in landing the franchise too once the building is ready.Several other actions were taken at the meeting. Player-wise the most important was the one-year suspension handed to Marc Brunet of Jacksonville. The Rockets&rsquo; defenseman assaulted a referee during the recent playoffs and the league voted to ban him for the entire 1969-70 season. This suspension may be academic for Marc had indicated that he was contemplating retirement from the game although this announcement may have been made in anticipation of the penalty inflicted on him.The league is trying to cut down the number of rowdy incidents in the loop. It feels that its reputation is being harmed by such acts and discourages some players from joining the circuit. It is hoped that the new disciplinary measures such as inflicted on Brunet will show hockey players that the EHL means business in its attempts to curb the rough play that actually declined this past season in comparison with previous years.It was also decided to limit rosters to 14 men again next season with five of the men to be juniors. Two have to be born no earlier than Jan. 1, 1948 and three no earlier than Jan. 1, 1947.Actually a team could have five of the younger men but no more than three of the older ones. It had not been determined as yet whether a team could carry extra men in the early games of the season but that likely will be taken up at the next meeting where the schedule also will be finalized.Currently the schedule is being planned from Oct. 15 to Mar. 10 with two cross over games with opposite divisions rivals, one at home and one away.The playoff schedule also will be increased next year so that all series will consist of best four-out-of-seven sets. This year the divisional finals and the championship finals were seven game affairs, with the divisional semifinals being a best three-of five.It was also ruled that each first round series must begin no more than three days after the close of the regular season and each ensuing game must be played within a period of two days. If ice is not available to the team allocated the game, that club must forfeit its right to home ice to its opponent. Several clubs in the South had such problems this past season and caused delays in the playoffs. The league wants both divisions to be operating concurrently in the playoffs so there is no gap in the competition.It was thought that there might have been some problems with the Syracuse franchise since the team was last in attendance this season. But a new group headed by Nick Christakos has taken over and intends to operate this season possibly at a site other than the War Memorial.Jersey is having some difficulties trying to clear its rink for next season due to some problems with the landlords. But the club is confident it can straighten out the situation quickly.The EHL also plans an August meeting with the International League. &#9632;

Macon Under Consideration As 12th EHL Entry For 1969-70 Expansion

FLIN FLON, Man. &mdash;The abrupt cancellation of the Canadian junior final between Flin Flon Bombers and the St. Thomas Barons was interpreted as a blow to the breakaway Canadian Hockey Association and its future existence.This was the aftermath of the sudden ending to the East-West junior final between the clubs when the Barons, champions of the Western Ontario Junior League, promptly left the ice in the midst of a playoff game and refused to return.The result was the awarding of the series and the championship to the Bombers, who represented the strong Western Canada Junior Hockey League.St. Thomas abruptly ended the best-of-seven series after team manager Jack Cassidy charged the Bombers were overly rough and a &ldquo;bunch of butchers&rdquo;.CHA President Ron Butlin of Calgary censured both teams for their actions in the final. &ldquo;I feel that both teams had a considerable responsibility in bringing about an unfortunate scar on the Canadian Hockey Association,&rdquo; said Butlin, who founded the CHA after a falling out with the governing Canadian Amateur Hockey Association two years ago.The cancellation of the series set a precedent for Canadian amateur hockey. Never before had a national final been terminated in this manner and Butlin was incensed by the actions of the teams.He said he had suspended the St. Thomas team for pulling their club off the ice. Coach Keith Kewley&rsquo;s decision came with Flin Flon leading the fifth game 4-0. The contest was awarded to the Bombers and Butlin declared Flin Flon champions. They were leading the series 3-1 in games when it collapsed. &#9632;

Cancelling Cup Finals Blow To CHA

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01435/2858084-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="552" height="1028"><figcaption class="caption-body">REJEAN HOULE&hellip;Remarkable season</figcaption></div>MONTREAL, Que. &mdash;Junior hockey diehards admit it would require considerable deliberation tchose Canada&rsquo;s greatest team of all time.There have been many sc intillating junior ice Muads over the years. Names like the Winnipeg Monarchs, Oshawa Generals, Toronto St. Michael&rsquo;s Majors, Montreal Royals, Barrie Flyers, Guelph Biltmores and Toronto Marlboros to select a few have earned their place in the sun as far as junior hockey is concerned.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03310/2858077-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="273" height="448"><figcaption class="caption-body">Marc Tardif</figcaption></div>The path to glory carved by the Montreal Canadiens this season no doubt will stir up the controversy once more.Many believe the current Montreal team ranks as one of the most exciting of modern times, one that might even have ranked on a par with the &lsquo;64 Marlboros that won the Memorial Cup with sure-fire pros like Ron Ellis, Mike Walton, Wayne Carleton, Gary Dineen, Jim McKenny and Al Smith in the lineup.No one will doubt Roger Bedard&rsquo;s 1968-69 Montreal Canadiens are a challenge to the immortality of the Marlboros.&ldquo;They are a wonderful hockey club, one that could turn in on any time it had to and one that displayed more scoring potential and balance than even the &lsquo;64 team we had, which had players like Yvan Cournoyer and Andre Boudrias,&rdquo; said team manager Phil Wimmer.Judging by the manner in which the current Baby Habs rolled through their Canadian competition to the club&rsquo;s first national title since 1950, it would appear Wimmer wasn&rsquo;t being factitious.The Canadiens were a powerful junior aggregation that swept everything in their path culminating with their four-game series sweep last week against the Regina Pats to keep the Memorial Cup in the East.Spearheaded by two of the most sought after junior prospects in the country&mdash;Rejean Houle and Marc Tardif&mdash;the Montrealers breezed past Bob Turner&rsquo;s Western champions after similarly knocking over Hamilton, Peterborough, St. Catharines and Sorel to compile an awesome 22-1 playoff record.The Habs toppled Regina 5-3 and 7-2 on Montreal ice and then went West to bury the Pats 5-3 and 8-6.The victory over Regina climaxed a tremendous season for the Habs. They lost but a dozen games in 77 starts, won the OHA league championship, dominated the All-Star team selections, had the leading scorer in Houle, broke all attendance records with 317,250 fans and in general put fear in the hearts of every junior hockey club who crossed their path.Houle ended his personal junior career on a high note winning both the Max Kaminsky Trophy and the Red Tilson Memorial Award as the MVP and the most gentlemanly player respectively in the Junior OHA circuit.Neither Houle nor Tardif, whoscored 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points in 23 playoff games, will be back with the Canadiens next season. Both are stepping up to pro hockey and will be protected by the NHL Canadiens against the junior draft.&ldquo;What of next year,&rdquo; manager Wimmer was asked? &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not tworried. I think we are going to be just as strong.&rdquo;That would have to be bad news for the rest of Canada&rsquo;s junior clubs. &#9632;

f0019-01

Montreal Habs Breeze To Memorial Cup

<h2>ALLAN CUP</h2>1969 Galt Homets1968 Victoriaville Tigers1967 Drummondville Eagles1966 Drumheller Miners1965 Sherbrooke Beavers1964 Winnipeg Maroons1963 Windsor Bulldogs1962 Trail Smoke Eaters1961 Galt Terriers1960 Chatham Maroons1959 Whitby Dunlops1958 Belleville McFarlands1957 Whitby Dunlops1956 Vernon Canadians1955 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen1954 Penticton V&rsquo;s1953 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen1952 Fort Frances Canadians1951 Owen Sound Mercurys1950 Toronto Marlboros1949 Ottawa Senators1948 Edmonton Flyers1947 Montreal Royals1946 Calgary Stampeders1945 No competition1944 Quebec Aces1943 Ottawa Commandos1942 Ottawa RCAF1941 Regina Rangers1940 Kirkland Lake Blue Devils1939 Port Arthur Bear Cats1938 Trail Smoke Eaters1937 Sudbury Tigers1936 Kimberley Dynamiters1935 Halifax Wolverines1934 Moncton Hawks1933 Moncton Hawks1932 Toronto Nationals1931 Winnipeg1930 Montreal AAA1929 Port Arthur Bear Cats1928 Univ. Manitoba-Winnipeg1927 Toronto Varsity Grads1926 Port Arthur Bear Cats1925 Port Arthur Bear Cats1924 SauIt Ste. Marie1923 Toronto Granites1922 Toronto Granites1921 Univ. Toronto1920 Winnipeg Falcons1919 Hamilton Tigers1918 Kitchener1917 Toronto Dentals1916 Winnipeg 61st Battalion1915 Winnipeg Monarchs1914 Regina Victorias1913 Winnipeg1912 Winnipeg Victorias1911 Winnipeg Victorias1910 Toronto St. Michael&rsquo;s1909 Queen&rsquo;s University1908 Ottawa Cliffsides<h2>MEMORIAL CUP</h2>1969 Montreal Canadiens1968 Niagara Falls Flyers1967 Toronto Marlboros1966 Edmonton Oil Kings1965 Niagara Falls Flyers1964 Toronto Marlboros1963 Edmonton Oil Kings1962 Hamilton Red Wings1961 St. Michael&rsquo;s Majors1960 St. Catharines Teepees1959 Winnipeg Braves1958 Ottawa-Hull Canadiens1957 Flin Flon Bombers1956 Toronto Marlboros1955 Toronto Marlboros1954 St. Catharines Teepees1953 Barrie Flyers1952 Guelph Biltmores1951 Barrie Flyers1950 Montreal Canadiens1949 Montreal Royals1948 Port Arthur West End Bruins1947 Toronto St. Michael&rsquo;s1946 Winnipeg Monarchs1945 Toronto St. Michael&rsquo;s1944 Oshawa Generals1943 Winnipeg Rangers1942 Portage La Prairie1941 Winnipeg Rangers1940 Oshawa Generals1939 Oshawa Generals1938 St. Boniface Seals1937 Winnipeg Monarchs1936 West Toronto Redmen1935 Winnipeg Monarchs1934 Toronto St. Michael&rsquo;s1933 Newmarket1932 Sudbury1931 Winnipeg Elmwoods1930 Regina Pats1929 Toronto Marlboros1928 Regina Monarchs1927 Owen Sound1926 Calgary Canadians1925 Regina Pats1924 Owen Sound Greys1923 Univ. Manitoba-Winnipeg1922 Fort William War Veterans1921 Winnipeg Falcons1920 Toronto Canoe Club1919 Univ. Toronto Schools &#9632;

Amateur Champions

<h2>ALLAN CUP</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02382/2858153-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="612" height="203"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDSun. April. 27Calgary 2 at Galt 7Tues. Apr. 29Calgary 3 at Galt 9Thurs. May 1Calgary 1 at Galt 4Sat. May 3Calgary 2 at Galt 7<h2>MEMORIAL CUP</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04266/2858146-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="598" height="204"></div>Mon. May 5Montreal 8 at Regina 6GAMES COMPLETEDWed. Apr. 30Regina 3 at Montreal 5Fri. May 2Regina 2 at Montreal 7Sun. May 4Montreal 5 at Regina 2<h2>CHA JUNIOR</h2>Finals<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05221/2858139-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="618" height="234"></div>GAMES COMPLETEDThurs. May 1Flin Flon 6 at St. Thomas 2Sun. May 4St. Thomas 0 at Flin Flon 5GAMES TO COMEMon. May 5St. Thomas at Flin Flon &#9632;

f0019-02

LOOKING AT PLAYOFF RACES

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06173/2858184-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="892" height="1218"></div>SOLUTION IN JULY ISSUE<h2>ACROSS</h2>1&mdash;Pictured player4&mdash;Initials of one of the Habs.7&mdash;Initials of the Blues captain.8&mdash;Pictured player was born in this month, (abbr)10&mdash;One Of the Rangers.12&mdash;Former Ranger Heller answers to this.13&mdash;20th and 1st letters of the alphabet.14&mdash;Number worn by pictured player.15&mdash;First name of Hawk Fogolin.17&mdash;Initials of an American State.18&mdash;Initials of One of the Seals.19&mdash;Initials of Locas of Providence.21&mdash;First name of one the Leafs24&mdash;One of the Red Wings.29&mdash;One of the St. Louis Blues.30&mdash;Senior Baseball Circuit (init.)31&mdash;Initials of one of the Leafs32&mdash;A former N.H.L. goalie.33&mdash;Us.<h2>DOWN</h2>1&mdash;Birthplace of pictured player.2&mdash;One of the North Stars.3&mdash;Noteam wants to finish here.5&mdash;A former Leaf defenseman.6&mdash;Initials of an N.H.L.C.9&mdash;One of the Tulsa Oilers.11&mdash;Initials of ex-Leaf Taylor.16&mdash;First name of one of the Hawks.20&mdash;Coaches Portland in W.H.L.22&mdash;One of the Hawks.23&mdash;One of the Vancouver Canucks.25&mdash;Ex-N. H. L. star Stewart answers to this.26&mdash;Non-negotiable (init.)27&mdash;Initials of ex-Red Wing Reibel.28&mdash;A St. Louis Defenseman Answers to this.31&mdash;Initials of one of the Leafs.LAST WEEK&rsquo;S ANSWERSACROSS1&mdash;REDMOND5&mdash;G.A.6&mdash;TORONTO.11&mdash;ERNIE.12&mdash;RED13&mdash;LEO15&mdash;ART.17&mdash;EVE.18&mdash;N.Y.19&mdash;A.F.20&mdash;A.A.21&mdash;NEILSON.24&mdash;R.25&mdash;EA28&mdash;NOV.30&mdash;29&mdash;P.O.30&mdash;BRENNEMAN<h2>DOWN</h2>1&mdash;RATELLE.2&mdash;DORNHOEFER3&mdash;NET.4&mdash;GAUDET.7&mdash;OR8&mdash;O.19&mdash;N.E10&mdash;ORBAN14&mdash;EVANS.16&mdash;RYAN22&mdash;LEON23&mdash;SAVE26&mdash;RON.27&mdash;J.B.28&mdash;N.N.29&mdash;P.A. &#9632;

f0019-06

Hockey Crossword

<div class="byline">BY TOM MONAHAN</div>BOSTON Mass. &mdash;The end of the Stanley Cup playoffs with Montreal beating St. Louis in four straight games meant little to the Bruins&rsquo; front office after their elimination in three overtime losses to the Canadiens in the finals of the East Division.<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01279/2858222-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="292" height="429"><figcaption class="caption-body">Gary Doak</figcaption></div>As a matter of fact there was a week of comparative relaxation around the Boston Garden. There was the start of a remodeling of executive offices for one thing, the departure of players for their home towns a few rounds of golf and flips with the fishing rod.But there also was some retrospecting and projecting in the works.While coach Harry Sinden said, &ldquo;all I want to do is fish and play some golf before taking over a couple of hockey schools in the Boston area this summer.&rdquo; He also was thinking somewhat of next year.&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t anticipate any major personnel changes,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;After all when Your team scores 100 points in a season, I don&rsquo;t think you can call the situation desperate just because we lost four out of six games to Montreal and three of them were in overtime.&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think we are that desperate that we have to go out of our system to fill any spots. I think any question marks will be determined when we meet at London, Ont., around Sept. 13 for the start of next year&rsquo;s practice workouts.&rdquo;Harry was referring to some personnel changes that may be affected by the NHL draft in June, and general Manager Milt Schmidt took up the tune from there.&ldquo;Any changes we make will be dependent on the draft,&rdquo; said Schmidt.Schmidt is well aware that the Bruins turn their protected list into the National League office by five o&rsquo;clock the night before the draft is scheduled to take place in Montreal at the annual meetings starting June 9.The Bruins are also aware that they will have the first pick in the draft after trading forward Tommy Williams and rookie defenseman Barry Gibbs of Oklahoma City to Minnesota in exchange for the North Stars&rsquo; first draft choice.The Bruins otherwise will be near last in the draft and can protect only 14 players and two goal-tenders.The goal tenders figure to be Gerry Chee vers and Eddie Johnston.&ldquo;Cheevers had a fine season and I don&rsquo;t think there is a goalie in the league as good right now,&rdquo; said Sinden. &ldquo;Johnston isn&rsquo;t far behind. The only reason he didn&rsquo;t work more for us in the playoffs was because Gerry was hot and Eddie hadn&rsquo;t played that much in the last month.&rdquo;<div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02203/2858215-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="2444" height="1833"></div>The Bruins also did benefit from seeing a lot of young players in NHL competition this year even though injuries to regulars gave the kids the opportunity and possibly prevented the B&rsquo;s from finishing first in the East.In addition the Bruins have a hatful of first year players who are not eligible for the draft this summer.Among those is Bobby Orr.Now a three year veteran and two time Norris Cup winner, Orr still is regarded as a first year pro because of his age.&ldquo;That saves us a lot of thinking,&rdquo; said Sinden with a laugh. &ldquo;We might have to make a big decision if he was draftable.&rdquo;In addition to Orr there are Jim Harrison, Tom Webster, Garnet Bailey, Steve Atkinson, and Rick Smith.Youngsters the Bruins must consider carefully are Don Marcotte, Nick Beverly, Bill Lesuk, Ross Lonsberry, Barry Wilkins and Jim Lorentz.Left wing, supposedly, is still a problem for the Bruins with Ron Murphy and Johnny Bucyk as the top southpaws.But neither are causing Schmidt and Sinden much concern.&ldquo;They both have a lot of hockey left and we do have Wayne Cashman, Marcotte and Bailey in that spot,&rdquo; they say.The status of Gary Doak may figure in the draft list. Doak had mononucleosis and a back ailment that is being treated instead of requiring surgery.The Bruins aren&rsquo;t even talking about the club&rsquo;s middle. It ranks as probably the best in the NHL with century scoring champion Phil Esposito, Derek Sanderson and Fred Stanfield.There are some areas the Bruins must consider carefully but there is hardly any panic along Causeway street just because the Canadiens managed to eke out three overtime victories over the Bruins. &#9632;

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June 1, 1969

How They Picked Them

Habs’ Cup Win Team Effort Says Ruel But Coach Elated As Savard Gets Smythe Trophy

Fan Forum

EHL Playoff Picture