New NHL Alignment

CAMPBELL CONFERENCE Norris Division Detroit Red Wings Chicago Black Hawks Minnesota North Stars St. Louis Blues Toronto Maple Leafs Smythe Division Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings Vancouver Canucks Winnipeg Jets WALES CONFERENCE Patrick Division New Jersey Devils New York Islanders New York Rangers Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals Adams Division Boston Bruins Buffalo Sabres Hartford Whalers Montreal Canadiens Quebec Nordiques…

ON THE CONTRARY

Bucking Hockey History LET US ALL pray that John McMullen doesn’t have a shelf full of hockey history books in his abundant library. If he does—Heaven forbid!—he might change his mind about the Jersey Devils. Should John McM read up on the Montreal Maroons, New York Americans and Ottawa Senators, a double-take would be in order. After all, this is a man who, along with cohorts, is expected to expand an estimated $29 million for the privilege of NHL squatting rights at the Meadowlands Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The man obviously believes that the New York Metropolitan Area can accommodate three—count ’em, three—NHL teams. But can it? History says no, only because there never has been an NHL center that supported a triumvirate of big-league skaters. Skeptics note that since it never happened before,…

AHL Starting Times

New Devils Pin Hopes On Chico

STRONG POINTS: Veteran goaltender Glenn Resch and captain Don Lever are team leaders, “Chico” calm and analytical, and Lever, the firebrand on the ice and in the dressing room. New home and hungry fans will be a plus. WEAK POINTS: With few exceptions, the roster is populated by journeymen-types of nearly equal, and questionable value. The team’s disastrous final year in Colorado will tend to haunt them, particularly during losing streaks. Fans must be patient: self-doubt will always be a threat to team morale. NEW FACES: Training camp was a sea of free agents and conditional properties such as defenseman Norm Barnes and right wing Danny Geoffrion not to mention backliner Rob Palmer and center Mike Antonovich. Veterans making last stab at NHL career provide sharp competition for draft choices—many of them…