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January 14, 1983
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.
Hannan Takes Big Leap To Pens
PITTSBURGH—It’s a long journey for a lOth-round draft choice to the National Hockey League, but for the Penguins’ David Hannan, the trip has taken only one season and now he’s centering Pittsburgh’s top line, too. The Penguins selected Hannan from Brantford Alexanders of the Ontario Hockey League in the 10th and final round of the 1981 entry draft. He was the 196th of 211 players. He scored 46 goals and 35 assists for the Alexanders during his final season of junior after he was passed over as an underage selection in previous drafts. “I thought I had a chance to get drafted.” Hannan recalled. “I didn’t know where or what round. I knew it wasn’t going to be in the first four rounds with the young guys. It was my last year…
‘Nifty’ Middleton Loses Touch Around Net
BOSTON—Along with the first Bloody Marys of the new year came word that the Boston Bruins were leading the National Hockey League’s Adams Division by four points over the Montreal Canadiens and were only four points behind the Chicago Black Hawks for the best record in the whole league. And they were doing it with anemic goal production from Rick Middleton, their 51-goal scorer the previous year. The Bruins played their 38th game of the season on New Year’s Eve, a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota North Stars, and Middleton had only 14 goals. He had only one goal in the last eight games. That’s hardly the pace of a 50-goal scorer. “I don’t know what it is,” said Middleton, who has never really known a slump like this since he came to…
Lukowich And Eaves: The Tale Of Two Jets
WINNIPEG—“I am the Winnipeg Jets. I love this team. I couldn’t play for anyone else.” Morris Lukowich searched for the right words. Thoughts of being traded sickened him. He has been gnawed by his failure to contribute to a team that needs him as badly as he needs it. The scene was a coffee shop in the Hotel Vancouver. Boxing Day shoppers paraded by, clutching their bounties of post-Christmas sales. Lukowich felt low. He legs felt sore. He has been nagged by injuries that have impaired his skating. But the 26-year-old left winger was merely suffering from his worst slump in seven years of professional hockey. One goal in 11 games is hardly the pace expected of the highest-scoring left winger in the National Hockey League last season. Suddenly, he snapped out of it, firing…
Hawks’ Preston Knows What It Takes To Win
CHICAGO—Deja vu. They weren’t Stanley Cups yet, but for Rich Preston they will always be something special. Twice in his career, the Black Hawks’ 30-year-old right winger drank from the Avco Cup. a trophy emblematic of the World Hockey Association championship. The first time he was a rookie with the Houston Aeros in 1974-75. The last time was in 1978-79 when he skated for the Winnipeg Jets and was chosen the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs marking the end of the WHA. Those two Avco Cups make Preston one of kind on the Black Hawks. No other Hawk player has experienced the sensation of being part of a big-league championship season. True, the WHA wasn’t the NHL, but Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe played there and that made what could and should have been…
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