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.

August 9, 1985

The Hockey News August 9, 1985

<h2><b>ATLANTIC COAST LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-219/5027069-1-eng-US/f0021-212.jpg" title="f0021-21" width="540" height="174"></div><p><b>(Teams get point for overtime loss)</b></p><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-228/5027062-1-eng-US/f0021-222.jpg" title="f0021-22" width="544" height="321"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>CAROLINIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-236/5027055-1-eng-US/f0021-232.jpg" title="f0021-23" width="545" height="707"></div><h2><b>ERIE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-245/5027048-1-eng-US/f0021-242.jpg" title="f0021-24" width="541" height="591"></div><h2><b>MOHAWK VALLEY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-254/5027041-1-eng-US/f0021-252.jpg" title="f0021-25" width="540" height="93"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-262/5027034-1-eng-US/f0021-262.jpg" title="f0021-26" width="553" height="1378"></div><h2><b>PINE BRIDGE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-272/5027027-1-eng-US/f0021-272.jpg" title="f0021-27" width="549" height="727"></div><h2><b>VIRGINIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-282/5027020-1-eng-US/f0021-282.jpg" title="f0021-28" width="542" height="1225"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-29/5027013-1-eng-US/f0021-292.jpg" title="f0021-29" width="572" height="499"></div><h2><b>PLAYOFFS</b></h2><h3><b>FINALS</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-30/5027006-1-eng-US/f0021-302.jpg" title="f0021-30" width="543" height="88"></div><p><b>(Carolina wins best-of-seven series 4-2)</b></p><h3><b>SEMI-FINALS</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-31/5026999-1-eng-US/f0021-312.jpg" title="f0021-31" width="555" height="86"></div><p><b>(Carolina wins best-of-seven series 4-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-32/5026992-1-eng-US/f0021-322.jpg" title="f0021-32" width="540" height="88"></div><p><b>(Erie wins best-of-seven series 4-2).</b></p><h2><b>FINAL PLAYOFF SCORING</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-33/5026985-1-eng-US/f0021-332.jpg" title="f0021-33" width="541" height="1518"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-34/5026978-1-eng-US/f0021-342.jpg" title="f0021-34" width="556" height="207"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0021-21

IN THIS ISSUE

THN STATISTICS ACHL

<div class="byline">by BOB DUFF</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0005-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-04396/5025499-1-eng-US/f0005-042.jpg"></div><p>that the most goals by a player in one playoff year is:<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Did You Know…

<div class="byline">Rick Ley</div><p><b>Rick Ley</b> has played in the National Hockey League. Now he wants to coach there.</p><p>The former defenseman, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Hartford Whalers during a 13-year professional career, is working hard to prove he belongs in the big leagues again.</p><p>And Ley, a low-scoring blueliner during his playing days, scored some points last season by turning around the Muskegon Lumberjacks, who moved from the International League basement to the penthouse in one season, and capturing THN Minor Pro Coach-of-the-Year honors. The Lumberjacks skated to a 50-29-3 record during the regular season and then advanced to the Turner Cup finals before losing to the Peoria Rivermen. Ley&rsquo;s previous coaching experience includes stints in both the American and Atlantic Coast leagues.</p><p>Runner-up Gene Ubriaco skippered the Baltimore Skipjacks to an impressive 4527-8 record. The Skipjacks sailed into the American League&rsquo;s Calder Cup final but fell in six games against the Sherbrooke Canadiens. Ubriaco has also coached in the Eastern and Central leagues.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-02395/5027981-1-eng-US/f0035-022.jpg" title="f0035-02" width="702" height="1348"><figcaption class="caption-body">Coach Rick Ley&rsquo;s Muskegon Lumberjacks looked great in the International League this past season when they reached the finals.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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Minor Coach Of The Year

<div class="byline">BY ROD BEATON</div><h2><b>DETROIT RED WINGS</b></h2><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-011187/5025609-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="144" height="106"></div><p>DETROIT&mdash;The Detroit Red Wings have a million-dollar man.</p><p>It isn&rsquo;t John Ogrodnick. It isn&rsquo;t Steve Yzerman. It&rsquo;s Adam Oates.</p><p>Adam Who?</p><p>The Red Wings have made Oates the richest rookie in National Hockey League history. He put pen to paper on a four-year contract calling for $150,000 his first season; $175,000 the second; $200,000 the third and; $225,000 the fourth, an option year. Add an incredible signing bonus of $250,000 and you have a total of $1-million over four years.</p><p>It&rsquo;s a one-way deal, so if Oates is a bust&mdash;and the Red Wings have bet heavily he won&rsquo;t be&mdash;he gets paid in full.</p><p>So who is this guy and why are they saying such nice things about him, not to mention throwing all that money his way.</p><p>Oates is a two-time All-American from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a sturdy center with outstanding playmaking skills.</p><p>He is a rare top pro prospect who slipped through his years of eligibility for the entry draft without being selected. Oates and right winger Ray Staszak of Illinois-Chicago, another late bloomer, became the prizes this year in a bidding war unprecedented in scope.</p><p>The bidding for Oates was skilfully choreographed by his agent, Art Kaminsky. Fifteen teams made offers. The field was finally narrowed to the New York Rangers and Detroit. Wings&rsquo; owner Mike Hitch personally stepped in and worked out the deal that snared Oates, who turns 23 in August.</p><p>The Red Wings are getting a solid six-footer whose playing weight ranges from 195 to 200 pounds&mdash;major league size for a centerman. On his blades, Oates is no slug, but he&rsquo;s no Mark Messier, either. His shot is standard NHL quality. He is hard-nosed, willing to take a hit and occasionally give one.</p><p>What has set him apart&mdash;beyond his unique bargaining position&mdash;is his playmaking, defensive prowess and leadership.</p><p>&ldquo;I would compare Adam to Rod Langway,&rdquo; said RPI coach Mike Adessa, who coached the Washington Capitals&rsquo; captain in high school. &ldquo;They might play different positions, but they have the same human qualities: They&rsquo;re unselfish and willing to do things for other people&hellip; Adam has great desire and great drive.&rdquo;</p><p>That drive helped RPI win the NCAA Division 1 championship in March. Oates centered Mark Jooris and John Carter on one of the most potent lines in college. He scored 30 goals, including 13 on the power play, and doled out 61 assists for 91 points in 38 games. The native of Schomberg, Ont., was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the NCAA player of the year.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not going to make people oooh and aah,&rdquo; said Adessa. &ldquo;He isn&rsquo;t flashy or spectacular. But in the defensive faceoff circle, he&rsquo;ll win 90 per cent of the draws and he&rsquo;ll get the puck for you in momentum situations. He&rsquo;s extremely creative. He is not a finish man. He makes plays and he&rsquo;s a great defensive man and penalty-killer. &ldquo;</p><p>The consensus of pro scouts is that the right-handed shooting Oates is not capable of being a first-line center on a good team. He doesn&rsquo;t have the explosiveness to dominate.</p><p>In Detroit, Yzerman has the top line locked up anyway. Oates is a classic, two-way, second-line center. Dwight Foster will handle the checking line&mdash;if he isn&rsquo;t moved to the wing&mdash;and Kelly Kisio and Shawn Burr will battle for the fourth line spot. At least that&rsquo;s the scenario the Red Wings envision.</p><p>&ldquo;I just want to make the team,&rdquo; Oates said. &ldquo;Every player has to adjust when he comes to the NHL. I&rsquo;m sure no one expects me to walk in and be a Steve Yzerman. Who could? I&rsquo;m sure they&rsquo;re prepared to let Adam Oates develop.&rdquo;</p><p>It will, undoubtedly, take time.</p><p>&ldquo;Even the great, great players in the game didn&rsquo;t reach greatness in game one. He&rsquo;ll go through a period of transition,&rdquo; said Adessa. &ldquo;The NHL isn&rsquo;t the ECAC, But he has the intangibles. He won&rsquo;t be overwhelmed.&rdquo;</p><p>The Red Wings were the NHL&rsquo;s oldest team last season. Oates is a key part of GM Jim Devellano&rsquo;s drive to rebuild with youth.</p><p>&ldquo;This is the first time we&rsquo;ve stepped into the college free-agent market with both feet,&rdquo; said Devellano. &ldquo;The timing was right. The older players are retiring.&rdquo;</p><p>Oates is the prize in an infusion of free-agent talent that includes right wing Chris Cichocki of Michigan Tech, defenseman Tim Friday from RPI and center-left winger Dale Krentz of Michigan State. The Red Wings are still pursuing Staszak, too.</p><p>Devellano didn&rsquo;t get his first look at Oates until the player&rsquo;s final two games. Those were the semi-final and championship contests of the NCAA tournament, which was conveniently held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Obviously Devellano liked what he saw.</p><p>He doesn&rsquo;t like talking about the money. Nor does Kaminsky. Nor does Oates. They have good reason. The pressure will be enourmous.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve thought about that a lot,&rdquo; said Oates. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad I&rsquo;m coming in with a bunch of players. I&rsquo;d rather be one of the guys.&rdquo;</p><p>The contract might preclude that.</p><p>In fact, Oates` pact is expected to have far-reaching implications. Agents for first-round draft picks will be certain to use its value as a bargaining lever in contract negotiations.</p><p>&ldquo;Sure it will have an impact,&rdquo; said Bill Watters, who represents six 1985 first-round draft picks. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll just go to them and say, &lsquo;We&rsquo;ll take what Oates got. No problem.&rsquo;&ldquo;</p><p>Player agent Don Meehan, who also represents six first-rounders (among them top pick Wendel Clark of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brent Fedyk of the Red Wings) called the situations of Oates and Staszak, &ldquo;an aberration&rdquo; because of the unique status they both enjoy. Meehan said that he thought that Oates&rsquo; contract will be brought up in all negotiations this summer.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

f0007-01

Red Wings Bag Oates With $1-Million Deal

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-011223/5025275-1-eng-US/f0002-012.jpg" title="f0002-01" width="532" height="900"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>WEALTHY JET</b></p><p>Page 32</p></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-021007/5025268-1-eng-US/f0002-022.jpg" title="f0002-02" width="536" height="894"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>FUTUREWATCH</b></p><p>Page 9</p></figcaption></div><p><b>THE COVER STORY&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;Page 3</b></p><p>In most professions, turning 30 means you&rsquo;re just beginning to hit your stride. Professional hockey, however, is not most professions. In fact, in the world of the National Hockey League, circa 1985, turning 30 means only one thing these days&mdash;you&rsquo;re on the downside of your career.</p><p><b>THE ROUNDTABLE&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;&hellip;..Page 9</b></p><p>Predicting what will happen in the future is a risky business, especially when you&rsquo;re looking 10 years down the road. But that didn&rsquo;t deter THE HOCKEY NEWS&rsquo; blue-ribbon panel of experts from gazing into the crystal ball during the 1985 Newsmakers&rsquo; Roundtable.</p><p>To subscribe to THE HOCKEY NEWS or make a change of address to an existing subscription, see Page 24.</p><h2><b>Statistics</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-03747/5025261-1-eng-US/f0002-032.jpg" title="f0002-03" width="562" height="474"></div><h2><b>Columnists</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-04519/5025254-1-eng-US/f0002-042.jpg" title="f0002-04" width="576" height="154"></div><h2><b>Departments</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-05381/5025247-1-eng-US/f0002-052.jpg" title="f0002-05" width="570" height="922"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-06280/5025240-1-eng-US/f0002-062.jpg" title="f0002-06" width="532" height="900"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>A GREAT LOSS</b></p><p>Page 28</p></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0002-07184/5025233-1-eng-US/f0002-072.jpg" title="f0002-07" width="524" height="888"><figcaption class="caption-body"><p><b>SHOW STOPPER</b></p><p>Page 34</p></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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The Hockey News

<p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>n the August 23rd issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS, which will be available in about four weeks, we will take a look at a question that&rsquo;s begging an answer. Specifically, which of the four major team sport home to the best athlete?</p><p>Each sport has its own lists of pros and cons, and we&rsquo;ll attempt to put them into perspective and come up with a definitive answer to the controversial question.</p><p>In addition to that, we&rsquo;ll also have reports from the 21 National Hockey League cities, as well as updates from all the minor and junior leagues.</p><p>And, of course, we&rsquo;ll have the best in news and views from columnists Stan Fischler, Frank Orr, Steve Simmons, Jay Greenberg and Joe Falls.</p><p>If you thought hockey had an off-season, you&rsquo;re wrong.</p><p>Don&rsquo;t miss the August 23rd issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS.</p><h2><b>QUOTE OF THE WEEK</b></h2><p><i>&ldquo;Can you imagine the genes Wayne and I could put together?&rdquo;</i></p><p><b>&mdash;Tennis star Martina Navratilova, saying Wayne Gretzky fits her criterion as a potential father of her child. See Bluelines, page 12.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

NEXT WEEK IN THN

<div class="byline">BY STEVE DRYDEN</div><p><i>Polo, says Steve Shutt, is the perfect substitute for hockey.</i></p><p><i>It requires all the same skills, insists the recently-retired forward who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League&mdash;12 of them with the Montreal Canadiens.</i></p><p><i>You need balance, agility, good eye-hand co-ordination and, of course, a liberal helping of horse sense, continues Shutt, who demonstrated all of the above&mdash;save maybe the last&mdash;during a career that included five Stanley Cups.</i></p><p><i>&ldquo;The best part of this,&rdquo; concludes Shutt, as he watches a polo game in progress just north of Toronto on a sunny July day, &ldquo;is that you get to change your legs after every period.&rdquo;</i></p><p><i>Shutt, whose wheels rarely failed him alongside long-time linemate Guy Lafleur, uses the legs of four ponies per game in a sport that now consumes him as hockey once did.</i></p><p><i>He is one of seven prominent NHLers who have retired since the end of the 1984-85 season. Shutt and the others, Brad Park of the Detroit Red Wings, Anders Hedberg of the New York Rangers, Jim Schoenfeld of the Buffalo Sabres, and Terry O&rsquo;Reilly, Mike Milbury and Butch Goring, all of the Boston Bruins, represent a mass exodus from a game unaccustomed to losing so many big names in so short a time.</i></p><p><i>Shutt will spend much of his new-found spare time playing polo&mdash;which makes him the envy of many fellow horsemen.</i></p><p><i>&ldquo;I want to get a job as a hockey player,&rdquo; says one of them from atop his horse before galloping into a game, &ldquo;so I can retire young.&rdquo;</i></p><p>In 1967, Shutt would have been the eighth oldest player on the Toronto Maple Leafs and many years from retirement. Only Marcel Dionne was older than him on the 1984-85 Los Angeles Kings.</p><p>It was nearly two decades ago that Punch Imlach assembled a geriatric juggernaut that knocked off the pennant-winning Chicago Black Hawks before beating the Montreal Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup.</p><p>The Leafs were led by golden oldies Johnny Bower, 42, and Terry Sawchuk, 37, defensemen Allan Stanley, 41, Tim Horton, 37, Marcel Pronovost, 36, and forwards Red Kelly, 39, Eddie Shack, 37 and George Armstrong, 36.</p><p>The team&rsquo;s average age was in excess of 31 years old. Old-age benefits were very much on their minds, as they were in the thoughts of many players during that era. Because while the Leafs were hardly the norm, they reflected a widespread circumstance in those days&mdash;the presence of players well into their 30s.</p><p>In today&rsquo;s game, fewer and fewer are lasting that long as a generation of baby-bonus players take over. Edmonton Oilers, who won their second straight Stanley Cup in May, averaged just 26 years and five months per player. Philadelphia Flyers, who lost in the final, averaged out a full two years younger.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-011250/5025344-1-eng-US/f0003-012.jpg" title="f0003-01" width="966" height="1138"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Recently-retired Boston Bruins&rsquo; defenseman Mike Milbury holds off Ron Duguay.</b></figcaption></div><p>Hockey, more than ever with the departure of Park, 37, Goring, 35, Hedberg and O&rsquo;Reilly, 34, Schoenfeld and Milbury, 33, and Shutt, 32, is a young man&rsquo;s game.</p><p>&ldquo;Like any sport it&rsquo;s getting more youth-oriented,&rdquo; says Shutt. &ldquo;The era of the 35-year-old athlete is rapidly coming to a close.&rdquo;</p><p>A cursory examination of NHL rosters from this past season reveals only eight players aged 35 or over. Park was the oldest. New Jersey Devils&rsquo; goalie Glenn Resch, who turned 37 on July 10, was the second oldest. Chicago Black Hawks&rsquo; forward Ed Olczyk, who won&rsquo;t be 19 until Aug. 16, occupied the opposite end of the spectrum.</p><p>Before the institution of the wholesale under-age draft in 1979, teens were supposed to be seen (in junior hockey) but not heard from (in professional hockey). There were exceptions, for instance Bep Guidolin who at 16 was the youngest ever to play in the NHL, but not many. The scale was heavily balanced in favor of older players.</p><p>That has changed in recent years&hellip;and so has the game in response. Never before has it&rsquo;been so fast&mdash;one of the critical reasons older players are being phased out much earlier than in years past.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-021023/5025337-1-eng-US/f0003-022.jpg" title="f0003-02" width="963" height="1108"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Punch Imlach, sporting a fedora, watches action from behind the bench during his days as Leafs&rsquo; coach.</b></figcaption></div><p>Milbury remembers the Stanley Cup-winning Big, Bad Bruins of 1972 and notes, with the exception of Bobby Orr, they were an unbearably slow team afoot.</p><p>Fourteen years later, the New York Islanders&rsquo; dynasty stands on the verge of collapse because the team is too slow to compete. Significantly, they had nine 30-plus players.</p><p>&ldquo;Ten years ago,&rdquo; relates Shutt, &ldquo;the game was a little bit slower and there was a little more finesse to the game. You knew a guy could hang onto the puck a little longer and control it. He didn&rsquo;t need the speed. Now out there, everybody is speed-oriented.&rdquo;</p><p>Hedberg, who used his speed to count four 50-goal seasons in the World Hockey Association, faced up to an inevitable decision when he realized age had deprived him of his greatest asset.</p><p>&ldquo;I was 34, My whole game was skating and when I couldn&rsquo;t skate, I couldn&rsquo;t compete any more,&rdquo; says the Swedish Express, whose skating skills would have carried him longer in the game played just a decade ago.</p><p>While eventual physical shortcomings are easy enough to measure, others&mdash;hidden beneath the surface&mdash;are more difficult to gauge. But, they are, nonetheless, very much in evidence.</p><p>All three players agree hockey takes its toll as much mentally as it does physically and thus retirement becomes more than a decision based on playing capabilities.</p><p>It also pivots on a player&rsquo;s will to continue. Playing professional hockey is a pressure-filled existence that exacts a special toll.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0003-03674/5025330-1-eng-US/f0003-032.jpg" title="f0003-03" width="966" height="1135"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Anders Hedberg cuts sharply, moments before demonstrating his trademark explosive skating ability.</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;Five years from now,&rdquo; Shutt speculates, &ldquo;guys who are 28 are going to be out of the league. I don&rsquo;t consider how old you are. I consider how long you&rsquo;ve played in the league. If you&rsquo;ve played in the league for 10 years, that&rsquo;s a lot of wear and tear.</p><p>&ldquo;And the guys who started at 18 and are now 28, you can see those guys are starting to get burned out and they&rsquo;re only 28. But the whole thing is they&rsquo;ve played 10 years in the league.&rdquo;</p><p>No other professional sport, with the exception of tennis, sacrifices its young like hockey. And tennis is a sport plagued by burn-out, witness the pre-mature departure of stars such as Bjorn Borg, Tracy Austin and Andrea Jaegar. Are hockey players of the future bound to suffer from the same syndrome? How long, for instance, will Wayne Gretzky&mdash;a dominant professional since the age of 18&mdash;play in the NHL?</p><p>&ldquo;You play 10 years and you&rsquo;re playing 80 games and playoffs, it bums you out,&rdquo; says Shutt. &ldquo;In my case my heart burnt out before my legs did. I was still fast enough to play in the league but my heart just wasn&rsquo;t in it.&rdquo;</p><p>The influx of young players has, naturally, led to the squeezing out of others in the zero-sum game of NHL roster numbers. After all, only so many players can be accommodated. Imlach notes that players at the &ldquo;top-end of the age group&rdquo; have become the casualties.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not (lack of) talent that&rsquo;s doing it,&rdquo; says Imlach of the relatively early retirement faced by some players. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the signing of the 18-year-olds.&rdquo;</p><p>In past days, continues Imlach, most players apprenticed in the minor leagues and didn&rsquo;t bridge the gap between the American or Central Leagues and the NHL until they were 22. If the league does get any younger, which the former Leafs&rsquo; coach doesn&rsquo;t envision, he says it would best be described as a &ldquo;great Jr. A league.&rdquo;</p><p>Milbury, one of the game&rsquo;s most articulate spokesmen, had his decision to retire made easier for him when the Bruins offered him a job as assistant to Goring, the new coach. He accepted and left the playing surface with his dignity intact.</p><p>&ldquo;I still wanted to be near the top of my abilities which may or may not have been that high in some people&rsquo;s minds,&rdquo; chuckles the former defenseman. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t let them (skills) die out on the ice and hang in there.</p><p>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s a bad thing pyschologically to let yourself hang in, hang in and hang in and finally have someone just open the door and kick you out. It&rsquo;s almost an embarrassing kind of thing.&rdquo;</p><p>That sort of inglorious ending to a career isn&rsquo;t as apt to happen today as it was in past days when some players were dragged kicking and screaming into retirement. Most of those players had no alternative career. Nor did they have sufficient money at their disposal to ease into retirement.</p><p>The athlete who prospered during the 70&rsquo;s and 80&rsquo;s and managed his money reasonably well doesn&rsquo;t have the prospect of financial difficulties hanging over his head. More than like ly he has also prepared for lite after hockey. Older players don&rsquo;t <i>need</i> to play the game as long as they once did.</p><p>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s face it, the game is paying a lot more money than it used to and people can afford to walk away,&rdquo; says Milbury. &ldquo;In my case I didn&rsquo;t walk away independently wealthy&mdash;hardly&mdash;but it&rsquo;s a point where you&rsquo;ve given yourself enough of a headstart so you can hopefully move into some other career.&rdquo;</p><p>Lafleur, the Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; superstar who retired early in the 84-85 season, was in a position to do so&mdash;even without the public relations position he accepted with the Habs&mdash;because of the big money he had been earning for so many years.</p><p>His skills had deteriorated beyond a stage he could accept, causing no end of mental anguish. Others suffer physically.</p><p>&ldquo;After a certain number of years you start to do irreparable damage to your knees and shoulders,&rdquo; says Milbury. &ldquo;When you wake up regularly with aches and pains and you know they&rsquo;re only going to get worse and that the longer you play the more damage you&rsquo;re going to do&hellip;&rdquo;</p><p>Shutt finishes the thought: &ldquo;Some days, you just get up and say, &lsquo;Jeez, I don&rsquo;t need this.&rsquo; But if you do need it, you keep on going.&rdquo; The former 60-goal scorer, like many of his well-paid peers, didn&rsquo;t need to keep going.</p><p>Retirement was partially forced on Shutt but it had became increasingly clear his time had come, or more precisely, that his time had passed. Shutt knew that better than anybody. At season&rsquo;s end. when Los Angeles told him they would be returning his contract to the Canadiens who had earlier traded him to the Kings, he knew it was over. Shutt, polo ponies and all, is not destitute.</p><p>Neither is Hedberg, who serves as assistant GM to Craig Patrick with the Rangers. Hedberg laughs when it is suggested he may have been the last of a dying breed&mdash;the 30-plus hockey player. And he also remembers his final season.</p><p>&ldquo;I knew I was the oldest guy on our team and sure you look around and there aren&rsquo;t that many guys around older than yourself,&rdquo; says Hedberg. &ldquo;You wonder. &lsquo;Where the hell did they all go?&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>He firmly believes, however, there is still a role for older players in the game&rsquo;s present framework.</p><p>&ldquo;They create a stability within the club&mdash;a mature stability. You have Lanny McDonald, for example, in Calgary&hellip;you have Craig Ramsay in Buffalo, a very stable person.&rdquo;</p><p>Milbury is of the same opinion.</p><p>&ldquo;I think they give a balance to the enthusiasm some of the young players have that can go unchecked and become a kind of recklessness. Instead of having a young and restless team, you can give it some balance with an older player or two who can say some things quietly and subtly to keep them in line&hellip;and actually act in many ways as assistant coaches.&rdquo;</p><p><i>The Colgate graduate will fill that latter role in an official capacity this season&hellip;and leave behind a generation of players weaned not on Gordie Howe but Guy Lafleur.</i></p><p><i>&ldquo;It was strange being one of the oldest guys on the club.&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;For awhile. I was the second oldest player after Terry (O&rsquo;Reilly), on the</i></p><p><i>team&hellip; Yeah, you do shake your head but it&rsquo;s almost like you&rsquo;re looking for the guys you idolized when you first broke into the game.</i></p><p><i>&ldquo;Where have they gone? All of a sudden you realize he&rsquo;s been retired for three-four-five years. Then you say,</i> &lsquo;Wow, <i>it&rsquo;s coming to a close.&rsquo; I&rsquo;ve never been fearful of that. It&rsquo;s just the passage of time.&rdquo;</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0003-01

Fewer And Fewer Golden Oldies

<div class="byline">Frank Orr</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-011281/5025375-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="381" height="427"></div><p><b>THE COST WOULDN&rsquo;T</b> have been very much, only $250, even by the somewhat different financial standards of the 1930&rsquo;s.</p><p>But if the promising young center out of Kitchener, Ont., had signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, National Hockey League history would have been altered considerably.</p><p>Imagine the Leafs of the late 1940&rsquo;s, the great post-war team that won three consecutive Stanley Cup crowns as it was, if their centers had been Ted (Teeder) Kennedy, Syl Apps, Cal Gardner, Max Bentley&mdash;and Milt Schmidt.</p><p>Schmidt was all set to sign with the Leafs for a $250 bonus in the mid-1930&rsquo;s. He didn&rsquo;t! Instead, he became a Boston Bruin and had one of the greatest of all big-league careers.</p><p>Frank Selke, who died at the age of 92 early in July, had Schmidt prepared to join the Leafs&mdash;for whom Selke was employed. Conn Smythe, the man in charge of the Leafs, vetoed the deal.</p><p>Selke told the story a few years ago when he was assured that it wouldn&rsquo;t be written at the time.</p><p>&ldquo;Yes, I had Schmidt all set to become a Leaf for $250 and he was such a great young player at 18 that I almost signed him without asking for Smythe&rsquo;s okay,&rdquo; Selke said. &ldquo;But I thought I should tell the Major (Smythe) that I was spending his money.</p><p>&ldquo;His reaction was astonishing, to say the least. He said: &lsquo;Forget about anyone named Schmidt. There&rsquo;s no way I&rsquo;m having any goddamn square-head on my team.&rsquo;&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Square-head&rdquo; is an old-time unflattering euphemism for German, Schmidt&rsquo;s ancestry.</p><p>Frank Selke, all five-foot-five of him, was maybe the best little man the NHL ever owned. The Schmidt story was simply one of the million or so he knew about every side of the game, both the bright and dark segments of hockey. He did work with Gordon Green on a splendid book &ldquo;Behind the Cheering&rdquo; but it was a fairly gentle work. The full weight of what Selke knew would have rocked the game.</p><p>&ldquo;I thought of using some stronger stuff in my book but when I saw it down on paper, it was a completely different matter than relating an anecdote about someone verbally,&rdquo; Selke said. &ldquo;I would have hurt people who weren&rsquo;t really bad men.&rdquo;</p><p>Selke&rsquo;s death deprives the game of its finest history book&mdash;his mind, which was an incredibly accurate catalogue of the sport during a lengthy association that stretched from amateur hockey to the Leafs and finally, the Canadiens.</p><p>Ln 1946, Selke took command of a stagnant Canadien team that was, unbelievably, losing money. He revived the fortunes of the only legitimate dynasty the NHL has ever known.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll never forget that day in &rsquo;46 when I walked into the Forum,&rdquo; said Selke during a two-hour chat in 1983 when he was 90. &ldquo;The place was filthy and the smell of urine was enough to knock you over when you walked in the front door.&rdquo;</p><p>It didn&rsquo;t take &ldquo;Little Rollo&rdquo;&mdash;the nickname given Selke by the Toronto press with whom he had a healthy feud&mdash;long to turn the Canadiens around. As managing director of the team, he established a deep farm system and turned the province of Quebec into the club&rsquo;s private domain.</p><p>&ldquo;The whole dynasty of the Canadiens started with two people&mdash;Rocket Richard and Frank Selke,&rdquo; said Red Storey, the former great NHL referee who went to Montreal in 1942 to play football.</p><p>&ldquo;When Selke took over, the Forum was a bam and he turned it into an empire. The Canadiens had no heroes; he supplied them with heroes. The day he arrived, the fortunes of the Canadiens started to climb.&rdquo;</p><p>When Selke talked of Richard, his voice took on a different intensity, one reserved solely for that subject.</p><p>&ldquo;Rocket Richard, really, was the reason I had the success I did,&rdquo; Selke said. &ldquo;He built the Montreal Forum with his bare hands. There never was a more intense human being or a more dedicated hockey player than Richard.&rdquo;</p><p>Selke had an interesting reply when asked for a few words on the Richard-Gordie Howe comparison, the long-running discussion of hockey&rsquo;s two great right wingers.</p><p>&ldquo;The Rocket and Howe were such great players that the comparison never stopped.&rdquo; Selke said. &ldquo;Game after game, Gordie would give you a stronger performance because he was a bigger and stronger man. But Richard was a Frenchman and I think he had a little more heart, especially when he was keyed up.</p><p>&ldquo;But the Canadiens always seemed to have the very best. There was Newsy Lalonde, then Jack Laviolette, Didier Pitre, Joe Malone. Howie Morenz, Maurice Richard and Jean Beliveau. Guy Lafleur was as good a hockey player as I&rsquo;ve ever seen.&rdquo;</p><p>The &ldquo;Little Man&rdquo; in the front office was a big part of that &ldquo;very-best&rdquo; habit.</p><p><b>The Hockey News</b></p><p><b>THE INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY WEEKLY Founded in 1947 by Kenneth W. McKenzie</b></p><p><b>PUBLISHER</b> James A. Davidson</p><p><b>BUSINESS MANAGER</b> Tony Dobranowski</p><p><b>EDITOR IN CHIEF</b>Bob McKenzie</p><p><b>EDITORIAL DIRECTOR</b>Charlie Halpin</p><p><b>ASSISTANT EDITOR</b>Steve Dryden</p><p><b>EDITORIAL ASSISTANT</b>Jeff Hubbell</p><p><b>CONTRIBUTING EDITORS</b> Stan Fischler, Frank Orr</p><p><b>ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER</b>Randy Green</p><p><b>ADVERTISING SERVICES MANAGER</b>Esther Sumka</p><p><b>ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES</b>For Canadian Consumer Advertising Only Call: CCMC, Cliff Kivell, 287 MacPherson Ave. Toronto, Ontario M4V 1A4 (416) 928-2909</p><p><b>SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES MANAGER</b> Patricia Back</p><p><b>NEWSSTAND SERVICES MANAGER</b> Esther Sumka</p><p><b>CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT</b>Jurate Kaknevicius Rosanne Tanino</p><p><b>ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT</b>Tom Moffat Mary Carubia</p><p><b>SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER</b>Hughes Marketing Hockey News Bookshelf (416) 499-8227</p><p><b>ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES</b>85 Scarsdale Rd. Suite 100 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2R2 (416) 445-5702 <b>EXECUTIVE OFFICE</b> 850 Third Avenue New York, New York 10022</p><p><b>NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTOR</b></p><p>Distributed Nationally by Disticor</p><p>101 Duncan Mill Rd., Suite 14 Don Mills, Ont. M3B 1Z3 (416) 449-6430</p><p><b>W.C.C. PUBLISHING LTD. PRESIDENT</b>Dean Heine</p><p><b>THE HOCKEY NEWS, (1SSN 0018-3016)</b> is published weekly except monthly June and bimonthly July and August by W.C.C. Publishing Ltd., 85 Scarsdale Road #100, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2R2 (416) 445-5702. In U.S. c/o W.C.C. Publishing Corp., 850 Third Ave., New York, N.Y. 10022.</p><p><b>40 ISSUE SUBSCRIPTION RATES $24.95</b> in the U.S.A. $24.95 in Canada. $54.95 in Foreign Countries. Send all Canadian and Foreign subscription orders to THE HOCKEY NEWS, P.O. Box 13055, Postal Station A&rsquo;, Toronto, Ont. M5W 1V7, U.S. subscription requests should be mailed to Box 904, Buffalo. N.Y. 14240. Please allow 4-6 weeks for processing.</p><p><b>SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE HOCKEY NEWS,</b> 85 Scarsdale Road #100, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2R2. Second Class mail Registration No. 1327. All inquiries pertaining to subscriptions should be addressed to Subscription Dept. The Hockey News, 85 Scarsdale Road #100, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2R2.</p><p><b>IN THE UNITED STATES:</b> Second class postage paid at New York, N.Y. and at additional mailing offices. <b>U.S. POSTMASIER</b> send address change to: The Hockey News, P.O. Box 904, Buffalo. N.Y. 14240.</p><p><i>Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0004-01

‘Little Man’ Made Big Contribution

<div class="byline">By Bob Duff</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-011152/5025406-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="402" height="462"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>Q</span>: Could you please tell me when the following players were taken in the NHL entry draft: Gilbert Delorme, Mike Liut, Kevin LaVallee, Pat Hickey and Mark Reeds&rsquo;?</p><p><b>Larry Connors,</b></p><p><i>Cuslett P. Bay, Nfld.</i></p><p><b>A:</b> Obviously you&rsquo;re a St. Louis Blue fan, Larry. The Blues took the recently-traded Liut in the fourth round (56th overall) of the 1976 draft. Reeds was claimed in the fifth round (86th) of the &rsquo;79 draft.</p><p>The other three were all taken by different NHL clubs. Montreal claimed Delorme in the first round (18th) of the &rsquo;81 draft. LaVallee was chosen in the second round (32nd) by Calgary in 1980, and Hickey by the New York Rangers in the second round (30th) way back in 1973.</p><p>Q: Could you please list every captain in the NHL history of the Montreal Canadiens. Also, could you list the top five draft choices from 1984?</p><p><b>Edwin Simms,</b>&nbsp;<i>Gautois, Nfld.</i></p><p><b>A:</b> Here&rsquo;s a complete list of every captain of the Flying Frenchmen since 1917: Newsy Lalonde (1917-18 to 1920-21); Sprague Cleghorn (1921-22 to 1924-25); Billy Coutu (1925-26); Sylvio Mantha (1926-27 to 1931-32 and 1933-34 to 1935-36); George Hainsworth (1932-33); Babe Seibert (1936-37 to 1938-39); Walter Buswell (1939-40); Toe Blake (1940-41 to 1947-48); Bill Duman (1947-48); Butch Bouchard (1948-49 to 1955-56); Maurice Richard (1956-57 to 1959-60); Doug Harvey (1960-61); Jean Beliveau (1961-62 to 1970-71); Henri Richard (1971-72 to 1974-75); Yvan Coumoyer (1975-76 to 1978-79); Serge Savard (1979-80 to 198081); Bob Gainey (1981-82 to present).</p><p>The top five draft choices were: 1. Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh); 2. Kirk Muller (New Jersey); 3. Ed Olczyk (Chicago); 4. Al Iafrate (Toronto); 5. Petr Svoboda (Montreal).</p><p><b>Q:</b> Could you please tell us where Bruce Boudreau is playing hockey, and how he is doing?</p><p><b>M. & G. Thomson, <i>Downsview, Ont.</i></b></p><p><b>A:</b> The former Toronto Maple Leaf center was disappointed when the Leafs did not offer him the head coaching job with their American League farm team in St. Catharines, Ont. last year. Boudreau had been playing assistant coach there during the 1983-84 season. When Claire Alexander got the job instead, Boudreau opted to take the money and run, playing the &rsquo;84-85 season with Iserholn in the West German League. However, due to the lax rules in the AHL regarding players returning from Europe, Boudreau returned to finish the season with the Baltimore Skipjacks.</p><p><i>If you want your question answered in the Ask the Duffer column, send the query to:</i></p><p><i><b>ASK THE DUFFER,125 5th Ave. North, Apt. 1510 Saskatoon. Sask S7K 6A5</b></i></p><p><i>Personal replies to letters are not possible.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0005-01

ASK THE DUFFER

<p><b>Here&rsquo;s what was happening 20 years ago this month in hockey:</b></p><p>&bull; The Boston Bruins spent a record $120,000 this month in the NHL draft. They chose goaltender <b>Gerry Cheevers</b> as their No. 1 pick. The cost of drafting a player was $30,000, exactly double the draft price when the system started in 1954.<br>&bull; Hockey greats <b>Bill Mosienko, Syd Howe, Red Horner, Clint Benedict, Jack Marshall, Ernie Russell, Fred Scanlon, Blair Russell, Marty Barry and Arthur F. Farrell</b>were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. This brought the total members to 148, including 107 players, 35 builders and six referees.</p><p><b>Here&rsquo;s what was happening 15 years ago this week in hockey:</b></p><p>&bull; <b>Gilles Villemure</b> of the American Hockey League&rsquo;s Buffalo Bisons was named as the Most Valuable Player and All-Star netminder for the second year in a row. Villemure posted a 2.52 goals-against average, which won him the Harry Holmes Trophy and the Les Cunningham Plaque.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

THIS WEEK… 20 Years Ago

<div class="byline">By Randy Schultz</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-02848/5025468-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="402" height="457"></div><p>Most National Hockey League players, especially goaltenders, have pregame rituals.</p><p>Some put their uniforms on a certain way while others might lay out their hockey sticks in a particular fashion. There are those who are quiet and relaxed and others who are talkative and anxious.</p><p>But no one had a stranger ritual than former NHL goaltending great Glenn Hall who, because of nerves, would become physically ill while awaiting the start of a game.</p><p>&ldquo;It never failed that before each game that I would start, I would get sick to my stomach,&rdquo; Hall said. &ldquo;I was just so uptight I didn&rsquo;t know what else to do. Although it may sound strange, each time I did it I felt better and knew that I was ready to play.&rdquo;</p><p>Hall played parts or all of 18 seasons (1952-53, 1954-71) in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks and St. Louis Blues.</p><p>What is so hard to believe about Hall&rsquo;s pre-game ritual is that he holds the NHL record for most consecutive complete games&mdash;502&mdash;by a goaltender.</p><p>The streak began at the start of the 1955-56 season and ran through the first 12 games of the 1962-63 season. On Nov. 7, 1962, during his 503rd straight game. Hall was removed from a game against the Boston Bruins with a back injury in the first period.</p><p>&ldquo;I never really had any real difficulties once the game began,&rdquo; said Hall, a native of Humboldt, Sask. &ldquo;I really enjoyed playing in that consecutive-game streak. The only time I really didn&rsquo;t feel like being in a game is if we were losing 10-0 or something like that.</p><p>&ldquo;But I stayed in there no matter how good or bad the game was going.&rdquo;</p><p>Hall played the bulk of his career with the Black Hawks (10 seasons). During that span he won the Vezina Trophy twice (1962-63 and 1966-67) and played on the Stanley Cup-champion Chicago team of 1961.</p><p>Despite being named to the first all-star team five times and to the second team three times, he was let go by the Black Hawks in the expansion draft of 1967.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-03596/5025461-1-eng-US/f0005-032.jpg" title="f0005-03" width="562" height="1134"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Glenn Hall said his most enjoyable NHL experience came with the St. Louis Blues.</b></figcaption></div><p>At the age of 36, Hall began a new career in St. Louis.</p><p>&ldquo;Amazingly enough, of all the places I played, St Louis was the one I enjoyed the most,&rdquo; remarked Hall, who won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1956. &ldquo;I lived in the country while I played there, which was important to me. I never really</p><p>enjoyed living in the big cities that much.&rdquo;</p><p>In 1968 Hall teamed with another goaltending great, Jacques Plante, to win the Vezina Trophy.</p><p>&ldquo;Although we both played different styles we both knew that we had to work a little harder because of our ages,&rdquo; said Hail, who was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975. &ldquo;The whole situation of splitting the games between the two of us was new to me.</p><p>&ldquo;That was the first time I had to sit on the bench and watch quite a few games. It was just fascinating to me to be on the bench because I didn&rsquo;t know what even happened during a game at the bench area.</p><p>&ldquo;But it didn&rsquo;t bother me that much. I just accepted the fact that I could make more money playing half the games. That was quite a change from what I had been used to at the beginning of my career.&rdquo;</p><p>Today, Hall is a parttime scout and goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames. He is content in his present role and has no ambition to get into head coaching.</p><p>&ldquo;I think I&rsquo;d rather go to a hanging than to get into coaching,&rdquo; said Hall, 53. who resides in Stony Plain. Alta, just outside of Edmonton. &ldquo;I like what I&rsquo;m doing working with the young goaltenders on the Calgary team.</p><p>&ldquo;Of course, there are a lot of good goaltenders in the game today. And I think you&rsquo;ll eventually see the day when you&rsquo;ll get back to the one-goalie system with one guy playing in 60 to 70 games a season.</p><p>&ldquo;A good goalie needs a lot of work. I know I did.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0005-02

The Game Made Him Sick But He Still Loves Hockey

<p>1. What player scored Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; 5,000th goal earlier this season?</p><p>2. Name the former Winnipeg Jet who now pitches for the California Angels?</p><p>3. What player played in both the Memorial and Calder Cup finals this season?</p><p>4. Name the last team, before Edmonton this season, to lose the first game of the Stanley Cup finals and still go on to win the Cup?</p><p>5. Name the three players who have won the Conn Smythe Trophy even though their team didn&rsquo;t win the Stanley Cup?</p><p>6. What active NHL player has two Stanley Cup-winning goals to his credit?</p><p>7. Name the last Detroit Red Wing player to score a Stanley Cup winning goal?</p><p>8. What goaltender gave up six Stanley Cup-winning goals in his career?</p><p>9. Name the goaltender who surrendered Stanley Cup-winning goals in 1938, 1939 and 1940?</p><p>10. What current NHL GM scored the Stanley Cup winner in 1969?</p><p><b>Answers in next week&rsquo;s issue.</b></p><h2><b>Last Week&rsquo;s Trivia Answers</b></h2><p>1. Floyd Curry. 2. Nick Polano 3. Mickey Redmond. 4. Murray Murdoch.</p><p>5. David Shand. 6. Ron Wicks. 7. New York Rangers. 8. Bruce Gamble.</p><p>9. 1964-65 and 1965-66. 10. Montreal, 1973-74.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

TRIVIA

<div class="byline">Stan Fischler&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-011333/5025554-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="380" height="436"></div><p>Much as I hate to do this, I have a confession to make about a serious flaw in my personality. I like Glen Sather.</p><p>Don&rsquo;t ask me why.</p><p>Maybe it&rsquo;s because my colleagues in the typewriter-pushing business have written &ldquo;arrogant Sather&rdquo; so many times I&rsquo;m beginning to belive he was never christened Glen after all.</p><p>In the Edmonton Oilers&rsquo; media directory under president, general manager, coach, perhaps it should read simply Arrogant Sather. Then maybe my buddies in the reporting business would be happy.</p><p>Or maybe I like Sather because I enjoy pains-in-the-behind, and Sather can be a colossal one. Ask Bob Johnson.</p><p>Badger Bob, the esteemed Calgary Flame coach, is one of the NHL&rsquo;s Mister Nice Guys. So, what does Sather say about him? Get a load of this:</p><p>&ldquo;He (Johnson) should have his marbles looked at. He was a better coach two years ago. If I was Badger Bob, I would be worried about my job more than anything else.&rdquo;</p><p>How can you knock the only guy in captivity who dares put down Bob Johnson? I&rsquo;m a Satherite. Maybe, after you read a recent conversation I had with the man, you&rsquo;ll be a Satherite, otoo.</p><p>And if you&rsquo;re not, don&rsquo;t sweat it. He couldn&rsquo;t care less.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Now that the furor over the new anti-Edmonton rule&mdash;no four-on-fours with concurrent minor penalties&mdash;has subsided, you should be flattered that the league went out of its way to legislate against your team.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> What do you mean, flattered?</p><p><b>STAN:</b> The only other club ever legislated against was the Canadiens, when they had the super power-play in the late 1950&rsquo;s. In those days a team could score an unlimited number of goals during a two-minute penalty but the guy never came out of the box &lsquo;til the two minutes were up. So, they changed the rule to stop the Canadiens.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I&rsquo;m not flattered, because the new rule doesn&rsquo;t just affect out team, it affects the entire league <i>and</i> the excitement of the game. They (the NHL execs who passed the rule) lost sight of the fact that fans have grown to enjoy four-on-four.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Say what you will, but the feeling is that the rule was directed at the Oilers, and only at the Oilers.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> It&rsquo;s ridiculous for this reason: We don&rsquo;t play everybody every night. There are 20 other teams, and they&rsquo;re usually playing against each other. The four-on-four was a great piece of excitement for them, too.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Obviously, you like the four-on-four, And I like it and Max McNab likes it. So, who was the bad guy who loused us up with the change?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I&rsquo;ve been told it was presented by (Flames&rsquo; GM) Cliff Fletcher. But I&rsquo;m not sure that it&rsquo;s really fair just to mention him. I know that (NHL officiating boss) Scotty Morrison tabled it and argued about it, but Cliff was one of the people certainly behind it.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> I&rsquo;m convinced that somewhere down the line&mdash;10,20 years from now&mdash;hockey will be a five-man game. Four skaters and a goalie.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I would agree with you because then it gets very exciting. It gives you a lot more room, and, unfortunately, they&rsquo;ve taken that away from us now.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Isn&rsquo;t the rule just partly because of the success of your team but also because GLEN: Sather simply ticks people off?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> That&rsquo;s really blown out of whack. Beating people is one thing. But me offending people by being an obnoxious personality, I don&rsquo;t see that in myself at all. I&rsquo;m a competitor. I do what I have to do to win. But for someone to tell me that I&rsquo;ve ticked off 20 NHL general managers and because I didn`t pat them on the back telling them how great they are, that they&rsquo;re gonna change rules, I think that&rsquo;s a little ridiculous.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> I picked Paul Coffey for the the Smythe (playoff MVP) Trophy. He did more for you in the clutch than Wayne (Gretzky) or (Grant) Fuhr.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> All you&rsquo;re doing is creating problems with something like that. If the selection was in my hands I would have picked three guys&mdash;Coffey, Fuhr and Wayne.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> During the playoffs you feuded with Eddie Hospodar.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I didn&rsquo;t feud with Hospodar.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Then, what were you doing blasting Hospodar so vehemently to the media?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> What he did (to Mark Napier) was unnecessary. But if you want to win the Stanley Cup it doesn&rsquo;t matter what happens to you, even taking a crosscheck in the mouth to win. I think I&rsquo;d do that any time. Hospodar did what he had to do to win. He&rsquo;s a great competitor but if the series had gone a little differently, we probably would have gotten even (with him).</p><p><b>STAN:</b> You looked like you were trying to get even with (Flyers&rsquo; coach) Mike Keenan when you were yappin&rsquo; at him over the glass divider in the last game.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I told him he was makin&rsquo; a mistake trying to get into a brawl with our team in the last five minutes of the Stanley Cup finals. I said, &ldquo;Slow down. Collect yourself. Look what&rsquo;s going on. You&rsquo;re not gonna win with the score 8-2. &ldquo;He was caught up in trying to escape with a lot of his pride and he was very frustrated by that time. But he wasn&rsquo;t gonna make it better by getting into a brawl.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Are you still mad at him?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> If I was <i>really</i> mad at him I wouldn&rsquo;t have shaken his hand after the game.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Who are you mad at these days?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I&rsquo;m not mad at anyone&mdash;never have been (laughs). I&rsquo;m telling you; I get the biggest kick out of that (negative) image. It&rsquo;s a joke. I find it very interesting.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> It&rsquo;s also interesting that, no matter how much you win, GLEN: Sather is never voted or even comes in second as Coach of the Year. That must bother you.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> No, it doesn&rsquo;t bother me.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Stop putting me on!</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> Stan, why do you think it would bother me? I&rsquo;ve won the Stanley Cup two years in a row. I&rsquo;ve won the Canada Cup. Because somebody&rsquo;s not bantering&rsquo;my name as coach of the year, do you feel for a second that I have some type of inferiority complex; that I can&rsquo;t handle the situation because of that?</p><p><b>STAN:</b> If I had won the Cup two years in a row and finished first I&rsquo;d like to be named coach of the year.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> The people in the broadcasting business pick the coach of the year. Whether we win or lose during the season, the broadcaster will come up to me after the game and ask a question. That I won&rsquo;t stand there and talk with him 15 minutes about Gretzky annoys him, so he walks away and says, &ldquo;Well, there&rsquo;s a guy who&rsquo;s a jerk. I&rsquo;m not gonna vote for him!&rdquo; The vote is a political selection and has nothing to do with the ability of running your team or organizing.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Are you minimizing the coach of the year award?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I certainly wouldn&rsquo;t discredit any of the selections because they&rsquo;ve all been great, but I&rsquo;m talking about knowledge of me and my team. How could some guy in New York, who&rsquo;s never talked to me, tell me whether I run a good practice, or that I&rsquo;m creative, and how I handle individual problems. Nobody can tell me that unless he&rsquo;s with us on a day-to-day basis.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> So you&rsquo;re not disturbed that THE HOCKEY NEWS poll didn&rsquo;t even have you among the top two selections?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> It doesn&rsquo;t interest me in the least. Look at Al Arbour: he&rsquo;s won four Stanley Cups. He&rsquo;s one of the best coaches in the league&mdash;a great coach&mdash;and he&rsquo;s only been named coach of the year once. I feel more empathy for Arbour because he hasn&rsquo;t won it as often as he should have won it. As far as myself is concerned, I really get embarrassed by these kind of things.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> The media bugs you, doesn&rsquo;t it?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I&rsquo;ll tell you a story: A writer I know very well did a story on me for Sport magazine. He spent three days with me. He went back, wrote the story and they didn&rsquo;t like what he wrote because he didn&rsquo;t write the bull they wanted him to write. So, when I saw him, I said, &ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t your story!&rdquo; And he said, &ldquo;No, they rewrote it and signed my name to it.&rdquo; He was really upset.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> How upset were you?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I said (to the writer) it was crap and he told me it was worse than that. Then, I said, &ldquo;Well, why didn&rsquo;t you come tome and tell me (they had rewritten the story), instead of waiting &lsquo;til I had to approach you?&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;Well, I was embarrassed.&rdquo;</p><p><b>STAN:</b> You&rsquo;ve been accused of being a very calculating person.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> I wouldn&rsquo;t do anything behind the bench that wasn&rsquo;t calculating. It&rsquo;s ridiculous if you don&rsquo;t.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> The one aspect of your team that&rsquo;s overlooked is the toughness.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> You&rsquo;ve got to be tough to win. But toughness is funny in the sense that sometime people don&rsquo;t put value on it and then others put too much. You have to have a mix; a team that&rsquo;s physically strong&mdash;won&rsquo;t be intimidated&mdash;but also able to skate and be able to play.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Name a team that goes overboard with the rough stuff when you play them.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> Calgary has been trying to fight us every time we turn around. They&rsquo;re not going to beat us by fighting with us. You have to beat us on the ice.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> Why did the Black Hawks do better&mdash;win two games&mdash;against you than any other club in the playoffs?</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> There were a lot of reasons why they won two games: The (Chicago) crowd was very involved in the game; the (easy) way we won in Edmonton in the first two games gave the Black Hawks more incentive when they came home. Their players have a great deal of pride and talent. Chicago played very well and deserved to win the two games. But who says any team is going to go through the entire playoffs and win every game.</p><p><b>STAN:</b> The reason Chicago won twice from you is that Roger Neilson (Hawks&rsquo; assistant coach) had the perfect formula for beating the Oilers.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> What was that?</p><p><b>STAN:</b> He told the Chicago players that they had to keep stepping into your Edmonton guys and not let you get your European game&rdquo; going. He said slow up the Oilers, don&rsquo;t let them freewheel and they&rsquo;ll get frustrated. And Neilson said you can be beaten if the Black Hawks make contact with your defense. Punish Coffey and Kevin Lowe. Make them tired and they&rsquo;ll give up the puck. He said, &ldquo;As long as the Oilers know they&rsquo;re gonna get hit,&rdquo; they can be stopped.</p><p><b>GLEN:</b> It sure worked, didn&rsquo;t it.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0006-01

Oilers’ Sather Is Delightfully Different

<h2><b>HOCKEY NOTEBOOK</b></h2><p><b>A</b>long-awaited court showdown between the National Hockey League and Ralston Purina Co. came to a close long before most thought possible.</p><p>The NHL and St. Louis-based company have settled the lawsuits each filed against the other following Ralston Purina&rsquo;s failed bid to sell the St. Louis Blues to Saskatoon, Sask.-based interests.</p><p>The trial, which opened June 11, was expected to last until August. Instead a settlement was reached, terms of which were not released by either party, on June 27.</p><p>Ralston Purina alleged in a 1983 law suit that anti-trust laws were violated when the NHL blocked it from selling the Blues to a group of Canadians who intended to move the club to Saskatoon</p><p>In a counterclaim, the NHL argued that Ralston had broken its contract with the league by not providing two year&rsquo;s notice of its intention to sell the team.</p><p>The Blues and the Checkerdome&mdash;in which the Norris Division team plays&mdash;were eventually sold through the league to <b>Harry Ornest,</b> a Vancouver businessmen, and a group of St. Louis investors.</p><p><b>Peter Mahovlich</b> has made the move from broadcast booth to back of the bench.</p><p>Mahovlich, who provided color commentary for New Jersey Devils&rsquo; radio broadcasts last year, is the new coach of the Toledo Goaldiggers of the International League.</p><p>The former Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; star, now 38, takes over a team that finished last in the East Division with a 32-45-5 record.</p><p>Mahovlich&rsquo;s best NHL season was in 1974-75 when he scored 35 goals and 82 assists for 117 points. The native of Timmins, Ont., has no previous professional coaching experience.</p><p>Team Canada is gearing up for its gold-medal defense at the world junior championships.</p><p>The Canadians, who won the tournament last year in Helsinki, will have home-ice advantage this season when the championship is played over the Christmas break in Hamilton, Ont.</p><p>An eight-day training camp, featuring the best junior prospects in die country, was being held in Belleville, Ont. from July 20-27.</p><p>Among those receiving invitations to try out for the national side were 11 players selected in the first round of the 1985 National Hockey League entry draft&mdash;including first overall choice, defenseman <b>Wendel Clark</b> of the Saskatoon Blades (Toronto Maple Leafs), center <b>Craig Simpson</b> of the Michigan State Spartans (Pittsburgh Penguins), right winger <b>Jim Sandlak</b>of the London Knights (Vancouver Canucks) and defenseman <b>Dana Murzyn</b> of the Calgary Wranglers (Hartford Whalers).</p><p>Clark and Sandlak were members of last year&rsquo;s gold medal-winning team. Other returnees invited to camp were goaltending hero <b>Craig Billington</b> of the Belleville Bulls, center <b>Dan Gratton</b> of the Oshawa Generals, defenseman <b>Selmar Odelein</b> of the Regina Pats, center Stephane <b>Richer</b> of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and forward Shayne Corson of the Hamilton Steelhawks.</p><p>Czechoslovakia&rsquo;s first family of hockey in North America has been partially broken up.</p><p>The Quebec Nordiques placed Marian Stastny, 32, the eldest of three National Hockey League-playing brothers, on waivers without right of recall.</p><p>High-scoring forwards <b>Peter</b> 28, and <b>Anton.</b> 26, remain with the Nordiques.</p><p>Marian, a member of the Czech national team, followed his two brothers&mdash;who had detected&mdash;to Canada in 1981. He scored 89 (35-54) and 79 (36-43) points during his first two seasons, most of which time was spent playing on the same line as this brothers.</p><p>His point production dropped to 52 (20-32) during the 1983-84 season and plunged to 21 (7-14) in a limited role this past season.</p><p>A $3-million improvement project is under way at the Metropolitan Sports Center, home of the Minnesota North Stars.</p><p>Among the changes will be an increase of more than 1,000 in seating capacity (15,185 to 16,521) for hockey games and a new $750,000 scoreboard.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Settlement Averts A Drawn-Out Dogfight

<p>The International Hockey Weekly Founded in 1947</p><p>Published by W.C.C. Publishing Ltd 85 Scarsdale Road, #100, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3B 2R2.</p><p><b>WITH THE PASSING</b> of hockey giant Frank Selke, Sr., it seems everybody has their favorite story about the man who carried on a love affair with the game of hockey for most of his 92 years.</p><p>Long-time hockey writer Frank Orr reveals on page 4 of this issue of THE HOCKEY NEWS that the great Milt Schmidt very nearly became a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs because of Selke&rsquo;s extraordinary skill in assessing hockey talent.</p><p>Another, in the days following Selke&rsquo;s death on July 3, wrote that only Selke&rsquo;s sense of fair play stopped him from making a play for the legendary Gordie Howe after a bureaucratic foul-up left the future Detroit Red Wing vulnerable.</p><p>There are countless others.</p><p>One of our favorites concerns his acquisition of Jean Beliveau, a man who would become the consummate National Hockey League captain with the Canadiens. Selke arranged to professionalize an entire league to get Beliveau for the Habs, who held the big center&rsquo;s professional rights.</p><p>Later, when asked how he came to contract terms with Beliveau, Selke replied it was simple: He just opened the doors to the vault.</p><p>Beliveau represents but one part of the enormous legacy Selke leaves behind, a legacy embodied in the spirit of hockey&rsquo;s most successful franchise&mdash;the Montreal Canadiens.</p><p>Selke was the central figure in bringing the Canadiens to hockey&rsquo;s summit. It was he who constructed the farm system which formed the basis not only for a team that won five straight Stanley Cups but others that would flourish under heir apparent Sam Pollock.</p><p>He understood that to succeed in sport means to never stand still. He understood that firmness and fairness were not incompatible. He understood that hockey is as much a game for the heart as it is for the head.</p><p>Six times, Selke&rsquo;s name appears on the silver of the Stanley Cup. It serves as an appropriate reminder of the part he played in the growth of the Montreal Canadiens.</p><p>And his many contributions to all of hockey&mdash;being the driving force behind the Hockey Hall of Fame, to name one&mdash;will always be remembered.</p><p>His is one name that should not be forgotten. Let time not erase the memory of Frank Selke.</p><p>He understood the game of hockey like few others.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Tribute To Selke

<h2><b>FAN FORUM</b></h2><p><b>Let your voice be heard! Send your comments to Fan Forum, THE HOCKEY NEWS, 85 Scarsdale Rd., Suite 100, Don Mills, Ont., Canada M3B 2R2.</b></p><p><b>WHENEVER I QUESTION</b> an opinion I have concerning hockey, I always wait to see if Stan Fischler agrees or disagrees with me. If Fischler has the opposite opinion that I have, then I know for sure that I am right.</p><p>I mention this because as I was watching the Stanley Cup playoffs on the USA Network, I noticed that I didn&rsquo;t enjoy the games that Mr. (Al) Albert did as much as the few that Dan Kelley did the play by play. Mr. Kelly is the best there is. I hope this wasn&rsquo;t an indication that Dan is considering giving up the microphone. <i>(Ed. note: Dan Kelly couldn &lsquo;t do a number of USA Network playoff games because he was committed to doing play by play for the CTV network in Canada.)</i></p><p>So when I read in Fischler&rsquo;s column that he thought just the opposite, it made my day.</p><p>Keep up the good work, THN, I always look forward to receiving my copy as we transplanted Northerners living here in South Florida are always starved for hockey news. You fill the void.</p><p><b>Charles</b> F. <b>Greene,</b></p><p><i>Pembroke Pines, FL.</i></p><p><b>GRETZKY, THN OFFSIDE</b></p><p>I don&rsquo;t know which to complain about first, Wayne Gretzky or THE HOCKEY NEWS.</p><p>I always thought that The Great Gretzky was a bit of a whiner, but after reading about his reaction to a rule change in the NHL, my suspicions were confirmed.</p><p>It seems that Wayne is a trifle upset that the NHL will no longer allow four-on-four situations when coincidental minor penalties are called. Big flaming deal!</p><p>Personally, I think it&rsquo;s a great idea to eliminate sending off players simultaneously. Not because I don&rsquo;t like to see a team that can skate (and, granted, Wayne and the boys know how to do <i>that),</i> and not because I have a personal vendetta against Gretzky. But has anyone considered the possibility that the rule might just improve the game a bit?</p><p>Contrary to Mr. Gretzky&rsquo;s opinion, I believe that violence will <i>decrease</i> rather than <i>increase</i> as a result of this rule change. Since there won&rsquo;t be a need to try a create a situation where there will only be four players against four, something the Oilers did intentionally on occasion, there won&rsquo;t be cementheads roaming the ice looking for trouble.</p><p>Rather than break up play by having to wait until arguments are settled, and waiting for the players to sullenly skate to the penalty box, (and thus slowing down the game), the game can continue uninterrupted.</p><p>Also, Mr. Gretzky, yours is not the only team that does well on four-and-four situations. Winnipeg and (of all teams) Toronto manage quite well under such circumstances. I don&rsquo;t think that the NHL, which depends on your marketing magic would cut its own throat by deliberately making you unhappy</p><p>And THE HOCKEY NEWS! What is it with you people? A rule change that <i>protects</i> hockey players comes up and you jump on the Wayne Gretzky bandwagon. I know that No. 99 makes up a big part of your paper (he&rsquo;s mentioned in <i>every</i> issue) but does it have to go so far as to be Wayne&rsquo;s advocate for everything?</p><p>I didn&rsquo;t see a single word, not one, that agreed with the NHL&rsquo;s new ruling. All the more strange when you consider that <i>somebody</i> must have liked the new system, since at least 17 out of 21 clubs had to vote in favor of it. But not a single columnist&mdash;of the ones who even bothered to mention the new rule&mdash;made mention that perhaps the NHL management might have a good thing here.</p><p>Frankly, I&rsquo;m pretty disgusted.</p><p><b>Michael Bennett,</b></p><p><i>New York. NY.</i></p><p><b>SAVAGE STICKWORK</b></p><p>Hockey has been my favorite sport since I was old enough to know that you put the puck in the net with a stick. I never thought it possible that this tool of the trade would one day be carried into battle as the ultimate weapon.</p><p>Through all the years of watching hockey I believe this had to be the worst season for high sticking and slashing penalties. They say fighting should be banned. Well, I have yet to see serious injuries as a result of two players squaring off with their bare hands. But to take a stick and crush someone in the mouth is barbaric.</p><p>High sticking should be classified as a five-minute major penalty. Once a player sits in the penalty box for the full five minutes, regardless of the goals against his team, he will <i>eventually</i> think twice about doing it again. Spearing is dangerous and is a five-minute major, so there&rsquo;s no reason for someone to be allowed to hit another over the head with a stick whether he is or isn&rsquo;t wearing a helmet, and only get two minutes for this.</p><p>You could carry this further as well. After 10 high-sticking majors, for instance, a three-game suspension (and so on) could be handed out. Over the course of one or two seasons high sticking would be eliminated and it would be a lesson to junior players coming up to the NHL to learn to keep their sticks down.</p><p><b>Dorothy MacKay,</b></p><p><i>Cornwall. Ont.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Here’s A Kudo For Kelly

<div class="byline">Bob McKenzie&#x2019;s</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-011272/5025688-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="399" height="448"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>H</span>ockey&rsquo;s claim to fame&mdash;or is it sanity?&mdash;is that the players are generally paid what they&rsquo;re worth. Oh, sure, when the World Hockey Association was alive and kicking, things got a little out of hand.</p><p>But by and large, with very few exceptions, hockey has managed to pay its employees along some pretty conservative guidelines.</p><p>Which was why hockey people always snickered at baseball free agency time, when those .175 hitters signed for astronomical sums with a plethora of Major League teams chasing after their services.</p><p>Well, snicker no more. Hockey, at least in this summer anyway, is in the same boat.</p><p>How else can you explain the Detroit Red Wings signing RPI Engineer free agent Adam Oates to a contract worth $1 million, including a $250,000 signing bonus&mdash;the highest sum <i>ever</i> paid to an NHL rookie. And that record will likely be broken in the next few days, when University of Illinois-Chicago free agent Ray Staszak will sign for <i>more</i> than Oates.</p><p>Oates and Staszak. not exactly two household names, are they? Yet these two collegians, bypassed in a couple of NHL entry drafts, have been wooed by more NHL general managers than any first-round draft pick you&rsquo;d care to mention.</p><p>Why? What is it that these two young men possess that teams find so irresistable?</p><p>Well, let&rsquo;s look at what they have in common.</p><p>NHL GMs <i>think</i> they can both step in and play immediately in the league. Think? Shouldn&rsquo;t the GMs, if they&rsquo;re willing to ante up record $1 million contracts, <i>know</i> they can play?</p><p>But any honest assessment of both Oates and Staszak has to include a big question mark. Maybe they&rsquo;ll play, maybe they won&rsquo;t. Few are predicting stardom for either, though one supposes that isn&rsquo;t out of the question.</p><p>Okay, now put yourself in Steve Yzerman&rsquo;s shoes. He&rsquo;s the Red Wing third-year pro, who is reported to be making substantially less than $100,000 a year. He was only rookie-of-the-year in the NHL a year ago and is considered one of the brightest young stars in the game. How&rsquo;s he going to react to making half what Oates is?</p><p>&ldquo;Every National Hockey League player should thank Adam Oates and Ray Staszak for what they&rsquo;re doing,&rdquo; says Boston lawyer Brian Burke, who represents Staszak. &ldquo;When Yzer-man goes in to negotiate a new contract, he can ask, and get, a helluva lot more than he would have otherwise.&rdquo;</p><p>Naturally, there has been a backlash to all-of this. Those teams not participating in the Oates-Staszak bidding wars&mdash;a few weren&rsquo;t interested, others dropped out as the price escalated&mdash;are in a position where they can sit back and prattle on about the folly of paying big, big bucks to unproven players.</p><p>Why, one NHL GM even went so far as to admonish Burke, and New York city lawyer Art Kaminsky, who represents Oates, for being bandits and perpetrating the biggest hoax in NHL history.</p><p>Which suits Burke and Kaminsky just fine.</p><p>&ldquo;Hey, I wasn&rsquo;t the one who let these two kids pass through two NHL drafts without a bite,&rdquo; Burke says. &ldquo;Now, everyone is upset. That&rsquo;s too damn bad. They had their chances and they blew it.&rdquo;</p><p>In fact, Burke wouldn&rsquo;t be all that surprised if the Oates-Staszak summer results in a big NHL shakeup.</p><p>&ldquo;One of a few things can happen,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Some GMs are talking about instituting a supplemental draft to catch and tie up the kids they missed the first or second time around. That&rsquo;s when I&rsquo;ll sue them and win in a 10-minute court case. Or, if the NHL was smart, they&rsquo;d use this as an impetus to overhaul the 18-year-old draft and make it more workable <i>(details on that will follow in a future column).</i> Or they can do nothing.&rdquo;.</p><p>Conclusion: Based on current standards, Oates and Staszak are making out like highway bandits. But don&rsquo;t blame them or their agents. The laugh, in this case, in on the NHL and a system that finally backfired on it.</p><p>Stay tuned. The ramifications could be interesting&mdash;and expensive.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-01

Collegiate Free Agents Take NHL By Storm

f0009-01

10 Years From Now, Where Will We Be?

<div class="byline">BY STAN FISCHLER</div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>ayne Gretzky</b> was taken aback when New York <i>Times&rsquo;</i> sports I editor Lawrie Mifflin handed him an announcement about his pal <b>Martina Navratilova</b>. The tennis ace says she might I choose to have a baby, adding that Gretzky fits her criteria for a father, &ldquo;One of the nicest men I know and one of the best looking, too, is I Wayne,&rdquo; says Martina. &ldquo;Can you imagine the genes Wayne and I could I put together?&rdquo; MN expands on this in her coming autobiography <i>Being</i> I <i>Myself,</i> parts of which appear in the August issue of <i>Forum</i> magazine. Gretzky roared with laughter after hearing Martina&rsquo;s comment. Gretz remains devoted to five-year girlfriend, pop singer <b>Vicki Moss,</b> who accompanied him to New York for his fourth straight Seagram&rsquo;s Sports Award. Like her boyfriend. Moss is flying high as a pro. She sings &ldquo;If I Turn You Away,&rdquo; in the new film, &ldquo;St. Elmo&rsquo;s Fire&rdquo; and is shooting for I an Atlantic Records contract&hellip; <b>Ted Sator&rsquo;s</b> debut with the N. Y. media got I mixed reviews. He was exceptionally accommodating but columnist <b>Dave Anderson</b> of the <i>Times</i> says: &ldquo;Too many cliches!&rdquo;&hellip;Although he put on I the Bruins&rsquo; goalie pads years ago, author <b>George</b>&nbsp;<i>(The Paper Lion)</i> I Plimpton will bring out a book on his hockey experiences next fall. Norton I will be the publisher&hellip;<b>Lome Henning&rsquo;s</b> coaching deal with the North I Stars raised some eyebrows since he earlier was said to be disenchanted I with GM <b>Lou Nanne.</b> Henning had rejected a Vancouver offer and, I sources say, he didn&rsquo;t think it would be wise to reject the Minny bid, else I NHL GM&rsquo;s might suspect he had a rejection complex&hellip; <b>George McPhee</b> is I the latest Ranger to go on record zinging his ex-coach Herb Brooks for I communication problems.</p><p>In a broad hint that he thought goalie <b>Pelle Lindbergh</b> had quit on the I Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup finals. Glen Sather says with a I wink, &ldquo;Do you <i>really</i> think Lindbergh was hurt (in the last two games)?&rdquo; I To that. <b>Don Cherry</b> goes a step further, telling BLUELINES: &ldquo;Everybody knew Lindbergh copped out.&rdquo; Cherry allows that he has partially I altered his view of Scandinavian players following <b>Jari Kurri&rsquo;s</b> superlative playoff, although Cherry makes a nationality distinction between I Kurri and Lindbergh. &ldquo;Kurri can play on my team anytime.&rdquo;says Cherry. &ldquo;But, remember, he&rsquo;s a Finn!&rdquo;. Sator, who was the Flyers&rsquo; assistant coach in the finals, vehemently disputes the Sather-Cherry charge: &ldquo;Pelle didn&rsquo;t pull the chute,&rdquo; Sator says. &ldquo;He was hurt in the Quebec series and he was legitimately injured when we said he was. When you consider that he played something like 83 out of 96 games for us, it&rsquo;s not fair to suggest that he pulled the chute.&rdquo;</p><p>Here&rsquo;s the inside line on the USA Network vs. ESPN bidding war for the NHL game of the week. &ldquo;USA needs the NHL more than ESPN does because if USA loses the NHL it has no other major sports presence. ESPN would like the NHL to replace its USFL shows which move to the fall,&rdquo; says the tipster.</p><p>U.S. President <b>Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s</b> tax reform plan is chilling the hearts of NHL owners. The prez&rsquo; scheme would deny businesses the right to I deduct purchase of season tix to sports events. One source tips that the Flyers have halted plans for more luxury boxes at The Spectrum pending resolution of the Reagan proposal. Insiders note that it could devastate borderline clubs like the Penguins. About a quarter of the Pens&rsquo; season tix are bought by businesses. Pens&rsquo; veep <b>Paul Martha</b> says he doubts that Reagan&rsquo;s plan will pass&hellip;Results of the Pittsburgh hockey ticket blitz should be available by mid-July. Club&rsquo;s ad campaign cost more than 200 grand. To give you some idea of how Pittsburgh officials are thinking these days, this was the response THE HOCKEY NEWS received when it contacted director of media relations <b>Terry Schiffhauer</b> about player prospects for next season: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re not even sure we&rsquo;re going to be here&hellip;So, I&rsquo;m not going to waste time on that&rdquo;&hellip;Although he professed interest in coaching, either overseas or in North America, <b>Fred Shero</b> is expected to return to the airwaves next season as the Devils&rsquo; radio commentator alongside play-by-play man <b>Larry Hirsch</b>&hellip;Caps&rsquo; general manager <b>David Poile</b> claims that there was nothing to a rumor kindled during playoff time that he was quietly looking to replace coach Bryan Murray. One such suggestion appeared in <i>Newsday.</i>&hellip;Devils&rsquo; Dave Lewis&rsquo; nightmare involvement with a sports agent who is charged with botching a decade of his dough was featured on USA network. Case comes up in Vancouver early in September&hellip;One of Terry <b>O&rsquo;Reilly&rsquo;s</b> first jobs as Bruins&rsquo; goodwill ambassador was to romance a free agent the B&rsquo;s are after. &ldquo;I had Terry take him to lunch,&rdquo; says GM <b>Harry Sinden.</b> &ldquo;Without me!&rsquo;&rsquo;&hellip;When New York writers learned that the Flyers&rsquo; compensation for allowing Rangers to sign <b>Ted Sator</b> was a couple of minor leaguers from the Rangers, they quipped, &lsquo;&lsquo;They&rsquo;ll have plenty to choose from. &ldquo;&hellip;Devils deny any interest in <b>Nick Fotiu</b>. but other NHL clubs are interested.</p><p><b>Bob Bourne</b> of the Isles on the Oilers: &ldquo;You know they&rsquo;re strong when a-talented guy like <b>Willy Lindstrom</b> is relegated to a fourth line.&rdquo;&hellip;Ex-Ranger Ulf Nilsson surprised a radio reporter at the <b>Ted Sator</b> premiere with some less-than-complimentary cracks about the running of the Rangers and Sator. The newsman says Nilsson questioned the Rangers wholesale dumping of the physiotherapist, trainer, et al, while dead wood is retained in the player part of the organization.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

BLUELINES

<div class="byline">BY MICHAEL A. BERGER</div><h2><b>NEW YORK RANGERS</b></h2><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-011283/5025802-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="122" height="122"></div><p>And so, the re-organization continues.</p><p>The New York Rangers have named Reg Higgs and Jack Birch as assistant coaches, completing a six-month effort by general manager Craig Patrick to assemble a coaching team.</p><p>&ldquo;These are the kind of guys you go to war with,&rdquo; new head coach Ted Sator said at his own press conference June 19th.</p><p>The two men, who have worked with Sator at various hockey camps and professional seminars, were hired on the head coach&rsquo;s say-so. Assistant coaches Wayne Thomas and Carol Vadnais have been told to seek other employment.</p><p>Higgs led the University of Regina to five Canadian university titles during his 10-year tenure at the Saskatchewan school and will probably work most closely with Sator.</p><p>&ldquo;I expect that I&rsquo;ll be principally a practice man, a skill developer, &lsquo;&lsquo;said the genial Higgs, 42. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be everywhere that Ted is with some division of responsibilities and some overlap.</p><p>&ldquo;I see myself as someone who can improve an individual&rsquo;s skills, someone who can simplify team play to make the player a student of the game.&rdquo;</p><p>Birch, 31, late of the University of Waterloo (Ont.), will work a little more behind the scenes.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll probably handle much of the game analysis in terms of video,&rdquo; said Birch. &ldquo;I expect to be doing pre-scouting and be on the ice during practice. My strengths as a teacher will certainly show.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re a good teacher,&rdquo; said Sator, &ldquo;then winning and losing will take care of themselves.&rdquo;</p><p>With his coaching team now in place, Patrick can shift his attention to on-the-ice requirements.</p><p>Though the Rangers lost in the bidding for RPI free agent center Adam Oates&mdash;he chose the Detroit Red Wings&mdash;Patrick said the Rangers are still looking to sign Ray Staszak, a free agent right winger (6-feet, 194 pounds) from the University of Illinois-Chicago.</p><p>&ldquo;Ray is a big, tough winger who was good in college and he&rsquo;s only supposed to get better as a pro,&rdquo; said Patrick. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re still in the hunt for him.&rdquo;</p><p>What makes Staszak so attractive?</p><p>Primarily, the Rangers&rsquo; desperate need for help on the right side. With the</p><p>retirement of Anders Hedberg, all-rookie team member Tomas Sandstrom heads a right-wing corps otherwise devoid of NHL-caliber talent.</p><p>Also, signing Staszak would signal that Patrick, threatening personnel changes all summer, will indeed make the necessary moves to strengthen the Ranger roster.</p><p>Staszak is a freebie&mdash;a free agent signee who would cost only money, not a mortgaged future in terms of draft choices. And, he represents immediate help.</p><p>The New Jersey Devils, the Rangers&rsquo; Hudson River neighbors, are reportedly very interested in Staszak. New York might pursue Staszak in order to prevent</p><p>the appearance of <i>losing</i> to the Devils.</p><p>Working in the Rangers&rsquo; favor, perhaps, is the fact that Staszak and coach Sator are both represented by Brian Burke. Still, the competition for Staszak will be tough.</p><p><b>BLUESHIRT BITS</b>&mdash;Terms of the contracts for <b>Reg Higgs</b> and <b>Jack Birch</b> were not announced. Birch is a Ph.D. candidate in kinesiology, while Higgs has a doctorate in educational psychology&hellip; <b>Andre Dore, Mario Proulx, Kurt Kleinendorst</b> and <b>Nick Fotiu</b>&mdash;all offered one-year termination contracts by the Rangers&mdash;have reportedly resigned&hellip;Though details of Ted <b>Sator&rsquo;s</b> contract have not been announced, he is said to have signed a two-year, $200,000 pact&hellip;In his only NHL head-coaching stint&mdash;during <b>Bob McCammon&rsquo;s</b> reign in Philadelphia&mdash;Sator had a 4-1 win-loss record.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

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College Coaches Added To Rangers’ Bench Staff

<h2><b>BOSTON BRUINS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011209/5026001-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="994" height="1064"></div><h2><b>BUFFALO SABRES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-02895/5025994-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="1004" height="996"></div><h2><b>CALGARY FLAMES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-03731/5025987-1-eng-US/f0013-032.jpg" title="f0013-03" width="996" height="889"></div><h2><b>CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-04642/5025980-1-eng-US/f0013-042.jpg" title="f0013-04" width="992" height="384"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-05523/5025973-1-eng-US/f0013-052.jpg" title="f0013-05" width="992" height="442"></div><h2><b>DETROIT RED WINGS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-06438/5025966-1-eng-US/f0013-062.jpg" title="f0013-06" width="992" height="910"></div><h2><b>EDMONTON OILERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-07402/5025959-1-eng-US/f0013-072.jpg" title="f0013-07" width="984" height="950"></div><h2><b>HARTFORD WHALERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-08376/5025952-1-eng-US/f0013-082.jpg" title="f0013-08" width="988" height="1052"></div><h2><b>LOS ANGELES KINGS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-09357/5025945-1-eng-US/f0013-092.jpg" title="f0013-09" width="996" height="942"></div><h2><b>MINNESOTA NORTH STARS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-10336/5025938-1-eng-US/f0013-102.jpg" title="f0013-10" width="992" height="1280"></div><h2><b>MONTREAL CANADIENS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-11307/5025931-1-eng-US/f0013-112.jpg" title="f0013-11" width="984" height="974"></div><h2><b>NEW JERSEY DEVILS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-12269/5025924-1-eng-US/f0013-122.jpg" title="f0013-12" width="984" height="176"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011191/5025917-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="984" height="672"></div><h2><b>NEW YORK ISLANDERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-02870/5025910-1-eng-US/f0015-022.jpg" title="f0015-02" width="988" height="942"></div><h2><b>NEW YORK RANGERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-03661/5025903-1-eng-US/f0015-032.jpg" title="f0015-03" width="992" height="1140"></div><h2><b>PHILADELPHIA FLYERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-04494/5025896-1-eng-US/f0015-042.jpg" title="f0015-04" width="980" height="912"></div><h2><b>PITTSBURGH PENGUINS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-05365/5025889-1-eng-US/f0015-052.jpg" title="f0015-05" width="992" height="1258"></div><h2><b>QUEBEC NORDIQUES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-06304/5025882-1-eng-US/f0015-062.jpg" title="f0015-06" width="972" height="558"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-07264/5025875-1-eng-US/f0015-072.jpg" title="f0015-07" width="992" height="590"></div><h2><b>ST. LOUIS BLUES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-08238/5025868-1-eng-US/f0015-082.jpg" title="f0015-08" width="992" height="910"></div><h2><b>TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-09221/5025861-1-eng-US/f0015-092.jpg" title="f0015-09" width="978" height="1076"></div><h2><b>VANCOUVER CANUCKS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-10197/5025854-1-eng-US/f0015-102.jpg" title="f0015-10" width="972" height="184"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-011062/5025847-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="1008" height="774"></div><h2><b>WASHINGTON CAPITALS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-02852/5025840-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="1008" height="922"></div><h2><b>WINNIPEG JETS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03665/5025833-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="1006" height="914"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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THN STATISTICS NHL

<h2><b>PLUS-MINUS LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-011262/5026242-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="591" height="359"></div><h2><b>TOP DEFENSEMEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-02993/5026235-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="587" height="356"></div><h2><b>LEADING ROOKIES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03697/5026228-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="588" height="330"></div><h2><b>BOSTON BRUINS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04494/5026221-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="588" height="854"></div><h2><b>BUFFALO SABRES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-05348/5026214-1-eng-US/f0014-052.jpg" title="f0014-05" width="584" height="938"></div><h2><b>CALGARY FLAMES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-06279/5026207-1-eng-US/f0014-062.jpg" title="f0014-06" width="586" height="527"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-07224/5026200-1-eng-US/f0014-072.jpg" title="f0014-07" width="594" height="326"></div><h2><b>CHICAGO BLACK HAWKS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-08192/5026193-1-eng-US/f0014-082.jpg" title="f0014-08" width="593" height="797"></div><h2><b>DETROIT RED WINGS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-09176/5026186-1-eng-US/f0014-092.jpg" title="f0014-09" width="588" height="856"></div><h2><b>EDMONTON OILERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-10160/5026179-1-eng-US/f0014-102.jpg" title="f0014-10" width="590" height="825"></div><h2><b>HARTFORD WHALERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-11143/5026172-1-eng-US/f0014-112.jpg" title="f0014-11" width="591" height="645"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-12131/5026165-1-eng-US/f0014-122.jpg" title="f0014-12" width="587" height="353"></div><h2><b>LOS ANGELES KINGS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-13113/5026158-1-eng-US/f0014-132.jpg" title="f0014-13" width="584" height="826"></div><h2><b>MINNESOTA NORTH STARS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1494/5026151-1-eng-US/f0014-142.jpg" title="f0014-14" width="593" height="1114"></div><h2><b>MONTREAL CANADIENS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1585/5026144-1-eng-US/f0014-152.jpg" title="f0014-15" width="593" height="947"></div><h2><b>NEW JERSEY DEVILS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1672/5026137-1-eng-US/f0014-162.jpg" title="f0014-16" width="584" height="217"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1770/5026130-1-eng-US/f0014-172.jpg" title="f0014-17" width="593" height="620"></div><h2><b>NEW YORK ISLANDERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1851/5026123-1-eng-US/f0014-182.jpg" title="f0014-18" width="593" height="947"></div><h2><b>NEW YORK RANGERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-1948/5026116-1-eng-US/f0014-192.jpg" title="f0014-19" width="599" height="1004"></div><h2><b>PHILADELPHIA FLYERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-2046/5026109-1-eng-US/f0014-202.jpg" title="f0014-20" width="590" height="886"></div><h2><b>PITTSBURGH PENGUINS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-2142/5026102-1-eng-US/f0014-212.jpg" title="f0014-21" width="583" height="1094"></div><h2><b>QUEBEC NORDIQUES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-2239/5026095-1-eng-US/f0014-222.jpg" title="f0014-22" width="588" height="1035"></div><h2><b>ST. LOUIS BLUES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-2333/5026088-1-eng-US/f0014-232.jpg" title="f0014-23" width="586" height="796"></div><h2><b>TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-2431/5026081-1-eng-US/f0014-242.jpg" title="f0014-24" width="586" height="474"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-11176/5026074-1-eng-US/f0015-112.jpg" title="f0015-11" width="583" height="583"></div><h2><b>VANCOUVER CANUCKS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-12147/5026067-1-eng-US/f0015-122.jpg" title="f0015-12" width="589" height="665"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-13132/5026060-1-eng-US/f0015-132.jpg" title="f0015-13" width="603" height="407"></div><h2><b>WASHINGTON CAPS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-14118/5026053-1-eng-US/f0015-142.jpg" title="f0015-14" width="582" height="392"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-15102/5026046-1-eng-US/f0015-152.jpg" title="f0015-15" width="589" height="501"></div><h2><b>WINNIPEG JETS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1694/5026039-1-eng-US/f0015-162.jpg" title="f0015-16" width="585" height="129"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-1786/5026032-1-eng-US/f0015-172.jpg" title="f0015-17" width="579" height="700"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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THN STATISTICS EMERY PLUS-MINUS

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0016-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04517/5026287-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg"></div><h2>REGULAR SCHEDULE</h2><p>Fuhr and Moog shared shutout versus Quebec, Jan. 8</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05407/5026280-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="1154" height="1628"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-06342/5026273-1-eng-US/f0016-062.jpg" title="f0016-06" width="718" height="2782"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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FINAL GOALTENDING RECORDS

<h2><b>TOP SCORERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-07315/5026332-1-eng-US/f0016-072.jpg" title="f0016-07" width="922" height="620"></div><h2><b>LEADING ROOKIES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-08294/5026325-1-eng-US/f0016-082.jpg" title="f0016-08" width="904" height="606"></div><h2><b>BEST SHOOTERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-09270/5026318-1-eng-US/f0016-092.jpg" title="f0016-09" width="904" height="614"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0016-07

The NHL’s Leading Performers For 1984-85

<h2><b>AMERICAN LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-01934/5026664-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="529" height="492"></div><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-02757/5026657-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg" title="f0017-02" width="529" height="348"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>ADIRONDACK</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03583/5026650-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="540" height="609"></div><h2><b>BALTIMORE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04442/5026643-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="535" height="614"></div><h2><b>BINGHAMTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-05342/5026636-1-eng-US/f0017-052.jpg" title="f0017-05" width="536" height="617"></div><h2><b>FREDERICTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-06269/5026629-1-eng-US/f0017-062.jpg" title="f0017-06" width="533" height="609"></div><h2><b>HERSHEY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-07228/5026622-1-eng-US/f0017-072.jpg" title="f0017-07" width="536" height="492"></div><h2><b>MAINE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-08194/5026615-1-eng-US/f0017-082.jpg" title="f0017-08" width="531" height="85"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-09173/5026608-1-eng-US/f0017-092.jpg" title="f0017-09" width="530" height="468"></div><h2><b>MONCTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-10160/5026601-1-eng-US/f0017-102.jpg" title="f0017-10" width="528" height="118"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-11141/5026594-1-eng-US/f0017-112.jpg" title="f0017-11" width="536" height="436"></div><h2><b>NEW HAVEN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-12130/5026587-1-eng-US/f0017-122.jpg" title="f0017-12" width="537" height="147"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-13109/5026580-1-eng-US/f0017-132.jpg" title="f0017-13" width="533" height="433"></div><h2><b>NOVA SCOTIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-1494/5026573-1-eng-US/f0017-142.jpg" title="f0017-14" width="532" height="116"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-01963/5026566-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="546" height="503"></div><h2><b>ROCHESTER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-02727/5026559-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="537" height="645"></div><h2><b>SHERBROOKE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03519/5026552-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="539" height="588"></div><h2><b>SPRINGFIELD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-04352/5026545-1-eng-US/f0018-042.jpg" title="f0018-04" width="537" height="675"></div><h2><b>ST. CATHARINES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-05247/5026538-1-eng-US/f0018-052.jpg" title="f0018-05" width="534" height="590"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-06198/5026531-1-eng-US/f0018-062.jpg" title="f0018-06" width="544" height="415"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-07170/5026524-1-eng-US/f0018-072.jpg" title="f0018-07" width="542" height="638"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-08145/5026517-1-eng-US/f0018-082.jpg" title="f0018-08" width="541" height="631"></div><h2><b>PLAYOFFS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-09125/5026510-1-eng-US/f0018-092.jpg" title="f0018-09" width="504" height="89"></div><p><b>(Sherbrooke wins best-of-seven series 4-2)</b></p><h2><b>NORTHERN DIVISION</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-10112/5026503-1-eng-US/f0018-102.jpg" title="f0018-10" width="504" height="90"></div><p><b>(Sherbrooke wins best-of-seven series 4-1)</b></p><h2><b>Semi-Finals</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-11108/5026496-1-eng-US/f0018-112.jpg" title="f0018-11" width="502" height="89"></div><p><b>(Maine wins best-of-seven series 4-2)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-1299/5026489-1-eng-US/f0018-122.jpg" title="f0018-12" width="503" height="89"></div><p><b>(Sherbrooke wins best-of-seven series 4-2)</b></p><h2><b>SOUTHERN DIVISION</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-1384/5026482-1-eng-US/f0018-132.jpg" title="f0018-13" width="507" height="91"></div><p><b>(Baltimore wins best-of-seven series 4-0)</b></p><h2><b>Semi-Finals</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-1478/5026475-1-eng-US/f0018-142.jpg" title="f0018-14" width="505" height="91"></div><p><b>(Binghamton wins best-of-seven series 4-0)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-1572/5026468-1-eng-US/f0018-152.jpg" title="f0018-15" width="502" height="89"></div><p><b>(Baltimore wins best-of-seven series 4-1)</b></p><h2><b>FINAL PLAYOFF LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-1668/5026461-1-eng-US/f0018-162.jpg" title="f0018-16" width="532" height="145"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-01897/5026454-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="547" height="183"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>BALTIMORE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-02671/5026447-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="537" height="562"></div><h2><b>BINGHAMTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03472/5026440-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="543" height="586"></div><h2><b>FREDERICTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04387/5026433-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="539" height="620"></div><h2><b>MAINE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05320/5026426-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="540" height="616"></div><h2><b>NOVA SCOTIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06248/5026419-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="537" height="553"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-07217/5026412-1-eng-US/f0019-072.jpg" title="f0019-07" width="541" height="60"></div><h2><b>ROCHESTER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-08200/5026405-1-eng-US/f0019-082.jpg" title="f0019-08" width="543" height="523"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-09175/5026398-1-eng-US/f0019-092.jpg" title="f0019-09" width="537" height="67"></div><h2><b>SHERBROOKE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-10152/5026391-1-eng-US/f0019-102.jpg" title="f0019-10" width="547" height="501"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-11137/5026384-1-eng-US/f0019-112.jpg" title="f0019-11" width="538" height="64"></div><h2><b>SPRINGFIELD</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-12129/5026377-1-eng-US/f0019-122.jpg" title="f0019-12" width="534" height="497"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-13107/5026370-1-eng-US/f0019-132.jpg" title="f0019-13" width="542" height="91"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-1497/5026363-1-eng-US/f0019-142.jpg" title="f0019-14" width="561" height="444"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0017-01

THN STATISTICS AHL

<h2><b>INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-01757/5026947-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="548" height="382"></div><p><b>(Teams get point for overtime loss)</b></p><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02512/5026940-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="541" height="321"></div><h2><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></h2><h2><b>FLINT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03357/5026933-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="541" height="1073"></div><h2><b>FORT WAYNE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-04238/5026926-1-eng-US/f0020-042.jpg" title="f0020-04" width="540" height="875"></div><h2><b>INDIANAPOLIS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-05139/5026919-1-eng-US/f0020-052.jpg" title="f0020-05" width="541" height="756"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-06111/5026912-1-eng-US/f0020-062.jpg" title="f0020-06" width="552" height="241"></div><h2><b>KALAMAZOO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0799/5026905-1-eng-US/f0020-072.jpg" title="f0020-07" width="545" height="380"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0888/5026898-1-eng-US/f0020-082.jpg" title="f0020-08" width="540" height="382"></div><h2><b>MILWAUKEE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0967/5026891-1-eng-US/f0020-092.jpg" title="f0020-09" width="537" height="238"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1056/5026884-1-eng-US/f0020-102.jpg" title="f0020-10" width="553" height="501"></div><h2><b>MUSKEGON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1144/5026877-1-eng-US/f0020-112.jpg" title="f0020-11" width="539" height="125"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1240/5026870-1-eng-US/f0020-122.jpg" title="f0020-12" width="544" height="621"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-01556/5026863-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="532" height="214"></div><h2><b>PEORIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02315/5026856-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="546" height="795"></div><h2><b>SALT LAKE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-03179/5026849-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="532" height="1256"></div><h2><b>TOLEDO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-04136/5026842-1-eng-US/f0021-042.jpg" title="f0021-04" width="543" height="1194"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-05116/5026835-1-eng-US/f0021-052.jpg" title="f0021-05" width="569" height="1398"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0699/5026828-1-eng-US/f0021-062.jpg" title="f0021-06" width="566" height="302"></div><h2><b>PLAYOFFS</b></h2><h3><b>Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0783/5026821-1-eng-US/f0021-072.jpg" title="f0021-07" width="551" height="91"></div><p><b>(Peoria wins best-of-seven series 4-3)</b></p><h2><b>EAST DIVISION</b></h2><h3><b>Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0876/5026814-1-eng-US/f0021-082.jpg" title="f0021-08" width="547" height="83"></div><p><b>(Muskegon wins best-of-seven series 4-0).</b></p><h3><b>Semi-Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-0962/5026807-1-eng-US/f0021-092.jpg" title="f0021-09" width="537" height="93"></div><p><b>(Muskegon wins best-of-seven series 4-2).</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1051/5026800-1-eng-US/f0021-102.jpg" title="f0021-10" width="554" height="86"></div><p><b>(Kalamazoo wins best-of-seven series 4-3).</b></p><h2><b>WEST DIVISION</b></h2><h3><b>Finals</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1140/5026793-1-eng-US/f0021-112.jpg" title="f0021-11" width="548" height="86"></div><p><b>(Peoria wins best-of-seven series 4-2).</b></p><h2><b>Semi-Finals</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1229/5026786-1-eng-US/f0021-122.jpg" title="f0021-12" width="546" height="90"></div><p><b>(Peoria wins best-of-seven series 4-3)</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1326/5026779-1-eng-US/f0021-132.jpg" title="f0021-13" width="543" height="89"></div><p><b>(Fort Wayne wins best-of-seven series 4-3).</b></p><h2><b>FINAL PLAYOFF LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1422/5026772-1-eng-US/f0021-142.jpg" title="f0021-14" width="543" height="379"></div><p><b>PLAYOFF SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>FLINT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1519/5026765-1-eng-US/f0021-152.jpg" title="f0021-15" width="543" height="504"></div><h2><b>FORT WAYNE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1618/5026758-1-eng-US/f0021-162.jpg" title="f0021-16" width="543" height="385"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1715/5026751-1-eng-US/f0021-172.jpg" title="f0021-17" width="540" height="119"></div><h2><b>INDIANAPOLIS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1813/5026744-1-eng-US/f0021-182.jpg" title="f0021-18" width="539" height="504"></div><h2><b>KALAMAZOO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-1912/5026737-1-eng-US/f0021-192.jpg" title="f0021-19" width="533" height="527"></div><h2><b>MUSKEGON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-2010/5026730-1-eng-US/f0021-202.jpg" title="f0021-20" width="542" height="92"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1936/5026723-1-eng-US/f0024-192.jpg" title="f0024-19" width="537" height="417"></div><h2><b>PEORIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-2035/5026716-1-eng-US/f0024-202.jpg" title="f0024-20" width="540" height="529"></div><h2><b>SALT LAKE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-2132/5026709-1-eng-US/f0024-212.jpg" title="f0024-21" width="538" height="559"></div><h2><b>TOLEDO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-2230/5026702-1-eng-US/f0024-222.jpg" title="f0024-22" width="558" height="474"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-2329/5026695-1-eng-US/f0024-232.jpg" title="f0024-23" width="564" height="473"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0020-01

THN STATISTICS IHL

<h2><b>ONTARIO LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-01642/5027226-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="548" height="557"></div><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02458/5027219-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="541" height="758"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>BELLEVILLE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-03353/5027212-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="539" height="617"></div><h2><b>CORNWALL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-04261/5027205-1-eng-US/f0022-042.jpg" title="f0022-04" width="537" height="563"></div><h2><b>GUELPH</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-05214/5027198-1-eng-US/f0022-052.jpg" title="f0022-05" width="536" height="610"></div><h2><b>HAMILTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-06171/5027191-1-eng-US/f0022-062.jpg" title="f0022-06" width="535" height="291"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-07150/5027184-1-eng-US/f0022-072.jpg" title="f0022-07" width="537" height="384"></div><h2><b>KINGSTON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-08135/5027177-1-eng-US/f0022-082.jpg" title="f0022-08" width="544" height="556"></div><h2><b>KITCHENER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-09126/5027170-1-eng-US/f0022-092.jpg" title="f0022-09" width="539" height="644"></div><h2><b>LONDON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-10115/5027163-1-eng-US/f0022-102.jpg" title="f0022-10" width="539" height="648"></div><h2><b>NORTH BAY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-11110/5027156-1-eng-US/f0022-112.jpg" title="f0022-11" width="539" height="644"></div><h2><b>OSHAWA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-12103/5027149-1-eng-US/f0022-122.jpg" title="f0022-12" width="541" height="580"></div><h2><b>OTTAWA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1395/5027142-1-eng-US/f0022-132.jpg" title="f0022-13" width="544" height="644"></div><h2><b>PETERBOROUGH</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1486/5027135-1-eng-US/f0022-142.jpg" title="f0022-14" width="544" height="645"></div><h2><b>S.S. MARIE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1583/5027128-1-eng-US/f0022-152.jpg" title="f0022-15" width="548" height="615"></div><h2><b>SUDBURY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1675/5027121-1-eng-US/f0022-162.jpg" title="f0022-16" width="548" height="560"></div><h2><b>TORONTO</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1768/5027114-1-eng-US/f0022-172.jpg" title="f0022-17" width="546" height="615"></div><h2><b>WINDSOR</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1867/5027107-1-eng-US/f0022-182.jpg" title="f0022-18" width="544" height="620"></div><p><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-1967/5027100-1-eng-US/f0022-192.jpg" title="f0022-19" width="569" height="2023"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0022-01

THN STATISTICS OHL

<h2><b>WESTERN LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-01580/5027397-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="540" height="529"></div><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02401/5027390-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="537" height="758"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>BRANDON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-03292/5027383-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="547" height="845"></div><h2><b>CALGARY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-04219/5027376-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="541" height="820"></div><h2><b>KAMLOOPS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-05185/5027369-1-eng-US/f0023-052.jpg" title="f0023-05" width="540" height="468"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-06160/5027362-1-eng-US/f0023-062.jpg" title="f0023-06" width="544" height="352"></div><h2><b>KELOWNA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-07141/5027355-1-eng-US/f0023-072.jpg" title="f0023-07" width="535" height="791"></div><h2><b>LETHBRIDGE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-08126/5027348-1-eng-US/f0023-082.jpg" title="f0023-08" width="541" height="789"></div><h2><b>MEDICINE HAT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-09109/5027341-1-eng-US/f0023-092.jpg" title="f0023-09" width="539" height="788"></div><h2><b>MOOSE JAW</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1097/5027334-1-eng-US/f0023-102.jpg" title="f0023-10" width="531" height="643"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1183/5027327-1-eng-US/f0023-112.jpg" title="f0023-11" width="539" height="150"></div><h2><b>N. WESTMINSTER</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1269/5027320-1-eng-US/f0023-122.jpg" title="f0023-12" width="540" height="822"></div><h2><b>PORTLAND</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1357/5027313-1-eng-US/f0023-132.jpg" title="f0023-13" width="539" height="730"></div><h2><b>PRINCE ALBERT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1450/5027306-1-eng-US/f0023-142.jpg" title="f0023-14" width="533" height="701"></div><h2><b>REGINA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1541/5027299-1-eng-US/f0023-152.jpg" title="f0023-15" width="533" height="846"></div><h2><b>SASKATOON</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1634/5027292-1-eng-US/f0023-162.jpg" title="f0023-16" width="533" height="119"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1724/5027285-1-eng-US/f0023-172.jpg" title="f0023-17" width="539" height="825"></div><h2><b>SEATTLE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1816/5027278-1-eng-US/f0023-182.jpg" title="f0023-18" width="538" height="845"></div><h2><b>VICTORIA</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-1912/5027271-1-eng-US/f0023-192.jpg" title="f0023-19" width="550" height="586"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-208/5027264-1-eng-US/f0023-202.jpg" title="f0023-20" width="540" height="390"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-216/5027257-1-eng-US/f0023-212.jpg" title="f0023-21" width="547" height="2004"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0023-01

THN STATISTICS WHL

<h2><b>QUEBEC LEAGUE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-01621/5027547-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="546" height="443"></div><p><b>(Teams get point for overtime loss)</b></p><h2><b>FINAL SCORING LEADERS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02439/5027540-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="544" height="382"></div><p><b>FINAL SCORING BY TEAMS</b></p><h2><b>CHICOUTIMI</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-03297/5027533-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="543" height="583"></div><h2><b>DRUMMONDVILLE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-04187/5027526-1-eng-US/f0024-042.jpg" title="f0024-04" width="537" height="266"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-05144/5027519-1-eng-US/f0024-052.jpg" title="f0024-05" width="552" height="384"></div><h2><b>GRANBY</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-06122/5027512-1-eng-US/f0024-062.jpg" title="f0024-06" width="553" height="766"></div><h2><b>HULL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-07104/5027505-1-eng-US/f0024-072.jpg" title="f0024-07" width="546" height="619"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0898/5027498-1-eng-US/f0024-082.jpg" title="f0024-08" width="551" height="150"></div><h2><b>LAVAL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-0991/5027491-1-eng-US/f0024-092.jpg" title="f0024-09" width="549" height="650"></div><h2><b>LONGUEUIL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1083/5027484-1-eng-US/f0024-102.jpg" title="f0024-10" width="548" height="706"></div><h2><b>QUEBEC</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1181/5027477-1-eng-US/f0024-112.jpg" title="f0024-11" width="544" height="265"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1273/5027470-1-eng-US/f0024-122.jpg" title="f0024-12" width="547" height="418"></div><h2><b>SHAWINIGAN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1362/5027463-1-eng-US/f0024-132.jpg" title="f0024-13" width="550" height="705"></div><h2><b>ST. JEAN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1453/5027456-1-eng-US/f0024-142.jpg" title="f0024-14" width="548" height="731"></div><h2><b>TROIS-RIVIERES</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1548/5027449-1-eng-US/f0024-152.jpg" title="f0024-15" width="545" height="267"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1645/5027442-1-eng-US/f0024-162.jpg" title="f0024-16" width="542" height="356"></div><h2><b>VERDUN</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1741/5027435-1-eng-US/f0024-172.jpg" title="f0024-17" width="543" height="648"></div><h2><b>GOALTENDING RECORDS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1837/5027428-1-eng-US/f0024-182.jpg" title="f0024-18" width="543" height="1172"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0024-01

THN STATISTICS QMJHL

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-01575/5027578-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="387" height="448"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Al Strachan</b></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>D</span>URING THE ANNUAL</b> Congress, the National Hockey League&rsquo;s governors spent most of an afternoon discussing marketing. This development was at the root of much merriment among the assembled journalists outside.</p><p>&ldquo;How can they spend an afternoon on that?&rdquo; they asked. &ldquo;Everything the NHL knows about marketing could be covered in 10 seconds.&rdquo;</p><p>Later that day, the league announced a $500,000 expenditure to study officiating. Again, this brought a sardonic response. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re also going to spend $50 to study press relations,&rdquo; said one reporter, who also happens to write for THE HOCKEY NEWS. &ldquo;And they&rsquo;ll probably have $49.50 left over.&rdquo;</p><p>From the tone of these comments, it&rsquo;s clear that relationships between the NHL and the writers who cover it are not exactly harmonious.</p><p>Many people don&rsquo;t care. And perhaps they&rsquo;re right. After all, journalists have better jobs than most people. Why should somebody who works on a construction site or drives a bus through city traffic worry about a journalist&rsquo;s problems?</p><p>The answer is that most journalists, like most fans, love the game. They care about it and they want it to prosper. They get upset when the league botches up the proceedings, not because it makes their job more difficult but because it hurts the game.</p><p>Here&rsquo;s an example. During the Stanley Cup finals, most of the top hockey writers from two countries&mdash;Canada and the United States&mdash;and some top hockey writers from two other countries&mdash;Finland and Sweden&mdash;were in Philadelphia. The league was handed an excellent chance to publicize the better aspects of the sport.</p><p>But to make the announcement of the two finalists for each of the major awards, league officials simply dropped a press release on a few desks about 30 minutes before game time. The result was that the writers either ignored the release or fired off a couple of quick paragraphs and got back to the work at hand&mdash;the hockey game.</p><p>Why didn&rsquo;t the league hold a morning press conference? Why didn&rsquo;t it fly in some of the nominees for interviews? Why didn`t it at least set up a telephone interview? Why weren&rsquo;t the announcements made on an off-day, rather than a game day? Why didn&rsquo;t the league warn journalists that the announcements would be coming that evening? The league has no idea of what is meant by marketing or public relations, that&rsquo;s why.</p><p>Here&rsquo;s another example. Same series. The Edmonton Oilers are practising at the Spectrum at 11 a.m. The Flyers are also practising at 11 a.m.&mdash;about 30 miles away. How can the league reasonably expect a writer to get both sides of the story to the public? Prior to the Super Bowl, the National Football League holds a media day in which all players on both teams have to be on the field for an hour in uniform. That&rsquo;s one hour for one team and one I hour for the other. If the NHL held a media day (fat chance) they&rsquo;d schedule the two at the same time.</p><p>Another example. Same series. Game Two ends and I writers are told they&rsquo;ve got 10 minutes to get all the quotes I they need out of the Edmonton dressing room because the team has to get to its charter flight. Writers are also told they&rsquo;ve got 10 minutes to get all the quotes they need out of the Philadelphia dressing room because the team is I heading off for a group meal. (Naturally, one team is I staying on the east coast of the United States and another I is going to north-west Canada. You couldn&rsquo;t expect them I to stay within range of each other). Meanwhile, the players, who are faced with the same time restrictions, have to I shower and dress. They don&rsquo;t have time to talk.</p><p>Again, the question is asked: How can writers get the full story out to the hockey fans of the continent? And if they don&rsquo;t get the story out, who suffers? Not the writer. He&rsquo;s being paid anyway. In the short term, it&rsquo;s the fan who suffers. In the long term, it&rsquo;s the league which suffers.</p><p>The analyses, the controversies, the human interest stories that might keep a fan interested in hockey rather than switch over to the baseball or basketball seasons, simply are not being presented.</p><p>Pete Rose once said, &ldquo;The only thing a reporter ever did for me was to make me rich.&rdquo;</p><p>Rose has always been available to reporters and fast became the subject of many articles. His fame grew and he was, therefore, in demand. Granted, he still had to produce on the field but for many seasons, Pete Rose was only one of many top-echelon players. He wasn&rsquo;t a stiff by any means but neither was he tearing up the league. Yet the fans knew who Pete Rose was and they knew all about his work ethic&mdash;a concept which Rose was always ready to discuss with reporters. Pete Rose asked for&mdash;and got&mdash;a huge salary.</p><p>The NHL can&rsquo;t understand that approach. They can&rsquo;t understand that their&rsquo;s is an entertainment business and as such, its lifeline is publicity, whether it be good or not so good. Cleveland Indians&rsquo; president Peter Bavasi likes to say, &ldquo;There is no such thing as bad publicity, only degrees of good publicity.&rdquo;</p><p>But the NHL treats the media as if it has a communicable disease. They say the press tries to stir up controversy. So what? That&rsquo;s what makes sport interesting. Sure the media fanned the flames during the conference finals when Chicago&rsquo;s Denis Savard and Edmonton coach Glen Sather took potshots at each other. But nobody got hurt. Stories were written and interest in hockey increased. What&rsquo;s wrong with that?</p><p>The NHL executives keep saying that they&rsquo;ll do something about it but they never do. Teams like Calgary and Vancouver build huge dressing rooms with two sections. The media is given access to one room but no players are ever in it. They&rsquo;re in the other room, which is out of bounds. Teams like Winnipeg and Toronto don&rsquo;t allow reporters to go into the dressing room to talk to players after practice. Meanwhile, baseball allows reporters on the field or in the dressing room up to 30 minutes before game time. Naturally, reporters can go in the room right after the game as well.</p><p>If you were a big-city columnist and had a choice of writing a column about hockey or baseball, where would you go? Would you head to the ballpark where they make you feel welcome or the hockey rink where you&rsquo;re treated like a disease?</p><p>The answer is simple and it explains a major reason why hockey doesn&rsquo;t get the publicity it would like in the big American cities. That lack of publicity hurts the game. And more than anything else, that&rsquo;s why the regular hockey writers get upset at the NHL executives who allow the situation to continue.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-01

Why The NHL’s A Big Flop At Promoting Its Product

<div class="byline">BY GLENN COLE AND PERRY LEFKO</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0028-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-01546/5027609-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Frank Seike, Sr the man most responsible for turning the Montreal Canadian hockey club into a powerhouse, was also responsible for instituting the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.</b></figcaption></div><p>MONTREAL&mdash;For three hours they filed into the main lobby at the Forum to pay a final tribute to the man who built the Montreal Canadiens.</p><p>Frank J. Selke, the managing director of the Canadiens in their glory years of the late 1950s, died July 3 at his home in Rigaud, near Montreal. He was 92.</p><p>Selke had been in failing health since he underwent surgery in September, 1983, for a prostrate problem. During the past two years, his eyesight and hearing had begun to fail him.</p><p>&ldquo;He was not only a great hockey executive but also a great man,&rdquo; said Toe Blake, who coached the Canadiens to the record five straight Stanley Cup championships from 1956 to 1960. &ldquo;He did so much for me as a player and a coach. I just can&rsquo;t express my feelings enough.</p><p>&ldquo;The man did such an awful lot of good for hockey and was well-liked by players and executives. There&rsquo;s not a person who can say anything but good for Frank Selke.&rdquo;</p><p>A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and an honorary member of the NHL board of governors, Selke was instrumental in the construction of the Hall, Maple Leaf Gardens, Cincinnati Gardens and the Rochester War Memorial Auditorium to name but a few arenas.</p><p>The Hall of Fame was especially important to him.</p><p>&ldquo;Up until the Hall of Fame came into being, the game was ignoring its history, but not deliberately,&rdquo; said Selke&rsquo;s son, Frank Selke Jr. &ldquo;It was in a state of transition. It was important to him that the great players and the great people of the past be remembered and that their roles not be forgotten.&rdquo;</p><p>Selke was organizing pick-up hockey teams by the time he was 13, and at 14 was the manager of the Iroquois Bantams in Kitchener.</p><p>Bom in Berlin, Ont., (now Kitchener), Selke first entered the NHL executive ranks in 1929 as an assistant to Toronto general manager Conn Smythe. After serving in the army during the First World War, Selke coached the University of Toronto school team and organized the Toronto Marlboros in 1924.</p><p>Three seasons after he joined the Leafs&rsquo; organization, Toronto won the Stanley Cup, the first of three they were to win while Selke was with the organization. In 1946, he had a falling-out with Smythe and moved 365 miles east to join the Canadiens.</p><p>Selke&rsquo;s first Stanley Cup in Montreal came in 1953 with the late Dick Irvin coaching. Then came the five championships in the Blake era with the likes of Jacques Plante. Maurice Richard. Jean Beliveau, Dickie Moore. Bernie Geof-frion and Doug Harvey leading the way.</p><p>&ldquo;He always told us to be proud of the Canadiens&rsquo; uniform,&rdquo; said Moore, who signed his first contract with the Canadiens in the kitchen of Selke&rsquo;s home in 1951. &ldquo;It was very important to him that we recognized the importance of the uniform.&rdquo;</p><p>Frank Selke, Sr" the man most responsible for turning the Montreal Canadien hockey club into a powerhouse, was also responsible for instituting the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.</p><p>When the Canadiens&rsquo; dream team was selected by the fans last season, five of the players and the coach had been part of the Selke era.</p><p>&ldquo;He was tough, but he would do it in a very nice way,&rdquo; remembered Jean Beliveau. &ldquo;In French we have an expression. &lsquo;A hand of steel in a velour glove.&rsquo; He was so dedicated to the team and the game, all we could do was do our best.&rdquo;</p><p>At 71, Selke handed the managerial reins to Sam Pollock on May 15. 1964.</p><p>Yet he remained closely connected with the Canadiens&rsquo; organization, serving as chairman of the board of the team&rsquo;s then parent company.</p><p>&ldquo;Sam Pollock and I were his assistants, but he didn&rsquo;t refer to us as assistants. He called us co-workers,&rdquo; said Ken Reardon, a former defenseman and vice-president of the Canadiens. &ldquo;If Sam Pollock was a great hockey executive, one of the reasons had to be he had a chance to work under him (Selke). Possibly the student got better than the professor but you have to credit the professor.&rdquo;</p><p>Pollock was grateful for all he learned under Selke.</p><p>&ldquo;I worked for him for 17 years.&rdquo; said Pollock. &ldquo;He made many contributions to the NHL but he also used to say, &lsquo;The kids go marching on.&rsquo; He was a firm believer in the development of minor professional hockey and in junior hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;He taught me to be patient, to give players time to develop, not to make up your mind very quickly.&rdquo;</p><p>In 1977, the Canadiens donated a trophy in his name which honors the NHL&rsquo;s best defensive forward every season. Appropriately, Montreal&rsquo;s Bob Gainey won the award the first four seasons it was presented.</p><p>NHL president John Ziegler paid homage to Selke.</p><p>&ldquo;Frank Selke&rsquo;s vast contribution to the game of hockey in general and the National Hockey League in particular are probably unmatched,&rdquo; said Ziegler. &ldquo;He was one of the great builders of the game, a great judge of talent and one of the most successful general managers and administrators we will ever know.&rdquo;</p><p>Selke continued to attend games at the Forum, sitting in his seats in the south end, for several years until his health began to deteriorate. He attended his last game on Jan. 12, the night of the Canadiens&rsquo; 75th anniversary celebrations.</p><p>&ldquo;He did a lot of great things,&rdquo; said Frank Selke Jr., &ldquo;but I&rsquo;m really proud of him mostly as a father, as the dad he was for us kids and my mother. That was the measure of the man he was.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s hard to think of your father as a giant of hockey. I think of him as the man who gave us so much love and attention. The thing I&rsquo;m most proud of is that in the 92 years the man lived he never did anything he didn&rsquo;t think was right. He was a pretty good pop.&rdquo;</p><p>Selke is survived by five daughters and two sons.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0028-01

Hockey World Mourns Loss Of Frank Selke

<div class="byline">BY MIKE KANE</div><p><b>Louisville Hockey&reg;</b></p><p><b>Louisville Hockey&reg;</b></p><p>GLENS FALLS&mdash;It may not have been planned this way at the start, but the 1985 off-season has turned out to be the year the Adirondack Red Wings were overhauled.</p><p>From top to bottom, the Detroit Red Wings&rsquo; farm team has undergone major changes that the mechanics believe will prevent the breakdown that occurred last season when the club missed the playoffs for the first time since it joined the league in 1979.</p><p>Coach Bill Dineen, who managed to keep the injury-cursed Wings in the running for a playoff berth until the final day of the season, returns for his third year, but he&rsquo;ll be working with a revamped lineup when the club opens its seventh season in October.</p><p>The architect of much of the change is Neil Smith, Detroit&rsquo;s 31-year-old super scout, who was named Adirondack&rsquo;s general manager by Detroit GM Jimmy Devellano in June. Smith had carried the title of assistant GM with Adirondack for three years, but had not been actively involved with the operation of the team. He says that will change.</p><p>&ldquo;The good thing about the change is that I have decision power now, where I didn&rsquo;t have it for the last three years,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;Everything had to be cleared through Jimmy and now I have a lot more freedom to do things on my own. Of course, I won&rsquo;t do anything on my own without Bill Dineen&rsquo;s consultation.</p><p>&ldquo;Instead of Bill encountering a problem, coming to me with a solution and then me having to clear it through Jimmy, it clears that third step so that things can happen quicker. I think the results are going to be quickly seen, even before the season starts.&rdquo;</p><p>Smith made good on that promise July 2 when he announced the signing of free-agent forward Glenn Merkosky, who was named to the AHL&rsquo;s second all-star team last season after scoring 38 goals for the Maine Mariners. Smith said that up to four other players with extensive professional experience will be signed for Adirondack.</p><p>These players will replace such experienced Adirondack veterans as right winger Dennis Polonich, center Andre St. Laurent, defenseman John Beukeboom and goaltender Ken Holland, who will not have their contracts renewed. Also released were Dan Bonar, Todd Bidner, Tom Cronin, Pat Graham, Louis Haman and Carmine Vani. Vani asked for his release.</p><p>Four other veterans, Ted Speers, Jody Gage, Brad Smith and Barry Melrose were offered new contracts, but only Speers and Melrose had agreed to terms by July 1.</p><p>Among the newcomers expected to begin the season with Adirondack are goaltender Chris Pusey, left winger Bob Probert and defenseman Dave Korol, all of whom were selected by the Wings in the 1983 draft. Also, the signing of free agent college players Tim Friday and Adam Oates of national-champion RPI, Michigan State forward Dale Krentz and Chris Cichocki, a forward from Michigan Tech, will have an impact on the Adirondack roster.</p><p>Dineen, the oldest coach in the AHL at 53, remains with Adirondack after two seasons in which his teams, though often short on personnel, compiled a 72-66-22 record. He&rsquo;s been given a new contract and will continue to handle the day-to-day acitivities in Glens Falls, since Smith will be based in Detroit.</p><p>Both Smith and Dineen are confident that the changes will make the Wings a contender again.</p><p>&ldquo;There has probably been more thought put into next year&rsquo;s Adirondack Red Wings&rsquo; hockey club than into the patst two seasons,&rdquo; Dineen said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve done a lot of talking and I think there are some significant announcements to be made about hockey players that are of excellent American League calibre.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re concerned that we didn&rsquo;t make the playoffs and that could result in a souring of some people on the whole program,&rdquo; Smith said. &ldquo;But I can say without any hesitation that the moves that are going to be made this summer are going to make people forget that we didn&rsquo;t make the playoffs last year.&rdquo;</p><p><b>AROUND THE LEAGUE&mdash;John Paddock,</b> a player or coach with the Maine Mariners since the team&rsquo;s inception in 1977, has been hired as the head coach of the Hershey Bears. Paddock, 31, retired as a player early in 1983-84 season to take over as the coach of the Mariners when <b>Tom McVie</b> was promoted to New Jersey. Paddock&rsquo;s club caught fire near the end of the regular season and went on to capture the Calder Cup. This past season he served as a co-coach with McVie, who had returned to Maine. <b>Gary Innes</b> started last season as the Bears&rsquo; coach but was fired and replaced by Bears&rsquo; president <b>Frank Mathers</b> when the team struggled at the start of the season. Mathers later turned the team over to former Flyers&rsquo; star <b>Bill Barber.</b> Paddock&rsquo;s club will be completely stocked by the Philadelphia Flyers. Last season, the Flyers and Boston Bruins shared the Bears as an AHL affiliate&hellip;Boston, which had worked with Rochester, Binghamton and Springfield in recent years, will send its players to Moncton this season. Long-time Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds&rsquo; coach Terry Crisp has been hired to coach the Golden Flames in Moncton, replacing <b>Pierre Page,</b> who was promoted to Calgary as an assistant coach. Veteran forward <b>Dan Bolduc</b> has retired and will serve as Crisp&rsquo;s full-time assistant&hellip;<b>Earl Jessi-man,</b> who coached the Fredricton Express for two seasons, has accepted the head coaching position with the New Westminster Bruins of the Western League. Jessiman was a candidate for the vacant New Haven coaching job. New Haven and Springfield entered July as the only teams in the AHL without coaches&hellip; <b>Pierre Creamer,</b> coach of the Calder Cup-champion Sherbrooke Canadiens, announced he would return to handle the club again this season&hellip;Chicago has joined the Edmonton Oilers as a parent team for the Nova Scotia Oilers. Each team will provide 10 players<b>&hellip;Larry Kish</b> returns as Nova Scotia coach.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Adirondack Making Plans For 85-86 Season

<div class="byline">BY REYN DAVIS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0032-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-02377/5027664-1-eng-US/f0032-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jet captain Dale Hawerchuk says he likes living in Winnipeg and doesn&rsquo;t mind being out of the limelight.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Louisville Hockey&reg;</b></p><p><b>Louisville Hockey&reg;</b></p><h2><b>WINNIPEG JETS</b></h2><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-01511/5027671-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="127" height="112"></div><p>WINNIPEG&mdash;A cake as large as the mayor&rsquo;s desk marked the occasion&mdash;the signing of center Dale Hawerchuk to an eight-year contract valued at more than $3 million.</p><p>&ldquo;Where is your&rsquo;s, Barry?&rdquo; said a newsman, noticing Winnipeg Jets&rsquo; coach Barry Long who had just signed one day earlier.</p><p>&ldquo;I ate mine,&rdquo; said Long, apologetically. &ldquo;It was just a cup-cake, anyway.&rdquo;</p><p>Ultimately, the worth of the contract will be determined by the performance of Hawerchuk and the Jets. It is one of the six best in the National Hockey League, according to Gus Badali, the Toronto-based agent who represents Hawerchuk as well as Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Mario Lemieux.</p><p>Gretzky is supposedly the NHL&rsquo;s highest-paid player, earning $1 million per season from the Edmonton Oilers.</p><p>By choice, Hawerchuk has opted to spend the best years of his career with the Jets in Winnipeg.</p><p>&ldquo;I looked around and decided that this is where I want to be,&rdquo; said Hawerchuk, who has scored more than 100 points in three of his four National Hockey League seasons. &ldquo;I enjoy the city and the people. Winnipeg is the kind of place that suits Dale Hawerchuk.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not one who craves the limelight. I don&rsquo;t seek the attention of the press all of the time. I can find the privacy I want. And it has everything I need in life.&rdquo;</p><p>In signing Hawerchuk, GM John Ferguson has accomplished his No. I priority this summer.</p><p>&ldquo;A year ago, we were prepared to sign Dale for two or three more years,&rdquo; said Ferguson. &ldquo;But we both agreed to wait. We told him, &lsquo;Come back and tell us how long you want to stay here.&rsquo; He came back and said he wanted something long term. That showed us he had his heart set on staying here.&rdquo;</p><p>A teammate, Randy Carlyle, welcomed the news at his summer home outside of Sudbury.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always important to sign your best player,&rdquo; said Carlyle, the Jets&rsquo; ministerof defense. &ldquo;He&rsquo;sdemonstrated to all of us that he&rsquo;s the second best player in the league.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m glad the Jets have recognized the fact.&rdquo;</p><p>Gretzky has been quoted as saying that Hawerchuk and Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders are the only players in the league who could join him in the 200-point club.</p><p>Now 22, Hawerchuk is coming off the most productive season of his career, setting club records for goals (53), assists (77) and points (130).</p><p>&ldquo;For him to accomplish something like 200 points our entire team has to have an outstanding season,&rdquo; said Carlyle. &ldquo;Gretzky doesn&rsquo;t get over 200 points and Stanley Cups because he&rsquo;s the only star in Edmonton. Two hundred points is a team thing.&rdquo;</p><p>Badali said negotiations with the Jets were remarkably smooth.</p><p>&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t my first big contract but it was the quickest,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We came to an understanding during a two-hour meeting over dinner. Barry (Shenkarow, Jets&rsquo; president) and John (Ferguson) told me &lsquo;Gus, this won&rsquo;t take long&rsquo;. I&rsquo;ve heard that before. But they were right.&rdquo;</p><p>The meeting took place in the expensive Chateauneuf Restaurant at the Harbor Castle Hilton in Toronto during the recent draft meetings. Following the dinner, Badali called Hawerchuk, who was staying at his parents&rsquo; home in Oshawa.</p><p>&ldquo;I had given Dale an inkling of the dollars we were looking for,&rdquo; said Badali. &ldquo;When I called him I told him I liked the offer the Jets had made. I asked him to think about it. An hour later, he called back and said he liked it, too.&rdquo;</p><p>Terms of the contract include forms of compensation if the Canadian dollar should suddenly plummet in relation to the U.S. dollar.</p><p>If Hawerchuk were to maximize the contract by having a series of outstanding seasons with a Stanley Cup along the way, he could earn as much as $3.2 million.</p><p>If NHL players should gain complete free agency as in baseball. Badali said the Jets have promised to pay Hawerchuk according to his market value.</p><p>The deal does not include a shopping centre, as Gretzky&rsquo;s did, but investment opportunities are provided, according to Badali.</p><p>The Jets are satisfied that Hawerchuk is a superstar by NHL standards.</p><p>&ldquo;Keeping him was mandatory for both the hockey club and our fans&rsquo; said Ferguson. &ldquo;We knew he would be expensive to keep, but that&rsquo;s the price we have to pay if we are going to continue building a contending team.&rdquo;</p><p>Hawerchuk was entering the option year of his contract.</p><p>&ldquo;The idea of playing out the option crossed my mind, but not for long,&rdquo; said Hawerchuk. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d be crazy to leave this team. The Jets knew and I knew that wouldn&rsquo;t happen.&rdquo;</p><p>Long was delighted to know his captain and his star is secure for years to come.</p><p>&ldquo;If we have any hope at all of winning a Stanley Cup, he has to be in our lineup,&rdquo; said Long. &ldquo;To me he&rsquo;s a pleasure to coach. Now I know how (Glen) Sather feels having Gretzky on his team. I have never seen anyone more deter mined than Dale.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>&ldquo;Believe me, we are sick and tired of being No. 2. He was No. 2 to Gretzky for most valuable player, I was No. 2 in the coach of the year and we were No. 2 in our division.&rdquo;</p><p>Long said Hawerchuk will not receive any special protection from his teammates, despite the enormous investment in him.</p><p>&ldquo;Nobody should be allowed to take advantage of any member of our team,&rdquo; said Long. &ldquo;Dale is certainly valuable. But the 19 others have to be treated equally. I would like to think any cheap shot would find the wrath of the 19 other players.&rdquo;</p><p>Hawerchuk said he plans to play until he&rsquo;s 30 and &ldquo;then I&rsquo;ll consider another long-term contract. I&rsquo;d like to think there could be another (contract) if I am able to stay healthy. My game is a thinking game. I shouldn&rsquo;t forget how to think.&rdquo;</p><p>Asked if he feels the public&rsquo;s expectations of him will be greater now that he is one of hockey&rsquo;s highest-paid players, Hawerchuk thought for a moment.</p><p>&ldquo;I think they&rsquo;ll see that I am a million-dollar athlete when they see the effort,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Anyone who knows the personality of Dale Hawerchuk knows I won&rsquo;t&rsquo; rest on my laurels for a single minute.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0032-02

Hawerchuk Hits Jackpot With Winnipeg

<div class="byline">Wayne Gretzky</div><p>Like geese flying north in the spring, hockey awards seem to migrate annually to No. 99.</p><p>For the sixth straight year. Edmonton Oilers&rsquo; <b>Wayne Gretzky</b> took THE HOCKEY NEWS-Bridgestone Player of the Year Award, the first person to have been honored so many times in the history of THN Awards.</p><p>His winning the award has grown into a tradition.</p><p>Gretzky, whose season began with a Canada Cup win, finished the year with a second Stanley Cup. In between he accounted for 73 goals and a record-breaking 135 assists during the regular season and a record-breaking 47 points in the playoffs. The 200-point season was Gretzky&rsquo;s third.</p><p>Gretzky&rsquo;s right-hand man, the flying Finnish sniper, Jari Kurri, finished behind The Great One in a vote among fans. Kurri scored 71 goals and 64 assists in his best NHL season ever.</p><p>Gretzky also won the Art Ross Trophy for the fifth time as top scorer, the Hart Trophy (his sixth) as MVP, his first Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, and second straight Emery Edge Trophy for leading the league in plus-minus rating.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-01462/5027702-1-eng-US/f0033-012.jpg" title="f0033-01" width="699" height="1354"><figcaption class="caption-body">Nothing has changed for Wayne Gretzky. He keeps busy scoring points during the season and collecting awards during the off-season.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0033-01

NHL Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">John Ferguson</div><p><b>John Ferguson</b> has transformed the Winnipeg Jets from also-rans into Stanley Cup contenders in the space of four seasons.</p><p>Once the worst team in the National Hockey League, the Jets&rsquo; general manager has turned the Smythe Division team around with shrewd trades and nifty work at the draft table.</p><p>It was Ferguson who nabbed Dale Hawerchuk, bartered with Pittsburgh and Montreal for Randy Carlyle and Robert Picard, respectively, and generally improved the Jets team so much that they moved up to fourth place overall in the NHL this past season.</p><p>Winning ways have followed Ferguson throughout his hockey career. One of the toughest players ever, the left winger played on five Stanley Cup teams during an eight-year career with the Montreal Canadiens. He was also an associate coach with Team Canada in 1972, when Canada narrowly defeated the Soviet Union in the historic Summit Series.</p><p>This is the second time Fergy has captured THN NHL Executive-of-the-Year award.</p><p>Runner-up Marcel Aubut, president of the Quebec Nordiques, is one of the most influential executives in the NHL today.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-02333/5027733-1-eng-US/f0033-022.jpg" title="f0033-02" width="693" height="1354"><figcaption class="caption-body">Winnipeg Jets&rsquo; GM John Ferguson has piloted the Smythe Division team&rsquo;s climb to new heights with the help of Dale Hawerchuk.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0033-02

NHL Executive Of The Year

<div class="byline">Mike Keenan</div><p><b>Mike Keenan</b> is a winner&mdash;he was this past year and, it seems, always has been.</p><p>Leading the Philadelphia Flyers to the Wales Conference championship and the Stanley Cup final was just the latest success story in Keenan&rsquo;s coaching career, which now includes THN NHL Coach of the Year award. There have been others in the Metro Toronto Jr. B, Ontario, Canadian Inter-University and American leagues.</p><p>Nobody expected the Flyers to finish much better than fourth in the Patrick Division but they confounded even the most optimistic pundits by finishing not only first in their division, but first in the entire league (53-20-7).</p><p>The Flyers continued their superb play during the playoffs, dusting off the New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Quebec Nordiques before finally falling to the Edmonton Oilers.</p><p>The runner-up to Keenan was St. Louis Blues&rsquo; coach Jacques Demers. Making as much as he could with the limited amount of talent he had available, Demers coached the Blues to a Norris Division championship and a 37-31-12 record. The magic ran out during the playoffs when St. Louis fell prey to a Minnesota North Star team that had played possum all season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-03238/5027764-1-eng-US/f0033-032.jpg" title="f0033-03" width="702" height="1345"><figcaption class="caption-body">The Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; Mike Keenan has brought out championship-calibre performances from his players everywhere he&rsquo;s coached.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0033-03

NHL Coach Of The Year

<div class="byline">Mario Lemieux</div><p>Maybe a numerologist wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux share the same number of letters in their names.</p><p>And maybe a fan wouldn&rsquo;t be too bowled over to notice that Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky share the same numbers&mdash;sort of&mdash;on their sweaters: 99 and 66.</p><p>With the stats that Mario piled up in his first pro season, it may not be. long before Gretzky has his grip on the Art Ross Trophy loosened. Tallying 43 goals and 100 points in 73 games, Lemieux&mdash;who was THE HOCKEY NEWS-Micron Junior Player of the Year last season&mdash;lived up to advance billing, and came through for the Pittsburgh Penguins, earning THN-Chrysler NHL Rookie Of The Year.</p><p>A graceful skater, superb passer and stickhandler, Lemieux also won the Calder Cup as best NHL rookie, centered the NHL&rsquo;s all-rookie team, led Canada&rsquo;s entry at the World Championships and earned a berth on the tournament&rsquo;s second all-star team.</p><p>Lemieux outpolled high-scoring Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; rearguard Chris Chelios (9-55), who played a major role in leading the Habs to the top of the Adams Division, in THN fan vote.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0033-04183/5027795-1-eng-US/f0033-042.jpg" title="f0033-04" width="693" height="1354"><figcaption class="caption-body">Pittsburgh Penguins&rsquo; Mario Lemieux, the No. 1 choice in the 1984 entry draft, reached the 100-point mark in his rookie NHL season.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0033-04

NHL Rookie Of The Year

<div class="byline">John Tonelli</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he winner of the first-ever THN-Labatt&rsquo;s International Award, and a candidate as the best all-round left winger in the NHL today, John Tonelli plays the game with total commitment.</p><p>He has brought that quality to the New York Islanders for several years and did the same for Team Canada at the Canada Cup last September.</p><p>His role in Canada&rsquo;s championship triumph was vintage Tonelli. Always in the thick of things&mdash;digging, taking the man or fearlessly entering the comers&mdash;the native of Milton, Ont., embodied the competitive spirit which carried Canada to the top of the hockey world.</p><p>His most memorable contribution was an assist on Mike Bossy&rsquo;s overtime goal in Team Canada&rsquo;s stunning 3-2 win over the Soviet Union. Tonelli, typically, dug the puck out of the comer to start the play. The game is considered one of the greatest ever played. And Tonelli was very much a part of it.</p><p>After Canada defeated Sweden in the final game of the Canada Cup, it was hardworking John Tonelli who was selected as the tournament&rsquo;s most valuable player.</p><p>Runner-up to Tonelli for the Labatts&rsquo; International Award was Terry Simpson, coach of the World Championship. winning Junior Team Canada.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-01526/5027826-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg" title="f0034-01" width="698" height="1356"><figcaption class="caption-body">The Isles&rsquo; John Tonelli is the Chairman of the Boards both in the NHL and international competition. He had an exceptional season.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0034-01

Internat’I Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">Brian Clifford</div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>t&rsquo;s not often that Wayne Gretzky is upstaged, but Brian Clifford did just that when the young player stepped up to the microphone and spoke to the audience after receiving the THN-JOFA Minor Hockey Player-of-the-Year award.</p><p>If Brian handles a puck with the same ease he does the spoken word, he&rsquo;s in for a long career in hockey.</p><p>The Grade 6 student is a star center in Amherst, NY, where he plays travelling team hockey. And while his selection was determined by a random draw of entries submitted to THE HOCKEY NEWS, his talents and sportsmanlike approach to the game make him a most deserving winner.</p><p>Clifford is a team player who leads by example. In one game, Brian, the team&rsquo;s leading scorer, had two goals, and could have easily completed his hat-trick but decided instead to pass off to a teammate who was also in the hunt for a three-goal game. Another time, Brian scored six of his team&rsquo;s seven goals.</p><p>Clifford, whose favorite NHL teams are the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens, hopes someday to play with the Michigan State Spartans. He received an equipment certificate from Jofa-Volvo Canada Ltd.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-02409/5027857-1-eng-US/f0034-022.jpg" title="f0034-02" width="702" height="1352"><figcaption class="caption-body">Brian Clifford had an 85 percent average in Grade 6 to go along with nifty point totals in the Amherst minor hockey program.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0034-02

Youth Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">Dan Hodgson</div><p>Dan Hodgson will not soon forget the 1984-85 hockey season.</p><p>The Prince Albert Raiders&rsquo; center was a central figure in two major championships. He was captain of both the Memorial Cup-winning Raiders and World Championship-winning Junior Team Canada. Nobody else has ever done both, let alone during the the same season.</p><p>The 5-foot-10,170-pounder, who is this year&rsquo;s THN-Micron Junior Player of the Year, has long been a standout for the Raiders. Over his three-year Western League career he came within 18 points of equalling Brian Propp&rsquo;s career record of 511 points. Hodgson settled for a second-best total of 493 points on 188 goals and 305 assists.</p><p>This past season he accumulated 182 points-among them 70 goals&mdash;to finish as runner-up in the league scoring race to Cliff Ronning of the New Westminster Bruins.</p><p>At the Memorial Cup tournament, where he collected a record 13 assists, Hodgson was named the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League&rsquo;s player of the year.</p><p>Dave MacLean, the Ontario League&rsquo;s nominee for CMJHL player of the year, was runner-up to Hodgson for the THN award.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-03311/5027888-1-eng-US/f0034-032.jpg" title="f0034-03" width="702" height="1352"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dan Hodgson, Canada&rsquo;s best junior, hopes to be playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs next year after completing a three-year junior career.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0034-03

Junior Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">Chris Terreri</div><p>The New Jersey Devils will probably have to wait for goalie <b>Chris Terreri.</b></p><p>Terreri, 20, won the THN/Bauer College Player of the Year award on the strength of his superb play with Providence College in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference and National Collegiate Athletic Association Final Four tournament, where he led the Friars to the championship game.</p><p>Although the Friars were defeated in a close game by the RPI Engineers, Terreri was named most valuable player in the tournament.</p><p>The 5-foot-9, 155-pound Rhode Island native was New Jersey&rsquo;s third choice in the 1983 draft, and will probably stay at Providence for another year to finish his degree. It&rsquo;s just as well, perhaps, since New Jersey is overloaded with good young goaltenders.</p><p>Runner-up Bill Watson, winner of the Hobey Baker Award as top U.S. collegian, is joining the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1985-86 season. Watson, a right winger with the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, scored 49 goals and 109 points in only 46 games with the Bulldogs. The native of Pine Falls, Man. earned all-American honors.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-04216/5027919-1-eng-US/f0034-042.jpg" title="f0034-04" width="696" height="1336"><figcaption class="caption-body">Goaltender Chris Terreri of Providence College lives by a succinct motto: The puck stops here. So far, it&rsquo;s worked very well.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0034-04

College Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">Paul Gardner</div><p>If Wayne Gretzky played in the American Hockey League, his name would be Paul Gardner.</p><p>The 29-year-old Gardner, a capable but unappreciated center in the NHL, spat fire in the AHL. Although he played in only 64 games (he spent 12 games playing for the Capitals in the NHL) he scored 51 goals and an AHL-record 130 points. Had he played the full complement of 80 games, the new mark may well have been astronomical.</p><p>Gardner, one of the mainstays of the Binghamton Whalers, was a pivotal figure in that team&rsquo;s regular-season success (5220-8).</p><p>His year-end plans called for retirement but he has since re-considered and hopes once more to play in the NHL, where he has already racked up five 30-goal seasons.</p><p>Second to Gardner in polling was the International Hockey League&rsquo;s Scott Gruhl. Gruhl, of the Muskegon Lumberjacks, has seen only sporadic service in the NHL, but has been greased lightning in the&lsquo;I&rsquo;</p><p>This past season he scored 62 goals and 64 assists for 126 points&mdash;the second best total in the league. Gruhl, 26, was a major factor in Muskegon&rsquo;s turnaround during the 1984-85 season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-01497/5027950-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="696" height="1348"><figcaption class="caption-body">Paul Gardner was an American League scoring sensation this past season in Binghamton. He scored an AHL-record 130 points.</figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0035-01

Minor Player Of The Year

<div class="byline">BY STEVE DRYDEN</div><p>TORONTO&mdash;Is he a small wonder? Or is it the scouts who are wondering if he is too small?</p><p>Both, in no small part, are true of Canada&rsquo;s top junior hockey player this past season.</p><p>Dan Hodgson, a center for the Memorial Cup-winning Prince Albert Raiders and Toronto Maple Leaf prospect, has been ignoring doubts about his size for three years in the Western Hockey League.</p><p>He has preferred the numbers listed under goals and assists reflect his worth as a hockey player more than those slotted under height and weight.</p><p>The former are, indeed, impressive.</p><p>Hodgson, who&rsquo;ll turn 20 in August, scored 188 goals and 305 assists (for 493 points) in 202 WHL games. Only one other player in league history has accumulated more career points.</p><p>And former Brandon Wheat King Brian Propp. now of the Philadelphia Flyers, needed 11 more games to earn 18 more points.</p><p>During the 1984-85 season, Hodgson scored 70 goals and 112 assists for 182 points, second only to Cliff Ronning&rsquo;s 197 in the WHL.</p><p>His efforts were amply rewarded when a committee of National Hockey League scouts named him the Canadian Major Hockey League&rsquo;s top player over Quebec nominee Sergio Momesso and Ontario candidate Dave MacLean. He was also named THE HOCKEY NEWS junior player of the year.</p><p>It is Hodgson&rsquo;s physical statistics, however, that have cast doubt on Hodgson&rsquo;s ability to make a similar impact on the Leafs and the rest of the NHL.</p><p>Hodgson, you see, is only 5-foot-10, and 175 pounds&mdash;which doesn&rsquo;t seem all that small when you&rsquo;re punching away at the office computer keyboard&hellip;but does seem a little on the slight side when a defenseman is punching away at you in the comer.</p><p>Unless, of course, your name is Dan Hodgson and you&rsquo;ve been hearing criticisms about size ever since you moved from Fort McMurray to Edmonton as a bantam to play higher-calibre hockey.</p><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t let that bother me at all,&rdquo; says Hodgson. &ldquo;You hear the knocks but I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;m that small.&rdquo;</p><p>Apparently, others did in 1983 when Hodgson wasn&rsquo;t chosen by the Leafs until the fifth round of the entry draft despite a 130-point performance that earned him rookie-of-the-year status in the WHL.</p><p>Since then he&rsquo;s twice finished as runner-up to league scoring champions. Twice he&rsquo;s led the WHL in assists. Therein lies his strength as a player.</p><p>&ldquo;My passing and seeing where everyone is. That&rsquo;s my biggest asset,&rdquo; says Hodgson, who did just that better than anybody in Memorial Cup history in May when he earned a record 13 assists while leading Prince Albert to the national title.</p><p>Prince Albert coach Terry Simpson agrees the potential is there but adds a pair of riders&mdash;shotgun riders on the wings, that is.</p><p>&ldquo;If they have the players to give him I think he can be a player in that league. He&rsquo;s not big and strong but his strengths are his vision and his playmaking and his offensive abilities.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got to have a really skilled scorer on the one side and he&rsquo;s got to have a guy who&rsquo;s a bit tough on the other side.&rdquo;</p><p>There are, of course, a lot of centers looking for similar partners.</p><p>&ldquo;I expect to make Toronto and I expect to help Toronto to make the playoffs,&rdquo; said Hodgson, who hopes to get a better opportunity this fall than last.</p><p>&ldquo;They didn&rsquo;t give me much of a lookg I don&rsquo;t think they had any plans for me from day one.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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August 9, 1985

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Minor Coach Of The Year

Red Wings Bag Oates With $1-Million Deal