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May 20, 1988
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.
North Stars Will Take Modano First Overall
BLOOMINGTON, Minn—The choice that is supposed to be difficult won’t be that difficult at all. The reason: The promise of immense talent. Okay, so maybe you’ve heard it before. The North Stars. Talent. Finesse. And where has it gotten them? Well, when the Stars make the first selection in the June draft, they will be unable to pass on Mike Modano, another young center full of finesse and potential. As they did five years ago, the North Stars are expected to take an American first overall. But there is a difference this time. Modano, 17, has spent the past two seasons playing for Prince Albert Raiders in what Minnesota chief scout Harry Howell calls the “toughest junior league in the world”—the Western League. Brian Lawton, who in 1983 became the first American ever…
Toronto’s Off-Season Follows An Off-Year
TORONTO—Even before the Toronto Maple Leafs ran out of hope this year, they ran out of players. For the second straight season, the Maple Leafs fell to the Detroit Red Wings with an injury-ravaged and talent-thin lineup. By the time Detroit finished off Toronto in six games, the Maple Leafs were down to four players—three defensemen and one forward—who had earned coach John Brophy’s long-term confidence. Borje Salming, Al lafrate and Todd Gill were the blueliners, Ed Olczyk the lone attacker. The shortage of capable NHL help was partly unavoidable. Injuries deprived Brophy of defensemen Chris Kotsopoulos (groin) and Rick Lanz (neck), left wingers Wendel Clark (back), Mark Osborne (shoulder) and right winger Gary Leeman (hand). “You can take players away,” said Brophy, “but you can’t take too many of them away and still win.” Sub-par efforts…
Throw-In’ Bozek Happy To Be With Blues
ST. LOUIS—For a few weeks, left winger Steve Bozek looked like a meaningless throw-in in the big St. Louis Blues-Calgary Flames trade March 7 which brought him and right winger Brett Hull here for defenseman Rob Ramage and goalie Rick Wamsley. During the regular season, he scored three goals and had seven assists in 26 games for Calgary and didn’t add to his total in seven games with St. Louis. But a spirited performance in the Norris Division final against Detroit elevated Bozek’s stock as a Blue. He joined Brian Sutter and Rick Meagher on a checking line against the Red Wings and finally put a clamp on Detroit sniper Petr Klima. He won faceoffs, set a brisk tempo with his checking, killed penalties aggressively and scored a go-ahead goal in game…
McInnis Referee For Day
Rarely has a skating rink manager from Yonkers, N.Y., commanded such attention. But Paul McInnis, who moonlights as an office official for the New Jersey Devils—usually a goal judge—was thrust into the limelight as referee of an NHL playoff game, whether he wanted the job or not. McInnis, 52, was at Brendan Byrne Arena to assist the office crew from Nassau Coliseum working the May 8 game between Boston and New Jersey. About 30 minutes before the game was scheduled to start, while NHL director of officials John McCauley met with the assigned officials, McInnis was told he might have to officiate. He was skeptical. “I just assumed those guys weren’t going to walk out with 20,000 people in the building,” said McInnis. “Then John said, ‘You’re going on,’ and people started running around…
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