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October 21, 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.
NEW-LOOK DEFENSE COMES THROUGH
In less than a week, the Philadelphia Flyers changed their lineup, their outlook and probably their prospects for the 1988-89 season. As the regular season opener drew near, it was beginning to look as if general manager Bob Clarke was going to stand pat with a defense roundly criticized as ‘‘questionable.’’ And then he finally made the trade which everybody had been waiting for since the end of last season—he sent unhappy and absent defenseman Doug Crossman to the Los Angeles Kings for rearguard Jay Wells. No sooner had everybody adjusted to that when a second shoe dropped—he lost popular veteran defenseman Brad Marsh, 30, in the waiver draft. So when the Flyers opened their season at the Spectrum, the Philadelphia crowd was taking a look at a seriously altered blue-line group. Not only…
TORREY BLOWS UP AFTER ISLES BLOW LEAD
New York Islander general manager Bill Torrey had just seen his team blow its second 6-5 in overtime to the hometown Los Angeles Kings. While his players showered quietly after the Oct. 8 setback, Torrey stalked the hallway outside the dressing room, arms folded, head bowed, lips pursed. His face grew redder with each stride. Up and back he paced, up and back. His bow tie looked like it was ready to ignite. On Oct. 6, the Islanders blew a 4-1 lead in the final 10 minutes of the third period and were tied 4-4 by Calgary. On Oct. 7 they were blitzed 5-1 by Edmonton. In Gretzky-hot L. A., they were burned again, leaving them 0-2-1. “The guys that didn’t work in training camp are the ones having horsebleep starts,” Torrey bellowed,…
THE U.S. TV DEAL, ACCORDING TO ZIEGLER
First, a confession. In Canada, the National Hockey League’s new television deal with SportsChannel rated a footnote, nothing more. We have our Hockey Night In Canada, our Sports Network and our local telecasts and they are basically all great. Want to spend a week on a hockey vacation? Fly to Toronto, rent a hotel room and live it up. Some weeks, you can get four games in seven nights, expertly produced and interestingly packaged. Judging from the response in The Hockey News Fan Forum, the same cannot be said for the state of hockey broadcasting in the United States. Right now, American viewers in non-hockey centers are mad as hell at the NHL for dumping ESPN, a national cable system, to sign with SportsChannel America. So in the interests of fair comment and giving the…
RAISING OF BANNER BRINGS BACK MEMORIES
Life continues on without Wayne Gretzky. But can the Edmonton Oilers continue to live in the lavish manner to which they’ve become accustomed? The $64,000 question will be answered throughout the NHL’s 80-game season. But, if opening night may be taken as an indication, the Oilers’ reign as Stanley Cup champions may not be terminated as quickly as some believe. The night after Gretzky launched a successful four-point debut with the Los Angeles Kings in a stunning 8-2 romp over the Norris Division-champion Detroit Red Wings, the Oilers raised their fourth Stanley Cup banner high into the rafters of the Northlands Coliseum. Only a few feet away, the Cup itself was also hoisted to the roof in what appeared to be a message to the 10 Oiler newcomers, six of whom suited up opening…
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