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November 11, 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.
REINHART NOT BACKING OFF
The worry of his chronic back pain is always there, but Vancouver Canuck management has earned the right to smile about the Sept. 6 trade which brought defenseman Paul Reinhart from Calgary. He is perhaps the chief reason why the Canucks (5-5-2 after 12 games) were off to their best start since 198586, when they went 6-4-2. While it’s still early, the Canucks had cut their goals-against average to 2.61, second in the league behindBoston’s 2.53 mark. It was an area that needed to be shored up from last season, when they were 17th in the league, with a 3.96 team average. The improvement manifested itself in a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames Oct. 30. Vancouver held Calgary to 18 shots on goal and gave up just three excellent scoring chances,…
BLUELINES
A behind-the-scenes move is afoot to jazz up the 1989 NHL All-Star Game (in Edmonton, Feb. 7) in the National Basketball Association’s manner. Acclaim has been reaped by the NBA from a number of individual player competitions like the slam-dunk contest. NHL counterparts would be skating-with-puck races, a forward-goalie shootout and stickhandling-around-pylons dash. In addition an oldtimers’ game also will be urged. “I don’t see why it’s not realistic (to try the competitions),” Flame GM Cliff Fletcher tells BLUELINES, “but it would require approval from the Players’ Association.” In the past the NHLPA torpedoed attempts to jazz up the allstar event with player-vs.-player contests, despite the NBA’s obvious success. “The idea has merit,” adds Fletcher, “but the NBA is in a more enviable position because it’s a more individual sport.” KEENAN…
DEGRADATION NEEDN’T BE PART OF ROOKIE INITIATION
Old habits die hard, especially in hockey, but the time has come to restore sanity to the game’s rites of fall—rookie initiations. This is something that should have been said long ago. Certainly before the hazing at Kent State that cost the Ohio university its hockey program and put a freshman, who was force-fed alcohol, in hospital. (See page 8.) After the fact, it looks like just another kneejerk reaction to an isolated incident. But the fact is I’ve never been able to comprehend or accept a ritual based almost solely on humiliation and degradation. Hockey being as tribal as it is, I didn’t expect my view to be shared by many within the game. Now, though. I’m beginning to think the worm has turned. “It’s childish, humiliating and I see no reason for…
SUPER SOPHOMORES
Believe it or not, a newspaper story recently suggested Joe Nieuwendyk was off to a slow start this season. The story went on to report Nieuwendyk’s performance “raised the age-old questions” about second-year NHLers and the sophomore jinx. At the time of the story, the Calgary Flame center had five goals and one assist in seven games. Slow start? Okay, maybe they were talking about the one assist. But sophomore jinx? Give it a rest. It just so happens this year’s group of jinxed sophomores may be the most talented group of second-year gunners in many seasons. “It’s a quality group the likes of which I can’t recall being put together in one year before,” says St. Louis Blues’ general manager Ron Caron. The Blues own two of this year’s top sophomores—right winger Brett Hull and…
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