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October 4, 1991
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.
WHAT’S YOUR SIGN?
In many ways, the St. Louis Blues have discovered all that is good, and bad, about signing free agents in the NHL. In the case of their signing of defense-man Scott Stevens two summers ago, the Blues were immediately rewarded by the addition of a player, who provided leadership and stabilized and improved their defense. The result was the Blues improved by 22 points in the standings, while the net result was that, along with the re-signing of Brett Hull, they were able to increase revenues by boosting ticket prices by an average of $5. That daily double is probably the most attractive aspect to signing free agents, too. It’s the quickest way to build a contender and to address a specific roster requirement, especially in the areas of defense and goal where…
RANGERS
LEETCH, RICHTER AT PINNACLE… In the best of all Ranger worlds, an end comes—at very long last—to more than five decades of disappointment, discouragement and disgust over the team’s failure to win a Stanley Cup. In the best of all Ranger worlds, the team that always starts the season with so much promise finally finishes a season by playing to its potential. In the best of all Ranger worlds, the day the team breaks up for the summer, you don’t hear more excuses, don’t blame more injuries. You don’t spend the off-season wondering about the next shakeup in management. It is not the world’s easiest thing, writing about the Rangers, unless you like the taste of newsprint. Because they always make you eat the nice things you say about them when you watch…
OILERS
A WIN-WIN SITUATION IN GOAL… In a perfect world, the Edmonton Oilers’ remaining free agents would resign, their captain Mark Messier would still want to be here, their goalies would agree to share the workload and the entire team would be healthy enough—and interested enough in an 80-game schedule—to win the Smythe Division crown in 1991-92. Okay, so general manager Glen Sather’s little world ain’t perfect. But Sather is determined to resolve his free agent hassles with EsaTikkanen, Craig Simpson and Steve Smith and has resigned himself to the fact he must trade Messier, goalie Grant Fuhr and malcontent winger Glenn Anderson. That said, the best case scenario for the Oilers in 1991-92 goes like this: They deal Messier to the New York Rangers and grab four or five kids—Steven Rice, Tony Amonte,…
PENGUINS
TALENT NOTA CONCERN… When you’ve done the unthinkable, pulling off the improbable doesn’t seem like such a challenge. Which is why it’s not out of the question that the 1991-92 season will end with another Stanley Cup rally at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. Not when you look at the Penguins’ lineup and see a concentration of talent that includes Mario Lemieux, Paul Coffey, Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Larry Murphy, Jaromir Jagr and Joe Mullen. Factor in the varied contributions of guys such as Ulf Samuelsson, Phil Bourque, Bob Errey and Bryan Trottier, among others, and suddenly the events of last spring don’t seem so outlandish, after all. Character and commitment, two qualities rarely associated with Pittsburgh hockey, were abundant last season. If that holds true, the Penguins at least will…
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