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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.
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,…
ISLANDERS
DEFENSIVE VETS WILL HELP… Brinkmanship always has been a New York Islander trademark. The worse their plight, it seemed, the better they played. The Islanders are renowned for having rebounded when they were down three games in a seven-game playoff series, two goals behind late in a pivotal game or on the verge of elimination from playoff contention. That history and the feeling they have nowhere to go but up are perhaps the greatest sources for optimism with the last-place team. With a change in outlook, the addition of even an average offensive player or solid goaltending and a revived power play, the Islanders’ season could be considerably brighter than the one they finished last March. There is no telling what impact new ownership—which had been pending through the summer—can have on everyone in the…
WHALERS
FAST-BREAK START CRUCIAL… Before one can paint the best-case scenario for the Hartford Whalers this season, he or she must understand that last season was an aberration. And a bad one at that. The Whalers simply aren’t as bad as their dismal 3-11-5 mark in the final 19 games last season. Gone is the controversy surrounding coach Rick Ley stripping Ron Francis of his captaincy. Gone, too, are Ley and Francis. Gone is the early-season confusion surrounding half the team playing out their option year that led to an unsavory 4-9-3 start. Gone, too, is the late-spring confusion surrounding Ley’s status. Order should be returned to the point where it was for the bulk of last midseason. The Whalers posted a pretty fair 24-18-3 record during that 45-game stretch. With Boston, Montreal and Buffalo, there are…
BLUES
STEVENS MUST STAY… If the St. Louis Blues are to play out their best-case scenario this season, they may have to rely on the U.S. court system and a possible challenge of the NHL free agency rules by Scott Stevens. Stevens, 27, the Blues’ star defenseman, captain and inspirational leader, was awarded to New Jersey Sept. 3 by Judge Edward J. Houston as compensation for the Blues’ signing of Brendan Shanahan as a free agent. Without Stevens, the Blues’ Stanley Cup hopes are basically dead, but Stevens and his agent, attorney Richard Bennett, hinted that Stevens may not report to the Devils and may pursue a legal remedy to the situation. This is not without precedent in NHL history. On Aug. 8, 1978, Judge Houston awarded the rights of Detroit’s Dale McCourt to Los Angeles…
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