Search for your favorite player or team
© The Hockey News. All rights reserved. Any and all material on this website cannot be used, reproduced, or distributed without prior written permission from Roustan Media Ltd. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
November 15, 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.
Players feel like a million these days
Is that a new, million-dollar contract in your pocket or are you just happy to see NHL salaries on the rise? Seventeen players—more than twice as many as a year ago—will earn $1 million or more this season. (Earnings consist of base salary, signing bonus paid out this year and deferred income allocated against this season.) There’s no reason to believe the number won’t continue to swell in the immediate future. New York Ranger defenseman Brian Leetch and Toronto Maple Leaf netminder Grant Fuhr are expected to get new deals worth more than $1 million a year before this season is finished. Hartford Whaler winger Pat Verbeek and Quebec Nordique center Joe Sakic are hopeful an abitrator will see fit to reward them with seven-figure annual salaries. And players such as New Jersey Devil right…
Milestone shutout puts Liut in classy group
Mike Liut will never catch Terry Sawchuk or even Tony Esposito, but 25 shutouts in this day and age is quite an accomplishment. Liut’s play is a big reason why the Washington Capitals were among the overall leaders through the first month of the season and Nov. 1, he achieved a personal milestone by collecting his 25th career blanking. Liut joins 34 other NHL goalies with at least 25 shutouts and is the active leader even though he’s a far cry from Sawchuk’s 103 or Esposito’s 76. Liut had been stuck on 24 since he held the Islanders scoreless March 20, 1990, just 15 days after he came to the Capitals from the Hartford Whalers. “It’s a milestone,” Liut said, “and you never want to fall just short of a milestone.” Liut grew up…
Ogrodnick soars on new line
For all the moves general manager Neil Smith made in reshaping the Rangers over the past few months, left winger John Ogrodnick may be reaping the benefits the most. After successful seasons with linemates Kelly Kisio and Brian Mullen, the 32-year-old veteran was left alone when Kisio was claimed in the expansion draft and Mullen was traded to Jyan Jose for Tim Kerr. But the search for new linemates for Ogrodnick may have ended. Coach Roger Neilson placed him on the left of a line with rookie Doug Weight and right winger Mike Gartner, and the trio played well, producing three straight game-winning goals. Weight is strong with the puck and isn’t intimidated by the fact his linemates have combined for nearly 900 NHL regular-season goals. While some rookies might feel obligated to…
Essensa on the hot seat for his cold play in goal
Maybe it was just a bump in the road, but this was one area where the Winnipeg Jets weren’t supposed to have any trouble. Things appeared on course when, after 10 games, goalies Bob Essensa, Stephane Beauregard and Rick Tabaracci were a large part of the NHL’s third-best defensive record. The Jets’ record of 6-3-2, in that respect, was not a fluke. Five games later, things unravelled. Including a blowout two-game road trip through Quebec and other defensive follies, the Jets plunged to 16th on the goals-against chart. Twenty-eight goals allowed over five games is an anchor. And Essensa, the team’s consensus No. 1 man, was in hot water. “I’ve been thinking about a few things lately, since things haven’t been going great,” he said. “I was thinking hard about trying to bear down…
Made possible with the support of
