CHEERS & JEERS

Team Sweden. Swedes successfully defend world championship title with radically different team. Instant replay. Tale of the tape has been a happy one for the NHL this season, especially in the playoffs. Coach firings. Two of the first three on the firing line had winning records. There is only one Stanley Cup, isn’t there? Adam Graves. Ranger is front-and-center in an ugly brawl with Devils, then carelessly injures Mario Lemieux.…

It’s time fighting was conditioned out of hockey

Yet another outbreak of common sense in the playoffs is threatening the future of fighting in the NHL. The absence of bare fist bashing bare face leads one to believe that maybe, just maybe, the game can survive a measure of intelligence. It suggests that IQ does not have to stand for intimidation quotient in the NHL. The Hockey News takes the position that fighting has no place in hockey and we will continue to espouse that viewpoint until thuggery is every bit as illegal on the ice as it is off the ice. Fighting is indefensible as an accepted part of any sport but the most barbaric of all-boxing. Some general managers believe stickmen will run wild if they don’t face swift retribution from goons. There is no hard evidence such an inverse relationship exists…

THE GOOD FIGHT

Progress toward a virtually fight-free NHL will be made shortly if a host of league executives have their way. The NHL Congress opens June 17 in Montreal and one matter likely to be on the agenda when the 24 general managers assemble is the introduction of stricter measures aimed at reducing the incidence of fighting. Boston Bruins’ general manager Harry Sinden said in a May 8 telephone interview he is contemplating legislation that would pack a powerful punch against frequent fighters and players who instigate altercations. “I look at this issue as a major issue in the future of our sport,” Sinden said. “If we are going to expand, and I think that is our future, I think this has to be resolved. I’m talking about expansion into Europe, as well as other…

Surprises finally end as Swedes strike gold

After all the shocks and surprises at the World Championships, the end result was really no surprise at all. Sweden, the defending champions, defeated rival Finland 5-2 in the first-ever all-Scandinavian final May 10 in Prague, Czech. The Swedes, who stumbled through the first round of the tournament winning only one game, found their form in time to claim the title. That the Swedish team was composed of young and unproven international players, likely had much to do with the club’s mediocre opening round. Noticeably absent were former NHL stars Hakan Loob, Mats Naslund and Bengt Gustafsson. They were counted upon heavily at the Winter Olympics but disappointed as the favored Swedes finished fifth. So they went back to the drawing board and hastily put together a team of up-and-coming talent. It just took…

Women’s Worlds deserved more

Nobody who knows me would ever question my love for the game. Adrenaline and excitement run high in both major- and minor-league games and the spirit stays the same whether the puckhandlers are male or female. A fan of the sport is a fan of the sport, right? I was wondering why, then, did the coverage of the Women’s World Championships get reduced to a quarter-page blurb on the bottom of page 5 (THN, May 8)? Why didn’t you run a single photo of Canada’s impressive victory over the U.S.? I think an 8-0 win for a gold medal ranks as pretty relevant hockey news for the week. I just thought a cover shot of the women’s team would have been a little more meaningful than yet another shot of Mario Lemieux. Karen McBride, Toronto,…

ELSTON

LISTS

Taylor made for longevity The October trade of Mark Messier from the Edmonton Oilers to the New York Rangers broke up the only pair of teammates to spend at least 10 seasons with their original team. Kevin Lowe has been with the Oilers 13 seasons and Messier was there for 12. Here are the only other players who have spent more than 10 seasons with their original team: Keenan, Burns lead the way Entering the 1992-93 season, at least 16 of the 24 teams will be led by a coach with no more than one season’s experience with that team. Here’s a look at the eight active coaches who have more than 80 regular-season games continuous service with their current teams.…

Dynamo rearguard still tops European draft ranking

There will be a distinctly European flavor to the 1992 NHL entry draft. Just how strong a flavor is anybody’s guess. Scouts are hesitant to predict how many Europeans will be chosen in the first round. A good guess is five or six but it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if the number is as low as three or as high as 10. Darius Kasparaitis, a defenseman with Moscow Dynamo is the No. 1 ranked European according to a Central Scouting Bureau list obtained by The Hockey News. He was ranked No. 1 in January by the European Sport Services and he retained his spot in the CSB list. The 5-foot-11, 187-pound Kasparaitis was captain of the Commonwealth of Independent States team that won the gold medal at the World Junior Championships…

Player walkout hasn’t hurt the game

They asked Mario Lemieux if he ever had any doubts, about whether the discipline the Pittsburgh Penguins needed to beat the Washington Capitals had been difficult for a freelancer like himself to follow. They asked him to compare his five-point night to his six-point night, to contrast this victory with the one last May in Bloomington. They asked Lemieux to articulate what clicked inside him when the Penguins got into double, what he had to say about his critics, what he had to say for himself. After Game 7, he sat enjoying a moment that was as good as he has ever had. Across the room, Tom Barrasso, who had come through brilliantly in a situation that defined what goalies must do for their teams, basked in a satisfaction that probably makes most jealous…

McNall’s hockey Kingdom lies in ruin

It was a grim bit of irony the on-ice wasting of the Los Angeles Kings was followed by the on-street ravaging of the City of Angels. Of course the two had nothing to do with one another and this is not intended to be a comparison. But the episodes told much about the soul of the city and the soul-lessness of its hockey team. On the one hand you had stores looted by an undisciplined mob and on the other you had a club owner ripped off by couldn’t-care-less hockey players. Bruce McNall never sought pity; that’s not his nature. But you have to feel for someone who tried to do the right thing by over-paying his players, only to learn money doesn’t buy character. The Kings entered the playoffs with a league-leading payroll…

NHL must add some pizzaz if it hopes to lure networks

A prominent sports television executive says hockey will have to “liven up for television,” if it hopes to secure a network contract in the United States. Bob Wussler, a former executive at CBS and Turner Broadcasting, says hockey should switch to two 30-minute periods, use of more penalty shots and curb fighting. The NHL’s vice-president, broadcasting, Joel Nixon says: “The idea of two halves can’t be done.” “We’re open to any ideas that will not screw up the game.” Washington coach Terry Murray has one colorful innovation. “Maybe we ought to use an orange puck so people can see it better.” Nixon says changing the puck color is a suggestion that comes every day but has been rejected as impractical. “We’ve experimented with different configurations of puck colors,” says Nixon.…

THE WEEKS IN HOCKEY: APRIL 27-MAY 10

A compendium of significant events and developments. April 27: Minnesota defenseman Derian Hatcher suspended three games for high-sticking Detroit right winger Kevin Miller April 24. April 28: Chicago defeats St. Louis 2-1 to win Norris semifinal 4-2. Edmonton defeats Los Angeles 3-0 to win Smythe semifinal 4-2. World Championships begin with Canada beating France 4-3 and United States defeating Italy 1-0. April 30: Detroit defeats Minnesota 5-2 to win Norris semifinal 4-3. Vancouver defeats Winnipeg 5-0 to win Smythe semifinal 4-3. May 1: St. Louis Blues fire head coach Brian Sutter. Montreal beats Hartford 3-2 in overtime to win Adams semifinal 4-3. Boston defeats Buffalo 3-2 to win Adams semifinal 4-3. New York Rangers defeat New Jersey 8-4 to win Patrick semifinal 43. Pittsburgh defeats Washington 3-1 to win Patrick semifinal 4-3. May 4: Los Angeles Kings fire head coach Tom Webster. Toronto…

Slim Pickings

It’s a deal that would make any used-car salesman proud. Fifty-million dollars for a team of “yesterday’s models.” When the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators begin stocking their teams through the NHL refuse (a.k.a. expansion) draft June 18 in Montreal, they’ll do so by sifting through the Ken Priestlays and Normand Rocheforts of the hockey world, players who, for the most part, had little effect on their current team’s success—or lack of it—and whose loss will have virtually no impact on that team’s future. The selection process doesn’t figure to provide much of a return on the expansionists’ $50-million investment but the Lightning and Senators knew going in their chances of building a playoff contender through the expansion draft were microscopic. The draft’s guidelines simply don’t allow it. What the guidelines do…

It’s time to stick it to all stick offenders

Musings on the state of hockey… □ Maybe it’s time the NHL came up with a more creative way of disciplining players who commit stick fouls. On May 5, the league lost two of its star attractions, Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux and Boston’s Ray Bourque, because of relatively harmless-looking slashes. That, unfortunately, became a problem for NHL executive vice-president Brian O’Neill. Under terms of his mandate for supplementary discipline, O’Neill must look for intent-to-injure before he can throw the book at the guilty parties-in this case, the New York Rangers’ Adam Graves and Montreal’s Shayne Corson. O’Neill is limited in what he can do to punish players by that single word: intent. Meanwhile, the playoffs limped on and the Penguins’ or Bruins’ chances of advancing diminished in direct proportion to the severity of the…

Garplenov’s trying season ends with Swede success

For San Jose Sharks’ winger Johan Garpenlov, the opportunity to play in the World Championships couldn’t have come at a better time. The 22-year-old left winger suffered through what was basically a wasted season before helping Team Sweden capture the world title May 10 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Garplenov’s only regular ice time came in the final 12 games of the season after he was traded from the Detroit Red Wings to the Sharks. He finished with six goals and 13 points in 28 games but had 11 points in 12 games with San Jose. “I’m sure this season was very frustrating for him,” said Sharks’ coach George Kingston. “He didn’t get much game experience in Detroit, so playing in the World Championships was very valuable for him.” Garpenlov wasn’t the only Shark to play at…

Welcome back to 1990

In the end, the Winnipeg Jets simply found themselves helpless to stop a frustrating repeat of history. Leading their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series 3-1 against the first-place Vancouver Canucks, the Jets went for a nosedive. They bowed out of the Smythe Division semifinal with three straight losses. The Jets held a similar series lead in the spring of 1990 against the Edmonton Oilers. They were also unable to finish the job with a fourth victory. “We were disappointed with our best players later in the series,” said Jets’ coach John Paddock, surveying the aftermath of the last three losses, 8-2 April 26, 8-3 April 28 and 5-0 April 30. “I think Vancouver’s best players rose to another level, whether we let them or whatever. We didn’t have enough to compete when they went to…

Player of the Week

There’s a good reason why Larry Synett has played on a first-place hockey team for three straight seasons. Watching the NCAA champion Lake Superior State Lakers win game after game can be contagious. The 10-year-old resident of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is an avid fan of the Lakers and plays center for the First of America atom team. The 4-foot-7, 75-pounder had 26 goals and 42 points this season. Larry attended the Lakers’ hockey camp last summer and picked up tips from pros Doug Weight, Mark Vermette and Bob Probert. His favorite player is Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings. Larry is a Grade 4 honor student at Lincoln School. You or someone you know can be a part of The Coca-Cola Minor Hockey Showcase. Just send a photograph (non-returnable), along with biographical…

Webster latest to exit by team’s revolving door

The highest winning percentage in franchise history wasn’t enough for Tom Webster to keep his job as coach of the Los Angeles Kings. Citing a need for “an overall redi-rection of the organization,” general manager Rogie Vachon fired Webster May 4, six days after Edmonton eliminated the Kings in the playoffs. Webster posted a 115-94-31 record in three seasons as coach, a .544 winning percentage; only Bob Pulford won more games (178) with the Kings. But the Kings’ 35-31-14 record-an 18-point skid from a year ago—and the early playoff exit signalled the end for Webster. He had been on thin ice since being suspended 12 games for throwing a stick at referee Kerry Fraser Nov. 16 in a game against Detroit. Vachon said he expects to hire someone outside the organization but hopes the…

Murphy finally blossoms

It took just over six seasons but Joe Murphy has finally emerged as the go-to guy he always knew he could be. The 24-year-old right winger has been the Oilers’ best offensive performer in the 1992 playoffs. Murphy had eight goals and 21 points in 11 games to lead the NHL in playoff scoring. Before the season began, he had 21 points in 37 career playoff games. “He’s carrying this team,” said linemate Vince Damphousse after Murphy’s greatest moment of the playoffs-a hat trick and assist in a 5-2 win in Game 3 of the Smythe Division final against Vancouver. “He has stepped up to another level. He’s playing unbelievable. He’s doing it all right now.” Murphy was selected first overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1986 entry draft but struggled in four…

Vernon may not be back if team cleans house

Someday soon, Mike Vernon will sit down with Calgary Flames’ general manager Doug Risebrough to discuss his future with the organization. Risebrough may have several fires to put out this summer but none is burning brighter than the one surrounding Vernon, the Flames’ No. 1 goalie. Vernon just completed his worst season as a pro. He averaged 32 wins per season for the past five years but dipped to 24-30-9 this year. But numbers aren’t everything. Vernon also won the Molson Cup, emblematic of the most game-star selections during the year. It’s a small honor but one that illustrates he was often the best player on a dismal team. Vernon was dissatisfied with some things Flames’ management did this season and one it didn’t do-renegotiate his contract to reflect the increase in goalie’s salaries…

Award drought could come to end in a big way

In the first 21 years of their haphazard history, the Vancouver Canucks managed the dubious achievement of never winning a post-season award and never placing a player on the official all-star team. That may finally change June 16 when the NHL hands out its awards in Toronto. Goaltender Kirk McLean, rookie right winger Pavel Bure and Canuck boss Pat Quinn are all finalists for this year’s trophies. McLean is up against Montreal’s Patrick Roy and Winnipeg’s Bob Essensa for the Vezina while Bure is a Calder nominee along with Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom and the New York Rangers’ Tony Amonte. But perhaps Vancouver’s best chance will be in the coach-of-the-year balloting where Quinn, who improved the Canucks by 31 points, is favored to win. “It’s a nice feeling, it’s very complimentary to be recognized,” Quinn said.…

One goal in mind

The Detroit Red Wings outscored the Chicago Blackhawks by an average of almost a goal a game during the regular season. But they couldn’t find that one goal when they needed it most during the playoffs. The Blackhawks disposed of the Red Wings in four straight games in the Norris Division final, winning three of the games by one goal and the other by two. In the Smythe Division final, the first-place Vancouver Canucks were on the verge of elimination for the second straight series. They were down 3-2 to the Edmonton Oilers. Sunday, May 10 Vancouver 4, Edmonton 3 Cliff Ronning scored two goals and the Canucks withstood a rally by the Oilers to stave off elimination in the Smythe Division final. The Canucks took a 4-0 lead early in the second period but the…

Perfect time to overhaul NHL playoff format

It’s a frightening thought. But could it happen? Could NHL nabobs, in their infinite wisdom, devise a way of getting the Tampa Bay I.O.U.s or Ottawa Land Speculators into the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs in their first seasons? Can’t you just see it? Under revamped NHL rules, the Florida Espositos translate a six-win season into a playoff berth as 23 of 24 clubs make it into the post-season (Which club doesn’t make it? The team still without Eric Lindros, of course). While this would be unpalatable for many fans across North America, it would likely be a dream come true for many NHL executives, for whom the prevailing business philosophy come playoff time is simply, the more the merrier. Okay, so barring the most talent-laden expansion draft in the history of sport, the Lightning…

Disastrous playoff mark behind Sutter’s firing

After losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the St. Louis Blues sent out a call for help, a May Day. On May 1, they fired coach Brian Sutter and hired long-time staffer Bob Plager to replace him. Sutter’s dismissal came just three days after his final loss as Blues’ coach. “We wish Brian all the luck in the world,” chairman Mike Shanahan said. “We feel he’ll be coaching in the NHL but it’s time for a change in St. Louis.” Though the warning signs were there—the media had discussed his status throughout the playoffs—Sutter was crashed by the dismissal. “That’s the most devastated I’ve seen anybody in professional sports,” said Bob Berry, Sutter’s former assistant who was reassigned as an assistant to general manager Ron Caron.…

No big changes on horizon

Getting unceremoniously swept from the Stanley Cup tournament by the Chicago Blackhawks will make the summer much longer than the Detroit Red Wings and their fans expected. It will also make it busier for general manager-coach Bryan Murray. Among the many decisions Murray faces is what must be done to extend next season a little longer. He also must decide whether he should hang on as coach for one more year. But Murray doesn’t plan wide-sweeping changes. He blamed the Wings’ playoff disappointment on youth and inexperience. “I’m not going to tear this team apart,” Murray said. “There are some things we’ll have to address over the summer but I think we have the start of something good here. From the goaltenders to the defense to the goal-scorers we’re starting out with, we’ll be…

Chelios, Smith, Belfour last line of tight defense

Chris Chelios, snubbed as a finalist in balloting for the Norris Trophy, is doing his best to show voters they made a big mistake. The Chicago Blackhawks’ defenseman has been dominant in the playoffs, teaming with Steve Smith to help Chicago to the Campbell Conference finals for die third time in four years. Chelios and Smith were the best players in the Hawks’ four-game sweep of Detroit in the Norris Division finals. They spearheaded a defensive effort that limited the Red Wings’ to six goals in the series. Four of them came in one game. “What was the difference in the series?” defenseman Keith Brown was asked. “Steve Smith and Chris Chelios were. They were incredible.” “In my opinion, he has been the best player in the playoffs, and I’ve seen a lot of…

His stats aren’t very impressive but Duchesne’s star still shines

It’s not Gaetan Duchesne’s fault the Minnesota North Stars’ season ended in the first round. The Stars have won 15 consecutive games when Duchesne scores a goal dating back to last season. But he didn’t receive sufficient ice time against Detroit in the Norris Division semifinal so it was tough for him to score. The Stars lost the series 4-3. Duchesne doesn’t score many goals-he had eight in 73 games-but he helps the team in other ways. He’s one of the North Stars’ best penalty killers. As the ninth of Rosaire and Jeanne Duchesne’s 11 children, Gaetan learned the value of hard work while growing up in Quebec City. It has been the foundation of his 11-year NHL career. “With eight brothers and two sisters, nothing came easy,” Duchesne said. “I don’t know if…

Lights go out on Watt

Twenty-three men have coached the Toronto Maple Leafs in the team’s history. So who will be the 24th? That was the biggest question of the spring in Toronto after Tom Watt was relieved of his duties as Maple Leaf coach May 4 and re-assigned to director of player development. Toronto being Toronto, Watt was barely out of the dressing room when speculation as to his replacement was in high gear. Topping the list were Leaf assistant coach Mike Murphy and Canadian national team coach Dave King, both of whom indicated serious interest in the job. And while some other names popped up initially-former St. Louis coach Brian Sutter, for one-it quickly became evident King and Murphy were the only two candidates. Leaf assistant general manager Bill Watters said he favors Murphy because he’s already with…

Approaching the bench

We all know the life expectancy of an NHL coaching position falls somewhere between that of a fruit fly and Pat Burns. It’s not your average 30-years-and-a-gold-watch profession. It’s more like a 30-months-and-go-watch-another-sport business. With so many jobs in a state of flux, demand always seems to equal supply in the marketplace. And the supply of capable candidates is quite high at the moment. With so many coaches in the minor leagues, junior, Olympic and college ranks to choose from, it’s no wonder “Help Wanted” signs are rarely posted on NHL arena doors. Who are the coaches of the future and from which teams will they come? Even if you overlook NHL retreads and current assistants, you still have a wide, fresh and talented field from which to choose. Here are 10 prospects who…

Blaming Sutter simply ridiculous

The most vicious hits in the NHL this season had nothing to do with guys named Adam Graves, Ulf Samuelsson, Bob Probert, Chris Chelios or even Ron Hextall. Nope, the hardest hit in the NHL this season wasn’t even delivered on the ice—and it didn’t have anything to do with the 10-day strike by the NHL Players’ Association. The worst hit was delivered by the St. Louis Blues’ organization and it took place after the Blues were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks. You got it. the most unsportsmanlike hit in the NHL this season was delivered by Blues’ general manager Ron Caron and the rest of the Blues’ management team when they fired coach Brian Sutter. Granted, even the best coaches in the world of professional sports…

Graves maintains innocence in Lemieux slashing incident

The New York Rangers had more than just the Pittsburgh Penguins to deal with when they arrived in the Steel City for Games 3 and 4 of Patrick Division finals. The Rangers were confronted with a city’s outrage after left winger Adam Graves knocked Penguins’ star Mario Lemieux out of the Patrick Division finals. Lemieux sustained a broken left hand in Game 2 of the series after Graves slashed him during the first period of the Rangers’ 4-2 win. Graves was assessed a minor penalty on the play but the Penguins asked to have the play reviewed by league executive vice-president Brian O’Neill. O’Neill reviewed tapes of the incident May 7 and met with Graves for a disciplinary hearing May 8. He suspended the Rangers’ winger for four games. If the Rangers win the series…

Francis rebirth timely

Few people expected the Pittsburgh Penguins to remain competitive after they lost Mario Lemieux and Joe Mullen in Game 2 of the Patrick Division final. But Ron Francis ensured the Penguins would at least give the New York Rangers all they could handle with spectacular performances in the next two games. Francis had five goals in the third and fourth games and was the biggest reason Pittsburgh earned a 2-2 split. “It’s unbelievable,” left winger Kevin Stevens said. “Game after game, he’s there for us.” Francis had to be after Lemieux was knocked out of the series by a slash from New York’s Adam Graves early in Game 2. That blow broke Lemieux’s left hand and cost the Penguins a player who produced 19 points in seven playoff games. The loss of Lemieux was so…

Players face uncertain future after early exit from playoffs

The New Jersey Devils may have lost to the New York Rangers in the Patrick Division semifinal but they carved their own identity in an area that has long been Rangers’ Country. But after losing in the opening round for the second straight season (they lost to Pittsburgh last year), they face many questions. According to general manager Lou Lamoriello, coach Tom McVie’s job is safe. He will be offered a new contract. But the status of several players is unclear. They include: □ Peter Stastny. Illness and injury limited the 35-year-old center to 66 regular-season games. But the veteran was the Devils’ leading playoff scorer (10 points in seven games) which reminded management how much it needs him. A Group III free agent, Stastny will likely get a significant new offer.□ Stephane…

Ricci leads by example

Mike Ricci is barely old enough to vote. But he has been around the NHL long enough to give the Philadelphia Flyers a vote of confidence. Ricci, who won’t turn 21 until October 27, has put in two full seasons with the rapidly changing Flyers. He is one of only three forwards still remaining from the opening night roster in 1990. The Flyers’ No. 1 pick (fourth overall) in the 1990 draft likes the direction his team is taking. He believes one of the highest priorities for management was to assemble a group of players which could pull together for a common goal—and have fun doing it. “I think the guys that are here want to be here,” Ricci said. “I think at the start of the year, the guys weren’t having fun…

Greater progress main goal

Now that the New York Islanders have gained respect, confidence and experienced a 19-point improvement, the issue they face is where they go from here. The consensus among players, coaches and management is they still have ground to cover but they have turned the right comer. “I’m very optimistic,” said coach Al Arbour. “The light at the end of that tunnel wasn’t too bright at the end of last year.” Arbour, who appears likely to be back for his 18th season as Islanders’ coach, indicated the mood grew brighter when his team made a late run at a playoff berth after having been all but eliminated by the all-star break. “The season could have gone right into the trash can,” he said. But the fact remains that improving from 60 points in 1990-91 to 79…

‘Best team’ not enough to cure playoff curse

Even if one of the best players in the game shoves a fantastic performance down your throat, losing a seven-game series after leading 3-1 brings that dreaded word: Choke. The Washington Capitals went to the playoffs for a 10th straight season—a run unequaled in the Patrick Division—and many thought the 1991-92 squad was the best of the 10. But it ended as all the others have: short of the finals. With Mario Lemieux registering 17 points in six games, Pittsburgh won the series 4-3. “In Games 1 through 84, it was a good year,” said general manager David Poile. “In Games 85 through 87, it was a disaster and those are the games everybody will remember.” Captain Rod Langway is the only Cap to play on all 10 playoff teams. “This was the best…

Mario and the Messiah

One was hailed as the “Messiah.” The other has been known as “Le Magnifique.” Mark Messier and Mario Lemieux were truly worthy of their elevated status this season. Messier, who came to the New York Rangers in a megatrade with the Edmonton Oilers, gave his team instant credibility, character and success. Pittsburgh’s Lemieux missed 16 games with injuries but still managed to win the scoring championship and the mantle as the NHL’s most talented player. The only thing that overshadowed Lemieux’s brilliant year was his absence from the playoffs after an Adam Graves slash in Game 2 of the Patrick Division final. Messier also missed two games of that series with back spasms. What did Messier and Lemieux mean to their respective teams during the 1991-92 season? Certainly, both the Rangers and Penguins…

Stars shine through Penguins’ sub-par season

The defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins may not have lived up to expectations during the regular season but it wasn’t because of a lack of effort from its star players. That’s what you told us in voting for the Hockey News/Easton first- and second-team all-stars. The Penguins, who finished in third place in the Patrick Division, led all teams by placing three players—Mario Lemieux, Kevin Stevens and Joe Mullen-among the finalists in all-star balloting. The following are the finalists at each position, listed in alphabetical order: Goaltender Bob Essensa, Winnipeg: Led the Jets’ resurgence before sustaining a late-season knee injury. Tied for the lead in shutouts (five). Kirk McLean, Vancouver: THN’s comeback goalie of the year tied for the NHL lead in wins (38) and was third in goals-against average. Patrick Roy, Montreal: The league…

Two of NHL’s best battle for top goalie honors

It’s getting to the point where an off-year for Patrick Roy is one where he doesn’t win the Vezina Trophy. The Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender was honored as the NHL’s best goalie in 1989 and 1990 but lost the Vezina to Chicago’s Ed Belfour last season. This year he’s back as a finalist for the the award and is the odds-on favorite to win his third Vezina. Another Vezina finalist, Vancouver’s Kirk McLean, joins Roy as a finalist for the Pro Set NHL Goalie of the Year Award. The award is voted on by readers of The Hockey News and the winner will be announced at THN’s annual Awards Luncheon June 17 in Toronto. Roy led the league this season with a 2.36 goals-against average, the best GAA since Pete Peeters posted the same…

Hirsch, Poulin candidates for junior honor

Thirteen proved to be a lucky number for Corey Hirsch of the Kamloops Blazers this season. But for the opposition, 13 meant nothing. Hirsch established a Canadian Hockey League record for most career shutouts when he blanked the Western League’s Seattle Thunderbirds 9-0 Feb. 9. The shutout was the 13th of Hirsch’s four-year major junior career. The previous mark for career shutouts belonged to lan Wilkie of the Edmonton Oil Kings, who posted 12 from 1967 to 1970. “I had eight shutouts at the start of the season and I figured I might have a chance at breaking the record,” Hirsch said. “I didn’t have any shutouts the first half and I didn’t give it much thought but I got one in early January and another a week later and before I…

Students of the game vie for college awards

Scott Pellerin and Darrin Madeley didn’t face each other on the ice this season. But they will go head-to-head for the THN-Bauer U.S. College Player of the Year Award to be presented June 17 in Toronto. Pellerin, the Hobey Baker Award winner as the most outstanding player in U.S. college hockey, led the Maine Black Bears to the best record in Hockey East and the nation. The 22-year-old senior left winger, a third-round choice of the New Jersey Devils in 1989, finished fourth in league scoring with 23 goals and 33 points in 21 games. “He’s just a complete, diversified player,” said Maine coach Shawn Walsh. “The best part of Scott Pellerin comes out in the fact that during the regular season, in the three games after we lost, he had eight goals and…

Yesterday’s NHL heroes still fresh in our minds

Times are changing faster than ever in the NHL. Just look at player salaries. But hockey is a game that clings to tradition. Some things are bound to remain the same. “I still think today’s players enjoy the game as much as we did,” said Hall-of-Famer Glenn Hall, who tended goal for the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues for 18 seasons from 1952 to 1971. “But they might not be as close to the game as we were. They have to go to the bank. They have to go to their stockbroker. We never had to go to the bank unless we were going for a loan.” Not only do today’s players earn much better money, they’re also much bigger than their predecessors. And, on the whole, most…

Image improvement filters down to minor hockey

In Hollywood, image is everything. The same holds true for minor hockey in North America. For the first time since the 1980-81 season, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association showed a major increase in minor hockey registration. The main reason for the sudden increase? “The image of the game is returning to what it was before the mid-’80s,” said CAHA spokesman Mike Murray. “Different parties have worked together at all levels to improve the nature of the game. The violence that was very prevalent in the late-’70s and early-’80s—the main reason for the drop off-has dissipated.” CAHA numbers from 1980-81 to 1990-91 show a 20 per cent drop in minor hockey registration, from 505,000 to 401,000. This season, however, 420,884 youths up to age 17 played on registered teams. The biggest increases were seen in the…

East meets West in rookie race

Tony Amonte’s Boston University Terriers were in overtime with the Northern Michigan Wildcats in the championship game of the 1991 NCAA tournament. The speedy right winger broke in on goalie Bill Pye and had a good chance to end the game but failed to score. Had Amonte won the game on that play, somebody joked, he would have continued skating behind the net, down the players’ walkway at the St. Paul Civic Center and straight to New York. Yes, the college sophomore was eager to make the jump to the NHL and the Rangers, who drafted him 68th overall in 1988. As it turned out, the 21-year-old Amonte joined the Blueshiits in last year’s playoffs and collected a pair of assists in two games. The Hingham, Mass., native proved he was ready for…

Canuck, Rangers corner coach and GM market

Although he never professed to have a five-year plan, Pat Quinn successfully turned a sad-sack Vancouver Canuck franchise into a winner in exactly five years. His trades, more than anything, paved the way to a 96-point season, a first-place finish in the Smythe Division and the finest season in Canuck history. His entire defensive corps was retooled through the trade market with the exception of Doug Lidster. His six-player blockbuster with St. Louis-last year brought scoring punch in Cliff Ronning and Geoff Courtnall as well as size and toughness in Sergio Momesso and Robert Dirk. His scouting staff sniffed out the fact Pavel Bure was eligible to be drafted in 1989 and when the Russian Rocket finally arrived this year, he filled the Pacific Coliseum and delighted long-suffering Vancouver hockey fans…

Major achievements make four minor finalists

When Don Waddell did his research on several Russian free agents, he kept getting strong recommendations on just one player on his list: Dimitri Kvartalnov. “We got him but the first week he was here I didn’t know if he could make our team,” said Waddell, coach-general manager of the International League’s San Diego Gulls. “We didn’t even dress him in the first two games.” Okay, so Kvartalnov needed time to adapt to a new county and new language. But not much. The left-handed shooting right winger became minor-league hockey’s most dominant scorer with 60 goals, 58 assists and a league-leading 118 points in 77 games. He led the IHL in power-play goals (25) and shots (349). Kvartalnov and Cape Breton’s Shaun Van Allen are the finalists for The Hockey News Minor Pro Player…

Cup champions boast a Wilf in sheep’s clothing

He’s a few years removed from the NHL but Wilf Paiement showed he still has some scoring touch at The Hockey News Classic Cup tournament in Welland April 17 to 19. Paiement scored two goals to lead St. fcatharines XTP Blackhawks to a 6-3 win over Windsor Lucky’s Roadhouse in the championship game. He had five goals and 13 points in four games and was selected the tournament’s most valuable player. Paiement played 14 seasons in the NHL for seven teams and had 356 goals and 814 points in 946 games. He retired in 1988. Kevin Kennery, with two, Rick Hampton and Dave Gorman also scored for St. Catharines in the final game and Paul Gorman was the winning goalie. Sean Murphy, with two, and Marty Slavik replied for Windsor. St. Catharines also recorded…

Bell tolls in with shutouts for Carolina Freight

When push came to shove during The Hockey News Classic Cup tournament final in London April 26, Toronto Carolina Freight’s goalie answered the bell. Steven Bell earned his second shutout of the tournament in a 1-0 victory by Carolina I Freight over the Aylmer Hound Dogs in the championship game. Tim Bent scored the lone goal for Carolina Freight and James Osborne played well in the Aylmer goal. Bell allowed just three goals in four games for a sparkling 0.75 goals-against average and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Carolina Freight defeated Monroe’s Screen Printing from Okemos, Mich., 3-0 and London Source For Sports 2-1 in preliminary round games and Belle River Cooper Court Hotel 4-2 in a semifinal game. London Northern College blanked London Vermen 3-0 in the final of the recreation…

CHL’s Shooting for 2000

The Canadian Hockey League won’t win a Grammy music award for its 1991-92 attendance totals but that’s not a great concern of CHL president Ed Chynoweth. His favorite sound these days is the spinning of turnstiles from Shawinigan to Seattle. The ever-increasing popularity of major junior hockey has hit platinum status with the emergence of new marketing strategies in each of the three leagues under the CHL’s banner-Quebec, Ontario and Western Leagues. National television exposure in Canada on The Sports Network, player visibility led by junior sensation Eric Lindros, expansion in the United States and changes to the way the game is played have turned the product into a formidable foe when it comes to competing for the sports fan’s dollar. Team owners and marketing directors have instituted an eight-year marketing plan called…

Poulin named top performer

Charles Poulin of the Quebec League’s St-Hyacinthe Laser is in some select company. He joins Mario Lemieux and Luc Robitaille as QMJHL players who have won the Canadian Hockey League’s player of the year. Poulin, 19, was selected over goalie Corey Hirsch of the Western League’s Kamloops Blazers and Todd Simon of the Ontario League’s Niagara Falls Thunder. Poulin was Montreal’s third-round pick in 1990. The CHL’s award winners were announced at Memorial Cup festivities May 11 in Seattle. Here are the CHL’s other award winners. Rookie of the year: Alexandre Daigle, Victoriavilie (QMJHL); Best defenseman: Drake Berehowsky, North Bay (OHL); Best goaltender: Hirsch; Scholastic award: Nathan Lafayette, Cornwall (OHL); Coach of the year: Bryan Maxwell, Spokane (WHL); Executive of the year; Bert Templeton, North Bay; Most sportsmanlike player: Martin Gendron, St-Hyacinthe; Top…

Blazers burn Blades in decisive game

The dream season ended in nightmarish fashion for the Saskatoon Blades. The Blades, who had pushed the Kamloops Blazers to a seventh and deciding game in the Western League final, were blanked 8-0 May 5. at the Memorial Arena in Kamloops. The Blades battled back from a 3-1 series deficit to post consecutive wins at home May 2 and 3 behind the miraculous goaltending of rookie Norm Maracle. Maracle, 17, made 50 saves in Game 6 to backstop Saskatoon to a 4-3 victory. “I don’t like to use the word overachievers,” Kamloops’ coach Tom Renney said. “(The Blades) were legitimate contenders. They just ran out of gas.” The Blades fell apart in Game 7 following a shorthanded goal by Blazers’ center Zac Boyer. Trailing 1-0 midway into the first period, the Blades had an ideal…

College Francais claims honor roll

We losing coach summed it up the same as the winning coach. The difference was goaltending-in this case the netminding of College Francais goaltender Eric Raymond. Raymond stole the spotlight from his Trois-Rivieres Draveurs’ counterpart Jean-Francois Labbe as College Francais won the Quebec League final in a thrilling seven-game series. Labbe entered the series with an outstanding goals-against average of 1.66. While he continued to play well, Raymond was better. “What a spectacular series, very intense, very clean,” College coach Claude Therien said. “The fans got a show and it could have gone either way. The difference was the goalie. Labbe played well but Eric Raymond was fantastic.” “Raymond, 20, has only been with College Francais since a February trade. Offensively, 19-year-old Dominic Rheaume was the hero, scoring three goals in the deciding…

O’Neill a done deal

The OHL will have one brother act but will miss out on another at its annual draft June 6. Jeff O’Neill, a 16-year-old center with Thornhill of the Metro Toronto Junior League, is rated first overall by OHL central scouting and has decided to join two brothers in major junior. But Brett Lindros, 16-year-old brother of Eric Lindros, wants a scholarship at a U.S. college. “Different strokes for different folks,” said Lindros, rated second overall on the final list. “The OHL was fun for Eric but it’s not for me.” O’Neill said he’ll report to the team that selects him. The Guelph Storm will almost certainly select him with the first pick. “We respect that rating and think it’s warranted,” said Storm general manager Mike Kelly. “I expect we’ll make a commitment before…

Blades turn table on new Rivermen

You bet the Kansas City Blades wanted the Peoria Rivermen. They wanted them in the worst way in their International League Turner Cup semifinal series, which concluded May 3 with the Blades winning in six games to advance to the championship finals. “The Rivermen are our biggest rivalry,” Blades’ winger Ed Courtenay said. “They made a big show of how they beat us 12 straight (including 10-0 in ’90-91), which some of us thought was in poor taste. “That team (die ’90-91 Rivermen) was unbelievable. No one was going to beat them. We couldn’t do anything to stop them. But this year we think we’re that team. We believe we can win every game.” The Blades roared to a 3-0 series lead over Peoria before the Rivermen battled back to 3-2. It was an…

Senators take over Nighthawk perch

Callers to telephone number 203-7870101 have been startled recently by the first words they hear: “Good afternoon, New Haven Senators.” After 20 years of existence as the Nighthawks, the franchise adopted the official name change at the request of their new parent team, the NHL’s expansion Ottawa Senators. Throughout their two decades and four other affiliations, New Haven was always the Nighthawks. “But it is Ottawa’s desire to have organizational continuity,” said Jan McDonald, New Haven’s director of public relations. “They wanted to instill that pride in a Senators’ uniform, even with their American League affiliate.” While there were some reservations at first, “Mr. (Peter) Shipman (the owner) is a believer in Ottawa’s plans.” The Nighthawks operated as an independent this season, finishing third in the Northern Division with a 39-37-4 record and 82 points. The…

Will Fotiu be Nashville’s Knight in shining armor?

Nick Fotiu is the latest coach to jump on the Nashville Knights’ coaching carousel. And the former NHL left winger was given a two-year deal to make sure he isn’t pushed off. Knights’ president Godfrey Wood named Fotiu the Knights’ fifth coach in three years April 29. “We had 35 applicants which we screened got down to a list of three,” Wood said. “I week was a unanimous selection of our committee-Brad Park, Jack Kelly and myself. We think he will bring a winning team to Nashville.” Bringing a winner to Nashville is something Archie Henderson (26-30-4 in 1989-90), Peter Horacek (29-31-4 in 1990-91) and Frank Anzalone (20-30-4) and Brock Kelly (4-6-0) this season, couldn’t accomplish. “I am here to get a winner and get the fans behind us,” the 39-year-old Fotiu said. “In…

NHL STATISTICAL REPORT

PLAYOFFS DIVISION SEMIFINALS DIVISION FINALS SCHEDULE POWER PLAY (ADV)—TOTAL ADVANTAGES: (PPG)—POWER-PLAY GOALS; (PCT)—POWER-PLAY GOALS DIVIDED BY TOTAL ADVANTAGES PENALTY KILLING (TSH)—TOTAL TIMES SHORTHANDED; (PPGA)—POWER-PLAY GOALS ALLOWED; (PCT)—SUCCESSFUL PENALTY-KILLING PERCENTAGE TEAM PENALTIES (PIM)—TOTAL PENALTY MINUTES INCLUDING (BMI) BENCH PENALTY MINUTES: (AVG)—AVERAGE PENALTY MINUTES PER GAME TOP SCORERS TOP DEFENSEMEN TOP ROOKIES LEADERS…

NHL STATISTICAL REPORT

BOSTON BRUINS BUFFALO SABRES CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS DETROIT RED WINGS EDMONTON OILERS HARTFORD WHALERS LOS ANGELES KINGS MINNESOTA NORTH STARS MONTREAL CANADIENS NEW JERSEY DEVILS NEW YORK RANGERS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ST. LOUIS BLUES VANCOUVER CANUCKS WASHINGTON CAPITALS WINNIPEG JETS…

NHL GOALTENDING STATISTICS

TEAM-BY-TEAM LEADERS…

NHL SUMMARIES

NOTE Unofficial game summaries provided by National Hockey League; (shots on goal/plus-minus); SA-shots against; GA-goals against; ENG-empty net goals; DEC-decision, charged to goaltenders of record when deciding goal is scored. MONDAY, APRIL 27 TUESDAY, APRIL 28 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 THURSDAY, APRIL 30 FRIDAY, MAY 1 SATURDAY, MAY 2 SUNDAY, MAY 3 MONDAY, MAY 4 TUESDAY, MAY 5 WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 THURSDAY, MAY 7 FRIDAY, MAY 8 SATURDAY, MAY 9 SUNDAY, MAY 10…

SCOREBOARD

NOTE: ALL STATISTICS INCLUDE GAMES OF SUNDAY, MAY 10/92, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. NHL AFFILIATIONS OF MINOR PROFESSIONAL TEAMS APPEAR IN BRACKETS: INDEPENDENT TEAMS WITH NO NHL AFFILIATION ARE INDICATED BY (IND). AHL IHL OHL QMJHL WHL CENTENNIAL CUP MEMORIAL CUP SATURDAY, MAY 9 SUNDAY, MAY 10 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM-BY-TEAM DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES TEAM SCORING AND GOALTENDING RESULTS FOR SWITZERLAND WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT PRESS TIME TUESDAY, APRIL 28 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29 THURSDAY, APRIL 30 FRIDAY, MAY 1 SUNDAY, MAY 3 MONDAY, MAY 4 WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 THURSDAY, MAY 7 SUNDAY, MAY 10…

Hynes’ ultimate dream comes true

The kid in all of us has one rink in mind. In Chicago, who didn’t grow up dreaming about driving in a slapper from the top of the circle, and hearing the Stadium organ bellow and blow? The melodic blast isn’t quite the same from the organ in the Buffalo Aud but the idea is. What kid in Cheektawoga wouldn’t want to wear the Sabre sweater, listen to the Sabre Dance and finish off a breakaway with a backhander? Gord Hynes grew up in Montreal, a thin kid with a fat dream. “I used to go to sleep at night,” recalled the Bruins’ rookie defenseman, “dreaming of one day scoring a goal at the Forum.” Finally, at the age of 25, Hynes fulfilled his not-forgotten fantasy when he stepped into a slapshot in Game 1…

A Clean Sweep

Montreal coach Pat Burns said after his team lost Game 2 of the Adams Division semifinal against Boston that he’d rather be boring and win than exciting and lose. He got half his wish. The Canadiens were boring losers. In a series that took hockey to new heights of ennui, the Canadiens were swept for the first time in 40 years. The Bruins, who played solid, disciplined hockey, held the Canadiens to four goals in the last three games. Saturday, May 9 Boston 2, Montreal 0 Dave Poulin’s first-period goal was the winner and the Bruins added an empty-netter to complete the sweep. Boston goalie Andy Moog stopped 26 shots for his third career playoff shutout. Boston wins series 4-0. Pittsburgh 5, Rangers 4 (OT) Mark Messier returned to the game but his two goals weren’t enough as…

Major housecleaning likely after embarrassing sweep

There’s nothing like a good sweep to kick off some housecleaning. And that’s precisely what Montreal Canadiens’ general manager Serge Savard was promising in the wake of his team’s four-game loss at the hands of the Boston Bruins in the Adams Division final. But where does Savard start? The Habs were shredded by the French-language media after the series. Wingers Russ Courtnall and Shayne Corson took much of heat for their perceived lack of effort. Veterans Guy Carbonneau, Brian Skrudland and Mike McPhee were labeled over the hill. And not even Patrick Roy was spared criticism in light of his ineffective netminding. But the most vicious criticism was saved for coach Pat Burns. He was lambasted for leaving Stephan Lebeau out of the lineup in Games 2 and 3 for the plodding Chris Nilan. Lebeau scored 27…

Playoffs the big ticket

When a team finishes dead last in its division for five years in a row, you’d think attendance would be a problem. But that’s not the case in Quebec, where attendance has been strong despite the team’s darkest days. The Nordiques maintained a 13,666 average over 40 home games this season in the 15,399 capacity Colisee. A year ago, they averaged just over the 14,000 mark. To keep fans in their seats, the Nordiques’ marketing department has come up with a unique way of rewarding fans for their patience. Under the team’s new ticket plan, fans will be reimbursed a portion of their cost if Quebec fails to qualify for the playoffs next season. The Nordiques will increase individual tickets 15 per cent. Season ticket packages will go up 11 per cent but fans will…

Sweep over Habs, new rink keep fans happy

It was a period Boston Bruins’ fans will never forget, mainly because it contained so many things they thought they’d never see. First, owner Jeremy Jacobs announced May 10 the Brains’ plan to build a new arena to replace the aging Boston Garden. The $160-million complex will be ready by 1995. Second, something happened at the Garden that hasn’t happened since 1929: The Brains swept the Montreal canadiens in a playoff series. “With captain Raymond Bourque out of the lineup with a broken finger, the Bruins got above-average performances in the Adams Division final from nearly everyone in the lineup. While top performances from Adam Oates (four assists) and Andy Moog (1.98 goals-against average), were expected, the Brains received strong contributions from unexpected sources: □ Checking forward Dave Reid had three assists in a…

Another early summer

Next time, it could be different but don’t go betting on it. This is a team that hasn’t been out of the first round of the playoffs since 1983. Down 3-1 in their Adams Division semifinal series with the Boston Bruins, the Buffalo Sabres stormed back to tie it, only to lose the seventh game at Boston Garden. Dave Reid’s goal late in the third period and Andy Moog’s goaltending carried the Bruins to a series-clinching 3-2 win May 1. It was a bitter defeat for the Sabres, most of whom were sure that after twice staving off elimination, they were the team of destiny. “This was depressing,” said goaltender Tom Draper after the Sabres cleared out their lockers after yet another first-round loss—the Sabres haven’t escaped the opening round since 1983. Draper did his…

Courtnall’s OT winner ends forgettable season

Claude Lemieux wasn’t around to break the Hartford Whalers’ hearts this season. But speedy Russ Courtnall was. Courtnall put an end to the Whalers’ disappointing campaign by scoring the winning goal in Game 7 of the Adams Division semifinal May 1. The last time the Whalers’ tangled with the Canadiens in a Game 7 was in the Adams Division final in 1986. That was the year the feisty Lemieux ended their season by scoring the winner in overtime. “You could just feel it, you could smell it,” said Whalers’ president Emile Francis after Lemieux’s goal. “The team that won that series was going to go all the way. And that’s exactly what happened.” Lemieux went high to the glove side on Mike Liut at 5:55 of overtime. Courtnall was less spectacular, as he slid…

HINTS TO HELP YOU OUT OF A STICKY SITUATION

During the 1974-75 NHL season, my brother and I were avid hockey card collectors. We still have the cards but some are glued in a scap book. Is there any way I can remove the cards without seriously damaging them? Mike Kovacs Windsor, Ont. There are a few ways to try to remove cards in that situation but none of them are fool-proof. It’s imperative that when you try one of the following methods, do a test with your least valuable card. Here are some suggestions to try: □ Baking the cards in a convectional oven at 300 degrees farhenheit to melt the glue.□ Steaming the cards free from the book.□ Immersing the cards in lukewarm water and then drying them once they are removed from the book. This method works best with…

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Thanks to the players’ strike, the NHL’s 75th Anniversary season was my year of revenge. When hockey card revenue became a key issue in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, suddenly what I was doing with my life gained some meaning. As managing editor of a hockey card magazine, my peers tend to look down at the importance of my job. But when the owners decided to raise the question of who deserved the money from hockey card sales, my work gained respect. Newspapers, radio and television stations came calling for my opinion on what the hockey card issue meant to the work stoppage. Writers who threw out their copies of Collectors World when they got their Hockey News now wished they hadn’t so they could understand the industry. At least…

TIP OF THE MONTH

Peter Ferraro took a quantam leap in the Central Scouting Bureau rankings. Now he’s hoping an NHL team takes a leap of faith and selects him early in the entry draft. In January. Ferraro was ranked 159th by the CSB. Three months later he improved his position to 69th, which would make him a late third-round pick. But some believe Ferraro’s upside potential is so great, he could go late in the first round or early in the second. The knock against Ferraro is something he has no control over-his lack of size. He is only 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds. The shifty center doesn’t shy away from the rough going, however. He compiled 101 penalty minutes in 42 United States Junior League games with Dubuque and Waterloo. Ferraro also led the league in scoring…

KRAFT POSTER SET FROM 1986-87 DOES EXIST

In the April issue of Collectors World you featured the second half of your Food Issue Price Guide. You questioned whether there is a set of posters to coincide with the 1986-87 Kraft hockey cards. There is indeed a complete set of 81 posters. I also have five un-issued ’86-87 Kraft posters. They are of Montreal Canadiens’ Tom Kurvers, Shayne Corson, John Kordic, coach Jean Perron and assistant coach Jacques Laperriere. The posters have no writing on them, just a head sketch and two action shots. I hope this helps verify there are 81 posters in the set. Does anyone know anything about the five un-issued posters I have? Doug Chamney Auburn. Ont. Crummy collation Having just finished opening a wax box of the Team Canada ’72 cards, I am left feeling very disappointed. It’s not because…

POWER PLAY

1. PAVEL BURE (1) 2. PATRICK ROY (4) 3. PAT LAFONTAINE (5) 4. NICKLAS LIDSTROM (3) 5. GILBERT DIONNE (11) 6. BRIAN LEETCH (NR) 7. TONY AMONTE (10) 8. KEVIN STEVENS (6) 9. BRETT HULL (7) 10. WAYNE GRETZKY (8) 11. ’91-92 UPPER DECK (2) 12. JEREMY ROENICK (9) Numbers in parentheses are last month’s rankings.…

SUPER SIX DEFYING LAWS OF PRICE GUIDE GRAVITY

Card values often defy the laws of gravity. What goes up does not always come down. More often than not, what goes up keeps going up. Here’s a look at the active players who experienced the greatest card value increases since the first Price Guide of the season was published in October. With the exception of Pavel Bure, these players are all veterans who are headed for the Hall of Fame so the rise in their card values is likely far from over. 1. Patrick Roy, Montreal. Roy is finally receiving the attention he deserves from collectors. The best goaltender in the game is only $70 away from reaching Ken Dryden’s rookie card value from the 1971-72 O-Pee-Chee set. Rookie Card: 1986-87 OPC, No. 53. October Value: $50. June Value: $90. Increase: $40. 2. Mark Messier,…

PENALTY BOX

1. ’90-91 PRO SET (1) 2. ’91-92 SCORE (11) 3. JARI KURRI (NR) 4. RON HEXTALL (2) 5. ERIC LINDROS (8) 6. THEO FLEURY (7) 7. SERGEI MAKAROV (6) 8. ROB BROWN (5) 9. ’90-91 PREMIER (10) 10. RON FRANCIS (3) 11. PAUL COFFEY (NR) 12. BERNIE NICHOLLS (4) Numbers in parentheses are last month’s rankings.…

SCORE FACES COLLECTORS WITH PINNACLE

Score has put the faces back on the faceless players of the NHL with its Pinnacle series. Ever since helmets became mandatory fans have complained about the faceless nature of the players. After all, the players do look quite similar from the cheap seats. When the card companies put head shots on the backs of hockey cards last season it was the first time many fans got to see what their favorite players really looked like. Now Score has gone one step further, putting the head shots right on the card fronts, alongside an action shot. The whole focus of Pinnacle is to personalize the players. From the head shots on the card fronts to the various subsets which deal with the players’ off-ice pursuits, Pinnacle brings the collector closer to the players…

YOUR GUIDE TO FUTURE OF HOBBY

Analysts say collectors will run out of closet space before running out of patienceas the card industry zooms toward the 21st century without reaching for the pause button. Recession or not, here we come with plans for jazzier photographs, more innovative designs, elaborate anti-counterfeit measures and, of course, higher prices. Anyone believing the hobby’s growth spurt is over should consider Upper Deck’s daily pursuit in technological advances such as holograph-making, or review the NHL Players Associations’ anticipated card revenue streams, or listen to high-energy Pro Set president Lud Denny run a verbal gamut covering everything from South African soccer card fans to the wholesomeness of collecting as a family endeavor. When Upper Deck upgraded card aesthetics three years ago, it was like Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile. Since then, no one is…

THE BLOND BOMBER

Whoever said NHL rookies should be seen and not heard wasn’t thinking about defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings. While the soft-spoken, articulate and youthful Swede is as quiet as the crowds in Hartford, his presence on the ice is loud and dear-much like the way Blackhawk fans greet their heroes at Chicago Stadium. Lidstrom showed remarkable composure, toughness and skills as Detroit had its best season in four decades in 1991-92. His efforts have made him a bonafide candidate for the Calder Trophy, presented to the top rookie, along with New York Ranger Tony Amonte and Vancouver’s Pavel Bure. Game-after-game, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Lidstrom was the Wings’ best defenseman. A third-round draft pick (53rd overall) in the 1989 draft, Lidstrom finished with 11 regular-season goals and 60 points, ranking him…

BELLOWS BECOMES PROPONENT OF GOLDEN OLDIES

Brian Bellows decided it’s out with the new and in with the old for his hockey card investment portfolio. The Minnesota North Stars’ winger, a serious participant in the market, is no longer bullish on buying cases of newer products. He has sold many of his 1991-92 cases and moved more aggressively into older cards. “From talking to guys I really believe pre-’72 is where it’s at,” Bellows said, “I’m not buying as much new because what do you buy? The market is saturated.” Bellows recently bought 48 cards from the 1933-34 World Wide Gum Ice Kings set, which includes a $1,200 Howie Morenz card and a $400 Nels Stewart rookie. He is 24 cards short of the complete set, which listed at $9,000 in excellent condition in the pre-World War II Price…

HAVE YOUR SAY

BEST SET BEST DRAFT PICK SET BEST INVESTMENT BEST CARD SECOND ANNUAL READER POLL Welcome to our second annual Collectors World Reader Poll. Including this issue, the Poll will run in four editions of Collectors World. The results will be published in the Summer issue (Vol. 2, No. 10). We’ve made a few changes to our popular feature. Gone is the category of worst card and added is one for best non-NHL licensed set. For best set. we show the first regular card in each issue. Although Pinnacle hasn’t been released yet, it will before the end of the season—and bejore all poll votes are counted. In the category of best investment, we’ve limited it to players who have rookie cards this season. So there’s no Pavel Bure, Pat Falloon or Donald Audette. If you choose to vote…

THE BEST JUNIOR CARD PRICE GUIDE AVAILABLE

Collectors World is pleased to present the premier listing of junior and draft pick hockey cards. In this issue you’ll find Part 1 of our special junior and minor league Price Guide. Coming next month in the July issue we’ll list the junior cards from Seventh Inning Sketch (1989-90 to the present) and the minor league cards from Pro Cards (1988-89 to the present). All prices in this Price Guide are for cards in excellent condition-except for the 1983-84 Canadian National Junior Team set and the 1991 Draft Pick sets, which are listed with near-mint prices. Among the noteworthy players who appear in these sets at least one year before appearing on an NHL card are Jean Beliveau (1951-52 Laval Dairy Quebec Senior League), Jacques Plante (’51-52 Laval Dairy QSHL Subset), Don Cherry, Henri…

THE BOOM HAS ENDED-MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO

Yes, the great hockey card boom is over. In fact, it ended more than 50 years ago.. Many collectors believe the 1990-91 season marked the greatest explosion in hockey cards. The competing companies jumped from two to five but it was not the biggest boom in the history of the hobby. In 1932, there were no hockey cards. One year later, five companies produced six sets of cards. The 193334 sets are: O-Pee-Chee Series A (48 cards), O-Pee-Chee Series B (23 cards), Canadian Chewing Gum (50 cards), the Ice Kings issued by World Wide Gum (72 cards), the oddly numbered Hamilton Chewing Gum (21 cards) and the scarce V-129 set (50 cards). There were a number of factors that combined to create the 1933-34 boom-coming somewhat surprisingly during the midst of the Great…

BEST HOCKEY CARD PRICE GUIDE AVAILABLE

The Hockey News Collectors World Price Guide is an accurate reflection of the purchase price of hockey cards. Remember, the Guide is just that-a guide. You may not find these cards at exactly these prices. Prices are in Canadian funds. As of May 11, the Canadian dollar was worth roughly 87 cents U.S. We present our listings with indicators to show whether the card or set Was changed in price since the previous issue. A + sign indicates a price increase; a - means a decline in price. Key rookies in each set are highlighted in bold type. As always, we present all cards made by Parkhurst, Topps, O-Pee-Chee, Bowman, Pro Set, Score and Upper Deck from 1951-52 to 1990-91. We also include the 1991-92 Bowman, Pro Set Series 1+2, Platinum Series 1 +…