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.
October 16, 1992
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.
When opportunity knocks, rookie Boucher answers call
Buffalo Sabres’ rookie defenseman Philippe Boucher doesn’t have a strong grasp of the English language but he certainly understands the meaning of the word opportunity. One night after coach John Muckier said a spot was open for a defenseman on the roster, the St-Apollinaire, Que., native had three goals and an assist in a 6-4 exhibition loss to the New York Islanders Sept. 26. Boucher scored the game’s first two goals, assisted on the third and completed his hat-trick all before the second period was seven minutes old. Two of his goals came at even strength while the other goal came on the power play. Boucher’s performance helped him secure a spot on a depleted Sabres’ defense. The blue-line depth sustained a tough blow early in the pre-season when Mike Ramsey and Ken Sutton…
Dollar Daze
The Philadelphia Flyers sign rookie Eric Lindros to a contract that gives him the highest single-season salary in NHL history. The Pittsburgh Penguins respond by re-negotiating with superstar Mario Lemieux, making him the richest player. What’s next? Where does it end? “It ends in bankruptcy court,” said Mike Smith, general manager of the Winnipeg Jets. For a league supposed to be suffering money woes, cutbacks-at least at the top end-don’t appear to be a priority. Forty players will earn at least $1 million this season. Surprisingly, the bottom end is being looked after rather nicely too, with average players such as Ric Nattress and Steve Konroyd hitting the jackpot in the off-season. Hockey is rapidly eliminating its middle class. If the pattern continues, say some experts, teams will have a handful of players making megabucks…
McLean comes full circle in contract with Quinn
The Vancouver Canucks made goalie Kirk McLean the richest player in the history of the 23-year-old franchise. The two-time Vezina Trophy runner-up signed a four-year contract worth a reported $4.5 million (U.S.) Oct. 4. That surpasses the four-year $3.7-million (Cdn.) deal Trevor Linden signed last season. “For a guy whose first contract was $4,000, it does boggle the mind,” Canucks’ coach-general manager Pat Quinn said. “We’re pleased with the deal. Kirk has done a good job for us.” Quinn personally negotiated the contract with McLean. Discussions between the sides started after director of hockey operations Brian Burke left the Canucks for Hartford. Current director of operations George McPhee now handles contract negotiations. “I said right off the bat I didn’t want to fool around with this,” Quinn said. “But they kept coming back with little…
THE WEEKS IN HOCKEY: SEPT. 21-OCT. 4
A weekly compendium of significant events and developments. Sept 22: Los Angeles center Wayne Gretzky announces back injury will force him to sit out indefinite period. Sept 23: Tampa Bay goaltender Manon Rheaume becomes first female to play NHL game in 6-4 loss to ST. Louis. Oct 1: Winnipeg trades right winger Pat Elynuik to Washington for right winger John Druce and a conditional draft choice. Detroit trades right winger Brent Fedyk to Philadelphia for fourthround draft pick in 1993. Winnipeg trades goaltender Stephane Beauregard to Philadelphia for third-round draft pick in 1993 and conditional pick in 1994. Hartford trades goaltender Kay Whitmore to Vancouver for goaltender Corrie D’Alessio and fifthround draft pick in 1993. Oct. 4: Vancouver goaltender Kirk McLean signs four-year, $4.8-million (U.S.) contract. It is richest contract in franchise history. Eight players chosen in waiver…
Made possible with the support of
