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September 22, 1995
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.
Baxter back in minors as Saint John mentor
When the minor leagues last saw Paul Baxter, he was a rookie coach leading a youthful Salt Lake Golden Eagles team to the International League’s Turner Cup championship. Now, eight seasons later, Baxter is back in he minor leagues, looking to re-establish himself as an NHL head-coaching prospect. After working the past six seasons as an NHL assistant—the first three with the Calgary Flames, the past three with the Chicago Blackhawks—Baxter chose to return to the Flames’ organization as coach of the American League’s Saint John Flames. Baxter, 39, replaces Bob Francis, who moved to the Providence Bruins when he was passed over in < Calgary’s NHL coaching search. That’s basically the same way Baxter ended up with Saint John. He was hoping the Blackhawks would promote him after Darryl Sutter resigned in June.…
Dynamic duo expected to make Faucons soar
The Sherbrooke Faucons will be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Quebec League this season, thanks to their dynamic duo of right winger Mathieu Dandenault and center Christian Dube. Last season, Dandenault and Dube combined for 72 goals and 208 points. Both were second-round picks in the NHL entry draft-Dandenault by the Detroit Red Wings in 1994 and Dube by the New York Rangers in 1995. Faucons’ coach Guy Chouinard is expecting bigger and better things from the two players after both players took part in the Canadian national junior team’s summer evaluation camp in Montreal. “They’re two of the most talented players in the league,” Chouinard said. “They both have a lot of speed and they can both score. We know one thing: they’ll be checked.” The Faucons had…
Rhinos RHI champs, by a nose
Roy Sommer is one of the lucky ones. Some wait a lifetime for a crack at a championship, yet here Sommer was in position for a second title within four months. Sommer coached the East Coast League’s Richmond Renegades to the Riley Cup in the spring of 1995 and, in the dog days of summer, was attempting to lead the San Jose Rhinos to Roller Hockey International’s Murphy Cup. One title only made Sommer hungry for more, and he wanted to ensure his players seized the opportunity at hand. “It doesn’t happen often—in roller hockey or anything else,” he said. “Any time you can win a championship it’s nice. It doesn’t come often, so you’d better grab the opportunity.” Ken Blum understood this better than most. The 24-year-old from Hackensack, N.J., last won a…
The spectre of death
The death of Soviet star Valery’ Kharlamov in the summer of 1981 shocked the hockey world. Kharlamov’s wife, Irina, was at the wheel that August night when their car skidded on a slippery road on the outskirts of Moscow and veered into the path of an oncoming truck. Both Irina and Valery were killed. His death was the first in a series of auto accidents that would plague Soviet hockey for the next decade and heads a list of more than a dozen of the country’s top talents who have died under tragic circumstances during the past 30 years. Tragedy struck again in June, 1985, when Anatoly Fetisov, 17, the younger brother of Soviet national team captain Slava Fetisov, was killed. The car Slava was driving was involved in a collision near the…