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April 19, 1996
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.
Will Pinnacle be proud new owners of Leaf?
The hockey card fraternity may be losing one of its member companies soon. There are strong rumors in the card industry that Leaf-Donruss is for sale and Pinnacle Brands is the most likely purchaser. “They’re for sale, that much is absolutely certain,” said one reliable industry source. “They’ve basically said, ‘Here we are, come look at us and buy us.” The Finland-based company that owns Leaf-Donruss is a billion-dollar entity in the candy industry that produces such confections and Jolly Ranchers, Whoppers and Twizzlers licorice. The company reportedly wants to unload its sports card division soon. The division turns a profit, but doesn’t seem to be worth the trouble to the company. Apparently the company soured on sports cards last year when the NHL lockout and baseball strike severely hampered card sales. Leaf-Donruss has licenses…
Brunette excels in scoring, savvy
The first time the Washington Capitals decided Andrew Brunette might have potential was during the 1994 playoffs. And it wasn’t anything he did on the ice with the Portland Pirates. By the time the American League’s championship series rolled around, Brunette had become an extra on the highly talented Pirates. To stay sharp, Brunette and the other Portland “Spare Parts,” as they called themselves, had their own little post-practice tournament. Brunette, then a rookie, was the captain for one Spare Parts team. With draft picks No. 1 and 2, he chose both available goalies. That left the other team with no goalie. “Then he traded one for the guy he really wanted,” said Pirates’ coach Barry Trotz. If nothing else, a position in management may await Brunette. But first, he’d like to play a…
Panthers become kittens at critical noint in season
In was, in the words of Doug MacLean, “a pathetic performance. “(It was) the most disappointing game I’ve been involved with since I’ve been in the NHL,” said the Florida Panthers’ coach. MacLean was referring to a 3-2 loss April 3 to the Ottawa Senators that continued the Panthers’ slide. Despite holding a 2-0 lead after the first period, the Panthers got just six shots on goal in the final 40 minutes and allowed three unanswered goals in the final 13 minutes. The loss dropped the Panthers to 412-2 since Feb. 24 and 1-5-0 since March 23. MacLean came down on his players in a meeting the next day. “There wasn’t a lot of technical talk,” MacLean said of the gathering. The Panthers, struggling to maintain home ice advantage in the playoffs, were tentative in…
Is Calder calling Alfredsson?
Ottawa Senators’ right winger Daniel Alfredsson faces plenty of tough opponents in his bid to win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. But the likes of Chicago Blackhawks’ Eric Daze and Florida Panthers’ Ed Jovanovski might not be as intimidating as one he can do nothing about: history. No rookie from a last-place team has won the Calder since Danny Grant did it in 1968-1969 for the Minnesota North Stars. It was thought Alexei Yashin might end that drought in 1993-94, but despite leading all rookie scorers for most of the year, Yashin wasn’t even one of the three finalists-New Jersey Devils’ goalie Martin Brodeur won the award. Alfredsson, the 133rd overall choice in the 1994 entry draft, has been a surprise for the Senators. The 23-year-old said his only goal…
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