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December 27, 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.
Panther project spending extra time in classroom
After acquiring center Chris Wells from the Pittsburgh Penguins in November, Florida Panthers’ GM Bryan Murray referred to the 6-foot-6, 220-pound center as “a project.” A month later and Wells remained very much a work in progress. Wells, the Panthers’ fourth line center, averaged about 10 minutes a game under coach Doug MacLean and even found himself on the struggling power play unit. “I like his positional play, his size, the way he drives to the net nine out of 10 times,” MacLean said. But… “His skating has to improve,” MacLean said. For Wells, 21, it has been the same story since being drafted by the Penguins in the first round (24th overall) of the 1994 entry draft. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you the kid has great leadership qualities; one scout even referred to him…
Are Leafs going off Cliff?
Say what you will about Cliff Fletcher, but the man works fast He arrived in Toronto in July, 1991 and in less than two years transformed a sad-sack organization into a Stanley Cup contender that had a good two-year run. Just as quickly, it seems, the chief operating officer, president and GM has presided over the regression of Toronto Maple Leaf hockey to the point of an uncertain future. Hero to zero? Harsh as it may be, that is how stunning the rise and fall of Fletcher is perceived by many in Toronto. The fans at Maple Leaf Gardens are getting ornery, booing veterans Larry Murphy and Dave Ellett. The talk shows are rife with scathing indictments of Fletcher’s work and calls for his dismissal from the Toronto sports media. Going into their…
Pulford feels pressure to swing trade
With his team playing like it was lost in a fog, the heat was on Chicago Blackhawks’ GM Bob Pulford. A 2-10-1 tailspin, mainly the result of a lack of goal scoring, had the Hawks in a freefall. Following an embarrassing 3-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs Dec. 9 that saw the Hawks’ home record dip to 5-9-0, coach Craig Hartsburg fired off some comments that seemed directed at Pulford. “Maybe somebody needs to give us some help,” Hartsburg said. “Anybody that can help us should help us and that means players, management and coaches.” Pulford called criticism of him “fair” and took the blame for the slide. Since trading center Jeremy Roenick to the Phoenix Coyotes in August for center Alexei Zhamnov, the only additions Pulford made to the Hawks were…
LaFontaine getting better, but will he fully recover?
Pat LaFontaine emerged from a month of silence to say he was starting to feel better. That doesn’t mean he will play hockey anytime soon-if ever again In an interview with The Buffalo News, the first since he went out of the lineup after the Nov. 7 game with the Philadelphia Flyers, the injured Buffalo Sabres’ captain said he was “feeling more like myself every day, but I just have to see this thing out before I know where it will all end up.” LaFontaine said so far the road back has been little more than a series of small steps and he hadn’t even begun to deal with the question of when or if he will return to hockey. He made a surprise visit to the Sabres’ practice facility to see his teammates…
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