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April 18, 1997
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.
Former phenom Chyzowski emeraes as Dower forward
Dave Chyzowski is the unhappy answer to an NHL draft trivia question. He is the only player chosen in the first round of the 1989 entry draft to play (on at least a semiregular basis) in the NHL that season. Taken second overall by the New York Islanders, Chyzowski played 34 games as an 18-year-old after being selected second overall. The only other 1989 first-rounders who got into an NHL game that year were defenseman Kevin Haller of the Buffalo Sabres and goaltender Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals, each of whom played two games. Now Chyzowski insists the reason he has spent most of the last five years playing — minor pro is because he was thrust into the NHL too early. “One more year in junior would have changed my entire career,”…
Teeming with team information
Preparing for the Stanley Cup playoffs is an exercise in editing for more than those at The Hockey News. Fans have to cut through an Avalanche of information more imposing even than defending-champion Colorado. We make your job easier with loads of information that won’t result in information overload. Here’s what you will find about the 22 teams who had clinched playoff berths or were still in contention as of April 4. Section I: Team profiles include their odds of winning the Cup as determined by THN oddsmaker Murray Townsend, Primary Strengths, Crucial Weaknesses and a Hat Trick of Stats. The latter numbers have been culled from different points in the season to give you proper perspective. Listed are Season-long percentage of goals scored by the top three forwards (to show how reliant teams are…
1997 NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW II: THE SKINNY
DALLAS STARS Primary Strengths Know how to win. Offensive and defensive numbers were identical to Detroit, but Dallas produced 11 more wins. Veteran leadership/playoff experience from Guy Carbonneau, Neal Broten, et al. Size/mobility on the blueline. Strong 5-on-5 play in their own end. Crucial Weaknesses Key players (Greg Adams, Joe Nieuwendyk) are prone to injury and heavy reliance on golden oldies, especially defensively, could be a factor in later rounds. Hat Trick of Stats Season-long percentage of goals by top three forwards: 34 per cent (19th highest). Save Percentage since All-Star break: 91.2 (7th). Special Teams since March: Power Play, 12.2 per cent (16th). Penalty-Killing: 84.8 (10th). BUFFALO SABRES Primary Strengths Dominik Hasek, the best goalie in hockey. Since the All-Star break, Buffalo’s team save percentage is a league-high 93.1. Outstanding chemistry. Someone…
Eastwood central cog
The New York Rangers’ most dependable line through late-March wasn’t centered by Mark Messier. It wasn’t centered by Wayne Gretzky. No, the man in the middle of the Rangers’ most dependable line was Mike Eastwood. The Rangers had not been able to find the right mix for grinding wingers Pat Flatley and Bill Berg until East-wood stepped in. He had used Sergei Nemchinov there, but Nemchinov was traded to the Vancouver Canucks. Campbell used incoming forward Esa Tikkanen there, but when Luc Robitaille broke his foot, Tikkanen was moved up to the second line to play on Gretzky’s wing. So Eastwood, who had spent most of his time in New York as the fourth-line center, was moved up. In a five-game span, Eastwood doubled his season points output from five to 10, including his…
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