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.
August 19, 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.
Kurri in to fill Keane’s key roles
It you twist the numbers just the right way, the math almost works out. In signing right winger Jari Kurri to replace right winger Mike Keane, the Colorado Avalanche lose seven years in age, but gain three Stanley Cup rings and about $800,000. Kurri, 37. was signed to a one-year deal worth $1.2 million July 11, four days after Keane, 30, signed a four-year, $8-milIion contract with the New York Rangers. While the Avalanche would like to have retained Keane, it believes Kurri can fill the void. The veteran of five Stanley Cup winners with the Edmonton Oilers has become something of a defensive specialist late in his career and is viewed as a strong character player. “He has a reputation as one of the best in the business as far as leadership (goes),”…
Isles go on as Pickett back in control
Despite the New York Islanders’ muddled ownership situation, GM Mike Milbury adopted a business-as-usual approach in signing unrestricted free agents Mike Hough and Sergei Nemchinov and courting Gary Roberts. On July 10, the NHL negated the Islanders’ $165-million transfer of ownership, which the league had approved Feb. 24, because businessman John Spano defaulted on a $16.8-million payment to John O. Pickett. The club reverted to Pickett, pending resolution of other issues between Pickett and FleetBank, which lent Spano $80 million to purchase the team. If those issues are not settled by July 25, the matter is to go to arbitration before commissioner Gary Bettman July 28. Spano was barred in mid-June from having contact with the team. Its day-to-day operations were being run by Milbury and club general counsel Bill Skehan. Pickett…
Dome’s drive stops at NHL
Selecting an Eastern Euro-nean in the first round of the NHL entry draft is not something new for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They did it in 1990 and he turned out to be a pretty good one, Jaromir Jagr. If Robert Dome, the Penguins’ No. 1 pick this year, is able to come anywhere close to what Jagr has accomplished, there will be much joy in the Civic Arena. The difference in their situations, however, appears to be significant. Jagr had a’can’t-miss’ tag next to his name. Dome’s tag is dotted with question marks. The 5-foot-ll, 214-pound native of Skalica, Slovakia is hardly a normal pick, however. He learned to skate on rollerblades and didn’t put on ice skates until he was nine. Three years later, he left home to pursue his dream of playing…
San Jose resoects its Elders
San Jose Rhinos’ sensation Jason Elders has used an old western approach to rise to the top of the Roller Hockey International scoring heap: Shoot first, ask questions later. “Basically, it’s my style to get open, get the puck and just fire it,” said Elders, who led the league with 20 goals in 11 games. “I always end up with a lot of shots and that’s ideal for roller hockey.” Ideal for Elders is RHI’s 4-on-4 format. It allows him and others who like their hockey wide open more room to work their magic. Elders is part of a typical four-man unit for San Jose: three forwards (himself, Corey Laylin and Radek Hamr) and one defenseman (Doug Evans). “Corey and Radek can carry the puck, they’re fast and they’ve played a long time…
Made possible with the support of
