Detroit’s Murphy cerebrally quick

Larry Murphy’s admission that he’s not the fastest man on two feet doesn’t qualify him as a genius. But the speed at which his mind works, well, that’s another story. “For me,” the 36-year-old Detroit Red Wing defenseman said, “being in the right place at the right time is without a doubt the most important part of my game. “As long as I can remember, that’s how I’ve had to play because I’ve never had blazing speed. No one has to tell me what has kept me in the game all these years.” Brain power. There’s more to it than that, of course. Red Wings’ coach Scott Bowman said Murphy’s intelligence, and speed limitations, are obvious and the most deceiving aspect of Murphy’s game is his competitiveness. “Larry’s personality off the ice really fools a lot…

Commissioner Bettman still believes in Carolina

He wasn’t quite Santa Claus, but Gary Bettman was just about as jolly during his first visit to North Carolina. Despite the problems the Carolina Hurricanes have faced, including poor attendance and negative publicity, Bettman raved about the long-term future of the NHL in the new market. “I’m a big believer in hockey in North Carolina,” said the NHL commissioner. “I’ve never doubted it for a second. I think what the Hurricanes have done has been Herculean. The fact is, this is what we’ve anticipated in the short term. This is a building process.” Bettman attended the Hurricanes’ game against the Florida Panthers Dec. 10. He took a tour of the team’s offices in Morrisville, met with newspaper editors and writers, and surveyed a model of Raleigh’s new arena. “Sometimes, for some long-term gain,…

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