Future not as bad as some think for Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ future looks brighter now than it did a year ago. If you’ve watched the Leafs on a regular basis this season, don’t stop reading. Stick with me, here. In early April, the Leafs were on pace to record 68 points, the same total they had last year. Meanwhile, their playoff prospects looked dismal. But the Leafs were also on pace to cut their goals against by almost 40 and there was the notion that, while they don’t win much, at least they give you a game. “Last year we were intimidating on paper, but not on the ice,” said one Leaf insider. “This year we’re less intimidating on paper, but more so on the ice.” A year ago Canada’s most popular NHL team traded away local hero Doug Gilmour…

Wren finally measuring up to Mighty Duck standards

It’s bad enough when the scouts and GMs say Bob Wren is too small to play in the NHL. But when the ushers at the War Memorial in Rochester didn’t believe Wren played for the American League’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, the size thing reached a new extreme. “They wouldn’t let me in the building-they didn’t think I was a hockey player,” Wren said, remembering that Feb. 1 afternoon. “Our trainer had to convince them I was a player.” The funny thing is, by that time, Wren had convinced just about everyone else that he can be a player at the minor pro level, despite being listed as 5-foot-10,180 pounds. The fourth-year center was fourth in AHL scoring with 39 goals and 90 points in 71 games. Those are impressive numbers considering Wren has been…

1998 NHL PLAYOFF PREVIEW I: POOL PRIMER

‘Iron Finn’ makes point as scoring defenseman

Teppo Numminen will never be confused with ‘The Flying Finn’ or the ‘Finnish Flash’ as a goal-scoring wizard. But the always-reliable defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes reached an impressive career offensive milestone nonetheless. When he scored his 10th goal of the season April 1 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Numminen tied Fredrik Olausson as the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history with 335 career points. “It’s nice to know,” said the 10-year veteran, who has spent his entire career with the Winnipeg Jets/Coyotes. “It’s a nice honor. At the same time, though, I think I’ll remember it more once I’m done playing.” Numminen, 29, who inked a three-year contract extension back in November, hasn’t had time to sit back and reflect on anything. In addition to playing nearly 30 minutes a night for…