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June 1, 1999
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.
Scoring relief next goal
A young team on the rise, the future looks as bright as the present for the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo has consistently been rated among the NHL’s best teams when it comes to identifying and grooming prospects. Though there will undoubtedly be some concern regarding the future of Dominik Hasek (he’ll be 35 next season), the backbone of their still youngish team, the Sabres have an up-and-comer in goalie Martin Biron, an all-American League performer this season who did not look out of place in his brief time with the parent club this season. The Sabres also have netminder Mika Noronen in their system, a Finnish prospect and their No. 1 pick in the 1997 entry draft. The Sabres appear solid at defense with prospects Cory Sarich, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Henrik Tallinder, Demitri Kalinin…
Key year in building plan
It has been a while since the Chicago Blackhawks hit the jackpot at the entry draft, more than 10 years to be exact. That would have been 1988, when they grabbed center Jeremy Roenick out of Thayer Academy with the eighth pick overall. Their first round selections since Roenick have made little impact, although the Hawks still hope 1997 first-rounder, right winger Ty Jones, and 1998 top pick, center Mark Bell, will be good NHL players one day. (Jones played for the Kamloops Blazers of the Western League in 1998-99 and Bell for the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario League.) Among the first round picks in the years following the selection of Roenick, only center Dean McAmmond (1991) finished the season on the Hawks’ roster and he was re-acquired last March in a…
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
No longer desperate in net
The Edmonton Oilers had been ready to pull out the stops-or stoppers-at the 1999 entry draft. But the acquisition of goalie Tommy Salo and his subsequent play has themrethinking their needs. “I think we’re pretty comfortable,"said director of player personnel and hockey operations Kevin Prendergast."The priority of a goaltender has I dropped. It’s still a priority, it’s just notas big as it was.” At one time, the thinking was Edmonton would use two of its first three picks Ion goalies. That has now changed. Which way they’ll go, however, Iremains to be seen. “Our defense has been good,” Prendergast said. “I think we lack pure goal-scorers, but I think there are probably 20 Iteams in the league in that position. They are obviously hard to find.” And once they find them, they have to be able…