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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.
THN Scouting Reports
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Buffalo Sabres THN’s Choice: Maple Leafs in seven games Toronto has risen from 20th overall and non-playoff status to fifth overall and Final Four status in a single season. Taking Pennsylvania by storm in the playoffs, with 4-2 series victories over Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, has added to the year’s biggest surprise story. Three Stars of Playoffs 1.Curtis Joseph: The Conn Smythe candidate has earned every bit of his $5.5-million salary this year. 2.Dimitri Yushkevich: Jaromir Jagr and John LeClair will not soon forget the crushin’ Russian. 3.Pat Quinn: The coach has pushed the right buttons, including adding minor leaguer Lonny Bohonos. Revelation Bohonos breathed life into the top line with seven points in five games against Pittsburgh. Underachiever Mats Sundin’s overall game has been strong, but he had points in just four of…
GM Waddell focuses on goaltending, speed
Don Waddell can take comfort in the fact the blur of wakeup calls and arena hot dogs in remote comers of the hockey world is not without its perks. “I have something like 500,000 air miles in my account,” said Waddell, GM of the expansion Atlanta Thrashers. “And if I ever lose my job, I can stay at a hotel for six months and I can rent a car for over two years.” Unlike other GMs who enter this year’s entry draft with holes to fill, Waddell enters it with a blank sheet. The majority of the original Thrashers will be formed in a span of two days; with 26 selections in the expansion draft June 25 and nine picks (pending trades) in the entry draft the following day. While the talent available…
THE THN 56
1. Pavel Brendl ’98-99: Calgary POS: RW HT: 6-0 WT 204 SHOOTS: R BORN: March 23,1981 HOMETOWN: Olomouc, Czech The knock on Pavel Brendl is he’s a one dimensional player, but what a dimension it is. The Calgary Hitmen’s Czech winger lit up the Western league with his goal-scoring pyrotechnics this season and convinced many scouts he deserves No. 1 ranking in the Class of ’99. That billing is based as much on what he may yet do as on what he has already done. “The sky is the limit for this guy,” said one scout, who suggested Patrik Stefan and Daniel Sedin may be better all-around players now but that Brendl’s upside to be a star is greater. After scoring 73 goals in the regular season, scouts were eager to see if he could produce under pressure and he responded…
Progress report charts prospects
It’s Draft Preview’s bread and butter to tell you about top prospects in the June 26 entry draft. We also endeavor, however, not to forget about players we’ve trumpeted in past years. One of the most time intensive segments of DP is its progress report-looking back at the past three drafts and identifying each team’s three best selections. The results adjoin NHL team stories on pgs. 36 through 66. Assembling the progress report involves a discussion with each team’s head scout or director of player personnel, then using a panel of scouts to rate players on a star grid. Five stars indicate projected NHL star, four stars for above-average NHL players, three stars is average, two stars for fringe players and one star for longshot prospects. We started this report in 1995. Our…