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February 25, 2000
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.
Hlinka to become first Euro coach
Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain Jaromir Jagr knows Ivan Hlinka is a good coach. Jagr played for Hlinka’s Czech Olympic team that won gold in Nagano in 1998. But Jagr also knows Hlinka won’t have an easy time adjusting to the NHL. The Penguins named Hlinka, 50, an associate coach Feb. 7. He is expected to replace Herb Brooks next season and become the first European head coach in NHL history. Hlinka, who immediately resigned as coach of the Czech national team, was expected to arrive in Pittsburgh Feb. 17 and join Brooks behind the bench Feb. 19 at Florida. “I’m scared,” Jagr said. “I don’t know how it’s going to work. It’s always a risk when you try something new.” Hlinka’s name first surfaced in Pitts burgh in mid-January when he observed the Penguins for…
67’s cleaning up with carpet man
The Ottawa 67’s are setting the pace for others to follow in the Ontario League-on the ice and off. The defending Memorial Cup champions were first overall at 36-12-3-1 and were averaging 6,407 at the gate. Coach-GM Brian Kilrea is in his 24th season and shows no signs of stopping as he approaches his 900th career victory. Kilrea had an 882-536-109 career record, all with the 67’s. The 67’s appear headed for their fifth consecutive first-place finish in the East Division. Most teams will blame a rollercoaster ride in the standings on the cyclical nature of junior hockey. When it was suggested to Kilrea the 67’s are using a bigger wheel, he said: “The wheel will catch us eventually. I just hope I won’t be around when the wheel does catch us. “We’ve been fortunate…
Disappointment, defection water under bridge at LSSU
CCHA The Lake Superior State Lakers turned a crisis into motivation. After losing both games of the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament in December-including one to Michigan Tech, which had previously won just two games this season-the Lakers’ leading scorer Trent Walford quit the team because of differences with coach Scott Borek. But the club still turned it around, going 6-3-1 in their next 10 games to move into a third-place tie with Michigan State. The Lakers were 13-8-1 in Central Collegiate Hockey Association play and 14-13-1 overall. “We came back from the Michigan Tech game and had a 60-minute skate,” Borek said. “And then we made some lineup changes and we had a player leave and the team came together. (Walford) made an individual decision and we bonded because of that.” Borek, in the final…
Bench-tossing, tongue-wagging Devils realize ref-baiting ways must change
A dozen years after former coach ' Jim Schoenfeld spewed the words, “Have another doughnut, you fat pig,” to referee Don Koharski. the New Jersey Devils were still dealing with a shaky relationship with NHL officials. The fallout from the Schoenfeld-Koharski confrontation during the 1988 playoffs disappeared long ago, but a new generation of ref-baiters and bench-tossers have the Devils wondering if they have again become enemies of on-ice officials. “No doubt, they’re like us, they watch the games and they see what happens,” said goalie Martin Brodeur. “It carries over. It shouldn’t be like that, but they’re human. We already have guys who like to talk to the referees. If they remember what we say during the regular season, it could come back and hurt us.” Accomplished at yapping from the bench,…
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