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March 17, 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.
Jillson’s points down, but coach not worried
CCHA Despite a decrease in offensive production in the second half of the season, Michigan sophomore defenseman Jeff Jillson was playing his best hockey of the year. Before leaving to join Team USA at the World Junior Championship, Jillson had racked up 24 points in November and December. While he had just one goal and six points since returning from Sweden, he was scoring points with his coach. “He’s a dominant young defenseman with a lot of potential,” said Wolverines’ coach Red Berenson. “He’s playing his best hockey right now. It seemed like everything was going his way earlier. He’s still getting opportunities.” The 6-foot-3, 220-pound native of Smithfield, R.I., was picked by San Jose in the first round (14th overall) of the 1999 NHL draft. “In the second year, you play with more confidence,”…
Rebuilding Tigers benefit from sweet 16-year-olds
The Medicine Hat Tigers entered March with a 16-38-6-4 record, but it was still a marked improvement over the past couple of years. Medicine Hat had a 15-56-1 record last season after going 16-50-6 the previous year. “This is our third year through (poor performance), but it’s really our first year of enduring the growing pains,” said Rick Carriere, who became the Western League team’s coach and director of hockey operations early in the 1997-98 campaign. “We haven’t really had an influx of young talent until recently.” The Tigers’ lineup includes the last two first-overall bantam draft selections-defenseman Jay Bouwmeester (1998) and center Ryan Hollweg (1999). They are among eight 16-year-olds on the team. “This has been tough in some 1 regard because the fans of Medicine * Hat have heard the word ‘rebuild-fling’ for…
Who is Michal Handzus & what is Stephane Richer?
Question: Who is Michal Handzus? Answer: A big reason-a very big 6-foot-5, 220-pound reason-why the St. Louis Blues are a Stanley Cup contender. Not to mention he’s one of three Slovaks on the Blues’ roster and one of seven in the organization. Playing on a line with countrymen Lubos Bartecko, a free agent find, and Pavol Demitra, a trade gem, the third-year pro and second-year NHLer seems destined to become one of the league’s premier two-way threats on one of the game’s best fines. “He’s so big and strong and a top-end defensive presence who can check a top line, take key faceoffs and kill penalties,” said Blues’ coach Joel Quenneville of Handzus, who was taken 101st overall in the 1995 entry draft. “He’s only going to get better and he’s good already.” And he’s…
Some GMs think league moving too fast on two refs
A number of NHL general managers have told the league to “slow down” on the widespread implementation of the two-referee system. “A lot of us don't think we have enough qualified referees to use a two-man system in every game,” said one GM, who requested anonymity, during the GMs’ annual meeting in La Quinta, Calif., from Feb. 29 to March 2. “We think the league is moving too fast.” The two-referee system was used in 20 games per team last season, 50 games per team this season and is penciled in to be used in every game in the 2000-01 season. For the record, the final games with just one referee are scheduled for March 21. NHL executive vice-president Colin Campbell acknowledged some concerns were raised by the GMs, but said the league still…
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