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December 22, 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.
Journeyman King calls it quits and takes on new team at home
In the end, the decision to retire was easier than Kris King thought it would be. That’s because he was going from being a part-time player with the Chicago Blackhawks to full-time husband and dad. The 34-year-old King chose retirement over a minor league assignment after being waived by the Hawks. He planned to return home to Toronto to be with his wife and three children. “This was more of a family decision than a hockey decision,” said King, who played 14 NHL seasons with Detroit, the Rangers, Winnipeg, Phoenix, Toronto and the Hawks. King was invited to camp as a free agent by GM Mike Smith and signed Oct. 9 to provide leadership and grit. He was a fourth line regular for a handful of games, but soon found himself mostly out…
Smyth shooting for second 60-pack
Brad Smyth may never make an impact in the NHL, but he could leave an everlasting mark on the American League. With 19 goals in 23 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack, Smyth is on pace to score 66 goals. That accomplishment would make him the only player in the AHLs 65-year history to have two 60-goal seasons. In 1995-96, he scored 68 goals and 126 points in just 68 games for the Carolina Monarchs. That he’s doing it in today’s tight-checking, defense-first era makes the feat more impressive. “He loves to score goals and he’s willing to pay the price to do it,” said Wolf Pack coach John Paddock. “Lots of players can give lip service and say they’re willing to pay the price, but Brad does.” His minor league pedigree notwithstanding, there…
WESTERN PRO LEAGUE
While hyping itself as the highest-scoring league in minor pro hockey, the WPHL’s scoring average has dropped every year from a high of 8.23 goals per game in the loop’s inaugural 1996-97 season. Last season’s mark was 7.46 and thus far in the 2000-01 campaign, it’s 6.96…Despite having the top three scorers in the league and the only trio of players with over 30 points each, the Tupelo T-Rex started the season just 9-9-1…El Paso’s 5-3 triumph over visiting Amarillo Nov. 14 was the Buzzards’ first home win in eight tries this season. - David Henry…
Habs better suited to Western Conference where skating, not checking, rules the day
Do the Montreal Canadiens play in the wrong conference? It would be easy to come to that conclusion. The Canadiens will be hard-pressed to avoid missing the playoffs in the Eastern Conference tor the third consecutive season. The conference is known for its tight-checking, suffocating defensive style. The Canadiens, a freewheeling team that relies on its skating skills to succeed, fare better when playing Western Conference opponents. They were 4-2-2-0 against the West, but only 5-14-1-0 in games against Eastern teams. “Against the West, you know it’s going to be an open game,” said defenseman Patrice Brisebois. “We like to play against them because we can use our speed. Against the East, it’s bigger guys and the trap. We have to adjust to that and find a way to win those games. “It’s…
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