Search for your favorite player or team
© The Hockey News. All rights reserved. Any and all material on this website cannot be used, reproduced, or distributed without prior written permission from Roustan Media Ltd. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
December 7, 2001
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.
FIRST QUARTER REPORT
BEST GOALIES 1. ROMAN TUREK Calgary Run out of St. Louis after back-to-back playoff failures, Turek didn’t suffer a regulation loss in the first quarter. 2. PATRICK ROY Colorado After some early bumps, he has been great-especially considering lack of goal support. 3. TOMMY SALO Edmonton Oilers’ workhorse being touted as early Hart Trophy candidate. 4. MIKE RICHTER Rangers Held down the fort as teammates struggled to find their legs in the early going. 5. ROBERTO LUONGO Florida Living up to his reputation as the best young goalie in the game. BEST FORWARDS 1. JAROME IGINLA RW Calgary Got a quick stranglehold on the scoring lead and refused to let go. 2. PATRIK ELIAS LW New Jersey On track to become one of the NHL’s most dangerous players in the offensive zone. 3. BRENDAN SHANAHAN LW Detroit Veteran power forward kicked the season off with a hat…
CENTRAL LEAGUE
A rivalry still exists between the Central League and the Western Pro League, despite a May merger. The incumbent CHL teams own bragging rights over their WPHL counterparts. The six CHL teams started 18-10-3 against the 10 former WPHL clubs. Oklahoma City (10-12) and Memphis (10-2-0),”old” CHL teams, were tops in the league. Bossier-Shreveport, long the bullies of the former WPHL with three straight titles, started a pedestrian 6-6-0…Center Chris Mackenzie re-signed for a third stint with Indianapolis. Mackenzie, 30, posted back-to-back, 120-plus point seasons with the Ice and has four pro championship rings-from Indianapolis of the CHL in 2000, the WPHL’s Bossier-Shreveport in 1999 and back-to-back WPHL titles with El Paso in 1997 and ’98.…
Czech goalie Prusek turns Sens’ heads
When the Ottawa Senators signed goalie Martin Prusek in the off-season, they weren’t necessarily expecting the 26-year-old from the Czech Republic to make an immediate impact. The Sens just knew Prusek wasn’t a young kid, so they needed to make a decision on whether he was a legitimate prospect. He was drafted 164th overall in 1999. But Prusek, a mainstay for Vitkovice in the Czech League the past six seasons, has adapted to the North American game and has raised eyebrows, winning his first eight American League starts for Grand Rapids. His only loss came in relief of Mathieu Chouinard. His 2.14 goals-against average was seventh in the AHL and he had a solid.926 save percentage. “We didn’t know how he’d do, but he has played well,” said Senators’ GM Marshall Johnston. “He wasn’t…
It’s a more riveting start thanks to new & improved
With a little more than 25 per cent of the results in, The Hockey News decision desk is ready to declare a winner: the fans. Like a cruise on the Love Boat, the exciting and new is capturing our imaginations in 2001-02. Names such as Jarome Iginla and Jeff O’Neill grace the top of the scoring race; teams such as Calgary, Chicago, the Islanders and Rangers are giving their supporters reason to believe this year, finally, will be different. Of course, even Captain Stubing encountered rough seas periodically. With that in mind, here are some random snapshots and cheapshots through the quarter pole. □ Contraction excitement belongs in delivery rooms, not NHL boardrooms. The argument that the league is as watered down as American beer has no basis in fact. The talent gap…
Made possible with the support of
