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.
March 21, 2003
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.
Halifax finely tuned for championship run
The Halifax Mooseheads are really rolling now that all their players have gotten to know each other. A few weeks after acquiring forwards Stuart MacRae and George Davis and defenseman Steve Villeneuve in a blockbuster trade with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, the Mooseheads went on a real tear. They didn’t lose in 14 straight games after going a middling 4-3-1 through the first eight games after the trade. The hot streak earned them a brief tie for first place overall with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. “It always takes time to work new guys into the lineup,” said coach Shawn Mackenzie. “Most teams sputter a little bit after a trade, but then things start to settle. We were never worried.” The Mooseheads were on pace to break their team record of 96 points in a…
Snow clears pads test; other teams cry fool
By now, Garth Snow must know members of the NHL’s equipment police on a first-name basis. The Islanders’ veteran goaltender has come under scrutiny from the league over the length of his goalie pads, undergoing and passing a surprise inspection when the team was in Toronto in late February. The league already has regulations for pad width; it is expected to institute rules next season concerning length after Snow and others began using pads estimated around 40 inches long earlier this season. Snow, who also was the cause of an earlier rule change involving goalie equipment after sporting oversized shoulder pads in 1997, has a standard reply when asked about his gear. “All I’ll say,” said Snow with a smile, “is all of my equipment conforms to NHL standards.” Still, Rangers coach-GM Glen Sather took…
Coach Ruff aiming at Bowman’s record
No matter what happens before next season, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff should pluck at least one positive from this year of misery when he surpasses Scotty Bowman for most victories in club history. Ruff was on the verge of catching Bowman, his former coach who had 210 wins during four coaching stints in Buffalo during the late 1970s and 80s. Ruff already owns the team record for playoff victories with 32, a number he will not add to this year. “I think I’ve learned something from every coach I’ve ever played for or worked with,” Ruff said, “and some that I’ve watched.” Ruff’s contract expires after the season. He took the Sabres to the Eastern Conference final twice and Stanley Cup final once in his first two years. Buffalo missed the playoffs last…
Trade talks nobody sees
There are always deals at The Deadline. Legitimate Stanley Cup contenders - this year I count eight - are expected to fill a key hole or add depth to improve their chances of playing until mid-June. Other clubs have an eye toward the more distant future. But there are a lot of things for a GM to consider before he can even think about contacting his colleagues to talk trade. On the logistical front, the GMs command center has to be ready. Everyone from the public relations director to the executive assistant must be at work early with cell phones fully charged. If the team is on the road, the trainer will have packed extra jerseys. I used to get the trainers buzzing by telling them in my most conspiratorial voice…
Made possible with the support of
