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.

August 24, 2004

The Hockey News August 24, 2004

<div class="byline">-DERRICK GOOLD</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-06245/7876949-1-eng-US/f0028-062.jpg" title="f0028-06" width="277" height="600"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he reasons Phoenix GM Mike Barnett cited for signing Brett Hull entertainment for fans, passion for teammates, offensive excitement-were the same reasons there was a primarily media-fueled push for the Blues to bring back Hull.</p><p>That it didn&rsquo;t happen is consistent with the way things are going in St. Louis this off-season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-05286/7876956-1-eng-US/f0028-052.jpg" title="f0028-05" width="238" height="297"></div><p>The biggest move of the summer had to do with subtracting the team&rsquo;s leading scorer over the past five seasons, Pavol Demitra. This from a team that last year scored the franchise&rsquo;s fewest goals since its inaugural season in 1967-68.</p><p>Hull would have meant instant interest, but the Blues were fearful of offering him more than a one-year con-tract. It was a similar circum-stance to their pursuit of Craig Conroy, when the Blues came up one year shy of matching Los Angeles&rsquo;s four-year offer.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s up to us to create that buzz as an organization and as a team,&rdquo; said GM Larry Pleau when asked if he worries about a weary fan base. &ldquo;Winning does that.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Every Blues decision is linked to life after a new CBA. The Blues are scaling back payroll as much as $15 million, with a good chunk of it being the $6.5 million Demitra earned last season. Management is pushing the roster younger.</p><p>Off the ice, the franchise has had two rounds of staff trimmings. The Blues have a CBA-contingency rebate program in place for early purchasers of season tickets.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Still craving a multiyear deal that comes wrapped with an idea of where the franchise is headed, defenseman <b>Chris Pronger</b> agreed to a one-year, $9.5-million contract with a $500,000 signing bonus a few days before his qualifying offer expired.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

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IN THIS ISSUE

Will fan interest fade with cheaper Blues?

<div class="byline">-MIKE HEIKA</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Dallas Stars made a strong statement in June when they signed center Jason Arnott to a $3.8-million qualifying offer and stated he was a key cog in the organization&rsquo;s future.</p><p>Stars GM Doug Armstrong challenged Arnott to become a &ldquo;dominating player&rdquo; in the league and said he believes the Stars&rsquo; alignment of three skilled centers-Mike Modano and Pierre Turgeon are the other two-vying for the same ice time does work.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-03393/7875857-1-eng-US/f0021-032.jpg" title="f0021-03" width="255" height="273"></div><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see a problem with the three centers,&rdquo; Armstrong said. &ldquo;Over the last two years, we&rsquo;ve had the third best record in the league with those three centers.&rdquo;</p><p>Dallas, though, has won just one playoff round in those two seasons.</p><p><b>DRAFT ANALYSIS</b> The Stars once again went with the strategy of trading down to get more picks. In the past three drafts, they have had 15 picks in the first three rounds.</p><p>Dallas went heavy with blueliners, selecting four including three with their first four picks: bruising Mark Fistric went with the 28th pick, slick-skating Johan Fransson went 34th and steady Niklas Grossman was taken 56th. They also took Trevor Ludwig, the son of former Star Craig Ludwig, 183rd overall.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Stars acquired left winger Jaroslav Svoboda from the Carolina Hurricanes for a fourth round pick in 2005. Svoboda scored three goals and four points in 33 games with the Canes this season&hellip; Dallas signed blueliners Jon Klemm (two-year deal) and Don Sweeney (one-year deal), leaving Richard Matvichuk or Teppo Numminen on the outs&hellip;The Stars traded goalie Jason Bacashihua to St. Louis for blueline prospect Shawn Belle.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-04288/7875850-1-eng-US/f0021-042.jpg" title="f0021-04" width="611" height="566"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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NHL TEAM REPORTS

Dallas gives Arnott vote of confidence

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-06301/7874819-1-eng-US/f0008-062.jpg" title="f0008-06" width="732" height="746"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-05379/7874826-1-eng-US/f0008-052.jpg" title="f0008-05" width="121" height="125"></div><p>Call this a split decision, with a slight edge for going back to the one-referee system.</p><p>In a poll of 30 players, one from each team, 15 (50 per cent) said they like the one-referee system, used prior to 199899. The two-ref system became permanent in 2000-01. Fourteen players said they like two refs, with one undecided.</p><p>&ldquo;One ref spends too much time deferring to the other, maybe the senior ref,&rdquo; said Buffalo&rsquo;s James Patrick. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d even be in favor of having a set of eyes off the ice where they could see everything and not have to defer to the official on ice.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;One, by far,&rdquo; said Edmonton&rsquo;s Mike York. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s more consistent and it allows the referee to have a lot more control.&rdquo;</p><p>&rsquo;They miss half the stuff, anyway,&rdquo; said Pittsburgh&rsquo;s Mark Recchi. T think one guy gets a real good feel for the game. Sometimes when you have two, one guy loses the feel, one guy has it.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll go with one referee because what we have now isn&rsquo;t working very well,&rdquo; said Derek Morris of Phoenix.</p><p>Other players like two referees.</p><p>&ldquo;Sometimes there are discrepancies, but there&rsquo;s a lot of fouls behind the play that weren&rsquo;t called before and are now,&rdquo; said unrestricted free agent Rob Zamuner.</p><p>&ldquo;If you get a duo who calls it consistently, it keeps players honest and keeps the flow,&rdquo; said New Jersey&rsquo;s David Hale.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p><b>30 NHL PLAYERS POLLED, ONE PER TEAM</b></p><p>&rsquo;Two refs do a better job not missing things,&rdquo; said San Jose&rsquo;s Kyle McLaren.</p><p><b>-FOR COMPLETE PLAYER POLL RESULTS, VISIT <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM</a></b></p><h2><i>Original Stars set for lockout</i></h2><p>Another option has opened up for NHL players wanting to keep active during the looming lockout.</p><p>The Original Stars Hockey League is a proposed six-team circuit that would play a series of tournaments in various regions of Canada. League spokesman Randy Gumbley says at least 30 players are on board for the series, with many more to come.</p><p>Each team would consist of 11 skaters and a goalie in 4-on-4 action. Other innovative rules include no center red line, mandatory changing on the fly and all penalties taken as penalty shots with chasers.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-07226/7874812-1-eng-US/f0008-072.jpg" title="f0008-07" width="431" height="312"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CBA TRACKER</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;This is not a league in competition with the NHL,&rdquo; said Gumbley, who hopes to land a TV deal. &ldquo;Once they have a collective agreement in place, our league would cease to exist.&rdquo;</p><p>NHL players also have the option to play in Europe or the World Hockey Association. Many players have said they will not play anywhere during a lockout.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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PLAYER POLL

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-06311/7877679-1-eng-US/f0037-062.jpg" title="f0037-06" width="627" height="676"></div><p><b><i>August 31, 2004</i></b></p><p><i>2004 World Cup of Hockey Preview: The best players on the planet get together for two weeks of run-and-gun hockey fun. Profiles of the eight competing countries, updated rosters and lots more&hellip;</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-07279/7877672-1-eng-US/f0037-072.jpg" title="f0037-07" width="765" height="553"><figcaption class="caption-body">Montreal&rsquo;s Jose Theodore is one of three Quebec bom goalies on Canada&rsquo;s World Cup team.</figcaption></div><h2><b>Upcoming In The Hockey World</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-08237/7877665-1-eng-US/f0037-082.jpg" title="f0037-08" width="2065" height="431"></div><p><i>For the latest news, visit <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a></i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Next Issue

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021542/7874408-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="318" height="428"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-011812/7874415-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="95" height="96"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-031253/7874401-1-eng-US/f0004-032.jpg" title="f0004-03" width="839" height="1559"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>B</span>ack from vacation, scanning the papers, checking out the empty desks, back out the door. Need therapy. Physical therapy. Bad case of raised eyebrow syndrome.</p><p>The boss is spending another week at the beach and that's just the beginning. Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow carry their bare-knuckled brawling from New York to Toronto and back again. Everyone knows the sport is going to be a bloodied mess before it's over, yet the good folks at Hockey's Gladiators can't find a place to chuck knucks and let a few dozen honest scrappers earn a hard-fought day's work?</p><p>Wait, there's more. The biggest on-ice problem the NHL faces is the consistent application of penalty calls. There is no longer a director of officiating. The most promising off-| ice initiative in years was the creation of a blue-ribbon panel to examine ways of improving the game. There is no longer a focus on improving the game. The panel has had its momentum sapped by the CBA, its promise as a forum for progressive thinking usurped by a macho dance over dollars when it's clear that making the game more exciting would bring in millions of dollars for both of them.</p><p>Al Maclnnis's career looks to be over and Glen Sather's isn't. Ed Belfour and Ed Belfour's back are gainfully employed and Kevin Weekes isn't. Mike Danton is in jail and his agent isn't.</p><h2><b>HE'S NO JOHN HANCOCK</b></h2><p>Everyone is short-tempered. Brad Richards presents the Stanley Cup to thousands of sun-baked admirers in his P.E.I. fishing village. The local paper slams him for not signing autographs. Richards vows never to speak to the paper again.</p><p>Meanwhile, Richards's coach, John Tortorella there's a man who should have the comers of his mouth locked to his cheekbones rips into departing defenseman Jassen Cullimore for the sin of signing with Chicago for $5 million mote than what the Bolts offered. Such disloyalty. Such a stunning lack of appreciation for all Tampa did for him. We hear your pain, John, and really, we can't stand it either.</p><p>It's the kind of off-season where you start to think the worst of everyone because Steve Moore's'hame is on the unrestricted list. How could they, the two-faced misers? How could Colorado not give him a qualifying offer after all he has been through, the penny-pinching weasels? Then agent Larry Kelly points out Moore is a Group VI unrestricted free agent (25 years or older, fewer than 80 NHL games) and the blood cools. The Avs keep in close contact and are waiting to see how Moore's recovery progresses before taking the next step.</p><p>So Avs GM Pierre Lacroix is off the knife-in-the-back list, but what about New Jersey defenseman Scott Niedermayer, who chose the summer of the biggest contract of his career to dump lifelong agent Don Meehan for two newbies nobody's heard of? Turns out Kevin Epp and Jarrett Bousquet are oldies, not newbies. Niedermayer, from Cranbrook, B.C., played hockey with Bousquet as a kid all the way up through junior in Kamloops, and met Epp along the way. The old buddies started breaking into the agent game a few years ago and Niedermayer decided to give them a leg up. Meehan says he has no problem with that.</p><h2><b>A HIDDEN SENSE OF URGENCY</b></h2><p>So maybe things aren't so bleak, even on the CBA front. This from a friend of an NHL staffer who is close to key players in the negotiating sessions: in the bargaining room, quite apart from salary caps and arbitration and the rest, the two sides have talked about the urgency to get a deal done. They know they'll all look like idiots if the season is lost. They have acknowledged that to each other in their private discussions. Take it for what it's worth.</p><p>On a more serious note, it's not worth much to Mike Danton. Amid all the nonsense, it's the Danton case or rather, the David Frost and Bob Goodenow case that keeps tipping the summer scales back toward gloom. It's common knowledge that Goodenow, Frost and Danton dined together during St. Louis's playoff series against San Jose. Goodenow's son Joe once played for a team coached by Frost. The two men, if not close friends, are more than acquaintances.</p><p>Goodenow's association with a man of Frost's ilk does not reflect well on him. Nor does it sit well with Danton's former Blues teammates, who blame Frost for Danton's downfall. It's another story being eclipsed by the all-consuming CBA, but the stench still lingers.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-041016/7874394-1-eng-US/f0004-042.jpg" title="f0004-04" width="884" height="207"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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FEATURES & COLUMNS

Endurina daze of summer

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-05824/7874453-1-eng-US/f0004-052.jpg" title="f0004-05" width="307" height="493"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Andrei Kostitsyn</b></figcaption></div><h2><b>WORTH NOTING</b></h2><p><b>Andrei Kostitsyn RW, 19</b>&nbsp;<i>Montreal Canadiens prospect</i></p><p>Editors make note, Russian changed his spelling from Kastsitsyn.</p><p><b>Don Cherry analyst, 70</b></p><p><i>Hockey Night In Canada</i></p><p>CBC reaches one-year deal with controversial hockey commentator.</p><p><b>Mario Lemieux C, 38</b></p><p><i>Pittsburgh Penguins owner</i> Partners with Luc Robitaille to buy partial interest in River City (USHL).</p><p><b>Scott Hannan D, 25</b></p><p><i>San Jose and Team Canada</i> Named to replace Rob Blake for Canadian team at World Cup.</p><p><b>Hal Gill D, 29</b></p><p><i>Boston and Team USA</i></p><p>Named to replace Mathieu Schneider for U.S. team at World Cup.</p><p><b>Fewer concussions on bigger ice</b>&nbsp;<i>Cdn. Journal of Neurological Studies</i> Studies shows fewer number of collisions on international-sized ice versus NHL-sized ice.</p><p><b>Fans back NHL over NHLPA</b>&nbsp;<i>Decima Research Inc. survey</i> Survey shows 77 per cent Canadian fans agree the NHL needs a salary cap for teams to be stable.</p><p><b>Fans Association support NHL</b>&nbsp;<i>NHL Fans&rsquo; Association</i></p><p>Survey shows 81 per cent NHLFA members believe there should be salary cap or luxury tax.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-06489/7874446-1-eng-US/f0004-062.jpg" title="f0004-06" width="309" height="492"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>HAL GILL</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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WORTH NOTING

<div class="byline">-MARK BRENDER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-021282/7874515-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="756" height="995"><figcaption class="caption-body"><i>Do Gary Bettman and Bill Daly have hidden agendas inside their shiny black briefcases?</i></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-011814/7874522-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="96" height="103"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>ith the CBA set to expire in less than a month, the NHL and NHL Players&rsquo; Association, according to NHL senior vice-president Bill Daly, had no formal agenda heading into their latest bar-gaining session.</p><p>Why not, you ask? Let&rsquo;s consider the possibilities:</p><p>1) Each side had a&hellip;quiet <i>now&hellip; hidden agenda.</i> These agendas remained under cover in separate black leather briefcases. At the start of the meeting zap they would be unmasked like surprise starting goalies.</p><p>2) An agenda is redundant because the two sides know each other&rsquo;s positions so well they can easily pick up where they left off the last time. Which means&hellip;</p><p>3) They don&rsquo;t know what they have left to say to each other any more than anyone else does.</p><p>An earlier mid-summer pow-wow leading up to a planned Aug. 17 rendezvous in New York solved nothing. In Toronto on Aug. 4, the NHL presented the union with six &ldquo;system&rdquo; proposals that generated far more ink than hope. Five of the six proposals included the scandalous link between league-wide revenues and player salaries that the union insists is a non-starter. The other proposal suggested the league negotiate all player contracts for all teams and wouldn&rsquo;t you know it, the union wasn&rsquo;t jumping for joy over that one, either.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>&ldquo;The only thing they&rsquo;re proposing is something they know is unacceptable to us,&rdquo; said NHLPA senior director Ted Saskin."They haven&rsquo;t been willing to engage in any compromise solutions.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Our biggest concern,&rdquo; Daly told The Hockey News, &ldquo;is that they are at this point committed to essentially the status quo. And the status quo from our perspective, and I imagine the world&rsquo;s perspective, hasn&rsquo;t worked. So it&rsquo;s time to develop a new system.&rdquo;</p><p>The other systems ideas put forward by the league included a hard team salary cap; a payroll range system, in which teams would have to spend between specified amounts on player salaries; a performance-based system that would specify salaries based on objective statistical criteria; a salary-slotting system, in which players would fit into a pre-determined team salary scale.</p><p>According to Saskin, the lack of progress is all part of the NHL&rsquo;s master plan. &ldquo;Gary Bettman&rsquo;s objective from the beginning was to bring this to a lockout in order to put economic pressure on the players,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>There are few on either side who believe a happy ending before Sept. 15 is in the cards.</p><p>&ldquo;There certainly has been no progress so no particular reasons for optimism, but there is time left,&rdquo; Daly said.</p><p>Tick, tick.</p><p><b>EURO QUOTAS</b>&nbsp;<i>The German league allows its teams to ice as many as 11 import players, the most among European hockey leagues. (See pg.</i> 7 <i>for more.)</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-05309/7874508-1-eng-US/f0005-052.jpg" title="f0005-05" width="978" height="695"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0005-02

League, union at stalemate

<h2><i>Best of the Hockey World</i></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-03825/7874560-1-eng-US/f0005-032.jpg" title="f0005-03" width="275" height="446"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DAN SNYDER</b></figcaption></div><p><b>DESERT ACTION</b> The Phoenix Coyotes are making moves to improve their team and excitement level without blowing the budget.</p><p><b>TURNOUT FOR DAN</b> Roughly $120,000 is raised for a new hockey rink in Elmira, Ont., at the Dan Snyder Memorial Golf Tournament in late July.</p><p><b>BACK AT IT</b> Whatever hockey there is, we&rsquo;ll be covering it: with this issue, The Hockey News returns to our regular weekly publishing schedule.</p><h2><i>Worst of the Hockey World</i></h2><p><b>ST. JOHN&rsquo;S SWAN SONG</b> Newfoundlanders have long supported the AHL, but have just one more season before Toronto relocates its farm team.</p><p><b>RUSSIAN AWAY</b> Russia can&rsquo;t stop the tide of players backing out of the 2004 World Cup;, Sergei Fedorov is the latest to say &ldquo;nyet".</p><p><b>NHL LAYOFFS</b> More than 100 NHL staffers are set to lose their jobs Sept. 20. They want and need a new CBA at least as badly as the rest of us.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-04507/7874553-1-eng-US/f0005-042.jpg" title="f0005-04" width="277" height="446"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>SERGEI FEDOROV</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0005-03

PLUS MINUS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-07115/7874591-1-eng-US/f0005-072.jpg" title="f0005-07" width="309" height="505"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Sidney Crosby</b></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-06183/7874598-1-eng-US/f0005-062.jpg" title="f0005-06" width="192" height="166"></div><p><i>From around the NHL</i></p><p>The NHL has backtracked on its eligibility criteria for playing in the American League during an NHL lockout. Irate GMs concerned about the development of their young players complained to the NHL about the rule, which would have only allowed players who were on an AHL roster for 50 games last season to play there in 2004-05. &ldquo;We had another bunch of comments from our general managers, reassessed where we were, talked to the players&rsquo; association about it,&rdquo; said NHL senior vice-president <b>Bill Daly. &ldquo;</b>We&rsquo;re reconsidering it.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s expected the league will revert to current waiver rules.</p><p><b>A</b> number of reports have suggested exceeded expectations and was &ldquo;better than advertised&rdquo; as guest whiz kid at the Kings&rsquo; summer prospect camp. In that case, he must have been pretty good.</p><p>One question about the Rangers&rsquo; youth movement: is 31-year-old <b>Michael Nylander</b> supposed to be part of it?</p><p>His 2003-04 financial and once debacle behind him, <b>Mike Modano</b> has ditched his former advisors (big surprise there) and retained the services of his former agent <b>Howard Gourwitz,</b> who is in preliminary discussions with Dallas regarding a long-term contract. A life-time Star, Modano could become a UFA next summer.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0005-07

DEPARTMENTS

SNAPSHOTS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012022/7874629-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="173" height="101"></div><p><b>The hockey news</b></p><p>FROM THE EDITORS</p><p>This just in from the Canadian front of the NHL-NHL Players&rsquo; Association labor war: in the eyes of Joe and Josephine Public, the NHL is winning.</p><p>The results of a national survey by Decima Research, conducted in mid-July, are sure to give reassurance to the NHL as it pursues a cost-certainty-at-all-costs approach to CBA negotiations. Fifty-six per cent of fans feel the NHLPA needs to be the more flexible party to avoid a lockout. Just 21 per cent say it&rsquo;s the owners who should do more of the bending.</p><p>The survey polled Canadians who follow the NHL and are aware of the lockout possibility on Sept 15. It found nearly half of all respondents aged 18 and over-46 per cent-fall into that category, which speaks to the remarkable pull NHL hockey continues to exert on the Canadian public.</p><p>More than 80 per cent of those surveyed said they would continue to follow the NHL at least the same level they do now even if a lockout lasted half-a-season or more provided the result is a more level financial playing field among big and small market teams.</p><p>Nearly three out of four fans (72 per cent) strongly or somewhat agree owners are not lying about the economic situation. The icing on the cake for the NHL: 77 per cent strongly or somewhat agree that a hard salary cap is necessary for NHL teams to be financially stable.</p><p>As surveys go, this is a one-sided butt-kicking. One inescapable conclusion is that the NHL&rsquo;s public relations campaign has worked. The league&rsquo;s senior executives are far more accessible than their union counterparts. The NHL message-that it is on a mission to repair the game has been far more palatable than the union&rsquo;s &ldquo;we will not accept a cap&rdquo; negativity. And the Levitt Report seems to have put to rest much of the &ldquo;cooking the books&rdquo; charge that dominated NHL labor discussions a year ago.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>As</b>&nbsp;<i>surveys go, this is a butt-kicking. One conclusion is that the NHL&rsquo;s public relations campaign has worked.</i></blockquote><p>That said, overwhelming public opinion about the necessity of a salary cap doesn&rsquo;t make it fact. The resurgence of Major League Baseball this season competitive playoff races, attendance up in the vast majority of markets shows a non-cap league can work. Still, the sentiment that underlies the Decima survey-why not a cap? asks a question the NHLPA has not answered to anyone&rsquo;s satisfaction but their own.</p><p>Five years ago, with the pension scandal and Alan Eagleson and owners&rsquo; Original Six shenanigans in the news, the players retained significant public support. In an era of the $1.8-million average salary, that support is wavering, at best.</p><p>As long as fans are convinced their heroes aren&rsquo;t earning sweatshop wages while owners stash away millions, the hardship of a salary cap (in a league with meager television revenues) carries little resonance.</p><p>So it doesn&rsquo;t much matter that a luxury tax combined with changes to arbitration and qualifying offers and entry-level bonus structure could lead to a workable CBA for owners. A salary cap could do the same thing-and the Canadian public isn&rsquo;t in the mood to argue.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0006-01

THE HOCKEY NEWS EDITORIAL

Public in no mood to fight players’ anti-cap crusade

f0006-02

ELSTON

<h2><b>REAL NHL FANS WILL STAY</b></h2><p>All those NHL fans that say they&rsquo;ll stop following the game if there is a lockout aren&rsquo;t true hockey fans.</p><p>Real fans will watch hockey anytime, anywhere, regardless of the business decisions, because they love the sport. There&rsquo;s nothing the NHL could do to lose this fan. I love the game and follow the NHL for what happens on the ice, not for all that extra stuff. As long as there&rsquo;s a game on. I&rsquo;ll be watching.</p><p><i>Jonathan Leitch, Tulsa, Okla.</i></p><h2><b>PUT HOLIK ON U.S. ROSTER</b></h2><p>The recent addition of Scott Gomez to the U.S. roster for the World Cup is an unexpected surprise-but it is disheartening to know Bobby Holik is not, nor will he be, eligible to represent America in international hockey.</p><p>Please, hockey administrators, let&rsquo;s honor Holik for his commitment to his new homeland! Holik&rsquo;s desire to prove his loyalty to a country that has given him so much makes him an ideal representative for America.</p><p><i>Sydnee Pope, Los Angeles</i></p><h2><b>LETTER OF THE WEEK</b></h2><p>An open letter to NHLers:</p><p>I am writing to implore you and your union to be realistic and agree to a reasonable labor deal. The players must realize how good they have it. No other sports league has teams going bankrupt. No other league lacks a truly profitable TV contract.</p><p>And we fans bear the burden of your inflated salaries. I was a season ticket-holder in Phoenix, but now average fewer than eight Hurricanes games a year due to ridiculous ticket prices.</p><p>The NBA and NFL both have salary caps, so why should the NHL be different? Wake up, guys! NHLers aren&rsquo;t surgeons, firemen or police officers. They provide entertainment. That&rsquo;s it.</p><p>I will very much miss long winter nights watching hockey, but if there is no season, I won&rsquo;t spend so much as another penny to support these privileged individuals.</p><p><i>Kris Nielsen, Cary, N.C.</i></p><h2><b>&lsquo;HOT DOG&rsquo; GOALIES?</b></h2><p>Last season, Don Cherry called Sidney Crosby a &ldquo;hot dog&rdquo; for scoring a fancy goal. But what about goalies who shoot the puck at empty nets? That&rsquo;s why they have forwards. Does Cherry think they&rsquo;re hot dogs, too?</p><p><i>Mike Marion, Alexandria, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>HASEK MAY HELP SENATORS</b></h2><p>Bob Duffs skepticism regarding Dominik Hasek&rsquo;s ability to give the Senators elite-level goaltending was based on convincing evidence, to be sure. (THN, August)</p><p>However, strong pride, a large ego and the gritty determination to prove something can, on occasion, result in the overcoming of formidable odds. We&rsquo;ll see.</p><p><i>Debra Wells, St. Clair Beach, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>RECCHI NOT SO SELFLESS?</b></h2><p>I disagree with Alex Miller&rsquo;s letter regarding Mark Recchi&rsquo;s signing with Pittsburgh. Miller wrote, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice to see some NHLers are willing to give up a little more money to be happy,&rdquo; and &ldquo;We need more players (like Recchi).&rdquo; (THN, August)</p><p>It is clear he implies Recchi gave up money to return to Pittsburgh, which isn&rsquo;t true. Fact is, Recchi was offered less money to stay a Flyer, but was also offered a better chance of winning.</p><p>In my opinion, the only thing Recchi gave up is a chance to win-totally contradicting the purpose of the game-while making a &ldquo;little&rdquo; more to ease the pain of losing.</p><p>To me, Recchi is an example of the type of players we need less of in the NHL.</p><p><i>Dallas Zurkan, Kenora, Ont.</i></p><h2><b>BURKE&rsquo;S ANALYSIS GUTSY</b></h2><p>So Jeremy May thinks Brian Burke&rsquo;s analysis of the Todd Bertuzzi incident is biased, eh? (THN, August) Burke didn&rsquo;t defend the act, but rather the individual. That&rsquo;s something few have had the guts to do.</p><p><i>Kyle Lewis, Riverview, N.B.</i></p><h2><b>THN LOVE AFFAIR</b></h2><p>I love The Hockey News! It is my favorite magazine and I love talking about it.</p><p>Anyway, I love it.</p><p><i>Ben Zientyr, Wheaton, III</i></p><h2><b>Got something to say?</b></h2><p>U.S.A.: Letters, The Hockey News, P.O. Box 904, Buffalo, N.Y., 14240-9947.</p><p>Canada: Letters, The Hockey News, 25 Sheppard Ave. W., Suite 100, Toronto, Ont., M2N 6S7</p><p>E-mail: <a href="mailto:aproteau@thehockeynews.com">aproteau@thehockeynews.com</a> or visit <a href="http://www.thehockeynews.com">www.thehockeynews.com</a> Include name, hometown, province/state and phone number.</p><p><i>Submissions will be edited.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

<div class="byline">Jeff Citron Guest columnist</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021220/7874722-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="321" height="431"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-011832/7874729-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="172" height="110"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span>n old saying provides that &ldquo;in every dark cloud, there is a silver lining.&rdquo; In a strange way, that may be the case if the NHL locks out its players prior to the start of the season and a number of those players flock to play in various European leagues.</p><p>With a number of NHL players including Joe Thornton, Rick Nash, Pavel Datsyuk and Mike York already signed to contingent contracts to play for European clubs during a lockout, the European leagues may prove to be a fruitful testing ground in determining how many potential rule changes being considered by GMs might improve the flow and entertainment value of the NHL product.</p><p>Many of the contemplated rule changes are already part of the rules of international hockey adopted by European leagues. For example, the European leagues do not employ the center-ice red line. Many NHL hockey people have speculated the elimination of the red line may be an effective anti-dote to the neutral-zone trap (or variations thereof) adopted by NHL teams.</p><h2><b>MORE FLOW WITHOUT RED LINE</b></h2><p>During the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, North American fans witnessed how the elimination of the red line opened up the neutral zone and allowed for long breakout passes. If a lockout ensues, the NHL and NHL-caliber players skating in Europe will experience how the absence of the red line impacts play over a longer period of time than merely an Olympic tournament.</p><p>Similarly, international rules provide for the delayed offside rule that was utilized by the NHL for a number of years, but was sub-sequently dropped. Purists felt it was important to drop the rule to improve the puck-carrying and passing skills of players. There has been no evidence that this ever was the case and the flow of the NHL game has suffered unnecessarily without the rule.</p><p>European leagues also have a shorter schedule. This is something the NHL and the union had been discussing as part of their collective bargaining discussions. NHL players playing in Europe will have the opportunity to experience the benefits of a shorter schedule as an alternative to the grind of an 82-game season.</p><h2><b>EUROPE IN NHLS FUTURE?</b></h2><p>How will European fans react to having the best players in the world playing for their local clubs? Could huge attendance numbers and enthusiasm lead the NHL to consider expansion to Europe? Will improved flow and a more exciting product on the wider ice surface cause the NHL to more seriously consider how its teams might be able to widen their own ice pads?</p><p>It is also interesting to note only so-called &ldquo;skill&rdquo; players are attracting interest from European clubs. While hard hitting and physical play is a hallmark of the NHL, critics of the game have questioned the amount of obstruction in the NHL in recent years. Will returning NHL players come home and be more vocal about cracking down on obstruction, blows to the head and fighting?</p><p>It will be interesting to see if the NHL benefits from answers to these and other questions in the event of a lockout and the &ldquo;European Vacation&rdquo; anticipated to be taken by many NHL players as a result.</p><p><b>-JEFFREY A. CITRON IS A CORPORATE FINANCE AND SPORTS BUSINESS LAWYER IN TORONTO</b></p><h2><b>EUROPE</b> BOUND</h2><p><i>Here are NHLers who&rsquo;ll play in Europe if there&rsquo;s a lockout. Players with asterisk (*) are committed for entire 2004-05 season.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-03748/7874715-1-eng-US/f0007-032.jpg" title="f0007-03" width="1838" height="2505"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>PAVEL DATSYUK DETROIT RED WINGS</b></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0007-02

Eurotrip a good test?

<div class="byline">BY ALAN ADAMS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021437/7874774-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="277" height="445"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>NILS EKMAN</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-011910/7874781-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="129" height="183"></div><p>The caller on the other end of the line didn&rsquo;t mince his words.</p><p>&ldquo;I told you a decade ago when they signed the CBA that arbitration would have a huge impact,&rdquo; said the NHL executive. &ldquo;It has been more than a significant player in the marketplace.&rdquo;</p><p>Arbitration has had its impact on the NHL&rsquo;s salary structure since the process was put in place 10 years ago and the summer of 2003-04 will likely be the last time arbitration-as the hockey world knows it-will be used to settle contract disputes with restricted free agents.</p><p>There&rsquo;s little doubt arbitration will be a major bargaining chip in the collective bargaining talks between the NHL and the NHL Players&rsquo; Association.</p><p>This year, the perception is players are getting the upper hand in decisions through Aug. 11. While unrestricted free agents are signing for less dollars than in previous summers due to fiscal responsibility on the part of owners, all arbitration decisions reflect healthy raises.</p><p>A record 67 players filed indicating fewer signed players, a sure sign owners were hoping to hold a harder line.</p><p>But arbitration awards-almost always a figure close to the middle between what is being offered and what is sought-are resulting in increases more common in seasons past rather than the tightening of purse strings during the summer of 2004.</p><p>Arbitration works like this: the player&rsquo;s representatives go into the hearing praising the strengths of their client. They compare him to highly paid peers and use strategic stats to strengthen their argument. Management gets its turn and focuses on his deficiencies.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a fun process,&rdquo; said an NHL GM. &ldquo;You can destroy a relationship with a player.&rdquo;</p><p>The arbitrator then decides how much the player will be paid. Teams have the right to walk away from the decision, but only the Boston Bruins have exercised this option twice, with Dmitri Khristich and Bryan Berard.</p><p>Most contracts are resolved before the arbitrator hears or renders a decision.</p><p>Colorado&rsquo;s Milan Hejduk, San Jose&rsquo;s Nils Ekman and Boston&rsquo;s Sergei Gonchar were some of this summer&rsquo;s big winners.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Hejduk was awarded $5.7 million, a 78 per-cent raise from last season. Gonchar jumped from $3.65 million to $5.5 million. &ldquo;Sergei is one of the premier offensive defensemen in the game,&rdquo; said Bruins GM Mike O&rsquo;Connell.</p><p>&ldquo;He will continue to be a key I contributor to our team.&rdquo;</p><p>Numerous other players I avoided arbitration by signing | before their hearing, including I Edmonton&rsquo;s Eric Brewer, J Montreal&rsquo;s Richard Zednik and I Nashville&rsquo;s Tomas Vbkoun.</p><p>So what will happen to arbitration in the collective bargaining talks?</p><p>Ownership would like to see changes that reflect revenues that are team-specific. In other words, the NHL does not want the NHLPA to be able to make league-wide comparisons when arguing that a player on one team is worth as much as a player on another team because of the revenue differences between small and big market teams. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not a fair system,&rdquo; said a GM.</p><p>&ldquo;Our revenues are nowhere near Toronto&rsquo;s revenues, but it doesn&rsquo;t matter under the current system.&rdquo;</p><h2><b>VERDICT IS&hellip;</b></h2><p><i>Twelve players had their salaries determined by arbitration as of Aug. 11.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-031017/7874767-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="520" height="452"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04530/7874760-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="1641" height="443"></div><h2><b>HOCKEY WORLD IN BRIEF</b></h2><h3><b>BUSY STRETCH FOR HEATLEY</b></h3><p>Atlanta right winger Dany Heatley faces a hectic period of activity in mid-September after finding out he will be arraigned on vehicular homicide charges in the crash that killed teammate Dan Snyder. Heatley will enter his plea in Superior Court Sept. 16, two days before the Thrashers are scheduled to open training camp. That date is two days after the final of the World Cup of Hockey, where Heatley is representing Canada. And, of course, Sept. 15 is the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL&rsquo;s owners and players, so Heatley will find out if he&rsquo;s being locked out. Heatley, 23, was driving his 2002 Ferrari with Snyder in the passenger seat, when it ran into a pillar and fence in Atlanta Sept. 29, 2003. Authorities estimate the car was travelling more than twice the speed limit.</p><h3><b>GLADIATORS PUT FISTS ON ICE</b></h3><p>Fans of Hockey Gladiators, like the NHL, will have to wait indefinitely to see their stars in action. The promoter for the hockey goon competition acknowledged the event is on hold until a suitable arena can be found. &ldquo;We will continue to move forward and find a home for our event,&rdquo; said Proactive Sports Management president Darryl Wolski to the <i>National Post.</i> &ldquo;It could be as early as a month from now, but no later than six months from now.&rdquo; The plan for Hockey Gladiators is to get 32 former NHL pugilists to pummel one another before a panel of judges in a fighting-only competition. The competitors would be decked out in full equipment and on ice although no hockey would be played. Among the players signed up are Link Gaetz, Lyndon Byers and Frank Bialowas. The competition was slated for Minneapolis Aug. 20-21, then later moved to Winnipeg. Wolski decided to cancel the Winnipeg card &ldquo;due to the great deal of pressure being exerted by local law enforcement.&rdquo; Winnipeg police ruled the competition was an illegal prize fight in contravention of the Criminal Code of Canada. &ldquo;Isn&rsquo;t there anything better the police could do?&rdquo; said Bialowas to the <i>Globe and Mail.</i> &ldquo;I mean, they&rsquo;ve got better things to be doing than worrying about a bunch of idiots going and beating each other up.&rdquo;</p><h3><b>MARTIN SLAPPED WITH LAWSUIT</b></h3><p>Florida coach Jacques Martin is being sued for $425,000 after a boy suffered a head injury at his hockey camp in 2001. According to a statement filed by Justin-Daniel Giraldeau&rsquo;s mother, Chantal, the boy became ill after falling off a top bunk bed that had no safety bars. He was attending the Jacques Martin Hockey-School in Rigaud, Que.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-02

Arbitration aiding players

<div class="byline">BY AARON PORTZLINE</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021372/7874871-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">SOPH HANDS The offensively gifted Zherdev is set to enter his second NHL season.</figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-011878/7874878-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg" title="f0010-01" width="116" height="99"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>t was worth it, the Blue Jackets say. For all the time, money and grief they spent to get 19-year-old left winger Nikolai Zherdev out of Russia and on their NHL &rsquo; roster last season, they&rsquo;d do it all again.</p><p>&ldquo;Absolutely,&rdquo; said GM president Doug MacLean. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t want to go through that again..but I would.&rdquo; That&rsquo;s how good Zherdev is. Actually, <i>good</i> doesn&rsquo;t cut it with Zherdev. With Zherdev, there&rsquo;s an electricity few players can generate in today&rsquo;s NHL (especially in Columbus). The acceleration in short spaces. The creativity and imagination with the puck. The puckhandling that can get him through or around two, three or even four defenders.</p><p>Zherdev had 13 goals and 34 points in 57 games. He would have been a bona fide Calder Trophy candidate had he played an entire season.</p><p>But numbers only tell half the story.</p><p>&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re out there on the ice with him, the hard thing is to not get caught up in what he&rsquo;s doing,&rdquo; said center Manny Malhotra. &ldquo;He thinks the game in a different way than just about everybody else and that takes some getting used to.</p><p>&ldquo;I learned right away that you&rsquo;ve got to keep your blade on the ice. You&rsquo;ve got to be ready, because it&rsquo;s coming.&rdquo;</p><p>A quick refresher:</p><p>The Blue Jackets, apprehensive and excited, drafted Zherdev with the fourth overall pick in the 2003 entry draft. It is likely he would have gone higher, but there were whispers his team in Russia-Central Army-was prepared to make life difficult, as they&rsquo;ve done with previous high draft picks (Alexander Svitov and Stanislav Chistov, for example).</p><p>The Blue Jackets tried the diplomatic route, but it got them nowhere. Eventually, it fell on Zherdev&rsquo;s shoulders. If he wanted out, he had to force the issue.</p><p>He did.</p><p>On Nov. 30, Zherdev left his Central Army club under cover of night, flying from Moscow to Ottawa. The next day he was in Columbus and the next night he was on the ice in the Jackets&rsquo; 2-1 win over Anaheim.</p><p>But the saga wasn&rsquo;t finished yet. Central Army attempted to claim the Ukrainian-born Zherdev was part of the Russian military and was thus obligated to stay in Russia and play. But an arbitrator from Switzerland shot that down in a stinging 25-page ruling on March 4.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03850/7874864-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="518" height="798"></div><p>Zherdev was a free man.</p><p>&ldquo;When Nikolai first got here, he rode this wave of energy,&rdquo; said Blue Jackets coach Gerard Gallant. &ldquo;But then when the issues off the ice heated up, you could tell it was really wearing on him.</p><p>&ldquo;He went through about a six-week span where he just wasn&rsquo;t himself. Some of the magic was out of his game and you really couldn&rsquo;t blame him.&rdquo;</p><p>Once the ruling came down, Zherdev&rsquo;s flash returned. In the final 12 games of the season, he had six goals, 16 points and a plus-5 rating.</p><p>&ldquo;Over the last 20 games of the season, he was a dominant player in the league,&rdquo; MacLean said. &ldquo;He went through a six-week stretch there where his head was spinning out of control, but once that cleared I think we saw the real Zherdev.&rdquo;</p><p>Who is the real Zherdev?</p><p>Off the ice, he&rsquo;s a pretty cool cat, with a wicked | taste for <i>GQ</i> fashion. t We&rsquo;re talking high fashion. Do you own Dolche & Gabbana sneakers? (At $500 a pair, they&rsquo;d better | be mighty comfortable.)</p><p>Not overly impressed with Columbus&rsquo;s stores, Zherdev went on a three-hour spree during a road trip in Chicago and dropped take a deep I breath-$10,000 on three suits.</p><p>The rest of the Blue Jackets couldn&rsquo;t keep up, but they had fun from the sidelines.</p><p>Most marveled at Zherdev&rsquo;s attitude. Even though they couldn&rsquo;t speak Russian, they communicated with smiles. And Zherdev was always smiling.</p><p>&ldquo;I have no idea what he&rsquo;s saying to me,&rdquo; said left winger Geoff Sanderson in March. &ldquo;But we get along great.&rdquo;</p><p>On the ice, the Blue Jackets aren&rsquo;t exactly sure how to peg Zherdev.</p><p>Is he in the mold of Pavel Bure? Sort of, but Zherdev-6-foot-l, 191 pounds-might be more physical. Ilya Kovalchuk? Perhaps, but Zherdev figures to be more of a play maker and less of a goal-scorer. Sergei Fedorov? Jaromir Jagr? Teemu Selanne? &ldquo;Nikolai&rsquo;s game reminds me of what Selanne was like when he first came over with Winnipeg,&rdquo; Gallant said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s not a goal-scorer like Selanne, but the way he sees the game the way he stands out on the ice is like what I saw with a young Selanne.&rdquo;</p><p>The Blue Jackets hope to play him on a line this season with another young phenom-20-year-old right winger Rick Nash, who scored 41 goals last season.</p><p>If the NHL season is postponed or wiped out by failed attempts to settle the collective bargaining agreement, Zherdev is likely to play with a club outside North America.</p><p>Rumors out of Russia, ironically, have Zherdev playing with Central Army, the same club that made his life so tough last season.</p><p>&ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t talked to Nikolai or his agent,&rdquo; MacLean said. &ldquo;But that would be a little remarkable, considering.</p><p>&ldquo;If that does happen and I&rsquo;ve not heard that I&rsquo;m not worried about it. We&rsquo;ve already crossed that bridge. It&rsquo;s already been estabished that Nikolai is free to play in the NHL.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-04578/7874857-1-eng-US/f0010-042.jpg" title="f0010-04" width="216" height="343"></div><p><b>She Hockey News</b> Scout says:</p><p>&ldquo;<b>He&rsquo;s the ultimate elusive skater and superbly talented with the puck.&rdquo;</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-02

Zherdev: Magic man

<div class="byline">BY ALAN ADAMS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0011-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-021197/7874916-1-eng-US/f0011-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GREAT SCOTT</b>&nbsp;<i>Sharks blueliner Scott Hannan replaces Rob Blake at the World Cup</i>. <span class="photo-credit">(SCOTT LEVY/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-011671/7874923-1-eng-US/f0011-012.jpg" title="f0011-01" width="182" height="127"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>t has been the summer of excuses, some legit and some suspect, when it comes to participation in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. More than a dozen players, including a handful of marquee names, have dropped out of the best-on-best tournament for a variety of reasons.</p><p>The Russians have been hardest hit by the refuseniks. The dicey relation-ship between the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and a core of star NHL players has taken its toll and has left the Russians reeling on the eve of the start of training camp.</p><p>It&rsquo;s possible all three of the goalies who were named to Russia&rsquo;s roster in May will miss the tournament. Nikolai Khabibulin refused to play, citing &ldquo;total chaos&rdquo; in Russia&rsquo;s tournament preparations. Evgeni Nabokov is on the mend after having arthroscopic knee surgery in the summer and is questionable. And there are conflicting reports as to the status of the No. 3 goalie, Russian leaguer Maxim Sokolov.</p><p>Ilya Bryzgalov, who played for Cincinnati in the American League last winter, was added to the roster; he could be the No. 1 goalie. Other no-shows include forwards Sergei Fedorov, Alexei Zhamnov and Valeri Bure and defensemen Sergei Zubov and Danny Markov, while forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Maxim Afinogenov are questionable because of injury. Fedorov just wasn&rsquo;t up to the task. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s nursing a few minor injuries-nothing major, but he&rsquo;s not 100 per cent,&rdquo; said his agent, Pat Brisson.</p><p>Zhamnov changed his mind after speaking to Igor Larionov, who was told by the Russian federation it did not want him to be the team&rsquo;s GM. Bure and Markov quit in support of Larionov, while Zhitnik won&rsquo;t play because he is unsigned and doesn&rsquo;t want to risk injury.</p><p>(Insurance arranged through the NHL and NHL Players&rsquo; Association covers all players for two seasons. Jarome Iginla, Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk are among unsigned players expected to participate even if they haven&rsquo;t signed contracts. Some players also carry additional private insurance.)</p><p>Russia isn&rsquo;t the only country to lose some of its star attractions. Canada will open camp in Ottawa minus defenseman Rob Blake, goalie Ed Belfour and center Steve Yzerman, all because of injuries. Scott Hannan replaces Blake, Jose Theodore is in for Belfour and Vincent Lecavalier for Yzerman.</p><p>The U.S. has also had to make changes. Hal Gill replaces Mathieu Schneider after the unsigned defenseman withdrew &ldquo;due to his current contract status.&rdquo;</p><p>The Americans previously replaced Philadelphia&rsquo;s Jeremy Roenick recuperating from a series of concussions with New Jersey center Scott Gomez.</p><p>The Czech Republic lost Robert Lang (no explanation) and replaced him with Petr Sykora, while Pavel Kubina withdrew because of injury. Red Wings blueliner Jiri Fischer will take Kubina&rsquo;s place.</p><p>Citing fatigue, Finland&rsquo;s Sami Kapanen withdrew and was replaced by Niklas Hagman. Meanwhile, Jere Karalahti was declared ineligible; his spot was filled by Janne Niinimaa.</p><p>Slovakia, Sweden and Germany haven&rsquo;t had to tinker with their rosters.</p><p>The Swedes got good news when Peter Forsberg was cleared to play. Forsberg is coming off summer groin surgery. &ldquo;We hope he will be ready,&rdquo; said Sweden GM Claes-Goran Wallin. &ldquo;We have our fingers crossed.&rdquo; I</p><h2><b>COMING NEXT WEEK I</b></h2><p>Detailed analysis of all eight teams in our exclusive <b>WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY PREVIEW</b></p><h2>WORLD CUP PRE-TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE</h2><p><i>Germany, Slovakia, Canada and the U.S. all host World Cup warm-up games. Here is the full exhibition schedule:</i></p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0011-03800/7874909-1-eng-US/f0011-032.jpg" title="f0011-03" width="1021" height="841"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0011-02

Excuses alter team lineups

<div class="byline">BY JERRY BROWN</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-021449/7875010-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-011832/7875017-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="118" height="131"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011677/7875003-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="1651" height="1319"></div><p class="dropcap"><i><span>W</span>hy did the Phoenix Coyotes, after spending three years downsizing their payroll, shipping veterans all over the map and replenishing their dilapidated farm system, suddenly become the surprise player in this summers unique NHL free agent market?</i></p><p>And why, while many of the league&rsquo;s &ldquo;haves&rdquo; continue to take wait-and-see attitudes over the CBA, have the Coyotes continued to shop til they drop? The quick answer from Phoenix GM Mike Barnett, after a 22-win, 68-point season that left the Coyotes with the fifth-worst record in the NHL, is this: &ldquo;We probably added more players because we had more holes than anyone else.&rdquo;</p><p>The real reason isn&rsquo;t as snappy, but it&rsquo;s more intriguing-a combination of factors that saw, first, a widespread rollback of salaries among middle-tier free agents; second, a limited amount of teams willing to make pre-CBA deals; and third, months of budget-cutting trades that positioned Phoenix to finally be a buyer after years of fire sales.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-021170/7874996-1-eng-US/f0013-022.jpg" title="f0013-02" width="1076" height="1237"></div><p>&ldquo;It was a bold step and we needed the support of our ownership (Jerry Moyes, Steve Ellman and Wayne Gretzky) to get it done, but I think it allowed us to get ahead of the curve,&rdquo; said Barnett, now in his third season as Phoenix GM. &ldquo;We adjusted our payroll with a lot of trades during the season. We moved 10 or 11 players and a lot of salary, and that kind of set the stage. We have a brand new (Glendale) arena to fill and the onus was on management to re-energize our fans.&rdquo;</p><p>The Coyotes started cautiously, signing checker Boyd Devereaux to a modest, one-year, $650,000 deal July 5. A day later, they added much-needed size, strength and leadership to the defense corps when Sean O&rsquo;Donnell agreed to a three-year, $6-million deal.</p><p>&ldquo;I was one of the easiest sales jobs Mike has ever had to do,&rdquo; O&rsquo;Donnell said. &ldquo;I lived here for three years (when he played for the old Phoenix Roadrunners). When 1 became a free agent, I knew this was a spot I wanted to explore and it turned out to be a perfect fit.&rdquo;</p><p>More grit and veteran presence came July 9 when veteran center Mike Ricci, cut loose by rival San Jose, signed on for a two-year tour for $3.5 million.</p><h2><b>CENTERPIECE IS GOLDEN</b></h2><p>But the capper came Aug. 6, when Barnett used a two-year guaranteed contract, his close relationship with a former client and a few phone calls from Hull&rsquo;s pal Gretzky to lure the Golden Brett and his 741 goals away from his old team and a newly built dream house in Dallas. It took a guaranteed second season-and even the use of Ellman&rsquo;s private jet for quick family trips-to lure Hull away from returning to the Stars, but it worked.</p><p>&ldquo;(The second year) was very important-who knows if there is going to be a next year?&rdquo; Hull said. &ldquo;Dallas made a nice offer and there were a lot of reasons for me to stay there. But in the end, Wayne and Mike showed they wanted me in Phoenix. They continually told me over and over how important I was to them and it was a great sell job. They got me.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-011821/7874989-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg" title="f0014-01" width="1655" height="1315"></div><p>Why come to Phoenix? For guys like Hull and Ricci, the lure was not only longer deals, but a chance to play a significant role on a promising young team.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good deal and a good situation for me,&rdquo; said Ricci, who has scored 20 goals or more six times, but had only seven in 71 games while helping San Jose to the Western</p><p>Conference final last year. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be making less money, but I was more interested in where I was going and what the role would be. Everything I heard from Phoenix made it seem very comfortable.&rdquo;</p><p>Always the target of fans on the road due to his tenacious play and unique look his past the-shoulders hair and pronounced nose are hard to miss-Ricci received a lot of attention from Phoenix fans during the Sharks-Coyotes</p><p><i>Defenseman Sean O&rsquo;Donnell left more lucrative offers on the table to sign on with GM Mike Barnett and the rebuilding Coyotes.</i> playoff series in 2002. &ldquo;My goal is to play a whole year in Phoenix without hearing that &lsquo;Ricci Sucks,&rsquo; chant,&rdquo; he said, laughing.</p><p>Add in the return of three prime time players lost to season ending injuries in 2004-05-wingers Mike Johnson and Ladislav Nagy and defenseman David Tanabe-and the Coyotes have put themselves back in the Western Conference playoff conversation and could even be the sexy pick to challenge in the Pacific Division.</p><h2><b>BUDGET KEPT IN CHECK</b></h2><p>The best part for Phoenix? They didn&rsquo;t break the bank-as they did with previous high-ticket, little-return moves like Claude Lemieux, Brian Savage and Tony Amonte. The four new free agents, who made a combined $12.1 million last year, have signed for base salaries totalling half that figure ($6.1 million).</p><p>Phoenix saved cash re-upping some of its own restricted free agents. Tyson Nash (from $1.3 million to $800,00) and goalie Brent Johnson (from $1.1 million to $600,000) both took the security of long-term deals, while center Krys Kolanos (from $1.075 million to $650,000) traded money for a one-way contract.</p><p>Like the rest of the league, the Coyotes passed on top-level, high-priced free agents such as Paul Kariya, Peter Bondra, Alexei Kovalev and Mathieu Schneider who still remain unsigned (&ldquo;We could afford one of those guys for maybe a month or two,&rdquo; Barnett joked) in favor of a group of team-first, affordable role players and one semi-extravagance in Hull.</p><p>But really, where else can you get a guy who put up 25 goals and 68 points last year for $2.25 million?</p><p>&ldquo;The amazing part is that all of these guys, at least in our mind, were affordable,&rdquo; Barnett said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know whether it&rsquo;s indicative of salaries everywhere, or just veteran guys wanting term compared to a high average. But it&rsquo;s nice to hear guys saying they want to come here and when other teams phone and say we offered one guy (O&rsquo;Donnell) $600,000 more than you guys, it&rsquo;s an even better feeling.&rdquo;</p><p>The Coyotes began stockpiling their free agent war chest last winter. The team was in a playoff spot and fighting for the Pacific Division lead as late as mid-January when Tanabe (knee) and then-leading scorer Nagy (wrist) went down and the team disintegrated. Sandwiched around the firing of popular and respected coach Bob Francis, Barnett began the task of simultaneously jettisoning disappointing veterans, adding more prospects and draft picks and putting money aside.</p><h2><b>TOUGH TIMES OPEN DOORS</b></h2><p>&ldquo;If we hadn&rsquo;t had the injuries and fallen out of the race in such a short period of time, we might not have been in a position to do it,&rdquo; Barnett said. &ldquo;The agony of the last few months wasn&rsquo;t fun, but it did afford an opportunity.&rdquo;</p><p>Five of the 10 highest-paid Coyotes left town. Playmaker Jan Hrdina ($2.2 million) was dealt to New Jersey for big young center Mike Rupp. Mike Sillinger ($1.8 million) was flipped to St. Louis for goalie Brent Johnson, and Brian Savage ($3.25 million) was soon a Blue as well-although he has now returned to Phoenix and is awaiting a buyout offer of the two years and $7.5 million remaining on his deal.</p><p>Barnett pointed to a conversation he had this summer with another NHL GM, a team regarded as one of the &ldquo;haves&rdquo; in the league, a few months after a trade with Phoenix.</p><p>&ldquo;He told me that if I tried to trade the same (high-salary veteran) player now, he would be the one asking for prospects and picks instead of giving them, just to take on the salary,&rdquo; Barnett said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think we would have been able to do what we did at the deadline during the offseason. The climate has changed that much.&rdquo;</p><p>In between came what Barnett calls &ldquo;the first two hockey deals I&rsquo;ve been able to make&rdquo; in Phoenix. Popular goalie Sean Burke goalie ($4.5 million) was shipped to Philadelphia with winger Branko Radivojevic, bringing back creative center Mike Comrie. Phoenix then took on payroll when center Chris Gratton ($2.2 million) and defenseman Ossi Vaananen went to Colorado for defenseman Derek Morris ($3.5 million) and top prospect Keith Ballard. And while youngsters like Kolanos, &rsquo;JeffTaffe, Freddie Sjostrom, ErikWestrum, Mike Stutzel and Matthew Spiller were forced to finish out the season in ugly fashion-the Coyotes won just two of their final 20 games-Barnett had cut the payroll about $10 million (to just under $30 million) and started making his summer shopping list.</p><p>Now, with Hull, Ricci, Devereaux and Jason Chimera, acquired in a draft-day trade with Edmonton, up front; and with O&rsquo;Donnell and another veteran addition likely on defense-former captain Teppo Numminen and ex-Senator Curtis Leschyshyn are high on the wish list-it will be tough competition for roster spots.</p><p>&ldquo;Young guys like Freddie Sjostrom and Jeff Taffe will have to knock someone out of the box up here or they&rsquo;ll be down playing 20 minutes a night and scoring goals in the American League (with Utah),&rdquo; Barnett said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t want them playing 10-12 minutes a night on our third and fourth line when we expect them to be our goal scorers of the future.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;People accused us of dumping payroll and it&rsquo;s true, yah, we did it,&rdquo; Ellman said. &ldquo;But we did it because we had a plan for the future and an execution strategy. We&rsquo;ve reinforced our commitment. We&rsquo;re long-term players here. We&rsquo;re determined to win and have a good team for the long run.&rdquo;</p><p>Phoenix fans will take one good season to start. Now, if it can only start on time.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-011611/7874982-1-eng-US/f0016-012.jpg" title="f0016-01" width="2292" height="2340"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>QUEST FOR 801</b>&nbsp;<i>with74i career goals, Brett Hull trails Gordie Howe by just 60.</i></figcaption></div><h2><b>NEW</b> GUYS IN TOWN</h2><p><i>Phoenix stood out by signing four unrestricted free agents this summer (plus trading for center Jason Chimera). Here&rsquo;s a quick look at the free agent catches.</i></p><h3><b>BRETT HULL</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-021249/7874975-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="269" height="268"></div><p>Last year&rsquo;s salary $5m &rsquo;04-05 salary $2.25m</p><p>Age 40 Pos RW</p><p>Hull gives the Coyotes a fourth winger with 20-30 goal possibilities, fleshing out the top two lines nicely. Even at 40, he is the kind of power play finisher Phoenix has lacked since the days of Keith Tkachuk and Jeremy Roenick. And is there a player more marketable?</p><h3><b>SEAN O&rsquo;DONNELL</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-03940/7874968-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="267" height="268"></div><p>Last year&rsquo;s salary $2.7m &rsquo;04-05 salary $2m</p><p>Age 3 2 Pos D</p><p>The Coyotes were in desperate need of another policeman to help Cale Hulse on the blueline and the 6-foot-3, 230-pound O&rsquo;Donnell fits the bill perfectly. He has gone from a young, loose cannon to a smart veteran who picks his spots and leads by example.</p><h3><b>MIKE RICCI</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04709/7874961-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="267" height="267"></div><p>Last year&rsquo;s salary $3m &rsquo;04-05 salary $1.75m</p><p>Age 3 2 Pos C</p><p>The epitome of grit, Ricci brings the work ethic and willingness to do the dirty work that has been lacking in Phoenix. From taking big face-offs to killing penalties, Ricci will do for the Coyotes what he did for San Jose-allow them to overachieve.</p><h3><b>BOYD DEVEREAUX</b></h3><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05513/7874954-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="270" height="268"></div><p>Last year&rsquo;s salary $1.6m &rsquo;04-05 salary $650,000</p><p>Age 2 6 Pos LW</p><p>Along with the acquisition of Jason Chimera, Devereaux brings speed and more talent and polish to the bottom two Lines. He played 21 playoff games while helping Detroit to the 2002 Stanley Cup and continues to recover from a serious concussion in 2000.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-02

COVER STORY

BIG DOG

<div class="byline">-JERRY BROWN</div><p class="dropcap"><span>S</span>ince the Winnipeg Jets landed in Arizona in 1996, the Phoenix Coyotes have been spoiled by top-notch goaltending, led by a pair of all-star calibre netminders who consistently erased the team&rsquo;s mistakes and shortcomings.</p><p>For the first three years, Nikolai Khabibulin blossomed from top prospect to top-drawer goalie. Then, after Khabibulin sat out due to contract woes and was eventually sent to Tampa Bay, Sean Burke resurrected his career in Phoenix with three spectacular seasons, earning two All-Star Game selections and a Vezina Trophy nomination in the process.</p><p>But when Burke was traded to Philadelphia in March-and with I respected goalie I coach Benoit Allaire now gone to the New York Rangers-a perennial exclamation point was twisted into a question mark.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-021375/7875069-1-eng-US/f0014-022.jpg" title="f0014-02" width="272" height="264"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BRIAN BOUCHER</b></figcaption></div><p>Welcome to life on the other side an ironic twist, given a summer of retooling that has left the Coyotes forward and defense depth fortified. The Phoenix net is now in the hands Brian Boucher and Brent Johnson. Both are 26, both are American and both burst upon the NHL with spectacular rookie seasons capped by great playoff runs; Boucher took Philadelphia to the 2000 Eastern Conference final, while Johnson won 34 games for St. Louis in 2002 and recorded shutouts in his first three playoff games.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-03948/7875062-1-eng-US/f0014-032.jpg" title="f0014-03" width="268" height="267"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>BRENT JOHNSON</b></figcaption></div><p>Of late, however, both have struggled with confidence and style issues and were pushed aside by their original teams. They enter camp seeking redemption-and the No.l job.</p><p>Boucher set an NHL record with five straight shutouts and a streak of over 331 scoreless minutes last January, but he won only five other games alt year (10-19-10) and struggled with a 3.13 goals-against average on a team decimated by injuries and trades. Johnson was 1-6-1 after coming over from St. Louis, but played well at times and was victimized by an offense that scored only 12 goals in his eight starts.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-04652/7875055-1-eng-US/f0014-042.jpg" title="f0014-04" width="272" height="268"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>JEAN-MARC PELLETIER</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;When Brian had a healthy team in front of him, he broke a 50-year-old shutout record and Brent played well after coming over,&rdquo; said GM Mike Barnett. &ldquo;Confidence is important at that position and when you have the kind of inexperienced team around him we had at the end of the season, it&rsquo;s hard to evaluate his performance.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-05441/7875048-1-eng-US/f0014-052.jpg" title="f0014-05" width="265" height="265"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DAVID LENEVEU</b><span class="photo-credit">(O DONNELL; COURTESY PHOENIX COYOTES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve improved our defense, our toughness and we&rsquo;ve given our goalies a better chance to succeed. Now the onus is on them to play at the level that brought them post-season success in this league at a very young age.&rdquo;</p><p>If they don&rsquo;t, the Coyotes have a Plan B in David LeNeveu, the former Cornell star and Hobey Baker runner-up. Positionally sound with a penchant for making the big save, his first season in the American League confirmed he is the man of the future. Phoenix also has in its system JeanMarc Pelletier, originally chosen 30th overall in 1997 by Philadelphia.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0014-02

Tod Covote ooalie job up for grabs

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0017-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-021111/7875100-1-eng-US/f0017-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>SERGEI GONCHAR BOSTON BRUINS</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-011438/7875107-1-eng-US/f0017-012.jpg" title="f0017-01" width="132" height="133"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><i><span>H</span>ere&rsquo;s each team&rsquo;s coach entering 200405, listed with his all-time record. Barring a work stoppage, or a lastminute shakeup, every team will start with a coach who has NHL experience.</i></p><p>Sergei Gonchar can be excused if he falls asleep with visions of dollar signs dancing in his head.</p><p>The Boston Bruins defenseman won his arbitration case, I earning a $1.9-million raise for this season. Gonchar will make j $5.5 million in 2004-05, a 53 per-cent increase on the $3.6 million he earned in 2003-04-a season he split between Washington and Boston.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> In this week&rsquo;s NHL team reports, we examine how clubs have con-&rsquo; ducted business on and off the ice during the off-season. The I current collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15.</p><p><b>MONEY MEN IN SPOTLIGHT</b></p><p>The &lsquo;Spotlight&rsquo; boxes in this i week&rsquo;s NHL team reports show the five highest-paid players under contract for each club this season. The player set to earn the most money is pictured.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0017-02

BENCH BOSSES

<div class="byline">-DAN WOOD</div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>n the seemingly unlikely event that a resolution of the NHL&rsquo;s labor strife enables the Mighty Ducks to report to training camp as scheduled in mid-September, there won&rsquo;t be any contract-related distractions.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-03799/7875145-1-eng-US/f0017-032.jpg" title="f0017-03" width="249" height="318"></div><p>Unlike last year, when goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere remained unsigned until the eve of camp and right winger Petr Sykora missed the opening three days of practice before agreeing to terms, interim Ducks GM Al Coates managed to get every NHL player under contract by mid-August.</p><p>Defenseman Ruslan Salei won a one-year, $2.4-million settlement in salary arbitration Aug. 6, leaving only minor league center Tony Martensson unsigned. Center Rob Niedermayer, right winger Michael Holmvist and defensemen Vitaly Vishnevski and Kurtis Foster also agreed to new deals.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Under orders from parent Walt Disney Co., the Ducks are in cost-cutting mode even before the new financial land scape expected to greet the NHL whenever another collective bar-gaining agreement is reached.</p><p>Ownership wants a significant reduction from the $54.4-million payroll that ranked eighth in the league at the start of last season. The first step was the trade of veteran defenseman Nidas Havelid to Atlanta. The only reason more vets hadn&rsquo;t been sent packing is because Coates was unable to find trading partners. Whenever business in the form of player transactions returns to anything approaching normal, look for the Ducks to move at least another established player or two.</p><p><b>NOTEBOUK</b> The NHL schedule calls for the Ducks and Calgary Flames to open the season Oct. 13 a Arrowhead Pond, in a matchup of the past two Western Conference champions.</p><h2>SPOTLIGHT</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-04586/7875138-1-eng-US/f0017-042.jpg" title="f0017-04" width="276" height="596"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0017-03

Cost-cutting mantra adopted by Ducks

<div class="byline">-JOHN MANASSI</div><p>By early August, the Thrashers had signed all of their key players minus their two best.</p><p>Atlanta GM Don Waddell had just 10 players under contract after the NHL draft, but he busily signed 19 of his own restricted free agents and two unrestricted free agents, leaving just Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk without contracts.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-05407/7875183-1-eng-US/f0017-052.jpg" title="f0017-05" width="243" height="307"></div><p>The two unrestricted players were defenseman Jaroslav Modry (three years, $6.8 million) and right winger Scott Mellanby (two years, $2.4 million).</p><p>Waddell originally was looking for a center, but liked Mellanby&rsquo;s grit, character, size and price better than the centers in the free agent pool.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Waddell&rsquo;s mantra all summer has been, &ldquo;We know we&rsquo;re playing hockey at some point,&rdquo; and he has put together a team that will be a disappointment if it doesn&rsquo;t make the playoffs.</p><p>With 21 of the team&rsquo;s top 23 players under contract, Waddell has $25.3 million committed, seemingly leaving plenty of room to sign Heatley and Kovalchuk.</p><p>Waddell has said those two likely will not be signed until after a new collective bargaining agreement is in place. In the event a lockout is avoided, Thrashers fans have plenty to be excited about.</p><p>With the signing of hot defense prospect Braydon Coburn and an expected breakout year from goalie Kari Lehtonen, the Thrashers have two players who might have a shot at the Calder Trophy.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> New Thrasher Scott Mellanby&rsquo;s father Ralph, who was an executive producer for the CBC&rsquo;s <i>Hockey Night in Canada</i> for 18 years, lives in Atlanta. Scott Mellanby said his father&rsquo;s presence had nothing to do with his signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Thrashers this summer.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-06318/7875176-1-eng-US/f0017-062.jpg" title="f0017-06" width="275" height="601"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0017-05

Heatley, Kovalchuk still need contracts

<div class="byline">-MIKE LOFTUS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-08214/7875214-1-eng-US/f0017-082.jpg" title="f0017-08" width="276" height="600"></div><p>Well, Boston has an NHL-caliber defense corps, anyway.</p><p>The Bruins, who have all but ignored the free agent market this summer, were reasonably certain of heading into the season with a capable top-four after getting Hal Gill and Sergei Gonchar under contract. They join Nick Boynton, Ian Moran and, if he can come back from auto accident-related injuries that cost him all of 2003-04, Jonathan Girard.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0017-07260/7875221-1-eng-US/f0017-072.jpg" title="f0017-07" width="236" height="305"></div><p>Gonchar, the NHL&rsquo;s highest-scoring defenseman since 1998-99, went to arbitration and got a boost to $5.5 million from the $3.6 million he made last year.</p><p>With hard feelings between the negotiating parties apparently settled in the days after the Aug. 1 hearing, the question became whether Gonchar, 30, has signed his one and only contract with Boston. The B&rsquo;s remained steadfast in keeping contract terms short until they see a new CBA; Gonchar could become an unrestricted free agent next summer.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d love to have him on our team for a long time to come,&rdquo; said GM Mike O&rsquo;Connell. &ldquo;I told Sergei that at the hearing. We have to wait to see what a new CBA looks like before we move in that (multi-year contract) direction.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> The Bruins were off the radar after the initial anger created by the departure of free agents Brian Rolston, Mike Knuble and Sean O&rsquo;Donnell. Boston intends to sign as few players as possible in hopes of choosing from the stock of unsigned players after a new CBA is struck, but as more players find jobs now, Bruins fans become more apprehensive.</p><p><b>NUTEBOOK</b> The Bruins signed veteran right winger Tom Fitzgerald, 35, for two years. Fitzgerald was priced right; he&rsquo;ll earn $625,000 this season.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0017-08

Blueline takes shape with Gonchar aboard

<div class="byline">-JIM KELLEY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011490/7875259-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="248" height="310"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-11119/7875266-1-eng-US/f0018-112.jpg" title="f0018-11" width="132" height="133"></div><p>Funny thing about the NHL&rsquo;s arbitration system: even when you lose you usually win.</p><p>Buffalo Sabres goaltender Martin Biron found that out when he &ldquo;lost&rdquo; in his bid to secure a $3-million contract from the team in an Aug. 6 hearing. Instead the arbitrator awarded him $2.8 million for this season, a $600,000 increase over his 2003-04 stipend.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>The money comes despite the fact the 26-year-old Biron had a tenuous hold on the team&rsquo;s No. 1 spot for much of last season, did not show substantial improvement from the season before and has never played a playoff game for the Sabres in the three years since Dominik Hasek left.</p><p>Biron knows he now has some paying back to do.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s time for me to take the bull by the horns and take this group of guys to the play-offs,&rdquo; he said after attending the four-hour arbitration hearing.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> The Sabres want to come to terms with the players on their roster that they wish to keep and then see after a new CBA is signed-what money, if any, might be left over to improve the team.</p><p>In that regard, the Sabres settled with winger J-P Dumont on a $2.1million contract just before his arbitration hearing was set to start. Dumont, who had a career-high 53 points in 77 games last season, earned $1.4 million in 2003-04.</p><p>NOTEBOOK Still unsigned are unrestricted free agent defensemen Alexei Zhitnik and James Patrick. Patrick, 40, is expected to receive an offer once the Sabres have a better handle on their overall costs for next season, but Zhitnik might be out of Buffalo&rsquo;s price range&hellip;Center Tim Connolly accepted his qualifying offer of $1.35 million. Connolly missed all of last season with concussion problems, but is back skating.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-021134/7875252-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg" title="f0018-02" width="281" height="607"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-01

Paving playoff path next goal for Biron

<div class="byline">-RANDY SPORTAK</div><p>Practically everyone else is in place. Now it&rsquo;s just a matter of the big gun.</p><p>Having brought Jason Wiemer back into the fold and inked nearly all of their other restricted free agents, the Flames turn their sights on Jarome Iginla.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-03811/7875304-1-eng-US/f0018-032.jpg" title="f0018-03" width="256" height="316"></div><p>Goalie Miikka Kiprusoff was willing to go through arbitration for a new pact and blue-liner Jordan Leopold was expected to have a deal in place before the World Cup, meaning energies can be focussed on the two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner and stand-out from last season&rsquo;s playoff run. Wiemer&rsquo;s return was something of a shock, since the Flames are constantly on the edge of their budget. But the hulking forward played some of his best hockey while in Calgary for parts of four seasons from 1998 to 2001, before being traded to Florida with Val Bure for Rob Niedermayer.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> The mantra for the on-ice product has been &ldquo;business as usual&rdquo; since the Stanley Cup final ended.</p><p>Off the ice, though, the Flames are ready for the worst. Full-time employees were told they&rsquo;d have their five-day work week reduced to three days, with a matching 40 percent pay cut. Several staffers have left for more secure jobs as a result.</p><p>Some have found jobs with the help of the team, with several toplevel people using contacts throughout the city to aid their cause.</p><p>Helping things during what will be a difficult time is Calgary&rsquo;s ownership of the Western League&rsquo;s Hitmen, which will gain a much greater profile in the city should there be a lockout.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Coach-GM Darryl Sutter finally had a first-hand peek at Eric Nystrom, Calgary&rsquo;s first round pick (10th overall) in 2001, during a three-day prospects camp and was impressed. Nystrom has one more year at the University of Michigan.</p><h2><b>spotlight</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-04532/7875297-1-eng-US/f0018-042.jpg" title="f0018-04" width="278" height="604"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-03

With Wiemer signed, focus is on Iginla

<div class="byline">-LUKE DECOCK</div><p class="dropcap"><span>I</span>n 1997, the Hurricanes were willing to take a chance on Gary Roberts, who missed an entire sea-son because of neck surgery. The gamble was a tremendous success for both sides; Roberts scored 57 goals for Carolina before signing with Toronto in 2000.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-05357/7875342-1-eng-US/f0018-052.jpg" title="f0018-05" width="251" height="262"></div><p>Carolina is hoping for a similar windfall from another comeback. The Hurricanes are pursuing Jason Allison, who has not played in 18 months because of concussion-like symptoms caused by whiplash. They think their coach gives them an inside edge on the 29-year-old free agent center.</p><p>Allison and Carolina coach Peter Laviolette were close when Laviolette was an assistant coach with Boston and Allison was the Bruins&rsquo; captain in 2000-01.</p><p>If healthy, Allison would give Carolina the No. 1 pivot they&rsquo;ve lacked since Ron</p><p>Francis&rsquo;s slow decline. But that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo;-Allison played only 25 games in 2002-03 and missed all of last year. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a risk,&rdquo; said Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford. &ldquo;I guess ultimately we&rsquo;ll have to decide, is it a bigger risk than Gary Roberts (was)?&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> With an eye on a new labor deal, the Canes inked a number of one-year con-tracts this summer. Nine players have contracts that extend into 2005-06.</p><p>The Hurricanes instituted a &ldquo;team policy&rdquo; against contracts longer than two years due to the labor uncertainty. That decision ended up costing them Sean Hill, their best blueliner last season, who signed with Florida.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Hurricanes added a center when Matt Cullen signed a one-year, $800,000 contract. The 27-year-old will take some offensive pressure off second-year center Eric Staal&hellip;Right winger Erik Cole was one of the biggest winners among restricted free agents, more than tripling his 2003-04 salary from $495,000 to $1.5 million this season.</p><h2><b>Spot light</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-06277/7875335-1-eng-US/f0018-062.jpg" title="f0018-06" width="282" height="603"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-05

Will Canes gamble on risky Allison?

<div class="byline">-TIM SASSONE</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Blackhawks plan to be a tougher team to play against, which is why they view the signing of free agent defenseman Jassen Cullimore as one of their key moves of the off-season.</p><p>&ldquo;There were nights when we weren&rsquo;t nearly as strong or physical enough a team to play against on defense,&rdquo; said coach</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-07234/7875380-1-eng-US/f0018-072.jpg" title="f0018-07" width="248" height="308"></div><p>Brian Sutter. &ldquo;(Cullimore) is a big, strong man who plays big and strong. To play against certain teams you need a big, strong defense.&rdquo;</p><p>The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Cullimore, who got a four-year, $10-million deal, will be going from a Stanley Cup champion to a team considered one of the NHL&rsquo;s worst over the last few years.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a little bittersweet, obviously, but the opportunity here with the Blackhawks is going to be great,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been in this situation before in Tampa</p><p>Bay and I&rsquo;m sure a lot of things I went through there will come into play in Chicago.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> After signing role players such Curtis Brown, Matthew Barnaby and Cullimore as free agents, the Hawks are going to wait until there&rsquo;s a new labor deal in place before putting the finishing touches on their off-season plan-to add two first line forwards.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re sitting tight right now and letting things fall into place,&rdquo; said assistant GM Dale Tallon. &ldquo;We still have a lot of flexibility with money if there is a (salary cap) to get these players if they are available. We still have two forward slots to fill and another defenseman.&rdquo;</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Hawks were preparing to walk away from defenseman Bryan Berard&rsquo;s arbitration decision if they considered it too high. The team was offering him $2.5 million a year, a raise of about $400,000. The Hawks were worried Berard could get as much as $4 million a season in arbitration.</p><h2><b>Spot light</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-08174/7875373-1-eng-US/f0018-082.jpg" title="f0018-08" width="280" height="606"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-07

Cullimore’s arrival makes Hawks tougher

<div class="byline">-ADRIAN DATER</div><p>Milan Hejduk won big in arbiration, but will that mean he loses in the end with Pierre Lacroix?</p><p>The Colorado Avalanche right winger won a raise from $3.2 mil-lion to $5.7 million tlirough arbitration, making him the third highest-paid player on the team.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-09147/7875418-1-eng-US/f0018-092.jpg" title="f0018-09" width="249" height="302"></div><p>Avalanche history suggests, however, that Hejduk may pay for going to arbitration. Every player who has ever gone to arbitration or stayed away from the team because of a salary disagreement has seen himself traded or released within two years. The list of players who crossed GM Lacroix at the bar-gaining table and were soon gone includes Chris Simon, Valeri Kamensky, Wendel Clark, Sandis Ozolinsh, Chris Drury and Aaron Miller.</p><p>Hejduk had another solid season for the Avs in 2003-04, with 35 goals and 75 points in 82 games.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER</b></p><p><b>TRACKER</b> A gloom has hung over the heads of Avs fans this summer. Not only is the potential for a lockout dispiriting, but the expectation that Peter Forsberg won&rsquo;t be back regardless is reason for depression.</p><p>Forsberg continued to insist he won&rsquo;t make up his mind about playing in the NHL until after the World Cup, but those close to him believe the former Hart Trophy winner already has decided he&rsquo;ll stay in Sweden this season whether an NHL season happens or not</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Goaltender David Aebischer re-signed with the Avs, inking a one-year, $2.5-million deal. The 26-year-old won 32 games last season with a 2.09 goals-against average and .924 save percentage&hellip; Left winger Alex Tanguay also resigned, agreeing to a one-year, $3.5million pact&hellip;Center Peter Forsberg tweaked the groin/abdominal area during a World Cup practice in Sweden and needed to take a few days off. Forsberg had surgery on the area earlier in the summer.</p><h2><b>Spot light</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-10129/7875411-1-eng-US/f0018-102.jpg" title="f0018-10" width="279" height="602"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0018-09

Arbitration fallout could land on Hejduk

<div class="byline">-RANDY SPORTAK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-011372/7875456-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="243" height="317"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-11150/7875463-1-eng-US/f0019-112.jpg" title="f0019-11" width="132" height="133"></div><p>With size, grit and skill, Chris Chucko is tailor made for the Calgary Flames. Even if he was a surprise selection.</p><p>Originally holding the 19th pick at the entry draft, Calgary traded down to claim the Salmon Arm Silverbacks captain at No. 24 and nabbed a pair of third-round selections for its trouble.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>&ldquo;Basically, with our first pick, we got Brandon Prust, Dustin Boyd and Chris Chucko,&rdquo; said scouting director Tod Button. &ldquo;Compared with the guys we would have taken at 19, we got three guys and you&rsquo;ve got to weigh that.&rdquo;</p><p>Chucko, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left winger from the Jr. A ranks, was rated by many as a mid-second rounder.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a physical, aggressive player, but he&rsquo;s also a two-way player and a leader,&rdquo; said amateur scouting director Mike Sands. &ldquo;He was a captain at 17 of a really good (Jr. A) team.&rdquo;</p><p><b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> Calgary&rsquo;s mantra of bigger and faster was followed at the draft, but the offensive element also came into play with nearly every pick</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Even with a lockout looming, the summer plan is to proceed as usual and that means the Flames will continue to search for a center or two&hellip;Assistant coach Jim Playfair is on the radar for a couple of head coaching jobs, but he has a year left on his deal.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-021027/7875449-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="787" height="557"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-01

Three-for-one possibility too good to be overlooked

<div class="byline">-LUKE DECOCK</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Hurricanes wanted to make a splash on draft day and they did it to the delight of a better-than-expected crowd of 15,672, mostly their own fans in their own building.</p><p>The RBC Center went wild when the Hurricanes traded up from eighth overall to fourth to select Calgary Hitmen left winger Andrew Ladd.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-03700/7875501-1-eng-US/f0019-032.jpg" title="f0019-03" width="240" height="264"></div><p>&ldquo;It was amazing,&rdquo; Ladd said. Ladd burst on the scene in his first Western League sea-son. It was the second year in a row the Canes took Central Scouring&rsquo;s top-ranked North American; they picked Eric Staal second overall last year. Ladd isn&rsquo;t expected to make the quick jump to the NHL that Staal did, especially after only a year of junior, but he projects to be a solid player who can score.</p><p><b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> Outside of Ladd, the Canes drafted two goalies-making a total of 10 in the past seven drafts-and a few project defensemen. In the eighth and ninth rounds, they took a pair of re-entries who could end up in the minors next season, winger Jonas Fiedler and defenseman Martin Vagner.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Carolina traded goalie Arturs Irbe to Columbus and acquired netminder Martin Gerber from Anaheim. Gerber&rsquo;s arrival could precipitate Kevin Weekes&rsquo;s departure as Weekes faces tough contract negotiations&hellip; The Canes re-signed right winger Jeff O&rsquo;Neill to a one-year deal June 29&hellip;The same day, Carolina dealt left winger Jaroslav Svoboda to Dallas for a 2005 fourth round draft pick.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-04534/7875494-1-eng-US/f0019-042.jpg" title="f0019-04" width="790" height="474"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-03

Draft fans give young Ladd experience to remember

<div class="byline">-TIM SASSONE</div><p>For the Chicago Blackhawks, selecting Medicine Hat defenseman Cam Barker with the third pick in the draft was a no-brainer.</p><p>&ldquo;The first three guys were the first three guys as far back as November, at least for us,&rdquo; said assistant GM Dale Tallon.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-05400/7875539-1-eng-US/f0019-052.jpg" title="f0019-05" width="257" height="304"></div><p>The Hawks liked everything about Barker. &ldquo;On the ice he&rsquo;s just very calm, very cool and smooth, and his passing is phenomenal,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;He is a little laid back, but that&rsquo;s what makes him good. He doesn&rsquo;t panic. But he does have an edge, too.&rdquo; <b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> The Hawks had a draft-high 17 picks and addressed a need up front by taking 15 forwards. &ldquo;Our focus going in was on character, skill and more character,&rdquo; Tallon said. &ldquo;We feel (we) filled a lot of needs.&rdquo;</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Hawks made qualifying contract offers to all their restricted free agents including right winger Eric Daze, who made $3.2 million last season while playing only 19 games&hellip;Defenseman Bryan Berard became the first Blackhawk to win the Masterton Trophy since Pit Martin in 1970.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-06296/7875532-1-eng-US/f0019-062.jpg" title="f0019-06" width="790" height="868"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-05

Blackhawks knew all along Barker their kind of player

<div class="byline">-ADRIAN DATED</div><p class="dropcap"><span>S</span>ome teams were scared away from selecting Wojtek Wolski because of the charge of assault against him. The Colorado Avalanche wasn&rsquo;t one of them.</p><p>The player some scouts had pegged as a top-10 choice was still available when the Avalanche chose at No. 21, and they wasted no time taking the 6-foot-3,200-pound left winger. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a solid two-way player with hockey sense,&rdquo; said Avs chief scout Jim Hammett. &ldquo;We had him ahead of several forwards taken (earlier).&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-07256/7875577-1-eng-US/f0019-072.jpg" title="f0019-07" width="245" height="301"></div><p>Wolski said he believes he slid in the draft because of the charges filed against him shortly before the draft for his part in a fight that landed an 18-year-old in the hospital. Wolski said he is innocent and will be cleared.</p><p><b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> The Avs accomplished their goal of stocking up on forwards. Five of Colorado&rsquo;s nine picks, including the top three, were forwards. Hammett believes the Avs got a steal in Russian left winger Denis Parshin, who went 72nd overall. Despite being only 5-foot-9, Parshin has &ldquo;top-five skill,&rdquo; Hammett said.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Center Peter Forsberg said he remains unsure of his plans for next season. Forsberg had abdominal surgery in June, but said he will play in the World Cup&hellip; Assistant coach Rick Tocchet said he was exploring other opportunities, one of which may be a job with Phoenix&hellip;Left winger Steve Konowal-chuk re-signed at $7.5 million for three years.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-08226/7875570-1-eng-US/f0019-082.jpg" title="f0019-08" width="793" height="521"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0019-07

Cloud hanging over Wolski doesn’t frighten Avalanche

<div class="byline">-NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011269/7875615-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="247" height="292"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1157/7875622-1-eng-US/f0020-112.jpg" title="f0020-11" width="132" height="133"></div><p>Brett Hull is off to Arizona instead of returning to Motown, but the Wings were able to retain another winger destined for the Hall of Fame.</p><p>Veteran Brendan Shanahan resigned for one year at $4 million, which means (barring a season-long lock-out) that he&rsquo;ll be back for a ninth season in Detroit and his 18th in the NHL. The deal includes an option for 2005-06.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Shanahan wasn&rsquo;t sure he was going to be back. The 35-year-old scored 25 goals last season, his lowest total over a full schedule since 22 in 1988-89 as an sophomore. The Wings didn&rsquo;t pick up their $6.5-million option on him for this season and he was hearing a lot of talk from out-side the organization.</p><p>But an offseason meeting with GM Ken Holland went well and Shanahan accepted a pay cut.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> It had become almost routine. July 1st would hit, the free agent market would open and the Wings would make some big-time acquisitions soon afterward. In 2001, it was Dominik Hasek (via trade) and Luc Robitaille. Hull arrived that August. In 2002, it was Curtis Joseph. In 2003, it was Derian Hatcher.</p><p>But this year, with a lot of money already tied up and uncertainty about the CBA situation, the Wings concentrated on their own players. The big news was Kris Draper&rsquo;s four-year, $11.2-million deal.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> GM Ken Holland said the Wings are &ldquo;miles apart&rdquo; with center Pavel Datsyuk on a new contract. Although Datsyuk is a restricted free agent, he has leverage. Agent Gary Greenstin said Datsyuk has an agreement with Moscow Dynamo that will take effect Sept. 16 in the event of a lockout and Datsyuk would play the whole season in Russia if the Wings didn&rsquo;t sign him before then.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-02903/7875608-1-eng-US/f0020-022.jpg" title="f0020-02" width="281" height="602"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0020-01

Shanahan takes cut to Wing it again

<div class="byline">-ROB TYCHKOWSKI</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-04433/7875653-1-eng-US/f0020-042.jpg" title="f0020-04" width="282" height="601"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>E</span>dmonton GM Kevin Lowe struck a deal with Eric Brewer 48 hours before they were scheduled to fly to Toronto for an arbitration hearing and Lowe had no idea what to do with all the free time.</p><p>Normally when the Oilers get a deal done with arbitration filers, they wait until the last second. Since Lowe took over four years ago, six players have filed for arbitration but only one case, Jason Smith two years ago, actually made it before the judge.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-03641/7875660-1-eng-US/f0020-032.jpg" title="f0020-03" width="230" height="317"></div><p>Todd Marchant filed twice and flew all the way to Toronto both times before agreeing to terms in a hallway outside the hearing room.</p><p>Ryan Smyth had already sat down in the hearing room last year before stepping outside to strike a last-second deal.</p><p>&ldquo;It just always seems like both sides need to get to the 11th hour to get their true feelings out,&rdquo; Lowe said. &ldquo;The process and the risks involved in going through with arbitration are what push both sides to get a deal done.&rdquo;</p><p>Brewer signed a one-year, $2.65million contract, plus incentives. He made $2.5 million last year.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> After scrambling all summer to line up replacement hockey at Rexall Place, the Oilers stumbled into an American League franchise. When their minor league team found itself homeless after being evicted from the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto for unpaid bills, the Oilers opened the doors to Rexall Place. Now Rexall will still have at least 40 home dates. Fans will get hockey, building staff and team employees will get work and everyone can keep a close eye on the Oilers prospects playing for the Edmonton Roadrunners.</p><p>NOTEBOOK The Oilers signed defenseman Alexei Semenov to a two-year contract. Still unsigned were defenseman Jason Smith and left winger Radek Dvorak.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0020-04

Brewer dealing done with time to spare

<div class="byline">-MICHAEL RUSSO</div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span>ccusing the Panthers of lacking class and calling negotiations the most &ldquo;unprofessional. I&rsquo;ve ever been in,&rdquo; veteran right winger Scott Mellanby tore into the team he once captained before signing with divisional foe Atlanta in late July.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-05251/7875698-1-eng-US/f0020-052.jpg" title="f0020-05" width="243" height="313"></div><p>Mellanby, the Panthers&rsquo; all-time leading scorer, said he was in the midst of accepting a one-year, $1-million deal, with a front-office position for three years after he retired, when GM Mike Keenan pulled the offer. &ldquo;It was a disappointing experience,&rdquo; said Mellanby after signing with the Thrashers. &ldquo;It was not handled with a lot of class in my opinion. (The Panthers) basically reneged on a deal. It will be fun to play against them.&rdquo;</p><p>Keenan said Mellanby never accepted the Panthers&rsquo; last offer. He added that the team stopped negotiations once Mellanby&rsquo;s agent, Steve Mountain, criticized the team publicly.</p><p>&ldquo;First of all, it wasn&rsquo;t reneged because he didn&rsquo;t accept it,&rdquo; Keenan said. &ldquo;His agent had asked for more and it never got to a point where they called me back and accepted. I thought that we offered him a good opportunity to play in Florida and an opportunity to work with us in the future.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> While the Panthers feel they&rsquo;ve shored up the blueline with four free agent signings, they haven&rsquo;t touched the forward position other than letting go of Matt Cullen, Eric Messier and Byron Ritchie in CBA-related salary dumps. Like other teams, the Panthers are gambling some highprofile unrestricted free agents can be had at discount prices at the end of the summer.</p><p>NOTEBOOK Guy Charron was hired as an assistant coach to Jacques Martin. The team also named longtime scout Jack Birch director of hockey operations.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-06198/7875691-1-eng-US/f0020-062.jpg" title="f0020-06" width="280" height="600"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0020-05

Icon Mellanby slams bargaining breakdown

<div class="byline">-MATT MCHALE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-08122/7875729-1-eng-US/f0020-082.jpg" title="f0020-08" width="280" height="599"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span>lthough a brief appearance by junior sensation Sidney Crosby the likely No. 1 draft pick next June-was the highlight of the Kings&rsquo; annual prospects camp, the sight of Dustin Brown skating without pain was a welcome sight, too.</p><p>The Kings&rsquo; top draft pick in 2003, Brown, 19, missed the final four months of 2003-04 with a severe ankle sprain. He made several attempts to return at the end of last season, but never was 100 per cent.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-07170/7875736-1-eng-US/f0020-072.jpg" title="f0020-07" width="231" height="298"></div><p>&ldquo;He is healthy right now, which is good to see,&rdquo; said Kings GM Dave Taylor. &ldquo;He had a little hip flexor during the camp, but overall his health and energy have been good.&rdquo;</p><p>After making the Kings out of training camp last season, Brown didn&rsquo;t score much-he had just one goal and five points in 34 games-but dis-played poise and strength in front of the net to go along with his excel-lent skating ability. Still too young to be sent to the American League, he could start this season back in junior with the Ontario League&rsquo;s Guelph Storm if the CBA isn&rsquo;t resolved.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> The biggest issue remains the non-signing of top winger Ziggy Palffy, who refuses to take less than the $7 million he received last year. The Kings&rsquo; three-year offer at $6.5 million per season wasn&rsquo;t deemed good enough. There&rsquo;s speculation the NHL Players&rsquo; Association is pressuring Palffy not to accept less on a new deal and it now appears a fair bet that he will play in Europe this season.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Center Craig Conroy will wear No. 22 for the Kings, the number worn by former fan-favorite winger Ian Laperriere, who signed with Colorado. &ldquo;When I went to St. Louis, &rsquo;Lappy&rsquo; had just left and I got his No. 22 there, too,&rdquo; Conroy said. &ldquo;Pretty weird."&hellip;The Kings signed defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky to a four-year contract.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0020-08

Brown all business back on the blades

<div class="byline">-BRIAN MURPHY</div><p>Nick Schultz is eyeing the same bumpy road Marian Gaborik and Pascal Dupuis took during their contract disputes last year.</p><p>Schultz rejected the Wild&rsquo;s $666,000 qualifying offer, putting the core defenseman on a collision course with the team. He is seeking a deal between $1 million and $1.5 million per season, which would elevate the 21-year-old to among the highest-paid blueliners in his class.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-0992/7875774-1-eng-US/f0020-092.jpg" title="f0020-09" width="258" height="280"></div><p>&ldquo;That qualifying offer is not reflective of where his stature is,&rdquo; said agent J.P. Barry, who wants to negotiate a multi-year deal.</p><p>The Wild still own the rights to Schultz and if the sides cannot strike a deal, his only leverage would be to sit out, which Gaborik and Dupuis did a year ago with decidedly mixed results.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to do the right thing for the team,&rdquo; said assistant UM lorn Lynn.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> There are no financial jitters in the front office-for now. The Wild signed Brian Rolston for $9.4 million over three years while season-ticket sales were capped again at 16,500. But renewal rates dropped to 96 per cent from 99 per cent last year as the drumbeat toward a lockout grew louder. And while the team said it has no immediate plan to lay off any of its 200 full-time employees, the uncertainty has some rank-and-file workers bracing for a long, cold winter.</p><p>&ldquo;After Christmas, all bets are off,&rdquo; said one mid-level staffer.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Wild averted arbitration with Richard Park, re-signing the winger to a one-year, $950,000 deal&hellip;Goalie Manny Fernandez, who struggled behind Dwayne Roloson last season, accepted his $2.2-million qualifying offer&hellip;With newly acquired center Brian Rolston and several prospects ahead of Eric Chouinard, the team bought out the struggling center&rsquo;s contract.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-1073/7875767-1-eng-US/f0020-102.jpg" title="f0020-10" width="280" height="602"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0020-09

Saga with Schultz has sense of deja vu

<div class="byline">-AARON PORUUNE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011023/7875812-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg" title="f0021-01" width="241" height="308"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-07127/7875819-1-eng-US/f0021-072.jpg" title="f0021-07" width="132" height="133"></div><p>The Blue Jackets, with the No. 4 overall pick, were one pick too late to get one of the top three players from this year&rsquo;s draft.</p><p>So the plan, unless one of those gems fell in their lap, was to trade down and still grab the player they think can be special: the hard-charging, high-scoring Lewiston left winger Alexandre Picard.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>&ldquo;I love to drive the net, to play hard in front of the net,&rdquo; Picard said. &ldquo;I work a lot on my defensive play to be a complete player.&rdquo;</p><p>The Blue Jackets, with offensive whizzes Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev on the roster, could certainly use an elite two-way player. Will Picard be ready next season?</p><p>&ldquo;My guys tell me he&rsquo;s got a chance to be special,&rdquo; said GM Doug MacLean. &ldquo;They think he&rsquo;s got a chance to play next season and we&rsquo;ll give him a look with that in mind.&rdquo;</p><p><b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> Two possible sleepers from the draft are right winger Adam Pineault and defenseman Kyle Wharton.</p><p>Pineault, taken at No. 46, decided college wasn&rsquo;t for him after one year with Boston College and will spend next season in major junior or the American League.</p><p>Wharton, the 59th overall choice, is an exceptional skater for his size and a burgeoning offensive threat.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> After a summer of hemming and hawing, GM Doug MacLean stuck with Gerard Gallant as the Blue Jackets coach. Gallant took over on an interim basis when MacLean stepped aside last January&hellip;As expected, left winger Geoff Sanderson was reclaimed off waivers from Vancouver.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-02636/7875805-1-eng-US/f0021-022.jpg" title="f0021-02" width="611" height="648"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0021-01

Jackets fit just fine for two-way Picard

<div class="byline">-NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA</div><p class="dropcap"><span>D</span>ave Lewis promises to be more strict in his third season as Detroit&rsquo;s coach-if that&rsquo;s what it takes to prod the Wings into a gritty, crash-the-net, playoff-game style.</p><p>&ldquo;If you&rsquo;re not playing the way I want you to play, there might be some adjustments in the game,&rdquo; said Lewis, who signed a one-year contract extension after two great regular seasons and two early playoff exits. &ldquo;That could be sitting somebody down that you wouldn&rsquo;t expect to sit so we&rsquo;re all on the same page.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-05197/7875895-1-eng-US/f0021-052.jpg" title="f0021-05" width="249" height="301"></div><p>&ldquo;In the past,&rdquo; Lewis continued, &ldquo;you would look away at times because of the score and maybe who the personnel were. You can get away with it, because we did in the regular season, but I think in the long run it&rsquo;s not a healthy environment. Sometimes conflict creates change, and we might have to go through some conflict to create the change that I&rsquo;m looking for.&rdquo;</p><p><b>DRAFT IMPACT</b> The Wings&rsquo; first pick was 97th overall, second-to-last in the third round. They had three or four players on their list at that point and chose Johan Franzen, a 24-year-old center they hope to sign this summer. According to assistant GM Jim Nill, the Wings landed two of the other players on their list center Evan McGrath in the fourth round and defenseman Siarhei Kolasau in the fifth.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Right winger Igor Grigorenko, Detroit&rsquo;s first pick in the 2001 draft (62nd overall), will spend next season in Russia. The Wings were trying to sign him last summer when he sustained serious injuries in a car accident. He hardly played last season, so the Wings want to let him get his game back to where it was. The looming NHL lockout and expired IIHF transfer agreement also complicated matters.</p><h2>2004 Draft Picks</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-06150/7875888-1-eng-US/f0021-062.jpg" title="f0021-06" width="620" height="480"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0021-05

Coach Lewis vowing tough love In Detroit

<div class="byline">-RICH CHERE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-02832/7875926-1-eng-US/f0022-022.jpg" title="f0022-02" width="278" height="600"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-11128/7875940-1-eng-US/f0022-112.jpg" title="f0022-11" width="95" height="96"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>G</span>round has not yet been broken on the proposed $310-tnillion arena to be built in Newark, but the New Jersey Devils were very close to finalizing an agreement with the state&rsquo;s largest city that would see the rink completed and opened in time for the 2007-08 season.</p><p>Under the agreement, the Devils would pay $100 million to build the 18,000-seat arena while the remaining $210 mil-lion would come from public funds raised by the sale of bonds. The Devils have guaranteed Newark at least $2 million per year in revenue sharing, but claim the city could pull in as much as $16 million per year from combined taxes and revenue sharing.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011150/7875933-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="218" height="311"></div><p>While the city would own the arena and receive seven per cent of luxury suite sales, concessions, advertising revenue and naming rights, the Devils would have a 30-year lease. The</p><p>Devils would also build a $25-mil-lion community center/practice rink. GM-president Lou Lamoriello has said the team almost certainly cannot survive without a new arena.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Perhaps more than most other NHL clubs, the Devils were unusually optimistic about the chances of playing hockey in 2004-05. According to Lamoriello, the team printed tickets and hoped to avoid layoffs by not hiring new employees to replace those who have departed.</p><p>Lamoriello jumped into the free agent market when he signed defenseman Richard Matvichuk to a four-year, $7.2-million contract. The GM vowed to keep free agent Scott Niedermayer even if it reconfigured the team&rsquo;s salary structure.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> GM Lou Lamoriello had hoped to avoid going to salary arbitration with center Scott Gomez, but said that, unlike with Bobby Holik a few years back, respect remained on both sides. Gomez was awarded $2.9 million.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0022-02

Newark arena deal looks good for Devils

<div class="byline">-PETER BOTTE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-04435/7875971-1-eng-US/f0022-042.jpg" title="f0022-04" width="283" height="605"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>M</span>ike Milbury once made goaltender Tommy Salo cry during a salary arbitration hearing. Milbury might have felt like crying after Adrian Aucoin&rsquo;s hearing, but he was singing a song of reconciliation instead.</p><p>While Milbury avoided hearings with a few other key players who had filed for arbitration, Aucoin earned a $1-million raise to $4.25 million through that process in early August. Milbury didn&rsquo;t hold it against him.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-03616/7875978-1-eng-US/f0022-032.jpg" title="f0022-03" width="232" height="314"></div><p>&ldquo;Adrian has been an outstanding player for us and he definitely deserved a raise,&rdquo; said Milbury of Aucoin, who will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.</p><p>Milbury, who still was preparing for hearings with left winger Oleg Kvasha and defenseman Janne Niinimaa, avoided arbitration with forwards Mark Parrish, Jason Blake and Dave</p><p>Scatchard. Blake, who earned just $700,000 last season, received a three-year contract worth $6 million, while Scatchard ($1.75 million) and Parrish ($2.35 million) signed one-year deals.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b></p><p>Assuming Kvasha, Niinimaa and restricted free agents Rick DiPietro and Roman Hamrlik are re-signed, the Isles payroll figures to be in the range of $43 million to $45 million-a slight increase from last season. Still, owner Charles Wang likely will order Milbury to shed payroll if the new CBA contains a heavily punitive luxury tax. Hamrlik, who earned $3.6 million last season, appears to be a likely candidate to go.</p><p>Off the ice, the Isles laid off a handful of office staffers in anticipation of a work stoppage.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Young forwards Trent Hunter ($544,000), a Calder Trophy finalist following a 25-goal rookie season, and Mattias Weinhandl ($990,000) had little leverage and accepted their 10-percent qualifying raises on one-year contracts.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0022-04

Aucoin’s rising rate doesn’t faze Milbury

<div class="byline">-LARRY BROOKS</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-06249/7876009-1-eng-US/f0022-062.jpg" title="f0022-06" width="283" height="606"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Rangers&rsquo; most noteworthy moves of this, their Quiet Summer, have not involved any big additions to the roster although the recent signing of free agent</p><p>Michael Nylander won&rsquo;t hurt but rather the hiring of a pair of assistants to Tom Renney&rsquo;s coaching staff.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-05321/7876016-1-eng-US/f0022-052.jpg" title="f0022-05" width="234" height="307"></div><p>That isn&rsquo;t to say the Blueshirts did not improve significantly in filling those vacancies within the organization. For the hiring of widely acclaimed goaltending coach Benoit Allaire and veteran assistant Perry Pearn addressed specific needs. Allaire, acknowledged as the key to Sean Burke&rsquo;s career revival in Phoenix, will be instrumental in working with the team&rsquo;s stable of promising young goalies, including Dan Blackburn, Jason Labarbera and Al Montoya.</p><p>Pearn, recognized for his work with Ottawa&rsquo;s young talent, will be relied on to perform the same task with the Rangers&rsquo; embryonic roster.</p><p>Renney, entering his first full season behind the Ranger bench after succeeding Glen Sather late last season, will at some point fill the final assistant&rsquo;s slot with a retired NHLer.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> The team that traditionally has established the free agent market, the Rangers have essentially sat this one out, with Sather choosing to wait until the ramifications of the new agreement become clear.</p><p>So instead of signing a center like Pavol Demitra, instead of jumping in on an all-star winger like Zigmund Palffy, Sather was content to bide his time and go into midAugust with a roster all but bereft of NHL-quality forwards.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Rangers inked center Michael Nylander to a three-year, $8.9-million contract Aug. 10. Nylander had 13 assists and 14 points in 15 games with Boston, after missing most of the year with Washington due to a broken leg.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0022-06

Renney’s assistants come highly touted

<div class="byline">BRUCE GARRIOCH</div><p>Slowly, the Ottawa Senators are coming together.</p><p>Instead of going to arbitration with defensemen Zdeno Chara and Chris Phillips and left winger PeterSchaefer, the Senators were able to avoid the process altogether and get everybody signed before any hearings took place.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-07210/7876054-1-eng-US/f0022-072.jpg" title="f0022-07" width="247" height="307"></div><p>Chara accepted a two-year, $9.5-million (U.S.) contract, Phillips closed the books on a three-year, $8-million deal and Schaefer signed for two years at $2.5 million.</p><p>Now, the Senators set their sights on trying to sign winger Martin Havlat to a new contract. GM John</p><p>Muckier said that winger Vaclav Varada, who was injured most of last year, was close to accepting his qualifying offer.</p><p>Owner Eugene Melnyk was involved in the process with Chara and Phillips because both were big deals for the club. Chara was a runner-up for the Norris Trophy and Phillips has emerged as a team leader.</p><p>&ldquo;You look at the team and I believe we have one of the best back ends in the league,&rdquo; Chara said. &ldquo;With guys like Wade Redden, Chris Phillips, myself and the other people we have, I really feel like we&rsquo;re going in the right direction.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> While coach Bryan Murray would like to see the Senators add a gritty winger on the left side, no moves were being made because Ottawa doesn&rsquo;t want to spend big dollars-yet-on unrestricted free agents. &ldquo;When we get a new CBA in place I believe there are going to be a lot of free agents available,&rdquo; Muckier said.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Senators hired former Edmonton and New York Rangers coach Ron Low as a pro scout and goaltending coach. Binghamton coach John Paddock was promoted to serve as one of coach Bryan Murray&rsquo;s assistants.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-08170/7876047-1-eng-US/f0022-082.jpg" title="f0022-08" width="284" height="604"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0022-07

Pieces fall into place with deals for big ‘D’

<div class="byline">-WAYNE FISH</div><p>Whenever the NHL plays again, Eric Desjardins will be ready. And that&rsquo;s a big relief for the Philadelphia Flyers.</p><p>The 35-year-old Desjardins, still considered the team&rsquo;s elite blueliner, lost half of last season due to a severely broken arm. One operation, which involved the insertion of surgical pins, failed to hold up just before the playoffs. But a second, a bone graft performed by specialists in Baltimore, apparently has done the job. Desjardins was cleared to play in late July.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-09155/7876092-1-eng-US/f0022-092.jpg" title="f0022-09" width="250" height="281"></div><p>&ldquo;The doctor said I&rsquo;m 100 per cent,&rdquo; Desjardins said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of nice to hear that I&rsquo;m finally healed.&rdquo;</p><p>Desjardins was injured in a Jan. 17 game at Toronto. The seven-time Barry Ashbee Trophy winner as best Flyer defenseman winner stands second in franchise scoring for blueliners behind Mark Howe.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> They say timing is everything and that might have been the case with the Mark Recchi-Alexei Zhamnov unrestricted free agent situation.</p><p>In late June, the Flyers told the 36-year-old Recchi if he wanted to return he would have to wait for a new CBA. Meanwhile, they put a three-year, $10-million deal on the table for the 33-year-old Zhamnov.</p><p>Recchi refused to sit and signed a three-year, $9-million contract with Pittsburgh. Zhamnov is still listening to offers elsewhere.</p><p>The Flyers did sign a couple of free agents in big wingers Mike Knuble and Turner Stevenson.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Flyers signed center Michal Handzus to a three-year contract. Defenseman Kim Johnsson went to arbitration and was awarded a one-year, $2.8-million settlement&hellip; Assistant coaches Craig Hartsburg, Wayne Fleming and Terry Murray will be taking a 50 per-cent pay cut in the event of a lockout.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-10142/7876085-1-eng-US/f0022-102.jpg" title="f0022-10" width="283" height="605"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0022-09

Clean bill of health dandy for Desjardins

<div class="byline">BY ROBIN SHORT</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-02712/7876137-1-eng-US/f0023-022.jpg" title="f0023-02" width="524" height="794"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-011036/7876144-1-eng-US/f0023-012.jpg" title="f0023-01" width="115" height="127"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>C</span>onsidering the way strapping Dion Phaneuf likes to dish out open-ice hits, it&rsquo;s no wonder the Calgary Flames prospect lists New Jersey Devils wrecking ball Scott Stevens as his favorite player.</p><p>The 6-foot-3, 205-pound product of Edmonton is an old-school defenseman, a banger who loves to take the body and take care of things in his own zone first before thinking about jumping into the rush.</p><p>&ldquo;I like to play a game that other teams find it tough playing against,&rdquo; said the 19-year-old Phaneuf, the Calgary Flames&rsquo; first pick, ninth overall, in the 2003 draft.</p><p>Phaneuf rattled the Czechs at last year&rsquo;s world juniors in Finland when he crunched Rostislav Olesz with a thundering open-ice hit. The Canadian defenseman was initially given an elbowing minor, but it was upgraded to a major and an automatic game misconduct.</p><p>NHL officials, however, liked what they saw in the aggressive Phaneuf, which explains why he&rsquo;s the No. 2 ranked prospect in Future Watch 2004.</p><p>Phaneuf was named an all-star at the WJC after collecting four points and 29 penalty minutes. He was also the Western League&rsquo;s top defenseman and named to the Canadian Hockey League&rsquo;s first allstar team. He finished second to James Wisniewski of Plymouth for the CHL&rsquo;s top defenseman award.</p><p>Phaneuf and his agent, Don Meehan, have yet to reach a contract agreement with the Flames, a topic the player is reluctant to talk about. But he expects a deal will be done and he&rsquo;s happy to be joining Calgary, even though he grew up an Oilers fan.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pretty exciting time to be part of the Flames,&rdquo; said Phaneuf in reference to Calgary&rsquo;s Cup run. &ldquo;That was quite a ride. I&rsquo;ll bet you no one in the hockey world at Christmastime would have given them a chance to even make the playoffs.&rdquo;</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Phaneuf, who had 43 points and 126 penalty minutes in 62 games with the Red Deer Rebels last season, didn&rsquo;t skate i with the Flames&rsquo; taxi squad in the playoffs because he wasn&rsquo;t signed. But that doesn&rsquo;t mean he wasn&rsquo;t watching i and learning, even if it was through the TV set.</p><p>&ldquo;Just to know you&rsquo;re part of the organization was exciting,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Phaneuf, who has one year of junior eligibility remaining, did manage to play one game for Calgary, a pre-season contest last fall where he earned an assist and second-star honors. He hopes for a longer stay this season.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going into camp,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;with the intentions of making the team. I know it&rsquo;s a big step and I know it&rsquo;s going to take a lot of hard work, but it&rsquo;s like a job interview-you have to go in wanting the job and that&rsquo;s the way I feel about this.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-03514/7876130-1-eng-US/f0023-032.jpg" title="f0023-03" width="766" height="1086"><figcaption class="caption-body">DION PHANEUF <span class="photo-credit">(EUROPHOTO/MIKKO JIRVINEN)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0023-04366/7876123-1-eng-US/f0023-042.jpg" title="f0023-04" width="213" height="342"></div><p><b>THE HOCKEY NEWS</b>&nbsp;<i>Scout says:</i></p><p>&ldquo;<b>He&rsquo;s not just super tough. He&rsquo;s skilled and composed. He was a steal at No. 9.&rdquo;</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0023-02

Phaneuf forcing heads to turn

<div class="byline">ROSS MCKEON</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011108/7876182-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="242" height="317"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-1198/7876189-1-eng-US/f0024-112.jpg" title="f0024-11" width="95" height="96"></div><p>Scott Hannan&rsquo;s stellar regular season, followed by his outstanding performance in the playoffs, have not gone unrecognized.</p><p>Hannan signed a three-year, $7.8-million deal with the Sharks six days after being added to Canada&rsquo;s World Cup of Hockey tournament roster.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Canada&rsquo;s brass noticed what San Jose is accustomed to seeing in Hannan, a responsible stopper who raises his game to meet all challenges. &ldquo;He might have surprised people outside the team, but I don&rsquo;t think he surprised himself,&rdquo; said Sharks GM Doug Wilson. &ldquo;He deserves to be getting the attention and credit because he&rsquo;s worked very hard at it.&rdquo;</p><p>Hannan had career highs in goals (six) and points (21) while playing all 82 games. But it I was his play against the best forwards he faced in the playoffs-Calgary&rsquo;s Jarome</p><p>Iginla, St. Louis&rsquo;s Keith Tkachuk and Colorado&rsquo;s Peter Forsberg that impressed. &ldquo;We have no trouble taking care of the people who get it done,&rdquo; Wilson said.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> It didn&rsquo;t take long in the off-season for the Sharks to join a handful of teams in reacting to a possible work stoppage by laying off eight employees.</p><p>Otherwise, the organization passed on bringing back its five unrestricted free agents Vincent Damphousse, Mike Ricci, Curtis Brown, Todd Harvey and Jason Marshall. Wilson expected to have all of his restricted free agents signed by mid-August.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Coach Ron Wilson, along with assistants Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler, were signed to two-year contracts with an option for a third season&hellip;Goalie Vesa Toskala signed a two-year deal, while right wingers Niko Dimitrakos and Scott Parker and defensemen Rob Davison and Jim Fahey all inked one-year deals.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-02779/7876175-1-eng-US/f0024-022.jpg" title="f0024-02" width="277" height="598"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0024-01

Hannan’s reputation improving rapidly

<div class="byline">-DAMIAN CRISTODERO</div><p class="dropcap"><span>L</span>ightning captain Dave Andrey chuk has decided to play a 23rd NHL season. The left winger, who will be 41 when and if the regular season begins, said he sees no reason to quit other than a long lockout.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-03535/7876227-1-eng-US/f0024-032.jpg" title="f0024-03" width="249" height="310"></div><p>&ldquo;The easy thing to do would have been to go out on top, but I felt that was the easy way out,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I had a lot of fun and I enjoyed the year and stayed relatively healthy.</p><p>&ldquo;I just don&rsquo;t see a reason to retire.&rdquo; Now all Tampa Bay has to do is sign the Hamilton, Ont., native, who made $1.55 million last season.</p><p>Andreychuk&rsquo;s 21 goals last season gave him 19 20-goal seasons. Only</p><p>Gordie Howe (22) and Ron Francis (20) have more. His 634 goals are 11th all-time and his 270 on the power play are tops.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Under other circumstances it might be different, but with the team selling a Stanley Cup championship and already ahead of last year&rsquo;s season-ticket total of 9,500, everything is business as usual.</p><p>There haven&rsquo;t been layoffs and the team is proceeding as if there will be hockey in 2004-05. In fact, their season-ticket and partial package sales have been greater than in the past.</p><p>Part of that may have to do with the vision of team president Ron Campbell, who has been adamant the owners and players are too smart not to come to some kind of agreement</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> The Lightning lost defenseman Jassen Cullimore to Chicago as an unrestricted free agent because he got a four-year, $10-million contract. Tampa Bay offered two years at $5 million&hellip; Tampa Bay avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Cory Sarich, who signed a two-year deal for $3.5 million&hellip;Defenseman Pavel Kubina was awarded a two-year, $6.5-mil-lion deal in arbitration and left winger Ruslan Fedotenko was awarded one year at $1.5 million.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-04359/7876220-1-eng-US/f0024-042.jpg" title="f0024-04" width="278" height="600"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0024-03

Andreychuk wants to do it all over again

<div class="byline">-KEN CAMPBELL</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-06190/7876258-1-eng-US/f0024-062.jpg" title="f0024-06" width="276" height="602"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>L</span>ast season, the aged Toronto Maple Leafs at least waited until training camp before they started breaking down. This year they can&rsquo;t even get through the off-season without a significant injury.</p><p>Ed Belfour got an early start on what promises to be a season filled with injuries to cranky old bodies when he informed Team Canada GM Wayne Gretzky that he would be unable to participate in the World Cup because of his wonky back.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-05243/7876265-1-eng-US/f0024-052.jpg" title="f0024-05" width="223" height="315"></div><p>Belfour told a Toronto radio station Leaf fans shouldn&rsquo;t be overly concerned.</p><p>&ldquo;I will take care of my back and I will be back as soon as possible,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had back problems since probably &rsquo;96, on and off. I&rsquo;ve always dealt with them and I&rsquo;ll deal with this again in a positive way.&rdquo; Only days earlier, Belfour was talking publicly about the possibility of playing in the World Hockey Association for the Dallas Americans, in whom he has an ownership stake.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Given the Leafs have committed more than $28 million this season to the 10 players they re-signed this summer-and given their 2004-05 payroll will easily exceed $60 million management must be certain of one of two things: 1) there will not be &ldquo;cost certainty&rdquo; in the new CBA; or 2) there won&rsquo;t be a season and they won&rsquo;t have to worry about paying anyone.</p><p>The Leafs have just seven players under contract for 2005-06, but GM John Ferguson&rsquo;s habit for throwing around other people&rsquo;s money has the Leafs playing a dangerous game.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Defenseman <b>Bryan McCabe</b> avoided going to arbitration by signing a two-year deal worth $9 million&hellip;The Leafs announced their AHL farm team will move from St. John&rsquo;s, Nfld., to Toronto for the 2005-06 season.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0024-06

Beltour’s back woes burn summer plans

<div class="byline">-IAN WALKER</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-08130/7876296-1-eng-US/f0024-082.jpg" title="f0024-08" width="281" height="599"></div><p>So much for new GM Dave Nonis blowing up the core of the Canucks in the wake of yet another playoff failure last spring.</p><p>Vancouver signed top line center Brendan Morrison to a one-year deal in late July, hours after announcing they&rsquo;d also re-signed starting goalie Dan Cloutier. Morrison will make $3.55 million, a raise of $1.1 million over last year. Cloutier, who made $2.5 million last season, will earn $3.05 million in 2004-05.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-07160/7876303-1-eng-US/f0024-072.jpg" title="f0024-07" width="228" height="314"></div><p>Morrison is no stranger to drawn-out contract negotiations, holding out and arbitration, so he was happy to take a 45 per-cent pay hike.</p><p>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t want to get to the situation where there was any real animosity&hellip; or trying to grind the club for the extra couple of dollars,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They were fair and hopefully we can get together soon and get some-thing else in place (through an extension of the deal).&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Both Morrison and Cloutier had wanted long-term deals, but the Canucks aren&rsquo;t interested in signing players for more than a year until a new labor deal is hammered out.</p><p>Morrison isn&rsquo;t optimistic the season will start on time, with a lockout by owners expected before training camp, so in early August he signed to join Linkopings HC of the Swedish Elite League. <i>(See pg. 7 for other NHLers who have signed in Europe.)</i></p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Center Trevor Linden and former Canucks strength and conditioning coach Peter Twist were runners-up in the Sea2Summit adventure race Aug. 7. Together the duo trekked, mountain biked and kayaked from Cypress Bowl, B.C., to Jericho Beach, B.C., in 5:47.6-a little more than 10 minutes behind the winning team. Twist took a wrong turn during the biking portion, costing his team about 20 minutes.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0024-08

Morrison, Cloutier agree to new deals

<div class="byline">-DAVE FAY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-10105/7876334-1-eng-US/f0024-102.jpg" title="f0024-10" width="277" height="599"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>M</span>ore than 30 players attended the Capitals&rsquo; rookie camp, some bigger than 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. But it was the smallest man, at just 5-foot-7 and 170 pounds, who stole the thunder.</p><p>Chris Bourque, son of Bruins leg-end Raymond Bourque, came to camp hoping to be noticed because of who he is, not who his dad is. He cleared that hurdle with plenty to spare and was being compared favorably to retired Capital Dale Hunter, a huge plus in Washington circles.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-09115/7876341-1-eng-US/f0024-092.jpg" title="f0024-09" width="239" height="313"></div><p>&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t take a player who suffers from a lack of courage and make him courageous,&rdquo; said GM George McPhee.</p><p>&ldquo;You can work on skating, I finesse, strength I but the intangibles, they&rsquo;re i either there or they&rsquo;re not. Chris has them.&rdquo; Bourque will be a freshman at I Boston University this fall.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b></p><p>Washington has made only the smallest dip into the free agent pool, holding back on most personnel moves until it knows what the lay of the land will be with a new labor deal. For instance, there are currently two assistant coaching vacancies and no visible effort is being made to fill them. The same situation holds true in marketing, where vacant slots are not being immediately filled.</p><p>On the street, the feeling is there will be a lengthy lockout, so talk has turned to the NFL&rsquo;s Redskins.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Oft-injured defenseman Nolan Yonkman suffered more bad luck, tore up a knee in the first day of rookie camp and will be out until at least early November&hellip; Wunderkind left winger Alexander Ovechkin, the No. I pick in the 2004 entry draft, skipped rookie camp to train with Dynamo Moscow&hellip;Brian MacLellan, who won a Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989, is the new GM and director of hockey personnel for Portland of the AHL.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0024-10

Bourque’s son impresses at camp

<div class="byline">BY KEVIN OKLOBZIJA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-02664/7876372-1-eng-US/f0025-022.jpg" title="f0025-02" width="242" height="393"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DAVID LING</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-01994/7876379-1-eng-US/f0025-012.jpg" title="f0025-01" width="113" height="118"></div><p>When he broke into pro hockey nine years ago, David Ling quickly learned the rivaly with the St. John&rsquo;s Maple Leafs was fierce.</p><p>Ling&rsquo;s first two American League teams, the Saint John Flames and Fredericton Canadiens, played St. John&rsquo;s at least a dozen times each sea-son and sometimes in the playoffs.</p><p>Now Ling will be wearing the sweater of the Baby Leafs. The gritty right winger signed an AHL contract with St. John&rsquo;s, and very likely will sign an NHL contract with parent Toronto once the NHL labor situation is settled.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be exciting playing there because everyone down this way is a Leafs&rsquo; fan,&rdquo; said the 29-year-old Ling, who makes his off-season home in Charlottetown, P.E.I.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Playing in St. John&rsquo;s will be a bit strange, too. This is the last season of AHL hockey on the The Rock. Toronto will move its farm team to the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto for 2005-06.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a situation where the fans will be looking for memories, so it will be a good year for those 20 guys,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>Ling is one of the veteran leaders for St. John&rsquo;s. He has worn the captain&rsquo;s &lsquo;C&rsquo; in the past and provides not only scoring, but toughness. In 581 career AHL and International League games, Ling has 192 goals and 512 points and piled up 1,573 penalty minutes.</p><p>The 5-foot-10,204-pound Ling spent three seasons in the Columbus organization and earned significant NHL time. He played in 50 games last season, scoring one goal and three points. The Blue Jackets did not re-sign him.</p><p>&ldquo;They said they&rsquo;re going with younger guys on the third and fourth lines,&rdquo; said Ling, who played 90 of his 93 career NHL games with Columbus. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not upset. They gave me the opportunity. They were really good to me.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0025-02

Ling looking forward to Rock hockey

<div class="byline">BY ROBIN SHORT</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he American League hasn&rsquo;t flourished in southern Ontario, but that isn&rsquo;t deterring the Toronto Maple Leafs from moving their farm team to Toronto for 2005-06.</p><p>As expected, the Leafs announced they are severing ties with St. John&rsquo;s following the upcoming AHL season when the current lease agreement runs out, ending a 14-year relationship with the Newfoundland capital. Only the Rochester Americans and Hershey Bears have been around longer than the St. John&rsquo;s Maple Leafs.</p><p>The Leafs arrived in St John&rsquo;s in 1991 following a five-year stay in Newmarket, Ont. Prior to that, the affiliate was located in St. Catharines, Ont. for four years.</p><p>It&rsquo;s expected the Leafs will use Ricoh Coliseum, home of the Toronto Roadrunners last year, although there is still talk the An-Canada Centre will stage some AHL games.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-03441/7876431-1-eng-US/f0025-032.jpg" title="f0025-03" width="276" height="269"><figcaption class="caption-body">AHL WEST NOTEBOOK</figcaption></div><p>Ricoh Coliseum fell into the Leafs&rsquo; lap when the Roadrunners&rsquo; owners defaulted on their sub-lease and were essentially evicted from the building. The Edmonton Oilers farm club has been moved to Rexall Place where they&rsquo;ll share the same ice with the NHL club.</p><p>Leafs GM John Ferguson said the move is all about player development and having the team closer to home.</p><p>&ldquo;Player development is the key,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That fits into our strategic plan superbly. We can reduce our travel time, increase our practice time, spend more time with our players.&rdquo; Fan reaction in St. John&rsquo;s was split.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sort of torn,&rdquo; Wally Read, a season-ticket holder since the first season, told the St. John&rsquo;s Telegram. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s disappointing. I know it&rsquo;s the nature of a farm team, but I think there&rsquo;s a few things that could have been done over the years to make St. John&rsquo;s stronger.&rdquo;</p><p>St. John&rsquo;s is eyeing a Quebec League franchise, hoping to follow in the foot. steps of Halifax and Sydney, N.S., Moncton, N.B. and Charlottetown, P.E.I. as former AHL cities which are home to major junior teams.</p><p><b>VOTE OF CONFIDENCE</b> Even after an early playoff exit, the Grand Rapids Griffins opted to bring back its key people, signing GM Bob McNamara, coach Danton Cole, assistant Greg Ireland and captain Travis Richards to one-year contracts. The Griffins were 44-28-8-0 last season, but fell into a tailspin the last 20 games and were ousted in straight games in the first round. &ldquo;We all have to be better and it starts with me,&rdquo; Cole told the Grand Rapids <i>Press.</i> &ldquo;We finished poorly and I&rsquo;ve spent a lot of time thinking about that.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-04280/7876424-1-eng-US/f0025-042.jpg" title="f0025-04" width="1075" height="1591"><figcaption class="caption-body"><i>Pierre Hedin and his St. John&rsquo;s teammates will enjoy one last season in Newfoundland before the farm team shifts to Toronto.</i></figcaption></div><h2><b>HOCKEY NATION, AT A GLANCE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-05200/7876417-1-eng-US/f0025-052.jpg" title="f0025-05" width="166" height="170"></div><p><i>The International Ice Hockey Federation is the world&rsquo;s governing body for hockey. In each issue this season, we profile some of the 63 national association members.</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-06163/7876410-1-eng-US/f0025-062.jpg" title="f0025-06" width="607" height="299"></div><h3><b>LITHUANIA</b></h3><p><b>Member of IIHF since 1938</b></p><p><b>Pop. of country 3,601,138</b></p><p><b>Registered players 689 No. of ice facilities 3</b></p><p><b>2003 champ</b> Energija Elektrenai <b>2003 world ranking No. 27</b></p><h3><b>ANDORRA</b></h3><p><b>Pop. of country 68,403</b></p><p><b>Registered players 95</b></p><p><b>No. of ice facilities 1</b></p><h3><b>GREECE</b></h3><p><b>Pop. of country 10,645,343</b></p><p><b>Registered players 326</b></p><p><b>No. of ice facilities 1</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0025-03

Maple Leafs pulling out of St John’s

<div class="byline">BY MIKE MASTOVICH</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Toledo Storm looks to rebound after a disappointing season in which the defending Brabham Cup champions failed to make the Kelly Cup playoffs.</p><p>Reggie Savage, a 14-year professional and former NHL player, wants to re-establish himself after an injury-plagued year that ended after shoulder surgery.</p><p>A perfect fit?</p><p>Savage chose Toledo from a group of at least five ECHL teams and offers from clubs in the United and Central Leagues this offseason. The 34-year-old first round draft pick of the Washington Capitals in 1988 (15th overall) joined coach Nick Vitucci&rsquo;s rebuilding effort.</p><p>&ldquo;The money was the same everywhere in the ECHL,&rdquo; Savage told <i>The Blade</i> in Toledo. &ldquo;What it came down to was * do I want to go to a team that&rsquo;s very high in the standings or do I want to go somewhere where I can help turn the program around and have a bigger role?&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0025-07143/7876462-1-eng-US/f0025-072.jpg" title="f0025-07" width="251" height="243"><figcaption class="caption-body">NOTEBOOK</figcaption></div><p>Savage will be player-assistant coach. He played 34 NHL games, scoring five goals and seven assists during stints with the Caps and Quebec Nordiques. His most recent appearance in the NHL was in 1994 and his last full season in the American League was in 2000-01 with Syracuse.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s carrying a chip on his healthy shoulder,&rdquo; Vitucci told <i>The Blade.</i> &ldquo;He wants to prove to people he can still play at a high level. I get a guy with experience who has the determination of a 20-year-old trying to prove himself.&rdquo;</p><p><b>TAKE TWO</b> The now 28-team league released a revised schedule of 1,008 game after terminating Greensboro and Roanoke.</p><p><b>WELCOME BACK</b> The Louisiana IceGators will hold a &lsquo;Reunion Week&rsquo; in November as part of a 10th anniversary celebration. The festivities include a golf tournament, a reunion banquet featuring former players and a tribute prior to a Nov. 12 game against rival Mississippi at Cajundome.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0025-07

Savane eager to brew Storm in Toledo

<div class="byline">BY ROBIN SHORT</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02778/7876493-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg" title="f0026-02" width="244" height="392"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>OIRK GRAHAM</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011115/7876500-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="113" height="117"></div><p>During last spring&rsquo;s Stanley Cup run,</p><p>Tampa Bay pro scout Dirk Graham toiled in the background, putting the Bolts extra players the taxi squad through their paces after the regulars had finished their morning skates.</p><p>For Graham, who coached the Chicago Blackhawks for 59 games in 1998-99, working with kids rekindled a fire that was stoked in July when he was named coach of the AHL&rsquo;s Springfield Falcons.</p><p>&ldquo;It was a great opportunity, one I didn&rsquo;t want to let pass by,&rdquo; said Graham, 44, who joined the Lightning as a pro scout last summer. &ldquo;Hockey runs deep with me. It&rsquo;s a combination of it being in my blood plus getting gratification of watching kids learn and develop.&rdquo;</p><p>Hockey certainly ran deep with Graham as a player. Over 12 seasons, he I picked up 489 points in 772 games and won the Selke Trophy as the NHL&rsquo;s best defensive forward in 1990-91. Graham I helped the Blackhawks, a team he captained, reach the 1992 Cup final.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Now, however, Graham is part of the Lightning organization, one he believes is stocked with young talent he&rsquo;ll be helping mature in Springfield.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s incredible their willingness to learn,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Having them around for the (NHL) playoffs was important. There&rsquo;s no way you can sit a kid down and say this and say that about what it takes to win. These kids had a ringside seat, they saw what it takes to be a champion.&rdquo;</p><p>Not that Graham will be surrounded with youngsters. The Lightning supported Springfield&rsquo;s lineup by signing veterans Jarrod Skalde, Craig Darby, Terry Virtue and Steve McLaren.</p><p>&ldquo;You need quality veterans to lead the way,&rdquo; Graham said. &ldquo;And although it&rsquo;s a development situation, you also want to win. They&rsquo;ll help a great group of young kids we have coming up.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-02

Tampa prospects under Dirk’s guidance

<div class="byline">BY ROBIN SHORT</div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he AHL has conducted research using players, officials and executives to help determine the most effective way to implement a new rule restricting areas where a goaltender may play the puck.</p><p>The league announced in July it will, for the first seven weeks of the season, limit areas where a goalie can handle the puck. Speculation is that area will include behind the net, but the AHL says it has not yet been determined.</p><p>At a Springfield area rink in July, AHL vice-president of operations Jim Mill along with NHL associate director of operations Claude Loiselle, Portland coach Tim Army, AHL goalie Jean-Marc Pelletier, St. Louis goalie coach Rick Allain, AHL defensemen Brian Chapman and Ed Campbell and AHL referee and linesman Dave Hansen and Marty Demers gathered for an experiment examining the rule change.</p><p>The AHL says the results are being evaluated with an announcement later this summer.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-03626/7876545-1-eng-US/f0026-032.jpg" title="f0026-03" width="274" height="274"><figcaption class="caption-body">AHL EAST NOTEBOOK</figcaption></div><p>In the meantime, the league will delay until the 2005-06 season a new regulation limiting the size of goaltenders&rsquo; pads. That should make Binghamton Senators goalie Ray Emery happy.</p><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t even own a pair of 10-inch pads,&rdquo; Emery told the Ottawa <i>Citizen.</i> &ldquo;Some of the guys were showing off a pair at the players association meetings in Toronto and they are so tiny, it&rsquo;s ridiculous.&rdquo;</p><p><b>GET TOUGH</b> He doesn&rsquo;t provide the offense of a Craig Darby or Jarrod Skalde, but the Springfield Falcons feel the addition of tough Steve McLaren is an important one.</p><p>&ldquo;We have felt strongly for some time about the need to improve our depth in this area, and we&rsquo;re confident Steve adds a critical dimension in toughness, both in Springfield and, if need ed, in Tampa Bay,&rdquo; Tampa Bay GM Jay Feaster told the Springfield <i>Union News.</i></p><p>McLaren racked up 477 minutes in penalties in 133 games with Worcester over three seasons.</p><p><b>A VOICE IN LOWELL</b> The Calgary Flames named Scott Allen assistant coach of the Lowell Lock Monsters, a team the Flames share an affiliation with the Carolina Hurricanes.</p><p>Allen spent the last two years with the San Antonio Rampage, twice taking over coaching duties following the promotions of John Torchetti and Steve Ludzik to the NHL. He will assist Tom Rowe.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b></p><p>After a year in Finland, Brad Smyth is back in North America after signing with the Los Angeles Kings. Smyth, who will likely suit up for the Manchester Monarchs, has 525 career AHL points.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-04446/7876538-1-eng-US/f0026-042.jpg" title="f0026-04" width="1071" height="1594"><figcaption class="caption-body"><i>Binghamton&rsquo;s Ray Emery and other AHL goalies can continue playing with 12-inch wide pads.</i> A <i>10-inch regulation was delayed.</i></figcaption></div><h2><b>EYE ON EUROPE</b></h2><p><i>Here are the leading scorers and goalies (goals-against average) from the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (Germany) for 2003-04:</i></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-05330/7876531-1-eng-US/f0026-052.jpg" title="f0026-05" width="861" height="2597"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0026-03

Case study to fine-tune rule changes

<div class="byline">-BRENDAN SAVAGE</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-06267/7876576-1-eng-US/f0026-062.jpg" title="f0026-06" width="216" height="118"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he United League&rsquo;s all-time leader in games played by a defenseman has called it a career. Scott Feasby, who spent 11 of his 13 pro seasons with the Muskegon, retired after helping the Fury win their third Colonial Cup. &ldquo;I wanted to finish on a good note,&rdquo; Feasby said to the Muskegon <i>Chronicle.</i> &ldquo;Its something I can cherish the rest of my life.&rdquo; Feasby, the Fury&rsquo;s long-time captain, went out with a bang as Muskegon posted an 110 record during its playoff run. Feasby appeared in 699 UHL games, second only to Danbury winger Jim Du hart, who has played in 708.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-06

NOTEBOOK

<div class="byline">-DAVID HENRY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-07234/7876607-1-eng-US/f0026-072.jpg" title="f0026-07" width="220" height="127"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Central League&rsquo;s new rule for 2004-05 that allows only one coach behind the bench has broken up a successful friendship. Former Amarillo Gorillas assistant coach Brian Pellerin accepted an assistant coaching job with Portland of the Western League. Amarillo coach Joe Ferras, who called Pellerin his &ldquo;best friend,&rdquo; cited the new rule as a reason Pellerin left. Ferras said he does not plan to hire a replacement. During the past two seasons, Ferras and Pellerin guided the Gorillas, previously a CHL doormat, to back-to-back playoff berths and a spot in the semifinals.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-07

<div class="byline">-NICK GATES</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-08193/7876638-1-eng-US/f0026-082.jpg" title="f0026-08" width="155" height="142"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he SEHL will be dormant for 2004-05. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re working for (2005-06),&rdquo; said president John Cherney. &ldquo;We have three teams committed.&rdquo; Commissioner Jim Riggs and vice-president Ron Hansis remain on the job after the mass exodus. Huntsville and Winston-Salem bolted after last season and Cape Fear and Knoxville followed in July to be part of the SPHL, leaving the league with Pelham and Tupelo. Cherney hopes his former partners will reconsider and return in time to salvage 2004-05. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d welcome them with open arms,&rdquo; he said, &ldquo;but it&rsquo;s already August&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-08

<div class="byline">-SCOTT ANDERA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-09171/7876669-1-eng-US/f0026-092.jpg" title="f0026-09" width="165" height="130"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span>fter a tumultuous spring and summer, the nine-team Southern Professional League has taken a step toward future stability. By starting a working agreement with the ECHL&rsquo;s Augusta Lynx, the Macon Trax became the first SPHL club to hook up with a team in another league to share players. It&rsquo;s not an affiliation, because before a player can change clubs, both teams must agree on the decision. But allowing players to move up the ladder in hockey remains the goal. &rsquo;This gives my players a solid option to further their careers,&rdquo; said Macon coach Tommy Stewart.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-09

<div class="byline">BY WILLY PALOV</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-02703/7876707-1-eng-US/f0027-022.jpg" title="f0027-02" width="300" height="307"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-011064/7876714-1-eng-US/f0027-012.jpg" title="f0027-01" width="234" height="139"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>G</span>illes Courteau likes to say the Quebec League is a mini-version of the NHL, so it&rsquo;s not surprising to see him paying close attention to his league&rsquo;s competitive balance these days.</p><p>The league commissioner has devoted some thought to studying the concerns voiced by some smaller-market teams about their ability to keep up with the QMJHL&rsquo;s big-budget teams. It&rsquo;s not unlike some of the problems being addressed in NHL boardrooms, albeit on a smaller scale.</p><p>&ldquo;We want to open a discussion about it because we need all of our teams to be able to have the same opportunity to put strong teams on the ice,&rdquo; Courteau said. &ldquo;The last thing I want to see is teams struggling to compete because they don&rsquo;t have the same resources to attract players. We have to be careful when it comes to the health of all 16 teams.&rdquo;</p><p>Some of the teams that have used their higher revenues to lure high-profile players to their cities include Halifax, Quebec,</p><p>Rimouski and Moncton. Although Courteau concedes there is little he can do to police the individual teams&rsquo; expenditures under the current structure of the league, he has already floated the notion of a $1.1 million cap on operating costs.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just a concept I want our owners and governors to think about,&rdquo; Courteau said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t know if it&rsquo;s (feasible) or even if the teams would be interested in putting it into practice. We just want to be aware of the issues that have been raised and talk about them before they become problems.&rdquo;</p><p><b>ATLANTIC FLAVOR</b> Two Q players were named to Canada&rsquo;s under-18 team, but neither one of them was born in Quebec.</p><p>Defenseman Luc Bourdon of the Val-d&rsquo;Or Foreurs and goalie Ryan Mior of the P.E.I. Rocket cracked the 22-man roster. Bourdon is from New Brunswick and Mior is a Newfoundlander.</p><p>Despite being 17, Rimouski center Sidney Crosby was not a candidate because he has already graduated to the Canadian under-20 program. He led Canada&rsquo;s under-18 team in scoring as a 16-year-old last year and played at the 2004 world juniors.</p><p><b>CAMP BEGINS</b> Training camps across the league broke between Aug. 13-20. QMJHL teams start early because Quebecborn players entering CEGEP need to have their school registration completed before Sept. 1. CEGEP is a post-secondary school system specific to Quebec residents&hellip;Gatineau hosts Acadie-Bathurst Sept. 16 in the first game of the 2004-05 season.</p><h2>SPOTLIGHT</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-03485/7876700-1-eng-US/f0027-032.jpg" title="f0027-03" width="275" height="736"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0027-02

Small-market aid worthy of discussion

<div class="byline">BY JIM CRESSMAN</div><p>Winning the Eastern Conference championship wasn&rsquo;t enough for Ken Cook to keep his job as GM of the Mississauga IceDogs.</p><p>Cook was with the team one season but the IceDogs, once a laughing stock, went 36-21-7-4, second-best record in the conference. But majority owner Mario Forgione, who bought the team in February 2003, wanted Cook to focus more on the business operation and less on scouting and development. Cook could not accept that.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-04330/7876752-1-eng-US/f0027-042.jpg" title="f0027-04" width="305" height="246"></div><p>&ldquo;Now the GM role is more forced on the business side of hockey,&rdquo; said Forgione, who hired Cook and coach Greg Gilbert to replace Steve Ludzik, under former owner Nick Ricci.</p><p>Forgione, who co-owns the team with Chris Pronger, has assumed the GM&rsquo;s job.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not so much a scouting role, it&rsquo;s more of a blending of the hockey and business side,&rdquo; Forgione said of how he sees a GM in the OHL. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the little things that kill you. Are the contracts taken care of&hellip;those are the mundane things people often don&rsquo;t gravitate to.&rdquo;</p><p><b>MAKEOVER</b> Gerry Nudds, Ward Seymour and Mark Stubbs, owners of the Canadian Jr. A-champion Aurora Tigers, assumed majority ownership of the Barrie Colts.</p><p>Jamie Masse, who helped found the team in 1995, will stay involved as chairman of the board. Mike McCann was retained as GM, but the coaching staff was released by Stubbs, now the Colts&rsquo; president.</p><p>Marty Williamson, who coached Aurora the past three seasons, replaces coach Bud Stefanski.</p><p>Stefanski was with Barrie four years and, with assistant coach Wes Jarvis, compiled a 127-113-32 record and appeared in the 2002 league final. Jarvis was replaced by Gregg Carrigan, an associate coach in Aurora.</p><p>&ldquo;This is not a knock against Bud, (but) Williamson is a proven winner and deserves the opportunity,&rdquo; Stubbs said.</p><p>Williamson coached 10 years in Jr. A with a 328-87-35 record and won three league titles. The Tigers were 47-2-0 last season.</p><p><b>OTTER CHARGED</b> Erie Otters right winger David Herring was charged with sexual assault in his home town of Peterborough.</p><p>Herring, 20, is accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman during a house party. In June, he pleaded guilty and was fined in an Erie, Pa., court to charges of careless driving and dis-orderly conduct.</p><h2>SPOTLIGHT</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-05220/7876745-1-eng-US/f0027-052.jpg" title="f0027-05" width="277" height="740"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0027-04

IceDogs want a GM to push pencils, too

<div class="byline">BY ROB VANSTONE</div><p class="dropcap"><span>M</span>ike Moore pulled off a rare hat trick. Most incoming GMs take over after their predecessor has been fired by a struggling team. Moore, who is preparing for his first season as GM of the Medicine Hat Tigers, is a notable exception.</p><p>Moore, 39, replaces Rick Carriere, who stepped down one month after the Western League-champion Tigers participated in the Memorial Cup (won by the Kelowna Rockets). Carriere resigned to tend to family matters in his native Edmonton.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-06158/7876790-1-eng-US/f0027-062.jpg" title="f0027-06" width="294" height="294"></div><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of nice to go into a situation where the guy who is leaving is leaving on his own accord,&rdquo; Moore said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t feel like you&rsquo;re going into a bad situation.</p><p>&ldquo;Rick obviously did a terrific job with the team and took them to the Memorial Cup. He was great through the transition phase and continues to be good as far as filling me in on things that happened with the Tigers and with how they do things.&rdquo;</p><p>Moore has spent 10 years in the league-first as a scout with the Kamloops Blazers, then as the Calgary Hitmen&rsquo;s assistant GM (during the 1997-98 season), and then as Kamloops&rsquo; GM.</p><p>Moore and the Blazers agreed to a mutual parting of the ways in January. Although Moore is delighted to resurface in Medicine Hat, some adjustments are required.</p><p>&ldquo;The toughest part is coming up on a camp and you know the players by the number and jersey, but not the personality and what they bring off the ice,&rdquo; Moore said.</p><p><b>LABOR PAINS</b> Canadian Hockey League executives, including WHL commissioner Ron Robison, are hoping to reach a new working agreement with the NHL.</p><p>A complicating factor is the NHL&rsquo;s negotiations with the NHL Players&rsquo; Association and the possibility of a lockout Sept. 15. With that in mind, the CHL is hoping to reach an interim agreement which would govern player move-ment between NHL and major junior teams if the NHL season begins later than usual due to a labor disruption.</p><p>&ldquo;We want there to be some order in the system,&rdquo; Robison said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;ve been focusing on in our discussions.&rdquo;</p><p><b>FOUR-FOUR TIME</b> The Hitmen and Red Deer Rebels are to play a 4-on-4 pre-season game Sept. 15 in Sylvan Lake, Alta. Rebels&rsquo; coach-GM Brent Sutter suggested the 4-on-4 format due to the small size of the Sylvan Lake arena. The concept w&rdquo; approved by the WHL.</p><h2>SPOTLIGHT</h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-07132/7876783-1-eng-US/f0027-072.jpg" title="f0027-07" width="280" height="734"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0027-06

Smooth transition for Tigers’ new GM

<div class="byline">-PAUL SHAHEEN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-08112/7876842-1-eng-US/f0027-082.jpg" title="f0027-08" width="416" height="137"></div><p>The Chicago Steel&rsquo;s goaltending will arguably be the youngest and deepest in the league this season.</p><p>Aside from returning 17-year-old <b>Shane Connelly-</b> a 2005 NHL draft eligible and highly sought division-1 prospect-Chicago will welcome in 16-year-old keeper <b>William Sauer,</b> who shined over the summer at the U.S. Select 16 Festival in Rochester. The 6-foot-2 Sauer played midget hockey in Buffalo last season.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so mature,&rdquo; said one scout. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s an exceptional skater, keeps his body square to the shooter and has very good athletic ability.&rdquo;</p><p>Off the ice, NHLers <b>Mario Lemieux</b> and <b>Luc Robitaille</b> became part owners of the River City Lancers, who&rsquo;d been up for sale since the spring. The new ownership group, headed by Minnesota businessman <b>John Donovan,</b> changed the name back to the Omaha Lancers, as it was until two years ago when the team moved into a new building in Council Bluffs, Iowa.</p><h2><b>SPOT LIGHT TEAM BRANDON WHEAT KINGS</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-09101/7876835-1-eng-US/f0027-092.jpg" title="f0027-09" width="299" height="232"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-1089/7876828-1-eng-US/f0027-102.jpg" title="f0027-10" width="175" height="132"></div><p><b>Arena</b> Keystone Centre <b>Capacity</b> 5,008 <b>GM</b> Kelly McCrimmon <b>Coach</b> Kelly McCrimmon</p><p><b>37 SEASONS IN WHL</b></p><p>BEST 58-5-9 in 1978-79</p><p><b>NHL DRAFT PICKS</b></p><p>Eric Fehr, 18th, Wsh, &rsquo;03</p><p>Ryan Stone, 32nd, Pit, &rsquo;03 0-K Tollefsen, 65th, Clb, &rsquo;02</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0027-1177/7876821-1-eng-US/f0027-112.jpg" title="f0027-11" width="1060" height="299"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0027-08

UNITED STATES LEAGUE

<div class="byline">-JERRY BROWN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-02758/7876873-1-eng-US/f0028-022.jpg" title="f0028-02" width="277" height="606"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>F</span>or much of the two weeks the Coyotes tried to woo Brett Hull to Arizona, both his former agent (GM Mike Barnett) and close friend (managing partner Wayne Gretzky) braced for a phone call saying he was going to pass and rejoin the Dallas Stars.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011101/7876880-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="223" height="309"></div><p>The call never came. And after sleeping on a final offer from Phoenix, Hull agreed to solidify the Coyotes&rsquo; place as the NHL&rsquo;s most active off-season team by accepting a two-year, SAS-mil-lion contract that the Stars would not match. <i>(See pg. 12 for more.)</i> Unlike past seasons when the Coyotes threw money at the likes of</p><p>Brian Savage and Tony Amonte, Barnett reloaded his team within fiscal bounds, adding four free agents for just over $6 million and more than 50 per-cent less than what the four collectively earned last season.</p><p>After trading for winger Jason Chimera at the draft, getting defenseman David Tanabe and forwards Mike Johnson and Ladislav Nagy back from injuries and adding free agents Boyd Devereaux, Mike Ricci and Sean O&rsquo;Donnell-plus Hull and his 741 goals-the Coyotes could go from the fifth-worst record in the league to a dark horse pick in the Pacific Division.</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> All the momentum from the signings would come to a screeching halt if the talk of rebuilding is replaced by the talk of part or all of the season disappearing. Even with their new arena and new look, the Coyotes will quickly become an afterthought in a town with so many sports outlets, college and pro, to deflect attention. The only thing worse than the backlash would be the apathy.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> After losing goalie coach <b>Benoit Allaire</b> to the New York Rangers, the Coyotes recovered by handing the task to former Oilers star <b>Grant Fuhr.</b></p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></h2>

f0028-02

Dances in the desert over free agent finds

<div class="byline">-JOE STARKEY</div><p>Everybody asks Ben Eaves about his height. Eaves answers on the ice.</p><p>A 5-foot-8 center out of Boston College, drafted in the fourth round in 2001, Eaves signed a two-year deal with the Penguins, who can use all the playmaking centers they can get. The deal is worth roughly $1 million if Eaves plays in the NHL.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-03551/7876918-1-eng-US/f0028-032.jpg" title="f0028-03" width="240" height="318"></div><p>&ldquo;His size hasn&rsquo;t been an issue so far,&rdquo; said Penguins GM Craig Patrick.</p><p>A finalist for the Hobey Baker Award two years ago, Eaves finished his career at Boston College fifth on the school&rsquo;s all-time assists list with 116 in 125 games.</p><p>He likes the fact that little guys are thriving in the NHL, including Tampa Bay&rsquo;s Martin St. Louis and Eaves&rsquo;s former B.C. team-mate, Brian Gionta.</p><p>&ldquo;To me, it&rsquo;s whether you can play or can&rsquo;t play,&rdquo; Eaves said. &ldquo;I want to be a player.&rdquo;</p><p><b>CBA SUMMER TRACKER</b> Right winger Aleksey Morozov, who had a career-best 50 points last season, committed himself to play the upcoming season with Kazan of the Russian Superleague. His deal does not have an escape clause and has an option for a second year.</p><p>&ldquo;I decided I&rsquo;m definitely going to stay the whole year because of the situation with the CBA and every-one saying there&rsquo;s going to be a lockout,&rdquo; said Morozov, who did not divulge how much his contract is worth. He turned down the Penguins&rsquo; qualifying offer of $1.8 million, plus a multi-year offer.</p><p><b>NOTEBOOK</b> Center Mario <b>Lemieux</b> spent three weeks training under L.A. guru <b>T.R. Goodman</b> at Gold&rsquo;s Gym in Venice Beach&hellip;The Pens had a brief flirtation with free agent <b>Brett Hull,</b> but dropped out of the running&hellip;Left winger <b>Rico Fata</b> signed a two-year, one-way deal worth $725,000 per season.</p><h2><b>SPOTLIGHT</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-04377/7876911-1-eng-US/f0028-042.jpg" title="f0028-04" width="276" height="602"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0028-03

Penguins plan on scoring with Eaves

f0029-01

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August 24, 2004

Will fan interest fade with cheaper Blues?

Dallas gives Arnott vote of confidence

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