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October 25, 2005
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.
Whiz kid making mark
John Tavares may be barely 15 years old, but sitting in the stands at the old and soon-to-be replaced Oshawa Civic Centre prior to a midweek practice, you get the feeling he understands his place in history. As he looks out at the blank sheet of ice, the sound of his older teammates playing soccer in the hallway below, Tavares talks about the great history of his new team, the Ontario League’s Oshawa Generals, and the legends who have passed through the city on their way to the NHL. “Obviously there’s a lot of history here with Bobby Orr, Eric Lindros and many other great players,” says the rookie, a little patchy stubble on his chin making him look, oh, at least 16. “Some guys who played here are some of the…
Oilers rely on new depth in captain Smyth’s absence
Ryan Smyth barely got his feet wet before he ran into knee trouble. Just four periods into the season, Smyth sprained the MCL in his left knee against Vancouver and is out indefinitely. “It’s really discouraging,” said Smyth, who had been going at a point-per-period clip (one goal and three assists) before the collision with Bryan Allen sent him to the sidelines. Coach Craig MacTavish can only wait until his team’s heart and soul is healthy again. “It’s reminiscent of a Chicago game a number of years ago when he hurt his ankle,” MacTavish said. “It’s the same set of circumstances with Ryan at the absolute top of his game and that line playing terrifically. The difference between then and now is we have more depth and we’ll be able to handle…
The Shanny Show
Way back in 1992, Mario Lemieux, sick and tired of the way the game was being played, called the clutch-and-grab NHL a “garage league.” Few listened. Super Mario was the best player in the NHL at the time, and he was frustrated at not being allowed to play the game the way it was intended. Lemieux had a vision of how the game should evolve, but it was not shared by others. Fast forward to 2004. With the NHL shut down because of a labor dispute between the players and owners, Brendan Shanahan makes a public plea for changes to open up the game and – voila! – the times, they are a-changin’. Thanks to a number of tweaks that include making the offensive zones bigger and goalie equipment smaller, allowing two-line passes,…
Hit-and-miss start to Satan’s Isle days
After a pre-season in which he didn’t score a goal, even in intra-squad scrimmages, it has been an eventful start to his Islanders career for incoming sniper Miroslav Satan. Considered the key to helping new linemate Alexei Yashin regain his scoring touch, Satan finally got on the scoresheet with a lucky pinball goal in the Isles’ home opening victory Oct. 8 over Carolina and followed that with another score two days later against Florida. But Satan, who was booed every time he touched the puck in his return to Buffalo in the season opener, also missed a key penalty shot against the Panthers that would’ve tied the score in the third period. Florida goalie Roberto Luongo swiped the puck off Satan’s stick in an eventual 3-1 Isles loss at Nassau Coliseum. THE BUZZ…