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.

Yearbook 1995-96

The Hockey News Yearbook 1995-96

f0201-01

STATISTICS

ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE

f0196-02

ECHL

<div class="byline">By Kevin Allen</div><p class="dropcap"><span>J</span>eremy Roenick has fully recovered from the broken tibia and hyperextended knee that prevented him from being a factor in the Chicago Blackhawks&rsquo; playoff run.</p><p>But his fractured relationship with Blackhawks&rsquo; management still needed rehabilitation.</p><p>&ldquo;How do I feel about next season? Confused,&rdquo; Roenick said. &ldquo;When you enter your option year it&rsquo;s a very scary situation. I really don&rsquo;t know what will happen.&rdquo;</p><p>Injuries, even the ugly one Roenick endured when he was crunched by Derian Hatcher of the Dallas Stars in March, mend quicker than bruised psyches. Even after a few months of healing, soreness remains.</p><p>As Roenick trade rumors intensified, it would have been easy to suggest any Blackhawks consideration to move him would be about money. Roenick, who stands to make $1.4 million in the last season of a five-year-deal, has wanted a new contract that would raise his salary in accordance with the league&rsquo;s top scorers.</p><p>Joe Sakic ($1.9 million), Adam Oates ($2 million), Dale Hawerchuk ($2.5 million) and Roman Hamrlik ($2.2 million) are just a few of the players who make more than Roenick.</p><p>But his conflict with the Blackhawks wasn&rsquo;t just a tidy contract squabble. First, he was an outspoken union supporter during the lockout. Second, he was at odds with coach Darryl Sutter and was fined $2,000 for missing what the team deemed as mandatory rehabilitation assignments during the playoffs. Finally, in a season-ending radio show, he said he didn&rsquo;t want to see Sutter come back. That came before Sutter announced his resignation.</p><p>During the off-season, Roenick said politely he didn&rsquo;t want to talk about Sutter. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m already in enough trouble with (owner) Bill Wirtz,&rdquo; he joked.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01536/10277041-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg" title="f0048-01" width="734" height="1311"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Saying what he thinks has gotten Jeremy Roenick into some hot water.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>About Roenick&rsquo;s anti-Sutter remarks, his agent Neil Abbott said: &ldquo;What you heard was just frustration. What we all know about Jeremy is that he says what he thinks.&rdquo;</p><p>Roenick&rsquo;s anti-owner rhetoric was very strong during the lockout and players say Roenick was always among the most militant NHL Players&rsquo; Association members. The Blackhawks also weren&rsquo;t happy when Abbott told management Roenick was going to play elsewhere if the season was cancelled.</p><p>Roenick has no regrets about his ardent unionism. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s the nature of life,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When you take away someone&rsquo;s livelihood, they fight to protect it.&rdquo;</p><p>To appreciate how Roenick feels about hockey, it&rsquo;s helpful to understand the price he paid to get here. He jetted his way to the top and his father, Wally, has the airline receipts to prove it.</p><p>When Roenick was a bantam player living in Northern Virginia, he commuted by plane to play for the New Jersey Rockets. Putting him on a jet every Friday afternoon was the only way Wally could make sure his talented son would face high-caliber competition.</p><p>&ldquo;We would put him on People&rsquo;s Express every Friday for about $59 one way to New Jersey, but sometimes we had to send him to Boston or Detroit,&rdquo; the elder Roenick said. &ldquo;We probably spent $25,000 that season.&rdquo;</p><p>USA National teams director Art Berglund remembers hearing stories about Roenick&rsquo;s exploits a couple years before he was eligible for national camps. &ldquo;And when he showed at our national camps, he was phenomenal,&rdquo; Berglund said.</p><p>At 17, he received an invitation to the 1988 Olympic trials. He was cut because U.S. coaches felt he was too young.</p><p>&ldquo;That was a team with a lot of good players,&rdquo; Berglund said. &ldquo;(Former Olympic coach) Dave Peterson and I always talk about maybe we should have kept him.&rdquo;</p><p>Desire and heart have always been the hallmarks of Roenick&rsquo;s game, which is why it was difficult for him accept reports last season that teammates questioned whether he was coming back quickly enough from his injury.</p><p>Abbott said the Blackhawks were rushing Roenick to play before he was ready.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01524/10277034-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg" title="f0049-01" width="2724" height="3529"></div><p>&ldquo;We never questioned J.R.,&rdquo; said teammate Bernie Nicholls. &ldquo;We questioned what advice he was getting from his agent.&rdquo;</p><p>Abbott scoffs at the suggestion he was being cautious as a form of protest to the Blackhawks&rsquo; slowness in dealing with Roenick&rsquo;s request for a new deal.</p><p>&ldquo;Have I ever told Jeremy to hold out? No,&rdquo; Abbot said. &ldquo;He was not some 34-year-old player with one last chance to get in the Super Bowl. It&rsquo;s my responsibility to ensure he&rsquo;s ready for the next 10 years.&rdquo;</p><p>Abbott said the situation was complicated by the confusion surrounding the diagnosis. The team physician suspected damage to the anterior cruciate ligament and said rehabilitation could take a year.</p><p>When it was discovered the damage wasn&rsquo;t as severe, Roenick was put on a two-a-day rehabilitation schedule. Blackhawks&rsquo; spokesman Jim DeMaria said Sutter asked Roenick to tell him when he was ready.</p><p>But Roenick, never accused of giving less than all he has on the ice, said he did learn something during the soap opera surrounding his comeback in the playoffs</p><p>&ldquo;Some of my teammates did wonder whether I was working hard enough off the ice,&rdquo; Roenick said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never really been known for working hard off the ice. I think I&rsquo;ve changed. I realize as you get older, you have to work harder. I&rsquo;ve never worked harder than I have this summer.&rdquo;</p><p>Roenick&rsquo;s difficulty with Sutter was two years in the making. Roenick clearly felt his offensive ability was stifled in Sutter&rsquo;s system, but the conflict seemed to run deeper.</p><p>A source close to the situation said because Sutter didn&rsquo;t pat Roenick on the back as often as he&rsquo;d like, Roenick took Sutter&rsquo;s criticism hard.</p><p>Upon taking the job as the Blackhawks&rsquo; new coach, Craig Hartsburg called Roenick, although he declined to comment on the specifics of the discussion.</p><p>&ldquo;You would have to be blind not to know something was going on,&rdquo; Hartsburg said. &ldquo;We had to talk about it.&rdquo;</p><p>His expectations for Roenick? &ldquo;He&rsquo;s one of the best two or three young forwards in the league,&rdquo; Hartsburg said. &ldquo;He will have to be at his best if we are going to be a successful team.&rdquo;</p><p>Hartsburg, a former NHL defenseman, preaches a strong defensive system, although he insists there is room for the kind of creativity Roenick brings to the arena.</p><p>&ldquo;But there is a lot that a player has to understand,&rdquo; Hartsburg said. &ldquo;If they continue to try something and it only works one out of 10 times, you aren&rsquo;t helping the team.&rdquo;</p><p>Most of what Roenick has tried during his seven-season career has worked. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the model for how hockey should be played,&rdquo; said Chuck Grillo, the San Jose Sharks&rsquo; director of player development. &ldquo;He plays hard, maybe too hard.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01527/10277027-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg" title="f0050-01" width="1548" height="2456"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Roenick is as proud as ever to wear the Blackhawks&rsquo; jersey, despite the turmoil.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Marco Campaneli/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>By refusing to ever give ground, Roenick frequently finds himself in the kind of physical encounters that many stars avoid on the ice. The same could be said off the ice. Never known to back down from any of his causes, he says he probably won&rsquo;t change.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a warrior,&rdquo; Abbott said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s always very direct with his comments. There is no subterfuge. You know where you stand with Jeremy.&rdquo;</p><p>He says he has had some time to reflect this summer, as he continued to rehabilitate his injury. &ldquo;The knee feels great, no stiffness, no soreness,&rdquo; he said.</p><p>No soreness, either, directed at Hatcher for the injury-causing hit. &ldquo;Things like that happen,&rdquo; Roenick said. &ldquo;He didn&rsquo;t come to take out my knee. But he was coming to nail me.&rdquo;</p><p>From his season of discontent, Roenick says he has taken some lessons. &ldquo;My eyes have opened to the fact that hockey really is a business,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know what my future is and that&rsquo;s just pro sports.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;How does he feel about wearing the Hawks&rsquo; sweater? &ldquo;Exactly the same,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I still want to help this team win the Stanley Cup, maybe even more than I did before.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0048-01

FEATURES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0121-0257/10278243-1-eng-US/f0121-022.jpg" title="f0121-02" width="725" height="1106"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0121-0193/10278250-1-eng-US/f0121-012.jpg" title="f0121-01" width="142" height="133"></div><p>You don&rsquo;t have to be good all the time, just at the right time.</p><p>The New Jersey Devils demonstrated that last season when they snoozed through the regular season and then won the Stanley Cup with a four-game sweep over the favored Detroit Red Wings in the final.</p><p>The Devils won it by managing to avert some disasters in their player ranks. Consider captain Scott Stevens signed an offer sheet with the St. Louis Blues for $17 million in the off-season which the Devils had to match. The hulking defenseman then proceeded to have an off-season and was cranky with just about everyone around him.</p><p>And goalie Martin Brodeur, unhappy with his $140,000 stipend, took the team to arbitration a year after being named the NHL&rsquo;s top rookie. He somehow managed to not let his personal circumstances affect his play.</p><p>Finally there were constant rumors of the team packing the pick-up trucks and heading off to Nashville. That could have been a fatal distraction.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0121-0340/10278236-1-eng-US/f0121-032.jpg" title="f0121-03" width="1526" height="2254"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER MARTIN BRODEUR</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>The turning point for a mediocre team came when it acquired 35-year-old center Neal Broten from the Dallas Stars. The Devils were 7-7-4 when they got the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Broten and went 15-11-4 down the stretch.</p><p>That gave way to a playoff run in which the Devils became the first team to win the Cup without home-ice advantage in any series The way they played in the final, they probably would have swept the Red Wings in a best-ot-21.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 22-18-8, second in Atlantic, ninth overall, won Stanley Cup 4-0 over Detroit. Power play: 13.4 per cent (23rd overall). Penalty killing: 81.2 per cent (16th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Mike Dunham, G; Jason Smith, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Hangover recovery. One of the biggest difficulties the New York Rangers had after winning the Stanley Cup was dealing with all of the hoopla surrounding the victory. But even though the Meadowlands is just seven miles from Madison Square Garden, it might as well be 1,000. The Devils won&rsquo;t be subject to nearly the attention and scrutiny the Rangers were. But the Devils still must stay focused and not let distractions get in the way.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0122-0198/10278229-1-eng-US/f0122-012.jpg" title="f0122-01" width="2559" height="3349"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Jim Mclssac/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>1. Development of the youth corps. Right winger Bill Guerin and defenseman Scott Niedermayer were integral to the Devils&rsquo; success in the playoff&rsquo;s and must continue to expand their contributions as veterans take on lesser roles. A potential offensive force, Niedermayer has been forced to alter his game to fit coach Jacques Lemaire&rsquo;s defensive system. He was the Devils&rsquo; most consistent defenseman. Guerin slipped a bit after scoring 25 goals in 199394</p><p>2. Contributions from veterans. Can the older players the Devils&rsquo; relied so heavily on do it all again or will they consider winning the Cup the apex of their careers and slip into neutral? Claude Lemieux, the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP, scored six goals in 45 games last season.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Brodeur is one of the best goalies in the game-if not the best. The 23-year-old Montreal native can&rsquo;t complain about being worked-the Devils only allowed 30 or more shots 11 times in the regular season and five times kept the opposition under 20. What he was able to do best was come up with big saves after long periods of inactivity. Chris Terreri is a dependable backup, but will be pressed by either Mike Dunham or Corey Schwab. That tandem shared the MVP award in the American League playoffs after leading the Albany River Rats to the championship.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> They won the Cup without a huge center, so we acknowledge it can be done. But that doesn&rsquo;t change the fact the Devils&rsquo; No. 1 center. Broten, is 35 years old and is entering his 15th season in the NHL. Sergei Brylin will get the chance to play more, but he is 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds. Bobby Holik isn&rsquo;t a No. 1 center on his best day, although he has developed into a useful player on the Crash Line.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0123-0186/10278222-1-eng-US/f0123-012.jpg" title="f0123-01" width="1164" height="1918"><figcaption class="caption-body">Like his team, Scott Stevens saved his best for the playoffs <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Brian Rolston was considered by many a serious candidate for NHL rookie of the year prior to last season, but progressed slowly with limited playing time. He scored just seven goals and 18 points in 40 games. He dressed for six playoff games and scored twice. The 22-year-old for U.S. Olympian has been a scorer everywhere he has played and the Devils anticipate he can continue the trend at the NHL level.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> They are stacked with an embarrassment of riches. You have to like a team that wins the Stanley Cup and has enough leftover talent for its farm team to win the championship there, too. Dunham and Schwab are both considered NHL material. Then there are the players who haven&rsquo;t turned pro yet, such as left winger Denis Pederson and right winger Vadim Sharifijanov. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Pederson completed a stellar junior career with the Western League&rsquo;s Prince Albert Raiders, scoring 30 goals and 68 points in 63 games. Sharifijanov, who stands 5-foot-l 1 and is rock solid at 211 pounds, goes to the net well.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Keep things simple and straight forward is the motto of coach Jacques Le maire (117-80-32, .581). The NHL&rsquo;s coach of the year in 1993-94, Lemaire was named The Hockey News&rsquo; top coach the past two seasons. Unlike the NHL award, we take playoff performance into account. The fact he played on eight Stanley Cup winners gave him credibility with his players, who bought into his defensive system. Call it boring hockey, but it&rsquo;s a winning system.</p><p>GM Lou Lamoriello (281-255-80, .521) was responsible for acquiring 20 of the Devils&rsquo; top 23 skaters and two goalies on the championship team. Unquestionably his greatest acquisition was Lemaire, who hadn&rsquo;t coached in eight years before joining the Devils.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Devils made the playoffs once in their first 13 years, but have made it to the semifinals and won the Stanley Cup in the past two seasons.</p><h2><b>NEW JERSEY</b></h2><p>Devils&rsquo; goalie Martin Brodeur and defenseman Scott Niedermayer were among the most underpaid players in the NHL last season-even though Brodeur eventually received 5850,000 for last season in a post-Stanley Cup settlement. Here are the 1994-95 first and second all-underpaid teams, including key statistical accomplishment and full-season salary:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0123-0247/10278215-1-eng-US/f0123-022.jpg" title="f0123-02" width="977" height="1116"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0124-01102/10278208-1-eng-US/f0124-012.jpg" title="f0124-01" width="2386" height="2389"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Rokie Players&rsquo; projected totals over 84-game season)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0121-02

NHL TEAMS

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

<div class="byline">By Steve Dryden Editor-in-Chief</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0004-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012333/10276564-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">THN cartoonist Dave Elston tells you what to expect in the new season (Pg. 57).</figcaption></div><p>Preceding each hockey season, we at The Hockey News labor to bring you the best Yearbook blood and sweat can conceive.</p><p>Our nine-man editorial team pulls together everything you see on these 208 pages, the largest THN Yearbook yet. We trust you will find everything you need to know about the NHL on these pages.</p><p>Everybody contributes handsomely to the project, but there are three people behind the scenes who deserve special mention. They comprise our checking line.</p><p>Senior editor David Bean, statistics editor Trevor de Boer and editorial associate Brent Hurst perform their jobs with the same dogged determination as the New Jersey Devils&rsquo; Crunch Line of Mike Peluso, Bobby Holik and Randy McKay. They are ever-vigilant in keeping our Yearbook on the rails and can be counted on to go up and down their lanes on the computer network.</p><p>Bean, small, slow and skilled, co-ordinates all production aspects. The only thing colorful about him is his monitor, but this guy makes Steve Larmer look unreliable. Occasionally, Bean surprises with flashes of brilliance-he scored five goals in two tournament games last year-but his greatest contribution is a firmly held belief no detail is too small to receive his attention.</p><p>De Boer is tall, gangly and wears his hair like the Katzenjammer Kids. He&rsquo;s regarded as something of a boy genius. Just ask him. Thankfully, sometimes he does things to justify his faith in himself. Check out every player&rsquo;s 84-game, pro-rated games, goals, assists, points and penalty minutes from last year. That&rsquo;s Trevor&rsquo;s handiwork. They&rsquo;re on the fourth page of each team section. It&rsquo;s the perfect means of measuring 1994-95 performance against normal full-season standards.</p><p>Hurst never stops smiling (he must know something we don&rsquo;t) and is the only lawyer of our acquaintance with a perfect record. Okay, so he&rsquo;s only 2-0 in court appearances and has one year of law school left, but he can be on our Dream Team anytime. He makes a compelling argument for reading every last word on the third page of each team section. Look for his information boxes there.</p><p>The Yearbook, of course, is no three-man effort, but the members of our Big Crunch Line (they all like Kentucky Fried Chicken sandwiches) are Stanley Cup-calibre contributors in our book.</p><p>Speaking of the Cup, we are picking the Devils to repeat as playoff champions. More to the point, THN senior writer Mike Brophy is picking the Devils to win. He is l-for-2 in Stanley Cup predictions.</p><p>Two years ago, he selected the eventual-champion New York Rangers and last year he chose the Detroit Red Wings, who lost in the final series. We&rsquo;re picking the Red Wings to lose in the Western Conference final this season.</p><p>We&rsquo;d like to think the 1995-96 Yearbook is a no-lose situation.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0004-01

IN THIS ISSUE

Three men and our baby…the 1995-96 Yearbook

<div class="byline">By Les Bowen</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0006-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012572/10276633-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Eric Lindros believes he still must improve despite his Hart Trophy win.</b></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Philadelphia Flyers opened training camp on Prince Edward Island in 1992, Erie Lindros&rsquo; rookie season. There was the inevitable amount of hard work involved, but there was also a good bit of free time in which the visitors from Philadelphia could play tourist.</p><p>One day, on a seal-watching boat tour, a florid-faced older gentleman frowned on learning some of his fellow passengers were writers who covered the Flyers. The man said he didn&rsquo;t approve of Lindros refusing to sign with the Quebec Nordiques, the team which had taken him first overall in the 1991 entry draft.</p><p>&ldquo;That Lindros is going to be a bust,&rdquo; the man blustered. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t have what it takes. He&rsquo;ll never be a team player.&rdquo;</p><p>Three years later, it seems clear the man-and a great many others who held the same view-is in for a disappointment.</p><p>Lindros is the captain of the Flyers and led the team to the Stanley Cup semifinal this past spring. Over the summer, he received two league most valuable player honors, the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award. Hockey writers honored him with the Hart and the NHL Players&rsquo; Association gave him the Pearson.</p><p>The Hockey News, meanwhile, honored Lindros with its Mennen NHL MVP and Louisville NHL Player of the Year awards.</p><p>His 1995 successes came suddenly. after two years in which he generally played well, but was frustrated by injuries and losses. It is</p><p>hard to fix exactly how far Lindros has come and where he needs to go in order to gain recognition as the heir to Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky.</p><p>Lindros still shies away from such comparisons.</p><p>&ldquo;If you start believing along those lines, you might become satisfied,&rdquo; he said on the night he landed the Hart. &ldquo;I certainly do not want to become satisfied with what I&rsquo;ve done. I&rsquo;ve got a lot of improving to do.&rdquo;</p><p>In the Flyers&rsquo; first-round series-clinching fifth game last spring, then-Buffalo Sabres&rsquo; coach John Muckier called an early timeout. Muckier said later that he asked his players, in vain, to &ldquo;stop watching Eric play&rdquo; and to get something going for themselves.</p><p>In the next round, Lindros dominated his boyhood idol, Mark Messier, as the Flyers swept the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers.</p><p>But then, just as quickly, Lindros and his Legion of Doom linemates-left winger John LeClair and right winger Mikael Renberg-were shut down by the eventual 1995 champion New Jersey Devils in six games.</p><p>During that series, New Jersey defenseman Bruce Driver remarked that he had seen Messier similarly frustrated the previous spring, during the Devils&rsquo; semifinal series with the Rangers. But Messier, Driver said, eventually found ways to break through, whereas Lindros did not.</p><p>It seemed that while Lindros, 22, could outplay Messier head-to-head, with just 172 regular-season and 12 playoff games under his belt, he was not yet Messier.</p><p>&ldquo;Well, hey, he has about a decade on me, doesn&rsquo;t he?&rdquo; Lindros said of Messier, when a reporter related Driver&rsquo;s comparison.</p><p>In fact, Messier is 34, with six Stanley Cups and two Hart Trophies to his credit. And the only way Lindros is going to learn what Messier knows is by doing it. He might need two or three more seasons and more playoff disappointments before he can truly claim dominance, in an era when &ldquo;dominant&rdquo; players seem to wax and wane every few months.</p><p>The climb to the plateau Lindros has reached has been a tough one. He held out from the Nordiques a year before being traded to the Flyers. He missed 44 games in his first three seasons due to an assortment of injuries and saw the NHL lockout last season kill 36 more. Even though his draft year is four summers gone, he is really just emerging.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s coming,&rdquo; Lindros said when the hoopla from last season had died down and he had a moment to reflect. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s still a lot to be done. I&rsquo;m 22 years old. I have a lot of tread left on the tires.&rdquo;</p><p>Some observers felt this past season&rsquo;s NHL awards should have carried an asterisk, since their winners didn&rsquo;t have to prove themselves over a full 84-game schedule.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012249/10276626-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="2700" height="3499"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012456/10276619-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="2390" height="1681"><figcaption class="caption-body">After a brilliant season and good first two playoff rounds, doomsday came for the Legion of Doom against the Devils.</figcaption></div><p>Flyers&rsquo; president and GM Bob Clarke, the only other Flyer to win the Hart Trophy, is pleased with his franchise player&rsquo;s development and how Lindros has reacted to increased pressure as the team has improved.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s scrutinized so closely.&rdquo; Clarke said. &ldquo;Everybody wants him to be what they want him to be. But I think he started out terrific and he&rsquo;s progressing at a proper rate. He&rsquo;ll be better next year and even better the year after that. He&rsquo;s a great player who&rsquo;s going to be greater.</p><p>&ldquo;He came a long way this year. He&rsquo;s playing a lol better defensively; he works harder in his own zone. His confidence (level) is higher.&rdquo;</p><p>Flyers&rsquo; coach Terry Murray said Lindros&rsquo; work ethic was a huge part of the Flyers&rsquo; improvement. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best practice player I&rsquo;ve ever seen,&rdquo; Murray said.</p><p>Carl Lindros. Eric&rsquo;s father and agent, said the main area of growth now might come off the ice.</p><p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s Eric the hockey player and there&rsquo;s Eric the leader, too.&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;With additional experience, additional age and confidence, there&rsquo;s a much greater leadership role that he can play. I think that confidence, patience, doing more to help his other players develop-that will lie the focus.&rdquo;</p><p>There are times when Lindros still seems uncomfortable as the spokesman for the Flyers. After games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Lindros resisted going into a separate interview area. Instead, he forced unwieldy groups of reporters to squeeze in around him in the Flyers&rsquo; dressing room, as he answered questions with snippets of cliches.</p><p>Privately, Flyers&rsquo; officials said Lindros didn&rsquo;t want to be separated from, or elevated above, his teammates. As he matures, he might figure out that some of his teammates would just as soon be separated for a few minutes and put their clothes on in peace, instead of having their way to their lockers obstructed.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a team player,&rdquo; Clarke said. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t relish having everything pointed at him.&rdquo;</p><p>An addendum to Lindros&rsquo; six-year contract. signed in 1992, has an interesting and revealing stipulation: &ldquo;To the greatest extent possible, the promotional opportunities of the club shall not emphasize endorsement by the player as an individual.&rdquo; one passage reads, &ldquo;but rather as part of a general club endorsement involving the participation of other players from the club.&rdquo;</p><p>At the NHL awards ceremony in July, Lindros was asked about becoming more of a spokesman for the game, assuming the mantle that comes with recognition as the game&rsquo;s top player.</p><p>&ldquo;The more people you have to carry the game, the better the game&rsquo;s going to be,&rdquo; Lindros said. &ldquo;When everybody carries it together, it makes it stronger.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got some great people to carry this game.&rdquo;</p><p>It was a sincere answer, but perhaps a naive one. Even if there is a wide group of marketable NHL stars, more will be asked of Lindros than to simply blend into their ranks.</p><p>As teammate Ron Hextail recently put it: &ldquo;Mario took a year off and Gretzky is fading. Right now, he&rsquo;s hockey. When a lot of people think of hockey, they think of Eric Lindros.&rdquo;</p><p>But Clarke said he believes people who want to pick at flaws in Lindros&rsquo; development, on or off the ice, should cut to the bottom line.</p><p>&ldquo;Nobody has come into the National Hockey League-not Gretzky, not Lemieux, not anybody-under the pressure that Eric Lindros is under,&rdquo; Clarke said. &ldquo;The best players in the game have had to fail before they&rsquo;ve won.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the best player in the league and he&rsquo;s 22.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0006-01

ERIC’S ERA

<div class="byline">By Dave Molinari</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012436/10276678-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>I</span></b>t wasn&rsquo;t supposed to be a boast. Or a threat. Or a warning. Just a simple statement of purpose. But nine words Mario Lemieux uttered while announcing he plans to resume his playing career this fall had to spawn a cold sweat among opponents he had tormented during his first decade in the NHL.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not coming back,&rdquo; Lemieux said, &ldquo;to be an average player.&rdquo;</p><p>No, what he has in mind is lifting his game back to the level it reached when he supplanted Wayne Gretzky as the league&rsquo;s premier talent. Higher, maybe.</p><p>After all, Lemieux appears to be in the best condition of his career and is optimistic the hurdles imposed by a bout with Hodgkin&rsquo;s disease and chronic back problems have been cleared.</p><p>&ldquo;I feel I have recuperated from the radiation 100 per cent and my back has made tremendous progress (in 1995),&rdquo; he said.</p><p>And so, barring a medical relapse-or surprise retirement-during training camp, there will be a No. 66 in Pittsburgh&rsquo;s lineup this fall for the first time since April, 1994.</p><p>That doesn&rsquo;t mean the guy wearing that sweater is guaranteed that he&rsquo;ll be able to add to his legend, instead of just living off it. Or that, despite playing a restricted schedule, he will be able to earn a fifth scoring championship. Or even that he&rsquo;ll be a regular contributor for Pittsburgh.</p><p>Nothing should be taken for granted until Lemieux again is performing against NHL competition on a regular basis, of course, but there&rsquo;s little question about what his teammates expect.</p><p>They watched him win a scoring title in 1992-93 after missing a month in mid-season while undergoing radiation treatments for cancer, so they figure he&rsquo;s capable of almost anything.</p><p>&ldquo;He was the best player in the world and he still can be,&rdquo; said former linemate Kevin Stevens, now with the Boston Bruins. &ldquo;If he&rsquo;s feeling better, nobody knows what he can do.&rdquo;</p><p>Many players might have their games go permanently out of sync if they sat out an entire season, as Lemieux did, but Lemieux seems to operate under a different set of rules.</p><p>It became clear long ago he does not have the pedigree-or the limitations-of an average player. It should surprise no one, then, that the only worries those close to Lemieux have about the superstar center concern his health, not his hands.</p><p>&ldquo;If his back holds up. he can be the player he was before,&rdquo; said former Penguins&rsquo; defenseman Larry Murphy. &ldquo;I really believe that, without a doubt.&rdquo;</p><p>Still, it&rsquo;s entirely possible Lemieux&rsquo;s return will cause some problems for the Penguins. A year ago. some of the players insisted it was good that Lemieux announced he would sit out the entire 1994-95 season, because that eliminated the day-to-day uncertainty about whether he would be in the lineup.</p><p>Those doubts will return this season, however, because Lemieux already has said he expects to play only 60-70 games. He plans to skip back-to-back games and some long road trips to avoid taxing his back and there might be other times when aches or fatigue will force him from the lineup.</p><p>That means Pittsburgh&rsquo;s line combinations will be subject to frequent shuffling, which obviously does nothing to enhance stability.</p><p>It&rsquo;s not as if coach Ed Johnston will be able to take Lemieux&rsquo;s linemates, regardless of who draws that duty, and simply stick a spare-parts center between them on the nights Lemieux sits.</p><p>Still, the Penguins contend whatever personnel juggling is required to accommodate Lemieux, it will be a small sacrifice to make for getting him out of a luxury box and onto the bench.</p><p>&ldquo;Any time a guy like that plays, it&rsquo;s a bonus,&rdquo; Stevens said. &ldquo;People have made a big deal about (the Penguins) not having a set lineup, but I don&rsquo;t agree.</p><p>&ldquo;This is different. There&rsquo;s a plan. Before (the team) never knew.</p><p>Lemieux, who never had much of a passion for conditioning in previous years, appears to have recognized that being in shape could be critical to the success of his comeback.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012373/10276671-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="1127" height="2263"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Mario Lemieux is hoping to spend less time on the links and more in rinks.</b></figcaption></div><p>By most accounts, he has been diligent and disciplined in adhering to his workout regimen since last winter. Those who know him feel his body is better-honed than at any point in his career.</p><p>That kind of preparation should enhance the chances Lemieux can again be a dominant force in the league.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;ll have an opportunity to train for all of the off-season, an opportunity to go through a full training camp,&rdquo; said Murphy, who became a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a summer trade. &ldquo;It wouldn&rsquo;t be same as Michael Jordan coming back (to the National Basketball Association&rsquo;s Chicago Bulls).&rdquo;</p><p>Jordan, who resumed his basketball career as the NBA&rsquo;s 1994-95 regular season was winding down, couldn&rsquo;t quite hoist his team back to a championship level. It remains to be seen if Lemieux can manage such a feat during the coming campaign.</p><p>The Penguins&rsquo; off-season was in its infancy when Lemieux declared the team is &ldquo;probably four or five players&rdquo; from being a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup.</p><p>Pittsburgh GM Craig Patrick called that &ldquo;a fair assessment,&rdquo; although the Penguins&rsquo; depth chart probably got the biggest upgrade possible when Lemieux decided to return.</p><p>He puts up points at a blistering pace-1,211 in 599 career games-and his value is evidenced by the Penguins&rsquo; won-lost record.</p><p>They are 295-254-56 when Lemieux is in the lineup, 110110-31 when he is scratched. And because the bulk of the games he has sat out have come in this decade, when the Penguins&rsquo; lineups have been the strongest in team history, even those numbers do not quite capture his true value.</p><p>There is no question about what Lemieux has meant to the franchise-it probably would be based in another city if he hadn&rsquo;t come along in 1984-but a more pressing issue is what he&rsquo;ll be able to add to the Penguins&rsquo; lineup during the coming season.</p><p>Until they see otherwise, the Penguins are counting on him to provide the same volatile dimension that has tormented so many opponents since he entered the league. He has a quick-strike capability few players, if any, can match.</p><p>&ldquo;When we&rsquo;re down a goal or even a couple, Mario can get on the ice and score a couple of goals quick,&rdquo; said Penguins&rsquo; goalie Ken Wregget. &ldquo;He can change the face of a game very quickly.&rdquo;</p><p>If Lemieux returns to his customary^ form, containing world-class talents such .2 as Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, Luc Robi-s taille might become a secondary concern for other teams. Accomplished and dangerous as all of those forwards are, none has the lethal potential of Lemieux. None can break a game open singlehandedly with the same awe-inspiring talent.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-012035/10276664-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="2412" height="1545"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>When opponents such as Curtis Leschyshyn key on Lemieux, it gives the other Penguins&rsquo; top guns a chance to shine.</b></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;When you have the presence of a player like that, he brings a lot of respect to your team,&rdquo; said Robitaille, who hasn&rsquo;t had the pleasure of playing with Lemieux since being acquired in the summer 1994 from the Los Angeles Kings.</p><p>&ldquo;Anytime he&rsquo;s on the ice or dressing for a game, every team has to change its whole game. No one can look at our team the same way now. The way Jagr and Francis played&hellip;as strong offensively as we were this year, we&rsquo;ll be scary next year.&rdquo;</p><p>Indeed, the possibilities have to be frightening for the other 25 teams in the NHL. As formidable as Lemieux was during the first phase of his career, thoughts of what he might be able to do when he is fit and motivated must all but paralyze the people charged with finding a way to hold him in check this winter.</p><p>Lemieux learned early in his career that hockey is a team game-a weak supporting cast kept him out of the playoffs until his fifth pro season-but getting him back could prove to be the most important step Pittsburgh could take toward winning its third Stanley Cup of the 1990s.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-01

MARIO’S BACK

<div class="byline">&#x2014;Richard Beales</div><p>Mario Lemieux&rsquo;s comeback isn&rsquo;t the only return this year by a star athlete after a significant period of absence.</p><p>In baseball, Ron Gant has overcome year off (1994) due to a severe leg break. Gant, twice a 30-home-run/30-steal-man, was on pace to again reach those totals with the Cincinnati Reds. Hockey Ken Dryden (contract dispute);</p><p>Basketball superstar Michael Jordan retired at the peak of his game after 1992-93 to pursue a baseball career. He was making progress, but gave it up this spring to return to the National Basketball Association&rsquo;s Chicago Bulls.</p><p>Less certain is whether championship results will come from the returns of Monica Seles-now back to the women&rsquo;s tennis tour two years after being stabbed by a fan in Hamburg, Germany-and former heavy weight boxing champion Mike Tyson, just out of prison after a sexual assault term.</p><p>Joe Montana, who quarterbacked the National Football League&rsquo;s San Francisco &rsquo;49ers to four Super Bowls, underwent back surgery and missed the 1991 season and all but one game of the &rsquo;92 campaign, He returned to play for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993 and &rsquo;94, but his days of a glory were past. Montana retired after the 1994 season.</p><p>Other prominent athletes to miss significant time and return to their sports include:</p><p><b>Hockey</b> Ken Dryden (contract dispute); Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur and Jacques Plante (retirement); Cam Neely, Pat LaFontaine, and John MacLean (injuries).</p><p><b>Baseball</b> Tommy John, Dave Winfield and Bo Jackson (injuries); Ted Williams (enlistment in U.S. Air Force during Second World War).</p><p><b>Football</b> Randall Cunningham and Frank Gifford (injuries); Paul Hornung and Alex Karras (suspensions).</p><p><b>Basketball</b> Sidney Moncrief and Dave Cowens (injuries); Robert Reid, Bob Cousy and Kermit Washington (retirement).</p><p><b>Boxing</b> Muhammad Ali (prison term for draft evasion).<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Big year in sports for big comebacks

<div class="byline">By Cynthia Lambert</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0018-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011998/10276740-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Sergei Fedorov entered the NHL in 1990-91 wondering what he could do.</p><p>In 1993-94, the Detroit Red Wings&rsquo; star center showed what was possible when he won the Hart and Selke Trophies. The honors demonstrated he was the game&rsquo;s most valuable player and its best two-way performer. He was on top.</p><p>One year and another playoff disappointment later, he has been nudged from his perch.</p><p>&ldquo;I think Sergei realizes the importance of it, of performing well in the playoffs especially,&rdquo; says Wings&rsquo; captain Steve Yzerman. &ldquo;The last couple of years he has learned and I believe he really cares.&rdquo;</p><p>While Fedorov was surrendering his Hart Trophy to Eric Lindros of the Philadelphia Flyers, there were allegations his heart may not have been as big as required when it counted. The four-game sweep in the final at the hands of the New Jersey Devils had some wondering what kind of player the Russian really is.</p><p>Coach Scotty Bowman defends his top center, chuckling at those who question the player&rsquo;s ability or desire.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not getting as much ice time as he used to,&rdquo; Bowman says. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s fine.&rdquo;</p><p>Fedorov hasn&rsquo;t begun to doubt his ability, despite his lack of consistency during the season. He dipped to 16th overall in scoring (20 goals, 50 points) after a second-place finish a year ago and was just plus-6 on a team that scored 63 more goals than it allowed. There was clearly a perception in the hockey world Fedorov took a step backwards as he finished fifth among centers in all-star balloting, garnering just one third-place vote.</p><p>Fedorov attributes some of the fall-off to the cautious style the Wings played. The previous campaign, he was a free spirit on the ice, following his instincts more than a plan.</p><p>&ldquo;This season I didn&rsquo;t play that style, no question,&rdquo; Fedorov says. &ldquo;We had different goals for the team. I know I can still do the same things, but we wanted to do things as a team. I have confidence in myself no matter what happens. I never lost the confidence.&rdquo;</p><p>But will Fedorov be a player to lead his team to greatness, or is he a one-hit phenom who is extraordinary only on occasion? And would the perception be different if the Wings had won the Cup?</p><p>&ldquo;A lot of it depends on the circumstances,&rdquo; Yzerman says. &ldquo;Look at Neal Broten. He was with Dallas and Minnesota before going to New Jersey. What if that trade didn&rsquo;t happen? Would he be any different as a person or a player? I don&rsquo;t look at it as fair or unfair. It&rsquo;s just there.&rdquo;</p><p>And it will be there for Fedorov each year until he leads his team to a championship.</p><p>&ldquo;He is definitely the type of player who can lead in a big roll,&rdquo; says Wings&rsquo; defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov. &ldquo;But Sergei cannot win by himself. Anytime a team wins it is because of a team effort.&rdquo;</p><p>The 1995 season-particularly the play-offs-was Fedorov&rsquo;s time to rise to the occasion. Granted, he is only 25, but he also is Detroit&rsquo;s franchise player.</p><p>&ldquo;A great player could have won Game 2 or 3 (of the final),&rdquo; Fedorov admits. &ldquo;But a great player could not have won the Stanley Cup. Every play, the best players, the middle players, the goaltenders, the defense has to play well. The best player plays his best game when everyone does his job.</p><p>&ldquo;Even in the end of the finals, we still couldn&rsquo;t get our system to work. We ran out of gas. We ran out of composure. Everybody just stopped doing their jobs.&rdquo;</p><p>Fedorov&rsquo;s post-season numbers were decent. He had seven goals and a league-leading 24 points in 17 playoff games and was second in plus-minus at plus-13. But what was missing were the key goals. He didn&rsquo;t get enough of them. And when the Wings lost Game 4 of the final, Fedorov brushed past reporters.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0020-011752/10276733-1-eng-US/f0020-012.jpg" title="f0020-01" width="2390" height="2022"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Sergei Fedorov says a separated left shoulder limited his effectiveness in the final two rounds of the playoffs last season.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;I have nothing to say,&rdquo; he mumbled as he left the dressing room. &ldquo;I really have nothing to say.&rdquo;</p><p>It was an atypical move for Fedorov, whose personality is of the more easy-going style than of the tightly-wound.</p><p>&ldquo;I was just so sad,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;At that time I thought I could have done better, we could have done better. I thought we could have fought a little longer, a little harder.</p><p>&ldquo;I know people stereotype in the NHL, saying you can&rsquo;t win the Cup unless you&rsquo;re on a really good team. But there&rsquo;s also the chemical balance of the team. That has to be there, too.&rdquo;</p><p>That&rsquo;s the clincher. The Wings seemed to have chemistry. But the lines of communication got crossed and even something as innate and routine as celebrating a goal became a divider instead of something to help the team jell.</p><p>When Fedorov scored late in the third period of Game 3 against the Devils to make it a 5-1 New Jersey lead, his actions were received coolly. Immediately after scoring the goal in the lost cause, Fedorov broke into a celebratory dance. He was the only one on the ice celebrating.</p><p>Moments later, when Yzerman scored, the team captain showed little emotion at getting a meaningless goal. Yzerman&rsquo;s reaction was acceptable; Fedorov&rsquo;s was questioned by some observers.</p><p>&ldquo;I scored a goal, I worked hard for it,&rdquo; Fedorov says. &ldquo;No one can take it away. And I say 5-1 is better than 5-0. I thought at that time that we can build from that goal, get some different emotions, if not for that game, but for the next game. Why shouldn&rsquo;t I celebrate?</p><p>&ldquo;In Game 4, I scored and I celebrated. I assisted on the goal that gave us the lead in that game. Why should I not celebrate after any goal?&rdquo;</p><p>Fedorov&rsquo;s attitude is either masked by the language difference or it just plain is not what hockey fans are used to.</p><p>What they are used to is seeing their heroes play through injuries, something Fedorov did in the post season. He sustained a separated left shoulder in Game 3 of the Western Conference final against the Chicago Blackhawks. A left-handed shot, Fedorov missed the next game, but was back in the lineup for Game 5, in which he set up the game-winner.</p><p>&ldquo;I gave everything I could,&rdquo; Fedorov said. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t able to do more. If we&rsquo;re talking about my shoulder, that&rsquo;s one of the reasons. It was the most painful injury of my career. At some points I went to the bench because I (couldn&rsquo;t) breathe.</p><p>&ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t able to carry the puck end-to end because at that time because it took too much from me. I just couldn&rsquo;t do it physically. I knew 1 couldn&rsquo;t do it, so I didn&rsquo;t try.</p><p>&ldquo;But this playoffs, it was a good experience, a golden experience. We have to learn from it, myself included.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0018-01

THE REAL WING?

<div class="byline">By Michael Ulmer</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0021-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0021-011404/10276785-1-eng-US/f0021-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>All the elements are in place for Alexandre Daigle to have a stellar season.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Alexandre Daigle is ready. He can feel it.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m working out already,&rdquo; laughs the Ottawa Senators&rsquo; third-year-center. &ldquo;You should see my stomach, I&rsquo;m cut.&rdquo;</p><p>Daigle is serious for a moment. &ldquo;Is this the year I break through? I hope so, I think so. Two years like the ones I had was long enough.&rdquo;</p><p>You can&rsquo;t blame Daigle for being unsure whether he will finally piece together a premium season; pegging a breakthrough player is one of the diciest bets in sports.</p><p>First, to be a breakthrough player, the athlete must have faced some measure of adversity early in his career. Those results must be stacked up against the player&rsquo;s age, his line-mates, the team&rsquo;s style of play and the player&rsquo;s ice time.</p><p>And those are the measurable elements. Throw in a boatload of intangibles: Does the player fight through checks? Does he show good hockey sense? Has he been worn down by losing?</p><p>Forecast the answers to all those questions and you&rsquo;ve got a shot at picking a break-through player. Maybe.</p><p>The term breakthrough player is in itself subjective. Can players who posted encouraging rookie seasons-Anaheim Mighty Ducks&rsquo; Paul Kariya and San Jose Sharks&rsquo; Jeff Friesen come to mind-be listed as breakthrough players on the basis of the leap in scoring totals they are likely to incur in their second seasons?</p><p>Is the term reserved for players who struggled in their first couple of seasons?</p><p>In the end, we decided success could not eliminate players from our list, but we sought out players whose performance seemed likely to surge after difficult times.</p><p>Hence Kariya and Friesen earn honorary mentions.</p><p>We also broke down break-through players into three categories: should break through, could break through and players who because of advanced age or snail-like progress, need to break through this season.</p><p>Daigle sits atop the should-breakthrough list. While Alexei Yashin has been by far the better player the first two years, Daigle actually outscored Yashin 11 even-strength goals to 10 last season.</p><p>Daigle was using his electrifying speed to charge to the net for the first extended period in his career last year.</p><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if it was the coaches who kept on telling me or just feeling ready to do it, but I know I went to the net a lot more late last season and it really helped,&rdquo; Daigle said.</p><p>All the portents for a successful season point to Daigle&rsquo;s breakthrough year. He remains a spectacularly fast player whose gifts haven&rsquo;t been jeopardized by injury.</p><p>While the results of his first two seasons have been middling, nobody questions Daigle&rsquo;s commitment. He has made himself a serviceable face-off man and thanks to steady training, will enter his third training camp at 190 pounds, 15 pounds heavier than he weighed as a rookie.</p><p>Most importantly, he began flashing the off-ice maturity that often parlays into on-ice success. Daigle earned the respect of veterans who criticized the play of both Yashin and Daigle in late February. Yashin&rsquo;s agent, Mark Gandler, slagged the Senators&rsquo; Troy Murray, Chris Dahlquist and Randy Cunney-worth when they questioned Yashin&rsquo;s play, but the veterans were just as critical of Daigle.</p><p>Daigle, by comparison, told the veterans he would play harder, refused to answer the criticism publicly and even rebuked his father when he defended him. For good measure, Daigle played the best hockey of his NHL career after the veterans went public.</p><p>Also likely to break through this season is talented Edmonton center Jason Arnott. Arnott feuded with former coach George Burnett and showed occasional flashes of immaturity, as should be expected of a 20-year-old, but he is only a season removed from a 33-goal rookie campaign.</p><p>The third member of the should breakthrough club, Chris Pronger, showed the least amount of progress last season. Scouts are divided if he at best tread water or at worst, regressed, and the Hartford Whalers traded him to the St. Louis Blues in July.</p><p>Still, Pronger remains a young 6-foot-6 rearguard with nimble feet and good hockey sense. Pronger&rsquo;s game is acceptable when he is moving the puck and, given the time, he will make the correct, safe play nine times out of 10. But he has never learned the correct pace to play 20-25 minutes a game nor shaken a habit of dawdling on his way to fetch a puck deep in his own end.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0022-011636/10276778-1-eng-US/f0022-012.jpg" title="f0022-01" width="1578" height="2594"><figcaption class="caption-body">Young defensemen such as Chris Pronger usually take longer to break through. <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>SHOULD BREAK THROUGH:</b></h2><p><b>Alexander Daigle, 20, Center</b></p><p><b><i>OTTAWA SENATORS</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 130 Goals: 36 Points: 88</b></p><p>For the first time in his career, Daigle is playing without fear, charging the net with authority and creating chances from somewhere other than the periphery. Daigle recorded nine goals and 19 points in the Senators&rsquo; last 20 games.</p><p><b>Jason Arnott, 20, Center</b></p><p><b><i>EDMONTON OILERS</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 119 Goals: 36 Points: 105</b></p><p>Forget last season, Arnott and Burnett were never on the same page. Arnott is a big booster of new coach Ron Low and with a gradually evolving cast that includes sniping right winger David Oliver, Arnott seems poised to better his rookie goal total of 33.</p><p><b>Chris Pronger, 20, Defense</b></p><p><b>ST. <i>LOUIS BLUES</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 123 Goals: 10 Points: 39</b></p><p>In the eyes of many NHL scouts, Pronger&rsquo;s relatively slow progress has been balanced by the extra demands of playing defense.</p><p>He remains a startling physical prospect whose major faults-an inability to pace himself and a habit of lagging to retrieve shoot-ins-are imminently correctable.</p><p>Honorable mention: Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks; Jeff Friesen, San Jose Sharks; Bryan Smolinski, Pittsburgh Penguins.</p><h2><b>COULD BREAK THROUGH:</b></h2><p><b>Jason Dawe, 22, Left Wing</b></p><p><b><i>BUFFALO SABRES</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 73 Goals: 13 Points: 24</b></p><p>NHL scouts feel that the Sabres&rsquo; Dawe, who spent the lion&rsquo;s share of the 1994-95 season at left wing, is actually far more suited to play the right side. His play is reminiscent of that of the New York Islanders&rsquo; Steve Thomas; he is undersized but fast, strong in the upper body and courageous near the net.</p><p>Playing his natural position with a gifted center such as Pat LaFontaine could easily push Dawe past the 25-goal plateau.</p><p><b>Brian Savage, 24, Center</b></p><p><b><i>MONTREAL CANAD ENS</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 39 Goals: 13 Points: 20</b></p><p>The Canadiens&rsquo; Savage brings a laudable understanding of the game and excellent hand skills. Along with the incoming Saku Koivu of Finland, Savage is being pegged as a key to rejuvenating a stagnant Montreal offense.</p><p>That may be a bit of a stretch. Savage will likely never emerge as a prolific scorer, but seems ready to evolve into an extremely effective two-way player who can deliver 15-20 quality minutes a game.</p><p>Honorable mention: Kenny Jonsson, Toronto Maple Leafs; Valeri Bure, Montreal Canadiens; Stanislav Neckar, Ottawa Senators.</p><h2><b>NEED TO BREAK THROUGH:</b></h2><p><b>Roman Oksiuta, 25, Right wing</b></p><p><b><i>VANCOUVER CANUCKS</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 47 Goals: 17 Points: 23</b></p><p>The Canucks&rsquo; Oksiuta has stayed in the NHL despite inconsistent drive and mediocre skating because he has marvellous hands. The problem is, Oksiuta&rsquo;s lethargic skating often hampers his ability to get into the action. In Vancouver, he seemed to be evolving into the type of player many had forecasted in Edmonton. At 25, there won&rsquo;t be many more NHL years left for him if he doesn&rsquo;t.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0024-011570/10276771-1-eng-US/f0024-012.jpg" title="f0024-01" width="1570" height="2508"><figcaption class="caption-body">The Montreal Canadiens expect center Brian Savage to be a solid contributor. <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Rob Niedermayer, 20, Center</b></p><p><b><i>FLOR DA PANTHERS</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 111 Goals: 13 Points: 36</b></p><p>Niedermayer has made no discernible progress in two NHL seasons. Now that Roger Neilson-notorious for his reluctance to give young players a lot of ice time-is gone, Niedermayer should be given every opportunity to shine. His high draft ranking (fifth overall in 1993) and his obvious skating skill are reason enough not to give up on him yet.</p><p><b>Chris Gratton, 20, Center</b></p><p><b><i>TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING</i></b></p><p><b>Games: 129 Goals: 20 Points: 69</b></p><p>Like Niedermayer and Arnott, Gratton & endured a miserable sophomore season, but | doesn&rsquo;t have Niedermayer&rsquo;s skating or Arnott&rsquo;s touch. Coming off a dispiriting seven goal season, Gratton must begin to evolve.</p><p>Honorable mention: Sergei Krivokrasov, Chicago Blackhawks; Zigmund Palffy, New York Islanders; Scott Lachance, New York Islanders.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0021-01

BREAK-OUT PATTERN

<div class="byline">By Damien Cox</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011586/10276823-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Rocky Widner)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>F</b>elix Potvin spends at least eight months a year working behind a mask. When the work&rsquo;s done, he goes looking for a place to hide.</p><p>It&rsquo;s not that the Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; goalie has anything to hide. His easy-going life seems to preclude mystery and intrigue. Potvin&rsquo;s getaway is a cabin near Thetford Mines, Que., and a small fishing craft in which he finds peace away from the hockey wars. There&rsquo;s a telephone in the cabin, but the rings usually go unheard.</p><p>Try to find Potvin during the summer months and you hit a brick wall. His agent, Gilles Lupien, often calls fruitlessly for days before finally making contact with one of his biggest clients. The Cat, however, does make the odd appearance.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sitting there on my deck and I see a boat out on the lake and then the two guys in the boat start blaring this horn and waving like crazy,&rdquo; says Leafs&rsquo; coach Pat Burns, who has his own cottage on the Quebec-Vermont border. &ldquo;I thought it was two guys trying to find out where I lived, but as they got closer, I saw it was Felix and his dad. They came in for a while, we shot the breeze and then they left to do more fishing. He&rsquo;s like me. He just wants to find his little comer of the world.&rdquo;</p><p>Fishing and quiet, two of the joys of Potvin&rsquo;s life, stand in contrast to Potvin the masked avenger; the cold-blooded puck thief who has given the Maple Leafs their best and most consistent goal-tending in 20 years. I</p><p>If there were, however, a summer when Potvin might feel like running away instead of just getting away, this might be it. According to Lupien, Potvin felt the heat of a disappointing season.</p><p>&ldquo;He was sad,&rdquo; Lupien says. &ldquo;He felt like he was working hard and not doing that bad, but he couldn&rsquo;t do it all himself. He would say, &rsquo;Geez, I can&rsquo;t score the goals.&rsquo; He wants to be the best in the world, you have to understand, but he was getting 35 to 40 shots every night and feeling a lot of pressure.&rdquo; I</p><p>Whether it&rsquo;s reality or perception, there&rsquo;s a belief Potvin has never quite been able to match his play of 1992-93, when he seized the No. 1 goaltending job and backstopped the upstart Leafs to within one win of the Stanley Cup final. There are those who feel that while the Chicoutimi Sagueneens&rsquo; product is still a first-rate netminder, he has at best maintained his level of play while other young goalies have eclipsed him.</p><p>In Potvin&rsquo;s great rookie season, he had a 2.50 goals-against average and 11 playoff wins. In his sophomore season, the average jumped to a still-respectable 2.89, he posted three shutouts in the first-round playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks, then struggled off and on in the next two rounds before the Leafs were eliminated in the conference final by the Vancouver Canucks.</p><p>Last season, in a year when goals were scarce and netminding numbers microscopic, Potvin&rsquo;s average crept up slightly to 2.91 and backup Damian Rhodes posed his best challenge yet to Potvin&rsquo;s role as No. 1.</p><p>&ldquo;I would suggest that last year Felix had an average season,&rdquo; says Leafs&rsquo; GM Cliff Fletcher. &ldquo;But fans in Toronto have become accustomed to the superlative from him. He&rsquo;s still one of the good goalies in the game, he&rsquo;s 23 years old and he has already played 46 playoff games. It&rsquo;s amazing the experience and success he has had in such a short time.</p><p>&ldquo;Besides, if we&rsquo;re going to start doubting Felix, who aren&rsquo;t we going to doubt?&rdquo;</p><p>The Leafs have staked their future and championship dreams on Potvin. That means he&rsquo;ll have to find the next level, the sphere occupied by men who are able to carry teams to championships. They are the goalies who, for example, do what Martin Brodeur has done for the New Jersey Devils.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0028-011563/10276816-1-eng-US/f0028-012.jpg" title="f0028-01" width="1248" height="1730"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Felix Potvin is among the NHL&rsquo;s best at adapting to opponents&rsquo; strategies.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Rocky Widner)</span></figcaption></div><p>Brodeur was drafted 11 slots ahead of Potvin in 1990 and had to hone his skills in junior and the minors while Potvin was drawing rave reviews as a Leaf freshman. But in the past two years, Brodeur has captured two chunks of silverware Potvin has not: the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1993-94 and the Stanley Cup.</p><p>Lupien, who represents both men, disagrees with the notion Brodeur has passed Potvin.</p><p>&ldquo;If you put Brodeur with Anaheim, they would never win the Stanley Cup,&rdquo; Lupien says. &ldquo;Is it because Brodeur is no good? Good goalies are as good as the guys up front.&rdquo;</p><p>Clearly, Potvin has not been fronted by the same quality as he was during that magical late-season charge and playoff run of 1993. The loss of Bob Rouse and Sylvain Lefebvre last season and a poor campaign from Doug Gilmour contributed to a weaker squad.</p><p>In the playoffs, Potvin was sensational in Game 2 of the first-round series against the Chicago Blackhawks, but couldn&rsquo;t stem a dogged Hawks&rsquo; charge that turned a 2-0 deficit into a</p><p>seven-game triumph. When it was over, the critics focussed on Burns, Gilmour and Potvin.</p><p>&ldquo;The fans were on my back, Felix&rsquo;s back and Doug&rsquo;s back,&rdquo; Bums says. &ldquo;But you&rsquo;re never going to get away from that. That&rsquo;s the game. Felix is going to have to grow with it.</p><p>&ldquo;But you know what? I don&rsquo;t care what other people say. I don&rsquo;t think it bothered him. He&rsquo;s the type of guy who just doesn&rsquo;t worry.&rdquo;</p><p>Still, Potvin is caught in an odd place. He&rsquo;s no longer the hot young gun, but he&rsquo;s also not regarded as the game&rsquo;s best. His butterfly style invites the usual second-guessers and his so-so puck-handling skills and tendency to slump suggest there is room for improvement.</p><p>But his glove remains lightning-quick, his competitiveness is underrated and his ability to adjust to the strategies of enemy shooters-perhaps the most important skill of all-rank with the best. He and Rhodes give the Leafs more than reliable netminding entering 1995-96 and the potential for great I things exists.</p><p>Despite his tender age, Potvin is revered in Quebec junior circles, credited by youngsters such as Eric Fichaud and Martin Biron with providing inspiration. Playing with Potvin-like coolness has become a fine compliment to lay on a developing netminder.</p><p>That ability to stay level-headed has helped Potvin deal with the down times.</p><p>&ldquo;I know in Toronto he took a few punches on the nose last year,&rdquo; Lupien says. &ldquo;But just because a few newspapers say you&rsquo;re not that good, it doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re not that good. A goalie can&rsquo;t carry a whole team on (r) his back.&rdquo;</p><p>There are those, however, who sling their teams across their shoulders and carry them 8 up mountains. Fronted by an aging team^ with holes to fill, Potvin may have to do just that to re-acquire the spotlight as one of the game&rsquo;s best.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0026-01

LEAP YEAR

<div class="byline">By Herb Zurkowsky</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0031-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0031-011419/10276861-1-eng-US/f0031-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>P</span></b>ierre Turgeon will be 26 and entering his ninth NHL season this fall, true veteran territory. But he&rsquo;s as exuberant as a rookie as he prepares for his first full season with the Montreal Canadiens.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m really excited,&rdquo; says the Rouyn, Que, native. &ldquo;When I was young, I looked up to the Montreal Canadiens. When I used to be five, six, seven, eight years old, the Montreal Canadiens were the <i>A</i> big thing. There&rsquo;s so much history; (Guy) Lafleur, (Yvan) Cournoyer&hellip;you can name the guys down the list.</p><p>&ldquo;And now I&rsquo;m part of the Montreal Canadiens. It&rsquo;s a great feeling.&rdquo;</p><p>The feeling is mutual. Management is enthralled to have the slick-skating center on its side.</p><p>&ldquo;Up front, it has been a long time waiting for a francophone superstar,&rdquo; says coach Jacques Demers. &ldquo;The whole city fell in love with him. He did things we haven&rsquo;t seen in a long time.&rdquo;</p><p>There&rsquo;s no denying Turgeon, acquired with defenseman Vladimir Malakhov from the New York Islanders last April in a blockbuster trade for Kirk Muller, Mathieu Schneider and Craig Darby, provided the Canadiens with an offensive boost. He had 11 goals and 20 points in 15 games. His vision, anticipation, timing and balance changed the face of the Canadiens, bringing a modicum of excitement to a team that had become staid.</p><p>But Turgeon alone failed to provide the impetus the sagging Canadiens sorely lacked. Montreal was 6-7-2 with Turgeon and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. If the unheard of happens in 1995-96 and the Canadiens go a second consecutive season without participating in postseason play, the blame will lay firmly at the feet of the 6-foot-1, 202-pounder. He realizes this, but denies he alone can be a savior.</p><p>&ldquo;I certainly believe I have a big role in Montreal,&rdquo; Turgeon says, &ldquo;but other guys do also. Definitely there will be a lot of expectations. But look at Vincent Damphousse or Patrick Roy. There are a lot of expectations on them. Some players check and some score and make plays. But the bottom line is we&rsquo;re all pros.&rdquo;</p><p>Even playing for the defense-minded Canadiens, Turgeon believes he&rsquo;s capable of a 100-point season; it would be only the third of his career. And there&rsquo;s no denying he and linemates Damphousse and Mark Recchi provide a formidable trio, one that can rival virtually any in the NHL.</p><p>Turgeon realizes there will be pressure and the kind of scrutiny not everyone can endure. But he says he thrives being under the microscope.</p><p>It certainly won&rsquo;t be unchartered waters for him.</p><p>As the first player taken in the 1987 draft by the Buffalo Sabres, the former Granby junior learned quickly that nothing but the best would be tolerated.</p><p>The 18-year-old, however, clearly was overmatched by the expectations placed upon him by a community starved for a winner. Expected to be a franchise player, he was neither ready for the title nor comfortable with the responsibility it carried.</p><p>He had success with the Sabres, going from 14 goals to 34 and 40. He produced 106 points his third season. But Buffalo never advanced beyond the opening round of the playoffs. He was characterized as a player who choked at crunch time and was dubbed the &lsquo;Tin Man&rsquo; by a Buffalo writer for a perceived lack of heart.</p><p>Turgeon slumped his fourth season in the league and early the following year was part of a seven-player trade to the Islanders for Pat LaFontaine.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0032-011552/10276854-1-eng-US/f0032-012.jpg" title="f0032-01" width="1562" height="2290"><figcaption class="caption-body">Mark Recchi, above, gives Pierre Turgeon a proven scorer on his right side. <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Robert Laberge/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Turgeon scored a career-high 58 goals and 132 points his first full season on Long Island, won the Lady Byng Trophy and even had a decent playoff run, producing six goals and 13 points in 11 games before suffering an injury. But he slumped the following year and endured a roller-coaster season in 1995 before being traded.</p><p>He comes to the Canadiens with excess baggage, but claimed he wouldn&rsquo;t rewrite history, changing his troubled past, were that possible.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not tired of my past, what I did and I have no regrets,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I had some good times. Look at my last two years on Long Island. I&rsquo;m satisfied.&rdquo;</p><p>Demers believes he can deflect much of the pressure away from Turgeon and feels the center&rsquo;s play should take care of the rest.</p><p>&ldquo;He was a dominating player the one month</p><p>I had him,&rdquo; Demers says.&rdquo; He&rsquo;s a superstar and he&rsquo;ll play to that level next season.&rdquo;</p><p>Demers has been gifted with superb centers throughout his coaching career. He had Doug Gilmour with the St. Louis Blues and Steve Yzerman with the Detroit Red Wings. Both players excelled under Demers&rsquo; tutelage and he&rsquo;s certain Turgeon will, too. &ldquo;</p><p>&ldquo;I know what a center can bring to you. He can make things happen,&rdquo; Demers says. &ldquo;With a dominating center, you have hope for a lot of things.</p><p>&ldquo;I can do great things with a center; I improved it in the past. Pierre Turgeon is definitely going to produce.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0031-01

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

<div class="byline">By Mark Brender</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0034-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0034-011574/10276913-1-eng-US/f0034-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Scott Lerry/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>S</span>cott Stevens was understandably thrilled last summer when the St. Louis Blues tried to buy him away from the New Jersey Devils with a four-year, $17-million offer sheet. His young family had financial security for life and Stevens, on paper, would have perhaps his best chance to win a Stanley Cup with an extremely talented Blues&rsquo; team.</p><p>It didn&rsquo;t quite work out that way, though. Stevens is a lucky man for it.</p><p>Okay, he got the cash anyway when the Devils matched the offer, but cast your eyes left and try to figure out why the man is so happy. That&rsquo;s Stanley he&rsquo;s hug-^^B ging. not Abe Lincoln on a bill. It was teamwork. notmoney, that gave Stevens&rsquo; mug a chance to snuggle up with the most cherished mug in sports.</p><p>Which just goes to prove that it doesn&rsquo;t matter how much you spend preparing for war if you don&rsquo;t march together into battle. Money can&rsquo;t buy hockey happincss. folks. Come spring. richness of character is the only currency that matters.</p><p>In their ability to bring that one concept to the ice thus far, the underachieving Blues and overachieving Devils are worlds apart.</p><p>The philosophical underpinnings behind the two teams could hardly be more different if they played different sports. One builds by signing every free agent that moves, the other builds cautiously through the draft. John MacLean, Bruce Driver and Ken Daneyko had all played in New Jersey since 1983. Brett Hull is the only current Blue who played with the team pre-1990.</p><p>St. Louis lures outsiders to Missouri with lucrative long-term deals and hopes they&rsquo;ll mesh as a team; New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello often lets his players play out their contracts before resigning them, hoping they&rsquo;ll stay hungry.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0035-011439/10276906-1-eng-US/f0035-012.jpg" title="f0035-01" width="561" height="846"></div><p>The results? One habitually flops in the playoffs. The Blues lost in the first round last season to the Vancouver Canucks and haven&rsquo;t won two playoff rounds in nine years. The other, move eyes left.</p><p>The Devils&rsquo; four-game final sweep of the Detroit Red Wings, another high-payroll team, was a victory of anonymity over flash, team play over an individually talented team and ultimately, patience over purchase.</p><p>Of the top six payroll teams according to THN salary figtires-in order. Los Angeles Kings. New York Rangers. I Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis, Detroit and the Buffalo Sabres-only Detroit made it past the second round this season. This. after winning only one Bround in their previous five seasons.</p><p>Some teams will still pay huge salaries tor players they fir want badly, but the ones that do rarely win it all. It&rsquo;s tough to buy a Cup in a 26-team league and even tougher to sustain excellence that way; everyone wants to be rewarded for success. When the Devils&rsquo; name is etched on the Cup, they&rsquo;ll be the fourth team in four years to be immortalized. That hasn&rsquo;t happened since the Second World War.</p><p>There are differences among the big spenders. The Blues and Kings are the only ones who have consistently gone after big-salaried players in hope of improving. A coincidence? Not likely, since both had money to spend-or in the case of the Kings, thought they had it. Teams who can&rsquo;t go after these players just take longer to grow, says Rangers&rsquo; GM Neil Smith. Perhaps it&rsquo;s a blessing in disguise.</p><p>St. Louis had only seven of its own draft picks in the lineup and boasted the league&rsquo;s fourth-highest payroll. New Jersey had 13 of its picks on the roster with an upper-middleclass payroll that would have been positively thrifty without even half of the $5.8-million they had to pay Stevens this season to match the Blues&rsquo; offer.</p><p>Many hockey people, including Boston Bruins&rsquo; GM Harry Sinden, believe the Stanley Cup has been &ldquo;bought&rdquo; only once: by the New York Rangers in 1994. Trades to acquire Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe, Esa Tikkanen, Brian Noonan, Stephane Matteau and Craig MacTavish were all made within two years of the Cup win at a net cost of $4.1 million. The acquisitions of Glenn Anderson and Steve Larmer worked out about equal in payroll. All were valuable additions.</p><p>&ldquo;Other than (the Rangers) I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s any other club that has gone out and bought too many players,&rdquo; Sinden says.</p><p>That boils Smith&rsquo;s blood. The suggestion is that anyone could have done what the Rangers did if only they had the cash. Look at Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brian Leetch, standout goalie Mike Richter, Alexei Kovalev and Sergei Zubov, he says. All were Ranger draft picks. The catalyst was indeed Messier, the highest-paid Ranger of all-time, but Smith says the Rangers should be given credit for seeing he still had the fire when other teams didn&rsquo;t show the same interest.</p><p>&ldquo;I pride myself on being a hockey guy, not a Wall Street financial guy,&rdquo; Smith says. &ldquo;If a person wants to denigrate the trades we made by just saying they were purchases, that sounds like sour grapes to me.&rdquo;</p><p>It&rsquo;s easy to be jealous when talking about the team team that won. There are more appropriate targets in St. Louis and Los Angeles in particular, neither of which has developed comparable talent to the Rangers through their farm systems.</p><p>In the Blues&rsquo; push to get better-even before they signed free agent Dale Hawerchuk to a three-year, $7.5-million contract and gave Geoff Courtnail $6.6 million over three years, Brian Noonan $2.8 million over three years and Grant Fuhr $1.5 million over two years-the past 19 months have been one massive shopping spree. In December, 1993, the Blues&rsquo; payroll was about $14.4 million. In June, 1995, before the Hawerchuk, Courtnail, Noonan and Fuhr signings, it was $23.1 million.</p><p>&ldquo;If you show up five minutes after the (free agent) store doors open, they are in a <i>g</i> Blues&rsquo; uniform,&rdquo; Smith huffed. The nearly $9-million difference is more than it costs. to pay a team full of Ottawa Senators. Stevens would have added $5.8 million of more.</p><p>&ldquo;It is not our goal to lead the league in payroll,&rdquo; says Blues&rsquo; president Jack Quinn. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to try to put a quality team on the ice and reduce our overhead and we think that&rsquo;s possible under (GM-coach Mike) Keenan. &ldquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0037-011297/10276899-1-eng-US/f0037-012.jpg" title="f0037-01" width="1588" height="2310"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Grant Fuhr&rsquo;s tough 1994-95 didn&rsquo;t dissuade the Blues from paying big bucks.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by C.J. Relke)</span></figcaption></div><p>The Blues are letting free agent goalie Curtis Joseph shop his services before determining whether they will match any offer he receives. This is supposed to be the proof of the new-found responsibility. In the past they might have signed him right away.</p><p>&ldquo;I guess my point to you is we&rsquo;re going to try to utilize the CBA (to affect) the economies of our team,&rdquo; Quinn says.</p><p>It&rsquo;s the same argument Keenan uses to justify the Hawerchuk contract. As for the questionable signings of Peter Stastny and Guy Carbonneau for a combined $1.9 million last year, Keenan says &ldquo;no one is perfect. Every team makes mistakes. I didn&rsquo;t sign those people.&rdquo;</p><p>The Buffalo Sabres have designated this summer as a payroll retreat. The need to slash expenses was the only motivation behind letting Hawerchuk go without a fight and handing Alexander Mogilny&rsquo;s contract to the Vancouver Canucks for two young players and a draft pick. Big contracts haven&rsquo;t brought results and the vault is empty.</p><p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re trying to rectify,&rdquo; says Buffalo GM John Muckier. &ldquo;We have to come back to reality. We just have too few players tied up for the majority of our payroll. We just don&rsquo;t have any flexibility to move anywhere.&rdquo;</p><p>It wasn&rsquo;t always this way. It&rsquo;s not known exactly when payrolls diverged, but it&rsquo;s thought they were roughly equal before the salary explosion of the late 1980s and 1990s. Last fall, THN identified seven factors that led the game to the lockout and changed the financial face of the game: NHL/World Hockey Association expansion in 1979; six landmark contracts, four of which were initiated by St. Louis; the 1988 trade/sale of Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles; salary disclosure of 1990; the arrival of Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow; recent expansion with a $50-million entry fee; and the 1992 strike.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0038-011432/10276892-1-eng-US/f0038-012.jpg" title="f0038-01" width="2388" height="1647"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>New York Rangers&rsquo; general manager Neil Smith bristles at suggestions his team bought their Stanley Cup in 1994.</b></figcaption></div><p>To those we can add one more: corporate ownership.</p><p>Smith argues that until the 1980s, the Rangers were always the wealthiest team in the league because they were corporately owned. &ldquo;If you could buy the Cup, it wouldn&rsquo;t have taken the Rangers 54 years to win it,&rdquo; he says. Today at least half of the league&rsquo;s 26 teams have significant corporate ownership. For companies such as Walt Disney, which owns the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and brewer Anheuser-Busch, one of 20 corporate investors in the Blues, the question isn&rsquo;t if they have money to play with, it&rsquo;s whether they want to.</p><p>The Blues&rsquo; ownership group saved the team from moving in 1983. &ldquo;Ten years ago they put a padlock on the (arena) door,&rdquo; Keenan says. &ldquo;These people went in and saved the franchise. Nobody remembers that. Did the Montreal Canadiens ever have a padlock put on the Forum?&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;Everybody works in different types of markets with different types of desires,&rdquo; adds Wings&rsquo; vice-president Jimmy Devellano. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not critical of it. Everyone has to run their own business as they see fit. Who&rsquo;s to say that&rsquo;s wrong?&rdquo;</p><p>Actually, quite a few people. Contempt for the Blues drips from Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; owner Ed Snider: &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t been able to figure out their organization for a long time.&rdquo;</p><p>Or Edmonton Oilers&rsquo; president-GM Glen Sather, who laments the trickle-down effect of Messier&rsquo;s three-year, $18.2-million renegotiated contract as a reward for winning the Cup.</p><p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve got three players that are making more money than the guys in the NBA are making,&rdquo; Sather says. &ldquo;Why?&rdquo;</p><p>And finally, Sinden. His big beef is teams that continually renegotiate contracts or resign their own players for too much money. This accounts for the majority of all highpriced contracts. Of the top 50 paid players in the league last season according to THN salary lists, half were drafted by their current team or have been there at least five years. The only free-agent signing was Brendan Shanahan with St. Louis in 1991.</p><p>&ldquo;Where the money is being spent is to try to keep the players they have,&rdquo; Sinden says. &ldquo;They ask for it. but it doesn&rsquo;t mean they have to get it.&rdquo;</p><p>In fairness, Detroit wouldn&rsquo;t have made it to the Stanley Cup finals without giving young quality players time to develop. They had to re-sign players to avoid losing them to Group I free agency, whereby a player could deny his old club the right to match by electing equalization instead of compensation. That&rsquo;s no longer possible under the new collective bargaining agreement.</p><p>Having money to keep good players around helps build a winning team, no question, and the Ottawa Senators will never win the Cup as long as they have the lowest payroll. But if every team spent $5 million trying to acquire a Scott Stevens to push them over the Cup hump, in the wry words of Sinden, &ldquo;25 teams would be out $5 million.&rdquo;</p><p>At the end of the day winning management is all about hockey smarts, of which finances are one visible, but not primary, component. The Devils proved that. &ldquo;No money can buy the feeling we had,&rdquo; says Devils&rsquo; GM Lou Lamoriello.</p><p>&ldquo;Maybe the (question) is, &rsquo;Can you buy the chemistry?&rsquo; &ldquo;Neil Smith says. Point taken. For teams that have big payrolls, it just costs more when they dabble in bad science.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0034-01

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE

<div class="byline">By Kevin Dupont</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0041-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0041-01890/10276958-1-eng-US/f0041-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Scot Levy/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Oh, yeah, Adam Oates.</p><p>Almost forgot, didn&rsquo;t you?</p><p>Every time there&rsquo;s a naming of the names, a roll call for the NHL&rsquo;s best and brightest, it&rsquo;s easy to lose Oates in the crowd of Eric Lindros and Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Brett Hull, the stars and the superstars.</p><p>Even the itsy-bitsy Doug Gilmour and the teenie-weenie Theo Fleury, the game&rsquo;s reigning flyweights, somehow maintain higher profiles on what is a crowded surface of recognition.</p><p>&ldquo;Funny, what I do for a living involves a lot of contact,&rdquo; said the Boston Bruins&rsquo; No. 1 center toward the end of 1994-95, a season that really wasn&rsquo;t complete until he had intricate surgery in May to repair a battered hand.</p><p>&ldquo;I mean, it involves a lot of contact. And really, if you think about it, I don&rsquo;t hit anybody, but I get hit more than anyone.&rdquo;</p><p>Along with the knocks, comes, well, a certain downsizing of appreciation. While the game&rsquo;s big boys and little guys draw the attention, Oates piles up the points, but barely hears the plaudits.</p><p>In a game best suited for big and tall men, Oates is the average-sized suit hanging on the rack-sometimes hidden by the bigger, louder styles, but forever in style and perfectly fit, forever able to feather a perfect pass along the seam of a tailor&rsquo;s fine crease.</p><p>In the three seasons, 1991-94, no one in the NHL collected more points than Oates (353). Surprised? That includes Pittsburgh&rsquo;s Mario Lemieux (328), Montreal&rsquo;s Mark Recchi (327), Toronto&rsquo;s Gilmour (325) and Detroit&rsquo;s Steve Yzerman (322).</p><p>Gretzky? The Great One&rsquo;s 316 points ranked him 10th overall in that span. Calgary&rsquo;s Fleury? Way, way back at 258.</p><p>But for all his point-getting, slick-passing and check-taking, Oates has become best known in the game for his work in a partnership.</p><p>His skills stand alone, but get noticed most</p><p>when they&rsquo;re paired in a duet. He emerged as a star in the late 1980s as Brett Hull&rsquo;s set-up guy in St. Louis with the Blues. In his recent years with the Bruins, arriving in Boston during the 1992 Olympics in exchange for center Craig Janney, he instantly became Cam Neely&rsquo;s better half. The two-man act has become such a staple that a local production house recently released an instructional hockey video, &ldquo;Oates to Neely to You.&rdquo;</p><p>What, you expected him to deliver it alone?</p><p>Wherever his name goes, it never fails to get attached to someone else. Bring up his name in conversation and someone instantly will bark the name of a hard-shooting right winger. Guaranteed. Pavlov&rsquo;s dogs couldn&rsquo;t be counted on for such consistency.</p><p>&ldquo;If that&rsquo;s the way people think, fine,&rdquo; Oates said. &ldquo;But if they do, I don&rsquo;t think they understand the whole mosaic of the game. I think I&rsquo;m the only guy in NHL history to play with two guys (Hull and Neely) who&rsquo;ve scored 50 goals in 50 games. Wayne Gretzky didn&rsquo;t do that. Mario Lemieux, I don&rsquo;t think, ever did that. I&rsquo;m honored and pretty pumped up about it.&rdquo;</p><p>So there you go. Ask Oates about his skill and accomplishments and even he places them into context alongside Neely&rsquo;s and Hull&rsquo;s splendid acts. He&rsquo;s 33 years old now, with a new contract that will pay him $2 million a year for at least another three seasons, and even he can&rsquo;t break the habit of dishing off credit to his linemates. Offer him the open net for the easy unassisted goal and he immediately drops off a pass to share the credit.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great example of how tenacity and perseverance pay off,&rdquo; said Bruins&rsquo; president/GM Harry Sinden. &ldquo;To compare him to Lemieux, a guy with 200 points a year&hellip;that&rsquo;s almost impossible. To compare him with Gretzky&hellip;Adam Oates expends more energy in one game that Wayne does in 20.</p><p>&ldquo;You&rsquo;re talking about persistence. Bobby Clarke was that way, a great checker, but he didn&rsquo;t get the points Oates gets.</p><p>&ldquo;Here&rsquo;s what it comes down to: he&rsquo;s a pain in the ass when the other team has the puck and he gets a lot of points because of it.&rdquo;</p><p>Figures that a guy with two names (Oates-Neely; Oates-Hull) also would be a two-way player, doesn&rsquo;t it? While Gretzky and Lemieux have constructed their games from the red line forward, Oates has had to work the much larger stage, relying on his darting speed and clever, cerebral moves when around the net.</p><p>Gretzky has banked on the skill of his supreme trickery, his sleight-of-hand passes and his inertia-defying pullups on the wing.</p><p>Lemieux has been the more fluid Phil Esposito, far faster and more agile than the Hall-of-Fame center, but a similar commanding presence when low and between the circles. How do you score 200 points in a season? It&rsquo;s not the whole answer, but it helps to be 6-feet-4 and 210 pounds-five inches and 27 pounds bigger than the medium-sized Oates.</p><p>He&rsquo;s not Gretzky. He&rsquo;s not Lemieux. He&rsquo;s somewhere in-between, the average-sized guy playing the big man&rsquo;s game.</p><p>&ldquo;It amazes me,&rdquo; Oates said, &ldquo;that some guys get to (the NHL) level and they&rsquo;ve never learned to take a hit. How does that happen?&rdquo;</p><p>Without the love of a crosscheck to his back, a hack to his ribcage, a pounding check into the boards, Oates&rsquo; game would have been left a decade ago at the RPI campus. The rich offer to sign as a free agent in Detroit with the Red Wings never would have been a reality. His days with Hull and Oates would have gone the way of Sonny and Cher.</p><p>And to what does he owe much of this success and appreciation of the hitting game?</p><p>In a word, lacrosse.</p><p>&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t wear a facemask in lacrosse,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And there&rsquo;s a lot of hitting-so much that you almost don&rsquo;t even think about it. But you sure learn hitting in lacrosse. And if you don&rsquo;t learn something, how are you ever going to develop it as a skill?&rdquo;</p><p>Oates, who grew up around Toronto, put up some incredible numbers in his years in the Ontario Lacrosse Association, playing for the Etobicoke Eclipse. In the summer of 1981, prior to his college hockey days, he led the OLA with 79 goals and 102 assists (the familiar lopsided ratio of assists to goals) in only 19 games. The 181 points ranked 20 per-cent higher than the next best scorer.</p><p>He was voted league MVP three times and holds the OLA record for points in a game with 29.</p><p>Tom Me Vie, the assistant coach in Boston the past three seasons, was a professional lacrosse player in western Canada during the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Prior to his being dismissed by the Bruins at the end of last season, he marvelled at Oates&rsquo; on-ice skill and knew it had to trace back to the lacrosse floor.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;ll be out there-and I know this is from his lacrosse training-and Neely will throw him an 85-foot pass with some juice on it,&rdquo; McVie said. &ldquo;Adam just reaches out with one hand and cradles it in with his stick. He has the hands of a safecracker.</p><p>&ldquo;And I bet he rolls off 30 or 40 crosschecks a night. That&rsquo;s lacrosse, too&hellip;if you don&rsquo;t roll with the hit, you&rsquo;re dead. It&rsquo;s all about body twisting and relaxing against the hit. It&rsquo;s totally amazing what he does out there. He&rsquo;d never be this kind of player-and I&rsquo;d die before I said anything otherwise-if it hadn&rsquo;t been for that lacrosse training.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01958/10276951-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg" title="f0042-01" width="1582" height="1789"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Lacrosse helped Adam Oates develop his ability to give and receive passes.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Oates&rsquo; college coach, Mike Addesa, who with Oates as his No. 1 center directed the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers to the 1985 NCAA national championship, spent three seasons on Detroit&rsquo;s scouting staff in the early 1990s-long after Oates was traded from the Red Wings with Paul MacLean to the Blues for Bernie Federko and Tony McKegney.</p><p>&ldquo;The Detroit organization was really frustrated by the fact the Red Wings were constantly regular-season heroes who turned into playoff flops,&rdquo; Addesa recalled. &ldquo;I can tell you the Red Wings wanted to find a way to reacquire Adam Oates, because they saw him as a person who could be their key to the Stanley Cup.&rdquo;</p><p>Unless he wins a Cup with the Bruins in the next two or three years-provided he isn&rsquo;t dealt to Detroit or somewhere else-Oates will be another of the game&rsquo;s greats to retire without his name on the Stanley Cup.</p><p>&ldquo;You can&rsquo;t get measured in this game by how many Stanley Cups you&rsquo;ve won,&rdquo; Oates said, alluding to the greatness of Ray Bourque, who also never might win a Cup.</p><p>&ldquo;I know Bobby Orr is God in Boston, but even his numbers don&rsquo;t stack up to Ray&rsquo;s.</p><p>&ldquo;Ray hasn&rsquo;t won a Cup? Hah! Too bad. Who&rsquo;s done what Ray has done for as long as Ray has done it?&rdquo;</p><p>For his part, Oates, too, keeps rolling along, piling up the points, if not the acclaim.</p><p>In fact, despite his accomplishments on the stats sheet, Oates&rsquo; only major post-season honor was a second-team all-star berth in 1991. This summer, for the third consecutive year, he finished second in balloting for the Lady Byng Trophy, the league award that recognizes excellence and sportsmanship.</p><p>He played bridesmaid this time to Ron Francis of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Previously, it was Gretzky and Pierre Turgeon. Oates, however, isn&rsquo;t complaining.</p><p>&ldquo;Lemieux&hellip;Gretzky&hellip;Bourque&hellip;those guys are superstars,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m not in their group. I mean, c&rsquo;mon, those guys are magic. I just think of myself as a good player, who, if given the chance to shine, I&rsquo;ll come through.&rdquo;</p><p>And usually in a big way, for such a little guy.</p><h2><b>TALE OF THE TAPE TO TAPE</b></h2><p>Adam Oates says he&rsquo;s not in the same class as Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, but. according to the stats, he&rsquo;s not that far behind. Only four players in NHL history have recorded more assists per game (APG) than the Boston Bruins&rsquo; center over the course of their careers. Here are the all-time leaders.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0040-011030/10276944-1-eng-US/f0040-012.jpg" title="f0040-01" width="703" height="564"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0041-01

A STAR IN PASSING

<div class="byline">By Jay Greenberg</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0045-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0045-01730/10276996-1-eng-US/f0045-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Ray Grabowski)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he neutral-zone has become a stopped-up sink and the only thing draining is excitement. The NHL stands the risk of losing rooters unless it calls Roto Rooter. Too many games have become boring because:</p><p><b>1. More has become about as merry as a Roger Neilson-endorsed Sit-on-a-Lead Whoopee Cushion.</b></p><p>Given few scorers in their expansion drafts, the five teams the NHL has added since 1991 have had to play conservatively. That leaves almost one fifth of the franchises row, row, rowing their boats with two more expansion teams just up the stream.</p><p><b>2. The talent is stretched out farther than the Winnipeg Jets&rsquo; budget.</b></p><p>Again, blame expansion. The more teams that come in, the fewer dynamic draftees there are to go around, the more reason there is for established teams, too, to use the dump-it-in-and-leave-it-there system of forechecking.</p><p>The secret of the New Jersey Devils&rsquo; success is not only that they leave center ice more clogged up than Vladimir Malakhov&rsquo;s thought processes, but that New Jersey has some talent to convert its chances off turnovers. The Florida Panthers do not.</p><p><b>3. Overpopulation of coaching geniuses needs to be thinned out by the rehiring of Keith Magnuson and Jean-Guy Talbot.</b></p><p>An no longer marks the way the coach signs his name, but is letter written on a dressing room blackboard by a trained technocrat who knows how to get his players to do what works. The real reason why the expansion teams of the &rsquo;9Os-the Ottawa Senators excepted-have won a lot more games than did the infant New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts, is that coaching has come a long way in 20 years.</p><p>Also, all the mediocrity has created more napping places than ever for the teams marking time until the playoffs. Well-coached underdogs prey on the boredom of the powerhouses, playing Muzak, serving warm milk in the visitors&rsquo; dressing room and shamelessly trap, trap trapping to I 2-2 ties.</p><p><b>4. Demented copy-cat offense killers send letters detailing their next crime.</b></p><p>The chosen means of strangulation has different forms. There&rsquo;s the classic neutral-zone trap, the somnolent left wing high and the dreaded third-man-goes-over-the-blueline-only-if-he-never-wants-to-see-his-family-alive.</p><p>Detroit defenseman Paul Coffey likens the styles to the schoolyard game Red Rover where a player tries to break through a steely enemy defense.</p><p>&ldquo;You know,&rdquo; Coffey says, &ldquo;Red Rover, Red Rover, come on over. He doesn&rsquo;t make it. The team joins arms and the other team tries again.</p><p>&ldquo;From the fan&rsquo;s point of view, I don&rsquo;t know that I would pay the big dollar to watch it.&rdquo;</p><p>But coaches, seeing the Devils&rsquo; easy Stanley Cup win, are naturally going to lean towards playing conservatively. Coaches who send two forecheckers and pinch their</p><p>defensemen have to ask their players to think on the ice, which is setting a dangerous precedent. Nothing makes a team look more poorly coached than a parade of outnumbered breaks against.</p><p><b>5. The rhinos won&rsquo;t give way to the gazelles until the zebras change their stripes.</b></p><p>Twenty-five years ago, your average player looked like Camille Henry. Now, he is Mike Peluso. And the neutral zone has become Jurassic Park.</p><p>The referee can call a restraining foul on every single possession if he so chooses. Since he stands the significant risk of being accused of ruining the game by his supervisors, both teams, the media and the fans, he leans towards a hands-off approach. This is an invitation to the players to take a hands-on approach and the game becomes one, big, center-zone turnover.</p><p>Conservative tactics are a bone sticking in the NHL&rsquo;s throat, so here are some suggested Heimlich maneuvers to make the game breathe easier:</p><p><b>1. Spare us the Atlanta Trappers, the Seattle Shackles, and the Houston Holders.</b></p><p>Declare a moratorium on further expansion. Put Bob Halkidis out of his misery and us out of the misery of having to watch him.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01752/10276989-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg" title="f0046-01" width="1126" height="1737"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The NHL needs to create more space for stars such as Teemu Selanne.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>2. We know it&rsquo;s totally rad, Dude, but maybe the trap should go the way of the Cleveland Barons.</b></p><p>Perhaps it should be a penalty to deploy four defensive players in the neutral zone before the puck is advanced there. The NBA long ago banned zone defenses to no one&rsquo;s everlasting lament, so maybe it is time for some major rules changes to also make hockey more of a man-to-man game.</p><p>Of course, the NHL would need a second referee to watch for illegal defenses. And the way Gary Bettman acted during the 1993 officials&rsquo; strike, that could bankrupt the league.</p><p><b>3. Before hockey&rsquo;s monitor registers a flatline, take out the red line.</b></p><p>&ldquo;When they tried that in college hockey, all teams did was dump the puck from 120 feet instead of 90,&rdquo; recalls Mike Keenan, that old wizard of the St. Lawrence University blueline. So, maybe the NHL should leave the red line in only for icing purposes and allow passes across two zones.</p><p>&ldquo;The two best players in the last two decades, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, hung by the red line waiting for the pass,&rdquo; says Philadelphia Flyers&rsquo; GM Bob Clarke. &ldquo;Let them go all the way to the blueline. If I you can make that pass, then you should be allowed to try it. A big man gets a head of steam and has to slow down at the red line. That makes him easier to check.&rdquo;</p><p><b>4. If the NHL refuses to come out of the closet, then at least remodel it into walk-in.</b></p><p>We all know that international hockey played on 100-foot-wide rinks is worse than a crashing bore: It&rsquo;s a bore without crashes. But in light of the serious shortage of boogeying space on the dance floor, a widening from 85 feet to 90 or-92 feet might have been a good compromise.</p><p>Unfortunately, the NHL, which had four new buildings opened in the past two seasons and has six more under construction, has already blown a once-every-three-decades opportunity to make the game more exciting and safer.</p><p>That said, the dimensions could still be changed lengthwise. Clarke advocates pushing the goallines and the bluelines out to allow for more creativity from behind the net. &ldquo;Whether you do it lengthwise or widthwise, the idea is to create more space,&rdquo; he said.</p><p><b>5. Don&rsquo;t move anything except the referees to call the rule book as it reads.</b></p><p>Clarke thinks this would be a band-aid because he has seen many a previous NHL crackdown crack and crumble by mid-season when everybody loses patience with penaltythons. It&rsquo;s hard, he said, to change the established habits of players who progressed directly from clutching baby rattles to opponents&rsquo; arms and sticks.</p><p>Still, the groundswell is not for reconfiguration, but for re-enforcement and Bettman&rsquo;s June appointment of a 10-person committee of coaches, GMs and referees will likely lead to new officiating guidelines.</p><p>&ldquo;It can&rsquo;t just be a directive to crack down on interference,&rdquo; said Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; GM Cliff Fletcher. &ldquo;We need to work with officials by the use of tapes and come up with specific guidelines as to what will and won&rsquo;t be tolerated.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0045-01

WAKE-UP CALL

<div class="byline">By Rich Chere</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0052-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01408/10277093-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Claude Lemieux&rsquo;s 1995 success helped him to emerge from his &ldquo;dark tunnel."</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>The voice on the answering machine was gentle, a French-Canadian accent punctuating the message.</p><p>&ldquo;Hi. Deborah Lynn and Claude can&rsquo;t take your call right now. But if you&rsquo;re kind enough to leave us a brief message, we&rsquo;ll return your call as soon as we have a minute. Thank you. Have a nice day.&rdquo;</p><p>Wrong number, perhaps? Could this possibly have been the most-hated man in hockey? Claude Lemieux telling callers to, &ldquo;Have a nice day?&rdquo;</p><p>Lemieux, once the game&rsquo;s No. 1 scoundrel, has blown his bad-boy image. That was apparent after the 1995 playoffs when he poured his heart out to interviewers and had fans across North America running for tissues as he tearfully attempted to hold the Conn Smythe Trophy aloft following the New Jersey Devils&rsquo; sweep of the Detroit Red Wings.</p><p>Certainly, the player Cam Neely of the Boston Bruins once called a &ldquo;gutless puke&rdquo; proved to the hockey world he has guts-as well as talent and heart. Lemieux&rsquo;s performance during the playoffs, excelling as both a defensive shadow against opposing sharpshooters as well as the Devils&rsquo; leading goalscorer, made him the overwhelming choice as MVP despite the heroics of teammates Martin Brodeur and Scott Stevens.</p><p>It was the final brick in Lemieux&rsquo;s two-year attempt to rebuild a life and career that, at times, had begun to crumble.</p><p>&ldquo;The Conn Smythe Trophy winner is chosen by the media,&rdquo; Lemieux said. &ldquo;I felt all the way if I played good enough and didn&rsquo;t win it, my reputation could have had something to do with it. I&rsquo;m dedicated to my work, but a reporter isn&rsquo;t going to make me say what he wants me to say. I&rsquo;m always going to come out clear and express the way I feel. Some people don&rsquo;t like that.</p><p>&ldquo;But when they announced I had won, I was shocked and very happy.&rdquo;</p><p>When commissioner Gary Bettman handed Lemieux the Smythe, tears were already flowing down the veteran forward&rsquo;s face. As he skated toward photographers, he tried to lift it above his head, but clearly had trouble.</p><p>&ldquo;Personally, what was going through my mind at that point was the last couple of years have been tough, but it&rsquo;s paying off. We finally made it and I finally got out of the dark tunnel and got on top where I&rsquo;ve wanted to be for years. That&rsquo;s why it was much more special and why I dedicated it to my boys (Christopher and Michael). My kids have kept me fighting when there were times when I wanted to quit.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-01373/10277086-1-eng-US/f0053-012.jpg" title="f0053-01" width="2378" height="1437"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The Red Wings are one of a number of teams that regret not being able to land Lemieux when he was made available.</b></figcaption></div><p>Lemieux, 30, entered the dark tunnel when his marriage to former wife, Carole, began to fall apart in 1993. His mental state deteriorated during the 1993-94 season when he worried about his relationship with his sons and his financial stability. His play sunk along with his emotions and the Devils decided to grant Lemieux a one-week, midseason vacation in Florida. He missed four games between Jan. 9-15, 1994, before coming back strong.</p><p>&ldquo;To be honest, 1 felt I really turned it around in the 1994 playoffs,&rdquo; Lemieux said. &ldquo;I led the team in scoring in the playoffs and I felt like I played very well.&rdquo;</p><p>The Devils felt they should have won it all in &rsquo;94, but were eliminated by the New York Rangers in double overtime during the seventh game of the conference final. It was a struggle for the entire team last season as the NHL labor dispute and shortened 48-game schedule took its toll. Lemieux had only six goals and 19 points in 45 games, but he wasg n&rsquo;t the only member of the team whose stats (r) were poor.</p><p>&ldquo;No. 1, it was a short season. Six goals is not really six goals,&rdquo; said Lemieux&rsquo;s agent, Steve Freyer. &ldquo;No. 2, they used to say (coach) Dean Smith at North Carolina was the only person who could hold Michael Jordan under 40 points and that applies to Claude with Jacques Lemaire. Claude lives with Jacques&rsquo; system. The players on that team are going to have lower numbers. No. 3, the effect of the divorce in concert with the contract negotiations were brutal.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0053-02256/10277079-1-eng-US/f0053-022.jpg" title="f0053-02" width="760" height="1211"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Lemieux&rsquo;s Conn Smythe Trophy win as MVP was an emotional moment.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Worried about his finances, Lemieux told the Devils he did not want the pressure of playing the 1995 season without a new contract. Eventually, Lemieux and Lamoriello agreed a new deal would be signed by the start of the playoffs, but not before Lemaire was angered by comments from the player and Lamoriello at least explored the possibility of trading Lemieux.</p><p>In mid-February, Lemieux said he would rather be traded than play out the season without a new contract. It was not an ultimatum, but Lemaire responded Feb. 23 by saying: &ldquo;When I hear a guy saying the words, &rsquo;Pay me or trade me,&rsquo; that tells me he doesn&rsquo;t give a damn for the team, so I don&rsquo;t give a damn what happens to him.&rdquo;</p><p>When the St. Louis Blues made Craig Janney available, Lamoriello inquired. Blues&rsquo; GM Mike Keenan asked for Lemieux, but Lamoriello wanted Keenan to add $2 million in cash, which squashed the deal.</p><p>&ldquo;I thought (a trade) could happen if they got the right offer,&rdquo; Lemieux said. &ldquo;But I knew their demand would be extremely high. I know for a fact they were asking quite a bit for me. Teams held back and thought maybe it wasn&rsquo;t worth it. I&rsquo;m sure a lot of them regret it now.&rdquo;</p><p>Red Wings&rsquo; coach Scotty Bowman was one of those who would have liked to get Lemieux.</p><p>&ldquo;He has put his problems behind him,&rdquo; Bowman said. &ldquo;I wish we had made that deal for him when they were offering him around in February.&rdquo;</p><p>There were two factors in Lemieux staying with the Devils: Lamoriello rarely makes a trade he does not view as lopsided in his favor and the Devils knew Lemieux&rsquo;s track record of being one of the game&rsquo;s best playoff performers.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a money player,&rdquo; said teammate Ken Daneyko. &ldquo;Sometimes in the regular season he has more problems with motivation. But you know in the playoffs he works hard.&rdquo;</p><p>&ldquo;For me, the playoffs are a whole new season,&rdquo; Lemieux said. &ldquo;I have no excuse not to produce more than I did during the regular season, but every game doesn&rsquo;t mean as much as during the playoffs. 1 have a hard time explaining why. but I play better under pressure.&rdquo;</p><p>As a child, he rooted for the Montreal Canadiens, but learned from watching the New York Islanders of the 1980s.</p><p>&ldquo;Some of the greatest players were Clark Gillics and Bobby Nystrom on the Island.&rdquo; Lemieux said. &ldquo;Who remembered what the\ did during the regular season.&rsquo; And they were piling up Cups.&rdquo;</p><p>This was Lemieux&rsquo;s second Stanley Cup. He was on the 1986 Canadiens&rsquo; team that won it all.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01394/10277072-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg" title="f0054-01" width="2499" height="3374"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>New Jersey&rsquo;s Claude Lemieux</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>But this was clearly his best post-season. He led the league with 13 playoff goals and finished with 16 points in 20 playoff games, eighth among all scorers. And almost no one had to contend with the defensive assignments Lemieux drew during the playoffs.</p><p>He shut down Neely in the first round (two goals), was the primary defensive shadow against Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round and then unnerved the Philadelphia Flyers in the conference finals by getting under the skin of Ron Hextall and Eric Lindros.</p><p>In Game 5 against the Flyers, Lemieux scored the winning goal at the Spectrum with 45 seconds remaining, the turning point in that series.</p><p>Lemieux continued his strong play in the finals against Detroit, finishing with three game-winning goals and the Smythe Trophy. There was also the knowledge his teammates had nothing but respect and admiration for someone whose personality could sometimes be abrasive.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s always disturbing when you hear you&rsquo;re not liked by your teammates. I always felt liked by my teammates. I also felt welt come and wanted by my teammates,&rdquo; Lemieux said.</p><p>&ldquo;I will be the first to admit I&rsquo;m different. I&rsquo;m open about the way I feel. I like open communication. With most of the guys, it&rsquo;s not that way. 1 If I feel I&rsquo;m right, I&rsquo;m right. For the good of the team, I&rsquo;ve stood for what I thought was right.&rdquo; Devils&rsquo; management expressed its feelings with a new four-year contract at an average of $1.3 million per season i including last season).</p><p>The new contract came only days before the start of the playoffs. Around that time " he also met Deborah Lynn Henson. &ldquo;When you go through problems and especially a divorce, you go through a long period of time that is very hard to handle,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;You go through times you don&rsquo;t want to be seen out on the street. You feel you&rsquo;ve done something terribly wrong.</p><p>&ldquo;It takes about a year before you can learn to live with that. I&rsquo;ve learned to live with it. I have no problem living with it now.</p><p>&ldquo;It has never been better for me because it&rsquo;s great at every level. I met a great girl just before the playoffs and we&rsquo;ve been together since then. Every aspect of my life has been great. It makes you want to get up every morning and enjoy life. After what I went through, how could I not be happy?&rdquo;</p><p>Has Lemieux gone soft and as sweet as French pastry?</p><p>Hardly. It is not likely the Master of Mischief will show up this season telling opponents to, &ldquo;Have a nice day.&rdquo;</p><p>Nevertheless, the title of hockey&rsquo;s most-hated man may be gone forever.</p><p>&ldquo;I hope so,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t mind the title to be changed to the most-hated guy to play against. But I&rsquo;ll tell you what. &ldquo;Whatever title was given to me, whatever was said or done, when we won the Stanley &ldquo;Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy it was all behind me.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0052-01

NEW LEMIEUX

f0057-01

ELSTON’S HIGH SCHTICKING

<div class="byline">By Steve Dryden</div><p>The good news is Peter Forsberg and Marc Crawford won NHL awards.</p><p>We predicted in our 1994-95 Year-book Forsberg would be named rookie of the year and Crawford coach of the year.</p><p>The bad news is Doug Gilmour, Brian Leetch and Patrick Roy didn&rsquo;t receive a single vote among them in final award Wf balloting.</p><p>We predicted Gilmour would be named league MVP, Leetch best defenseman and Roy best goalie.</p><p>Arguably, they all had career-worst seasons. The weight of THN expectations this year falls on:</p><p><b>Saku Koivu, Calder Trophy:</b> 1994-95&rsquo;s best player outside the NHL will be this season&rsquo;s best first-year player inside the NHL. Rookie-of-the-year favorite: Koivu, C, 20, Montreal.</p><p>Other contenders: Bryan Berard, D, 18, Ottawa; Brian Holzinger, C, 22, Buffalo; Viktor Kozlov, LW, 20, San Jose; Mats Lindgren, C, 20, Edmonton; Jeff O&rsquo;Neill, C. 19, Hartford. Longshot: Brendan Witt, D. 20, Washington.</p><p><b>Eric Lindros, Hart Trophy:</b> The temptation is to go with Mario Lemieux for MVP, but he won&rsquo;t play enough games to contribute as much as an older, wiser 88. MVP favorite: Lindros, C, 22, Philadelphia. Other contenders: Pavel Bure, RW, 24, Vancouver; Chris Chelios, D, 33, Chicago; Sergei Fedorov, C, 25, Detroit; Theoren Fleury, RW, 27, Calgary; Lemieux, C, 29, Pittsburgh. Longshot: Jim Carey, G, 21, Washington.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0062-01268/10277183-1-eng-US/f0062-012.jpg" title="f0062-01" width="506" height="863"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Dominik Hasek</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Dominik Hasek, Vezina Trophy:</b> We championed Hasek&rsquo;s great play two seasons ago and then picked Roy to be named best goalie; we won&rsquo;t make the same mistake twice. Best goalie favorite: Hasek, 30, Buffalo. Other contenders: Ed Belfour, 30, Chicago; Martin Brodeur, 23, New Jersey; Jim Carey, 21, Washington; Sean Burke, 28, Hartford; Roy, 29, Montreal. Longshot: Felix Potvin, 24, Toronto.</p><p><b>Chris Chelios, Norris Trophy:</b> Voters are always seduced by big point totals and watch for Brian Leetch to get 100 this season, but the best defenseman will be Chelios. Best defenseman favorite: Chelios, 33, Chicago. Other contenders: Ray Bourque, 34, Boston; Paul Coffey, 34, Detroit; Leetch, 27. Rangers; Rob Blake, 25, Los Angeles; Scott Stevens, 31, New Jersey. Longshot: Scott Niedermayer, 22, New Jersey.</p><p><b>The first-year coach of the most improved team, Adams Award:</b> We&rsquo;re so frustrated by this selection process-the coach of the most improved team (usually a guy in his first year with the team) is always picked over some deserving experienced coach-we&rsquo;re boycotting this prediction. Captain Trevor Linden and his Vancouver Canucks are headed for fourth place in the Western conference according to our 1995-96 projections.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0063-01208/10277176-1-eng-US/f0063-012.jpg" title="f0063-01" width="2590" height="3475"><figcaption class="caption-body">Captain Trevor Linden and his Vancouver Canucks are headed for fourth place in the Western conference according to our 1995-96 projections. <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Art Foxal/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>1995-96 Standings Fearless forecast</b></h2><h3><b>EASTERN CONFERENCE</b></h3><p>1. New Jersey Devils</p><p>2. New York Rangers</p><p>3. Philadelphia Flyers</p><p>4. Pittsburgh Penguins</p><p>5. Montreal Canadiens*</p><p>6. Boston Bruins</p><p>7. Hartford Whalers*</p><p>8. Washington Capitals</p><p><b>Non playeroff teams</b></p><p>9. Buffalo Sabres</p><p>10. New York Islanders*</p><p>11. Florida Panthers*</p><p>12. Tampa Bay Lightning*</p><p>13. Ottawa Senators*</p><h3><b>WESTERN CONFERENCE</b></h3><p>1. Colorado</p><p>2. Detroit Red Wings</p><p>3. St. Louis Blues</p><p>4. Vancouver Canucks</p><p>5. Calgary Flames</p><p>6. Chicago Blackhawks</p><p>7. Toronto Maple Leafs</p><p>8. Dallas Stars</p><p><b>Non playeroff teams</b></p><p>9. Edmonton Oilers*</p><p>10. San Jose Sharks</p><p>11. Anaheim Mighty Ducks*</p><p>12. Winnipeg Jets*</p><p>13. Los Angeles Kings*</p><p>&rsquo;1994-95 non-playoff teams</p><p><b>President&rsquo;s Trophy</b></p><p>Regular-Season Champs</p><p>Colorado</p><p><b>Western Finalists</b></p><p>Detroit Red Wings</p><p>Colorado</p><p><b>Eastern Finalists</b></p><p>New Jersey Rangers</p><p>New Jersey Devils</p><p><b>Stanley Cup Finalists</b></p><p>Colorado</p><p>New Jersey Devils</p><p><b>Stanley Cup Winner</b></p><p>New Jersey Devils<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0062-01

LOOKING AHEAD

<div class="byline">By Mike Brophy</div><p>The Devils made us do it.</p><p>The way the New Jersey Devils waltzed through the Stanley Cup final last season, who in their right mind would bet against a repeat? Not us, that&rsquo;s for sure.</p><p>The Devils, masters of the neutral-zone trap and the team leading the charge away from wide-open hockey, were the lockout sweep-stakes winners. They coasted through the short season, placing ninth overall and then got down to business in the I playoffs.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-01227/10277235-1-eng-US/f0065-012.jpg" title="f0065-01" width="404" height="566"></div><p>Claude Lemieux snapped out of a goal-scoring funk (he scored six goals in 45 regular-season games, 13 in 20 playoff games) and defenseman Scott Stevens was the force on the blueline the St. Louis Blues thought they were getting when they signed him to an offer sheet matched by the Devils.</p><p>The early grades are in on 1995-96. Individual grades for goalies and players are on team pages. Overall marks include management&rsquo;s contribution.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-02162/10277228-1-eng-US/f0065-022.jpg" title="f0065-02" width="979" height="962"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0065-03111/10277221-1-eng-US/f0065-032.jpg" title="f0065-03" width="1590" height="2368"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>NEW JERSEY&rsquo;S STEPHANE R CHER</b></figcaption></div><p>The Devils&rsquo; dismantling of the regular-season champion Detroit Red Wings was at first shocking and later a testament to team play. Flash and dash stood no chance against crash and bash.</p><p>And phooey to all those prognosticators who said the Devils would never rise to prominence until they got a big center. From now on Neal Broten is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds.</p><p>New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello isn&rsquo;t certain that being endorsed by THN nearly a year in advance is a good thing for his team. Two years ago, we predicted the New York Rangers and were right; last year we went with the Red Wings and were an embarrassing sweep away from going 2-for-2.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>Our surprise team? Try Montreal</b></blockquote><p>&ldquo;What&rsquo;s your record?&rdquo; Lamoriello wondered.</p><p>&ldquo;One and one,&rdquo; he was informed.</p><p>&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t pick us then,&rdquo; Lamoriello requested.</p><p>Or was that an order?</p><p>The scary thing about the Devils is they stand to be better. If young centers Sergei Brylin and Brian Rolston find a way into the lineup, the Devils will be better offensively. Jason Smith is a premier prospect on defense and could make his way into the Devils&rsquo; top four.</p><p>&ldquo;I hope we can get better because other teams will be improving,&rdquo; Lamoriello said. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t afford to remain status quo.&rdquo;</p><p>One area the Devils will wish to remain the same is in goal. Martin Brodeur, who gave teammate Lemieux all he could handle in the race for the playoff MVP award, was a Group II free agent (requiring compensation) and there was talk the St. Louis Blues were interested in signing him.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0066-01230/10277214-1-eng-US/f0066-012.jpg" title="f0066-01" width="728" height="850"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Patrick Roy still has the ability to lift the Canadiens above the crowd.</b></figcaption></div><p>Repeating as champs won&rsquo;t be easy. The Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Rangers, Blues and Colorado will also challenge. And if the Alexander Mogilny-Pavel Bure duo connects, count the Vancouver Canucks in.</p><p>Our surprise team this season is the Montreal Canadiens. If Patrick Roy bounces back from a sub-par season; if defenseman Vladimir Malakhov has his breakthrough season; if Pierre Turgeon plays the way he did after being acquired from the New York Islanders; if Turner Stevenson&rsquo;s late-season surge was a sign of things to come; if Saku Koivu has a rookie of the year-type season&hellip;then Montreal will certainly be a better road team.</p><p>The Canadiens were worst in the league away from home, but fifth-best at home. If they play near .500 on the road they should crack the league&rsquo;s top 10 teams.</p><p>The six NHL executives we polled for our team report cards must agree with our pick of the Devils. They were asked to grade each team at defense, forward and in goal. They were also asked to assign an overall grade to each team, taking into account the sum of its parts as well as the effects of coaching and management.</p><p>The Devils received a league high &lsquo;A&rsquo;. The Red Wings, Blues and Canucks came close at &lsquo;A-&rsquo;.</p><h2><b>YOUR GUIDE TO THN ABBREVIATIONS</b></h2><h3><b>GLOSSARY</b></h3><p>Here&rsquo;s a key to abbreviations, short forms and statistical designations that appear over the next 120 pages in NHL team and league pages.</p><h3><b>STATISTICS</b></h3><p>Record: W-wins; L-losses; T-ties; Pts. - points, Pct.-winning percentage. Roster: No.-sweater number; Ht.-height; Wt - weight. 1994-95 Statistics: &rsquo;-rookie; GP-games played, G-goals, A-assists, P-points; PIM-penalty minutes; +/-, plusminus, PP-power-play goals, SH-shorthanded goals, GW-game-winning goals, OTL-overtime loss, SLshootout loss, OT-overtime record, GF-goals for, GA-goals against, PCT-winning percentage, SV%- save percentage, MIN-minutes played, GA-goals against, GAA-goals-against average, SO-shutout.</p><h3><b>LEAGUES AND COUNTRIES</b></h3><p>Alberta Jr. Hockey League (AJHL); American Hockey League (AHL); British Columbia Jr. Hockey League (BCJHL); Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU); Central Ontario Jr. Hockey League (COJHL); Central (Ont.) Jr. B Hockey League (CJHL); Czech Republic (Czech.); Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA); East Coast Hockey League (ECHL); Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC); Finland (Fin.); Germany (Ger); Junior (Jr., Jr. A or Jr. B); Hockey East (HE); International Hockey League (IHL); Manitoba Jr. Hockey League (MJHL); Midwestern Ontario Jr. Hockey League (MOJHL); North American Jr. Hockey League (NAJHL); Ontario Hockey League (OHL); Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL); Russia (Rus.); Saskatchewan Jr. Hockey League (SJHL); Slovakia (Slo.); Sweden (Swe); Switzerland (Switz.); United States Hockey League (USAHL); United States High School (USHS); Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA); Western Hockey League (WHL); Western Ontario Jr. B Hockey League (WOJHL).</p><h3><b>NHL TEAM ROSTERS</b></h3><p>How Acquired: Comp.-compensation for free agent signing; CP-cross-pollination draft between San Jose and Minnesota. Exp.-expansion draft; FA-free agent; Sup: supplemental draft.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0065-01

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE TEAMS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-02102/10277301-1-eng-US/f0067-022.jpg" title="f0067-02" width="679" height="1069"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-01166/10277308-1-eng-US/f0067-012.jpg" title="f0067-01" width="140" height="134"></div><p>Just for the record, the Florida Panthers weren&rsquo;t the only expansion team to enter the NHL two years ago.</p><p>In case you haven&rsquo;t noticed, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have been so successful in their first two seasons, people have practically stopped joking about their goofy nickname.</p><p>The Ducks matched the Panthers in wins in Year I with a league-record 33 and last season were in the hunt for a playoff position right until the bitter end. Five losses in seven games down the stretch spelled their doom.</p><p>Their performance tailed off somewhat from the first season, but they made gains in one area the Panthers didn&rsquo;t-the Mighty Ducks utilized their young talent. Rookie Paul Kariya led the team in scoring while 18-year-old freshman defenseman Oleg Tverdovsky also got NHL experience.</p><p>The Ducks also upgraded their talent during the course of the season to the point where there is guarded optimism for this season. Center Mike Sillinger, who didn&rsquo;t get a chance to showcase his talent with the Detroit Red Wings, will get the opportunity in Anaheim. Defensemen Jason York, Milos Holan and rugged David Karpa will be afforded the same chance.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0067-0371/10277294-1-eng-US/f0067-032.jpg" title="f0067-03" width="1506" height="2265"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>LEFT WINGER PAUL KARIYA</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Competition for the playoffs will be tighter with the super-talented Quebec Nordiques transferring to Denver and joining the Pacific Division and the Vancouver Canucks adding Alexander Mogilny.</p><p>With that in mind, the Ducks might want to consider adding some veteran talent to the lineup to offset their youth.</p><p>1994-95 record: 16-27-5, sixth in Pacific, 24th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 11.4 per cent (26th overall). Penalty killing: 75.6 (26th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Jean-Francois Jomphe, LW; John Lilley, C; Jarrod Skalde, C; Nikolai Tsulygin, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Development of young talent beyond Kariya and Tverdovsky. The Ducks closed last season with nine players 24 years old or younger on the roster. They feel success will come when the likes of Sillinger, York and Valeri Karpov make their marks. Holan, 24, joined the Ducks midway through the season from the Philadelphia Flyers and looks like a fine point-man for the power play. He had 93 shots on goal in 25 games, which would be 312 in an 84-game schedule. He scored 22 goals in 55 minor-league games with the Hershey Bears of the American League before being traded to Anaheim.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0068-01180/10277287-1-eng-US/f0068-012.jpg" title="f0068-01" width="2434" height="3354"></div><p>2. Role players. Can Bob Corkum, Joe Sacco and Gary Valk bounce back from sub-par seasons? Injuries were a factor in all three players failing to live up to expectations, but they must come through for the Ducks to offer serious challenge for a playoff berth. Valk recorded just three goals in 36 games after netting 18 in 78 games the season before.</p><p>3. Special teams. The Ducks&rsquo; special teams were pathetic. They had the NHL&rsquo;s worst power play for the second straight season and their penalty killers slipped from an impressive seventh in 1993-94 to dead last. Management feels the right personnel is there, it&rsquo;s just a matter of the players gaining experience and confidence. With Kariya and Tverdovsky entering their sophomore years and Steve Rucchin proving he is every bit an NHLer after graduating from Canadian university hockey, their hopes are not unfounded.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> If there is one area of importance that doesn&rsquo;t keep Ducks&rsquo; management awake at night, it&rsquo;s in goal-even if they don&rsquo;t have a lot of depth at the position. Seventh-year pro Guy Hebert established himself as the No. 1 stopper even though his numbers, a 3.13 goals-against average and .904 save percentage, were slightly worse than the previous season. Mikhail Shtalenkov (3.63 GAA, .891) didn&rsquo;t take a serious run at claiming the No. 1 job, but is a dependable backup. Look for the same duo to split games this season.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Virtually the same as last season-someone to quarterback the power play. The Ducks thought they had the right man in Tom Kurvers, but by the end of the season the 11-year veteran was spending more time in the press box than the lineup. Apparently the Ducks&rsquo; management discovered what six other teams who let him go already knew: Kurvers&rsquo; offensive skills are vastly overrated. The next candidate in line for the job is Holan. He scored 35 goals in 53 games in the Czech League two years ago and was on pace to beat the AHL goals record for defensemen when he was dealt to the Ducks last season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-01152/10277280-1-eng-US/f0069-012.jpg" title="f0069-01" width="1180" height="1928"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Oleg Tverdovsky had a solid rookie season with 12 points.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Sillinger had three consecutive 50-plus goal seasons in junior and led the AHL in scoring during the playoffs with the Adirondack Red Wings in his first pro season. But with Sergei Fedorov, Steve Yzerman and Keith Primeau ahead of him on the Detroit Red Wings&rsquo; depth chart, he was never going to get a chance to prove himself in Detroit. Now he has one.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Ducks signed defenseman Nikolai Tsulygin, the 30th pick in the 1993 draft who scored two goals and four points for Ufa of the Russian League last season, and are banking on him to crack the lineup. Center Tommi Miettinen&rsquo;s assignment this season is an unenviable one-replace Saku Koivu on TPS Turku. Miettinen scored 13 goals and 29 points for KalPa last season. Center Johan Davidsson played for HV-71, the champions of the Swedish League last season.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Ron Wilson (49-7310, .409) has the trust of his players, an important factor when guiding a young team. He has a good feel for when to push his team and when to back off and never publicly chastises them. A constant reader of psychology books, Wilson has the ability to effectively get his message across when angered, while still controlling his emotions.</p><p>GM Jack Ferriera&rsquo;s (66-131-15; .347) approach in Anaheim has been to build with youth, size and speed. The former GM of the Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks is not afraid to take chances on unproven players who are buried in other NHL organizations.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> None.</p><h2><b>ANAHEIM</b></h2><p>It was hard to tell the difference between Arrowhead Pond and Disneyland in 1994-95 with all the youngsters around. Led by 20-year-old Paul Kariya, the Mighty Ducks led the NHL in games played by Calder Trophy-eligible rookies (238). Florida, a two-year-old franchise, got just nine games from Calder-eligible players. Listed are the games played by each team&rsquo;s rookies and leading first-year players:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0069-02104/10277273-1-eng-US/f0069-022.jpg" title="f0069-02" width="974" height="1118"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0070-01159/10277266-1-eng-US/f0070-012.jpg" title="f0070-01" width="2437" height="2370"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0067-02

MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0071-0289/10277374-1-eng-US/f0071-022.jpg" title="f0071-02" width="750" height="1154"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0071-01151/10277381-1-eng-US/f0071-012.jpg" title="f0071-01" width="131" height="133"></div><p>Brand new season, brand new building, brand new coach, same old gripe. Almost.</p><p>The Boston Bruins remain a team that relies too heavily on too few players and too small a budget and is built specifically for regular-season success. When the playoffs start, the Bruins&rsquo; lack of depth comes back to haunt them.</p><p>That was never more evident than last spring when the Bruins, who placed sixth in the regular season, were humiliated in the first round of playoffs by the New Jersey Devils. New Jersey, which placed ninth, won the series in five games and shut the Bruins out three times in the process.</p><p>But an August trade for high-priced forward Kevin Stevens and Shawn McEachern from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Glen Murray and Bryan Smolinski may signal an end to the penny-pinching.</p><p>Brian Sutter had nothing to do with the Bruin&rsquo;s lack of depth the past few seasons, but he took the fall for their lack of playoff success. The Bruins handed the reins to Steve Kasper, who guided their American League affiliate, the Providence Bruins last season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0071-0355/10277367-1-eng-US/f0071-032.jpg" title="f0071-03" width="1492" height="2280"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER ADAM OATES</b></figcaption></div><p>Stevens will ease the burden or Boston&rsquo;s aging trio of stars in Cam Neely (30), Adam Oates (33) and Ray Bourque (34). Oates and Bourque had their typica sound seasons, but Neely wasn&rsquo;t nearly as dominant as he was the previous season.</p><p>Other questions: Will defenseman A lafrate, who missed last season because of knee problems, return to form? Is goalie Blaine Lacher a legitimate No. 1 goalie?</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 27-18-3, third in Northeast, sixth overall, lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal 4-1 to New Jersey. Power play: 21.8 per cent (fourth overall). Penalty killing: 86.9 per cent (first overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Todd Elik, C; Shawn McEachern, LW; Kevin Stevens, LW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Clayton Beddoes, C; Sandy Moger, RW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Al lafrate.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0072-01153/10277360-1-eng-US/f0072-012.jpg" title="f0072-01" width="2490" height="3349"></div><p>The Wild Thing must come back healthy after missing last season with a controversial knee injury. His size and offense were seriously missed. When lafrate is on his game, he can be one of the league&rsquo;s most dominant players. By all accounts he is on track and ready to go.</p><p>2. The FleetCenter. For years, the Bruins have constructed a team tailor-made for the 191-foot by 83-foot Boston Garden. Their big players appeared to be giants at home. Beginning this season the Bruins will play in the 2OO-by-85 FleetCenter. Home games will be like road games for the first month or so.</p><p>3. Kasper the friendly coach. Few question Kasper&rsquo;s potential as a head coach in the NHL, but is he ready for prime time after just one season in the minors? The Edmonton Oilers felt confident with George Burnett a year ago and he didn&rsquo;t last the season. It helps that Kasper is not far removed from being a player-he retired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1993-and that all-star defenseman Bourque is one of his best friends.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Lacher gave every indication he is the team&rsquo;s stopper of the future, but the Bruins opted for more experience and traded to get veteran Craig Billington at the deadline. They did so even though they knew Billington would be an unrestricted free agent following the season. Billington signed a two-year contract with the Bruins in July. Evgeni Ryabchikov, the 21st pick in the 1994 draft, didn&rsquo;t get enough playing time last season because of the lockout and will likely require more time in the minors, but Scott Bailey was put on the accelerated program and came through brilliantly. Slated to play in the East Coast League, he became the No. 1 goalie with Providence when the parent team recalled all its goalies during the lockout.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> The Bruins have numerous holes, but by far the biggest is scoring depth. That came to light in the playoffs when the Bruins were blanked three times by the New Jersey Devils. A line of Stevens, Oates and Neely could do some serious damage, but I Neely has to stay healthy. Beyond that trio there is precious little offensive skill to scare opposition goalies for any sustained period.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0073-01142/10277353-1-eng-US/f0073-012.jpg" title="f0073-01" width="1156" height="1910"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Ray Bourque was his usual superstar self for Boston in &rsquo;95.</b></figcaption></div><p>Something to prove: Polish-born Mariusz Czerkawski arrived with high expectations after starring in the Swedish Elite League, but was inconsistent with the Bruins. Some nights he looked outstanding, others Sutter couldn&rsquo;t afford to put him on the ice. The Bruins expect him to be more of a scorer after he had 12 goals and 26 points in his rookie season.</p><p>Organization: There was hope center Kevyn Adams would leave Miami-Ohio early and embark on his professional career. The 25th pick in the 1993 draft scored 49 points in 38 games last season. A shoulder injury cost left winger Daniel Goneau two months of his season and a shot at making Canada&rsquo;s national junior team, but the 6-foot-l, 196-pounder still managed 16 goals and 47 points in 56 games for the Laval Titan of the Quebec League. Left winger Andre Roy appears ready to beat up people at the pro level after scoring a point a game and racking up 323 penalty minutes with the Drummondville Voltigeurs last season.</p><p>Coach/GM: Two years ago, &rsquo; Kasper showed up to the Bruins&rsquo; training camp looking for work and was assigned the video room to break down games. After guiding Providence last season, Kasper, 33, steps in as the league&rsquo;s youngest coach. Although he was a defensive specialist as a player, Kasper is not opposed to playing a wide-open game if he has the right personnel, which he doesn&rsquo;t.</p><p>The Bruins haven&rsquo;t won the Cup since 1972 under GM Harry Sinden, but there is no denying he has done a superb job keeping the team competitive while adhering to a strict budget. Sinden (998-579-235, .616) needs two wins to hit the 1,000 plateau as Bruins&rsquo; GM.</p><p>Playoff history: Bruin fans no longer care the team has the longest streak in North American pro sports for making the playoffs at 28 years. It&rsquo;s the 23 years they&rsquo;ve gone without the Stanley Cup that rankles them.</p><h2><b>BOSTON</b></h2><p>There are three things Bostonians can count on-death, taxes and the Bruins making the playoffs. GM Harry Sinden&rsquo;s Bruins have made them 28 consecutive years, the longest current streak in North American professional team sports. Here are the streaks for all NHL teams with at least two consecutive appearances and years they last won the Stanley Cup:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0073-0293/10277346-1-eng-US/f0073-022.jpg" title="f0073-02" width="967" height="1109"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0074-01145/10277339-1-eng-US/f0074-012.jpg" title="f0074-01" width="2420" height="2348"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0071-02

BOSTON BRUINS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0282/10277447-1-eng-US/f0077-022.jpg" title="f0077-02" width="728" height="1092"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-01136/10277454-1-eng-US/f0077-012.jpg" title="f0077-01" width="144" height="132"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>hile explaining his trade of Alexander Mogilny at the NHL draft, Buffalo Sabres&rsquo; I GM John Muckier said he dealt the Russian 1 to the Vancouver Canucks, &ldquo;because these were teams going in two different directions. The Canucks are Stanley Cup conI tenders. We&rsquo;re in transition.&rdquo; I</p><p>Translation: Why pay $20 million to lose in the first round every year when we could 1 do it for a lot cheaper?</p><p>The suddenly frugal Sabres did get three top prospects in exchange for Mogilny, but the trade could also come back to haunt them for years. Remember, Mogilny scored 76 goals in 1992-93.</p><p>Buffalo also lost veteran center Dale Hawerchuk, who signed a lucrative deal with the I St. Louis Blues the day before the draft. &rsquo;</p><p>Muckier is convinced the Sabres have i what it takes to be competitive. But the pressure is now on center Pat LaFontaine to I play a full season healthy (he missed most of the past two seasons), for goalie Dominik Hasek to continue to work his magic and for right winger Donald Audette: to produce at the high level he did last season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0077-0354/10277440-1-eng-US/f0077-032.jpg" title="f0077-03" width="1536" height="2266"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER DOM N K HASEK</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Steve Babineau)</span></figcaption></div><p>And some of the players on which the Sabres have been waiting, namely Jason Dawe and Derek Plante, must take their games to the next level while Brad May and Yuri Khmylev must bounce back from poor seasons.</p><p>The wild card could be Alexei Zhitnik. Obtained from the Los Angeles Kings last season, he has the potential to be one of the league&rsquo;s premier rushing defensemen.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 22-19-7, fourth in Northeast. 11th overall, lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal 4-2 to Philadelphia. Power play: 18.6 per cent (11th overall). Penalty killing: 85.5 per cent (third overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Mike Peca, C; Mike Wilson, D.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Mark Astley, D; Matthew Barnaby, LW; Curtis Brown, C-LW; Brian Holzinger, C.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Muckier&rsquo;s ability to bulk up. The Sabres are a team built around speed and a high skill level. Size didn&rsquo;t enter into the equation. They found out the hard way in the playoffs against the mighty Philadelphia Flyers that size matters. Most of Buffalo&rsquo;s key forwards are of the small-to-medium variety.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0078-01133/10277433-1-eng-US/f0078-012.jpg" title="f0078-01" width="2407" height="3304"></div><p>2. Changing economics. Muckier&rsquo;s challenge is to keep cutting the league&rsquo;s sixth-highest payroll while keeping the team competitive. Can the Sabres thrive without Mogilny and Hawerchuk? There are those who would suggest the team is better off without Mogilny. He had grown complacent and the Sabres clearly needed him to be the player he was two years ago. Hawerchuk was hurt most of last season, but was the Sabres&rsquo; best skater two years ago when LaFontaine was out with a knee injury.</p><p>3. The Dominator. Hasek is the NHL&rsquo;s most colorful and unorthodox stopper and he gets the job done like no other. He was superb until last season&rsquo;s playoffs. He looked less than ordinary in the post-season after being arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol late in the regular season. If he gets back on track, he gives his team a huge edge in net against the majority of competition.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Hasek was a strong candidate for the Hart Trophy as the NHL&rsquo;s most valuable player and there is every reason to believe he can bounce back from his sorry playoff performance. He let in a number of bad goals. His goals-against average was a sparkling 2.11 in the regular season, but ballooned to 3.50 in five playoff games. His save percentage plummeted from a league-leading .930 in the regular season to .863 in the playoffs. Robb Stauber, acquired from Los Angeles last season, is a solid backup and there are still those who believe he has the capabilities to one day challenge for the No. 1 post. However, it&rsquo;s hard to imagine anyone unseating Hasek at this point.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> In keeping with the theme bigger is better, the Sabres need additional size-especially at center. A projected middle featuring LaFontaine, Holzinger, Dave Hannan. Derek Plante and perhaps Bob Sweeney is hardly imposing. The Sabres are small at every position and that&rsquo;s one of the reasons 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman Mike Wilson was so attractive to them when talking trade with the Canucks.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0079-01119/10277426-1-eng-US/f0079-012.jpg" title="f0079-01" width="1198" height="1902"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>A healthy Pat LaFontaine will improve the Sabres&rsquo; chances.</b></figcaption></div><p>Organization: Defenseman Ruman Ndur, who played for the Guelph Platers of the Ontario League, is considered a stay-at-home defenseman, but his numbers-10 goals and 31 points in 63 games-indicate he knows where the opposing net is. What excites the Sabres most about Ndur is his toughness, something they desperately need along the blueline. Center Wayne Primeau scored in his NHL debut, but likely needs to spend his final year in junior with the OHL Owen Sound Platers, where he will have the opportunity to add polish to his developing offensive game.</p><p>Coach/GM: Muckier gave up the coaching reigns following last season and will concentrate on his duties as GM. The feeling is Muckier wanted to remain behind the bench, but there was pressure from above to leave the post and concentrate on his other work. People are giving him a big-time edge in the Zhitnik-for-Grant Fuhr deal and most were very satisfied with what he got for Mogilny. The dual goals of keeping the Sabres competitive as he slashes the budget and putting together a team that can be successful in the playoffs remain a huge challenge.</p><p>New coach Ted Nolan joins the Sabres after one year as assistant coach with the Hartford Whalers. Prior to that, Nolan guided the Ontario League&rsquo;s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to three straight Memorial Cup appearances including a championship in 1993. Under Nolan the Greyhounds were 186-154-28, including 156-87-21 in his final four seasons.</p><p>Playoff history: One playoff round victory in 11 years is nothing short of an embarrassment for a team so steeped in talent. In that time span, Buffalo&rsquo;s playoff record is 23-44. In case you&rsquo;re not scoring, the Sabres have now made it past the second round of playoffs just twice in their 25-year history.</p><h2><b>BUFFALO</b></h2><p>The Sabres&rsquo; Dominik Hasek posted a save percentage of .930 for the second consecutive season in 1994-95. That means he saved 13 of every 14 shots he faced. Below is a list of the highest save percentages recorded by NHL goalies over the last 10 seasons. Goalies must have played in at least one third of their teams&rsquo; games to qualify.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0079-0267/10277419-1-eng-US/f0079-022.jpg" title="f0079-02" width="994" height="1104"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0080-01120/10277412-1-eng-US/f0080-012.jpg" title="f0080-01" width="2416" height="2344"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0077-02

BUFFALO SABRES

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0081-0287/10277520-1-eng-US/f0081-022.jpg" title="f0081-02" width="779" height="1158"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0081-01130/10277527-1-eng-US/f0081-012.jpg" title="f0081-01" width="137" height="136"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>ant the key to the city of Calgary, Pierre Page? Just guide the Calgary Flames to one playoff round victory. That&rsquo;s right, one stinkin&rsquo; playoff victory.</p><p>The Flames won the Stanley Cup in 1989. Yeah, yeah. But what have they done lately? Since then they haven&rsquo;t advanced past the first round. The past two seasons have represented a whole new exercise in pain.</p><p>Calgary blew a 3-1 series lead with the Vancouver Canucks two years ago and lost in double overtime of Game 7. Last season, they were eliminated in seven games by the upstart San Jose Sharks. Game 7 of that series went into double overtime as well.</p><p>That&rsquo;s what cost coach Dave King his job. Now it&rsquo;s Page&rsquo;s turn. If Page is smart, the first thing he&rsquo;ll do is get on a first-name basis with the team&rsquo;s medical staff.</p><p>The Flames have been ravaged by injuries to key players the past few seasons. Put a healthy Gary Roberts in the lineup last season and the Flames likely would have won the first round. Roberts suffered nerve damage in his neck and shoulder area that has threatened his career. factor for any team, but the I Flames are a special case. At I one point last season the I Flames had nine regulars out I with various hurts. Flames&rsquo; I fans, frustrated with the team&rsquo;s I post-season performance, often I lose sight of this. If through I some sort of miracle the Flames I remain healthy this season, I look for them to snap their I ridiculous playoff jinx.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0081-0358/10277513-1-eng-US/f0081-032.jpg" title="f0081-03" width="1544" height="2280"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER JOE NEUWENDYK</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>His return wasn&rsquo;t the only concern facing the Flames this past off-season. Defensive center Joel Otto signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers while other key players, including right winger Theoren Fleury and captain Joe Nieuwendyk, also had the option to sign with other teams. Robert Reichel, who lost his arbitration case in July, had agreed to a contract with a German team.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 24-17-7, first in Pacific, seventh overall, lost Western Conference quarterfinal 4-3 to San Jose. Power play: 18.5 per cent (12th overall). Penalty killing: 85.1 per cent (fourth overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Marty Murray, C; Dwayne Roloson, G; Cory Stillman, C; Vesa Viitakoski, LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Injuries. You could say avoiding injuries is a pivotal factor for any team, but the Flames are a special case. At one point last season the Flames had nine regulars out with various hurts. Flames&rsquo; fans, frustrated with the team&rsquo;s post-season performance, often lose sight of this. If through some sort of miracle the Flames remain healthy this season, look for them to snap their ridiculous playoff jinx.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0082-01121/10277506-1-eng-US/f0082-012.jpg" title="f0082-01" width="2519" height="3359"></div><p>2. Roberts&rsquo; condition. When I healthy, Roberts is one of the I NHL&rsquo;s best left wingers; a leader, offensive force and tough customer. In the three seasons prior to last year, Roberts scored 53, 38 (in 58 games) and 41 goals. He was I held to just eight games last season, scoring two goals and four points with 43 penalty minutes. For Roberts to retire prematurely at age 29 or return as a lesser contributor would be devastating.</p><p>3. Defensive play. The Flames were guilty of abandoning goalie Trevor Kidd too often last season. Fortunately, in the regular season anyway, Kidd bailed them out. It wasn&rsquo;t the same story in the playoffs. The New Jersey Devils proved there are great rewards to be reaped from being defense conscious. The Flames would be advised to follow suit.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> It there were any doubts about Tiny Kidd being ready to replace Mike Vernon as the team&rsquo;s No. 1 goalie, they had vanished by the end of the regular season. Kidd was arguably the team&rsquo;s most valuable player. He recorded a 22-14-6 record with a 2.61 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Kidd succumbed to playoff pressure, however, when he inexplicably and suddenly struggled. His GAA shot up to 3.59 and save percentage plummeted to .856. The Flames are pleased to have Rick Tabaracci as their backup. The five-year veteran is good enough to not only pinch-hit for Kidd, but to push Kidd to stay sharp. Tabaracci was undefeated in five games with the Flames after being acquired from the Washington Capitals. He also had great numbers-1.49 GAA, .946 save percentage.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> The Flames desperately need a physical presence on the blueline. They have a bunch of skilled guys who like to play with the puck, but have been without a quality banger for about 10 years. Steve Chiasson is the closest they have to one, but he certainly doesn&rsquo;t keep opposing forwards awake at night worrying about having to face him in the trenches.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0083-01107/10277499-1-eng-US/f0083-012.jpg" title="f0083-01" width="1170" height="1952"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Tiny terror Theo Fleury posted a pro-rated 50-goal season.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Right winger Sheldon Kennedy I looked like he was on the cusp I of good things when he scored 19 goals in 68 games with the I Detroit Red Wings three years I ago. He slipped to six the following season and had just seven in 30 games last year. A scoring star in junior who has had to overcome off-ice troubles, Kennedy has not displayed I dedication to the game as a pro.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Flames I think center Marty Murray has I a shot of making their team this I season. A brilliant junior with I the Brandon Wheat Kings of I the Western League, Murray I was also Canada&rsquo;s leading I scorer and named top forward I at the World Junior Championship. He can kill penalties, I play the power play and take a I regular shift. The only problem I is he is 5-foot-9 and weighs 170 I pounds. With Murray and fellow small player David Ling, I the Flames have the Ontario I and Western Leagues&rsquo; players of the year from last season. Ling was the Canadian Hockey League player of the year. Rushing defenseman Joel Bouchard performed well in his first pro season with the Saint John Flames of the American League. He scored six goals and 31 points in 77 games.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Pierre Page (161-180-49, .476) spent last season as a pro scout with the Toronto Maple Leafs after being fired as coach of the Nordiques the previous season. Page is intense, but the knock on him is he is sometimes too intense during games.</p><p>GM Doug Risebrough (140-113-43, .546) has done a good job assembling a competitive team. Only injuries and bad luck have held the Flames back the past few seasons.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> Calgary&rsquo;s playoff woes have been well documented. The Flames won their only Stanley Cup in 1989 and have since missed the playoffs once and been beaten out in the first round five times.</p><h2><b>CALGARY</b></h2><p>The Flames know close only counts in horseshoes and slow dancing. Their six-year run of playoff futility includes losing four deciding games in overtime, three of them in Game 7. The Flames are a league-worst 1-10 in playoff overtimes since they won the Stanley Cup in 1989. The Montreal Canadians have 15 overtime wins since 1989-mostly on the strength of an unprecedented and Cup-deciding 10-1 overtime record during the 1993 playoffs. Here&rsquo;s each team&rsquo;s playoff overtime record and winning percentage this decade:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0083-0269/10277492-1-eng-US/f0083-022.jpg" title="f0083-02" width="987" height="1134"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0084-01111/10277485-1-eng-US/f0084-012.jpg" title="f0084-01" width="2454" height="2360"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0081-02

CALGARY FLAMES

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0085-0266/10277593-1-eng-US/f0085-022.jpg" title="f0085-02" width="736" height="1108"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER ED BELFOUR</b></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0085-01107/10277600-1-eng-US/f0085-012.jpg" title="f0085-01" width="145" height="131"></div><p>The Chicago Blackhawks spent their first season in the United Center, but they were anything but united in 1994-95.</p><p>The longstanding difference of opinion between Jeremy Roenick and coach Darryl Sutter became a feud and came to a head after the season when Roenick publicly criticized the coach.</p><p>Roenick won&rsquo;t have to worry about that anymore since Sutter turned down a threeyear contract extension to spend more time with his family.</p><p>Roenick spent part of the playoffs pulling a chute while skating to rehabilitate his injured knee, but management subtly accused him of pulling the chute on his teammates because of his contract situation.</p><p>It wasn&rsquo;t all bad news, however.</p><p>Center Bernie Nicholls signed as a free agent from the New Jersey Devils and reemerged as a scorer and valuable contributor for the Hawks.</p><p>Former Hawk Denis Savard was acquired at the trade deadline and responded by playing his best hockey in years during the Blackhawks&rsquo; drive to the Western Conference final.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0085-0343/10277586-1-eng-US/f0085-032.jpg" title="f0085-03" width="1572" height="2298"></div><p>Chris Chelios played 30 minutes a game and was one of the best defensemen in the league.</p><p>But if the Blackhawks are to be successful this season, they are going to have to get their house in order. Signing Roenick to a long-term deal would be a great place to start. The Hawks are not that far away from being a serious contender, but they must address their problems.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 24-19-5, third in Central, eighth overall, lost Western Conference final 4-1 to Detroit. Power play: 24.5 per cent (first overall). Penalty killing: 84.2 per cent (ninth overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Eric Daze, LW; Ivan Droppa, D; Mike Prokopec, RW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Jeremy Roenick&rsquo;s health and happiness. The colorful Roenick should be able to return to full speed following a I knee injury that kept him out of I the lineup late in the season and I into the playoffs. Following the I season he took shots at Sutter, I claiming the coach&rsquo;s system I didn&rsquo;t allow for him to play I &ldquo;J.R. hockey.&rdquo; Roenick is I scheduled to make $1.4 million I in the option year of a five-year contract. That&rsquo;s well below the going rate for superstars in today&rsquo;s NHL.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0086-01116/10277579-1-eng-US/f0086-012.jpg" title="f0086-01" width="2505" height="3362"></div><p>2. Bob Probert&rsquo;s contribution. In his prime, Probert offered the best combination of I goals and grit. He could score and scare better than anyone in the league. But Probert is 30 now and his skills have deteriorated. The Hawks gambled on I Probert and will pay him $1.5 I million per season for the next I three years. If he approaches his old self, it will be money well spent. If not, they bought themselves a giant headache. After drug and alcohol rehabilitation, Probert claims he is on the right track, but hockey fans in Detroit have heard that one many times before.</p><p>3. The first 20 games. The Blackhawks are a fragile outfit. If they burst out of the gate, they could match or better their performance last season. If they get off to a rocky start, the Blackhawks could be exposed as a team with too many players whose best days are behind them.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Ed Belfour might not play a textbook style but he is a winner-a Jennings Trophy winner. Belfour claimed his third Jennings Trophy last season, which is awarded to the goalie(s) on the team with the fewest goals against. He tied Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres for the league lead in shutouts with five and his 2.28 goals-against average was a career best. Jeff Hackett and Jimmy Waite will battle for the right to back-up Belfour this season. Hackett has held the post the past two seasons and Waite, Chicago&rsquo;s first pick (eighth overall) in 1987, was reacquired from the San Jose Sharks. Neither has given any indication of being a potential No. 1 goalie.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Youth at center and defense. Center is not as alarming a situation because Roenick is 25 and Jeff Shantz is 21. Nicholls, 34, has a few miles left on him and Savard should I be a capable fourth-liner. Of the Hawks&rsquo; top four defensemen, Chelios is 33, Steve Smith 32, I Gary Suter 31 and Eric Weinrich turns 29 in December.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0087-01104/10277572-1-eng-US/f0087-012.jpg" title="f0087-01" width="1190" height="1926"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jeremy Roenick was not a happy Blackhawk last season.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> When Patrick Poulin puts his mind to it, he can be a very effective physical player. Too often though, Poulin simply goes through the motions. After a decent rookie season in 1992-93 when he scored 20 goals and I 51 points in 81 games with the Hartford Whalers, the ninth I pick in the 1991 draft has struggled. Poulin needs to display consistency.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Ethan Moreau will welcome the opportunity I to play professionally after four years in the Ontario League. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound center&rsquo;s production slipped slightly last year, but he still managed to put up decent numbers-38 goals and 96 points in 62 games-while playing a responsible two-way game. Left winger Eric Lecompte has the tools to be an NHLer at 6-foot-4 and 190-pounds, but he has been accused of being flaky and lazy. Lecompte scored 42 goals and 90 points with 223 penalty minutes for the Sherbrooke Faucons of the Quebec League.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Craig Hartsburg enters the NHL head coaching derby as the Canadian Hockey League coach of the year. The 36-year-old former big-league defenseman guided the Guelph Storm to the OHL final last season and has a reputation for being positive and upbeat. His is able to get his message across loud and clear without yelling and screaming.</p><p>GM Bob Pulford (543-522-178, .508) enjoyed one of his best seasons as an executive last year, signing Nicholls in the off-season and trading for Savard and defenseman Gerald Diduck during the year.</p><p>Playoff history: The Blackhawks won their first playoff round last season when they knocked off the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games since going to the final in 1992 under Mike Keenan. The Hawks have won three Stanley Cups, their most recent coming in 1961. Their Stanley Cup drought is second in the league to the Detroit Red Wings.</p><h2><b>CHICAGO</b></h2><p>Like most coaches, Craig Hartsburg&rsquo;s fortunes will be tied to the health of his players. The Blackhawks were on a threegame winless streak last season when Jeremy Roenick injured his knee, causing them to go winless in their next 10 games. The 13-game winless tailspin (0-10-3) was second only to Ottawa&rsquo;s 16-game debacle. The NHL record of 30 was set by the 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets. Last year&rsquo;s longest winless streaks and final winning percentages are listed:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0087-0259/10277565-1-eng-US/f0087-022.jpg" title="f0087-02" width="989" height="1113"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0088-01121/10277558-1-eng-US/f0088-012.jpg" title="f0088-01" width="2315" height="2321"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0085-02

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

<p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>hen the Colorado hockey fans come out to see their new hockey team, they&rsquo;ll be able to see the NHL&rsquo;s top rookie and coach from last season and one of the most exciting young teams in the league.</p><p>But will they see many playoff games? The former Quebec Nordiques have been up one season, down the next. The only constant has been their failure to advance in the play-offs.</p><p>Things were supposed to be different last season when rookie GM Pierre Lacroix added depth on defense and leadership in former Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; captain Wendel Clark. Mission accomplished in the regular season when the Nordiques, under rookie coach Marc Crawford, placed second overall with 65 points in 48 games.</p><p>But for all their improvement and promise, it was the same old dazed and confused Nordiques who bowed out to the New York Rangers in six games. The new-and-improved Nordiques failed their first big test.</p><p>No one will question Colorado&rsquo;s talent or depth. They have a solid core of talent which includes perhaps the best group of forwards in the league, a capable front office and a host of excellent prospects. Now they have a stable ownership situation and no longer have to worry about the cultural and tax constraints that prevented them from getting and keeping players in Quebec.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0089-0268/10277666-1-eng-US/f0089-022.jpg" title="f0089-02" width="718" height="1100"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0089-0346/10277659-1-eng-US/f0089-032.jpg" title="f0089-03" width="1514" height="2278"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER JOE SAKIC</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>But if success doesn&rsquo;t come this season, the chemistry of the team will undoubtedly come into question.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 30-13-5, first in Northeast, second overall, lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal 4-2 to New York Rangers. Power play: 24.2 per cent (third overall). Penalty killing: 81.3 per cent (15th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> John Slaney, D.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Rene Corbet, LW; Jon Klemm, D; Landon Wilson, LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Offensive production from the blueline. The Nordiques had virtually no I second wave of attack-their defensemen contributed 26 goals in 84 games in 1993-94 and just 15 in 48 games last season. Janne Laukkanen, the defenseman Colorado feels is their man within the system, had eight goals in 55 American League games with the Comwall Aces, but none in 11 NHL games. Outside help could be required.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0090-01116/10277652-1-eng-US/f0090-012.jpg" title="f0090-01" width="2461" height="3315"></div><p>2. Team defense. The Nordiques chopped nearly three-quarters of a goal off their goals-against average in the regular season. But it was a different story in the playoffs when their GAA rose from 2.76 per game to 4.08. They must get back on track and maintain disciplined play in their own I zone beyond the regular season.</p><p>3. Dealing with depth. Joe Sakic has been the team&rsquo;s go-to guy for the better part of seven years, but Peter Forsberg, the 1994-95 NHL rookie of the year, is the team&rsquo;s star of the future. He was Quebec&rsquo;s best player by late last season and will require lots of action if he is to develop into the superstar he is projected to be. Throw Mike Ricci into the mix at center and you have to wonder whether there&rsquo;s enough ice time for all three.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Pete Because they were beaten out in the first round after placing second overall, the quality of the team&rsquo;s goaltending is once again in question. But Colorado&rsquo;s management is satisfied with the development of Stephane Fiset as the No. 1 goalie and his numbers suggest he is moving in the right direction. His GAA improved from 3.39 to 2.78 over the previous season and his save percentage rose from .890 to .910. Jocelyn Thibault. 20, displays maturity beyond his years on and off the ice and will continue to be groomed. He played extremely well in mid-season before a shoulder injury knocked him out for a month.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> The Nordiques improved themselves in many areas last season, but the team still doesn&rsquo;t have a dominant two-way defenseman. While they are satisfied with the basic texture of their blueline, they are searching for somebody with the capability to play 30-40 minutes in a big game who can get the team out of trouble by carrying the puck out of their end.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0091-0196/10277645-1-eng-US/f0091-012.jpg" title="f0091-01" width="1172" height="1920"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Peter Forsberg makes Colorado deep in talented centers.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Something to prove: Until he wins them a playoff round (or two) Fiset will not be lumped in with the likes of Martin Brodeur and Felix Potvin. With Thibault developing rapidly and contending seriously for the No. 1 job, time is becoming a factor.</p><p>Organization: Colorado&rsquo;s depth may be a blessing for the players on the parent team, but it&rsquo;s a curse for those in the minors. Depending on how radically management wants to change the face of the team, the likes of defenseman Aaron Miller as well as forwards Stephane Yelle and Landon Wilson may be forced to spend more time in the minors. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Wilson left the University of North Dakota last season and joined Cornwall, where he scored four goals and eight points in eight game with 25 penalty minutes. He has great upside, but may require an adjustment period to pro hockey. And that rushing defenseman the team needs so desperately? It could be Anders Myrvold, a superb skater who had 64 points and 173 PIM with the Laval Titan of the Quebec League last season. Myrvold is still a year or two awav.</p><p>Coach/GM: Crawford (30-13-5, .667) was named NHL coach of the year in his rookie NHL season. Crawford patiently moved his way up through junior and minor pro hockey and is now regarded as one of the great young coaches in the game.</p><p>Lacroix (30-13-5, .667), a former player agent, was aggressive in his first season as GM, making a number of moves to add leadership and depth to the organization. Die-hard fans in Quebec will be pleased to know Lacroix has vowed to keep the Francophone flavor of the team alive in Colorado.</p><p>Playoff history: They might have been the NHL&rsquo;s most improved team in the regular season, but it was the same old Nordiques who showed up in the playoffs. They have missed the playoffs in six of the past eight years and haven&rsquo;t advanced beyond the first round since 1987.</p><h2><b>COLORADO</b></h2><p>Nordique players had a good reason for not wanting to leave Quebec City. Coach Marc Crawford&rsquo;s team had an NHL-best 19-1-4 (.875) at home last season. The relocated franchise will play out of McNicholls Arena in Denver until the new Pepsi Center is ready for the 1997-98 season. Below are the best home records and winning percentages during NHL seasons of 48 or more games.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0091-0257/10277638-1-eng-US/f0091-022.jpg" title="f0091-02" width="966" height="1109"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0092-01117/10277631-1-eng-US/f0092-012.jpg" title="f0092-01" width="2342" height="2352"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0089-02

COLORADO

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0093-0259/10277732-1-eng-US/f0093-022.jpg" title="f0093-02" width="756" height="1152"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0093-01100/10277739-1-eng-US/f0093-012.jpg" title="f0093-01" width="140" height="131"></div><p>When Mike Modano went down with an ankle injury, the pain could be felt all over the state of Texas.</p><p>That&rsquo;s because few teams rely so heavily on one forward for success as the Stars do on Modano. One year after the 25-year-old Modano completed his first 50-goal season, his injury April 4 with 14 games remaining in the regular season dealt a severe blow to the Stars&rsquo; chances.</p><p>They went 5-7-2 down the stretch, lost their final four games of the regular season and were eliminated by the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in the opening round of playoffs.</p><p>It speaks volumes about Modano&rsquo;s value to the Stars, but also about their lack of depth up front. The Stars slipped from eighth overall in 1993-94 to 19th and averaged nearly one fewer goal-scored per game.</p><p>The texture of the team has changed and Dallas is now hoping a monstrous defense, led by the Hatcher boys-6-foot-4, 225-pound Kevin and 6-foot-5, 225-pound Derian-along with Doug Zmolek (6-foot-2, 225) and Richard Matvichuk (6-foot-2, 190) will lead to greater success.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0093-0330/10277725-1-eng-US/f0093-032.jpg" title="f0093-03" width="1522" height="2286"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER MIKE MODANO</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Dan Hamilton/VPS)</span></figcaption></div><p>The addition of free agent center Bob Bassen, who was stuck in a traffic jam in Denver behind Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Mike Ricci, should be a big help up front. Bassen scored 12 goals in 47 games last season with limited playing time and is considered a fine two-way performer.</p><p>Once again though, the Stars&rsquo; success will all come down to Modano, his health and his performance.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 17-23-8, fifth in Central, 19th overall, lost Western Conference quarterfinal 4-1 to Detroit. Power play: 15.7 per cent (19th overall). Penalty killing: 84.4 per cent (eighth overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisition:</b> Bob Bassen. C.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Jere Lehtinen, RW; Grant Marshall, RW; Manny Fernandez, G.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Continued development of young defensemen. In Derian Hatcher, 23, Richard Matvichuk, 22, and Doug Zmolek, 24, the Stars have three young, big, tough and talented blueliners. But each has ample room for further development. If they bump their games up a notch, the Stars will have one of the league&rsquo;s most feared and adept defense corps.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0094-01108/10277718-1-eng-US/f0094-012.jpg" title="f0094-01" width="2456" height="3327"></div><p>2. Offensive depth. The Stars need to improve the talent on their top two lines and find an offense-minded winger to complement Modano. Acquiring Bassen was the first step in diversifying the attack and it would also help if Corey Millen re-discovers his scoring touch. The Stars could have signed Ray Ferraro, but the price was too steep.</p><p>3. Modano&rsquo;s return. Seasonending ankle injury aside, Modano wasn&rsquo;t the same dominant player last season that he was the year before when he hit the 50-goal plateau for the first time. He is among the fastest-and hardest-shooting forwards in the NHL and capable of dominating games. At 25 and with six seasons behind him, Modano has yet to record a 100-point season.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> There were no complaints about the play of 35-year-old Andy Moog last season. How long he can continue to be the No. 1 man is open to question. The Stars are pleased, in general, with Darcy Wakaluk as their backup, but feel he must improve on his 4-8-0 record, 3.18 goals-against average and .883 save percentage. Fernandez, who starred for the Kalamazoo Wings of the International League last season, is No. 3 on the depth chart, but will likely see some action with the Stars. He was among the best performers at the minor-league level last season. Mike Torchia was the only Stars&rsquo; goalie with a winning record at 3-2-1, but the longtime prospect was traded to the Washington Capitals during the summer.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Size up front. The Philadelphia Flyers set the tone with their bigger-is-better strategy last season and if the Stars and &rsquo; others are smart, they will keep pace. A number of the Stars&rsquo; key forwards, Dave Gagner, Todd Harvey, Brent Gilchrist, Mike Donnelly, Bassen and Millen are in the small-to-medium category. One big forward in the system, 6-foot-4, 212-pound Mark Lawrence, has not developed in two years as a pro to the point where he is considered a longshot to make the team this season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0095-01103/10277711-1-eng-US/f0095-012.jpg" title="f0095-01" width="1170" height="1928"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>They like &rsquo;em big in Texas, which suits Derian Hatcher fine.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> The Stars are convinced right winger Trent Klatt has the potential to score in the 20-25 goal range. Now he must go out and do it. Klatt managed 12 in 47 games last season. The 82nd pick in the 1989 draft, Klatt played his first full season in the NHL last year after splitting the previous two years with the Stars and Kalamazoo.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Stars came very close to keeping underage center Jamie Langenbrunner after a splendid training camp last year, but decided it would be in his best long-term interest to play another year of junior with the Ontario League&rsquo;s Peterborough Petes. He led them in scoring with 42 goals and 99 points and was a member of the United States team at the World Junior Championship. The Stars traded away veteran Neal Broten, but may have his replacement waiting in the wings. Lee Jinman of the OHL&rsquo;s North Bay Centennials scored 39 goals and 104 points in 63 games. If it&rsquo;s size on the wing the Stars want, 6-foot-3, 205-pound Jason Botterill will one day provide it. He had 14 goals, 28 points and 117 penalty minutes in 34 games with the University of Michigan last season.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Bob Gainey (coach: 154-171-54, .478; GM: 95-90-31, .512) has coached the Stars the past five years and has been their GM for three. Gainey&rsquo;s wife, Cathy, passed away over the summer and there was speculation he might turn the coaching reins over to someone else to concentrate solely on his GM&rsquo;s duties, but he decided in mid-July to remain at both positions.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Stars made it as far as the Stanley Cup final in 1991, losing in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but have missed the playoffs once and won just one round since then.</p><h2><b>DALLAS</b></h2><p>Although Bob Gainey has been the head coach of the Stars for just five seasons, he is the only coach from the 1990-91 season still behind the bench with the same team. Gainey&rsquo;s job security stems, in part, from his status as Stars&rsquo; coach-GM. Only one other coach, Pat Burns, has a longer streak of consecutive seasons in the NHL (seven, with Montreal and Toronto). Scott Bowman and Rick Bowness have been behind the bench four straight years for two different teams. Here are the NHL coaches who have survived two or more full uninterrupted seasons and their ages entering 1995-96:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0095-0256/10277704-1-eng-US/f0095-022.jpg" title="f0095-02" width="976" height="1119"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0096-01119/10277697-1-eng-US/f0096-012.jpg" title="f0096-01" width="2357" height="2317"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0093-02

DALLAS STARS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0097-0269/10277805-1-eng-US/f0097-022.jpg" title="f0097-02" width="717" height="1101"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0097-01111/10277812-1-eng-US/f0097-012.jpg" title="f0097-01" width="141" height="136"></div><p>Now that the mass depression has passed in Detroit, let&rsquo;s get a couple of things straight.</p><p>The Detroit Red Wings were embarrassed in the Stanley Cup final. They looked awful, they let themselves down and they let down fans who have waited 40 years between Stanley Cups.</p><p>We&rsquo;re not about to endorse them as Stanley Cup champions this season, but we&rsquo;re also not ready to throw them on the scrap heap. The fact is, the Wings are a force to be reckoned with and could very well complete the unfinished business from 1995.</p><p>Think about it, who do they have to beat to make the final? The St. Louis Blues? The Vancouver Canucks? The Chicago Blackhawks? Denver?</p><p>We&rsquo;re not suggesting it will be a walk in the park, but let&rsquo;s not forget the Red Wings did some good things in 1994-95, not the least of which was dominating the regular season. There is every reason to believe this team has the potential to take another step forward with the right fine-tuning.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0097-0343/10277798-1-eng-US/f0097-032.jpg" title="f0097-03" width="1502" height="2274"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER KE TH PR MEAU</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Andre Pichete/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Get that big stud on defense. Get a few larger wingers. Continue to play the leftwing lock that made them a better defensive unit.</p><p>More than anything, don&rsquo;t let last season&rsquo;s defeat set the program back. The New Jersey Devils suffered a crushing defeat the year before and managed to recover.</p><p>The Devils, of course, were coming off a Game 7 double-overtime loss, not a shocking sweep in a year when almost everyone was expecting a victory.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 33-11-4, first in Central, first overall, lost Stanley Cup final 4-0 to New Jersey. Power play: 24.2 per cent (second overall). Penalty killing: 86.4 per cent (second overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Anders Eriksson, D; Mike Knuble, RW; Jamie Pushor, D; Aaron Ward, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Shock recovery. Reaching the Stanley Cup final is wonderful, but losing it the way I the Wings did can be devastating. The Red Wings must use I their defeat in the final as a motivating force, not a confidence-breaker.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0098-01134/10277791-1-eng-US/f0098-012.jpg" title="f0098-01" width="2378" height="3315"></div><p>2. The defense corps. Paul I Coffey led the Red Wings in scoring last season, but even he I came under fire for his poor I play in the playoffs. He piled I up most of his post-season points against weaker competition and was ineffective under I pressure. Mark Howe, Mike Ramsey and Terry Carkner didn&rsquo;t do the job and Viacheslav Fetisov is 37 years old. I Pushor, Eriksson and Ward will I get the chance to play, but that I won&rsquo;t be enough. Outside help is required.</p><p>3. Defensive philosophy. The Red Wings rose to second in goals-against average from I 16th the season before because I the players bought into coach I Scotty Bowman&rsquo;s defensive scheme. Will they question it I now that it didn&rsquo;t get them over the hump? If so, it would be fatal. The Red Wings must remember they got absolutely nowhere with flash and dash.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> If it were only the regular season Red Wings&rsquo; management had to be concerned about, goal-tending would not be a concern at all. Mike Vernon. 32, and Chris Osgood, 22, pack a hefty punch. But playoff performances are a factor and Vernon faltered in the final. It would be untrue to say goaltending lost them the Cup, but it sure didn&rsquo;t help. The Red Wings must decide if they still have faith in Vernon or if it is time to expand Osgood&rsquo;s role. There is also Kevin Hodson and Norm Maracle to consider. That duo helped the Adirondack Red Wings win the American League goals-against title. Hodson has now completed two full seasons in the minors while Maracle, who led the Western League in wins two years ago with 41, is entering his second.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Size up front. The Red Wings&rsquo; smallish forwards were not a hindrance against Western Conference competition during the regular season and playoffs leading up the final. But the size differential was a huge factor against the Devils and will be more noticeable this season when the Wings take on Eastern Division competition. Dino Ciccarelli; Slava Kozlov, Bob Errey, Kris Draper, Greg Johnson, Martin Lapointe and Steve Yzerman all stand below 6-feet tall.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0099-0197/10277784-1-eng-US/f0099-012.jpg" title="f0099-01" width="1168" height="1926"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>A rejuvenated Paul Coffey was the NHL&rsquo;s best defenseman.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> After winning the Hart and Selke Trophies in 1993-94, Sergei Fedorov couldn&rsquo;t have gotten much better last season. But he was not nearly as effective as the season before. He finished 16th in NHL scoring and did not play well in the final. A one-year wonder? Hardly, but can he be the man for the Wings again?</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Red Wings&rsquo; top pick in the 1994 draft, defenseman Yan Golubovsky, played for Adirondack as an 18-year-old last season and was brought along slowly. He scored four goals and six points in 57 games and is expected to take on a larger role this season. Speedy right winger Mathieu Dandenault led the Sherbrooke Faucons of the Quebec League in scoring with I 37 goals and 107 points in 67 &rsquo; games. Knuble, the team&rsquo;s I fourth pick in the 1991 draft, is being given an outside shot at I cracking the lineup after a I sparkling career at the University of Michigan. At 6-foot-3 <i>I</i> and 215 pounds, the right I winger has a nice touch around &ldquo;the net and can maneuver well in traffic.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> The winningest coach in NHL history, Bowman (913421-239, .656 as coach; 347-237-104, .580 as GM) has signed on for another three seasons behind the bench. That means 1,000 wins is within his grasp. If the Red Wings reach their potential under his guidance, so is a seventh Stanley Cup. Bowman has been to the final 10 times as a head coach, winning five Cups with the Montreal Canadiens and another with the Pittsburgh Penguins.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> Forty years and counting. That&rsquo;s how long it has been since the Red Wings last won the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings have seven Cups to their credit, but now have the longest Cup drought in the NHL. Last season&rsquo;s trip to the final ended a two-year streak of first-round defeats. It was also the sixth time the Red Wings have lost in the final since 1955.</p><h2><b>DETROIT</b></h2><p>Scotty Bowman became the first coach in NHL history to record 900 regular-season victories last season. He finished 1994-95 with a 913-421-238 career mark. Here&rsquo;s the top 15 all-time coaches, their number of Stanley Cups, career winning percentage and victory count.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0099-0249/10277777-1-eng-US/f0099-022.jpg" title="f0099-02" width="963" height="1115"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0100-01107/10277770-1-eng-US/f0100-012.jpg" title="f0100-01" width="2373" height="2305"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0097-02

DETROIT RED WINGS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0101-0257/10277878-1-eng-US/f0101-022.jpg" title="f0101-02" width="713" height="1096"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0101-0196/10277885-1-eng-US/f0101-012.jpg" title="f0101-01" width="143" height="134"></div><p>The Philadelphia Flyers went from missing the playoffs five straight years to making the Stanley Cup semifinal last season.</p><p>If any team can use the Flyers&rsquo; season as an inspiration, it is the Edmonton Oilers.</p><p>The Oilers have missed the playoffs the past three seasons. But the youth movement is starting to pay off with more potentially solid recruits on the way.</p><p>In the past two years Jason Amott, David Oliver, Kirk Maltby and Todd Marchant have given indication they can be solid NHL contributors. The Oilers have high hopes for a number of rookies, including Mats Lindgren, Jason Bonsignore and Ryan Smyth, this coming season. Bonsignore scored in his NHL debut last season.</p><p>The Oilers also boast a solid core of veterans, but are coming off sub-par seasons. Most notable is goalie Bill Ranford, who struggled last season and was up for trade in the off-season, particularly after left winger Shayne Corson was traded to the St. Louis Blues for goalie Curtis Joseph and right winger Mike Grier.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0101-0335/10277871-1-eng-US/f0101-032.jpg" title="f0101-03" width="1508" height="2258"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER B LL RANFORD</b></figcaption></div><p>With two of the league&rsquo;s top open-ice hitters in Luke Richardson and Brian Marchment, the neutral and defensive zones are heads-up areas for opposing rushers. The late-season addition of veteran defensemen Ken Sutton and Jiri Slegr should make Ranford&rsquo;s life easier.</p><p>There is no reason to believe that if all the cards fall into the right place, the Oilers can&rsquo;t be this season&rsquo;s surprise team. In reality, it shouldn&rsquo;t really be that much of a shock.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 17-27-4, fifth in Pacific, 22nd overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 16.2 per cent (18th overall). Penalty killing: 77.7 per cent (25th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Curtis Joseph, G; Mike Grier, RW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Jason Bonisignore, C; Mats Lindgren, C; Ryan Smyth, LW; Nick Stajduhar, D..</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Ranford&rsquo;s rebound-if he stays or, more likely, Joseph&rsquo;s Ranford wasn&rsquo;t his usual dependable self. Joseph didn&rsquo;t mesh with new coach Mike Keenan, who blamed the goalie for St. Louis disappointing playoff performance. Both Ranford and Joseph, however are bona-fide No. 1 goalies, so I they couldn&rsquo;t last long together.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0102-01102/10277864-1-eng-US/f0102-012.jpg" title="f0102-01" width="2552" height="3339"></div><p>2. Arnott in Year III. Runner-up to New Jersey Devils&rsquo; I goalie Martin Brodeur in voting I for the Calder Trophy as the NHL&rsquo;s rookie of the year in 1993-94, Arnott slipped in Year I II. A sophomore slump? Probably. The Oilers want Arnott to I arrive at the rink with the same I passion and intensity he displayed as a freshman when he I placed third in rookie scoring with 33 goals and 68 points in I 78 games.</p><p>3. Contribution from sophomores and rookies. Rookies Marchant and Oliver were often the Oilers&rsquo; best players last I season, although Oliver faded a I bit down the stretch. Marchant I was an effective scorer and super penalty killer with two shorthanded goals. His speed is a constant concern for opponents. Ten of Oliver&rsquo;s 16 goals came on the power play. Along with Lindgren, Bonsignore and Smyth, they will be keys to the team&rsquo;s continued growth and evolution into a playoff contender. Lindgren, the Winnipeg Jets&rsquo; first pick in 1993 who was obtained in the Dave Manson trade in 1994, is considered a world class player who is ready to play in the NHL.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Thanks to an off-year by Ranford, the Oilers aren&rsquo;t nearly as confident in their goaltending as they have been in the past. Even when the Oilers were pushovers, Ranford was there to keep it from looking worse than it was. Joseph changes the picture. He will play for less money than Ranford and for this reason alone had the inside track on the No. 1 job, even though he&rsquo;s not considered quite in Ranford&rsquo;s class. The Oilers still have hopes for Joaquin Gage 0 and Steve Passmore, who played in the American League with the Cape Breton Oilers last season, but both need more experience in the minors.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Veteran leadership. More than anything else, 2 the team needs someone to steer the young, talented players in the I right direction. Corson was the team&rsquo;s captain, but had his &lsquo;C&rsquo; taken away by former head coach George Burnett. The Flyers brought in former Oiler Craig MacTavish last season to impart his influence their young players and the Oilers could use a player of MacTavish&rsquo;s ilk to set the sights for their young guns.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0103-0193/10277857-1-eng-US/f0103-012.jpg" title="f0103-01" width="1206" height="1926"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The Oilers are hoping to see a more inspired Jason Arnott.</b></figcaption></div><p>I Organization: The Oilers I already have a host of youngsters either in the lineup or I challenging seriously to make it. They are pleased with the progress of huge (6-foot-5, 207-pound) defenseman Corey Neilson of the Ontario League&rsquo;s North Bay Centennials. Neilson had 33 points and 86 penalty minutes in 64 games. Another defenseman, 6-foot-2, 210-pound Brad Symes of the Portland Winter Hawks, had 24 points and 134 penalty minutes in his third Western League season.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Ron Low&rsquo;s (5-7-1, .423) first full year as I coach will be monitored closely. Give this to Low though, I he&rsquo;s no shrinking violet. An I Oilers&rsquo; assistant coach for 6 &frac12; I years, he took over from Burnett late last season and immediately made it clear he was I boss. Low also laid it on the I line after the season, warning I the players-including the top stars Arnott and Corson-he expects an improved work ethic and if one isn&rsquo;t demonstrated from the outset, changes will quickly be made.</p><p>Having built five Stanley Cup champions, president-GM Glen Sather (625-471-160, .561) knows what it takes to piece together winner. Doing it on a strict budget has been his latest challenge, but Sather appears to be working his magic once again. He has molded a young, fast crew that appears on the verge of being a recognized force in the league. Can he keep the team together after they attain success or will the Oilers simply become another farm team for the rest of the league?</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> Oilers&rsquo; fans who grew accustomed to annual Stanley Cup celebrations haven&rsquo;t had to line up for playoff tickets for three years now. Still, the Oilers are considered the NHL&rsquo;s last dynasty, having won five Cups in a seven-year period beginning in 1983-84.</p><h2><b>EDMONTON</b></h2><p>Replacing George Burnett with Ron Low as head coach seemed like a no-brainer at the time. The Oilers were 12-203 (.386) when Burnett was fired; Low guided them to a .423 mark (5-7-1) the rest of the way-a small jump of .037 in winning percentage. His challenge will be to build on that modest improvement this year. Here are changes in team winning percentages for clubs who made major moves with at least eight games (one-sixth of season) before or after. In the case of the Montreal Canadiens, their season is split in three segments: Games 1-9 (.556); 10-33 (.396); and 34-48 (.533); Team Major Move Before After Diff.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0103-0249/10277850-1-eng-US/f0103-022.jpg" title="f0103-02" width="1006" height="1118"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0104-01105/10277843-1-eng-US/f0104-012.jpg" title="f0104-01" width="2414" height="2316"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0101-02

EDMONTON OILERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0105-0257/10277951-1-eng-US/f0105-022.jpg" title="f0105-02" width="714" height="1098"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0105-0195/10277958-1-eng-US/f0105-012.jpg" title="f0105-01" width="141" height="135"></div><p>The Florida Panthers are prepared to take one step back this season if it means taking two forward in the future.</p><p>By firing veteran coach Roger Neilson after Neilson led them to within one point of the playoffs in each of their first two seasons, the Panthers made a clear commitment to their youth movement.</p><p>The Panthers could have continued along the same path indefinitely, always fighting for a playoff spot using grizzled veterans and almost always coming up short. But that is not how GM Bryan Murray envisions the future of the organization and certainly is not how a team builds a contender. |</p><p>Murray, who took over as GM a year ago, wants center Rob Niedermayer, the team&rsquo;s first pick in the 1993 entry draft, to play more often and in key situations and expects defenseman Ed Jovanovski, the first overall pick in 1994, to make the jump to the NHL from junior.</p><p>Both players are expected to become integral parts of a team that checked like champions, but scored like chumps.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0105-0339/10277944-1-eng-US/f0105-032.jpg" title="f0105-03" width="1510" height="2264"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER JOHN VANB ESBROUCK</b></figcaption></div><p>Florida is blessed with plenty of character, thanks largely to players assembled by Neilson and former GM Bob Clarke. But the team&rsquo;s talent level outside the goal crease, where John Vanbiesbrouck has singlehandedly won or kept them in games, remains low.</p><p>The Panthers may very well miss the playoffs by a lot more than a point this season with their youngsters, but they feel their new approach will benefit them more in the long run.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 20-22-6, fifth in Atlantic, 15th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 13.1 per cent (24th overall). Penalty killing: 83.2 per cent (12th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Brett Harkins, C; Chris Kontos, C/LW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Ed Jovanovski, D; Steve Washbum, C-LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Goaltending. The Panthers can&rsquo;t score, but with John Vanbiesbrouck between the pipes, they often don&rsquo;t require many goals to win. With Vanbiesbrouck and Mark Fitzpatrick in goal, the Panthers held the opposition to two or fewer goals in 17 of their 20 victories. The tandem finished third and sixth in goals-against in the past two seasons-an unbelievable accomplishment for an expansion team.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0106-01100/10277937-1-eng-US/f0106-012.jpg" title="f0106-01" width="2514" height="3359"></div><p>2. New defensemen. Late-season additions Magnus Svensson and Robert Svehla gave Florida experience and speed on the blueline. Svensson, 32, scored two goals and seven points in 19 games while Svehla, 26, had a goal and an assist in five games. Jovanovski is a lock to make the team, but faces a possible jail term for an off-ice incident in junior hockey. If he plays, he&rsquo;ll add toughness and potentially additional offense.</p><p>3. Scoring. For all their great character, solid defense and dependable goaltending, the Panthers are the NHL&rsquo;s lowest scoring team. They hope the additions of playmaking center Harkins (he had 69 assists and 92 points in 80 games with the Providence Bruins of the American League last season) and Kontos (back from Sweden) will give the power play a boost, but they will be hard-pressed to move up the rankings if that&rsquo;s all they add. Stu Barnes had something of a breakthrough year with 29 points, which is the equivalent of a 50-point season.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Murray resisted the temptation to trade Vanbiesbrouck to a contender at the trade deadline last season. The Vanbies-brouck-Fitzpatrick duo remains one of the league&rsquo;s best. In 34 starts last season, Vanbiesbrouck was the game&rsquo;s first star six times, second star four times and third star six times. In a lockout-shortened season Fitzpatrick didn&rsquo;t get enough work and when they needed him down the stretch, he was hurt with a sore shoulder. Look for the workload to be split more evenly this season.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> In terms of offense, the Panthers could use additional scoring at every position, but mostly on defense. Svensson may help for a year or two, but he&rsquo;s 32 years old. It is Jovanovski who will be counted on long term. He scored 15 goals and 51 points in 62 Ontario League games as a rookie with the Windsor Spitfires in 1993-94 and improved his numbers to 23 goals and 65 points in just I 50 games last season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0107-0192/10277930-1-eng-US/f0107-012.jpg" title="f0107-01" width="1182" height="1926"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Stu Barnes scored 29 points and led the Panthers at plus-7.</b></figcaption></div><p>Something to prove: Bob I Kudelski scored 40 goals two years ago, but spent a lot of time watching games from the press box last season. He had six goals in 26 games. Kudelski I wasn&rsquo;t a Roger Neilson-type player, meaning he didn&rsquo;t check well, but he&rsquo;s the closest thing the team has to a consistent scoring threat. And he&rsquo;s scheduled to make $1.4 million over the next two years.</p><p>Organization: Jovanovski I likely would have survived last I season as an 18-year-old, but I another year of junior allowed I him to refine his overall game I and gain confidence. Jason Podollan, a 6-foot-l, 181-poundcenter, led the Spokane Chiefs I of the Western League in scoring (84 points in 72 games), but | is not quite NHL-ready. Center Steve Washburn of the OHL&rsquo;s I Ottawa 67&rsquo;s might also be part I of the team&rsquo;s youth movement. I Washbum had three goals in six I games with the Cincinnati I Cyclones of the International I League when his junior season I concluded. He remains a long-shot to make the team this season, but could do so because of his stellar two-way play.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> The Panthers&rsquo; commitment to youth starts behind the bench where Doug MacLean, 41, gets his first opportunity as an NHL head coach. The longtime Murray assistant clearly shares a philosophy with his boss, but is his own man. Panther fans can expect MacLean to employ a more aggressive forechecking system which should lead to more scoring chances-at both ends of the ice.</p><p>Murray (190-143-43, .594) believes in building with prospects and that is a big reason why Neilson isn&rsquo;t coaching his team anymore. As GM of the Detroit Red Wings, Murray stuck by Keith Primeau when he could have dealt the awkward and unproductive youngster. Primeau emerged last season as one of the league&rsquo;s top power centers.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Panthers have gotten as close as you can to the playoffs without actually being there.</p><h2><b>FLORIDA</b></h2><p>How poor was Ronda&rsquo;s offense last season? Jesse Belanger and Stu Barnes tied for the Panthers&rsquo; scoring lead with 29 points each. (Belanger had 15 goals to break the tie.) Projected over a full 84-game season that works out to 51 points-one of the lowest totals ever to lead a team. Listed are the lowest team point leaders over the past 20 years.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0107-0253/10277923-1-eng-US/f0107-022.jpg" title="f0107-02" width="973" height="1107"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0108-01109/10277916-1-eng-US/f0108-012.jpg" title="f0108-01" width="2364" height="2308"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0105-02

FLORIDA PANTHERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0109-0257/10278024-1-eng-US/f0109-022.jpg" title="f0109-02" width="717" height="1104"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0109-0197/10278031-1-eng-US/f0109-012.jpg" title="f0109-01" width="141" height="135"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Hartford Whalers made some good things happen in 1995, but there was this little problem of losing $11.5 million that owner Peter Karmanos found hard to ignore.</p><p>Karmanos bought the team a year ago and has committed to four years in Hartford. The franchise took some positive steps under his ownership last season.</p><p>If it keeps bleeding green at this rate, however, there&rsquo;s little doubt it will be going in a different direction very soon on the highway out of town.</p><p>The Whalers&rsquo; moved up to 16th in the overall standings from 24th in 1993-94. Their winning percentage increased to .448 from .375; their power play moved up to 14th in the league from 23rd; their penalty killing to 22nd from 24th and their goals-against average to 14th from 20th.</p><p>The key elements of a good team are in place.</p><p>The team&rsquo;s top three defensemen are young; goaltender Sean Burke has been among the best stoppers in the league two years running and there are enough quality forwards to suggest that Hartford could climb over the .500 mark after five straight losing seasons.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0109-0338/10278017-1-eng-US/f0109-032.jpg" title="f0109-03" width="1524" height="2260"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>LEFT WINGER GEOFF SANDERSON</b></figcaption></div><p>The playoffs would be a good start for the franchise as it tries to turn a profit. The Whalers haven&rsquo;t been to the post-season in three years and haven&rsquo;t escaped the first round since 1986.</p><p>But another season of little success will likely put the Whalers a season closer to a new home.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 19-24-5, fifth in Northeast, 16th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 17.2 per cent (14th overall). Penalty killing: 80 per cent (22nd overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Brendan Shanahan, LW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Scott Daniels, LW; Marek Malik, D; Jeff O&rsquo;Neill, C; Kevin Smyth, LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Consistency. The Whalers started badly (2-7-2) and ended badly (1-6-0). In between I they were 16-11-3, not bad for a I troubled team trying to turn the I corner. They won some huge games along the way; a pair over the Pittsburgh Penguins, a I big win over the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden and another over the Philadelphia Flyers. At times, when they put their minds to it, the Whalers showed they could be a team to contend with.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0110-01101/10278010-1-eng-US/f0110-012.jpg" title="f0110-01" width="2469" height="3318"></div><p>2. Brendan Shanahan&rsquo;s contribution. The Whalers received perhaps the league&rsquo;s best power forward from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for promising but underachieving defenseman Chris Pronger. Shanahan, who had 20 goals and 41 points in 45 games last season, gives the Whalers their first bona-fide 50-goal man and much-needed toughness on the first line. If he holds true to form and endears himself to Paul Holmgren more than he did to Mike Keenan, his presence should give the Whalers a huge boost.</p><p>3. Offensive production from others. Shanahan is important, but the Whalers also believe they have players who are capable of producing more than they did last season. Left I winger Geoff Sanderson, who I had back-to-back seasons of 46 I and 41 goals, managed 18 in 46 games last season. Steven Rice, Brer Andrew Cassels and Paul Ranheim are others with the potential to create a more sustained attack.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Sean Burke is one of the best-kept secrets outside of the Greater Hartford area. He is the first Whalers&rsquo; goalie to be named the team&rsquo;s most valuable player in consecutive seasons. Had the Whalers been in the thick of things, Burke would have received the same type of league-wide MVP consideration John Vanbiesbrouck did two years ago with the Florida Panthers. Jeff Reese has been the ideal backup since arriving from the Calgary Flames in 1993. He accepts his role and although used sparingly can come up with big performances. Third on the depth chart is Manny Legace, who may be ready to challenge for the backup role. The Whalers are pleased with his progress and like his competitive nature.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0111-0199/10278003-1-eng-US/f0111-012.jpg" title="f0111-01" width="1160" height="1912"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Brendan Shanahan may be the offensive force Hartford needs.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> An offense-minded defenseman. Pronger was projected to be the man but never panned out. The Whalers&rsquo; highest scoring defenseman last year was Frantisek Kucera with three goals and 20 points. Glen Wesley, acquired from the Boston Bruins in the summer of 1994 to be the power-play quarterback, was steady in his own end, but didn&rsquo;t take control inside the other team&rsquo;s blueline.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Hartford lost a lot in defenseman Bryan Marchment when he was awarded to the Edmonton Oilers after they signed free agent right winger Steve Rice. Although he has shown signs of being a frontliner, Rice has not demonstrated consistency. With Pat Verbeek traded to the New York Rangers late last season, Rice must elevate his play. Scoring 11 goals and 21 points in 40 games is not sufficient production from a guy who is supposed to be a power forward.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Center Hnat Domenichelli was second on the Memorial Cup champion Kamloops Blazers with 52 goals and 114 points in 72 games. Six-foot-4, 192-pound defenseman Ryan Risodore of the Guelph Storm became a more physical force in his second season in the Ontario League and improved his offensive Output from 11 points as a rookie to 30. Right winger Matt Ball improved from three goals as a rookie with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings to 35 last season. Ball is 6-feet, 219 pounds.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Paul Holmgren (156-213-44, .430) would have had his team play a wide-open style if only he had the right personnel. Unfortunately, the Whalers didn&rsquo;t have the horses to open things up.</p><p>GM Jim Rutherford (19-24-5, .448) is aggressive in his approach. The former NHL goaltender quickly made his mark in the NHL when he traded three first-round draft picks for defenseman Glen Wesley. A longtime ally of Karmanos, Rutherford has looked pretty good in the first stages of the Whalers&rsquo; rebuilding project.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Whalers&rsquo; have missed the playoffs eight times in 16 years, including the past three, and have won just one round. That came in 1986 when they eliminated the Quebec Nordiques.</p><h2><b>HARTFORD</b></h2><p>The Whalers had a first-team, all-star defense in 1994-95&hellip;on the NHL all-overpaid team. Million-dollar defensemen Chris Pronger and Glen Wesley both received more than they gave during disappointing seasons. Here are the THN first and second all-overpaid teams, including the key stat earning them that status and scheduled full-season salary:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0111-0251/10277996-1-eng-US/f0111-022.jpg" title="f0111-02" width="962" height="1114"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0112-01111/10277989-1-eng-US/f0112-012.jpg" title="f0112-01" width="2396" height="2304"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0109-02

HARTFORD WHALERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0113-0255/10278097-1-eng-US/f0113-022.jpg" title="f0113-02" width="697" height="1127"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0113-0193/10278104-1-eng-US/f0113-012.jpg" title="f0113-01" width="136" height="135"></div><p>Look who&rsquo;s playing for the Mickey Mouse I organization now.</p><p>Wayne Gretzky called the New Jersey Devils a Mickey Mouse organization 13 I years ago and it has come back to haunt him, especially since the Devils won the | Cup and the Kings are a complete mess on I and off the ice.</p><p>It&rsquo;s hard to believe this team was in the Stanley Cup final just three years ago. Now the Kings are among the NHL&rsquo;s worst teams with no reason to believe things will take a turn for the better this season.</p><p>It was a tumultuous season and off-season I for the Kings. Former owner Bruce McNall I ran the franchise into financial ruin and new owners were busy trying to sell a team with as big a debt as most third-world countries.</p><p>GM Sam McMaster made several questionable moves and by the end of the season, the Kings were being coached by Rogie Vachon.</p><p>Even Gretzky tumbled out of the NHL&rsquo;s I top 20 scorers and finished a minus-20, tied I for sixth worst in the league.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0113-0338/10278090-1-eng-US/f0113-032.jpg" title="f0113-03" width="1446" height="2292"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>RIGHT WINGER RICK TOCCHET</b></figcaption></div><p>What remains to be seen now is whether all the Kings&rsquo; horses and all the Kings&rsquo; men can somehow regroup and get back into the playoffs after two years on the sidelines.</p><p>If that is to happen Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Rick Tocchet, and defensemen Rob Blake and Darryl Sydor are all going to have to play much better. And left winger Dmitri Khristich, acquired for the Kings&rsquo; firstround draft choice in 1996, will have to take his game to a higher level to justify such a risky transaction.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 16-23-9, fourth in Pacific, 20th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 17.5 per cent (13th overall). Penalty killing: 81 per cent (17th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Byron Dafoe, D; Dmitri Khristich, LW; Jan Vopat, D.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Aki-Petteri Berg, D; Daniel Rydmark, C; Jeff Shevalier, LW; Jamie Storr, G.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Injuries. The Kings simply did not have enough talent and depth to survive extended I losses of veterans Blake, Toechet and Tony Granato. Obviously there is luck involved when it comes to injuries and in the case of the Kings, theirs was all bad last season. Another dose of bad luck would be fatal</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0114-01104/10278083-1-eng-US/f0114-012.jpg" title="f0114-01" width="2416" height="3299"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios)</span></figcaption></div><p>2. Size up front. The way the game has changed with the emphasis once again on large players, the Kings are small at I forward. Some of their larger players-Matt Johnson, John Druce, Troy Crowder, for example-either lack skill to play regularly or don&rsquo;t play a consistent physical game. Johnson played as a 19-year-old last season simply to add muscle to the team. If he is to develop into a player, that could require time in the minors.</p><p>3. Gretzky&rsquo;s contribution. Would it be sacrilege to suggest that Father Time has finally caught up to Gretzky? This is not to suggest he can no longer contribute, but the reality of the situation is Gretzky was healthy last season and was not the offensive force he has been in the past. Gretzky won his 10th scoring championship in 1993-94, but slipped to 21st in the league scoring last season with 11 goals (just one in the Kings&rsquo; final 13 games) and 48 points in 48 games. For the Kings to make the playoffs, Gretzky must better than a point-per-game performer.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Hrudey was 33rd among goaltenders in goals-against average (3.13 was his lowest GAA in four seasons), but was an impressive 12th in save percentage at .910. He is a capable No. 1 goalie who doesn&rsquo;t necessarily win games on his own, but is dependable when he gets sufficient help from his teammates. The Grant Fuhr experiment was a total bust. He was 1-7-3 with the Kings with a 4.04 GAA and .876 save percentage. It was no surprise the Kings made no attempt to re-sign him even though they paid a premium, defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, to get him. Storr, the seventh overall pick in the 1994 draft, is L.A.&rsquo;s goalie of the future and it is management&rsquo;s intention to break him in at the NHL level this season. He played for back-to-back Canadian World Junior Championship teams.</p><p>Most pressing need: A big center. The Kings don&rsquo;t have a decent-sized pivot who can keep the opposition&rsquo;s top center in check and win faceoffs consistently. Acquiring someone of that nature would take some of the pressure off Gretzky to be Mr. Everything in his 17th NHL season. The Kings closed the season with Gretzky, Robert Lang, Yanic Perreault and Kevin Todd at center. Lang is the only one over 6-feet tall, but hasn photo by bruce bennett studios&rsquo;t proven he can play in the league on a regular basis.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0115-0192/10278076-1-eng-US/f0115-012.jpg" title="f0115-01" width="1190" height="1934"><figcaption class="caption-body">Center Wayne Gretzky is coming off a disappointing season. <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Organization:</b> Center Vitali Yachmenev scored 114 goals and 218 points in 125 games with the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario League in the past two seasons. Lack of foot speed is the knock on the Canadian Hockey League 1994 rookie of the year, but he has a blistering shot, shoots with pinpoint accuracy and drives hard to the net. Ruslam Batyrshin, obtained from the Winnipeg Jets last summer, is set to test the North American waters after four seasons in the Moscow Dynamo organization. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defenseman scored two goals and four points in 52 games last season.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> The Kings eventually found enough money to hire Larry Robinson, who almost priced himself out of his first head-coaching job after two seasons as an assistant to Jacques Lemaire in New Jersey.</p><p>Despite his inexperience, Robinson&rsquo;s six Stanley Cups as a player and one behind the bench with the Devils bring instant credibility. His biggest challenge will be instilling a Devils&rsquo;-style team focus on defense on a team that finished third-last in goals against in 1994-95.</p><p>Sophomore GM Sam McMaster (16-23-9, .427) was a successful junior operator for many years, but has come under fire for some bad trades. The Kings won the first draft lottery in 1995, allowing them to pick third overall, and then proceeded to trade away their first pick in &rsquo;96-one that could turn out to be the No. 1 overall selection if their slide continues.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Kings have missed the playoffs nine times and been eliminated in the opening round another 11 times. They had a streak of eight straight playoff appearances until 1993-94.</p><h2><b>LOS ANGELES</b></h2><p><b>Since appearing in the Stanley Cup final in 1993, the Kings have missed the playoffs twice and compiled a record of 4368-21, which represents a .405 winning percentage-the third-worst such mark ever. GM Sam McMaster fired head coach Barry Melrose late in 1994-95, with the Kings eight games below .500. Under the guidance of Rogie Vachon and Dave Taylor, Los Angeles finished seven games below. Here are the teams with the worst two-year records following an appearance in the final. Listed are year in the final and winning percentage.</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0115-0248/10278069-1-eng-US/f0115-022.jpg" title="f0115-02" width="979" height="1124"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0116-01106/10278062-1-eng-US/f0116-012.jpg" title="f0116-01" width="2325" height="2290"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0113-02

LOS ANGELES KINGS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0117-0253/10278170-1-eng-US/f0117-022.jpg" title="f0117-02" width="714" height="1094"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0117-0187/10278177-1-eng-US/f0117-012.jpg" title="f0117-01" width="140" height="133"></div><p>The Montreal Canadiens will be in the new Forum by the time the playoffs start next season. The only question is, will they even need it?</p><p>The Canadiens missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years last season and there&rsquo;s no guarantee they won&rsquo;t be on the outside looking in twice in a row for the first time since 1922. Some people in Montreal still haven&rsquo;t forgiven them for that.</p><p>It&rsquo;s funny what a non-playoff year in Montreal can do. Suddenly, the glorious Canadiens are a team in disarray. Serge Savard, who has won two Stanley Cups, is being questioned and ridiculed at every turn. Jacques Demers, who led the team to the Stanley Cup two years ago, might not be the right man for the job.</p><p>It didn&rsquo;t help that while the Canadiens were watching the post-season from the sidelines, the Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils and semifinalist Philadelphia Flyers were enjoying monumental success using key players they acquired from Montreal. They also traded two captains-Guy Carbonneau to the St. Louis Blues and his replacement, Kirk Muller, to the New York Islanders-in a six-month period. Tradition still exists in Montreal, but it was put on hold last season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0117-0337/10278163-1-eng-US/f0117-032.jpg" title="f0117-03" width="1504" height="2246"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER PIERRE TURGEON</b> <span class="photo-credit">(photo by Robert Laberge/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>But it&rsquo;s not all bad news. Mark Recchi and Pierre Turgeon have been two of the league&rsquo;s top offensive players and will have a full year together to make it happen.</p><p>The Canadiens also have a strong group of prospects, some of whom should begin to contribute this season.</p><p>Saku Koivu will join the Canadiens after helping lead Finland to the World Championship last season. The flashy 5-foot-9, 165-pounder was widely regarded as the best player not playing in the NHL.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 18-23-7, sixth in Northeast, 17th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 16.3 per cent (17th overall). Penalty killing: 80.6 (19th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Marc Bureau, C; Stephane Quintal, D.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Marko Kiprusoff, D; Koivu, C; David Wilkie, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Stability. The Canadiens dressed 40 players, including 12 centers, in 48 games last season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0118-0199/10278156-1-eng-US/f0118-012.jpg" title="f0118-01" width="2454" height="3279"></div><p>2. Patrick Roy&rsquo;s play. Have too many years of carrying the team finally caught up to the goalie considered the league&rsquo;s most dependable? Roy was 27th in goals-against average (2.97) and 16th in save-percentage (.907). The Canadiens may have to face the fact that Roy cannot be relied upon to singlehandedly deliver the Canadiens victories. But he shouldn&rsquo;t have to do it forever, anyway-it&rsquo;s time he got a little help from his friends.</p><p>3. Road record. Even the lowly Ottawa Senators had one thing over the Canadiens-a better record away from home. The Canadiens were an embarrassment on the road last season, finishing with a .188 winning percentage (Ottawa was .208) compared to .708 al home. If the Canadiens car climb back to about .500 on the road this season and maintair their superiority at home, theii fortunes are bound to improve.</p><p><b>State of goaltending</b> Nobody is about to pull the carpet out from under Roy, but the simple truth is his vulnerability has been exposed and the Cana diens can no longer count on him to do it alone. Roy will no doubt continue to play the bulk of the games, so it is not imperative immediate help be brought in. Ron Tugnutt, an eight-year pro, played out his option after playing in just seven games last season. The leading candidate as goalie of the future for the Canadiens is Jose Theodore who led the Quebec League with 32 wins last season while playing with the Hull Olympiques.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Size up front. This becomes slightly less a factor if 6-foot-3, 200-pound right winger Turner Stevenson plays with the same conviction and success he did down the stretch when he scored six goals in a 10-game stretch. If 6-foot-3, 214-pound Donald Brashear demonstrates he can do more than fight, it will certainly help the Canadiens&rsquo; cause. Turgeon has decent</p><p>size at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds, but he is not a physical player. The same goes for Vincent Damphousse. Koivu, Valeri Bure and Recchi are small and need protection.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0119-0189/10278149-1-eng-US/f0119-012.jpg" title="f0119-01" width="1156" height="1936"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Can the Canadiens continue to rely heavily on Patrick Roy?</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Breakthrough player:</b> The Islanders gave up on Vladimir Malakhov. The Canadiens think he has the potential to be a Norris Trophy winner and plan to play the living daylights out of him. Malakhov burst on to the scene three years ago, scoring 14 goals and 52 points in 64 games for the Islanders, who shocked the world by making it to the semifinal. Both he and the team looked like they were headed for bigger and better things. Neither, as it turned out, was. Malakhov&rsquo;s play was inconsistent his sophomore year and worse last season.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Center Jim Campbell took strides towards developing consistency with the Fredericton Canadiens of the American League, placing fourth in team scoring with 27 goals and 51 points in 77 I games. Defenseman Rory Fitzpatrick scored 12 goals and 48 points in 56 games with the Ontario League&rsquo;s Sudbury Wolves and then averaged a point per game in 18 playoff matches. Darcy Tucker capped a brilliant junior career with 64 7 points in 64 Size works against him-he is 5-foot-10,163 pounds.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Jacques Demers seemed to escape the wrath of Canadiens&rsquo; fans, who chose to lay the blame at the feet of GM Serge Savard (483-337-116) instead. The emotional, talkative coach is a two-time winner of the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.</p><p>Savard (483-337-116, .578) finally found a way to make fans stop talking about the Chris Chelios for Denis Savard trade. Now all they talk about is giving up first team all-star John LeClair and defenseman Eric Desjardins for Recchi.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> All that really matters when discussing Montreal&rsquo;s playoff history is the Canadiens have won 24 championships, more than any team in North American professional sports. So they miss the playoffs once every 25 years, big deal.</p><h2><b>MONTREAL</b></h2><p>The Canadiens&rsquo; league-worst road record (3-18-3) was the single-most important reason why Montreal missed the playoffs for the first time since 1969-70. Why were they so bad away from the Montreal Forum? In large part because their big shooters didn&rsquo;t deliver on the road. Mark Recchi had 31 points at home and 12 on the road; Vince Damphousse, 27 at home and 13 on the road. No player in the league had a greater disparity between home and road points than Recchi&rsquo;s minus-19. Damphousse&rsquo;s minus-14 also made the league&rsquo;s bottom five. Here are the 20 biggest differences:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0119-0251/10278142-1-eng-US/f0119-022.jpg" title="f0119-02" width="970" height="1126"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0120-01101/10278135-1-eng-US/f0120-012.jpg" title="f0120-01" width="2406" height="2312"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0117-02

MONTREAL CANADIENS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0125-0255/10278316-1-eng-US/f0125-022.jpg" title="f0125-02" width="712" height="1106"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0125-0190/10278323-1-eng-US/f0125-012.jpg" title="f0125-01" width="136" height="134"></div><p>The long-term future looks good for the New York Islanders. The present? Now that&rsquo;s a different story.</p><p>They Islanders have accumulated one of the strongest group of prospects in the league in goaltender Eric Fichaud, defensemen Bryan McCabe and Wade Redden and right winger Todd Bertuzzi. Their Denver Grizzlies farm team also won the International League title last season.</p><p>But little of that will matter when new coach Mike Milbury presides over his first training camp this fall. The former Boston Bruins&rsquo; player, coach and assistant GM is taking over a team that has fallen from 13th in the standings and an appearance in the semifinals against the Montreal Canadiens in 1992-93 to 15th the following season all the way to 25th last year.</p><p>Milbury had an impressive .628 winning percentage during his stint as coach of the Bruins from 1989 to 1991.</p><p>The Islanders should be strong behind the bench and that&rsquo;s a great place to start. Unfortunately, they have problems in goal, are inconsistent on defense, terrible on special teams and they tend to struggle offensively.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0125-0335/10278309-1-eng-US/f0125-032.jpg" title="f0125-03" width="1498" height="2254"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER KIRK MULLER</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Jim Mclsaac/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Milbury took the Islanders&rsquo; job not knowing exactly what he would have to work with when training camp opens. One of the team&rsquo;s best players, feisty left winger Steve Thomas, was a free agents. If he elected to sign elsewhere, the Islanders would have a difficult time replacing his goals and spirit. Filling the void left by Ray Ferraro&rsquo;s departure will be tough enough.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 15-28-5, seventh in Atlantic, 25th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 15.7 per cent (20th overall). Penalty killing: 78.4 per cent (24th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Todd Bertuzzi, RW; Chris Marinucci, LW; Bryan McCabe, D; Tommy Salo, G; Chris Taylor, C.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Chemistry on the blueline. The Islanders are content with the personnel on their defense, but weren&rsquo;t able to come up with effective pairings. The defense will be led by Mathieu Schneider, Scott Lachance and Darius Kasparaitis. Schneider, who scored 20 goals with the Montreal Canadiens two seasons ago, has all-star potential. He is in the second tier of No. 1 defensemen in the NHL.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0126-0195/10278302-1-eng-US/f0126-012.jpg" title="f0126-01" width="2437" height="3349"></div><p>2. Goaltending. The trading of Ron Hextali to the Philadelphia Flyers for Tommy Soderstrom turned out to be a lateral step at best. While Hextali enjoyed a good season with the Flyers, none of the Islander goalies stepped forward to take the No. 1 job. Not Tommy Soderstrom or Jamie McLennan. Tommy Salo, 24, led the Grizzlies to the title and will have a legitimate shot at the No. 1 job.</p><p>3. Work ethic. Developing a better one shouldn&rsquo;t be a problem with the Milbury in control. Under former coach Lome Henning, who was fired at the season&rsquo;s conclusion, there were too many nights when the Islanders simply went through the motions. Milbury was an intense player during his career with the Bruins and will insist on the same kind of full-out effort nightly.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Call it a state of confusion. Soderstrom was supposed to come in and be the answer to New York&rsquo;s goaltending woes; he contributed to them instead.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0127-0190/10278295-1-eng-US/f0127-012.jpg" title="f0127-01" width="1186" height="1936"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Scott Lachance is entering his third full season in the NHL.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Brian Winkler/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p>His 3.11 goals-against average represented the best of his three-year NHL career, but was a far cry from the league average of 2.86 which was bettered by 24 stoppers. McLennan started well, building a 4-1-1 record early, but wound up with a 6-11-2 record, 3.39 GAA and an .876 save percentage. Salo, The Hockey News&rsquo; minor pro prospect of the ear for his spectacular play with Denver, was 1-5-0 with the Islanders when he was called up late in the season. Salo won 45 games with Denver and had a 2.60 GAA. Fichaud, who turns 20 in November, could be the answer, although the Felix Potvin protege may require time in the minors.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Guess, what, it&rsquo;s goaltending. The Islanders won&rsquo;t go anywhere without a marked improvement on the last line of defense. The players didn&rsquo;t have confidence in either Soderstrom or McLennan and Salo&rsquo;s short stint in the big leagues was hardly awe-inspiring. If things don&rsquo;t look good early, watch for the Islanders to make a move to acquire an established veteran.</p><p><b>Something to prove: De</b>fenseman Darius Kasparaitis made a solid NHL debut three years ago, but has gone down-hill since. When inspired, the 5foot-11, 189-pound blueliner can be one of the most annoying forces to play against. Unfortunately for the Islanders, the only people he has annoyed the past two years were his coaches because of sloppy, inconsistent play. Kasparaitis faces the extra challenge of bouncing back from reconstructive knee surgery. An injury limited him to just 13 games, during which he had one assist and was minus-11.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> There was hope left winger Dan Plante would be an Islanders&rsquo; regular last season, but a knee injury limited him to two games with Denver. The 5-foot-ll, 196pounder scored in his only NHL playoff game two years ago. Center Chris Taylor made significant progress in the IHL last season, placing second in Denver scoring with 38 goals and 86 points in 78 games. The acquisition of Fichaud last season helped give the Islanders one of the best prospect lists in the league.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Milbury (90-49-21, .628) was mentioned as a leading candidate for a number of NHL coaching vacancies this past summer. He was a hot commodity because of his experience, track record and his fierce desire to win. He is a fiery, nononsense coach-which is exactly what the Islanders need. Expect him to assert himself early.</p><p>GM Don Maloney (216, 91-101-24, .477) has demonstrated a willingness to make the big deal, moving up in the draft two years ago to get Brett Lindros and trading star center Pierre Ttirgeon to Montreal last season for Schneider and Kirk Muller. Both moves gained big headlines, but have done little to help the Islanders to this point.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Islanders won four straight Stanley Cups between 1980 and 1983, but have missed the playoffs four of the past seven seasons.</p><h2><b>ISLANDERS</b></h2><p>Few injuries affected a team as much as defenseman Scott Lachance&rsquo;s broken ankle hurt the Islanders Without him. the Isles were 5-15-2 (.272); they were 10-13-3 (.442) when he played. New coach Mike Milbury will be counting on Lachance this season. Listed are team winning percentages with their stars in and out of the lineup for eight or more games and the differences in percentages.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0127-0252/10278288-1-eng-US/f0127-022.jpg" title="f0127-02" width="984" height="1122"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0128-01102/10278281-1-eng-US/f0128-012.jpg" title="f0128-01" width="2315" height="2312"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0125-02

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0129-0262/10278389-1-eng-US/f0129-022.jpg" title="f0129-02" width="710" height="1106"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0129-0191/10278396-1-eng-US/f0129-012.jpg" title="f0129-01" width="141" height="135"></div><p>New York Rangers&rsquo; players claim they like coach Colin Campbell. If that is indeed the case, they sure have a funny way of showing it.</p><p>After winning their first Stanley Cup in 54 years under Mike Keenan, the Rangers came back under Campbell and barely made the playoffs, finishing the regular season a game under .500.</p><p>Even a first-round upset win over the Quebec Nordiques wasn&rsquo;t enough to keep it from being a horribly disappointing year. The likeable Campbell-a Rangers&rsquo; assistant coach most of the previous four seasons-demonstrated tremendous patience with his players, but was not rewarded. They didn&rsquo;t put out for him.</p><p>Too many key Rangers had off years, starting with goalie Mike Richter, defenseman Sergei Zubov and right winger Alexei Kovalev.</p><p>It didn&rsquo;t help that the Rangers didn&rsquo;t replace key role players such as Craig MacTavish and Esa Tikkanen.</p><p>One individual who did perform at a consistently high level was captain Mark Messier. The $6-million man led the Rangers in scoring in the regular season and was second on the team in the playoffs. Can the 34-year-old Messier continue his excellence for a 17th season?</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0129-0346/10278382-1-eng-US/f0129-032.jpg" title="f0129-03" width="1500" height="2258"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DEFENSEMAN BRIAN LEETCH</b></figcaption></div><p>In an unusual show of kindness, the New York media were forgiving where Campbell and GM Neil Smith were concerned. It would be a mistake to count on such kindness again. If the Rangers start poorly, Norstrom, D; Barry Richter, D. heads will roll.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 22-23-3, fourth in Atlantic, 14th overall, lost Eastern Conference semifinal 4-0 to Philadelphia. Power play: 20 per cent (fifth overall). Penalty killing: 83.9 per cent (10th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Ray Ferraro, C; Doug Lidster, D; Wayne Presley, RW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Chris Ferraro, RW; Peter Ferraro, C; Mattias</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0130-0193/10278375-1-eng-US/f0130-012.jpg" title="f0130-01" width="2500" height="3351"></div><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Team focus. It seemed like the Rangers were so busy celebrating their Stanley Cup last year that they forgot they had to defend it. From the time they paraded the Cup around Madison Square Garden before their first regular-season game, the Rangers faced numerous distractions which prevented them from focusing on the task at hand.</p><p>2. Star performances. If the Rangers are to rebound, Brian Leetch, Zubov, Richter, Adam Graves and Petr Nedved must play better. When those players are on their games, as they were the previous season, the Rangers are an awfully tough team to handle. Injuries were a factor in some cases-Graves was hounded by a bad back; Zubov by a wrist injury.</p><p>3. Depth on the roster. Assuming the star players rebound, the focus will once again be on the role players who put the Rangers over the top two years ago. Troy Loney and Mark Osborne might be character players, but they were not nearly as effective as MacTavish or Tikkanen. The Rangers could do themselves a favor and steal the New Jersey Devils&rsquo; blueprint. The Devils moved young, eager players in and out of the lineup and religiously played four lines.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> There is little reason to suggest Richter won&rsquo;t bounce back, but what if he doesn&rsquo;t? Suddenly the Rangers become the Detroit Red Wings of two years ago-a good team with a big concern at the most important position. Two years ago Richter led NHL goalies in victories in the regular season (42), playoffs (16) and had four post-season shutouts. He slipped from fifth in goals-against average two years ago to 28th. Backup Glenn Healy produced better numbers than Richter, but clearly remains the No. 2 man. The Rangers gave up on Corey Hirsch, trading him to the Vancouver Canucks for third-line center Nathan LaFayette, so junior standout Dan Cloutier moves up to No. 3.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0131-0187/10278368-1-eng-US/f0131-012.jpg" title="f0131-01" width="1178" height="1924"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The Rangers need more production from center Petr Nedved.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Improvement on the left side, both on defense and the wing. If Norstrom steps up and proves himself to be a top-four defenseman, it will take pressure off Leetch, who was backed by fossils Kevin Lowe and Jay Wells last season. There is a huge drop-off at left wing beyond Graves. The Rangers re-signed Stephane Matteau, but he scored just three goals in 41 games after netting 19 in 77 games the year before.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> The Rangers have to make a decision on 22-year-old Kovalev. There is no denying the Russian left winger has superstar potential, but his displays of excellence are too few and too far between. He has to developed into the impact player the Rangers project him to be. He did, however, turn the Nordique series around with his dive on Joe Sakic&rsquo;s disallowed goal.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Defenseman Lee Sorochan had 37 points with 156 penalty minutes for the Saskatoon Blades of the Western League and will to get a long look at training camp. Another defenseman who will receive consideration is Barry Richter, who was the third-highest scoring defenseman in the American League with 56 points in 73 games.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> It is unfair to judge Campbell&rsquo;s coaching ability (22-23-3, .490) on last season. The former big-league defenseman was 29-8-5 in a short stint as head coach with the Binghamton Rangers of the AHL the year before. Taking over from Keenan was tough enough, but injuries and distractions made it difficult for Campbell to make an impression. This should more of a tell-tale season.</p><p>Smith (230-173-53, .563) succeeded in making his team better by acquiring scrappy right winger Pat Verbeek at the trade deadline, but he did not replace Tikkanen and MacTavish and too much of a defensive role was thrust on Messier. Smith has constructed a solid team that should be able to rebound with a bit of fine tuning.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> It wasn&rsquo;t so much that the Rangers lost in the second round to the Philadelphia Flyers, it&rsquo;s that they were embarrassed in a four-game sweep. With the exception of the Stanley Cup win in 1994, the Rangers haven&rsquo;t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1986.</p><h2><b>RANGERS</b></h2><p>In making the playoffs by only a single point, the Rangers were last season&rsquo;s biggest regular-season disappointment. The team went from a .667 winning percentage in 1993-94 to .490 in 1994-95-a difference of .177, the largest decrease in the league. Here is a list of each team&rsquo;s winning percentage in 1993-94 and 1994-95 and the difference between the two seasons:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0131-0255/10278361-1-eng-US/f0131-022.jpg" title="f0131-02" width="973" height="1112"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0132-0194/10278354-1-eng-US/f0132-012.jpg" title="f0132-01" width="2395" height="2340"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0129-02

NEW YORK RANGERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0133-0261/10278462-1-eng-US/f0133-022.jpg" title="f0133-02" width="704" height="1087"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0133-0192/10278469-1-eng-US/f0133-012.jpg" title="f0133-01" width="144" height="136"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Ottawa Senators are expected to be really bad. The Ottawa Senators need help at every position. The Ottawa Senators won&rsquo;t make the playoffs. The Ottawa Senators will likely be the worst team in the NHL.</p><p>This is a recording.</p><p>With three consecutive last-place finishes, the Senators are scheduled to move into their new home, the Palladium, in January of 1996. They have built it, but will the wins come?</p><p>The Senators remain a young squad with their key players still a few years away from being dominant individuals. Alexei Yashin, when he isn&rsquo;t incessantly complaining about his contract, and Alexandre Daigle have produced well enough that there is hope for the future.</p><p>Defenseman Bryan Berard, the first overall pick in the 1995 NHL draft, is another addition to the hope chest. He was the Ontario League&rsquo;s top rookie and best defenseman with the Detroit Jr. Red Wings last season.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0133-0340/10278455-1-eng-US/f0133-032.jpg" title="f0133-03" width="1518" height="2256"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER ALEXANDRE DAIGLE</b></figcaption></div><p>The problem is that Ottawa may need to use Berard next season, which indicates how thin the blueline is. Young Stanislav Neckar looked impressive as a 19-year-old, but was the only defenseman on the team resembling a true top-four rearguard.</p><p>The Senators brought back free-agent center Dan Quinn in an attemp to add experience to the frontline. Quinn scored seven goals in 13 games for Ottawa two years ago and had 14 goals and 31 points for the Los Angeles Kings last season.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 9-34-5, seventh in Northeast, 26th overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 14.4 per cent (21st overall). Penalty killing: 80.4 per cent (20th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Jaroslav Modry, D; Dan Quinn, C.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Daniel Alfredsson, RW; Mike Bales, G; Bryan Berard, D; Bruce Gardiner, C; Steve Larouche, C; Michel Picard, LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Progress of their youngsters. It took a few tongue-lashings and banishments to the press box, but Daigle eventually demonstrated more defensive responsibility and intensity in the offensive zone. There is hope he could break through as the offensive force he was projected to be when the Senators took him No. 1 overall in 1993. Yashin, if he isn&rsquo;t sent to play for the Thunder Bay Senators of the Colonial League as team governor Rob Bryden suggested could happen if he doesn&rsquo;t honor his contract, can be a game-breaker.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0134-0196/10278448-1-eng-US/f0134-012.jpg" title="f0134-01" width="2517" height="3385"></div><p>2. Attitude. This may be the biggest challenge of all considering it would require the Senators winning more than the odd game. Somehow the coaching staff must keep the players from feeling resigned to losing. They could always build on the fact the Senators won five of their final seven games last season, including three in a row. Really, that happened. Look it up. Want another shocker? The Senators had a better road record than the Montreal Canadiens.</p><p>3. Defensive play. The Senators closed the season with Neckar, Jim Paek, Darren Rumble, Chris Dahlquist, Sean Hill, Dan Laperriere and Kerry Huffman on the roster. On a good team most of those players would be in the minors. Personally, we&rsquo;d feel more comfortable playing behind Wade Redden, Bryan McCabe, Jeff Staples and Justin Kurtz-the top four defensemen with the Western League&rsquo;s Brandon Wheat Kings-if we were goalie Don Beaupre.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Don Beaupre enlisted his services for two more years of potential hell when he signed a new contract with Ottawa following last season. Entering his 16th big-league season, Beaupre gives the Senators competent, consistent goaltending. Last year&rsquo;s backup, Darrin Madeley, only got into six games, but won two of them. He&rsquo;ll fight it out with Mike Bales, who was 25-16-3 with a 3.62 goals-against average and .893 save percentage with the P.E.I. Senators of the American League last season.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Experience along the blueline. The Senators were in the Larry Murphy sweep stakes right up to the end, but lost out to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Beyond Neckar, the Senators have a bunch of fifth, sixth and seventh defensemen. It may become necessary to part with one of their gifted young centers to obtain a quality defenseman while they wait for Berard to emerge.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0135-0187/10278441-1-eng-US/f0135-012.jpg" title="f0135-01" width="1175" height="1918"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Alexei Yashin is one of the Senators&rsquo; few game-breakers.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Unquestionably it is Radek Bonk. And never mind with that bunk about Bonk only being 18 years old and having to adjust to the NHL after a year in the International League. Nobody was asking Bonk to lead the team to the promised land-just be a player. After scoring 42 goals and 87 points with 208 penalty minutes the year before with the Las Vegas Thunder of the IHL, Bonk was expected to deliver more than three goals and 11 points in 42 games. There were times during the season when his play was totally uninspired. Organization: The Sena-tors are high on a couple of big players who impressed as first-year pros in P.E.I. last season. Daniel Guerard, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right winger, scored 20 goals and 42 points with 95 penalty minutes for the Baby Senators while Patrick Traverse, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman, chipped in five goals and 18 points in 70 games.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Rick Bowness (77-214-33, .289) is to be applauded. When others would have guarded their own jobs by opting to use older, more experienced players in key situations, Bowness stuck to his guns and went with the youngsters. His rationale? Once the team turns things around, the players who will lead them to success will have been exposed to all kinds of pressure situations. The question is, will Bowness still be around when that day comes?</p><p>The knock on GM Randy Sexton (2395-14, .227) is his inability to get a supporting cast for his stars. It took no special genius to draft Yashin, Daigle, Bonk or Berard with early picks so Sexton must prove his competence in other areas. Ottawa fans have seen the success of the San Jose Sharks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning and they are getting impatient.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> You&rsquo;re kidding, right?</p><h2><b>OTTAWA</b></h2><p>Senators&rsquo; management should be worried. The last time an NHL team posted a three-year record as poor as the Sens&rsquo; 33-166-18 mark (.194 winning percentage), it folded. Only the Pittsburgh Pirates, who became the Philadelphia Quakers in their final year in 1930-31, have played worse during a three-year span than head coach Rick Bowness&rsquo; Senators. They were 18-99-15 (.193) from 1928-29 through 1930-31 before calling it quits. Listed below are the worst two threeyear winning percentages in North American major pro sports history: NHL; Major League Baseball (MLB); National Football League; and National Basketball Association (NBA).</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0135-0251/10278434-1-eng-US/f0135-022.jpg" title="f0135-02" width="970" height="1114"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0136-0198/10278427-1-eng-US/f0136-012.jpg" title="f0136-01" width="2352" height="2320"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0133-02

OTTAWA SENATORS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0137-0258/10278535-1-eng-US/f0137-022.jpg" title="f0137-02" width="715" height="1104"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0137-0188/10278542-1-eng-US/f0137-012.jpg" title="f0137-01" width="146" height="138"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>wenty years after leading the Philadelphia Flyers to their last Stanley Cup, Bob Clarke guided them to heights they hadn&rsquo;t seen in five years.</p><p>The Flyers were led on the ice by Hart Trophy winner Eric Lindros and his Legion of Doom linemates John LeClair and Mikael Renberg, but it was Clarke who assembled the other parts of the puzzle.</p><p>The Flyers were the NHL&rsquo;s surprise team of 1994-95. They won the Atlantic Division, knocked off the defending Stanley Cup champion New York Rangers in four games and came within two wins of a trip to the Stanley Cup final.</p><p>Clarke traded for former Flyers&rsquo; goalie Ron Hextail and signed veteran free agent center Craig MacTavish. Then on Feb. 9, he acquired defenseman Eric Desjardins and left wingers LeClair and Gilbert Dionne from the Montreal Canadiens for right winger Mark Recchi.</p><p>The Flyers were a good team that was struggling before the trade. After the trade they became a much better team with the potential for greatness. They were 3-5-1 at the time of the trade and went 25-11-3 the rest of the way.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0137-0339/10278528-1-eng-US/f0137-032.jpg" title="f0137-03" width="1538" height="2286"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER ERIC LINDROS</b></figcaption></div><p>Now the pressure is on to improve on last season&rsquo;s performance. The free-agent pick-ups of defenseman Kjell Samuelsson (6-foot-6, 235 pounds) and center Joel Otto (6-foot-4, 220) were huge-literally</p><p>The moves further underline the Flyers&rsquo; philosophy that bigger is better and should help ensure bigger and better things for them in 1994-95.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 28-16-4, first in Atlantic, fifth overall, lost Eastern Conference final 4-2 to New Jersey. Power play: 19.6 per cent (eighth overall). Penalty killing: 80.8 per cent (18th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Joel Otto, C; Russ Romaniuk, LW; Kjell Samuelsson, D; Garth Snow, G.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Jason Bowen, D; Vladislav Boulin, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Goaltending Give Hextali credit, he played much better than many people expected after successive bad playoffs with the Quebec Nordiques and New York Islanders. He had the fifth best goals-against average (2.81) in the playoffs and sixth best save percentage (.904). Unfortunately, Hextail has a penchant for allowing back-breaking goals, which makes him unreliable in big games.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0138-0191/10278521-1-eng-US/f0138-012.jpg" title="f0138-01" width="2577" height="3435"></div><p>2. Specialty teams. The Flyers&rsquo; power play placed eighth in the regular season, but was 12th among 16 teams in the playoffs. Need proof the power play is important? The New Jersey Devils were second-best in the playoffs and Detroit Red Wings third best. The Flyers feel they have the right personnel and it&rsquo;s just a matter of learning to work together and executing.</p><p>3. Attitude. The Flyers didn&rsquo;t just become a better team overnight. Their talented players developed a much better work ethic under coach Terry Murray and they were rewarded by almost making the final. They should have a very good idea of how much extra it takes to advance. It will take the same type of eagemess and desire to improve and move to the next level.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Hextail is 31, but remains as competitive and eager as ever. That doesn&rsquo;t change the fact his goals-against average ranked 28th in the regular season and his .890 save percentage was well below the league average of .902. Dominic Roussel, 25, has strung together three consecutive winning seasons, but hasn&rsquo;t been able to secure the No. 1 post. He had it two years ago and went 29-20-5, but Hextail became the No. 1 man when he arrived from the Islanders. Garth Snow, acquired this summer from Quebec, played well with the Cornwall Aces of the American League and will provide Roussel with stiff competition.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> More scoring from forwards other than members of the Legion of Doom. Lindros, LeClair and Renberg combined for 61 per cent (80 of 130) of the goals Flyers&rsquo; forwards scored last season. Second-line center Rod Brind&rsquo;Amour was the only other forward to hit double figures, which means there is plenty of room for improvement from not only Brind&rsquo;Amour, but from Brent Fedyk, Patrik Juhlin and Dionne. The Flyers, however, will have to find Dionne first because he seems to gotten himself lost under a heavy rock.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0139-0173/10278514-1-eng-US/f0139-012.jpg" title="f0139-01" width="1172" height="1930"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>John LeClair unlocked his ability in the year of the lockout.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> The Flyers expected more from right winger Juhlin, who joined them last season as a 24-year-old after five years in the Swedish Elite League. He failed to deliver, scoring four goals and seven points in 42 games. Juhlin started the season on the first line, but by the end had dropped to the fourth.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Ryan Sittier picked a fine time to leave college and join the NHL when there was a long delay in the start of the season, especially considering he didn&rsquo;t play much at the University of Michigan. Nagging injuries slowed him down and contributed to his paltry two goals and nine points in 42 games with the Hershey Bears of the American League, but Flyers&rsquo; management believes he can still be a player. Top defense prospect Janne Niinimaa had seven goals and 17 points with Jokerit in Finland and was captain of the Finnish entry at the World Junior Championship.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Among the many things Terry Murray (191-150-32, .555) accomplished with the Flyers this season, perhaps the most important was getting through to Lindros and encouraging him to play with a higher level of consistency. Murray works his players hard, pushing them to improve without being overbearing.</p><p>GM Clarke (376-308-88, .544), THN&rsquo;s Executive of the Year, is back home to stay, where he belongs. The numerous moves he made leading up to and during the season played a huge role in bringing the Flyers back to respectability. The Hall-of-Fame player is beginning to look every bit as good in the Flyers&rsquo; front office as he did on the ice.</p><p>Playoff history: After five years on the sidelines, the Flyers made it all the way to the Eastern Conference final last season. Philadelphia won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and &rsquo;75 and have been to the final four times since.</p><h2><b>PHILADELPHIA</b></h2><p>It&rsquo;s hard to believe a line in the NHLs post-expansion era has accounted for so high a percentage of one team&rsquo;s goals as the Flyers&rsquo; Legion of Doom unit in 1994-95. Center Eric Lindros, left winger John LeClair and right winger Mikael Renberg scored 75 of 128 Flyer goals (59 per cent) after the Feb. 9 trade that brought LeClair from Montreal. If you project all three&rsquo;s goals over a full 84-game season, each would have scored more than 45 goals: Lindros (29 to 51); LeClair (26 to 46); and Renberg (26 to 46). Only nine NHL teams have had three 45-goal forwards in one year:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0139-0246/10278507-1-eng-US/f0139-022.jpg" title="f0139-02" width="962" height="1117"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0140-0186/10278500-1-eng-US/f0140-012.jpg" title="f0140-01" width="2522" height="2370"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0137-02

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0143-0247/10278608-1-eng-US/f0143-022.jpg" title="f0143-02" width="711" height="1093"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0143-0178/10278615-1-eng-US/f0143-012.jpg" title="f0143-01" width="144" height="135"></div><p>The Pittsburgh Penguins were back in Stanley Cup contention the day Mario Lemieux announced his intention to return.</p><p>Too bad he can&rsquo;t play defense. Having Lemieux back in the lineup, even on a parttime basis, raises the Penguins&rsquo; skill level to arguably the highest in the NHL. But now the Penguins are looking at rebuilding a defense corps that was reliable, but getting old fast.</p><p>Pittsburgh lost free-agent defenseman Kjell Samuelsson to the Philadelphia Flyers and then traded high-paid, all-star blueliner Larry Murphy to the Toronto Maple Leafs for 29-year-old underachieving defenseman Dmitri Mironov. 1</p><p>The payroll-reducing moves continued at forward where Kevin Stevens and Shawn McEachern were dealt to the Boston Bruins for Glen Murray and Bryan Smolinski.</p><p>Lemieux expects to play between 60 and 70 games this season and could challenge for this third Hart Trophy as MVP if he stays healthy.</p><p>If Ron Francis and Jaromir Jagr contribute this season the way they did last year, the Penguins may not have to worry about defense. Francis was second in team scoring and THN&rsquo;s choice as first team all-star center for the playoffs. Jagr, meanwhile, became the first European-bom and trained player to claim the scoring championship.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0143-0333/10278601-1-eng-US/f0143-032.jpg" title="f0143-03" width="1518" height="2267"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>RIGHT WINGER JAROMIR JAGR</b></figcaption></div><p>They&rsquo;ll need all the goals they can get. Even with the great play of Ken Wregget, the Penguins finished 20th in the league defensively, and that was with Murphy and Samuelsson in the lineup.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 29-16-3, second in Northeast, third overall, lost Eastern Conference semifinal 4-1 to New Jersey. Power play: 19 per cent (10th overall). Penalty killing: 79.9 per cent (23rd overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Dmitri Mironov. D. Gien Murray, LW; Bryan Smolinski, RW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Rusty Fitzgerald, LW; lan Moran, D; Richard Park, C.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Lemieux&rsquo;s contribution. It&rsquo;s one thing for Lemieux to announce his intention to play, and quite another to make a successful return after missing the better part of two seasons. The last two seasons Lemieux played reasonably healthy he won the scoring title both years. In preparation for this season Lemieux installed a workout center in his house.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0144-0183/10278594-1-eng-US/f0144-012.jpg" title="f0144-01" width="2595" height="3365"></div><p>2. The goaltending situation. It became abundantly clear last season when Tom Barrasso missed the better part of the campaign with a wrist injury that Wregget is a cut above being simply a backup. If Barrasso returns healthy, he&rsquo;ll expect to play and Wregget, who led the league in wins with 25, won&rsquo;t be content opening and closing the door at the end of the bench.</p><p>3. The new (but not necessarily improved) defense corps. The loss of Murphy is going to be very difficult to overcome. The 34-year-old has been consistent in his 15-year career and is a premier puck mover. Kjell Samuelsson was a gritty old warhorse and one of the league&rsquo;s more dependable defensive defensemen. That&rsquo;s a bad combination to lose. If Neaton, Ian Moran and Drake Berehowsky can contribute-and that&rsquo;s a big if-the Penguins will not be so desperate on the blueline.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0145-0166/10278587-1-eng-US/f0145-012.jpg" title="f0145-01" width="1198" height="1931"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The underrated Ron Francis finally received his due credit.</b></figcaption></div><p>State of goaltending: While Wregget&rsquo;s numbers (3.21 goalsagainst average, .903 save percentage) aren&rsquo;t dazzling, the Penguins openly admit he was often left to his own devices while the five skaters concentrated on offense. The 30-year-old Barrasso was an integral part of the Penguins&rsquo; two Stanley Cup winning teams in 1991 and &rsquo;92, but played just 205 minutes last season. The Penguins are convinced Philippe DeRouville, who sported a 24-10 record with the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the International League last season, is close to challenging for work in Pittsburgh. He was the Quebec League&rsquo;s goalie of the year two years ago.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Defensemen, obviously. Prior to the loss of Murphy and Samuelsson it was young defenseman. Now blueliners of any age, preferably with NHL experience, are in order. Former Toronto Maple Leafs&rsquo; defenseman Berehowsky has had to carry the burden of potential. His fragile confidence was destroyed in Toronto and the Penguins are hoping he&rsquo;ll recover in Pittsburgh.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> The perfect scenario for the Penguins would be for Lemieux to return as the impact player of the past and for Markus Naslund to come to life as his right winger. The 16th overall pick in the 1993 draft, Naslund has been an underachiever in his two seasons with the Penguins. He has just six goals in 85 games.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> When it comes to skating, David Roche won&rsquo;t score high in terms of artistic impression, but the 6-foot-4, 225-pound left winger doesn&rsquo;t let anything stand in his way when he drives to the net. He tied for second in goal scoring in the Ontario League after firing 55 for the Windsor Spitfires. Considering left wing is considered the toughest position to fill, the Penguins are looking for big things down the road from Roche and Chris Wells. Wells, who is 6-foot-6, and 215 pounds, had 45 goals and 108 points for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western League last season. Collegebound Greg Crozier is another big, talented portsider in the Penguins&rsquo; system.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Much is made about the fact coach Ed Johnston (186-196-70, .489) is Lemieux&rsquo;s choice to change lines. The fact is Johnston is a capable bench boss who gets on nicely with his players and knows enough to let talented players cut loose to do their thing.</p><p>GM Patrick (409-328-93, .549) assumed the responsibility for his team&rsquo;s second-round defeat in the playoffs, claiming he didn&rsquo;t make the right moves at the trade deadline. Patrick likes to make deals of the major variety and if he is indeed in a trading mood, you can expect a potential blockbuster.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Penguins were the last NHL team to win consecutive Stanley Cups. They have been among the favorites to win it each year since their last in 1992, but have advanced no further than the second round.</p><h2><b>PITTSBURGH</b></h2><p>Fifteen NHL players have scored at least 30 playoff goals during the 1990s; five of them are Penguins. That tells you two things. One, they&rsquo;ve played a lot of playoff games. And two, their players deliver in the clutch. Listed are individual games and goals during this decade&rsquo;s six playoff seasons:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0145-0245/10278580-1-eng-US/f0145-022.jpg" title="f0145-02" width="989" height="1115"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0146-0174/10278573-1-eng-US/f0146-012.jpg" title="f0146-01" width="2406" height="2358"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0143-02

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0147-0236/10278681-1-eng-US/f0147-022.jpg" title="f0147-02" width="704" height="1096"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0147-0162/10278688-1-eng-US/f0147-012.jpg" title="f0147-01" width="140" height="140"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>here is no truth to the rumor that the St. Louis Blues tried to coax Red Berenson out of retirement with a five-year contract worth $19.2 million.</p><p>They did, however, make overtures to almost every living and breathing free agent in the NHL. They even signed goalie Grant Fuhr to a two-year contract worth about $1.5 million. Yes, that&rsquo;s the same Grant Fuhr who won all of two games last season and was discarded by the Los Angeles Kings just months after they were severely fleeced by the Buffalo Sabres in a trade for him.</p><p>The Blues also signed free-agent center Dale Hawerchuk and left wingers Shayne Corson and Geoff Courtnall, and right winger Brian Noonan.</p><p>They also traded Brendan Shanahan, one of the games&rsquo;s best power forwards, to the Hartford Whalers for young defenseman Chris Pronger, and then dealt goalie Curtis Joseph and right winger Mike Grier to the Edmonton Oilers as part of the Corson signing.</p><p>That was only by early August.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0147-0328/10278674-1-eng-US/f0147-032.jpg" title="f0147-03" width="1509" height="2275"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DEFENSEMAN AL MACINNIS</b></figcaption></div><p>So if you thought Year I of the Mike Keenan era in St. Louis was entertaining, brace yourself for the sequel. The Blues may even win a few playoff rounds along the way this time.</p><p>Through all the changes, a couple of constants remain. The Blues are a vastly talented team and Keenan remains one of the best coaches in the NHL. The Blues are now among the strongest in the league at every position, assuming they keep their current personnel intact.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 28-15-5, second in Central, fourth overall, lost Western Conference semifinal 4-3 to Vancouver. Power play: 16.4 per cent (16th overall). Penalty killing: 80.3 per cent (21st overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Shayne Corson, LW; Geoff Courtnall, LW; Grant Fuhr, G; Dale Hawerchuk, C; Brian Noonan, RW; Chris Pronger, D; Jay Wells, D.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> None.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Team chem istry. All the new players is one thing. Factor in Keenan&rsquo;s shaky relationships with some key players and you have the potential for disaster. Having all the talent in the world can quickly be neutralized if all the forces aren&rsquo;t working in the same direction. Keenan has been successful in dealing with numerous egos and talents in the past with Team Canada and the New York Rangers and probably understands as well as anyone the value of getting everybody onside.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0148-0171/10278667-1-eng-US/f0148-012.jpg" title="f0148-01" width="2595" height="3371"></div><p>2. Special teams. The Blues placed fourth overall last season, no thanks to their power play or penalty killing. The power play ranked 16th with a 16.4 per cent effectiveness after placing eighth (20.5 per cent) the year before. And Blues&rsquo; penalty killers dropped from 14th (81.2 per cent) to 21st (80.3). Hard-shooting defenseman Al Maclnnis, whose season was trimmed by injuries, had just two power-play goals in 32 games while just nine of Brett Hull&rsquo;s 29 goals came with the man advantage.</p><p>3. Men in the middle. Hawerchuk is penciled in as the No. 1 pivot and the Blues hope he can play to the level he did two seasons ago when he capably filled in for the injured Pat LaFontaine for the Buffalo Sabres. Hawerchuk was bothered by a nagging hip injury that limited him to 23 games last season. Until he proves himself healthy, he remains a concern. Adam Creighton re-signed with the Blues and is the No. 2 center with gritty sophomore Ian Laperriere next in line.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Goaltending presented the biggest uncertainty for the Blues heading into this season. Joseph was the logical choice as the No. 1 stopper, but he was dealt to the Oilers for Corson. It was rumored the Blues might try to lure Martin Brodeur away from the Stanley Cup-champion New Jersey Devils. Veteran John Casey served as backup last season, but now Fuhr, who was 1-7-3 with the Kings after the Buffalo deal, is on the scene. Given the options, Fuhr would be the likely choice for No. 1 goalie.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> The Blues could use a big, stay-at-home defender to strengthen their blueline.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0149-0160/10278660-1-eng-US/f0149-012.jpg" title="f0149-01" width="1176" height="1937"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Brett Hull scored just nine power-play goals last season.</b></figcaption></div><p>They tried to get Scott Stevens last season, but New Jersey matched the offer and he was instrumental in leading them to the Stanley Cup. Maclnnis, Jeff Norton, Pronger and Steve Duchesne are all offenseminded defensemen.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Fuhr needs to vastly improve his 1994-95 performance to justify Keenan&rsquo;s faith in him and regain respect as a dependable goalie. If the Blues don&rsquo;t find someone else to support Fuhr and Casey, and Fuhr slips up this could be the end of the line. Iron Mike has an iron will when he gets his mind made up about goalies. Just ask Ed Belfour and Joseph.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> There&rsquo;s not much room for prospects to slide into this veteran-laced lineup, but the Blues do have a couple of prospects worth watching. Defenseman Jamie Rivers had a sub-par regular season with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario League, dropping from 32 goals and a league-leading 89 assists the season before to nine and 56, but recovered nicely in the playoffs, registering 33 points in 18 games. The Blues are high on center Jochen Hecht, their 1995 No. 1 draft pick from Germany (49th over-all), but he is contractually bound to play another year with his club team in</p><p>Mannheim before he can test his skill in North America. The Blues moved their minor league affiliate from the Peoria Rivermen of the International League to the Worcester IceCats of the American League and will share it with the New York Islanders.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Love him or hate him, there is no denying Keenan (coach: 423-267-82, .601; GM: 118-73-31, .601) gets the most out of his players. And when he can&rsquo;t, he unloads them. Keenan plays mind games with his troops, something he learned from his mentor Scotty Bowman, but when it comes to getting his message across there is rarely any doubt as to what he expects.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Blues made it to the Stanley Cup final the first three years of their existence, but haven&rsquo;t been back since. For all of the talent they&rsquo;ve had over the years, the Blues haven&rsquo;t been beyond the second round since 1987.</p><h2><b>ST. LOUIS</b></h2><p>Blues&rsquo; goaltenders saw more rubber than a tire dump in 1993-94, facing an average of 35.1 shots per game. That changed last season when a tighter Blues&rsquo; defense cut their shots against by 6.8 shots a game to 28.3. It was the biggest drop, by far, in the NHL. The following list shows the average number of shots each team faced in 1993-94 and 1994-95 and the difference in season totals:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0149-0241/10278653-1-eng-US/f0149-022.jpg" title="f0149-02" width="962" height="1111"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0150-0167/10278646-1-eng-US/f0150-012.jpg" title="f0150-01" width="2419" height="2343"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0147-02

ST. LOUIS BLUES

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0151-0237/10278754-1-eng-US/f0151-022.jpg" title="f0151-02" width="719" height="1100"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0151-0157/10278761-1-eng-US/f0151-012.jpg" title="f0151-01" width="144" height="135"></div><p>It&rsquo;s time for the San Jose Sharks to change their act.</p><p>The Sharks cemented their reputation as the reigning kings of Stanley Cup playoff upsets. Now they must make adjustments to advance beyond the second round. It won&rsquo;t be easy.</p><p>San Jose finished 17th in 1993-94 and proceeded to knock off the fourth-place Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the first round. Last season the Sharks dipped to 18th, but defeated the seventh-place Calgary Hames in seven games in the opening round.</p><p>The Sharks have a high talent base, have received excellent goaltending in the past two post-seasons and have played a disciplined style in the playoffs. But the team&rsquo;s maturity must develop before it becomes a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.</p><p>The Sharks could start by producing a winning record in the regular season. In four NHL seasons, they have yet to finish above .500 and slipped from two games under two years ago to six last season. The goal is to be in a position where a first-round playoff win is expected, not a surprise.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0151-0331/10278747-1-eng-US/f0151-032.jpg" title="f0151-03" width="1560" height="2271"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER CRAIG JANNEY.</b></figcaption></div><p>San Jose boasts plenty of talented youth, but must asses early in the season where those players fit in the scheme of things-which players will be stars and which will be role players. Once that is established, the Sharks can fill the holes with more experienced players to give the team a nice blend.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 19-25-4, third in Pacific, 18th overall, lost Western Conference semifinal 4-0 to Detroit. Power play: 11.8 per cent (25th overall). Penalty killing: 81.3 per cent (14th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> None.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Shean Donovan, RW; Viktor Kozlov, LW; Vlastimil Kroupa, D; Ville Peltonen, LW; Marcus Ragnarsson, D; Dody Wood, C.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. The defense corps. The Sharks had a difficult time connecting with their speedy forwards on the first pass out of the defensive zone last season. The personnel appears to be there with Kroupa primed to make the jump from the minors to join a young blueline that features Sandis Ozolinsh, Michal Sykora and Mike Rathje. If the problem continues, the Sharks may have to trade youth for experience.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0152-0161/10278740-1-eng-US/f0152-012.jpg" title="f0152-01" width="2517" height="3375"></div><p>2. Attitude. The Sharks must get over feeling anything good they do is a bonus and start setting-and achieving-higher standards. They&rsquo;re not an expansion team anymore. They should be at the point now where they expect to win more often and are dissatisfied with anything less.</p><p>3. Power play. The Sharks&rsquo; extra-man unit slipped from 20th (16 per-cent success rate) in 1993-94 to 25th (11.8 per cent) last season. They have enough talent up front, but they don&rsquo;t have a quarterback. Ozolinsh could be that guy, but he doesn&rsquo;t have a great shot.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> It is apparent following last season&rsquo;s playoffs the Sharks don&rsquo;t have a clear-cut No. 1 goalie. Arturs Irbe was the team&rsquo;s most valuable player two years ago, but he is far too erratic. What used to be considered comical-Irbe being caught out of the net or carelessly passing the puck directly to the opposition-has lost its luster. Wade Flaherty was responsible for getting the Sharks past the Flames and into the second round. He won Game 6 and made 56 saves in Game 7 as the Sharks won in double overtime.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Someone to win faceoffs. The Sharks started play without the puck too often last season and losing faceoffs was one of the main reasons why their power play was so abysmal. The Sharks rarely won draws in the offensive zone with the man advantage and often had to retreat to their own end after the puck was iced. Wingers Ulf Dahlen and Pat Falloon were taking key faceoffs down the stretch because their centers were so awful.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Stardom looked imminent for Pat Falloon when he scored 25 goals as a 19-year-old rookie right winger. He has fallen off substantially since and has been an underachiever the past few seasons. One thing in his favor is his ability to score 5-on-5. His 12 evenstrength goals were 33rd in the NHL last season. Center Craig Janney has made it his mission to make a goal-scorer out of Falloon. Expect him to get a lot more passes this season.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0153-0153/10278733-1-eng-US/f0153-012.jpg" title="f0153-01" width="1204" height="1953"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Jeff Friesen was the NHL&rsquo;s best rookie from the 1994 draft.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Organization:</b> The Sharks plan to make twin for Peltonen and Ragnarsson. but will leave 1994 picks Alexander Korolyuk and Alexei Ycgorov in Europe. The feisty Korolyuk is quickly moving up the Sharks&rsquo; prospect list. He was the top goal-scorer at the 1995 World Junior Championship tournament with eight, had 47 penalty minutes and was kicked out of the game against Canada. He had 16 goals and 29 points with 62 P1M in 52 games with the Soviet Wings last winter. 1994 pick Ange) Nikolov plays forward and defense and is 6-foot-4, 2(X) pounds.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Kevin Constantine (52-60-20. .470) remains intense, but he is not inflexible. When his defensive system faltered last year. Constantine allowed his creative offensive players to open things up with decent results. Constantine&rsquo;s dedicated work ethic should be an inspiration to his players.</p><p>Dean Lombardi (63-131-22,.343) and Chuck Grillo continue to successfully split the GM duties with Lombardi concentrating on the big-league team and Grillo scouting the amateurs. When it comes to evaluating prospects, the Sharks under Lombardi and Grillo are one of the NHL&rsquo;s most aggressive teams. Grillo runs a gruelling summer camp for top prospects in Brainerd. Minn, each summer and it was there he discovered Jeff Friesen, the NHL&rsquo;s most successful rookie from the 1994 draft last season. The Sharks have a distinct European flavor and aren&rsquo;t afraid to buck conventional thinking al the draft table. This year&rsquo;s first-round pick, Teemu Riihijarvi, was well down many teams&rsquo; prospect lists.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> After missing the playoffs their first two years, the Sharks have gone two rounds in each of the past two seasons, but have relied on astronomical upsets in the first round both years.</p><h2><b>SAN JOSE</b></h2><p>The Sharks took the gun-control movement too much to heart last season. In 15 games the Sharks fired 20 or fewer shots; five times they had fewer than 15 shots Pat Falloon led the team with only 91 shots, making the Sharks the only team in the league not to have at least one player record at least 120 shots. Here&rsquo;s who led each team in shots and the number they took:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0153-0241/10278726-1-eng-US/f0153-022.jpg" title="f0153-02" width="999" height="1121"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0154-0158/10278719-1-eng-US/f0154-012.jpg" title="f0154-01" width="2459" height="2361"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0151-02

SAN JOSE SHARKS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0155-0235/10278827-1-eng-US/f0155-022.jpg" title="f0155-02" width="703" height="1103"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0155-0152/10278834-1-eng-US/f0155-012.jpg" title="f0155-01" width="142" height="138"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he Tampa Bay Lightning hasn&rsquo;t made the playoffs in its first three seasons and there&rsquo;s a good chance it won&rsquo;t be there this season, either.</p><p>But all is not lost, despite the fact the Lightning slipped from 21st overall to 23rd. While the Lightning regressed in the standings, a host of its young players made noticeable progress.</p><p>Roman Hamrlik, Cory Cross, Chris Gratton, Alexander Selivanov and Jason Wiemer all give the Lightning hope for the future. Unfortunately, while the team waits for those five, as well as Aaron Gavey and Drew Bannister who are expected to make serious bids to make the club this season, the Lightning is not likely to enjoy much success.</p><p>Hamrlik, 21, made the most significant leap forward. The No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 draft, Hamrlik enjoyed his breakthrough season and finished tied for third among defensemen in goals with 12 in 48 games. He had just nine goals combined in the two previous seasons and was coming off a serious knee injury.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0155-0327/10278820-1-eng-US/f0155-032.jpg" title="f0155-03" width="1508" height="2295"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>DEFENSEMAN ROMAN HAMRLIK</b></figcaption></div><p>Cross, who is 6-foot-5 and 212 pounds, also proved himself as a capable NHLer.</p><p>In the meantime, Lightning fans must oe content with one of the NHL&rsquo;s hardest working teams. That has been Tampa Bay&rsquo;s trait under coach Terry Crisp since entering the NHL three years ago.</p><p>The Lightning was actually enjoying a decent season and had thoughts of making the playoffs, but the team died down the stretch with eight losses in the final 10 games, including the last six in a row.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 17-28-3, sixth in Atlantic, 23rd overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 14.1 per cent (22nd overall). Penalty killing: 84.4 per cent (seventh overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisition:</b> Brian Bellows, RW.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Drew Bannister, D; Aaron Gavey, C; Daymond Langkow, C; Tyler Moss, G; Brantt Myhres, LW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Continued development of youngsters. Hamrlik and Cross proved they belong; Gratton still must break through. Gratton was regarded by many as the most complete forward into the 1993 draft, but his numbers in two NHL seasons have not reflected as much. At 6-foot-3 and 202 pounds, he has the physical makeup of a power forward. He demonstrated in junior he is capable of being a scorer as well as a physical force. Likewise for Wiemer.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0156-0157/10278813-1-eng-US/f0156-012.jpg" title="f0156-01" width="2486" height="3395"></div><p>2. Goaltending. Because the Lightning doesn&rsquo;t score often-it had the third lowest goal total in the NHL-there is additional pressure on the goaltenders to excel. Daren Puppa was brilliant for most of the season, but struggled near the end. He suffered five losses in his last six starts and was twice pulled from games.</p><p>3. Offensive production. The Lightning doesn&rsquo;t have a legitimate 50-goal man in the fold, so the likes of Petr Klima, Brian Bradley, Paul Ysebaert, Gratton and Alexander Semak must all score with consistency. Bradley scored 42 in 1992-93, but slipped to 24 the following season and had just 13 goals in 46 games last season.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> If Puppa bounces back, and there is every reason to believe he will, the Lightning has no major concerns about its goaltending prospects. Puppa, an eight-year veteran, had a respectable 2.68 goals-against average and .905 save percentage. Backup J.C. Bergeron was once considered the goalie of the future in the Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; organization, but hasn&rsquo;t been able to make much of a move on taking over as No. 1 in Tampa Bay. The Lightning has great hopes for junior prospect Tyler Moss, who was second in the Ontario League with 33 wins for the Kingston Frontenacs.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> With Hamrlik, Cross, Adrien Plavsic and potentially Bannister, the Lightning is desperate for some quality veteran help on defense. Journeyman Bob Halkidis, 29, did a good job for Tampa Bay after being acquired from the Detroit Red Wings, as did 11-year veteran Marc Bergevin. But the Lightning needs a defenseman of greater stature to pave the way.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0157-0151/10278806-1-eng-US/f0157-012.jpg" title="f0157-01" width="1192" height="1940"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Brian Bradley has led Tampa Bay in scoring each season.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Alexander Semak scored 37 goals and finished second in team scoring with 79 points in his first full NHL season with the New Jersey Devils in 1992-93, but the 29-year-old center has been in a fog ever since. He scored just 12 goals and 29 points the following season with the Devils and had just seven goals and 18 points in 41 games split between the Lightning and New Jersey last season. Often he was relegated to fourth-line duty. The Lightning desperately needs Semak to shake out of his funk and produce the way he did three years ago. Of course, he needs the playing time to do that.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Center Colin Cloutier started slowly for the Western League&rsquo;s Brandon Wheat Kings, but had a nice recovery. The 6-foot-3, 224-pound power forward had 16 goals and 43 points with 170 penalty minutes in 47 games. Moss was the OHL&rsquo;s goalie of the year, but will likely require some time in the minors before challenging for an NHL post. Mathieu Raby, a 6-foot-2, 204-pound defenseman with the Sherbrooke Faucons of the Quebec League, had 344 penalty minutes in 63 games and is considered one of the toughest players in junior hockey.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Terry Crisp (214-188-54, .529) had his contract extended a year to cover the 1995-96 season. There were persistent rumors the Lighting was interested in signing Larry Robinson to take over as head coach, but a lot of that probably has to do with the fact Robinson owns a home in the area. Crisp has coached a Stanley Cup winner, the Calgary Flames in 1988-89, and among NHL coaches only Bob Gainey of the Dallas Stars has held his current post longer.</p><p>GM Phil Esposito (177-232-47, .440) has been patient with his young players and moving veteran Denis Savard near the trade deadline will open some ice for them. Esposito can no longer be branded Trader Phil, but he has made his share of deals. He traded for veteran right winger Brian Bellows, an eight-goal scorer with the Montreal Canadiens last season whose best days have passed.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> None.</p><h2><b>TAMPA BAY</b></h2><p>With 12 goals last season, the Lightning&rsquo;s Roman Hamrlik showed the talent that made him the No. 1 pick in the 1992 entry draft. Here&rsquo;s the entire 1992 first round, which league each player was in last season, games and points. Jason Smith is the only premier prospect among non-NHLers. Players who have changed organizations have their new teams listed second. Abbreviations: AHL, American League; IHL, International League; SWI, Swiss League; HE, Hockey East.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0157-0239/10278799-1-eng-US/f0157-022.jpg" title="f0157-02" width="988" height="1113"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0158-0156/10278792-1-eng-US/f0158-012.jpg" title="f0158-01" width="2454" height="2468"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0155-02

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0159-0230/10278900-1-eng-US/f0159-022.jpg" title="f0159-02" width="729" height="1110"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0159-0152/10278907-1-eng-US/f0159-012.jpg" title="f0159-01" width="145" height="139"></div><p>After years of incompetence and turmoil, stability has arrived at Maple Leaf Gardens. Just don&rsquo;t try to tell that to any of the players.</p><p>Toronto Maple Leaf GM Cliff Fletcher has pulled off 45 trades in the four years he has been with the team, making deals involving everything from third-liners to local icon Wendel Clark to first-round draft choices.</p><p>After reaching the final four two straight years, though, the Leafs find themselves entering the 1995-96 season with a rebuilding job of sorts. Fletcher made two big trades on draft day, but clearly more needs to be done to make this team a Stanley Cup contender once again.</p><p>Fletcher got off to a great start with the acquisition of defenseman Larry Murphy from the Pittsburgh Penguins. The fifth-highest scoring defenseman of all-time gives the Leafs two things they desperately need from the backline-someone who can move the puck out of his own end and an offensive presence on the power play.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0159-0325/10278893-1-eng-US/f0159-032.jpg" title="f0159-03" width="1553" height="2305"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER MATS SUNDIN</b></figcaption></div><p>Any improvement in the Leaf fortunes rests on Doug Gilmour returning to form after a sub-par season in which he was plagued with injuries. Gilmour finished the season with just 10 goals ana 33 points in 44 games, but after a summer of intense medial attention, his health should not be a concern in 1995-96.</p><p>Mats Sundin led the team in goals and points and at the age of 24. will be the man who carries this team&rsquo;s offensive load for many years to come.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 21-19-8. fourth in entrai. 12th overall, lost Western Confet enee quarterfinal 4 3 to Chicago. Power play 17 percent (5th overall) Penalty killing 84.9 percent (fifth overall)</p><p><b>Ott-season acquisitions:</b> Larry Mur phy. D: Sergio Momesso. LW Rob Zettler. D</p><p><b>candidate tor promotion.</b> Matt Martin. D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1 Gilmours contribution. Did he really hit the wall or were injuries responsible for Gilmour&rsquo;s considerable drop in effectiveness? One thing is certain, all eyes will be on No. 93 from the outset to see if he can rebound or, at the very least, get close to reaching the heights he achieved the previous two seasons. Given Gilmour&rsquo;s tremendous intestinal fortitude, put your money on a strong comeback.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0160-0161/10278886-1-eng-US/f0160-012.jpg" title="f0160-01" width="2497" height="3373"></div><p>2. Play of the defensemen. It&rsquo;s beginning to sound like a broken record, but the Leafs simply surrendered too much when Sylvain Lefebvre was traded to the Quebec Nordiques and Bob Rouse signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings. Acquiring Murphy was a great start. Although he is 34 years old, Murphy plays a clever game and was the fifth highest scorer among defensemen last season. Youngster Kenny Jonsson should take his game to the next level if the Leafs allow him to show his creative side.</p><p>3. Young players. The Leafs have traded away most of their good young prospects so youth will probably have to be brought in from outside the organization. Trading away young players has caught up to the Leafs and too many of their key players, Gilmour included, are on the down sides of their careers.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0161-0148/10278879-1-eng-US/f0161-012.jpg" title="f0161-01" width="1207" height="1946"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Count on a big comeback for feisty Doug Gilmour this year.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> Most people conclude Felix Potvin had an off-year, that he wasn&rsquo;t as dependable as he was the previous two seasons. So why did his goals-against average only climb from 2.89 in 1993-94 to 2.91, while his save percentage was identical to the previous season&rsquo;s .907? Potvin, at 24, must still be regarded as one of the game&rsquo;s best stoppers. Damian Rhodes played 13 games, including some big ones against contenders, and fared well, but is clearly the No. 2 man. His .916 save percentage was fourth best in the NHL. The Leafs clearly have one of the best netminding tandems in the league, which is why they were able to trade away prospect Eric Fichaud at the trade deadline last year.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> The defense not only must get better, it needs to be younger. It will feature Murphy, 34, Jamie Macoun, 34, Dave Ellett, 31, and Todd Gill, 29. Jonsson, 20, and Matt Martin, 24, are the only blueliners not checking into the quality of NHL pensions.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> The Leafs gave up Fichaud to acquire forward Benoit Hogue from the New York Islanders and he was ineffective in Toronto. The company line is his confidence was shot when the Leafs got him and he was never able to get it back. The plan was to move Hogue, who had three straight seasons of 30-plus goals with the Islanders leading up to last year, to center from left wing this season.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Having traded away prospects Fichaud and tough left winger Landon Wilson, the Leafs are thin on the farm when it comes to top NHL candidates. Center Brandon Convery had a good first pro season with the St. John&rsquo;s Maple Leafs of the American League, finishing with 34 goals and 71 points in 76 games. Another center, Kelly Fairchild, demonstrated NHL potential, as did left winger Darby Hendrickson. All may require more time in the minors.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Coach Pat Bums (282-181-73, .594) was credited with guiding the Leafs to the semifinals two straight years, but also took some heat for the team&rsquo;s first-round exit last season. The former Montreal Canadiens&rsquo; coach rarely smiles-then again his team gave him little to feel happy about last season.</p><p>In spite of questions raised about some of last season&rsquo;s deals, Fletcher (857-685-270, .547) remains a respected GM in the NHL. He brought stability to an organization which had floundered for more than two decades and with that came high expectations. Fletcher has never been one to shy away from the trade market, but he is quickly running out of decent trade bait.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Maple Leafs are second to the Montreal Canadiens in most Stanley Cups with 13, but they haven&rsquo;t been crowned champions since 1967. Their first-round ouster was a disappointment after consecutive trips to the conference final, but consider they missed the playoffs in five of the nine years prior to Fletcher&rsquo;s arrival.</p><h2><b>TORONTO</b></h2><p>Doug Gilmour&rsquo;s scoring dropped prodigiously in 1994-95. He had 33 points in 44 garnes which projects to 58 points over an 84-game schedule, down 53 points from his 111-point season in 1993-94. Below is a list of the worst falloffs from 1993-94 based on projected 1994-95 totals:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0161-0239/10278872-1-eng-US/f0161-022.jpg" title="f0161-02" width="991" height="1112"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0162-0155/10278865-1-eng-US/f0162-012.jpg" title="f0162-01" width="2454" height="2343"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0159-02

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0165-0234/10278973-1-eng-US/f0165-022.jpg" title="f0165-02" width="717" height="1086"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0165-0144/10278980-1-eng-US/f0165-012.jpg" title="f0165-01" width="143" height="134"></div><p>Take a look at this list of core players and try your best not to salivate on this book.</p><p>Kirk McLean in goal, Jeff Brown and Jyrki Lurnme on defense and Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Trevor Linden and Mike Ridley at forward.</p><p>What&rsquo;s wrong here? Shouldn&rsquo;t this team be a Stanley Cup contender? Maybe it is, but there&rsquo;s one big problem. The Canucks have great front-line talent but a questionable work ethic. And once you get beyond the core players, things drop off pretty quickly.</p><p>The Canucks are hoping the acquisition of Mogilny, and to a lesser extent Ridley, will give them some of the spark they have dearly lacked the past two regular seasons. They were exposed as extremely thin on defense when injuries hit in the playoffs and the loss of veteran depth players also took a toll. The players the Canucks employed to fill the gaps were simply too inexperienced to contribute at a critical time.</p><p>After knocking off the St. Louis Blues in seven, they were swept by the Chicago Blackhawks in four games, three of which went into overtime.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0165-0324/10278966-1-eng-US/f0165-032.jpg" title="f0165-03" width="1508" height="2255"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>CENTER TREVOR LINDEN</b></figcaption></div><p>After consecutive first-place finishes in the former Smythe Division, the Canucks have put together back-to-back years of indifferent performances. They were .500 last season and just one game over that mark the previous year.</p><p>The key is Bure. When he is on his game he&rsquo;s virtually unstoppable. When his head is elsewhere, so are the Canucks. Mogilny is equally talented and enigmatic.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 18-18-12, second in Pacific, 13th overall, lost Western Conference semifinal 4-0 to Chicago. Power play: 19.7 per cent (seventh overall). Penalty killing: 83.5 per cent (11th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisitions:</b> Alexander Mogilny, LW; Mike Ridley, C.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Alex Stojanov, LW; Scott Walker, RW.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Defensive play. The Canucks have one of the best goaltenders in hockey in McLean, but you wouldn&rsquo;t know it by their I7th-place standing in goals-against. Much of the blame is placed on the shoulders of the forwards, who don&rsquo;t offer much support for the defense. They gave up checking center Mike Peca to get Mogilny. The Canucks must place more emphasis on taking care of business behind their own blueline. The addition of Ridley, a dependable two-way guy, should help.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0166-0145/10278959-1-eng-US/f0166-012.jpg" title="f0166-01" width="2577" height="3455"></div><p>2. Contribution of young players. Defenseman Jassen Cullimore looked comfortable in his first big-league stint and must take the next step. The Canucks think Rick Girard, who had 10 goals and 23 points in 26 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the American League last season, can make the jump and contribute at some point. He tore up a knee midway through the year and may require more experience in the minors.</p><p>3. The Bure-Mogilny combo. The reunion of two-thirds of one of the best junior lines in hockey history is a scary proposition in two respects. Mogilny and Bure together could produce some dazzling displays of offensive pyrotechnics or some of the most uninspired, infuriating play ever seen. Two years ago, the two scored 136 goals between them, but both slumped badly last season and at times have been world-class headcases. If they click and play to their potential, who skates between them at center is irrelevant. They are so fast they could beat most lines as a duo. Mogilny, Linden, Bure has a nice ring to it</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> McLean is entrenched as the No. 1 goalie. In fact, the Canucks believe he is improving with age and becoming one of the league&rsquo;s most dependable stoppers in big games. His 2.75 goals-against average was the second best of his career. There is a glut of potential backups, including holdover Kay Whitmore, prospect Mike Fountain and Corey Hirsch. acquired from the New York Rangers. Hirsch played for Canada at the World Championship and is a former THN minor league prospect of the year (1992-93).</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0167-0144/10278952-1-eng-US/f0167-012.jpg" title="f0167-01" width="1163" height="1940"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>When Pavel Bure is on his game, who&rsquo;s going to stop him?</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> A No. 1 play-making center. Peca is gone as the No. 2 man and Cliff Ronning is creative, but too small for the job. The Canucks prefer to use Linden on the wing, even though he performed wonderfully at center in the 1994 playoffs. So the unending search continues for someone to feed the wingers, though newly acquired Mike Ridley might get the job by default.</p><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Josef Beranek thinks he&rsquo;s a top-two line player who can contribute on the power play. The Philadelphia Flyers thought otherwise, so they traded him to the Canucks for Shawn Antoski. Beranek played well in the regular season (although he failed his audition as Bure&rsquo;s linemate), but fell off the face of the earth in the playoffs. He had just two points in 11 postseason games.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> Defenseman Brent Tully, a two-time gold medalist with the Canadian national junior team, struggled in his first pro season until he began to play more aggressively. An excellent skater with a big shot from the point, Tully will require more time in the minors. If the Canucks ever need toughness, they don&rsquo;t have far to look. Syracuse had four players with more than 250 penalty minutes last season.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Rick Ley (8789-32, .495) didn&rsquo;t make much of an impact in his first year as head coach, but he can be forgiven for not tinkering with a team that came as close to winning the Stanley Cup as you possibly can without winning it. Now Ley can go to training camp armed with the message the Canucks need to work harder, especially defensively, to achieve success. How the taskmaster deals with Bure and Mogilny could make or break him.</p><p>President-GM Pat Quinn (258-28276, .481) will also be looking to bounce back and his biggest challenge is to bolster the team&rsquo;s depth, both at the NHL and minor-league levels. Quinn is not afraid to make huge trades and went for the home run in the Mogilny deal.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Canucks have been to the final twice in their 25-year history, but have been a forgettable playoff team the other 23 seasons.</p><h2><b>VANCOUVER</b></h2><p>Pavel Bure went from consecutive 60-goal seasons to 20 in 44 games last season; that equals 35 goals in 84 games. Here are last season&rsquo;s biggest goal-scoring increases and decreases based on projected totals. Listed are 1994-95 actual games, goals, points, 1993-94 goals and projected 1994-95 goals. Washington&rsquo;s Peter Bondra recorded the largest increase, from 24 to a projected 60.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0167-0226/10278945-1-eng-US/f0167-022.jpg" title="f0167-02" width="954" height="1109"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0168-0147/10278938-1-eng-US/f0168-012.jpg" title="f0168-01" width="2448" height="2347"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0165-02

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0169-0224/10279046-1-eng-US/f0169-022.jpg" title="f0169-02" width="694" height="1099"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0169-0139/10279053-1-eng-US/f0169-012.jpg" title="f0169-01" width="145" height="136"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>L</span>ast summer, the Washington Capitals had big questions about their goaltending, a lack of scoring punch up front and were locked in a contract dispute with top prospect Brendan Witt.</p><p>Now they have Jim Carey, Peter Bondra is the league&rsquo;s defending goal-scoring champ and Witt has been signed, sealed and delivered.</p><p>So everything is now wonderful in Washington, right? Not quite.</p><p>Carey still has to prove he is no one-year wonder. Bondra might be a scoring whiz, but he needs support. After sitting out all of last season, Witt must prove now he&rsquo;s worth the $6.7 million the Capitals will pay him over the next five years.</p><p>If those three players come through as projected, Washington management can concentrate on addressing the team&rsquo;s lack of scoring depth. The Capitals have attempted to do so through the draft, taking a number of high-scoring players out of the major junior ranks who have yet to pay dividends.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0169-0319/10279039-1-eng-US/f0169-032.jpg" title="f0169-03" width="1501" height="2274"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>GOALTENDER JIM CAREY</b></figcaption></div><p>Former Canadian Hockey League players of the year Pat Peake and Jason Allison still must prove they can play regularly at the NHL level. The Capitals have great youth, but it remains unproven.</p><p>With all the good that occurred last season, the Capitals still ended the season on a very familiar and disappointing note. They took a 3-1 series lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of playoffs, but couldn&rsquo;t hold on and lost the series in seven.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 22-18-8, third in Atlantic, 10th overall, lost Eastern Conference quarterfinal 4-3 to Pittsburgh. Power play: 19.9 per cent (sixth overall). Penalty killing: 84.5 per cent (sixth overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisition:</b> Mike Torchia, G.</p><p><b>Candidates for promotion:</b> Brendan Witt, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Contribution from young forwards. The storylines for centers Peake and Allison read the same. Both were first-round draft choices, were named CHL players of the year and neither has yet to give indication he will be an impact player at the NHL level. Peake failed to score in 18 games with the Capitals last season while Allison managed two goals in 12 games as a rookie. He did score five in eight games with the Portland Pirates of the American League. Martin Gendron, who had back-to-back seasons of 71 and 73 goals in junior, scored 31 in Portland last season and may be ready to make the jump.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0170-0145/10279032-1-eng-US/f0170-012.jpg" title="f0170-01" width="634" height="842"></div><p>2. Bondra&rsquo;s consistency. He was not only the NHL&rsquo;s best goal-scorer last season, he was the league&rsquo;s most consistent, scoring goals in 27 of the 47 games he played. Can he do it two years in a row? He must for the Capitals to forge ahead. Certainly he will face added pressure from opposing checkers this season, especially if the Capitals remain a one-(hat) trick pony.</p><p>3. Carey&rsquo;s contribution. Carey was rookie of the year in the AHL and was almost the same in the NHL. He almost singlehandedly brought the Capitals back from the dead, but in the playoffs he struggled against Pittsburgh. Capitals&rsquo; coach Jim Schoenfeld claims Carey was exhausted by the time the playoffs came, so he&rsquo;ll have to give him some relief this season.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> It&rsquo;s a heck of a lot better now than it was a year ago, or even halfway through the season for that matter. Carey was tops among rookie goalies in goals-against average and third best overall at 2.13 and had the second best save percentage among freshman at .913. That was good enough for ninth overall. He was also second in wins by a rookie with 18, but didn&rsquo;t start in the NHL until 19 games into the season. Olaf Kolzig and Mike Torchia, who was picked up from the Dallas Stars in the off-season, will likely battle for backup status after Byron Dafoe was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> Offensive depth. After Bondra&rsquo;s 31 goals, next up for the Capitals was checker Keith Jones. That&rsquo;s good news for Jones, bad news for the team. Hey, Joe Juneau, don&rsquo;t be afraid to shoot the puck. Seventy shots from a No. 1 center in 44 games is not enough, even if you are an outstanding playmaker.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0171-0141/10279025-1-eng-US/f0171-012.jpg" title="f0171-01" width="1167" height="1936"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>The Peter principle says Bondra can&rsquo;t do it all on his own.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Is right winger Rob Pearson destined to be known as Eric Lindros&rsquo; high-scoring linemate from junior hockey? It&rsquo;s beginning to look that way. Pearson failed to make it with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a bust in his first season with Washington. He didn&rsquo;t score in 32 regular-season games, but had one goal in the three games he dressed for in the playoffs. A weak skater, Pearson must compensate for his weaknesses with toughness and a big-time shot.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Capitals signed defenseman Nolan Baumgartner, the 10th pick in the 1994 draft, but he isn&rsquo;t expected to crack the lineup this season. A solid two-way performer, Baumgartner scored eight goals and 44 points in 62 games with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western League last season. Center Alexander Kharlamov, son of the late Soviet legend Valeri Kharlamov, is set to debut in North America. His dad played with pizzazz, but the younger Kharlamov&rsquo;s forte is grit and determination. German-bom center Stefan Ustorf was enjoying a fine season with Portland when he suffered a knee injury. He wound up with 21 goals and 59 points in 63 games.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> Schoenfeld (110-108-34, .504) likes to keep his players on edge and is constantly juggling his lines. He used 17 different line combinations in the first 10 minutes of a game last season. He doesn&rsquo;t play favorites and has been known to bench veterans for the rest of a game after a couple of shifts if he determines their heads are not in the game.</p><p>GM David Poile (522-382-112) is in his 15th season with Washington and has never shied away from big deals. He has also assembled one of the league&rsquo;s strongest group of prospects.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> The Capitals failed to make the playoffs their first eight season, but have been regular visitors the past 13 years. They have never been to the final.</p><h2><b>WASHINGTON</b></h2><p>Every time the Capitals scored four goals last season you could be sure Peter Bondra had one of them. His 34 goals accounted for exactly one-quarter of Washington&rsquo;s 136 goals. No other player in the league came close to dominating his club&rsquo;s goal-scoring like Bondra. Here&rsquo;s a look at the percentage of a team&rsquo;s total goals each club&rsquo;s top goal-scorer-accounted for:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0171-0223/10279018-1-eng-US/f0171-022.jpg" title="f0171-02" width="975" height="1114"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0172-0142/10279011-1-eng-US/f0172-012.jpg" title="f0172-01" width="2430" height="2346"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0169-02

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0173-0222/10279119-1-eng-US/f0173-022.jpg" title="f0173-02" width="691" height="1097"></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0173-0138/10279126-1-eng-US/f0173-012.jpg" title="f0173-01" width="140" height="137"></div><p>When all seemed lost, hockey fans in Winnipeg banded together in a valiant effort to save their team for at least one more season.</p><p>Now if they could only do something about their team&rsquo;s on-ice fortunes. Looking at the state of the Winnipeg Jets on and off the ice, it&rsquo;s difficult to see why the fans fought so hard.</p><p>The Jets had the second-worst goals-against average last season and their defense ranks among the weakest in the NHL. On the plus side, they have two second-team all-stars in center Alexei Zhamnov and left winger Keith Tkachuk. Teemu Selanne is two years removed from a 76-goal season.</p><p>The problem is, Selanne and Tkachuk are restricted free agents and Zhamnov is entering his option year. It&rsquo;s hard to believe that with their tenuous financial situation, the Jets would be able to meet the salary demands of all three players.</p><p>Even if those players stay in Winnipeg, there&rsquo;s not guarantee that the team will. A group of Winnipeg businessmen dubbed the Spirit of Manitoba managed to keep the Jets in Winnipeg for the short term, but there are concerns about the group&rsquo;s finances and whether all levels of government will provide the funds for the new arena and entertainment complex that is vital to the Jets&rsquo; long-term survival.</p></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0173-0315/10279112-1-eng-US/f0173-032.jpg" title="f0173-03" width="1496" height="2276"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>LEFT WINGER KEITH TKACHUK</b></figcaption></div><p>For the Jets to survive in the Central Division, they have to get better in a lot of areas. Zhamnov and Tkachuk have had career years the past two seasons and the Jets finished last both times.</p><p><b>1994-95 record:</b> 16-25-7, sixth in Central, 21st overall, missed playoffs. Power play: 19.2 per cent (ninth overall). Penalty killing: 83 per cent (13th overall).</p><p><b>Off-season acquisition:</b> Jeff Finley, D.</p><p><b>Candidate for promotion:</b> Deron Quint, D.</p><p><b>Three pivotal factors:</b> 1. Goaltending. It&rsquo;s pretty tough to make gains with a GAA of 3.63-second worst in the league. The temptation is the lay the blame at the feet of goalies Tim Cheveldae and rookie Nikolai Khabibulin, but the truth of the matter is they received almost no support. Coach Terry Simpson, who took over from GM John Paddock with 15 games remaining, will insist the team give his stoppers better protection.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0174-0138/10279105-1-eng-US/f0174-012.jpg" title="f0174-01" width="2499" height="3365"></div><p>2. Selanne&rsquo;s play. The Finnish Flash left himself with a difficult act to follow after scoring 76 goals in 1992-93 as a rookie. Averaging nearly a goal a game is next to impossible. Averaging a goal every second game, as he has done the past two seasons, is simply not good enough. The Jets need Selanne to remain healthy and to be on top of his game consistently if they are to have any hope of rejoining the playoff scene.</p><p>3. The defense corps. Cheveldae and Khabibulin must want to run for the nearest exit when they see their defense skate out for pre-game warmup. There is Teppo Numminen and not much else. Dave Manson is a tough guy on the slide and Neil Wilkinson is a gritty veteran with limited skill. All of this should come as good news to rookies Deron Quint and Jason Doig. Quint scored 29 goals and 89 points for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western League last season while the 6-foot-3, 218-pound Doig had 13 goals, 55 points and 259 penalty minutes for the Laval Titan of the Quebec League.</p><p><b>State of goaltending:</b> The No. 1 goaltending job in Winnipeg is wide open. Cheveldae enjoyed seasons of 30, 38 (tops in the NHL) and 34 victories with the Detroit Red Wings, which is a good indication of how he performs when he receives a little help from his friends. Things haven&rsquo;t been so good in Winnipeg, where his record is 13-24-4 the past two seasons. The Jets feel Khabibulin has what it takes to be a top-notch NHL goalie. He was 8-9-1 with a 3.41 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. The plan is to increase the workload for the 22-year-old Russian this season.</p><p><b>Most pressing need:</b> As bad as the Jets&rsquo; defense is, they&rsquo;re even weaker at center beyond Zhamnov. They hope Mike Eastwood will con tinue to play as well as he did after they acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs for tough guy Tie Domi. He scored three goals and nine points in 13 games for Winnipeg. If Eastwood does, the Jets have taken care of their No. 3 center slot. With Zhamnov the established No. 1 man in the middle, that means they can concentrate on filling the opening at the No. 2 position.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0175-0132/10279098-1-eng-US/f0175-012.jpg" title="f0175-01" width="1164" height="1927"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Alexei Zhamnov is poised to reach his first 50-goal season.</b></figcaption></div><p><b>Something to prove:</b> Zhamnov&rsquo;s 30 goals in the lockout-shortened season were more than he scored in either of the two previous seasons he played for the Jets. Pro-rated over 84 games, that represents a 53-goal season. Can he do it again? The knock on the Redheaded Russian was inconsistency, but that was not a problem last season. Zhamnov scored five goals in a 7-7 tie with the Los Angeles Kings April 1.</p><p><b>Organization:</b> The Jets failed to sign prospect Larry Courville of the Ontario League&rsquo;s Oshawa Generals before the draft, so the left winger reentered and was picked by Vancouver Canucks. The Jets felt Courville was ready to play for them this season. Right winger Craig Mills captained the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario League last season scoring 39 goals and 80 points. Left winger Michal Grosek is the most NHL-ready of the Jets&rsquo; prospects.</p><p><b>Coach/GM:</b> The Jets finish ed 7-7-1 under Simpson (116-121-34, .491) who previously held head coaching positions with the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers. He is considered a defensive specialist and should be a nice fit for the Jets. They are a team desperately in need of improved defensive play.</p><p>Paddock&rsquo;s (23-49-11, .343) mission, when he took over as GM from Mike Smith in January, 1994, was to make the team tougher. He has accomplished that and now that he has removed himself from behind the bench, he can concentrate full-time on trying to get the Jets off the ground this season.</p><p><b>Playoff history:</b> There has been no playoff payoff since the good old days of Bobby Hull and the World Hockey Association in Winnipeg. The Jets missed the playoffs the past two seasons and have won just two rounds in 16 years.</p><h2><b>WINNIPEG</b></h2><p>Only seven No. 1 goalies in 1994-95 had save percentages below .900; Jets&rsquo; starting goalie Tim Cheveldae was the worst of all-finishing with an .881 mark. That&rsquo;s one big reason the Jets surrendered the second-most goals in the league (177). Only Edmonton gave up more (183). The league average save percentage was .901. Here are the save percentages of all No. 1 goalies:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0175-0214/10279091-1-eng-US/f0175-022.jpg" title="f0175-02" width="961" height="1110"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0176-0140/10279084-1-eng-US/f0176-012.jpg" title="f0176-01" width="2517" height="2389"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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<div class="byline">By Murray Townsend</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0179-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0179-0130/10279157-1-eng-US/f0179-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>Peter Bondra of the Washington Capitals led the NHL in goals in 1994-95.</b> <span class="photo-credit">(Photo by Burce Bennet/BBS)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>W</span>hen John Muckier and Pat Quinn were wheeling and dealing on the draft floor in July, they thought they were just making another trade. Little did they know they putting in motion a series of machinations that would deeply affect hockey poolsters all over North America.</p><p>Any poolie worth his salted peanuts knows a player&rsquo;s situation is just as important as his talent. When the Buffalo Sabres traded Alexander Mogilny to the Vancouver Canucks, it illustrated that point perfectly.</p><p>First of all, the trade put Pavel Bure as the No. 2 man on The Hockey News&rsquo; projected list of the top 400 scorers for this season. <i>(See our list on page 180).</i></p><p>Both Mogilny and Bure were lacking a little motivation last season. Putting two-thirds of one of the greatest lines in junior hockey history back together again is probably going to change that.</p><p>If Mogilny and Bure play on the same line, who&rsquo;ll be the center? Most likely, they&rsquo;d want a tougher guy such as Trevor Linden there and if it&rsquo;s him, his point totals will fly through the roof.</p><p>But perhaps the Canucks won&rsquo;t feel the center is so important on that line with so much talent already there. They may want to construct a strong second line with Linden as the central figure. Mike Ridley, obtained from the Toronto Maple Leafs, is an excellent playmaker and could be the line&rsquo;s defensive conscience.</p><p>On the other side, let&rsquo;s see what happens to the Sabres. Without Mogilny and Dale Hawerchuk, there&rsquo;s not a wealth of scoring on the team and the subtractions will likely hamper Pat LaFontaine&rsquo;s assist-earning potential. Donald Audette will likely be depended on for more goals and will get more of the ice time that was given to Mogilny and Hawerchuk.</p><p>Those are the kinds of things that go through the minds of people such as us who clearly have too much time on our hands. We poolies, we&rsquo;re always thinking.</p><p>When our rankings were done in mid-July. some free agents still hadn&rsquo;t signed, trades were still to be made and training camp developments were still unknown.</p><p>Each player on the top 400 list was considered carefully with several factors weighed-age, power-play time, career patterns, save me first-and second-half points, injury history, potential, and, of course, where they fit on the depth chart.</p><p>Career patterns come into play with those players who had unusually good years and unusually poor ones. Take Benoit Hogue, for example. If you watched him play with Toronto last season you&rsquo;d have a hard time putting him on a list of the top 600 players.</p><p>He had an 84-game projected point total of 30. But in his previous three seasons, he had 69. 75 and 75.</p><p>The table lists each players&rsquo; projected point totals from last season over 84 games. Next is their career point totals per 84 games. The NHL season this year is only 82 games, but 84 was used to maintain consistency-and</p><p>lots of time since I kept a running calculation during the season.</p><p>An asterisk has been added beside those players who appeared in fewer than 20 games last season or fewer than 20 over their career.</p><p>Finally, the point predictions. If you think trying to stop Jaromir Jagr 1-on-l is tough, try doing this. Last year&rsquo;s shortened season meant defensive play was highlighted throughout the year. Even though some people see it as a sign the apocalypse is on us, defensive hockey will still be in vogue this year, especially when everyone knows it&rsquo;s the style that wins Stanley Cups.</p><p>That means high point totals across the board aren&rsquo;t a high probability, but they should be up somewhat from last year with the longer schedule.</p><p>When using the table, pay attention to the projected 84-game point totals from last season and compare it to this year&rsquo;s prediction. If there&rsquo;s a big difference between the two it means the prediction is highly speculative.</p><p>Brendan Shanahan of the Hartford Whalers is a good example. We&rsquo;ve predicted a 100-point season for him despite the fact his projected total from last year was only</p><p>77. But anyone who does a little research knows that Shanahan posted totals of 94 and 102 in the previous two seasons. If you think he&rsquo;ll bounce back, you may be able to pick (r) him up for a low price or later in the draft. (r) Do your homework and you&rsquo;ll be ready for the big exam Oct. 1. That&rsquo;s the last Sun(r) day before the start of the season and the day 2 when poolies everywhere drop their yard tools to assemble in some guy&rsquo;s basement for a couple of hours of fun and frivolity.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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EASY TIP-INS

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THN’S TOP 400 FOR 1995-96

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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

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1995 NHL ENTRY DRAFT

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