Will success follow year of big change?

Hockey seasons don’t get much more chaotic than 2000-01 often was for the Boston Bruins. Coach Pat Burns, already without the 1-2 goalie tandem of Byron Dafoe; and John Grahame, was replaced after only eight games by Mike Keenan-whose option wasn’t renewed at season’s end. Harry Sinden ended his 28-year-plus tenure as GM Nov. 1 to focus on his duties as club president. Mike O’Connell was promoted to GM and he shipped Anson Carter, whose contract negotiations had stalled, to Edmonton for Bill Guerin at the, 17-game mark. With career years from Jason Allison, Guerin, Sergei Samsonov and Joe Thornton, the Brums went 36-30-8-8, but missed the playoffs by a point. O’Connell, never a fan of Burns’ defense-oriented style, brought in former Los Angeles and New Jersey coach Rob Ftorek to install a…

Quebec Hockey League 2000-2001

Unsatisfied Blues change colors again

For an elite team built on character and camaraderie, the St. Louis Blues continue to overhaul as though they’re an NHL bottom-feeder. Only eight regulars remain from the Presidents’ Trophy champions of two years ago. Despite waves of key injuries, the Blues ran up 103 points last year and reached, the Western Conference final for the just second time in 30 years. Then they jettisoned five regulars, including starting goalie Roman Turek, No. center Pierre Turgeon and ton youne forwards Jochen top young lorwarus uocnen Hecht and Marty Reasoner. Doug Weight, a play-making center who was an inspiration in Edmonton, replaces Turgeon on the top line. “We’re a better team now than we year,” said Chris Pronger. were last defenseman Chris Pronger. By failing to land Dominik Hasek, the Blues resume their Stanley Cup quest with…

Captain Canada

He has been anointed hockey’s King of Comebacks, so who better to lead Canada in a comeback of its own, from international alsoran to Olympic gold? Mario Lemieux has shown himself to be an expert at recapturing past glory and that, in a nutshell, is the challenge facing Canada at the Salt Lake Olympics in February as it tries to avenge an empty-handed departure from Nagano in 1998. Lemieux, who resurrected his playing career and rejuvenated the NHL with his unexpected comeback last December, will make another comeback, this time to the international stage, as captain of Canada’s Olympic team. The Magnificent One has helped lead Canada to international glory in the past and was handpicked by Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky as captain and standard bearer. “The Olympics is the only thing…