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February 20, 2007
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.
LEARN ROPES FIRST, MESS
The NHL has been blessed in recent years by the decisions of many of its best-ever players to get back into, or remain in the game after retiring. Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux have been key power brokers off the ice for several seasons. This year, Steve Yzerman, Al MacInnis and Ron Francis have plunged into management capacities and it seems Patrick Roy is on the verge of ascending the ladder. Once they’ve spent a few years learning their new trade, these highly respected men will serve as shining hockey ambassadors. Just as importantly for the franchises they represent, they’ll be qualified to make the key decisions for those multi-million-dollar companies. Enter Mark Messier. ‘The Moose’ has let it be known he’d like to become GM of the Rangers once…
Don’t call him ‘Buda’
Well, circle-cut my bacon. Thank you for your mention of the wonderful Hockey Ministries International (Jan. 30). You should have included something about goalie Peter Budaj of the Colorado Avalanche, who is very proud of his faith and has Ned Flanders painted on his helmet. TAMI RAUER, LITTLETON, COLO. Burning Crisp Your lead story proclaiming Nashville the best team no one watches (Jan. 30) missed what is probably the best reason: the play-byplay announcers pandering to the so-called redneck crowd. Pete Weber, if left to his own devices, would be easy to take, but Terry Crisp has turned into a ridiculous caricature of a yokel. He makes so many crazy pronouncements you’d think he didn’t know anything about hockey. As a transplanted Michiganian, I find it hard enough to drum up support for hockey…
Wirll-wind success
A trade 13 games into the season has brought good fortune to both Mike Wirll and the Pensacola Ice Pilots. The fifth-year pro was second in the ECHL with 31 goals through Feb. 5. And Wirll, 24, was ECHL player-of-the-month in January, when he had 14 goals and 17 points. “A lot of it has to do with the surrounding cast,” said the right winger, who had a 13-game point streak end Jan. 27. “(Linemate) Travis Lisabeth has had a big impact on me. He’s a veteran and we live together. I’ve tried to learn from his preparation and his mentality.” Wirll began the season in Utah, scoring six goals in 13 games. A five-player deal Nov. 16 brought Wirll and defenseman Ed Hill to a Pensacola team that had one win in…
AHL PROFILE WITH Robbie Earl
Less is more for fast Earl You can’t learn speed at the AHL level, but you can learn what to do with it. And the faster Robbie Earl, 21, grasps the nuances of the pro game with the Toronto Marlies, the faster he’ll move up to the Maple Leafs. “Instead of skating 200 miles per hour all the time, he has a little more purpose and tempo to his game now,” said Marlies coach Greg Gilbert. “Speed can be both beneficial and detrimental. You can be using your speed to take away space, but you can also be going so fast that you’re making more work for yourself defensively.” Earl, listed generously at 5-foot-10, is one of the AHL’s fastest skaters, but it hasn’t translated into consistent production. A sixth round pick by Toronto…
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