Search for your favorite player or team
© The Hockey News. All rights reserved. Any and all material on this website cannot be used, reproduced, or distributed without prior written permission from Roustan Media Ltd. For more information, please see our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
December 4, 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.
WONDERFUL CONTRADICTIONS
ALEX PIETRANGELO’S TASTE in music is reflected in his style of play on defense. From Blink 182 to Andrea Bocelli on his iPod, to drawing comparisons from Dion Phaneuf to Nicklas Lidstrom, Pietrangelo’s flare for the eclectic caught the scouts’ attention as soon as he broke into the OHL last season. “He was impressive right away and it’s usually guys who end up being high first-rounders who are like that,” said one NHL scout. The Niagara IceDogs blueliner has grown in draft stature and size since his first year. He’s now 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and will dominate a game defensively and offensively. “He’s a big, strong guy,” said the scout. “He can be physical, but he’s a more skilled player than Phaneuf. Phaneuf has a great shot. Pietrangelo is more of a playmaking type,…
Staying in the game
A freak injury ended Chris Kelleher’s playing career last season at 32, but the former journeyman defenseman is still keeping his hand – and players’ feet – in the game. Kelleher is back on the minor league circuit as a skate representative for Reebok, traveling to AHL and ECHL cities to accept orders and discuss maintenance and other issues. Part of his territory includes Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he played 250 games over four of his seven North American seasons. A serious leg injury sustained last year in Sweden led to Kelleher being put on blood thinners and doctors advised his retirement. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Kelleher made his AHL debut in Syracuse in 1998-99 after four seasons at Boston University, where he played with Chris Drury and Jay Pandolfo. THINKING PINK Goalies are notoriously superstitious, so when…
BACKSEAT GM
I would like to start trade talks between the Penguins and Stars. Jordan Staal for Marty Turco and we’ll even throw in Dany Sabourin for a draft pick. Fleury needs an on ice mentor. He desperately wants to play the puck, but is horrible at it. Who better to teach him than one of the best all-around tenders in the game? The Stars have Mike Smith to fall back on and will be getting one of the great young talents in the game. This will eliminate the Pens having Malkin and Staal becoming UFAs in the same year and they can sign Malkin long term. By the time this happens Fleury will be ready to shine every night.…
NHL TEAM REPORTS
GRADES BY POSITION A better-than-anticipated start by the Coyotes was largely due to Mikael Tellqvist’s netminding and timely scoring by underrated forwards. PHOENIX IT IS DIFFICULT TO GIVE GOOD marks to a last-place team, but the Phoenix Coyotes are worthy of an exception. With expectations as low as they’ve ever been, the fact the Coyotes were close to .500 through mid-November makes them one of the early season’s biggest surprises. Coach Wayne Gretzky’s gang started a disappointing 2-6-0 at home, but a winning mark on the road (5-3-0) – generally the sign of a good team – buoyed Phoenix’s hopes for continued success. IN THE SPOT LIGHT GOALIES B In a three-way battle for the No. 1 spot in training camp, Mikael Tellqvist confidently said he was the best man for the job. He delivered the same message…
Made possible with the support of
