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.

December 1, 2008

The Hockey News - Dec-01-08

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0042-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0042-01707/9193728-1-eng-US/f0042-012.jpg"></div><h2><b>WESTERN CONFERENCE</b></h2><h2><b>EASTERN CONFERENCE</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0043-01698/9193721-1-eng-US/f0043-012.jpg" title="f0043-01" width="2804" height="3543"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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In Every Issue

NHL Depth Charts

<div class="byline">BY PHIL JANACK</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-01504/9193870-1-eng-US/f0046-012.jpg" title="f0046-01" width="969" height="1193"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-02324/9193863-1-eng-US/f0046-022.jpg" title="f0046-02" width="214" height="214"></div><h2><b>Johnny Boychuk</b></h2><p>Providence Bruins</p><p>Ht. 6-2</p><p>Wt. 215</p><p>Pos. D</p><p>Age 24</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-03232/9193856-1-eng-US/f0046-032.jpg" title="f0046-03" width="184" height="103"></div><p><b>AND COUNTING</b> 5 Number of cities Boychuk has played in over five AHL years.</p><p><b>FOR HIS ENTIRE PRO CAREER,</b> now in its fifth year, a change of seasons has also meant a change of address for Johnny Boychuk.</p><p>Drafted by Colorado 61st overall in 2002, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound defenseman played his first four seasons in the Avalanche system.</p><p>Boychuk started in Hershey, then found himself in Lowell when the Avs and Carolina Hurricanes shared an affiliation there. That partnership moved to Albany in 2006-07 before the Avs decided to field their own farm team, Cleveland&rsquo;s Lake Erie Monsters, last season.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of weird,&rdquo; Boychuk said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t usually see that with one organization or have four different minor league teams in four years. It&rsquo;s kind of tough, because you don&rsquo;t know where to get apartments or go to eat. You have to really find your way around each year.&rdquo;</p><p>Colorado remained in Lake Erie in 2008-09, but Boychuk did not. He was traded to the Boston Bruins for forward Matt Hendricks and is now patrolling the blueline in Providence.</p><p>&ldquo;It was a little bit of a shock, but in this game, you&rsquo;ve got to be ready for anything, really,&rdquo; Boychuk said. &ldquo;Providence is real nice. It&rsquo;s very beautiful. New team, new organization; getting off to a real good start helps a lot.&rdquo;</p><p>It certainly does. A month and a half into the season, he led the Bruins with 13 assists and 15 points. His fast start had Boychuk almost halfway to his career-best offensive totals of 32 points in 74 games for Lowell in 2005-06.</p><p>&ldquo;His offensive ability so far this year has been great,&rdquo; said Bruins coach Rob Murray. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s done a great job on the power play. He&rsquo;s getting his shots through and he&rsquo;s got a bomb of a shot.</p><p>&ldquo;A great way to describe him is fun-loving. He&rsquo;s got a passion for the game and it comes out whether it&rsquo;s a practice or a game.&rdquo;</p><p>Boychuk played four games with Colorado last season, but debuted as a right winger, not at his natural defense position.</p><p>&ldquo;That was a really enjoyable time,&rdquo; Boychuk said. &ldquo;I knew I could do it, but getting the opportunity was the big part. I was there four years and didn&rsquo;t get an opportunity until last year and then they called me up as a forward. I&rsquo;m just sticking to defense now.&rdquo;</p><p>Murray has not hesitated to give Boychuk ice time.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s very well-conditioned, the type of kid you can extend on a shift and he&rsquo;ll come back to the bench and be able to go for the next shift, no problem.&rdquo; Murray said.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Prospects Unlimited

Johnny finally on the spot

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-04" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-04693/9193109-1-eng-US/f0010-042.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DAVE SANDFORD/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-05505/9193116-1-eng-US/f0010-052.jpg" title="f0010-05" width="128" height="145"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>A</span>S PART OF HIS</b> early-season dissing of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, <b>Alexander Semin</b> said Chicago Blackhawks sophomore Patrick Kane was a much more interesting player: &ldquo;The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb,&rdquo; Semin said. Well, maybe it&rsquo;s time to say the same things about Washington&rsquo;s &ldquo;other&rdquo; Alex. The 24-year-old Semin is an absolute wizard with the puck, playing keepaway with even the best of NHL blueliners. And boy, can this guy ever wire it.</p><p><b>FOLLOWING</b>&nbsp;<b>IN THE</b> grape-stained footprints of retired NHLers such as Wayne Gretzky, Igor Larionov and Mario Lemieux, former Broad Street Bullies Bobby Clarke and Dave Schultz are releasing a line of signature wine. If you live in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, where the wine is available in retail stores, we encourage you to give it a try. After all, a portion of the proceeds are going to the a charity of each retired players&rsquo; choice. Just be careful. Any wine associated with Clarke and Schultz is bound to pack a punch.</p><p><b>DON&rsquo;T HOLD YOUR BREATH</b> expecting <i>Slap Shot 3</i> to be an upgrade from <i>Slap Shot 2</i>. The new movie will focus on the youth level with a <i>Mighty Ducks</i> feel to it. Watch for the legendary Hanson Brothers, now behind the bench as coaches, to introduce their three children: Eddie, Dit and Gordie. Three guesses who they&rsquo;re named after.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Snapshots

<p class="dropcap"><span>H</span>ere&rsquo;s a comparison of the puck-possession Red Wings and the trapping Devils, from 1993-94 (<i>about the time both teams rose to prominence</i>) through 2007-08:</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-021449/9193251-1-eng-US/f0016-022.jpg" title="f0016-02" width="351" height="184"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-031074/9193244-1-eng-US/f0016-032.jpg" title="f0016-03" width="1553" height="612"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-04811/9193237-1-eng-US/f0016-042.jpg" title="f0016-04" width="315" height="184"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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Spotlights

Puck Control vs. The Trap

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-012088/9192643-1-eng-US/f0004-012.jpg" title="f0004-01" width="765" height="643"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(MARK WILSON)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE HOCKEY NEWS EDITORIAL GROUP</b> is often faced with ethical dilemmas regarding what we publish; weighing news judgment against sensationalism, integral story detail against superfluous titillation.</p><p>In this issue&rsquo;s cover story, for example, we debated how prominently Bill Wirtz&rsquo;s death should be featured in the piece about the rejuvenated Chicago Blackhawks. There&rsquo;s a new aura around the franchise, a feeling of rebirth. Former stars are being welcomed back into the fold, the team is young and exciting, games are on TV, fans are showing up at the United Center and the mood on many nights is electric.</p><p>And, like it or not, the renaissance began when Wirtz passed away. That&rsquo;s not a harsh judgment, it&rsquo;s fair comment based on fact.</p><p>One of our staffers wondered if our audience may be turned off, angry or disappointed by the inclusion of the Wirtz storyline, but without it the tale is incomplete. We believe we&rsquo;d be doing our readers a disservice.</p><p>By contrast, after the sad and tragic death of Alexei Cherepanov, we were offered a photo of the young star, lying on his team&rsquo;s bench, surrounded by teammates and trainers during the last critical moments of his life. His eyes were open and glazed. The image was haunting.</p><p>We ultimately decided it was a picture we didn&rsquo;t need to share. In our minds, the need for decency exceeded any advancement of the story the image may have portrayed (we&rsquo;re not convinced it would have achieved much beyond shock).</p><p>Of course, at the same time we&rsquo;re doing our best to toe the ethics line, we&rsquo;ll be calling out others when we believe they&rsquo;ve crossed it. And for us, the New York Rangers ventured into poor-taste territory by making an issue of draft compensation for Cherepanov so soon following his passing. If they firmly believe they should be entitled to a &ldquo;replacement pick,&rdquo; is there any reason they couldn&rsquo;t have pursued it much later in the season, when the pall wasn&rsquo;t so heavy?</p><p>As for our own decisions, we don&rsquo;t have any concrete rules when it comes to ethics and we&rsquo;re guessing many of our readers have disagreed at one time or another with some of our value judgments, just as we are doing with the Rangers. We expect that. The best we can promise is we&rsquo;ll try to always make our choices from a place of integrity.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0004-021766/9192636-1-eng-US/f0004-022.jpg" title="f0004-02" width="524" height="280"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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IN THIS ISSUE

A matter of ethics

<div class="byline">DEREK MONTGOMERY, DAPP, ALTA.</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-012082/9192729-1-eng-US/f0005-012.jpg" title="f0005-01" width="247" height="203"></div><h2><b>Free Swag!</b></h2><p>Each issue, we&rsquo;ll give a cool THN hat to the top letter.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0005-021504/9192722-1-eng-US/f0005-022.jpg" title="f0005-02" width="1065" height="1128"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Growing up around Edmonton as a die-hard Maple Leafs fan, I&rsquo;ve always been overly critical of the Oilers. But seriously, Zack Stortini is disgracing the art of fighting in the NHL.</p><p>I respect any player willing to throw his fists for the good of the team, but Stortini resorts to clutching his opponent for an embarrassing 30-second man-hug. The &lsquo;Stortini slow dance&rsquo; doesn&rsquo;t just reflect poorly on his own character, it disappoints hockey fans alike hoping to see a real tilt.</p><p>Be careful, Zack, or you might get slapped with a two-minute holding penalty on top of the five-minute major.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Zack’s lack of attack

<blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>Please tell me how Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was left off the all-star ballot</b></blockquote><h2><b>Rib fest</b></h2><p>As a Red Wings and Bruins supporter, I have enough ammunition against Mike Ribeiro to last a lifetime.</p><p>There was the fake injury in the 2004 playoffs where he lay convulsing on the ice and then popped right back up after a penalty was called, and the Nick Boynton &ldquo;spearing&rdquo; incident in which he sucker-punched Boynton, then hid behind a referee when Boynton went after him. And, of course, who can forget his slash from behind the net to Chris Osgood&rsquo;s head last spring. But his antics against the Kings on Nov. 11 were just plain obnoxious and childish. Ribeiro scored a beauty of a shootout goal &ndash; one-handed through his own legs &ndash; then took off his glove, put his finger to his lips and made the &ldquo;Shhhh&rdquo; sign. Then he continued to talk to the Kings players from his bench.</p><p>This guy needs to let his play do the talking. He is a quality offensive forward, but his long history of cheap shots and pondplaying theatrics is getting worse than the Sean Avery Show.</p><p><b>Derek Yerardi, Bedford, Mass.</b></p><h2><b>Bolt of trouble</b></h2><p>Has anyone else noticed the similarities between this year&rsquo;s Ottawa Senators and last year&rsquo;s Tampa Bay Lightning? Last year, Tampa had three high-paid superstars, they were all offensively gifted, yet defensively challenged.</p><p>The same goes for Ottawa this year. Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza are both salary cap hits of $7 million or more, while Daniel Alfredsson&rsquo;s is nearly $5 million.</p><p>Ottawa has not found an answer in net, much like last year&rsquo;s Lightning, and both teams are weak defensively. So if you see Ottawa anywhere near where Tampa finished in &rsquo;07-08 &ndash; dead last &ndash; don&rsquo;t be surprised, they obviously didn&rsquo;t learn from Tampa&rsquo;s mistakes and have overpaid star players without signing defensemen, secondary scoring or a goalie.</p><p><b>David Fanjoy, Burlington, Ont.</b></p><h2><b>Voting disparity</b></h2><p>Once again the NHL does not get it right. Please tell me how Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was left off the all-star ballot.</p><p>The ballot must be based upon statistics and not popularity. The NFL wouldn&rsquo;t do this. Wake up, NHL, before you lose more fans.</p><p><b>Douglas Foster, Dover, N.H.</b></p><h2><b>Manhattan raves</b></h2><p>How about the play of Aaron Voros? He was second on the New York Rangers in goals with six, has been a thorn in the side of every goaltender he&rsquo;s played against this year with his deflections and crowding the crease (especially Mike Smith during a game versus Tampa) and has stuck up for his teammates with a couple of fights and numerous bodychecks.</p><p>Voros shows up to play, doesn&rsquo;t take stupid penalties and has been an all-around good fit with the Rangers. He replaces the intensity lost when Sean Avery and Ryan Hollweg left, but doesn&rsquo;t bring Avery&rsquo;s dressing room cancer or Hollweg&rsquo;s penchant for stupid penalties. I&rsquo;m going out to buy a No. 34 jersey this afternoon.</p><p>Hats off, Aaron, keep up the good work!</p><p><b>Bill Vernold, Hobart, N.Y.</b></p><h2><b>Road warriors</b></h2><p>I love the idea of the new schedule with all of the teams playing each other. But while I&rsquo;m sure it&rsquo;s tough to put together the NHL schedule, the Oilers appeared to be getting the short end of the stick in the early going.</p><p>To their credit, they don&rsquo;t seem to be complaining, but a seven-game East Coast road trip that sees them involved in three sets of back-to-back games in a row is ridiculous.</p><p>It couldn&rsquo;t have been that hard to spread those games out, particularly when they have two days off in between other games. I am proud of my team, though, for not making excuses, especially when other clubs try to make themselves out to be so hard done by.</p><p><b>Kevin Cave, Victoria, B.C.</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

Crowd Shots

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-012310/9192767-1-eng-US/f0006-012.jpg" title="f0006-01" width="560" height="705"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ANDY DEVLIN/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>What was your &lsquo;welcome to the NHL&rsquo; moment?</b></p><p>My first call-up. I was super excited to play my first game at Joe Louis Arena. The atmosphere was incredible.</p><p><b>If you had your own theme song, what would it be?</b></p><p><i>Bulls on Parade</i> by Rage Against the Machine.</p><p><b>What was the last movie you saw and how was it?</b></p><p><i>Role Models</i>. It was decent, probably a renter.</p><p><b>What&rsquo;s the worst hotel you&rsquo;ve ever stayed in?</b></p><p>There was one in Peoria when I played for Grand Rapids. Everything was terrible. We got there at three in the morning and they gave us all the wrong room keys, it was super cold and the beds were slanted - I thought I was going to roll off.</p><p><b>Best vacation you&rsquo;ve been on?</b></p><p>Out to British Columbia with a buddy. We went fishing for salmon and halibut off the coast of Vancouver Island.</p><p><b>What was your last job before hockey?</b></p><p>Road construction. It was terrible.</p><p><b>Which current NHLer is a lock for the Hall of Fame?</b></p><p>Chris Osgood or Nicklas Lidstrom.</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-04561/9192760-1-eng-US/f0006-042.jpg" title="f0006-04" width="65" height="66"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><p>Visit <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> to ask your questions of NHL stars!<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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2 Minutes in the Box WITH DEREK MEECH

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-021545/9192805-1-eng-US/f0006-022.jpg" title="f0006-02" width="769" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DAVE SANDFORD/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-03902/9192812-1-eng-US/f0006-032.jpg" title="f0006-03" width="210" height="210"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>A</span>dam, Why is it that Maple Leafs rookie <b>Luke Schenn</b>, born in 1989, was drafted last summer, but his younger brother Brayden, born in 1991, is eligible for the 2009 draft?</p><p><i>Taira Hill, Brandon, Man.</i></p><p>Taira, The discrepancy has to do with the Schenn brothers&rsquo; dates of birth. Because NHL rules state a player must be 18 years old by September 15 of any given year to qualify for selection in that same year, Luke was not eligible for the 2007 draft thanks to his Nov. 2, 1989, birthday. Brayden was born on Aug. 22, 1991, making him eligible to be drafted in 2009.</p><p>Hey Adam, I have two questions: First, can Colorado turn their season around? And second, they need a new goalie, so who would be a good fit for them?</p><p><i>Andrew Gouthro, Westville, N.S.</i></p><p>Hey Andrew, My hunch for your first question &ndash; the same hunch I&rsquo;ve had since the team decided to go with a platoon of Peter Budaj and Andrew Raycroft &ndash; is the Avs are in for a tough (read: non-playoff) year. I think Chicago&rsquo;s Nikolai Khabibulin, Florida&rsquo;s Craig Anderson or even Boston&rsquo;s Manny Fernandez could help them.</p><p><b>SUBMIT YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS AT</b> <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a></p><p>Need more of your questions answered?</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-06307/9192798-1-eng-US/f0006-062.jpg" title="f0006-06" width="65" height="66"></div><p>Read Proteau&rsquo;s &lsquo;Ask Adam&rsquo; column every Friday at <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p></div>

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ASK Adam

<p>Does Pavel Bure belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame?</p><p><b>Yes 71%</b></p><p>No 29%</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-05436/9192850-1-eng-US/f0006-052.jpg" title="f0006-05" width="725" height="798"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>SPIT IT OUT!</b></h2><p>GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST</p><p><i>SEND US AN E-MAIL</i></p><p><a href="mailto:letters@thehockeynews.com">letters@thehockeynews.com</a></p><p><i>OR LOG ON</i></p><p><a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a></p><p><i>SEND US SNAIL MAIL</i></p><p>Letters, The Hockey News 25 Sheppard Ave. W., Suite 100 Toronto, ON., M2N 6S7, Canada</p><div class="container"><div class="figure-block image-float"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0006-07186/9192843-1-eng-US/f0006-072.jpg" title="f0006-07" width="65" height="66"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><h2><b>BONUS!</b></h2><p>All subscribers get exclusive access on <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a> to digital magazine archives!<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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POLL RESULTS

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN KENNEDY</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-012072/9192895-1-eng-US/f0007-012.jpg" title="f0007-01" width="261" height="260"></div><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0007-021405/9192888-1-eng-US/f0007-022.jpg" title="f0007-02" width="2070" height="2839"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>ITH THE EARLY SUCCESS</b> of so many 2008 draft picks, NHL GMs are already peeking ahead to 2009. There are two dynamic talents available at the top, but the prospect pool doesn&rsquo;t end with John Tavares and Victor Hedman. Here&rsquo;s a progress report on the top 10:</p><p><b>1. John Tavares, C (Oshawa, OHL)</b> His faults have been analyzed to death, but let&rsquo;s not forget what made scouts fall in love with him in the first place: a preternatural ability to put the puck in the net. His skating and quickness are the big knocks, but Tavares isn&rsquo;t one for shrinking. &ldquo;Every time he has been challenged,&rdquo; said Mike Oke, chief scout for International Scouting Services, &ldquo;he has raised his game.&rdquo;</p><p><b>2. Victor Hedman, D (Modo, Sweden)</b> How do you say no to a 6-foot-7, 220-pound defender with great mobility and offensive instincts? Hedman is in his second Swedish Elite League season, where he routinely faces off against opponents twice his age. He had eight points in 20 games, tied for first among junioraged players in the league. His only downside? A lack of snarl.</p><p><b>3. Jared Cowen, D (Spokane, WHL)</b> If you can&rsquo;t have a 6-foot-7, 220-pound Swedish defenseman, how about a 6-foot-5, 207-pound Canadian kid? Cowen already has a Memorial Cup to his credit and though offense isn&rsquo;t his calling card, he&rsquo;s pacing better than last year. &ldquo;His time has come,&rdquo; said E.J. McGuire, head of the NHL&rsquo;s Central Scouting. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big, strapping prototypical NHL defenseman who is going to play for a while.&rdquo;</p><p><b>4. Matt Duchene, C (Brampton, OHL)</b> Duchene has speed to burn and a big bag of offensive tricks. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;ll be as good a pro as Tavares,&rdquo; said Darrell Woodley, chief scout of the OHL&rsquo;s Barrie Colts, &ldquo;just because he skates so well.&rdquo; Duchene was among the top 10 OHL scorers through 20 games, with 11 goals and 25 points, and he captained Canada&rsquo;s under-18 team to a gold medal at last summer&rsquo;s Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Europe.</p><p><b>5. Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi, LW (Timra, Sweden)</b>&nbsp;Tied with Hedman atop the Swedish junior leaderboard is Svensson-Paajarvi, with eight points in 20 games against adult competition. He has size and skill, and can perform on the big stage; the winger had nine points in four games at the Ivan Hlinka tourney.</p><p><b>6. Nazem Kadri, C (London, OHL)</b> Another highly skilled pivot, Kadri has speed and offensive creativity. &ldquo;Kadri is a great 1-on-1 player,&rdquo; Woodley said. &ldquo;Offensively I have him right with Duchene.&rdquo; Kadri was leading the Knights with 26 points through 20 games.</p><p><b>7. Evander Kane, C (Vancouver,</b>&nbsp;<b>WHL)</b> Another all-around player from the WHL, Kane has a great shot to go with good presence and puckhandling. He also led the league in scoring with 33 points through 18 games and, yes, Evander is named after Holyfield.</p><p><b>8. Brayden Schenn, C (Brandon, WHL)</b> Luke&rsquo;s younger brother was on a point-per-game pace through 20 games and can play in traffic. The real ace up his sleeve is faceoffs; his acumen on the dot will be coveted thanks to the new rule starting power plays in the offensive zone.</p><p><b>9. Ryan Ellis, D (Windsor, OHL)</b>&nbsp;The blueliner was leading Tavares in scoring with a staggering 37 points in 21 games. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got an absolute cannon from the blueline,&rdquo; Woodley said. While Ellis is the offensive defenseman <i>du jour</i> thanks to his skating and passing, he&rsquo;s also responsible in his own zone. &ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t get beat very often because of his positioning,&rdquo; Woodley said. &ldquo;Some people question his size (5-foot-10, 173 pounds), but there&rsquo;s no way he can&rsquo;t play in the NHL.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-021670/9192881-1-eng-US/f0008-022.jpg" title="f0008-02" width="1018" height="886"><figcaption class="caption-body">Spokane&rsquo;s Jared Cowen would be welcome on any NHL blueline. <span class="photo-credit">(CLAUS ANDERSEN/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>10. Jeremy Morin, C (U.S. NTDP, NAHL)</b> A high-energy product of Team USA&rsquo;s development program, Morin has a nose for the net and a quick release. He&rsquo;ll duel Jordan Schroeder (University of Minnesota) to be the first American picked, but Morin is bigger.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0007-01

2009 draft; The top 10

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-012209/9192933-1-eng-US/f0008-012.jpg" title="f0008-01" width="562" height="551"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(JEFF VINNICK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>RUSSIAN</b>&nbsp;<b>BEARS</b> A 2010 Olympic entry with Semin, Malkin, Ovechkin and Kovalchuk will be absolutely lethal.</p><p><b>ROAD SHOW</b> Boston played nine of its first 15 games away from home and picked up points in all but two of them.</p><p><b>KING LOUIS</b> Five of <b>Roberto Luongo&rsquo;s</b> first 14 games were shutouts. That put him on pace for 28 - hey, you never know.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-031172/9192926-1-eng-US/f0008-032.jpg" title="f0008-03" width="562" height="631"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(RAFAEL SUANES/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>SOPHOMORE CATASTROPHE</b> Fifteen games, one goal and just three points for second-year Oiler Sam Gagner.</p><p><b>BEDEVILED</b> How was <b>Patrik Elias</b> a legitimate sniper pre-lockout, but merely a 20-goal scorer since the game opened up?</p><p><b>FLORIDA FADE</b> Through mid-November, the Cats had 14 first period markers, 14 in the second, but just six in the final frame.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-01

+ Plus Minus –

<h2><b>FIVE</b></h2><p>The Sens have struggled, but at least <b>Filip Kuba</b> is giving them a consistent threat on the blueline.</p><h2><b>FOUR</b></h2><p>Lost amidst the big names in Manhattan is the great campaign <b>Daniel Girardi</b> is having.</p><h2><b>THREE</b></h2><p><b>Patrick Sharp</b> is on a point-per-game pace and playing nearly 20 minutes a night in Chicago.</p><h2><b>TWO</b></h2><p>Passmaster <b>J-P Dumont</b> has been electric for another feisty Nashville team this year.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0008-04650/9192964-1-eng-US/f0008-042.jpg" title="f0008-04" width="562" height="779"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><h2><b>ONE</b></h2><p>With a 1.76 goals-against average through mid-November, <b>Tim Thomas</b> needs some vote love.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0008-04

Starting from

<div class="byline">&#x2013; LARRY BROOKS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0009-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-011987/9192995-1-eng-US/f0009-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">The Rangers want a compensatory pick for Alexei Cherepanov. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE NEW YORK RANGERS</b> recognize the subject is a sensitive one, but management nevertheless was committed to pursuing a request for a compensatory selection in next June&rsquo;s NHL entry draft for the loss of 2006 first-rounder Alexei Cherepanov, the 19-year-old right winger who passed away in Moscow on Oct. 13 after collapsing on his team&rsquo;s bench while playing for Omsk in a KHL game.</p><p>&ldquo;Our intent is not to offend anyone, least of all Alexei&rsquo;s family, but we believe this is something we are entitled to under the spirit of the CBA,&rdquo; said Rangers assistant GM Cam Hope in mid-November. &ldquo;We are not attempting to capitalize on a tragedy.&rdquo;</p><p>GM Glen Sather first raised the issue at the NHL GMs&rsquo; meetings in Chicago in late October &ndash; Oct. 22 to be precise, just 10 days after Cherepanov&rsquo;s death (which was reportedly caused by a pre-existing heart condition). Citing Article 8.3 (b) of the collective bargaining agreement, the Rangers are seeking the 17th pick in the second round as compensation for Cherepanov, who was the 17th overall selection two years ago.</p><p>&ldquo;At this point, the league has taken no position on the Rangers&rsquo; request,&rdquo; said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. &ldquo;The matter is in front of the league&rsquo;s general managers, who will address the subject at their next meeting in March.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s possible that the language of the CBA would need to be amended to address situations such as this one. If that&rsquo;s the case, then we would need to negotiate that with the Players&rsquo; Association.&rdquo;</p><p>The Rangers face a difficult challenge in convincing the league&rsquo;s 29 other GMs that Article 8.3 (b), as it&rsquo;s written, is meant to address situations such as the Cherepanov tragedy. The language awards clubs a compensatory pick for an unsigned first round selection &ldquo;&hellip;who is again eligible for the Entry Draft or becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent&hellip;&rdquo;</p><p>For example, the Phoenix Coyotes were awarded a compensatory second round pick in the 2008 draft &ndash; the fifth pick in the second round, 35th overall) after unsigned 2004 first round selection Blake Wheeler (fifth overall) agreed to a contract with Boston last summer as a free agent.</p><p>&ldquo;That language was inserted to clarify that a team would be eligible to receive a compensatory pick even if they were to redraft that player or sign him as a free agent,&rdquo; Hope said. &ldquo;It seems as if that phrase is unintentionally precluding the deceased as being eligible for compensation.&rdquo;</p><p>While Hope originally told the New York <i>Post</i> on Nov. 6 that Cherepanov would theoretically be eligible to be drafted again in 2009 even though deceased (a comment that drew much criticism across North America), the fact is the winger was listed as a &ldquo;defected player&rdquo; at the time of his death due to the absence of a transfer agreement between the NHL and Russian Federation.</p><p>This means the Rangers would not have lost the rights to Cherepanov had he lived and remained unsigned. Indeed, the Rangers would have maintained their rights to Cherepanov into perpetuity.</p><p>As such, Sather and the Rangers appear to face a difficult challenge acquiring a compensatory pick for Cherepanov, although the league&rsquo;s GMs could recommend the CBA be amended to include cases such as this, regardless of an individual&rsquo;s pending free agent status.</p><p>The Rangers have not speculated how they would respond should their request be denied, though the team would have the option of filing an expedited grievance to be heard and adjudicated prior to the 2009 entry draft, which will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal on June 26 and 27.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-01

Cold reality

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-021382/9193033-1-eng-US/f0009-022.jpg" title="f0009-02" width="611" height="758"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(LEN REDKOLES/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0009-03849/9193026-1-eng-US/f0009-032.jpg" title="f0009-03" width="316" height="184"></div><p><b>LUCA SBISA</b></p><p><b>Philadelphia Flyers, D</b></p><p><b>DEBUT</b> Oct. 11, 2008</p><p><b>vs.</b> NY Rangers (4-3 loss)</p><p>&nbsp;<b>ICE TIME</b> 16:27, 22 shifts</p><p><b>&ldquo;MY</b>&nbsp;<b>FIRST GAME</b> was in our season and home opener at the Wachovia Center on a Saturday night versus the New York Rangers.</p><p>We lost the game, but it was a great moment for me personally. I had been preparing and waiting for it since I was a kid. It did happen a little earlier than I expected, though.</p><p>I had lots of support. My family was there, my billet family from Lethbridge, Alta., was there and my agent was there.</p><p>You imagine how it would be. You stand there in the tunnel and hear your name called. The crowd cheers. It didn&rsquo;t seem real to me. It was surreal.</p><p>When you hear the national anthem you get a cold shiver down your back because you know that first shift is coming soon. You look around and see the crowd. You look at yourself and you&rsquo;re wearing an NHL jersey.</p><p>I just tried to enjoy everything that I could.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0009-02

Fresh Legs

<div class="byline">&#x2013; RYAN DIXON</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0010-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-012178/9193078-1-eng-US/f0010-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Henrik Zetterberg is one of seven Swedes on the Red Wings. <span class="photo-credit">(ANDRE RINGUETTE/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>MORE</b>&nbsp;<b>THAN HALF</b> of all NHL players are Canadian, but you don&rsquo;t necessarily need a ton of Canucks to be successful.</p><p>As of mid-November, roughly 52.2 percent of all NHL rosters were comprised of Canadian players and you have to go back 10 years to find a season in which that number was above 60 percent. In 1998-99, 61.1 percent of the league was from the Great White North; that number has since hovered around the 52-or 53-percent mark.</p><p>But loading up on Canadian boys isn&rsquo;t necessarily seen as the path to glory. The defending Stanley Cup champions in Detroit had a leaguelow seven Canadians, well below the league average of 12.4; the Wings also have seven Swedes. The Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers, two of the top teams in the East, had nine and eight Canadians, respectively.</p><p>Americans account for the second-largest demographic of NHL citizens, with 138 of the league&rsquo;s 717 players (19.2 percent) hailing from the U.S. New Jersey is the leading employer of Yanks, with 12 Americans skating for the Devils. New Jersey is also the only team in the league where Canadians are in the minority, as they&rsquo;re outnumbered 12-9 by their neighbors to the south. That has a lot to do with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello and his preference for drafting players out of the NCAA.</p><p>The rest of the NHL, a shade under 30 percent, is made up of Europeans. One entity that&rsquo;s been on the decline in recent years, though, is Russian players. In the first post-lockout season, 36 NHLers hailed from Russia, but that number dropped to 35 in &rsquo;06-07 and 30 in &rsquo;07-08. The downward trend continued this season, with 26 Russians in the NHL. Twelve teams in the world&rsquo;s best league didn&rsquo;t have a single Russian player.</p><p>Of course, the drop this year coincides with the rise of the Kontinental League, where bigmoney contracts have lured some NHL-capable Russians back home. While the number of Russians is on the decline, many who remain in the NHL are having a big impact. Alex Ovechkin was last year&rsquo;s MVP and leading scorer, and it&rsquo;s a good bet Evgeni Malkin or perhaps even Alexander Semin will win the Art Ross Trophy this year.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-021578/9193071-1-eng-US/f0010-022.jpg" title="f0010-02" width="331" height="184"></div><h2><b>Starting Lineup &lsquo;95-96 St. Louis</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0010-03997/9193064-1-eng-US/f0010-032.jpg" title="f0010-03" width="562" height="568"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT STUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>The timing was a just a little off, but the roster sure looked good. In acquiring <b>Wayne Gretzky</b> late in the 1995-96 campaign from Los Angeles, the Blues boasted a squad that also included <b>Brett Hull,</b> Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr. All told, the team featured five Hall of Famers and a sure future member in Pronger. And though Gretzky tallied 16 points in 13 playoff games, the Blues once again fell short of glory, losing to Detroit 1-0 in double-overtime of Game 7 in the second round.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0010-01

NHL country count

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0012-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-021657/9193154-1-eng-US/f0012-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Tomas Vokoun <span class="photo-credit">(Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0012-012121/9193161-1-eng-US/f0012-012.jpg" title="f0012-01" width="206" height="245"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE INDUSTRY THAT HAD ENRICHED</b> the local economy shifted and left a surplus of overly expensive product sitting there, depreciating. Development and riots had spread sports fans far and wide around the region, a long drive from the rink the local NHL team reliably stunk up through many playoff-less seasons. As the streak wore on, promotional tricks were needed to push attendance above depressing.</p><p>Foreclosure flattening South Florida today? Yep. Also, Detroit, powered by a slumping Big Three, in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Yup. Yet nobody ever asked about the Detroit Red Wings&rsquo; long-term viability in Motown the way people ask seemingly yearly how long the Panthers will survive in Miami.</p><p>Sure, there are a few differences between the two situations &ndash; hockey tradition, Stanley Cups, Detroit being a superior sports town to South Florida despite being a city-sized colon (sorry, Mom, cousin Denise, cousin Gerald). The bottom line on each, though, is the same: outside of Leafs and Cubs fans, nobody wants to pay to be disappointed perennially, whether it&rsquo;s missing the playoffs 15 of 17 years as the Detroit &lsquo;Dead Things&rsquo; once did or seven and counting as is the case with the Panthers.</p><p>That&rsquo;ll drive the NHL north from its southernmost point faster than a weak economy or lakes and swamps that don&rsquo;t freeze.</p><p>The Panthers have alienated their fellow Floridians with the same consistent, multi-level ineptitude with which storied franchises Boston and Chicago drove away fans during the past decade. The Panthers last made the playoffs in 2000, when Michael Jordan was the only black man who could&rsquo;ve been elected president of the United States. Only Columbus, born that year, can claim such a streak.</p><p>They&rsquo;ve traded Pavel Bure, Roberto Luongo and Olli Jokinen without the forgiving result of improvement. Most years, while other teams launch off a starting block like a swimmer, Los Panteros are more akin to that old Timex commercial guy who launched off a cliff. Then, they spend the rest of the season trying to climb back into contention.</p><p>If that becomes customary, it doesn&rsquo;t sell anywhere. But coldweather NHL fans, of which I grew up one, can be snooty when dealing with their no-snow counterparts. When fans in Calgary or Edmonton or Detroit or Boston or Chicago don&rsquo;t want to pony up the equivalent of six table dances at Chez Paree to sit through hockey with no hope, they&rsquo;ve been considered discerning fans or saluted for complaining via their absence.</p><p>When fans in a warm-weather city don&rsquo;t want to pay big bank for repeatedly lousy results, they&rsquo;re philistines in a bad hockey market.</p><p>Blooming ticket revenue often can be traced to a flowering of great success. That&rsquo;s why the Panthers don&rsquo;t break even despite good suite sales and corporate sponsorships on everything but Jay Bouwmeester&rsquo;s silences. They never get home playoff games and never get the merchandising/ticket revenue bump that would ensue. They also don&rsquo;t create the excitement from any success that cultivates a generation of fans. And there are fans to be had.</p><p>These days, South Florida is starved for a winner. And while everybody loves championship teams, the locals have seen them disintegrate all too quickly in recent years, leaving behind a memory more akin to a fantastic one-night stand than a great romance. They want a team that consistently gets into or near the playoffs with at least a puncher&rsquo;s chance at something shiny.</p><p>It&rsquo;s what the Dolphins spoiled South Florida with for almost 30 years and what the locals would happily settle for now after the Heat&rsquo;s 2007-08 nosedive; the Panthers&rsquo; 21st century; the Marlins perpetually developing great talent to trade; and, the Dolphins, still the local Galactus that sucks up attention because of that 30-year run, resembling the Panthers lately &ndash; no playoffs for six seasons, often after flabby starts.</p><p>Sure, the Panthers organization recently eliminated some positions in an economy-inspired streamlining of the organization. You want to myopically consider that a harbinger of collapse? That&rsquo;s modern life, baby. The NBA, with its best post-Bird-Magic generation now maturing, announced a layoff of 80 employees. Some teams will make trims proportionate to that. Some NFL franchises, mini-U.S. mints almost printing money, don&rsquo;t print media guides with full team histories anymore. Close them up, too?</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0013-011894/9193147-1-eng-US/f0013-012.jpg" title="f0013-01" width="1845" height="1053"><figcaption class="caption-body">Seven years out of the playoffs has made for sad times in Florida. <span class="photo-credit">(ELIOT J. SCHECHTER/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>There&rsquo;s no doubt the Panthers continue  to be one of the most nondescript and non-threatening members in the NHL. But fear not those prized hockey trips to 75-and-sunny-in-February, the Panthers aren&rsquo;t going anywhere.</p><p>Unless, they continue to go nowhere for a little bit longer.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0012-02

Panther problem

<div class="byline">By Bob Duff</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0014-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0014-012098/9193206-1-eng-US/f0014-012.jpg"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>he National Hockey League salivated with delight as the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins dueled in last spring&rsquo;s Stanley Cup final &ndash; a pair of up-tempo, high-end skill teams clashing in a showdown for the silver mug. In the end, the league got exactly what it was seeking &ndash; a sensational end-to-end series whose outcome was in doubt right up until the clock struck zero in Detroit&rsquo;s Game 6 triumph at Pittsburgh&rsquo;s Mellon Arena.</p><p>&ldquo;It was as good for the league as we could have hoped it would be,&rdquo; said Detroit coach Mike Babcock of the Cup final. &ldquo;It was a really good series with really good players.&rdquo;</p><p>It was everything that is beautiful about hockey and when the same two teams met again Nov. 11 at Joe Louis Arena &ndash; appropriately on Remembrance Day in Canada &ndash; they gave everyone another startling reminder of how sensational hockey is when played at its highest tempo.</p><p>The Penguins rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period for a 7-6 overtime decision in a give-and-take offensive slugfest that looked like a VHS tape of a Smythe Division game from the 1980s.</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0015-011868/9193199-1-eng-US/f0015-012.jpg" title="f0015-01" width="2944" height="2087"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b><i>&lsquo;To succeed on the ice in today&rsquo;s NHL, the trap must be laid to rest&rsquo;</i></b></blockquote><p>&ldquo;With these two teams, it can go either way and it doesn&rsquo;t take much time to change momentum and then change the way the game is going,&rdquo; said Pittsburgh center Jordan Staal, whose hat trick sparked the Penguins&rsquo; rally. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a fast game out there. You can&rsquo;t use your stick a whole lot. Speed through the neutral zone, that&rsquo;s the way we&rsquo;ve been playing the last couple of years and it seems to be working for us, as well as for Detroit.&rdquo;</p><p>As entertaining as it was, the night also served as another stark reminder that the game has clearly changed. To succeed on the ice in today&rsquo;s NHL, the neutral-zone trap must be laid to rest.</p><p>Speed and skill now rules the day.</p><p>&ldquo;Last year, we got to the Stanley Cup final because of one thing &ndash; because we were a puck-possession team,&rdquo; said Penguins coach Michel Therrien. &ldquo;We want to try to dictate the game. That&rsquo;s (Detroit&rsquo;s) bread and butter and that&rsquo;s our bread and butter as well.&rdquo;</p><p>The way Detroit and Pittsburgh play is the way all teams must play it if they want to figure in the equation.</p><p>Traditionally, in all sports, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When one team unearths a winning formula, others move quickly to duplicate the latest blueprint for success.</p><p>In the dead-puck era of obstruction, the New Jersey Devils set the tone with their smothering defensive system, clogging up the ice and clamping down on the talent, a strategy that won them three Cups and was (too) often copied.</p><p>The rules made it easy to do so, as did human nature. After all, it&rsquo;s much simpler to destroy than create, which was exactly what Hall of Famer Igor Larionov labeled the trap.</p><p>He called it, &ldquo;destroy hockey.&rdquo;</p><p>Fortunately, the eve of destruction is no longer upon us. In today&rsquo;s road to success on the ice, the way is paved by the creationists.</p><p>It&rsquo;s not a question of whether other teams are capable of duplicating the style of hockey that teams like the Wings and Penguins are capable of displaying.</p><p>It&rsquo;s a required element if success is the ultimate goal. It isn&rsquo;t easy to play it this way, but it&rsquo;s a must if long-term success is desired.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a tough combination to master,&rdquo; admitted  Penguins captain <b>Sidney Crosby,</b> one of the masters of this domain. &ldquo;You have to be responsible defensively. Anytime you make a mistake now, it&rsquo;s probably in your net. At the same time, you have to play an up-tempo game, move the puck well and either create chances or draw penalties.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a balance and I&rsquo;m sure everyone on our team would tell you we&rsquo;re still learning and I&rsquo;m sure even those guys (Detroit) are still trying to figure it a little bit. But if you stop learning it, you&rsquo;re in trouble.&rdquo;</p><p>The evidence of this trend isn&rsquo;t difficult to spot. Even some of the NHL&rsquo;s supposed weaker sisters are playing the game with pace and finding out it suits them well. Consider the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are a fast-skating, puck-pursuing team under new coach Ron Wilson &ndash; and have been vastly more successful to this point than anyone would have guessed.</p><p>&ldquo;His structure is very sound,&rdquo; said Leafs winger Alex Steen of Wilson. &ldquo;He knows exactly how he wants us to play and every little detail, he wants it put into place. I think we have an exciting team, we have a fast team. We have a lot of young talent. We&rsquo;re all pushing to get to the same spot and we&rsquo;re all on the same page. So far, I think it&rsquo;s working very well.&rdquo;</p><p>The Philadelphia Flyers, overloaded with plodding defenders, recently moved to upgrade their puck-distributing ability by dealing to acquire Matt Carle from Tampa Bay.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a very efficient, puck-moving defenseman,&rdquo; said Flyers GM Paul Holmgren. &ldquo;He&rsquo;ll help get us out of our end a little quicker than we&rsquo;ve been seeing, I believe. He&rsquo;s just one of those guys who has that efficient quality about him.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0016-05583/9193192-1-eng-US/f0016-052.jpg" title="f0016-05" width="1315" height="1281"><figcaption class="caption-body">Nicklas Lidstrom gives Detroit a big advantage when it comes to puck possession. <span class="photo-credit">(DAVE REGINEK/NHLI VIA GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>Babcock looks around the league and sees many teams abandoning their past plodding style for a game that goes after it.</p><p>&ldquo;I think there are a lot of skilled teams,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The league, top to bottom, is very skilled. I watch teams every night on TV and the separation between teams is very little.</p><p>&ldquo;The league has changed over the last number of years. The back ends on most teams really move the puck well and that tends to lead to more speed through the neutral zone.&rdquo;</p><p>Crosby even sees a new attitude among the old-school squads such as the Devils and the Minnesota Wild, who have added tempo to their trap.</p><p>&ldquo;I think so,&rdquo; Crosby said. &ldquo;You&rsquo;re going to see your teams that kind of have that tradition &ndash; you look at the Devils, a team in our division that likes to shut things down a bit &ndash; but a lot of times, you see the best defensive teams create a lot of great chances to score. It&rsquo;s not sitting back, it&rsquo;s probably more of an aggressive defensive style.&rdquo;</p><p>Granted, not every team can play the puck-possession game at the same level as the Red Wings do on most nights. But to have any chance of winning in today&rsquo;s NHL, teams have to exhibit some semblance of that free-flowing-yet-controlled style.</p><p>&ldquo;Not that many teams can play exactly the way we play,&rdquo; said Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall. &ldquo;Not that many teams have (puck-moving defensemen like) Nicklas Lidstrom or Brian Rafalski in their lineup. That changes something, for sure.&rdquo;</p><p>Regardless, Kronwall sees teams seeking to emulate the Wings.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure a lot of teams kind of look at it and try to play the way we play, although a little bit more modified,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s just common sense. You have to work with your roster and see what kind of players you have.&rdquo;</p><p>Even those who make their living in the game as checkers see nothing but good coming from the league&rsquo;s anti-obstruction dictum that is forcing teams to up the tempo if they desire to up the ante.</p><p>&ldquo;With the way the penalties are called and with more room on the ice, it allows guys to be more fancy and gives them more freedom to create opportunities,&rdquo; said Penguins right winger Matt Cooke. &ldquo;They&rsquo;d rather keep possession of the puck than throw it away.</p><p>&ldquo;I think it definitely helps that teams are attempting to mimic the game the way it should be played and not in a manner where they are trying to completely close the game off. I think it&rsquo;s a good thing when teams have success in a more fashionable way. Other teams will copycat that.&rdquo;</p><p>Most teams are copying the puck-possession style of play in some way.</p><p>&ldquo;The game&rsquo;s very healthy,&rdquo; Babcock said. &ldquo;We have great, young players in the game who seem to step in right away. I don&rsquo;t think the league&rsquo;s ever been healthier.</p><p>&ldquo;I know how hard it is for us to win. I assume that most teams have enough ability to play the way we do. We&rsquo;ll find out who has the most determination in the end.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0014-01

Wingin’ It

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0018-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-021329/9193296-1-eng-US/f0018-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Ted Saskin&rsquo;s NHLPA reign didn&rsquo;t last long after Trent Klatt started digging in the corners. <span class="photo-credit">(MARK WILSON)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0018-011751/9193303-1-eng-US/f0018-012.jpg" title="f0018-01" width="207" height="245"></div><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>&lsquo;All the dominoes fell within two days of that hotel meeting&rsquo;</b></blockquote><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>HEN NHL LEGEND BOBBY HULL</b> made comments last summer criticizing today&rsquo;s players for not doing enough to help their retired forebearers, more than a few alumni said just the opposite.</p><p>&ldquo;Today&rsquo;s players don&rsquo;t owe us anything,&rdquo; one well-known retired Canadiens and Maple Leafs star told The Hockey News. &ldquo;We made our decisions and mistakes as a union back then and now we have to deal with the consequences.&rdquo;</p><p>That&rsquo;s an admirable attitude, to be sure. But as the passage of time provides more perspective to the hockey world in regards to the lost season of 2004-05 &ndash; and all of the related soap opera-worthy developments &ndash; today&rsquo;s NHLer should realize he owes a great deal to a select group of men who fought to reform an NHL Players&rsquo; Association that needed reforming in the worst way.</p><p>Chris Chelios gets a lot of deserved credit for spearheading that battle. Mathieu Schneider and Eric Lindros have been recognized for their leadership, as well.</p><p>But there are a couple guys from Minnesota who were instrumental in the fight that turned the troubled union into an organization that, under current boss Paul Kelly, finally seems to be functioning in a healthy environment.</p><p>Former player and one-time NHLPA executive committee member Trent Klatt is one of those guys. So is Klatt&rsquo;s ex-agent (and ex-NHL defenseman) Neil Sheehy. Without their gutsy efforts, players might still have Ted Saskin as their &ldquo;leader&rdquo; &ndash; that is, if you can call somebody who hacked into the personal email files of his own constituents a leader.</p><p>Those efforts began in the wake of a union meeting at a Toronto hotel in the immediate days after a new collective bargaining agreement had been reached and NHLPA head Bob Goodenow was asked to step down.</p><p>&ldquo;When we left that meeting, the decision we had was that we were going to get the constitution and read it to see what our options were (for replacing Goodenow),&rdquo; said Klatt, who gave his first post-lockout media interview to The Hockey News. &ldquo;Quite frankly, at that time, I had never read the constitution. I just never had. So I raised my hand and asked how we go about hiring a replacement for Bob, and I was told we&rsquo;d get back together in a week or so and figure it out.&rdquo;</p><p>Unbeknownst to Klatt &ndash; a 14-year NHL veteran and one-year member of the NHLPA&rsquo;s executive committee at the time &ndash; Saskin would soon finalize a new five-year, $10-million contract with union president Trevor Linden for the job of replacing Goodenow.</p><p>That rapid, unexpected rise to power didn&rsquo;t sit well with Klatt.</p><p>&ldquo;All the dominoes fell within two days of that hotel meeting &ndash; and I was like, wait a second, I still want to read the constitution, so can I still have it please?&rdquo; Klatt said. &ldquo;(Saskin) sent it to me and I read it, and not being a lawyer, I asked (Sheehy) to read it and tell me if I was off-base in feeling that something wasn&rsquo;t right. And that&rsquo;s how it all started.</p><p>&ldquo;But a lot of people got confused, thinking Trent Klatt wasn&rsquo;t happy with the CBA. Well, it didn&rsquo;t matter whether or not I was happy with it. It had nothing to do with that. For me, this whole thing had nothing to do with the collective bargaining agreement.</p><p>&ldquo;It was about how the firing of Bob Goodenow went down, and the hiring of Ted. And that was an example, in my opinion, of a situation where a few people were making decisions for everyone &ndash; and the people who needed to know information weren&rsquo;t given it.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-011577/9193289-1-eng-US/f0019-012.jpg" title="f0019-01" width="1531" height="1469"><figcaption class="caption-body">Klatt says his agent, Neil Sheehy, and Chris Chelios were key in cleaning up the union. <span class="photo-credit">(BRUCE BENNETT STUDIOS/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p>It wasn&rsquo;t as if Klatt and Sheehy were spoiling for a fight. Klatt was still deciding whether to play again and relocate his wife and five children out of Minnesota for another year. Plus, the pressures of serving on the union&rsquo;s executive committee during the lockout had taken a toll on him.</p><p>&ldquo;Throughout the whole lockout, I kept thinking to myself, &lsquo;What am I doing here?&rsquo; said Klatt, 37. &ldquo;But as soon as (Saskin&rsquo;s hiring) happened at the end of July and early August, it dawned on me: There was a reason why I was here with the PA, and this was it.&rdquo;</p><p>Klatt and Sheehy soon spoke with Chelios and other veterans and formed a group of whistleblowers &ndash; which also included agent Ritch Winter and attorney Bob Lanza &ndash; who challenged Saskin&rsquo;s ascent to power and demanded that pre-existing union guidelines for hiring a director be respected.</p><p>&ldquo;Having sat in a room with Neil Sheehy, we made a decision that this was what needed to be done,&rdquo; Klatt said. &ldquo;I could&rsquo;ve walked away, but the thing of it to me was there was so many player reps before who for years never had the information, that didn&rsquo;t know what was going on. And I just thought this was a prime time to stand up for those guys who always wanted information about the process, but could never get it.</p><p>&ldquo;I took some heat from a few players on the executive committee that just wanted to move forward after the lockout and from Ted a bit, too. But Chelios is really one of the guys who listened to me and said, &lsquo;Yeah, you&rsquo;re right. Let&rsquo;s go.&rsquo; And he just grabbed the cause and ran with it.</p><p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know if I deserve any of the credit. Without Neil and Chris Chelios, I don&rsquo;t know if I would&rsquo;ve had the fortitude to stand up and say something. Matter of fact, I know I wouldn&rsquo;t have been able to stand as long as I did.&rdquo;</p><p>In October of 2006, Klatt, Sheehy and Chelios were among the principals behind a lawsuit against Saskin. Their case was thrown out of a U.S. Federal Court due to jurisdictional issues, but their dogged determination eventually bore fruit &ndash; and unexpected, ugly revelations like the one that showed Saskin and another union official tapped into private accounts and accessed players&rsquo; emails.</p><p>&ldquo;It was like I got kicked in the balls, pardon my French,&rdquo; said Klatt of first hearing about Saskin&rsquo;s email misdeeds.</p><p>&ldquo;To think they&rsquo;re hacking into my emails in my house, in northern Minnesota, and reading everything&hellip;there are just lines you don&rsquo;t cross, and I never imagined that would take place. I still can&rsquo;t believe it.</p><p>&ldquo;At the time Ted first took over, that wasn&rsquo;t something I thought was possible. But he just brought it on himself.&rdquo;</p><p>Klatt never played another NHL game after the 2003-04 campaign, choosing instead to remain in Grand Rapids, Minn., and raise his family. And although he doesn&rsquo;t follow union matters nearly as closely as he once did, he hopes today&rsquo;s players will heed the lessons he and his colleagues began to learn four years ago.</p><p>&ldquo;One thing that hockey players have a tendency to do is to follow blindly,&rdquo; Klatt said. &ldquo;I have no reason to believe Paul Kelly isn&rsquo;t doing a fantastic job&hellip;The players probably could follow him and not ask any questions. But if that&rsquo;s their plan, down the road, they&rsquo;re going to get themselves back into a scenario where they get blindsided like we did.</p><p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s checks and balances that need to be there in the union, and with Eric (Lindros) as the ombudsman and the field reps in place, and with (former Canadian autoworkers union president) Buzz Hargrove on an advisory board, I&rsquo;m just glad what happened to us before won&rsquo;t be allowed to happen anymore.&rdquo;</p><p>Klatt&rsquo;s advice to players interested in the business of the game is simple.</p><p>&ldquo;Stay informed and stay together,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d tell the guys that, look, there is information that&rsquo;s out there to be had, and if you don&rsquo;t have the information you want, find it. There&rsquo;s people out there that will get you the information you want, there&rsquo;s people who want to get that information to you.</p><p>&ldquo;The only way the union can be strong is if you stay informed.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0019-021193/9193282-1-eng-US/f0019-022.jpg" title="f0019-02" width="1651" height="826"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

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Klatt’s battle

f0020-01

Left for dead long ago, the Chicago Blackhawks are back in the game, baby

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0026-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-02976/9193435-1-eng-US/f0026-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0026-011357/9193442-1-eng-US/f0026-012.jpg" title="f0026-01" width="207" height="245"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>W</span>HEN</b>&nbsp;<b>THE HOCKEY NEWS</b> coronated Brian Burke as the No. 1 GM in the NHL last season, we dubbed him &lsquo;Brain Man.&rsquo; But as Wile E. Coyote once said, &ldquo;Even a genius can have an off day.&rdquo; He can have flaws, too, and nobody has seen them more closely than Patrick Burke.</p><p>Patrick Burke is Brian Burke&rsquo;s son and a scout with the Philadelphia Flyers. Wherever Burke lands as a hockey executive after leaving the Anaheim Ducks in mid-November, Patrick said those who end up working with him would be well-advised not to engage him in a game of Monopoly.</p><p>&ldquo;He doesn&rsquo;t lose very well,&rdquo; Patrick said. &ldquo;I remember when my father and stepmother Jennifer had been dating for a few months, she said, &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s play a board game.&rsquo; Well, it ended up in this huge blowup fight and I thought she was going to leave and never come back. We play that you get money for landing on Free Parking and she doesn&rsquo;t and the next thing you know we&rsquo;re yelling and screaming about it.&rdquo;</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>&lsquo;Golf takes patience and coordination, two things he doesn&rsquo;t have&rsquo;</b></blockquote><p>Apparently, Burke doesn&rsquo;t play golf very well either, &ldquo;because it takes patience and coordination, two things he doesn&rsquo;t have,&rdquo; Patrick said.</p><p>Nor, it seems, an ability to stay in one place for a long time. Burke&rsquo;s next job running a hockey department will be the fourth of his career after stops in Hartford, Vancouver and Anaheim &ndash; with a stint as NHL director of hockey operations crammed in there, too. That will tie him for the most GM gigs in history with Bryan Murray (Detroit, Florida, Anaheim and Ottawa) and Tom Gorman (Ottawa, Montreal Maroons, Chicago and Montreal Canadiens).</p><p>Wherever he ends up, Burke will continue to be passionate, decisive, larger than life and unabashedly unafraid to make difficult decisions and run the risk of being wrong. This is a man who will arrange an exhibition game with another GM in a lobby bar in Europe. He moved decisively to replace Scott Niedermayer last season without even knowing whether Niedermayer planned on retiring permanently. And it&rsquo;s not because he&rsquo;s impulsive, quite the opposite actually. It&rsquo;s largely because Burke spends much of his time projecting and staying steps ahead so when something does happen, he has the ability to make a quick decision without ruminating on it for weeks.</p><p>GMs in the NHL are judged on a number of criteria and here&rsquo;s how Burke fairs on each one:</p><p>Transactions Burke has been involved in some of the biggest moves of the past decade, from his acquisitions of Niedermayer and Chris Pronger in Anaheim to his draft-day deal that brought the Sedin twins to Vancouver. He is rarely hesitant to make a trade big or small and most times his instincts are right. He has had his share of clunkers as all GMs have, with the acquisition of Todd Bertuzzi the second time around in Anaheim being his biggest.</p><p><i>Performance: Very good.</i></p><p>Hirings For all his years of experience, Burke has hired only three coaches as a GM &ndash; Paul Holmgren in Hartford, Marc Crawford in Vancouver and Randy Carlyle in Anaheim. He has said in the past the most important function of a GM is hiring the right coach. He also develops a very close relationship with his coaches and, for the most part, has had success. His assistant GMs in Vancouver and Anaheim, David Nonis and Bob Murray, respectively, were great additions.</p><p><i>Performance: Excellent.</i></p><p>Cap management In today&rsquo;s NHL, this is essential. In part because Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne dithered about their futures last season, Burke found himself in salary cap hell for much of the year, largely because he acquired Mathieu Schneider to replace Niedermayer and Bertuzzi for no apparent reason. The Ducks teetered on the edge of the cap all season and continue to face cap issues that Murray will be charged with cleaning up.</p><p><i>Performance: Not so good.</i></p><p>Drafts The truth is, GMs often get too much credit and blame for the players they draft, but they do have final say over which players are taken and they are responsible for hiring the scouts selecting them. In Hartford, Burke presided over a 1993 draft that included selecting Pronger, Marek Malik and Manny Legace. With Vancouver, he took Bryan Allen, Jarkko Ruutu, the Sedins, R.J. Umberger, Kevin Bieksa and Ryan Kesler. His prize pick with Anaheim was Bobby Ryan.</p><p><i>Performance: Good.</i></p><p>Leadership The GM is the face of the hockey operations department of a franchise and, as such, he has to have presence, decisiveness and the courage of conviction to stick with his vision. &ldquo;Nobody can ever accuse Burkie of not being true to himself,&rdquo; said one NHL executive. He must also be organized and have the sense of self-confidence to hire good hockey people without being worried about them taking his job.</p><p><i>Performance: Very good.</i></p><p>the ability to play nicely with the others A GM has to possess a certain amount of diplomacy and political ability, two character traits that have never been Burke&rsquo;s strong suit. He has made his share of adversaries over the years and his public animosity and behavior toward Kevin Lowe after the Edmonton Oilers GM signed Dustin Penner away from Anaheim was not his shining moment. He clashed with ownership in Vancouver and can sometimes take blustery and intimidating to new levels. One wonders how he&rsquo;ll function if he ends up in an organization with a meddlesome board, such as the one in the Center of the Hockey Universe.</p><p><i>Performance: Not so good.</i><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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Burke report

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NHL Team Reports

<div class="byline">BY KEVIN OKLOBZIJA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-01600/9193773-1-eng-US/f0044-012.jpg" title="f0044-01" width="969" height="1193"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-02366/9193766-1-eng-US/f0044-022.jpg" title="f0044-02" width="214" height="214"></div><h2><b>Michael Grabner</b></h2><p>Manitoba Moose</p><p>Ht. 6-1</p><p>Wt. 185</p><p>Pos. RW</p><p>Age 21</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-03270/9193759-1-eng-US/f0044-032.jpg" title="f0044-03" width="177" height="103"></div><p><b>AND COUNTING</b> 40 Goals Grabner is on pace for after scoring 22 as a rookie</p><p><b>MICHAEL GRABNER&rsquo;S ROOKIE SEASON</b>&nbsp;bore a striking resemblance to the landscape of the Austrian Alps in his native country &ndash; a lot of ups and downs.</p><p>When Grabner was hot last year, he was one of the AHL&rsquo;s top goal-scorers. When he was cold, you didn&rsquo;t even notice him.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d have eight shots one game and zero the next,&rdquo; Grabner said. &ldquo;It was inconsistency, so this year I&rsquo;m working on being focused every game.&rdquo;</p><p>Being the same player night after night and showing a willingness to do whatever it takes to score or create a goal are top development priorities in the second pro season for the very talented right winger.</p><p>Grabner was drafted 14th overall in 2006 by the Vancouver Canucks and they&rsquo;re hoping he&rsquo;ll be ready for full-time NHL duty next season.</p><p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about his compete level,&rdquo; said Moose coach Scott Arniel. &ldquo;How he competes for loose pucks, going into tough areas to score goals. Right now it&rsquo;s about him becoming comfortable in those areas. The more and more you get used to going in those areas, the more you realize it isn&rsquo;t that bad.&rdquo;</p><p>A year ago, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound Grabner scored 22 goals and 44 points in 74 games. This year, he found the net six times through 12 games. He has the talent to score at least 30 goals in the AHL.</p><p>&ldquo;He has exceptional speed and a great shot,&rdquo; Arniel said. &ldquo;Even at the NHL level, his speed is outstanding. He&rsquo;s fast, fast, fast.&rdquo;</p><p>Grabner&rsquo;s grasp of defensive responsibilities is good, too.</p><p>&ldquo;I have no problem putting him out against the other team&rsquo;s better lines,&rdquo; Arniel said.</p><p>It&rsquo;s what Grabner does in tight spaces in the offensive zone that will get him to the NHL, however.</p><p>&ldquo;I have to be on loose pucks quicker, I have to win my 1-on-1 battles,&rdquo; Grabner said. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t go in thinking I might not get the puck, but 100 percent I have to want to come out with the puck. You against me, I have to be the strong guy.&rdquo;</p><p>Grabner isn&rsquo;t forgetting where he came from, either. Buffalo&rsquo;s Thomas Vanek has become the first Austrian to make a huge impact in hockey&rsquo;s top league.</p><p>&ldquo;I would like to put Austria more on the map in hockey,&rdquo; Grabner said. &ldquo;Vanek, Thomas Pock, Andreas Nodl is with Philadelphia. Hopefully I&rsquo;ll get my chance.&rdquo;</p><p>Arniel senses he will: &ldquo;I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised if he gets some games in Vancouver this year.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0044-01

Aspiring Austrian

<div class="byline">&#x2013; KEVIN OKLOBZIJA</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-07144/9193804-1-eng-US/f0044-072.jpg" title="f0044-07" width="308" height="93"></div><p>In many ways, Trevor Ludwig is following in his dad&rsquo;s footsteps.</p><p>Craig Ludwig played defense, took the collegiate route (North Dakota) to the NHL and made a career as the steady, stay-at-home blueliner.</p><p>Trevor was a sixth round pick in 2004 by the Dallas Stars &ndash; a franchise his dad spent eight seasons with &ndash; and after four years at Providence College, he is now learning the pro game as a defenseman with the Manitoba Moose.</p><p>But one big difference: The shin pads. Trevor isn&rsquo;t using those trademark oversized shot-blockers his father made famous.</p><p>&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t even cross over if I wore those things,&rdquo; Trevor said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got them in a display box at home. They&rsquo;re like your grandmother&rsquo;s silver tea set. You stare at it, but you don&rsquo;t ever play with it or use it.&rdquo;</p><p>FRESH START Fourth-year left winger Steve Regier never scored more than 19 goals in his first three pro seasons with Bridgeport, but had eight goals and 14 points through 12 games with Peoria. Regier signed with St. Louis as a free agent over the summer.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-04214/9193825-1-eng-US/f0044-042.jpg" title="f0044-04" width="199" height="198"></div><h2><b>Hey Chris Minard,</b>&nbsp;<b>EXPECT THE CALL</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-06160/9193818-1-eng-US/f0044-062.jpg" title="f0044-06" width="197" height="102"></div><p>Wilkes-Barre/Scranton&rsquo;s sniping left winger has already earned one look with Pittsburgh this season. Minard&rsquo;s quick, accurate shot and willingness to play both ends of the ice will get him another NHL opportunity.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0044-05183/9193811-1-eng-US/f0044-052.jpg" title="f0044-05" width="202" height="276"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(COURTESY OF MANITOBA MOOSE)</span></figcaption></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0044-07

Son the same, but different

<div class="byline">&#x2013; PHIL JANACK</div><p>Hershey Bears GM-president Doug Yingst was recovering from multiple injuries sustained in a fall from the roof of his Pennsylvania home.</p><p>Yingst sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries in the accident. He was taken to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and is under the care of Dr. Kevin Black, the center&rsquo;s head of orthopedics and Bears team doctor.</p><p>In his 27th season with the organization, Yingst has served in his current capacity since 1998-99. He has twice been named the league&rsquo;s top executive and won the 2008 Thomas Ebright Award for his contributions to the league.</p><p>QUICK STRIKE In the league for all of 28 seconds, Hartford rookie defenseman David Urquhart scored a goal on his first shift in a win over Albany.</p><p>Urquhart, who played four seasons of Canadian university hockey at McGill, helped the Wolf Pack to their 12th consecutive regular season win over the River Rats, extending a franchise record. The teams meet for the second and final time in 2008-09 on March 27 in Albany.</p><p>The River Rats have not beaten Hartford since Jan. 14, 2005.</p><h2><b>ON</b>&nbsp;<b>TOP</b></h2><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-04189/9193908-1-eng-US/f0046-042.jpg" title="f0046-04" width="202" height="285"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(COURTESY OF PROVIDENCE BRUINS)</span></figcaption></div><h3><b>TOP SCORERS</b></h3><p><b>Mark</b>&nbsp;<b>Mancari</b></p><p><b>Portland Pirates</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0046-05149/9193901-1-eng-US/f0046-052.jpg" title="f0046-05" width="195" height="102"></div><p>22 <b>POINTS</b></p><p>Chris Minard, W-B/Scr 20</p><p>Keith Aucoin, Her 19</p><p>Jeff Taffe, W-B/Scr 18</p><p>Tim Kennedy, Por 17</p><p>D&rsquo;Agostini, Ham 16<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0046-04

Papa Bear recovering

<div class="byline">- DENIS GIBBONS</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0047-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-01475/9193946-1-eng-US/f0047-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Igor Larionov isn&rsquo;t sure the current way of operating teams in Russia is sustainable. <span class="photo-credit">(SILVIA PECOTA/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>P</span>LAYERS HAVE TAKEN TO THE RUSSIAN AIRWAVES</b>&nbsp;to promote their new league in a series of commercials ending with the statement &lsquo;Hokkei nasha igra&rsquo; &ndash; &lsquo;Hockey is our game.&rsquo;</p><p>Alexei Yashin, Darius Kasparaitis and Alexander Radulov are among the stars featured in the promos, but so far they have done little to boost attendance.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-02318/9193939-1-eng-US/f0047-022.jpg" title="f0047-02" width="251" height="274"></div><p>On Nov. 2, there were two games in Moscow, the Russian capital. Moscow Dynamo drew just 5,200 fans for its contest against Jaromir Jagr-led Avangard Omsk at the Minor Sports Arena in Luzhniki.</p><p>And at the other end of the city, Spartak attracted just 3,250 to the 5,500-seat Sokolniki Arena for its match versus Champions League power and top-five club Metallurg Magnitogorsk.</p><p>The night before, only 3,000 fans showed up to the 12,000-seat Sports Palace in St. Petersburg to see the host SKA club face Barys Astana, an also-ran side from Kazakhstan.</p><p>Despite poor attendance, new arenas are under construction in Chelyabinsk and Minsk &ndash; the capital of Belarus &ndash; and the league now insists every arena seat at least 5,500, although an exception was made for the Lada club in Togliatti, which will play in a 2,900-seat venue until construction on its 10,000-seat arena is complete.</p><p>There is also news some teams, including Salavat Yulaev Ufa, which won the Russian Super League championship last season and signed Radulov to a multi-million dollar contract over the summer, are having trouble meeting payroll.</p><p>Visiting Toronto for his induction into The Hockey Hall of Fame, <b>Igor Larionov</b>, SKA&rsquo;s director of hockey operations, said some games in Moscow draw as few as 1,000 or 2,000 fans, even with modestly priced tickets of roughly $5, $10 or $15.</p><p>&ldquo;You want to be wise economically,&rdquo; Larionov told <i>The Globe and Mail</i>. &ldquo;You want to get ticket sales and apply (them) to the salaries. Now, we have great support from big companies and business people, but how long is it going to last? That is why we have to sit down and talk.&rdquo;</p><p>Most teams are sponsored by wealthy natural gas and oil companies. But the price of oil has dropped from more than $100 a barrel to around $60 in recent months, while TV ratings for KHL games are lagging far behind those of the Russian Soccer League.</p><p>Latvia-based Dynamo Riga is the closest franchise to western Europe. It played two home games in Finland because its arena was booked for another event. But the best the Russian clubs could draw was 2,800.</p><p>Nevertheless, Riga is determined to be proactive. The club hosted a marketing seminar for representatives from all teams. One of Riga&rsquo;s philosophies is players should work for the team on and off the ice. To that end, it&rsquo;s using players to model a clothing line.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0047-01

Good seats available

<div class="byline">- RISTO PAKARINEN</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0047-03254/9193977-1-eng-US/f0047-032.jpg" title="f0047-03" width="662" height="763"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(ALMIR SIBAGATULIN/EPSILON/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><span>R</span>ussia&rsquo;s first World Championship win in 15 years last May proved it is firmly back on the hockey scene. That notion has been cemented recently by Russian domination of international and club play in Europe.</p><p>The national team, led by coach Vyacheslav Bykov, claimed top spot in the first leg of the Euro Hockey Tour in Helsinki, Finland. The event is an exhibition tournament between Europe&rsquo;s top-four hockey nations; Finland, Russia, Sweden and the Czech Republic.</p><p>Bykov brought 12 players from the victorious World Championship team, a squad he also coached, and Russia didn&rsquo;t lose a game, winning its fifth consecutive EHT round.</p><p>On the club side, Salavat <b>Yulayev Ufa</b> and Metallurg Magnitogorsk have dominated the inaugural Champions Hockey League.</p><p>Both teams are unbeaten in their respective groups. Ufa has cruised to a 2-0 record on the back of an 11-3 goal difference, while Magnitogorsk played almost five periods without allowing a goal in its two games.</p><p>Should both teams win their groups and advance to the semifinal, they will be pitted against each other. That&rsquo;s the luck of the draw this time, but would also be the case otherwise as a Champions League rule guarantees the January home-and-home final can&rsquo;t involve two clubs from the same country.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0047-03

Russia on a roll

<p><b>SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES</b>&nbsp;left winger Philippe Paradis has the past and the future on his mind.</p><p>The past? Shawinigan has never won a Quebec League championship, despite being the only franchise in operation for the league&rsquo;s entire 40-year existence. The future? Paradis is a promising prospect who is destined for a professional career.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m anxious for the NHL draft, but at the same time I don&rsquo;t want to put extra pressure on myself,&rdquo; said the 6-foot-2, 195-pounder. &ldquo;I have to keep my focus in the right place. We have a strong team in Shawinigan and I think we have a chance to do something special.</p><p>&ldquo;It would be a great accomplishment to be part of the team that brings the first championship here. That&rsquo;s definitely an extra motivation for everyone.&rdquo;</p><p>The 17-year-old Paradis was a 2007 second round pick by Shawinigan. The native of Normandin, Que., is ranked 75th by International Scouting Services for the 2009 NHL draft.</p><p>&ldquo;I think I can play it any way,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I can help out offensively, but I can also play physical. It&rsquo;s a faster game in the pros, so I need to improve my skating and get quicker in my execution. I&rsquo;m probably more a goal-scorer than a playmaker.&rdquo;</p><p>Paradis had 23 points, including 11 goals, in 45 games last season as a rookie. He will surely pass those totals by Christmas this season.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got good size, speed and plays well with and without the puck,&rdquo; said Shawinigan coach Eric Veilleux. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s got the skills, he&rsquo;s physical and he&rsquo;s got the perfect profile to be a pro player.&rdquo;</p><p>That, however, will only come after Paradis learns to fuse his attributes on a nightly basis.</p><p>&ldquo;I think he&rsquo;ll eventually be known as a power forward,&rdquo; Veilleux said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s still learning to be consistent in terms of putting the two elements &ndash; skills and physical &ndash; together every game.&rdquo;</p><p>Paradis is strong on the forecheck and his 51 hits in 20 games ranked sixth best in the league. His plus-10 rating was also among the league leaders.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-03155/9194050-1-eng-US/f0048-032.jpg" title="f0048-03" width="765" height="1009"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(COURTESY OF SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES)</span></figcaption></div><p>&ldquo;He has good size, good hands, skates well,&rdquo; said a scout. &ldquo;I would like to see him be more involved physically and play more of a power game than a finesse game. He needs to be more consistent, but he&rsquo;s a good prospect. He&rsquo;ll probably go in the top two rounds of the draft.&rdquo;</p><p>&ndash; NEIL HODGE</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-0595/9194043-1-eng-US/f0048-052.jpg" title="f0048-05" width="354" height="191"></div><h2><b>Philippe Paradis</b></h2><p>Shawinigan Cataractes</p><p>Ht. 6-2</p><p>Wt. 195</p><p>Pos. LW</p><p>Age 17</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-0680/9194036-1-eng-US/f0048-062.jpg" title="f0048-06" width="370" height="83"></div><p><b>Draft Status</b></p><p>Ranked No. 75 overall</p><p>by ISS for the 2009 draft</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-0768/9194029-1-eng-US/f0048-072.jpg" title="f0048-07" width="169" height="103"></div><p><b>AND COUNTING</b> 13 Assists for Paradis so far this year, one more than all of last season.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-01343/9194022-1-eng-US/f0048-012.jpg" title="f0048-01" width="276" height="155"></div><h2><b>Rocketing to the NHL</b></h2><p>The Kelowna Rockets have done their job too well for their own good. In three seasons with the team, defenseman Luke Schenn, 19, developed to the point where he was able to crack the Toronto Maple Leafs roster this season. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t surprised,&rdquo; said Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton. &ldquo;Obviously, they gave him every opportunity to fail and he didn&rsquo;t. I&rsquo;d like to think we did our job in getting him prepared to play there.&rdquo; Toronto selected Schenn fifth overall in the 2008 NHL draft and announced early in this season they intended to keep him in the NHL if he grabbed a top-four position on the blueline. He did just that and has been effective as a shutdown defender.</p><p><b>&ndash; ROB VANSTONE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-02217/9194015-1-eng-US/f0048-022.jpg" title="f0048-02" width="332" height="103"></div><h2><b>Brian Kilrea Teaching Room</b></h2><p>The league will honor Brian Kilrea&rsquo;s dedication to teaching not only the game of hockey, but also the game of life by making a donation to the Children&rsquo;s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Kilrea&rsquo;s hometown of Ottawa. Kilrea, in his 32nd year as coach of the 67&rsquo;s, will retire after this season and all 20 teams are helping to make the hospital&rsquo;s Brian Kilrea Teaching Room a reality. The room will allow students receiving long-term care to stay current with their studies by bringing in certified teachers. &ldquo;Brian has been such a mentor and positive influence on so many players, this room will be a lasting legacy,&rdquo; said OHL commissioner David Branch.</p><p><b>&ndash; JIM CRESSMAN</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0048-04129/9194008-1-eng-US/f0048-042.jpg" title="f0048-04" width="262" height="155"></div><h2><b>Memorial Cup on the mind</b></h2><p>The Saint John Sea Dogs are making it known they plan to bid for the 2012 Memorial Cup. To that end, they hosted a 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge game at the 6,297-seat Harbour Station. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s another step for us,&rdquo; said team president Wayne Long in reference to the international contest. &ldquo;Obviously, the ultimate goal is to host the Memorial Cup and 2012 is something we&rsquo;re certainly looking at. We want to be recognized across Canada as a premier franchise.&rdquo; After a disappointing 12-9-1-1 start, the Sea Dogs are expected to bolster the roster during the December trade period for a championship run, then begin rebuilding towards 2011-12 next season.</p><p><b>&ndash; NEIL HODGE</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0048-03

Paradis has the power

<p class="dropcap"><b><span>A</span>S FAR AS MINNESOTA</b> junior left winger Ryan Stoa is concerned, his No. 1 objective for this season has already been achieved. A year after having his season end in Game 2 with torn knee ligaments, he has managed to stay healthy into Game 3 and beyond.</p><p>With that modest goal out of the way, Stoa, who underwent surgery last year to repair his knee, is bent on making up for lost time. Through the first month of the season, no player has had more impact on his team than Stoa, a 2005 second round pick by Colorado.</p><p>Stoa, 21, drove the offense with six goals and 10 points in October. He anchored the special teams with two power play markers and a shorthander. And he set the physical tone for the Gophers, using his 6-foot-3, 217-pound frame to his advantage in all three zones.</p><p>Minnesota has 15 NHL draft picks on its roster, including five chosen in the first two rounds. That doesn&rsquo;t include freshman center Jordan Schroeder, projected as a sure-fire first-rounder in 2009.</p><p>Still, Stoa stands out, which helps explain why he was named team captain.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s our best player,&rdquo; said Gophers coach Don Lucia.</p><p>Not having Stoa in 2007-08 was a major reason why Minnesota finished below .500 in the WCHA and set all sorts of records for scoring futility.</p><p>A product of Bloomington, Minn., Stoa has been a first-line winger since coming out of the U.S. national team developmental program in 2005-06.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s got a lot of heart to battle back from what he went through last year,&rdquo; Lucia said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m sure it was hurting him last year, more mentally than physically.&rdquo;</p><p>Stoa, rated the No. 5 prospect for the Avalanche in Future Watch 2008, was actually cleared to return in time for last year&rsquo;s NCAA tournament, but decided not to play in order to preserve a medical redshirt option. Being on the sidelines was tough, but he made the most of it.</p><p>&ldquo;People always say you learn more by watching,&rdquo; Stoa told the Minneapolis <i>Star Tri</i>&nbsp;&nbsp;<i>bune</i>. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s so true. You see what the coaches are talking about. I tried to learn the game and I got stronger.&rdquo;</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-03158/9194130-1-eng-US/f0049-032.jpg" title="f0049-03" width="765" height="1009"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA ATHLETICS)</span></figcaption></div><p>Now he&rsquo;s being mentioned prominently as a Hobey Baker candidate.</p><p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a big key to our team,&rdquo; Lucia said, &ldquo;and it&rsquo;s good to see him producing.&rdquo;</p><p><b>&ndash; ANDY BAGGOT</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-05101/9194123-1-eng-US/f0049-052.jpg" title="f0049-05" width="282" height="282"></div><h2><b>Ryan Stoa</b></h2><p>Minnesota Gophers</p><p>Ht. 6-3</p><p>Wt. 213</p><p>Pos. LW</p><p>Age 21</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0670/9194116-1-eng-US/f0049-062.jpg" title="f0049-06" width="369" height="87"></div><p><b>Draft Status</b></p><p>Selected 35th overall</p><p>by Colorado in 2005</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0753/9194109-1-eng-US/f0049-072.jpg" title="f0049-07" width="197" height="103"></div><p><b>AND COUNTING</b> 1.63 Stoa&rsquo;s points-per-game average through eight contests.</p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-01303/9194102-1-eng-US/f0049-012.jpg" title="f0049-01" width="288" height="107"></div><h2><b>Del Grosso is the man</b></h2><p>Last season Nebraska Omaha forwards Bryan Marshall, Brandon Scero and Mick Lawrence keyed the Mavericks&rsquo; best-in-the-nation power play unit. This year, with the high-scoring trio graduated, undrafted junior defenseman Eddie Del Grosso has kept the power play humming. Del Grosso sees the ice well, has terrific patience with the puck and can step around a check to deliver a quick, accurate wrist shot. &ldquo;I really worked hard over the summer because I knew I&rsquo;d have to contribute with all the scoring we lost,&rdquo; said Del Grosso, 23.</p><p><b>&ndash; PHILIP COLVIN</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-02215/9194095-1-eng-US/f0049-022.jpg" title="f0049-02" width="318" height="143"></div><h2><b>Good goalie duo a great asset</b></h2><p>While Boston University was getting out to a 6-1 start, coach Jack Parker was splitting time between two freshmen goalies. The undrafted Kieran Millan won his first four starts, had a 2.25 goals-against average and .902 save percentage, while Grant Rollheiser&rsquo;s stats line was 2-1, 1.68 and .918. He was chosen 158th overall by Toronto last June. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve given us poise, composure and saves,&rdquo; Parker said. &ldquo;Millan is more of a positional goalie. Rollheiser is the current NHL-style, butterfly goalie. They both have great gloves.&rdquo;</p><p><b>&ndash; LARRY MAHONEY</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-04140/9194088-1-eng-US/f0049-042.jpg" title="f0049-04" width="324" height="101"></div><h2><b>Everyday defender</b></h2><p>St. Lawrence senior defenseman Zach Miskovic doesn&rsquo;t believe in taking a day off. The 6-foot-1, undrafted free agent hasn&rsquo;t missed a game during his three years at St. Lawrence. He&rsquo;s coming off the best season of his career, scoring eight goals and 20 points and earning all-conference honors. &ldquo;Misko is just zero maintenance,&rdquo; said Saints coach Joe March. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a real good power play guy because he&rsquo;s a tremendous skater, a great passer and has a cannon for a shot. I&rsquo;ve got no doubt he&rsquo;ll play somewhere (in the pro ranks) next year.&rdquo;</p><p><b>&ndash; TOM BOGGIE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0049-0834/9194081-1-eng-US/f0049-082.jpg" title="f0049-08" width="389" height="85"></div><h2><b>Realignment on the horizon?</b></h2><p>Despite reports to the contrary on <a href="http://collegehockeynews.com">collegehockeynews.com</a>, the WCHA&rsquo;s moratorium on expansion may be ending with a significant Division 1 realignment. <a href="http://Denverpost.com">Denverpost.com</a> reported that College Hockey America will disband, leaving Niagara and Robert Morris to join the Atlantic Hockey League, with Bemidji State joining the WCHA and Alabama-Huntsville the CCHA. Huntsville would replace Nebraska-Omaha in the CCHA with the Mavericks also joining the WCHA. The realignment would leave four 12-team leagues and one 10-team association.</p><p><b>&ndash; ANDY BAGGOT</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0049-03

Hurt knee helps the head

<div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-03126/9194203-1-eng-US/f0050-032.jpg" title="f0050-03" width="293" height="90"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-01288/9194210-1-eng-US/f0050-012.jpg" title="f0050-01" width="218" height="155"></div><h3><b>echl</b></h3><h2><b>Goebel gobbles league honors</b></h2><p class="dropcap"><span>R</span>ookie Tommy Goebel brought a fresh perspective and a lot of talent to the league-leading Wheeling Nailers. The 23-year-old right winger impressed with seven goals, 19 points and a plus-10 rating through 10 games. The league recognized Goebel&rsquo;s stellar play with player-of-the-week and plusplayer honors, and he was also October&rsquo;s player of the month. &ldquo;I play with two veteran guys (Rob Sirianni and Aaron Clarke), our coach (Greg Puhalski) does a great job getting us prepared and we have a great group of guys on the team,&rdquo; the veteran-sounding Goebel told the Wheeling <i>Intelligencer</i>.</p><p><b>&ndash; MIKE MASTOVICH</b></p><h3><b>United States league</b></h3><h2><b>Chiasson chases the dream</b></h2><p>When the NHL holds the 2009 draft in Montreal, native son Alex Chiasson will be center stage. The 18-year-old Des Moines Buccaneers prospect from St. Augustin, Que., is a budding NHL power forward who plays both ends of the ice with deftness and aplomb. Ranked as an &lsquo;A&rsquo; prospect for the draft by Central Scouting, the 6-foot-3, 182-pounder, &ldquo;is very good on faceoffs, has creative puck skills, works the corners and always goes hard to the net,&rdquo; according to one scout. With six goals and 10 points through 11 games, Chiasson can also score, which will please his next team, Boston University.</p><p><b>&ndash; PAUL SHAHEEN</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0566/9194196-1-eng-US/f0050-052.jpg" title="f0050-05" width="296" height="148"></div><h3><b>international league</b></h3><h2><b>Boudreau makes plays and films</b></h2><p>Directing must run in Flint Generals rookie forward Ben Boudreau&rsquo;s family. His dad, Bruce, calls the shots for the Washington Capitals and Ben graduated from film school at Loyalist College in Belleville, Ont. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve always had a passion to do film,&rdquo; said the 24-year-old center. Boudreau made home videos as a kid, won a college award for directing a music video, jumped out of a plane to film a skydiving documentary and served an internship with <i>Hockey Night in Canada</i> last season. He scored his first pro goal in Fort Wayne, where his dad began as a player-assistant in 1990-91.</p><p><b>&ndash; BRENDAN SAVAGE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0742/9194189-1-eng-US/f0050-072.jpg" title="f0050-07" width="265" height="155"></div><h3><b>central league</b></h3><h2><b>Stars in stripes working off ice</b></h2><p>Referees and linesmen in the league take their share of abuse. But it&rsquo;s hard to criticize those who officiate the officials. The league&rsquo;s supervisor of officials, Wayne Bonney, took his job in 2003 after 24 seasons as an NHL linesman. Bonney&rsquo;s partner is officiating supervisor Ray &lsquo;Scampy&rsquo; Scapinello, who has been described as the Wayne Gretzky of officiating and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Nov. 10. Scapinello is in his third season with the league after 33 years as an NHL linesman. Combined, Bonney and Scapinello have 57 years of NHL experience and 25 Stanley Cup finals behind them.</p><p><b>&ndash; DAVID HENRY</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-02197/9194182-1-eng-US/f0050-022.jpg" title="f0050-02" width="255" height="155"></div><h3><b>southern pro league</b></h3><h2><b>Big hole to fill on blueline</b></h2><p>The Richmond Renegades are without their captain and star defenseman Dan Vandermeer until January. The league&rsquo;s top-scoring blueliner &ndash; with four goals and six points in two games &ndash; dislocated his shoulder and broke his arm during a fight with Knoxville&rsquo;s Jared Siganuk. &ldquo;The six defensemen have to step up and play those extra minutes; play in those situations they probably wouldn&rsquo;t have,&rdquo; coach Brian Goudie told the Richmond <i>Times-Dispatch</i>. &ldquo;Hopefully, they can learn and when Vandy gets back, it&rsquo;ll just make us stronger.&rdquo; Matt Withers was obtained for cash from Knoxville to fill the roster void.</p><p><b>&ndash; NICK GATES</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-04100/9194175-1-eng-US/f0050-042.jpg" title="f0050-04" width="240" height="155"></div><h3><b>canadian jr. a</b></h3><h2><b>Dupont moves upward, onward</b></h2><p>Jr. A hockey is a training ground for players and coaches. After four years with the Aurora Tigers, Jerome Dupont is moving behind the bench for a big-time major junior team, the defending Quebec League-champion Gatineau Olympiques. &ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to think (Jr. A) is a development ground for coaches,&rdquo; said Dupont, who led Aurora to the 2007 Royal Bank Cup. Dupont worked his way to the NHL as a player and hopes to do the same as a bench boss. &ldquo;There&rsquo;s got to be a ladder to get there and this is part of it,&rdquo; said Dupont, who played 214 NHL games. The Tigers promoted assistant Craig Evans to the head job.</p><p><b>&ndash; NATHAN WHITE</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0656/9194168-1-eng-US/f0050-062.jpg" title="f0050-06" width="252" height="155"></div><h3><b>canadian university</b></h3><h2><b>Ending 25 years of Blues blues</b></h2><p>It has been 25 years since the Toronto Varsity Blues last won the national title, but two rookies and a fourth-year veteran are hoping to make history next March at the University Cup in Thunder Bay. First-year forwards Byron Elliot and Ken Ventura, and wiley assistant captain Joe Rand, are leading the offense for the Mid East Division-leading Blues. &ldquo;We were expecting them to produce, but you never know with first-year players,&rdquo; said coach Darren Lowe. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re fortunate they&rsquo;ve been scoring because we lost our top two scorers from last season. And Joe has stepped it up. He&rsquo;s a tremendous leader.&rdquo;</p><p><b>&ndash; JEFF RENAUD</b></p><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0050-0830/9194161-1-eng-US/f0050-082.jpg" title="f0050-08" width="246" height="155"></div><h3><b>the women&rsquo;s game</b></h3><h2><b>Tre Kroner coming fast</b></h2><p>Sweden will be the team to watch as the 2010 Olympics approach. The Swedes beat Canada 2-1 at the recent 4 Nations Cup, eventually won by Team USA. It was Sweden&rsquo;s first-ever victory over the Canucks. &ldquo;We dared to attack,&rdquo; said coach Peter Elander. &ldquo;We dared to be a lion not a lamb. We took more and better shots and that created energy.&rdquo; Offense and energy is Sweden&rsquo;s new long-term strategy. &ldquo;The players believe in our plan,&rdquo; Elander said. &ldquo;If you can do something once, you should be able to do it again and again. Our goal is to be the hardest working team all the way to 2010.&rdquo;</p><p><b>&ndash; ELIZABETH ETUE</b><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0050-03

best of the rest

<div class="byline">by Nicolas Chabot</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0052-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0052-01270/9194255-1-eng-US/f0052-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body">Dan Ellis <span class="photo-credit">(KOIVU: RICHARD WOLOWICZ/GETTY IMAGES)</span></figcaption></div><p><b>Highlighted player is the BIGGEST MOVER since late-October</b></p><h2><b>How useful is pulling the goalie?</b></h2><p><b>SO</b>&nbsp;<b>FAR THIS SEASON, NHL</b> teams have played a total of 155 minutes and 23 seconds with six skaters on the ice, after pulling their goaltenders when behind late in a game or during a delayed penalty. Those teams gave up 28 empty-net goals and scored on 19 occasions. Of those 19 goals scored with the extra attacker, only one came with six forwards on the ice.</p><p>On Oct. 22, with about two minutes remaining in the Detroit-St. Louis game, Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall took a minor penalty for slashing. With his team down 4-2, St. Louis coach Andy Murray called a timeout and then sent out six forwards for the ensuing power play. The result was a goal by rookie T.J. Oshie, his first in the NHL. Unfortunately for the Blues, the effort was all for naught as they couldn&rsquo;t notch the tying marker, losing 4-3.</p><h2><b>11:48</b></h2><h3><b>Extra attacker</b></h3><p>The amount of time each team has played with an extra attacker this season, with the number of goals they&rsquo;ve scored (GF) and the number empty-net goals (EN) they&rsquo;ve given up.</p><h2><b>54</b></h2><h3><b>Busy nights</b></h3><p>Most saves in a game in 2008-09</p><h2><b>10</b></h2><h3><b>Duos</b></h3><p>Number of goals where both players registered a point</p><h2><b>17</b></h2><h3><b>Top sophomore</b></h3><p>Point leaders among the 2007-08 rookie class</p><h2><b>.904</b></h2><h3><b>Save percentage</b></h3><p>When facing a weaker team (minimum 2 GP)</p><h2><b>.942</b></h2><h3><b>Save percentage</b></h3><p>When facing a stronger team (minimum 2 GP)</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0054-01259/9194248-1-eng-US/f0054-012.jpg" title="f0054-01" width="2804" height="3543"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0055-01231/9194241-1-eng-US/f0055-012.jpg" title="f0055-01" width="2760" height="1045"></div><p>Can&rsquo;t get enough numbers? Visit our online &lsquo;Stats&rsquo; section every day at <a href="http://thehockeynews.com">thehockeynews.com</a><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0052-01

Inside the Numbers

<div class="byline">BY MIKE BEASLEY</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0056-01" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0056-01197/9194286-1-eng-US/f0056-012.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(Photo By icelevel.com)</span></figcaption></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HE TOWN OF SMITHS FALLS,</b> Ont., has a reputation for being a great summer tourist spot. And, at one time, its major employer was responsible for producing fine chocolate goods, which were sold around the world.</p><p>But recently, the tiny community in the heart of the Rideau Canal has become recognized for manufacturing quality products of another sort: Hockey players. The town&rsquo;s Jr. A team, the Bears, are becoming a feel-good, reversal-of-fortune story.</p><p>At the end of the last season, the Bears graduated seven players to NCAA Division I schools, with three of those athletes being selected by NHL clubs at the 2008 entry draft.</p><p>No other Jr. A club in Canada had three players drafted into the NHL. In fact, only three major junior teams (Sarnia, Mississauga and Kelowna) topped Smiths Falls with four NHL draftees.</p><p>Center Nick Tremblay and defensemen Mark Borowiecki and Mike Bergin were the three Bears to have their names called at the draft. Boston made Tremblay the 173rd overall pick and he now plays at Clarkson, Borowiecki went 139th overall to Ottawa and also attends Clarkson, while Bergin was selected 209th overall by Dallas and skates for RPI.</p><p>Also playing south of the border is defenseman James Lyle (Robert Morris University), center Matt Gordon (Holy Cross) and goalie Jody O&rsquo;Neil (Dartmouth). Forward Zachary Hervato is still with the Bears, but will join Lyle at Robert Morris next fall.</p><p>This is a complete turnaround for an organization that only four short years ago was on the verge of closing-up shop.</p><p>&ldquo;We were the worst team in junior hockey anywhere and now we have three players drafted by the NHL,&rdquo; said <b>Bill</b>&nbsp;<b>Bowker</b>, the man who has been given much of the credit as the franchise&rsquo;s saviour in his coach-GM role. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pretty big endorsement of our program. I&rsquo;ve got to say I get a little emotional about it. Our job is to move the kids on to the next level and you can&rsquo;t get much higher than the NHL.&rdquo;</p><p>When Bowker took over the Bears in December of 2005, the team had lost 21 straight games and the organization was in disarray. The Bears had become a sore spot for the proud citizens of Smiths Falls.</p><p>&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t easy buying groceries around town,&rdquo; Bowker said with a laugh. &ldquo;I would get some pretty menacing looks in the stores. A couple of people even approached me and asked what the hell was wrong with the team and how much longer would they be in Smiths Falls.&rdquo;</p><p>Bowker knew what had to be done and wasted little time putting his master plan into effect. At that year&rsquo;s trade deadline he quickly moved players who lacked motivation or refused to buy into his coaching ideologies.</p><p>He also contacted New York Rangers coach Tom Renney and amateur coaching icon Clare Drake, two of his mentors, to discuss how to address the Bears&rsquo; woes and begin rebuilding the program.</p><p>The coaching trio decided to start over, teaching the basics, then escalating to the complex. After three years, the results speak for themselves.</p><p>A vital part of the transformation was the introduction of a ghost roster that Renney developed and Bowker used as a matrix to determine what they needed as a team along with the skill set required at each position.</p><p>From there, the Bears bench boss and his scouting staff started bringing in the right players to fill those positions accordingly.</p><p>&ldquo;The foundation of our success was started on paper well in advance of practices on the ice,&rdquo; said the 60-year-old Bowker, a Montreal native. &ldquo;We taught the kids based on a picture of what we felt we needed for a winning program. It was approached as a 100 percent business plan that the players have bought into and it&rsquo;s working.&rdquo;</p><p>Bowker admits he has borrowed a couple of coaching ideas from other successful instructors, but does boast he runs high-paced practices with thought-provoking drills and teaches systems with his principles all over them.</p><p>&ldquo;Our practices are usually run in small areas with decision training and skill development built into the same drill,&rdquo; Bowker explained. &ldquo;It hands the thinking process over to the athlete rather than ending up with robotic players.&rdquo;</p><p>Practice time in Smiths Falls can be a challenge. Most of the drills have six to eight decisions that need to be executed for the exercise to be effective.</p><p>&ldquo;In my opinion, drills that require one decision on a full ice surface restrict the player&rsquo;s development,&rdquo; Bowker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s more advantageous to conduct an exercise that&rsquo;s performed in a small area at high speed where quick, multiple decisions have to be made and skills have to be sharper. It&rsquo;s stop-and-go in tight spaces, which is very similar to a game.&rdquo;</p><p>Despite recent success for the team and many of its players, Bowker is not going anywhere. He&rsquo;s happy staying in Smiths Falls where he runs the hockey team and tends to a farm just outside town.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve had a couple of offers to run a university program, but turned them down,&rdquo; Bowker said. &ldquo;I made a commitment to my owner Chris Cassell to stay here until our new arena is built. I&rsquo;ll stand by that.</p><p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m quite happy in Smiths Falls, there&rsquo;s huge rewards in seeing a 17-or 18-year-old kid get drafted into the NHL or sign an NCAA Division 1 contract. I&rsquo;m really enjoying it.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0056-01

Local hero

<div class="byline">By Larry Humber</div><div class="image-hero"><img title="f0057-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-02131/9194324-1-eng-US/f0057-022.jpg"></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-01184/9194331-1-eng-US/f0057-012.jpg" title="f0057-01" width="155" height="155"></div><p>ANSWERS AVAILABLE IN THE NEXT ISSUE AND AT <a href="http://THN.com/XWORD">THN.com/xword</a></p><h2><b>ACROSS</b></h2><p>1 He set a new standard for left wingers with 60 goals in 1976-77 (with 24 Across)</p><p>8 Bell Centre site</p><p>9 Ken Hitchcock&rsquo;s nickname</p><p>10 8 Across is the venue for the 2009 All-___ ___</p><p>11 Crouch</p><p>14 Dave ___ was coach in Detroit for two seasons</p><p>15 Plus-___ is a popular statistic</p><p>20 Ability</p><p>21 Those who sell tickets at inflated prices</p><p>22 Where the Spengler Cup is held (in Switzerland)</p><p>23 Ron Chipperfield was captain here in 1979-80</p><p>24 See 1 Across</p><h2><b>DOWN</b></h2><p>2 Number worn by Mats Sundin, but by few others</p><p>3 Home of the Cup-winning Cougars of 1925</p><p>4 Those who take the blame for losses</p><p>5 Nickname of Guelph&rsquo;s OHL team</p><p>6 You&rsquo;ll be penalized for ___ of game</p><p>7 Keith ___ was Philadelphia&rsquo;s first coach</p><p>12 He was drafted first overall in 2002, pictured</p><p>13 Makes a desperate attempt to score, ___ ___ all the stops</p><p>16 One who shows you to your seat</p><p>17 Gets ready to play, ___ up</p><p>18 Makes like Serge Savard?</p><p>19 Wayne Gretzky was once part-owner of this Grey Cup-winning team</p><p><b>LAST WEEK&rsquo;S CROSSWORD SOLUTION</b>&nbsp;<b>ACROSS</b> 1. KINGS, 8. DISALLOW, 9. FLEET, 10. OVECHKIN, 11. UNITS, 14. KEANE, 15. TEXAS, 20. COLTS, 21. WINNIPEG, 22. SIMON, 23. NYLANDER, 24. BLADE <b>DOWN</b> 2. ISLANDER, 3. GREAT ONE, 4. SIEVE, 5. MARCH, 6. BLAKE, 7. SWING, 12. MEMORIAL, 13. HARTFORD, 16. TWINS, 17. ANKLE, 18. LIONS, 19. PETER</p><div class="figure-block image-bleed"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-0395/9194317-1-eng-US/f0057-032.jpg" title="f0057-03" width="1738" height="832"></div><span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span>

f0057-02

CROSSWORD

<div class="byline">&#x2013; Ryan Kennedy</div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-0547/9194362-1-eng-US/f0057-052.jpg" title="f0057-05" width="706" height="763"><figcaption class="caption-body"><b>KITCHENER RANGERS</b> NOV. 11 SPECIAL <span class="photo-credit">(DAN HAMILTON/VPS)</span></figcaption><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0057-0476/9194369-1-eng-US/f0057-042.jpg" title="f0057-04" width="155" height="155"></div><p class="dropcap"><span>T</span>rue, it wasn&rsquo;t that long ago that we featured another Kitchener special-issue, but this Remembrance Day sweater, based on the Canadian Armed Forces&rsquo; new medal of valor, is everything good.</p><p>The sweater is so limited edition, it will be worn for just one home game and one away game, then auctioned off to support veterans and never reproduced for market.</p><p>As for the jersey itself, the colors are sharp and the throwback style is perfect.<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

f0057-05

JERSEY Hound

<div class="image-hero"><img title="f0058-02" src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-02129/9194400-1-eng-US/f0058-022.jpg"><figcaption class="caption-body"><span class="photo-credit">(SPORTS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY)</span></figcaption></div><div class="figure-block image-block"><img src="/var/site_2854/storage/images/media2/images/f0058-01195/9194407-1-eng-US/f0058-012.jpg" title="f0058-01" width="205" height="241"></div><p class="dropcap"><b><span>T</span>HERE</b>&nbsp;<b>WAS A TIME</b> when <b>Marc Savard</b> had so little value on the trade market that the Calgary Flames settled for a Russian prospect (Ruslan Zainullin) who never saw the light of day in the NHL &ndash; and probably never will.</p><p>Nor were the Flames the first NHL organization to run out of patience with Savard in the early stages of his career. He was small and talented, but not always blessed with a Grade A work ethic.</p><p>The Rangers had previously shuffled him off to Calgary when he was just 21, suspecting he would never play as a top-six forward and probably wasn&rsquo;t sound enough defensively to fit in anywhere else on the depth chart. New York surrendered his rights so they could move up two places in the 1999 draft. They took Jamie Lundmark, Calgary settled for Oleg Saprykin. Neither did much for their respective teams, or anyone else&rsquo;s for that matter, and one could convincingly argue that with the possible exception of the Sedin twins, there wasn&rsquo;t anyone drafted that year who has done as much as that throw-in on a fairly obscure draft-day deal.</p><blockquote class="pullQuote"><b>&lsquo;He wanted to be known as one of the leaders of this club.&rsquo;</b></blockquote><p>Even now, you don&rsquo;t hear Savard&rsquo;s name mentioned as a candidate for Canada&rsquo;s Olympic team, though he is one of the NHL&rsquo;s most reliable point producers and has been since he arrived in Atlanta to play for the Thrashers.</p><p>Savard, 31, traces his rise to that deal &ndash; and the chance to play for a coach, Bob Hartley, not exactly known for his warm and fuzzy approach. Savard remembers it this way: &ldquo;I went into Atlanta. Obviously, the team wasn&rsquo;t very good. But when Hartley took over, he pulled me in and said, &lsquo;Listen, you&rsquo;re going to play a lot. You can get your career back on track if you want it.&rsquo; So I played 20 minutes a night and things took off from there.&rdquo;</p><p>Savard, a native of Ottawa, had a couple of productive years in Atlanta and then became an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2006. The year before, the Bruins had traded Joe Thornton to the Sharks. They were excited about the teenaged Patrice Bergeron, but needed a more immediate replacement for Thornton&rsquo;s ice time and presence.</p><p>Physically, Thornton towers over Savard, though their essential games are the same &ndash; they are uncommonly good playmakers and every year, in that much ignored &ldquo;assists leader&rdquo; category on the NHL stats page, Thornton and Savard frequently jockey back and forth for the overall lead.</p><p>Savard said he actually came close to returning to Calgary as a free agent; he spoke to team captain Jarome Iginla every day during the decision-making process. Iginla was always good for Savard, because he could gently coax him into the weight room and dispense advice about the things he needed to do off the ice in order to evolve into an above-average player on the ice.</p><p>In the end, the fit in Boston seemed better. The Bruins also committed to defenseman Zdeno Chara during the same free agency period and thus were sending a clear signal they were serious about a turnaround.</p><p>Against long odds &ndash; and a massive run of injuries &ndash; the Bruins made the playoffs last season. And this year they have demonstrated their turnaround was no fluke; that even with such a young team, they can play with anyone in the balanced Eastern Conference.</p><p>Of late, Savard has played with two very different kids &ndash; Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic. Kessel has a bit of Savard in him, while Lucic draws comparisons to Cam Neely, the beloved Bruins power forward.</p><p>Most nights, the Bruins are a well-organized team; for that, coach Claude Julien gets most of the credit.</p><p>&ldquo;At the end of the day, the thing that gets us through is that we know, offensively, we&rsquo;re not great compared to a lot of other teams in the league,&rdquo; Savard said. &ldquo;We know, for us to be successful, we&rsquo;ve got to bring it every night&hellip;and that&rsquo;s working hard and playing strong hockey on both sides of the puck.&rdquo;</p><p>Julien didn&rsquo;t know the early version of Savard that played mostly in the Western Conference and didn&rsquo;t run into him all that much in the East during previous stints as coach of Montreal and New Jersey. But he knows what he&rsquo;s got now.</p><p>&ldquo;To be the type of player he wanted to be and play the minutes he wanted to play, he had to be more reliable both ways,&rdquo; Julien said. &ldquo;Part of it was us making him more accountable last year, part of it was him taking the responsibility to want to be that player. It&rsquo;s a give-and-take situation. He wanted to be known as a guy who would be one of the leaders on this club. If you want to be a leader, you have to earn the respect of your teammates. I think he&rsquo;s done that by showing his teammates he&rsquo;s willing to play at both ends of the ice.&rdquo;</p><p>If that sounds guarded, it&rsquo;s because Savard is never going to be the sort of player that coaches gush about. But when asked if he was happy with him, Julien&rsquo;s reply was telling: &ldquo;He&rsquo;s done well. You look at him. Scoring statistics, he&rsquo;s up there in the league. He keeps producing points, but his plus-minus is in the right area, so you have to be happy with what he&rsquo;s giving you.&rdquo;<span class="end-marker"> &#9632;</span></p>

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December 1, 2008

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Johnny finally on the spot

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