2nd Annual Book of Lists (1994)

2nd Annual Book of Lists (1994)
By Stan Fischler
Nov 6, 2000, 07:26

Biggest dissapointment. ©BBS

The most exciting thing about watching — or playing — hockey is arguing about the ice sport.

NHL arguments take on an infinite variety of forms because hockey is such a contentious sport.

So, in the spirit of furthering solid disputes, we have decided to provide you with our 100% guaranteed Lists for 1993-94. If you have any objections, don’t hesitate to write.

Top Six Players Play-off Teams Can’t Afford to Lose

1. Mark Messier — Rangers: If Messier goes down, the Rangers’ goose is cooked. Messier is the Rangers’ only play-making center and undisputed leader of the team. Sure, Adam Graves and Kevin Lowe can step into the leadership role but a Messier-void in the middle can not be filled.

2. Patrick Roy — Canadiens: The Conn Smythe Trophy winner last year means more to his team then any other goaltender. The champs are only average without Patrick between the pipes. The acquisition of Ron Tugnutt strengthens the No. 2 spot considerably but if the Canadiens have to rely on Tugnutt the chances for a second straight are slim.

3. Curtis Joseph — Blues: If Roy is the most relied upon goalie then Cujo is a close second. Nobody faces more rubber then Joseph on the defense-weak Blues. Jim Hrivnak has only played in a handful of games this season and has not overly impressed. A Joseph-less Blues squad wouldn’t win a game in the playoffs, no matter how much Ron Caron pays his Peter’s, Nedved and Stastny.

4. Jeremy Roenick — Blackhawks: Even with Roenick, the Hawks won’t go far this post-season. Without him the closest Chicago would get to the playoffs is a bar-side stool at their favorite Rush Street pub. Roenick is the Hawks only threat on offense and if he doesn’t play spectacular, the Hawks don’t win.

5. Pavel Bure — Canucks: Bure is to the Canucks what Teemu Selanne was to the Jets. Maybe Vancouver wouldn’t fall quite as far as the the Jets did but they would be struggling for a play-off spot without him. Bure is the only gifted offensive player on the Canucks and they need his speed to take the pressure off a slow and immobile defense.

6. Dale Hawerchuk — Sabres: Ducky is playing his best hockey in years. Alex Mogilny may be wearing the captain’s “C” but don’t let that fool you, Hawerchuk is as much the leader as Mogilny. Without Pat LaFontaine, Hawerchuk assumed the top spot in the middle and has led the team to the top of the league.

Six Players Who Unexpectedly Will Contend for Post-Season Awards

1. John Vanbies-brouck — Pan-thers: Enough can-not be said about Florida’s savior. The erstwhile Ran-ger is having the best season of his career and if the Panthers make the playoffs, he should win the Hart (MVP) Trophy. Beezer has played in more one-goal pressure games than any goalie in the league and is in the top five in GAA and save percentage.

2. Martin Brodeur — Devils: The 21-year-old Frenchman has had a stellar rookie season. Little was expected of him entering training camp but Brodeur quickly progressed and has become one of the NHL’s top goalies. The Calder Trophy candidate has seemingly taken the No. 1 spot from Chris Terreri and looked good doing it, recording big wins in Montreal and Quebec this season.

3. Sergei Zubov — Rangers: The season started poorly for the second year Russian. He reported to camp overweight and almost played his way to Binghamton. Now he is the best defenseman on a team that sports former Norris Trophy-winner Brian Leetch. Zubov trails only Ray Bourque in defenseman scoring and ranks among the league leaders in assists.

4. Jason Arnott — Oilers: Nobody expected this 18-year-old to make the team much less lead it. In a draft that saw such potential superstars as Alexandre Daigle, Chris Pronger, Chris Gratton, and Paul Kariya, Arnott has made the biggest splash, improving as the season has worn on and may prove to be the steal of last year’s draft He certainly should get plenty of Calder votes.

5. Dominik Hasek — Sabres: When all hope seemed lost for Buffalo — in stepped the Dominator. When Grant Fuhr went down, Hasek stepped up. He recorded four shutouts in two-and-a-half weeks, he was twice named player-of-the-week, and once player-of-the-month. His GAA has been at or below 2.00 all season and he single -handedly saved the Sabres sinking ship. Hasek is also among the league leaders in wins and save percentage and should be a finalist for the Vezina.

6. Sergei Fedorov — Red Wings: At the beginning of the 1993-94 season if somebody told you that a Red Wings’ center would be second in the league in scoring how fast would you have said Steve Yzerman? Fedorov has proved he is one of the best two-way players in the NHL. We knew he could check and now we know he can score, maybe all the way to an Art Ross Trophy.

Five Biggest Disappointments

1. Alexei Kovalev — Rangers: The nifty Russian winger was supposed to become a star this year. After netting 20 goals last season, 40 was not out of the question for this campaign. Kovalev started slow and has regressed to a point where he was the subject of trade rumors. To reach 20 this year Kovalev must get hot.

2. Mike Ricci — Nordiques: The Nordiques have been desperate for leadership and Ricci was supposed to be the leader. Last season Mike played a tough game and netted 78 points to boot, but ‘93-94 has been anything but productive for the Scarborough, Ontario native. His unhappiness in Quebec affected his play both physically and on the score sheet.

3. Markus Naslund — Penguins: The former No. 1 pick was given a fat salary and a spot on the No. 2 line but failed to produce even adequate. He scored two goals before being demoted to Cleveland. He hasn’t put up the kind of numbers Craig Patrick would like to see so he still toils in the minors.

4. Kevin Hatcher — Capitals: Last season he led all defensemen with 34 goals. This season he has struggled offensively amid trade rumors, which have followed him for years. When Alain Cote began playing the best hockey of his career Hatcher became expendable

5. Ron Hextall — Islanders: When Don Maloney acquired Hexy last Spring experts thought it was a brilliant move. Actually Hextall has played inadequately — with the exception of one strong mid-season stretch — and was benched in favor of rookie Jamie McLennan for big March contests.

Top Five Power Forwards

1. Cam Neely — Bruins: Neely is having the best season of his career just when it was questionable whether he would even be able to play. He is a tree in front of the net and nobody takes more abuse in that spot. Neely is impossible to knock off the puck when it’s on his stick and has a soft touch around the crease.

2. Brendan Shanahan — Blues: Last year was a breakthrough season for Brendan and he has done little to disappoint this year. He doesn’t fight as much as past years but don’t dare ruffle his feathers. Shanahan is on pace for a 50 goal, 50 assist, 200 penalty minute season.

3. Adam Graves — Rangers: Graves has emerged from his role as Mark Messier’s bodyguard to the complete hockey player. He’s one of the best NHL hitters and plays in all situations (power play and penalty killing). When he breaks the Ranger record of 50 goals by Vic Hadfield, expect the roar from the Garden faithful to raise the roof.

4. Kevin Stevens — Penguins: Coming off the terrifying facial injury in Game Seven of the 1993 Patrick Division Finals Stevens resumed his intimidating style. He’s back to where he was in seasons past and should come close to the 50-goal mark for the third straight time in his career.

5. Keith Tkachuk — Jets: The 21-year-old Winnipeg captain has quickly become one of the NHL’s most feared hitters. Hitting was never in doubt with Tkachuk. What came as a surprise to NHL observers was his ability to put points on the board. In only his second full season with the Jets, Keith will finish with 40 goals, 40 assists, and close to 200 penalty minutes.

Five Players Teams Miss Most

1. Owen Nolan — Nordiques: All season the Nords have been lacking toughness and leadership. Those are elements that the brawny, fiery Nolan could provide them. His 40 something goals wouldn’t have hurt either.

2. Teemu Selanne — Jets: Winnipeg was a play-off team and a borderline Cup contender with him. Without him they are not much better than the Ottawa Senators.

3. Brian Mullen — Islanders: Early in the season the Isles lacked unity and heart. While Mullen lacks superior skills he is a team player in every sense of the word and would have kept the Isles together.

4. Petr Nedved — Canucks: His demands may have been outrageous off the ice but there is no denying his skill on it The Canucks have lacked a play-making center all season and Nedved would have fit the bill to a tee.

5. Marty McSorley — Kings: Could Marty McSorley been the reason the Kings went from finalists to flops? He was one of the more popular Kings and The Great One’s Guardian. He never reached the Penguins’ lofty expectations and may have been reclaimed by Bruce McNall after too much damage had been done.

Five Best Coaching Jobs

1. Roger Neilson — Panthers: Captain Video has made hockey fashionable in South Florida. His defense-first style might not be exciting to watch but you can’t argue with success. If the Panthers make the playoffs, he is a lock for Coach-of-the-Year.

2. Kevin Constantine — Sharks: The fiery coach of the Sharks took over a team that tied Ottawa for worst in the league with 24 points. This season the Sharks stand to make the greatest point improvement of any team this year. Constantine has his Sharks playing disciplined, smart hockey and headed towards their first play-off berth in franchise history. If the coach of the year isn’t Neilson, it has to be Constantine.

3. Ron Wilson — Ducks: Fans laughed when they heard the name “Mighty Ducks”, but they laugh no longer. The Ducks have gone into New York, Montreal, and Toronto and won. Wilson has a good hockey mind and is one of the brightest young coaches to come into the league in a long time. The Ducks have less talent than any of the other expansion teams but no coach has gotten more out of his players than Wilson.

4. Jacques Lemaire — Devils: Lemaire has guaranteed the Devils their best regular season in franchise history and should lead them to a 100 point season. He has done so without a bona fide superstar and a team first attitude. Players respect Lemaire who is teaching them what it takes to become winners.

5. John Muckler — Sabres: First Pat LaFontaine went down, then Grant Fuhr. Everyone expected the Sabres to go down as well. Early in the season Buffalo was in last place going nowhere fast. Muckler sold the Sabres on the team-first concept and they bought it. With a little help from Dominic Hasek and Dale Hawerchuk, Muckler has the Sabres challenging for first place in the Northeast division when they should be challenging Hartford for the cellar. (Ottawa doesn’t count)

Franchise Players at Each Position

1. C — Eric Lindros — Flyers: A no-brainer. Eric has it all: size, speed, and skill. His critics tend to forget this hulking superstar is only 21-years-old and when he matures he will be a combination of Mario Lemieux and Cam Neely.

2. G — Felix Potvin — Maple Leafs: Every great team needs a top notch goalie. and Felix the Cat is the best young netminder in the game. At 22, Potvin is ready to take the torch from Patrick Roy and become the next French super goalie.

3. D — Brian Leetch — Rangers: The 26 year-old Leetch has still not yet reached his prime and already has a 100-point season and a Norris Trophy under his belt. Leetch has improved his defensive play this season under Mike Keenan and still is the most skilled offensive defenseman in the league.

4. RW — Jaromir Jagr — Penguins: The Czech sensation was drafted fifth overall in 1990. If it was done over again there is no doubt JJ would be first. When Jagr gets the puck, fans sit on the edge of their seats and goalies shake in their skates. Jagr came into his own when Mario went down in the ‘91-92 Playoffs and is on pace for his first 100-point season.

5. D — Chris Pronger — Whalers: More then one NHL general manager was overheard at last summer’s draft saying that Pronger was either better than Alexandre Daigle, or, the best defenseman drafted in the last 10 years. The next Larry Robinson is only 18 and will lead the Whalers into the next century.

6. LW — Adam Graves — Rangers: The captain of the team. Graves is a 30-goal scorer who will get 50 on hard work The oldest forward on the list at 26, Graves would be the leader of this team on the ice, but more importantly in the dressing room.

Stan Fischler writes regularly for several major sporting publications.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Dave Taylor: The King at 17

Dave Taylor: The King at 17
By Bob Cunningham
Nov 6, 2001, 07:23

©BBS

It’s a cliche to say that Dave Taylor has seen it all in his 17 years with the Los Angeles Kings. But cliches become cliches because they’re unavoidably accurate. Taylor has experienced a myriad of emotions, a plethora of prospects and a whole bunch of teammates in his time. He has enjoyed a career, from a team standpoint, that has included rewarding achievements as well as decimating shortcomings. He is a constant in a constantly revolving door that is modern-day professional sports.

The Kings have hired and fired 11 head coaches during Taylor’s tenure. But at long last, Taylor’s playing days are winding down. His latest setback, a frustrating concussion that is certainly not the first of his career but is hopefully the last, has him concerned and thinking more about life after hockey than ever.

In his time, he has played alongside two of the greatest ever to lace up the skates — Wayne Gretzky and Marcel Dionne. Gretzky is the main man of today but it was Dionne who took a young Taylor under his wing in 1977 and helped mold him into one of the steadiest performers of our generation. The Triple Crown Line — which featured Taylor, Dionne and Charlie Simmer — brought pride and pleasure to Los Angeles hockey fans during years of otherwise mediocre teams who never could get past the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs — when they got there at all.

As Taylor reflects back on his enduring run of years in uniform, he remembers his relationship with Dionne, the many players and coaches come and gone, the seasons of disappointment as the Kings usually finished closer to the bottom than the top and, finally, the franchise’s incredible trek to last season’s Stanley Cup Finals, where the ultimate prize could have been theirs had it not been for the brilliant goaltending of Montreal’s Patrick Roy.

It has been a career to remember. Four all-star game nominations, including an honorary one this past year. His 17-year stint is one that may reach 18, 19, perhaps 20. And it will be completed entirely within one organization. And although his time to date has not resulted in any championships, it’s doubtful that Taylor would trade places with anyone.

Your career has been remarkable not only for your longevity but for your productivity and consistency for 17 years. What’s your secret to staying in such great shape year after year?

I think it’s been a matter, every year, of learning new training methods, and the fact they have gotten better and better. I spend a lot more time now on the exercise bike than I did earlier in my career. I came into the league a lot smaller than I am now. Hockey has changed, also. Guys used to go to camp to get in shape. Now, trainers send out training programs for players to follow during the off-season. They have tests to make sure you’re where you should be physically. The natural progression of conditioning in general has helped me out. And there’s more competition now. I’ve had injuries — surgery on my knee, my wrist a couple of times, dislocated my shoulder, concussions — rehab is so important. And (team) doctors are not releasing players before they’re fully recovered. That’s very important.

What niche do you believed you’ve carved as a player?

I was always taught to play both ends of the rink. Earlier in my career, I was looked to more for offense. The Triple Crown Line with Marcel, myself and Charlie Simmer scored a lot of goals, a lot of points. Got a lot of time on the power play. As time went on, I came to realize that I wasn’t as good as maybe I used to be. I became more of a third or fourth line player. My roles have changed often over the years. Mainly, I still want to play effectively at both ends of the ice whenever I’m out there.

You played in your first all-star game in eight years this past January. Describe your experience.

It’s always fun to play in an all-star game. You meet all the top players, get to know the guys. And the game is less intense. It’s a lot of fun for the players. Well, it’s hard on the goaltender’s but it’s a great showcase for the league. And with the skating competition and the shootout, it’s an interesting event. This one was special, not only because it was my first since 1988 but because it was at Madison Square Garden and on national television. And it was a good game. The NHL is trying to sell itself a lot more.

You’ve been fortunate to play with two of the game’s greatest ever in Gretzky and Dionne. In fact, Dionne was kind of your mentor. Tell us about your years playing with him.

Marcel was the biggest influence on my career as a pro. I was fortunate to be placed on the line with him midway through my first season, because we ended up being linemates for nine years. He was a superstar, the best in the game I believe when I came in ‘77. Small but powerful. He could do anything. He had no weaknesses. Playing with him, and learning from him, obviously helped my career.

Who’s the greatest player you’ve ever seen in the league during your career? How ‘bout the best goalie?

It’s hard to say because times change. The New York Islanders had a great team and Bryan Trottier was an outstanding player, maybe even the best all-around player ever. Wayne Gretzky is Wayne Gretzky. He put up numbers during Edmonton’s run that were unheard of. When 100 points in a season was considered excellent, he scored 200… with 92 goals that one year. Those are staggering numbers. It was once thought that Gordie Howe’s scoring records would last forever.

As a defenseman, Ray Bourque is outstanding. He’s a great offensive player but he’s just as good defensively. Paul Coffey, he can skate like no one else. He can really move. As for a goaltender, there was Grant Fuhr. When the game was on the line you couldn’t get it by him. You might get him for a couple early in the game, but when you were trying to get that one that would put the game away… no way. He’s a money goalie.

In your time, you’ve seen literally hundreds of players come and go In L.A. Why do you think there’s so much turnover, and that players like you playing so long for the same organization are so rare?

I don’t think there’s any one thing you can put your finger on. Very few have stayed a long time. One problem is that the Kings have not had a lot of great teams and so there’s a lot of turnover. I’ve had 11 head coaches in 17 years. Every year and a half, there is a new philosophy to get adjusted to. It’s hard to get any cohesiveness that way. The last few years, there’s been more stability in the organization and we’ve been more successful as a result. The main thing is that you have to be willing to show up every night, whether you’re battling for first place or fourth place.

As you near the end of your playing career, do you look forward to a “second career” in coaching or management, or do you wish you could freeze time and just play forever?

I realize that I don’t have a lot of playing days left. My first choice would be to stay with the Kings, in management. I’ve been with the Kings 17 years and they’ve been very good to me. I would consider the coaching end but I prefer management, on the hockey end of the operations. I hope to have a few different choices I can pursue. I also realize there will be a certain amount of training. I’ll have a lot to learn.

If you were a coach, what traits would you most seek out in a player? Which would you avoid?

Obviously, you need a lot of different players on your team. Those who can score, those who can play good defense, those who can bang… you can’t have all player’s that are one-dimensional. Personally, I like guys that are mentally tough. Guys that are willing to go to battle one-on-one against somebody that’s maybe a little bigger and come away with the puck. Forwards who are knocked to the ice a couple of times but get back up and go to the net anyway. Luc Robitaille… he scores his goals but the main thing is that he always goes to the net even though he’s getting hit, cross-checked. I like players that do what it takes to gain success.

Speaking of absorbing punishment, you’ve taken your share of hard knocks. Right now, you’re battling another concussion that’s had you out of action more than two months. Is that kind of injury more scary than, say, a twisted ankle or another part of the body that can be easily rehabilitated?

I have a lot of concerns with this right now. Last year, I got hit and my helmet flew off and my head hit the ice. I had a severe concussion and missed 18 games. It was diagnosed as a bruised brain stem. But the doctors said it would heal completely. At Montreal, I was (knocked down again) and the same symptoms — vertigo, headaches — returned. This year, I was elbowed on the chin. I think it’s had a kind of cumulative effect. My tests have been normal, so the doctors still say it should heal. Now I think back to when I was younger and I probably had concussions and went back out there anyway. This has been very frustrating. Anytime I try to exercise, it seems to get worse. It’s not an encouraging thing, but all I can do is try to let it heal.

In a career with so many personal highlights, last season had to be the crowning one for you with the Kings making the Cup Finals for the first time. After you had won Game I against Montreal, what were you and your teammates thinking, so close to where you had never ventured before?

After going into Toronto and winning Game 7 (of the Campbell Conference finals), we only had two days to get ready. But we had done everything we wanted to do at that point. We had a lot of guys on the team that had been there before, with Edmonton. There was a lot of fun and excitement, just three games away from the Stanley Cup. But we knew that one game was just one game and that we had to get ready for the next. Three consecutive overtime games — a hair’s difference between winning and losing. Patrick Roy was great. Every player thinks back after going through that and remembers missed opportunities, “What if the puck had gone in rather than hitting the post?”

From riches to rags, the 1993-94 Kings have struggled from Day 1 this season. The $64,000 question is: Why?

I’m like everyone else. I’m searching for answers. I think we miss Cory Millen. Along with Tony Granato and Mike Donnelly, he gave us that extra dimension of speed. They put a lot of fear into the other team’s defense. Another thing is that some players are not having the seasons that they did last year. Last year, we seemed to like adversity. We excelled when we were backed up. This year’s not like that. We’re a lot different. It’s very frustrating. All we can do is continue to battle for a play-off spot.

Most fans agree that head coaches get too much credit when things go well, and too much blame when they don’t. Is it fair for Barry Melrose to be on the hotseat, as it were?

He’s the same coach he was last year, but he doesn’t quite have the same players. Most of them, but not all of them. He has the same philosophy, but not the same on-ice product. He runs his practices the same, prepares the same. Who knows? It’s a combination of things, I suppose. I know some are saying that he’s not good at motivation, but it seemed to work for us last year.

You and your wife are admired throughout the league and this region of the country for how active you are toward charitable functions. Describe why you go to such great lengths.

We do it because we can. The first time we got involved is when we were approached by Alan Thicke, the actor. His son had been diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. So we wanted to come up with something to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and we ended singing this song and putting it to music. One side had me and the rest of the Triple Crown Line and the other had Phil Esposito and some New York Rangers. The record ended up selling more than 100,000 copies and making $80,000. It was a real beginning for us. My wife was a volunteer for JDF for a number of years. Since Gretzky arrived, hockey’s popularity in Southern California has grown and that’s increased the opportunity. Our “Tip-A-King” event, in which the whole team goes and shakes hands and signs autographs, raises about $250,000 annually.

Okay, a final thought. When your playing days do finally come to an end, how you would like to be remembered?

First of all, I’d like that people remembered me. I’d like to be remembered as a player who showed up every night and gave his best effort. I wasn’t great at anything, but I didn’t have any real weaknesses. A player that worked hard all the time, played to win, and earned his money.

Bob Cunningham is a Southern California-based freelance writer who contributes to several sports publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

The Days of Summer: Play Hockey!

The days of summer: Play hockey!
By Joe Morales
Nov 6, 2001, 07:21

Soon the Stanley Cup finals will be well behind us and another hockey season will come to an end. In the Eastern U.S. and Canada, it was a tradition after the Stanley Cup playoffs to start putting the hockey equipment away into the attic or basement and begin to steer interests toward summer sports — if you weren’t signed up to go to a summer hockey camp. As hockey grew in popularity in the U.S., so did summer hockey programs, and soon clinics, camps and leagues were offered, providing year-round hockey for the “diehards.”

Today year-round hockey is commonplace for players of all ages. It is also a good time to start learning how to play the game as well as planning a “comeback” if you haven’t played for a while. Even though there are many diehards who play year round, a large percentage of amateur hockey leagues thin out during the summer. Summer interests, vacations, and maybe even chores seem to open large holes in rosters of established teams. For the most part, playing during the summer is not taken as serious as the winter leagues, so it is a good time for the unconditioned player to get into shape. For the novice, it may be a good time to make the jump from a clinic into an organized league.

Summer hockey leagues are normally run a bit more loosely than the highly-competitive winter leagues. Generally, player stats are not maintained and rarely are trophies given, but this may vary from league to league. Summer hockey is also a good time to move to another rink or league, maybe to compare player caliber or just to have a change. Whatever your reasons are for continuing to play in the summer, here are a few tips which may help you choose a team and a league which fits your needs.

Caliber of play

One of the first things you may want to consider is caliber of play. Whether you’re joining a summer league as an individual or with a group of other players, careful consideration should be given to this; especially if you are a novice or intermediate player or a player who feels that it’s time to move into a more competitive level of play. Honestly assess your skills as well as your team and decide if you and your team can compete. The opposite situation exists for seasoned players and teams. Do you really want to play in a league where you totally out-class all of your opponents? I Like to play hockey and win, but it doesn’t feel the same when you play a team and beat them in high double digits.

Goals

Your goals as well as your teammates should be well thought out, and hopefully everyone will have a meeting of the minds. A primary objective is to have fun, but there are many players who are very competitive and take their game seriously. As stated earlier, many of the summer leagues are not tightly maintained, so maybe those highly competitive players might want to “chill out” a bit while playing summer league. At the same time, you (and maybe the rest of your team) may decide that you don’t want to take things too lightly to the point where not enough players are showing up to the games (a common problem) or there is a whole bunch of “fooling around” on the ice and on the bench. To pay up to $300 on a 15-or 20-game summer league and treat the whole thing like a big “joke” is an awful waste of money and is not fair to the other players.

Because most people take vacations in the summer, attendance has always been a problem on summer league teams. When joining a summer league, be up front with the rest of your team when you will miss games. Again, I can’t understand players who put down a hefty sum of money to play summer hockey and only show up for 10 percent of their games. Choose a team which is conscientious about attendance so you’re not wasting your time playing on a team which might forfeit most of the games.

If you’re a novice or intermediate player making a jump into a more competitive division, choose a team where your fellow players might help you develop your skills and work with you. At the same time, if you and your summer teammates are seasoned players, you might want to mutually decide if you want to take on players who are not up to the same caliber as the rest of the team. Again, this all depends on how competitive you want to take your summer league competition.

Experiments

Summer is also a good time for team building. I have seen many players form a summer league team and things worked out so well that they decided to stay together into the winter season. Again, the less competitive atmosphere of summer leagues allows many teams and players to “experiment” with different players and positions. Maybe you’re a forward and want to change to defense, or may-be you had a life-long ambition of playing nets. The summer is a good time to try a new position.

Tournaments and vacations

Because amateur hockey has grown across the U.S. during the past several years, many organizations nationwide host hockey tournaments throughout the summer. In the West, several big tournaments are held in Las Vegas, Santa Rosa, Phoenix, Reno and Carson City. With the popularity of these tournaments, it may be the perfect time to take a vacation and play a little hockey at the same time. I’ve played in summer tournaments in Vancouver, Las Vegas, and San Diego, and although most of the time I didn’t come home a “winner,” I always had a great time.

Well there you have it, hockey in the summertime. It almost sounds like mixing oil and water, but summer hockey will continue to grow despite the change in season. Hopefully, the tips given here will help you get the most out of summer hockey and provide a basis of your personal goals and needs. So instead of putting that equipment away, make room on the surf racks and keep the hockey equipment out all year.

Joe Morales is a transplant from New York and has been playing hockey for well over 20 years.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Careers in the NHL: Angela Gorgone

Careers in the NHL: Angela Gorgone
By Bob Cunningham
Nov 6, 2000, 07:17

Step inside the offices of The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and you’re greeted with an atmosphere that efficiently blends the upbeat professionalism of the Walt Disney Company with a colorful extracurricular flavor that is found in pro sports.

Walk past the receptionist’s desk, turn right after strolling between two rows of decorator hockey sticks aligned like window blinds and head into the first door on the right. There, you’ll find dozens of media guides and other hockey reference materials adorning a back cabinet, organized impeccably. The quaint but ample office is cleanly decorated in The Mighty Ducks’ jade, purple and white. An impressive wood desk is neatly orchestrated, dominated by a computer terminal.

This is the office of the Coordinator of Computer Scouting and Video. This is Angela Gorgone’s office.

It’s appropriate that Gorgone’s office is the first one you reach as you head back into the arteries that make a professional organization’s heart beat. Appropriate because the role Gorgone plays intendedly works as a transfusion of information that is utilized in ultimately deciding which players are going to be donning the Ducks’ uniforms in the future.

The correspondence also aids the team in analyzing its future foes.

Arriving at this point in her career hasn’t been without the routine pitfalls and some sacrifice, but Gorgone is ecstatic over her progression into the field she’s known all along was right for her, the only one for her actually.

“I couldn’t be happier,” she beams.

Dedication, desire and hard work

Gorgone notes that the old standbys of dedication, desire and hard work are all that’s needed to begin a career in professional sports… women included.

She’s proud to say that the fact that she’s female has never really been a hindrance.

“In terms of actually someone making me feel unwelcome, or that I can’t do what I’m doing in hockey because I’m a woman, that’s never happened,” she says. “Occasionally, there’ve been times when I’ve felt more pressure. Really, I just become more determined to prove myself. To show I belong. I guess I have to know that much more than a man in the same position might have to know.”

In a sport that has spawned the integration of women into its actual product, Gorgone has pursued a more realistic approach toward a rewarding and enjoyable career in professional hockey, assisting in the operations of a National Hockey League team by virtue of her detailed knowledge of the entire organizational spectrum — from the lowest minor leagues on up.

The key for Gorgone, 26, has been her bachelors degree in sports management obtained from Ohio-based Bowling Green University. She had known since her earliest days growing up in Copiague, Long Island that she desired to pursue a career in hockey. But how to reach that goal didn’t become clear until shortly after graduation from high school.

Eat, drink and work hockey

“Growing up, we lived hockey. We ate, slept and drank the New York Rangers,” explains the single Anaheim resident. “Believe it or not, I wanted to work specifically in hockey since I was six years old.”

The sculpture of her eventual career path began to take shape after she watched Bowling Green’s 1984 hockey team outlast the University of Minnesota-Duluth in four overtimes to capture the NCAA title.

Gorgone had inquired to different colleges regarding her interests, but couldn’t locate the right type of program. Most discussed the training aspect of the game, while Gorgone was more interested in crunching numbers. She had worked as team statistician in high school in baseball, basketball and lacrosse, as well as hockey.

“I wrote to Bowling Green and they mailed me back some literature. They had a sports management degree. That was something that was relatively new at that time. I knew that’s what I wanted. They couldn’t have described it any better.”

Four years later, in the spring of 1989, Gorgone graduated with her bachelor’s. That came about five months after she began a critical internship with the New Jersey Devils.

“I wrote to different teams and received two offers — from the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals,” she says. “I went with the Devils because I’m from Long Island, it was more local.”

From Bowling Green to Rangers

Gorgone credits some of her successful rise to her association with former Ranger George McPhee, a Bowling Green alumnus she came to know.

“I really admired him, not because he was a great scorer or even a great player, but because he was the hardest working player I could ever remember. I’ve never forgotten that.”

With the Devils, Gorgone functioned as Hockey Staff Assistant under Director of Player Personnel Marshall Johnston. She also worked under Max McNab, the Executive Vice President and General Manager, as well as father of David McNab, the Mighty Ducks’ present Director of Player Personnel. She compulated statistics, assisted in writing out scouting reports, assisted in the production of the media guide and also worked in community relations, helping to schedule team appearances at local charitable functions.

The Devils liked her work so much, they decided to retain her as a full-time employee following the conclusion of her internship. She remained with the Devils until July of last year.

Migrate West

It was then that, despite the incredibly positive and supportive experience of the previous four years, it was time for something else.

“I had gotten to know Jack Ferreira through a mutual friend,” Cordons explains. “When the new team was formed out here, Jack called me and I thought it was the opportunity of a lifetime. I just couldn’t refuse. My years in New Jersey were invaluable, but it was time to move on.”

Gorgone notes that she’s been given a great deal more responsibility with The Mighty Ducks than she had at New Jersey.

“I guess you could say I’m the hockey resource person. I helped develop our computer scouting system,” she said.

During Mighty Ducks games, Gorgone can be found in the press box, busily entering data into a portable computer while the game is in progress. The information she initiates is eventually digested by the powers at be, resulting in decisions that directly affect the team on the ice.

Gorgone notes that coming to sunny Southern California was really a coincidence concerning her team change. This move was based purely on her hockey career.

Enjoy what you do

“I love it out here, I really do. I had never been to Southern California before. But coming out here had nothing to do with the location,” she explains. “If this opportunity would have been in Winnipeg, I would’ve taken it. The chance to help build a new organization… it’s exciting to help build something from scratch.”

Gorgone’s future aspirations don’t differ greatly from her current situation. Actually, though, she admits she hasn’t given the long term a great deal of thought.

“I’m really concentrating right now on doing the best I can in this position. I think I’d always like to stay in the hockey department, although I don’t think I’d want to go too much into the scouting end of it because of the travel.

“It’s very important to me that you enjoy what you do. I love coming to work. I love being at the games,” she says. “It’s really not as glamorous as people think. Some people think the players come in here and hang out all day.

“But I still love it.”

Bob Cunningham is a Southern California-based freelance writer who contributes to several sports publications throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This first appeared in the 05/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Kitchen’s One-On-One Recipe

Kitchen’s one-on-one recipe
By Fred Pletsch
Nov 6, 2001, 07:00

Mike Kitchen. ©BBS

Offensive talents Wendel Clark and Mats Sundin garnered most of the headlines as the premier players involved in the 1994 draft day deal between Toronto and the then-Quebec Nordiques. But a player some consider to be the best defensive defenseman in the NHL also switched teams that day.

Sylvain Lefebvre, the 6’2”, 204-pound rearguard is as good as they get according to Toronto assistant coach Mike Kitchen, who said goodbye to Lefebvre that June day.

“He’s a guy you want out there protecting a lead,” says Kitchen. “Sylvain is a big, strong player with exceptional skating ability. (With Toronto) he always played against the other team’s big line because he could skate backwards with any forward as well as they could skate forward. And he really frustrated them because of his use of the stick and intelligent positional play.”

First things first

Kitchen, who crafted his own eight-year NHL career on the blueline with Colorado and New Jersey from 1976 through 1984, says it’s important for defensemen to adopt an attitude whereby they recognize their limitations.

“You have to think of defense before offense. Accept your role and think of team play first, and individual play second. Pay large attention to small details and always be aware of the situation (on the ice)—such as the time left in the game, the score, and (what players) you’re playing against.”

Containment of opposing forwards in one-on-one battles is one of the most important contributions a defenseman can make in his own end. Kitchen notes that you don’t always know what the referee is going to call in youth hockey, but that there are some basic defensive tenets from pro hockey that can be applied at lower levels.

“The one rule of thumb is that the only thing a guy can score with is his stick,” states Kitchen. “He can’t kick it in and he can’t direct it in with his hand or body. So if you can just come across at the right time and get his stick up, the guy is not going to score.”

Kitchen isn’t a fan of the World Wrestling Federation either, at least in front of the net.

“Don’t get tied up where you’re in a real wrestling match because it’s going to affect your goalie’s view of the puck. You don’t have to be jamming your stick between the guy’s legs and trying to spin him around. A lot of it is timing.

“Once you see that shot coming from the point or off the wing, get in there and lift your man’s stick.”

Kitchen also recommends getting the jump on would-be net crashers by establishing position first whenever possible.

“We did this successfully in the playoffs (in 1993) against Dino Ciccarelli of Detroit,” recalls Kitchen. “When we got there first he couldn’t act as a screen on Felix Potvin in front of the net. But if he got there first, we decided just to leave him—because Felix can look around two legs better than four. And we weren’t going to play WWF either. If we grabbed early positioning, great; if not, we just left him alone and tried to come across and get his stick at the right time.”

Work that D

One of Kitchen’s favorites for improving man-on-man containment is the one-on-one three-way drill. He diagrams it this way:

“On the whistle—and the forward can’t leave until he hears the whistle—Forward 1 will walk out of the corner (with a puck) and the defenseman in front of the net will challenge him and handle that one-on-one. Once the coach has decided that’s enough, the second whistle will sound and Forward 2 will walk out of the corner, and that same defenseman handles (the new) one-on-one. When the coach is satisfied that battle is done, the whistle sounds again and Forward 3 comes out of the corner, and the same defenseman who was handling Forward 2 challenges Forward 3 and tries to keep him outside of the goal.

“Then, on the fourth whistle, Forward 3 tries to tip a point shot from another defenseman who is at the blueline. The defenseman who was providing the net-front coverage must try to time his approach and lift the stick of Forward 3, not allowing him to tip the shot.

“Remember, the forwards coming from the corners all have puck possession, with Forward 3’s puck deemed dead once the fourth whistle blows, and both Forward 3 and the defenseman release to concentrate on the point shot.”

Every coach wants players with the skill of Mats Sundin and Wendel Clark in their lineup, but you need defensive stalwart types such as Sylvain Lefebvre to be successful, too.

Fred Pletsch is a veteran OHL and AHL broadcaster who currently covers the Cornwall Aces for CJFS radio.

This first appeared in the 10/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Backwards Skating Tips

In order to play defense in hockey, you’ve got to be able to confidently skate backwards. Switching from forward skating to backwards and back again is crucial.

Stance:
Knees and ankles REALLY bent
Skates shoulder-width apart
Back straight and eyes looking forward
Pretend you’re sitting on a chair
Keep your butt low to the ice
Keep only your top hand on the stick
Start each push from directly

Backwards Skating Tips

In order to play defense in hockey, you’ve got to be able to confidently skate backwards. Switching from forward skating to backwards and back again is crucial.

Stance:
Knees and ankles REALLY bent
Skates shoulder-width apart
Back straight and eyes looking forward
Pretend you’re sitting on a chair
Keep your butt low to the ice
Keep only your top hand on the stick
Start each push from directly

Backwards Skating Tips

In order to play defense in hockey, you’ve got to be able to confidently skate backwards. Switching from forward skating to backwards and back again is crucial.

Stance:
Knees and ankles REALLY bent
Skates shoulder-width apart
Back straight and eyes looking forward
Pretend you’re sitting on a chair
Keep your butt low to the ice
Keep only your top hand on the stick
Start each push from directly

On D with Charlie Huddy

On D with Charlie Huddy
By Bob Cunningham
Nov 5, 2000, 06:57

©BBS

It’s one thing to be a decent NHL defenseman for a few seasons; quite another to be one for life. But that’s what it seems like as far as Charlie Huddy is concerned.

A veteran of five NHL Stanley Cup championship teams (by contrast, Wayne Gretzky has won four), Huddy’s career is winding down these days. After nine glorious seasons as an ingredient in the Edmonton Oilers incredible reign of success in the 1980s, and three more in Los Angeles—which included yet another Stanley Cup Finals appearance—Huddy completed his 13th season in the NHL in 1995 as a second-line defenseman for the Buffalo Sa-bres, his current team.

The ‘95 season wasn’t a great one by Huddy’s standards—he scored only seven points in 41 games, and the Sabres were bounced from the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs by Philadelphia—but one thing continues to ring true: Huddy is and always has been a quality NHL defenseman.

“For me, it’s important to concentrate on the job I’m paid to do. I really try to keep it simple,” he says. “My focus is on containment and trying to create turnovers to get the puck to our wings.”

Sure, it’s a pretty simple formula. But if it ain’t broke….

He teaches, too

“I try to work with the younger guys as much as I can, if they’re willing to let me tell them some things,” he says. “I do believe it’s very important to be a teacher of the game when you can.”

That may be part of the reason Buffalo picked Huddy up along with Alexei Zhitnik in the controversial (to LA fans) Grant Fuhr trade.

Huddy’s career has been brilliant at times, and respectable always. He’s not the type to do any one thing exceptionally well, but instead attempts to fulfill all aspects of the position satisfactorily. A steady-Eddie, if you will.

“Yeah, I think some guys try to establish themselves in a certain way, but for me I just wanted to play,” Huddy reasons.

Scanning Huddy’s lengthy career, and the team as well as individual success he has enjoyed, the conclusion is that you have to play on a good team in order to last as long as Huddy has.

“Well, I’ve been fortunate to play with guys like Gretz and Jari Kurri and Mark Messier,” Huddy explains. “But that didn’t affect my attitude toward my job on the ice, which is to play as hard as I can all the time.”

At 6’ and 210 pounds, Huddy is big enough to pound away in the corners and, sticking with his basic philosophy, he’ll do so when the occasion merits it.

“But you have to be able to get out after the man with the puck,” he adds.

Communication a key

Huddy emphasizes communication with his fellow defensemen as well as other teammates. Many a goal has been scored because of a brief letdown by the defense—most of which are caused by miscommunication, or a lack of it.

“I’m not a real vocal guy, but we talk out there. You have to make sure everything is accounted for,” Huddy says.

Especially in his prime, Huddy excelled at turning opposition turnovers into points. His best season individually was his first full year in the NHL, with Edmonton in 1982/83, when he tallied 57 points (including 20 goals) in 76 games.

But that’s not to say he has grown worse with age. On the contrary, he has rounded his game so that he’s more effective at both ends. The sacrifice has been in his scoring statistics only. And there has been little sacrifice in terms of team success.

“He’s the type of guy you have to have to be a winning hockey team,” said former Kings assistant coach Cap Raeder, now filling a similar role in Boston, in 1993. “Who knows where we’d (have been) without Charlie.”

The burly, 36-year-old Huddy has a hard time identifying why his career has endured nearly three times longer than the average NHLer’s.

“There’s a lot of luck involved, that’s for sure. I’ve been fortunate not to have a lot of serious injuries in my career,” he says. “I try to keep myself in good shape in the offseason. I work hard because I realize that’s what I have to do if I want to continue to play.”

There certainly is some luck involved when you can play at least 50 games in every season (except the lockout-shortened ‘95 campaign, which totaled 48 games) for as long as Huddy has. But the best ones make their own luck.

“Work hard all the time. It’s tough to explain it any other way.”

— Bob Cunningham

This first appeared in the 10/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Tools You Need to Succeed

Tools you need to succeed
By Mitch Korn
Nov 6, 2001, 06:55

Parents may panic when they hear their child announce “I want to be a goalie,” even though goaltender is one of the greatest positions in sports. So before you give your loved ones a heart attack by “donning the pads,” there are a lot of things you should work on in order to ensure your enjoyment and success between the pipes.

Be an athlete

The best goalies are the most athletic ones, those with the speed of a cat. The ability to “scramble” in tough situations requires body control. All quality goaltenders are in super shape, both physically and cardiovascularly. Their muscles are strong and toned, and their “wind” is exceptional. The old cliché of “putting the fat kid in net” has never been farther from the truth.

Be a great skater

This much is clear: if you can’t skate, you can’t excel. We’re not talking about skating in a straight line. We are talking about explosive starts and stops; quick lateral movements; rapid transitions and brisk recovery, all the while maintaining excellent balance and agility—ever ready to make a save. It sounds easy to some, but it’s tough!

Be flexible

Again, the best athletes have outstanding lower body flexibility. The ability to contort from the waist, hips, knees, and groin are a must to close holes and perform well. Don’t be discouraged, however; you can work to improve your flexibility every day!

Have no fear of the puck

A “puck-shy” goalie, or one who is “timid,” will not have great success. The goalie must be fearless, of both the puck and the traffic around the net.

In order to eliminate any fear of the puck, a goaltender must have quality equipment in which he or she has confidence. While “big money” is spent on the fancy gloves, pads and mask (not to mention the paint job) little attention is paid to the pants, chest pads and arm pads—where most of the bruises and “hurts” tend to occur.

Granted, the equipment is very expensive. But keep in mind that newer is not necessarily better. At the younger ages, purchasing quality used equipment is fine. Many hockey associations provide goalie equipment. And remember, sometimes spending a little more means a lot better protection.

Have no fear of the game

There is always pressure on a goalie, either self-imposed or placed upon him by the coach, parents, teammates or even fans. The goalie has to be up to the challenge. He has to be mentally tough, self-confident, and want to be the difference in the game. The ability to “shake off” an early goal, or to “tune out” an overzealous parent is required. But if you can do that, you’ll find there’s nothing better than making that big save with under a minute to go to save the game!

Also, the goaltender plays the safest position on the ice. No one can hit him, he is wearing an armor of protective equipment, and his entire team protects him. Other than the puck, which is rather predictable, the goalie does not have to worry about going into the corner with some psycho, bruising, high-sticking, butt-ending goon!

Be good mentally

Besides the need for “mental toughness” (above) the goaltender must be able to anticipate, read and react, make the proper save selections, and see the puck—even when it isn’t able to be viewed. Simply, the goaltender must have a head for the game. Reacting physically is not enough. Those with solid mental skills can usually out-wit the goal scorer by anticipating and reading the play.

Be A Worker

Regardless of one’s natural skills, there is no substitute for hard work. The goalie, like the quarterback of the football team, is a leader and has to set an example. The longer you play the position, the more you’ll realize that the work ethic is directly related to success.

Be normal…sort of

All it takes is one goalie who is “bananas” to give all of us a bad name! True, the best goalies tend to be a little special…a bit more creative…a bit over confident…a bit more outgoing…and a bit more demanding than the norm. But all the stories of goalies that are “nuts,” doing crazy things, are the exception and not the rule. Sure they’re usually intense, but goalies are actually pretty good guys!

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 10/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®