Nhl 8/17

[TexasBC6]

Blues...

Cajanek might ease pressure felt by Blues' top line
Koivisto, Khavanov could replace injured Pronger early in season


By NORM SANDERS
Faceoff.com correspondent

Even before the arrival of new scouting director Jarmo Kekalainen, the St. Louis Blues were relying heavily on some imported talent from Europe.

That talent could go a long way toward determining the team's success in the upcoming season.

Finnish defenseman Tom Koivisto and Russian Alexander Khavanov are being counted on to help carry the load during the three-month injury rehabilitation of star defenseman Chris Pronger.

Koivisto, 28, brings an offensive flair to the defense position and adds a little physical presence as well.

Another European being counted on heavily at the forward position is 26-year-old former Czech League star Petr Cajanek. Cajanek is a known talent as a playmaker and has enjoyed success at the international level.

The Blues already have the services of Europeans Pavol Demitra, Sergei Varlamov, goalie prospect Reinhard Divis and defense prospect Christian Backman. The team's first-round draft pick this season was Russian forward Alexei Shkotov.

How quickly Cajanek adapts to the North American style will be the key. If he nails down a spot as one of the team's top point producers, he immediately lessens the team's reliance on the 2001-02 top line of Pavol Demitra, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Mellanby.

A healthy return to form by center Doug Weight, expected to make a full recovery from off-season abdominal injury, would also be a welcome sign.

Weight had only 49 points in in 61 games last season, dealing with injuries to his pelvis and knee, but has been at least a point-a-game performer throughout his career.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Weight did a three-week strengthening and conditioning program with personal trainer Charles Poliquin of Phoenix. Poliquin has worked with Blues stars Keith Tkachuk, Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger in previous years.

That program helped Weight gain 11 pounds of muscle.

"Doug went faster and better than my experience with any other Olympic athlete," Poliquin told the Post-Dispatch. "People should expect a Doug Weight that's stronger, sturdier - he was always in good shape, but now he's strengthening the right stuff."

Weight hopes to be quicker and more explosive next season after missing 20 games because of his knee and pelvic injuries.

With Demitra and Weight as his top two centers, Blues coach Joel Quenneville has plenty of options after that.

Unfortunately, most are of the third or fourth line variety with players like Dallas Drake, Jamal Mayers, Tyson Nash, Mike Eastwood, Reed Low and Daniel Corso.

Perhaps a surprise season from one of both of youngsters Eric Boguniecki, the AHL most valuable player last season, or winger Sergei Varlamov, would add not only to the team's depth but help in the scoring column.

 

[TexasBC6]

Blackhawks...

'Hawks take a flyer on Fleury
Chicago badly needs Theo Fleury's ability to stir up the fans


By JIM MATHESON
The Edmonton Journal
Theo Fleury says everybody has baggage but his baggage isn't exactly carry-on. It's check-in.

The Chicago Blackhawks, who helped Bob Probert out of his drinking hole years ago, paying his full salary the year he was suspended by the National Hockey League, didn't even blink when they gave Theo $4 million a year for two years, though.

They thought seriously of grabbing Teemu Selanne earlier in the summer, figuring he'd look good with his old Winnipeg Jets' linemate Alexei Zhamnov, but Selanne opted to stay in San Jose.

Fleury was always No. 2 on their shopping list. They may have overpaid, considering Theo's good friends in Phoenix - Wayne Gretzky and Cliff Fletcher - were never going to dig that deep, although they certainly wanted him and maybe would have moved Shane Doan to left wing to get him a first-line right-wing spot.

The Hawks may have been able to get him for $3 million, plus incentives, but they needed Fleury's ability to stir the fans in the worst way after losing captain Tony Amonte. So, owner Bill Wirtz didn't even blink at the payout, figuring it was still $2 million or so less than their last offer to Amonte, even though Theo is 34 and Amonte is 32.

If nothing else, signing Theo got the Hawks on the front page of the sports section in August, no mean feat. The Hawks struggle mightily to get there in any great depth in November, when they're playing.

Of course, not everybody was jumping on the bandwagon. A headline in the Chicago Sun-Times said the deal would "come back to haunt" GM Mike Smith.

But that's the story of Fleury's life. Love him or hate him; he's always been a story, and a battler. First it was his size. Lately, it's been his other problems, admitting to substance abuse, then last year when he had family troubles.

He's never ducked a good fight, and he's got one now, to prove he can still be a productive, game-in, game-out player, after losing it about halfway through last year, debating far too many penalty calls, complaining the refs were out to get him, and even getting into an embarrassing flap with San Jose's mascot Sharkie. "If my head is straight, I still feel I'm one of the best players in the game," said Fleury, in a conference call from his New Mexico summer home in Santa Fe. "I have to take responsibility for the things I do. Obviously things got off the rails last year."

Fleury's three years in New York were an education, if nothing else. He says he enjoyed his time there, but really, Fleury needs a smaller stage.

A few weeks ago, he'd said he'd like a city that wasn't quite as media crazy, which is why he thought of quieter times in Phoenix, but Chicago is an original-six town, and fans know their hockey.

It won't be easy there, but coach Brian Sutter, who had a great relationship with Theo in Calgary, will be his security blanket.

It might just work: most people said Theo's ex-Flame teammate Phil Housley had nothing left, but Sutter got some great work out of him. The Hawks know Theo's history. Smith and New York Rangers GM Glen Sather are close. Smith joked that when they took Theo on a tour of Chicago recently "he saw parts of the city he'd never seen before." Not Rush Street, obviously.

They know he's had problems, but so did Probert. Frankly, signing Theo is a risk, but how big? He wasn't Canada's best forward at the Olympics in Salt Lake City, but you always noticed him when he was out there, against the best players in the world.

In truth, the Hawks traded Amonte for Fleury, which isn't that bad a swap. Both guys played in the Olympics. Amonte has better hands around the net today than Fleury, who's become more of an assist guy. But both are normally point-a-game players.

The key is whether Theo can keep his outside life from intruding on his hockey playing. If so, it's a good deal for the Hawks, who badly need a gate attraction - they still weren't banging down the doors last year, even with the terrific coaching job by Sutter and 96 points.

 

[TexasBC6]

Preds...

Predators defenseman suspended


New York, NY (Sports Network) - Nashville Predators defenseman Jere Karalahti was suspended six months without pay on Friday by the NHL for a third violation of the league's substance abuse policy.

Karalahti, a native of Finland, will enter a treatment program.

The NHL Substance Abuse Program is broken down into four stages: treatment but no penalty; suspension without pay during treatment; a six-month suspension; and, a one-year suspension with no guarantee of reinstatement.

Karalahti, 27, played nine seasons in Finland before joining the Los Angeles Kings in the 1999-00 NHL season. He had eight goals and 18 assists in 135 games with the Kings before moving to Nashville towards the end of last season. He played 14 games for the Predators and had two assists with 12 penalty minutes.

 

[wigs]

hmmmm?

hmmmm?

The New York Post reported Monday that the National Hockey League has rejected the contracts signed with the New York Rangers by Bobby Holik and Darius Kasparaitis.

The paper added that the move to reject the deals was made on Aug. 7 and the National Hockey League Players Association responded with a grievance just 48 hours later.

The league office is reportedly objecting to the signing-bonus covenants in each of the contracts.

The NHL has confirmed for TSN that the dispute will go before an arbitrator, though no hearing date has been set.

Holik signed a five-year, $45 million deal that includes a $10.7 million signing bonus with about $2.7 million given out the first season and $2 million each following season for the duration of the contract. Kasparaitis signed a six-year, $25.5 million deal with $6 million in signing bonuses with $1 million given out each season for the duration of the contract.

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Holik a 20 goal scorer worth $9 million?

:nono:

Sure he does have otehr attributes that make him valuable, but I think he is way over paid

 

[wigs]

agreed $$$,

interesting article on the Flyers...

By Matt Canamucio, Sports Network NHL Editor
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - As Philadelphia Flyers head coach Ken Hitchcock enters his first season behind the Orange and Black bench, it appears that he has been set up. It's just not clear yet whether it's to succeed or fail.

When Hitchcock, who was let go by Dallas last January, was hired by the Flyers in May, he dove into a rather unstable situation, both on and off the ice. He was introduced a mere two weeks after Bill Barber was fired on the heels of a verbal lynching by his players, and that came right behind the club's disgraceful first-round loss to Ottawa -- Philly's fourth quarterfinal exit in five tries.

The opening-round oust, which saw the Flyers manage a record-low two goals in five games, marked the end of a season that began last summer when many in the hockey world tabbed the team as THE premier club in the Eastern Conference, and a legitimate contender for the Stanley Cup itself.

But with that preseason hype a distant memory, a decision had to be made by Flyer management as to what corrective action would be taken to avoid yet another postseason embarrassment. Things started off hopeful, as Hitchcock's hiring was followed by Bob Clarke's mugging of Lightning GM Jay Feaster on draft day to secure the No. 4 overall pick.

Unfortunately for the Philly faithful, that was all she wrote in terms of significant offseason movement. Having made his big splash in 2001 with the acquisitions of Jeremy Roenick, Eric Weinrich and budding defenseman Kim Johnsson, Clarke took to the airwaves and declared it would be a quiet summer at the First Union Center.

For once he wasn't putting up a front. But should he have been?

The team has said the lack of participation in player movement was essentially the offering of a benefit of the doubt. Those in the dressing room, led by underachieving captain Keith Primeau, tore into Barber and blamed him for the meltdown down the stretch, and the Flyers' organization, led by chairman Ed Snider, is providing a chance to prove that the coach was indeed the sole problem.

"We want to see how everything plays out this season with this particular group of players," Snider told the Philadelphia Inquirer last month. "If it doesn't work out this year, then it's time to go in a different direction.

"If this team can't win under Ken Hitchcock, then I am convinced it can't win under anyone."

You have to respect Snider's logic at its base, in that the defeated group should have an opportunity to prove itself with a premier leader like Hitchcock, who, after convincing his skaters to buy into his strict system, guided the Stars to the 1999 Stanley Cup. But it has to be asked if this is in fact the same band picked to win the East last September, and if Hitch has the tools HE needs to make things work.

Let's start at the top of the totem pole, a place John LeClair has been at or near since he was obtained from Montreal back in 1995. The Flyers' offseason intentions to stand pat were likely based on a healthy LeClair that could strive closer to his elite power forward status of the mid-late 1990s, when he teamed with Eric Lindros to form one of the most dangerous duos around.

This past season, his first healthy one without 88 in the middle, LeClair tallied a mere 25 goals in 82 games. And while the absence of Lindros may have played a minor role in his decline (LeClair scored 40 goals in 1999-2000 with Lindros sidelined for a good portion of the season), it seemed as if his ailing back was more to blame. To his credit, he never cited it as an excuse, but LeClair, who earned his paycheck at the rim of the crease during his All-Star years, shied away from the trenches in 2001-02, often opting to work from behind the net instead. In addition, his once-lethal shot from the high slot lost all traces of accuracy.

Concerns surrounding LeClair's back gained steam in early July when he underwent what was originally deemed a minor procedure to remove scar tissue. But once inside, doctors discovered and repaired a herniated disc -- different from the one operated on in October 2000 -- which sparked even more questions about how much he can contribute, and when. Not exactly a stable situation with the highest paid player on the roster.

Another player Philly is banking on is aging right wing Mark Recchi, who will turn 35 during the upcoming season. At first glance, Recchi's 22 goals and 64 points last campaign weren't all that bad, but his lack of output in the second half -- four goals from January 26 onward -- was glaring down the team's horrid stretch run. The one thing Recchi will have on his side during his quest for a resurgence is an old friend in Hitchcock. The two were player and coach while Recchi was in juniors at Kamloops in the late 80s.

Elsewhere on the frontlines, Roenick, whose 21 goals in 2001-02 didn't quite live up to the expectations spurred by his much-ballyhooed July 2001 signing. But Roenick's goal-scoring shortcomings are the least of Hitchcock's problems in terms of an offensive attack. Besides the questionable notion of LeClair and Recchi bouncing back, the club would like to see something from Primeau, who at times has looked to be nothing more than a very good third-line center. Well, with Adam Oates gone and newly acquired Michal Handzus penciled in as the checking pivot, Primeau will be the No. 2 man in the middle whether he likes it or not.

Two x-factors are youngsters Simon Gagne and Justin Williams, who have steadily progressed during their short tenures in the National Hockey League. Gagne, already an Olympic gold medalist and All-Star, is on the cusp of becoming a bona fide star, but the restricted free agent remains unsigned as training camp looms. And the last thing needed, especially with this club, is a young gun holding out when those exhibition games roll around.

Clarke is also counting on the almost-a-bust Pavel Brendl to contribute to the big club, after a so-so effort with the AHL's Phantoms. Following a simply dazzling preseason in 2001, the former No. 4 overall pick was sidetracked by injury in the season-opener and managed only one goal in eight NHL games.

Defensively, the Flyers are, at least on paper, weaker than when we last left them. Not only has former captain Eric Desjardins, who has already hit the wall in his career, undergone shoulder surgery this summer, but the ever- steady Luke Richardson was allowed to flee to Columbus via free agency. Replacing Richardson, who had developed great chemistry with partner Dan McGillis over the years, is the highly-regarded, but unproven rookie Bruno St. Jacques.

In all, Philly's blueline corps are by no means horrible, but with Desjardins, McGillis, Chris Therien and Weinrich all past the 30 mark, one has to wonder how things can get better rather than worse, even with further development from Johnsson. And what kind of success can Hitchcock produce with a sputtering defense, considering that the root of his formula in Dallas was his outstanding backline, led by mainstays Derian Hatcher, Richard Matvichuk, Darryl Sydor and Sergei Zubov?

Believe it or not, the one area the Flyers may actually be stronger is between the pipes, where Roman Cechmanek, despite his on-ice fit during the playoffs, is the clear-cut No. 1 after two years of controversy and distraction. Clarke passed on free agents like Curtis Joseph, Ed Belfour and Byron Dafoe, and shipped Checko's competition, Brian Boucher, West to Phoenix in a deal that acquired Handzus and very solid backup Robert Esche.

So, after absorbing all of this, it's time for some questions. Should the Flyers have played a larger role in the NHL's annual summer market, or was staying put the proper move? Has Hitchcock, who has the added task of getting this particular bunch of players to practice what he preaches after last spring's mutiny, been given the gift of a stocked team that simply needs guidance?

Judge for yourself, but this writer believes that Hitchcock has absolutely not been given a fair shot here. It was obvious that, fallout with its head coach or not, this Philadelphia team was not the finely tuned machine it was tagged to be, and some offseason tweaking was necessary -- especially when LeClair's back concerns ballooned.

Of course, I could be wrong in my estimation, as most were a year ago about this team. Maybe Primeau and Co. will respond to Mr. Snider's challenge...

...or maybe not.

 

[TexasBC6]

Not sure whether it was a quesion of should they go after anyone in the offseason, but rather could they get anyone worthwhile without overpaying. Good article, I'm interested to see how Hitch works out in Philly.

Oh yeah, and agreed TTM$ -- Holik isn't worth near that much.