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Saturday, December 18, 1999
Second thoughts for Hasek?
The whispers that Dominik Hasek will play one more year became a lot louder in Buffalo this week.
At a news conference to update his groin injury, Hasek was given the chance to deny the speculation that he's reconsidering retirement to the Czech Republic. After saying he intended to get healthy to play this season and that nothing had changed about next year, Hasek added a "we'll see" about his departure from the NHL.
This isn't the way the Vezina Trophy winner envisioned his departure from the game and sources say he is concerned with losing a big promotion deal with Louisville equipment if he can't play in the all-star game. He also has the Dominator line of clothing and a book that would be affected by a subdued exit.
Until recently, he had his equipment hanging in his stall at the Marine Midland Arena, which forced rookie Martin Biron to dress on a stool in the middle of the room. But when Hasek saw how Biron was being treated, he cleaned out his gear, nameplate and all and gave the space to the kid.
BIG APPLE SOURS ON HOCKEY
These are not the best of times for the three New York area teams, despite the Rangers stabilizing and the Devils being seven games above .500.
The woeful Islanders are drawing less than 10,000 a game and the Devils had 8,000 empty seats against the Kings the other night, a good opponent. With New York a bellwether of hockey interest in the U.S., the wide expanse of empty seats is a troubling sight to the players, .
"I was worried when I was driving to the (Kings') game with Marty (Brodeur)," Bobby Holik told The New York Times. "I was saying 'we'll be lucky if we break into double-digits in thousands'.
"All the players can do is play the way the way we did tonight (a 7-1 win). The rest is up to the people in charge of marketing this sport."
But that's become tougher for all three teams with the Isles being run by tightwads and the Devils maintaining a adversarial relationship with the media, led by their terse and unco-operative coach, Robbie Ftorek.
Given the chance to praise his players and promote his team after the Kings' game, Ftorek couldn't get away from the media fast enough.
"(Ftorek) acted as if they were auditors questioning his tax return," a Times columnist noted. "You get the feeling Ftorek would be happy is the press box were as empty as the grandstand."
HERE'S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON
The gushing comments about the new-look Los Angeles Kings have stung their former coach, Larry Robinson.
The Kings, surprise contenders for the Pacific Division crown, have said how happy they have been under new boss Andy Murray, who has provided discipline and set roles among other things.
"I don't know if that was directed at me, but it hurts me when I hear that," Robinson said. "Oh, we had a system. And everybody knew what that system was. And it was my understanding that when we played, they understood their roles. But I guess when you're losing, it's not so great a system."
Robinson did not benefit from the big personnel moves the Kings made in preparation for their move to the Staples Center.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Remember Brendan Shanahan's 400th NHL goal at the ACC last month? He has given the puck to Brendan Filzek, a five-year-old, Detroit area cancer patient ... The Pens are 4-0 under Herb Brooks and have outscored foes 17-7 ... Atlanta set an unofficial record during a losing trip to the West Coast, with more player transactions (four) than goals ... Fox Sports Net claims the Colorado Avalanche TV ratings have soared 60% so far, citing the team's record and an early season schedule of East Coast games ... Teemu Selanne had a league-high 25 power-play goals last season, but so far just two this season. On the other hand, he didn't have any power-play goals last year until Dec. 13.
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