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Sunday, December 19, 1999
The Soap Opera drags on
TORONTO -- They're calling it the Goalie Soap Opera.
Thing is, there still isn't enough soap for all the dirty laundry.
The principal players: Jeff Hackett, the Montreal Canadiens veteran goaltender who's seen his playing time cut back some - okay, a lot - by the dashing young newcomer, Jose Theodore.
Somewhere in the middle, deep in the middle, is Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault.
Maybe it's because the story for the Canadiens, as it was once again Saturday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, has become so agonizingly the same.
Play hard.
Keep it close.
Lose by a goal.
For the folks who buy their ink by the barrel, there's got to be more.
As far as Hackett is concerned, there's been way too much.
"It doesn't matter what I say or think, it all gets blown out of proportion or twisted around," he said after Toronto's Sergei Berezin beat him with just under four minutes left in the third period for a 2-1 Leafs win.
"Maybe I made a mistake saying I wanted to play more. I've seen some things written that are very untrue, just totally fibs. I don't know where they come from or how they get started, but anybody who knows me knows they're lies."
Hackett shouldn't be apologizing for saying he wants to play more, that at this stage in his career, he needs work to stay sharp.
What's wrong with a player saying he wants to play more, to be the go-to guy?
Isn't that what you want in a player?
Of course it is.
Hackett, who has a reputation for being intense and highstrung (nothing wrong with that) wasn't happy Saturday night.
He was upset with the way a conversation with Canadiens GM Rejean Houle, after Thursday night's loss to the New Jersey Devils (in which Theodore was in net), was characterized in one story Saturday.
He said they weren't talking about his situation.
He also said his actions in practice were misinterpreted. His practice was over when he lay on the ice and a conversation with goalie coach Roland Melanson wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"My dad worked hard for this name," said Hackett. "People are making things up that make me look like a spoiled brat. I feel bad for my mom and dad having to read that. I don't want my kids seeing those things.
"I've got no personal conflict. It's just somebody trying to sell papers. I'm never going to win with you guys. You're going to paint with the brush whatever way you want."
Saturday night's game was Hackett's first since he was pulled after giving up three goals on 14 shots in half a game in what turned out to be a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings last Saturday night.
Theodore played Monday night, shutting out the Washington Capitals and got the call again Thursday against the Devils.
So what does Vigneault do now?
Who does he start Monday night when the Habs host the Pittsburgh Penguins?
He said again Saturday night Hackett is his number one goaltender. He can prove it by starting Hackett Monday night.
But then he leaves himself open to second-guessing by the French fans and media who are in Theodore's corner.
It's why Vigneault gets the big bucks, right?
"Uggh, this goalie soap opera," he moaned after Saturday night's game.
"Hack is the number one. He's played a lot of games. For a while I went with Theodore because he got hot and I went with the guy with the hot hand.
"Hack is the man I'm going to go with. It's as simple as that."
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