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Monday, November 8, 1999
Life just fine without Yashin
How far has Alexei Yashin's star fallen in Ottawa?
If, as a police suspect, his little brother was the victim of a frame job when cocaine was found inside a car in which he travelled Friday, it's possible the conspirator was trying to send a message to the family.
That message, it would appear, is the Yashins are no longer wanted in this community.
The Senators have declared today as the last chance for their leading scorer of a year ago to return to the team.
They know full well he won't, and they have already showed they can thrive without him.
After 15 games, the Yashin-less Senators are rolling along with a 10-4-1 record.
With him in the lineup and at the same point last season, they were 6-6-3.
When Yashin celebrated his 26th birthday Friday, we can only hope he took the opportunity to look back on all that has transpired in his life the past year.
ONCE A HERO
The day he turned 25, he was considered a premier player in the NHL and a hero in this town.
Today, it's anyone's guess when he'll be back in the league.
No one suspects Yashin will ever return to Ottawa, and we're not so sure there's even a full carload of those who want him to.
SECOND THOUGHTS: If the Senators do sign free-agent defenceman Marty McSorley, it will be another terrific move on the part of the hockey club that has added some valuable veterans since being swept in last spring's playoffs. McSorley would not only bring some added toughness to Ottawa, but his experience and leadership would be a plus. As far as his effect on team chemistry, McSorley is a great guy who would surely blend in nicely. All in all, bringing him in would be a positive and popular move ... Early morning TV that should prove to be interesting viewing: Carol Alt is scheduled to be a guest on the Regis and Kathy Lee show today ... They have had more than their share of injuries, but it's still hard to believe that the defending Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars are the lowest scoring team in the Western Conference.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM: Just wondering, what would you get a guy like Yashin for a birthday present? I mean, besides a new agent ... By now, you'd think people would know better than to count Doug Flutie out ... If Mike Fisher has an extra skip to his step these days, you don't have to be a Joe Juneau to know why. It wasn't until last week that Fisher knew for sure he was going to stay in Ottawa this season. The alternative was Sudbury ... Remember when the Green Bay Packers were invincible at Lambeau Field? ... Being called names by your opponents is a good thing. It generally means you're doing a job on them. Who is the Senator to stir up the most anger on the other teams? Probably Janne Laukkanen, who almost always has a stick where opponents don't want it to be ... When the NHL playoffs once again extend well into the spring, remember the schedulemaker's new found fondness for giving everybody Mondays off.
AROUND THE HORN: Imagine how valuable Pavel Bure would be if he wasn't so brittle? ... The latest team to give Bryan Fogarty another chance is the Knoxville Speed of the United Hockey League ... The Hull Olympiques are the best team in the QMJHL and they are still without 19-year-old defenceman Jiri Fischer, who looks to stick with the Detroit Red Wings ... The tallest assistant coach in the East Coast Hockey League has to be former NHL defenceman Kjell Samuelsson, who is working with the Trenton Titans ... Best memories of Walter Payton would include his uncanny ability to change directions in mid-air and his absolute refusal to run out of bounds ... The Montreal Canadiens should be having second thoughts about their training camp decision to cut 67's captain Dan Tessier. They can't score, he can ... Who's going to win the NBA title this year? Who cares.
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