NHL All-Star Notebook
Yashin mum on donation to Canada’s National Arts Centre
Posted: Sunday January 24, 1999 01:09 AM
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Yashin allegedly asked that his parents be paid up to $85,000 a year out of the donation to Canada's National Arts Centre AP |
By Denise N. Maloof, CNN/SI
TAMPA, Fla. -- After last week's public furor surrounding his $1 million donation to Canada's National Arts Centre, Ottawa's Alexei Yashin confounded media reports that he'd skip Sunday's All-Star Game by reporting for post-practice interview duty on Saturday.
The Senators' center joined a group of World All-Star team members who addressed reporters at Tampa's Ice Palace, but he wouldn't address the ill-fated, five-year donation that he recently withdrew from the Arts Centre. Dressed in black -- and in figurative red tape, according to some Canadian media reports -- Yashin said he'd save his comments until he returned to Ottawa.
"I don't want to talk about that because I want to enjoy the weekend with my family," he said.
When pressed, Yashin said he wanted time to study the situation. The controversy erupted when Canadian investigators sorting the affairs of the Art Centre's former director, who made the donation arrangements with Yashin last year, discovered evidence that the Ottawa center allegedly asked that his parents be paid up to $85,000 a year out of the donation, for its duration.
Yashin refused comment Saturday, saying that his silence was self-imposed, not NHL-imposed. The Senators' media relations director, Phil LeGault, who accompanied Yashin and Ottawa goalie Ron Tugnutt, said that the team also had no comment on the situation.
"It's between me and the people of Ottawa," Yashin said. "I have a responsibility to the NHL and the Ottawa Senators here, so I really don't want to say anything. It's all my personal wishes."
He admitted that he had worried about his reception from the other World All-Stars, but reported a clear atmosphere, saying, "It was very good in the dressing room."
Detroit re-learning team first, not me
North American All-Star Brendan Shanahan shed some interesting light Saturday on the Red Wings' recent struggles, suggesting that the team may have experienced an attitude adjustment. He mentioned that some players might have worried more about personal goals early in the year, instead of conference and division standings.
"This year we've gotten away from our team game a little, but I think lately we've shown something," Shanahan said. "Guys are working hard and not worrying about personal goals. The important thing is coming in the second half and playing as a team again, because that's been our success over the past couple of years."
Expect goals, not blows
More than a few World and North American All-Stars say they're looking forward to Sunday's 49th All-Star game not only for bragging rights, but for the fun factor. Montreal's Mark Recchi says players enjoy knowing that they can freelance on the ice during an All-Star game, instead of towing a system's mark.
"We don't get to do a lot of that in regular games," Recchi said. "The coaches will shout at you if you do."
"You don't have to push yourself," Anaheim's Teemu Selanne said. "Dump the puck in and chase it, or worry about finding a way to win the game. You do what feels good, and relax."
"You're one of the few best players in the world," said New Jersey's Bobby Holik. "And just to be here is a thrill. It's my second time, and it doesn't get any less exciting. With the new format, it seems like there's a little more intensity. No, no dropping the gloves. I don't drop them in regular games, but I think there's going to be a lot of competition."
"I'm sure at the end, you're going to see some goals," said Toronto's Matts Sundin. "I'm sure we're going to see a competitive game."
If all else fails, shoot it out
If Sunday's All-Star game ends in a tie after the customary five-minute overtime period, officials will conduct a "shootout" to determine a winner. The 1999 game marks the fifth year such a format has been in place.
Five players from each team will attempt alternating penalty shots, with the North American team going first. Coaches will select the players and the one goaltender from each team. The team scoring the most goals wins. If the teams are still tied, they will alternate shots until a winner emerges. All players from each team will shoot once before a player is allowed a second shot.
All-Star sound bites
Toronto's Sundin on the Maple Leafs surprising season: "It's surprising. I think the system that we're playing really fits our team. There's no doubt I feel better about winning this way than some others. You watch games with two trap teams playing, and it's not much fun."
Anaheim's Selanne on teammate Paul Kariya's first-half production: "Because of what he went through last year, I think he really realizes how much he loves the game, and that's what you're seeing. He feels so much hunger, I think, right now."
Esposito shaping up, loving TV work
Despite being fired by the Tampa Bay Lightning, Phil Esposito is in good shape -- and not only because he has found success working on TV.
The Hall of Famer, formerly the Lightning's general manager, has
lost 20 pounds since being fired Oct. 13.
"I'm enjoying it," Esposito said of his TV work.
The change has been especially good in one regard - Esposito
finds less stress working as a Fox studio analyst.
"There's very little stress, pressure and everything else," he
said. "I'll never say never about anything anymore, but it would
have to be the right situation for me to leave TV."
Net results
With scoring down this season, goaltenders seem to
be having more fun in the NHL. That won't necessarily be true in
Sunday's All-Star Game, usually a high-scoring contest.
"They get the spotlight 82 games anyway," Phoenix forward
Keith Tkachuk said. "It's nice for the forwards to get the
spotlight."
New award honors 'Rocket' Richard
The NHL honored one of its greats with an
announcement Saturday night of a Maurice Richard Trophy. The award
will be presented at the end of each season to the league's top
goal scorer.
Richard, nicknamed the "Rocket," played 18 seasons with the
Montreal Canadiens and was the first player in NHL history to score
50 goals in a season and the first to score 500 in his career.
"I don't think I'll play hockey again," said the 79-year-old
Hall of Famer. "But maybe I'll be refereeing an old-timers' game
in a year or two."
Hockey's greatest fight
With John Cullen in attendance, the NHL
announced that more than $900,000 has been raised by the league and
associated organizations for cancer research.
It's all part of a "Hockey Fights Cancer" campaign initiated
by the NHL to raise money to battle the disease. League awareness
became more intensified during Cullen's recent fight against the
life-threatening disease, as well as that of referee Paul Stewart.
"There's always something positive that comes out of something
negative," Cullen said. "This is a pretty big positive. I would
go through another treatment for bone marrow cancer if we could
raise another million dollars.
"For me to be a part of that [raising funds], cancer wasn't so
bad."
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