|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Lindros return not a sure thing
Click here to send an NHL question to Kostya Kennedy. Hey, folks. Everyone's talkin' Lindros, so why not us? And on another (musical) note, anyone who hasn't heard the anthem performed before a Canadiens game lately, should get his or her ears up to Montreal. They're the best anthem renditions in the league. Now, on to the 'bag ...
As a former Toronto resident and a rabid Leafs fan, I'm more than a little
concerned about all this Lindros in Toronto talk. Granted, a healthy Lindros is
one of the most intimidating players and itinerate scorers in the NHL, but I
question whether all of the baggage he brings with him (i.e.
bigger-than-the-team attitude, apparently insane family) isn't more of a
liability than his talent is an asset. So my question is twofold: Do you think
he'll end up in a Leafs uniform, and would this be a good move for a rapidly
improving Toronto team?
I don't think Lindros is going to play again in the NHL, for anyone. But if I'm wrong, the Leafs are one of a few teams (Rangers, Kings, Lightning) that could try to snare him. Pat Quinn has maintained that he won't trade any of his top nine players for Lindros, so the Leafs would have to put together a creative package to land him. Yes, Lindros has overbearing parents and they can be a detriment. But the Big E's own star complex isn't as bad as it's made out to be -- a lot of that comes from his folks. The most relevant baggage he carries is his susceptibility to concussions. How long before he takes the hit that ends his career? Lindros is a huge gamble. The Leafs (or any team) would have to be very careful to minimize whatever risk they take to get him.
Legally, does Eric Lindros or any team interested in him have any recourse
if Bobby Clarke refuses a reasonable trade offer? In general, can an arbitrator
step in and determine the "trade-worthiness" of a player? If not,
shouldn't someone be able to in order to prevent a player from being effectively
barred from "pursuing his trade? Personally, I'd like to see Lindros play
in Europe for a year and see how his body holds up. It would also be good
practice for the Olympics, provided Gretzky & Co. select him.
Have I mentioned that I don't believe Eric Lindros is going to play again in the NHL ... ? In any event, Lindros would have no prescribed course of action. He would have to take unprecedented legal action and an arbitrator would have to rule this a unique situation in order to step in. (Of course, Lindros has had his fate decided by arbitration before.) I doubt that will happen, though -- Lindros would retire before it comes to that. There is exactly zero chance that Lindros will spend a year playing in Europe.
With the Red Wings' age obviously catching up with them, the newly brewing
goaltender controversy and the gap between the top teams in the West widening,
do you see GM Ken Holland making a big move or two to strengthen the Wings'
defense in the near future?
Holland will almost certainly make a trade to improve the defense, though he probably won't do it until closer to the trade deadline. The Wings are quite actively scouting NHL players. Detroit has essentially been trying to repair its defense ever since Vladimir Konstantinov's career ended in a car accident after the Stanley Cup Finals in 1997. Yes, they won again without him, but the defense has never been the same. Detroit is not as far from the top as you suggest. The Red Wings have played very well and had remarkable success given their vulnerability on defense. If they can make that key move for a defenseman and improve their goaltending (neither of those will be easy to do but are certainly possible) they could win two playoff rounds in the spring.
Since Anaheim president/GM Pierre Gauthier has announced publicly that he
won't fire Craig Hartsburg and won't trade Paul Kariya or Teemu Selanne, what
other options are there to make the Mighty Ducks a better hockey team? After
three seasons of subpar play, it would seem drastic measures are the only
logical solution. Agreed?
The Ducks have the same options as every club, but they just don't seem particularly intent on making anything happen out there. They desperately need a good, physical defenseman and they really need depth both on the blueline and at forward. The problem is that ownership doesn't particularly mind if the club loses as long as it isn't hemorrhaging money. With some $18 million tied up in Selanne and Kariya it's hard for management to make other significant budget commitments. If Anaheim could get into the playoffs and host a few games, the Ducks brass would be thrilled. Sadly for them, the Ducks have few young players who are making an impact in the NHL. What they need to do is bring up talent from within, and they haven't able to do that. Gauthier hasn't been shy about making moves. He has changed the roster quite a bit during the past year it's just that bringing in guys like German Titov and Tony Hrkac is not going to cut it. The Ducks' bleak situation the past few years continues to make Anaheim fans appreciate what Ronnie Wilson did out there before he got canned.
On the subject of overtime losses, why doesn't the league simply award three
points for a win and one point for a tie? That way, a win and a loss would be
worth more than two ties. And you wouldn't see teams packing it in the last five
minutes of a game to get the guaranteed point. I think it would make for better
finishes.
It's an idea that's been tossed around, and not a bad one, but it's too drastic at this point. The OTL situation is a bit of nuisance but if you start giving three points for a win you'll get teams putting up 150-point seasons and the like, and that would be a seismic shift in NHL record keeping.
Saku Koivu has a lot of talent, but he keeps getting hurt and seems to
seriously damage the chances of this club, perhaps due to the lack of talent
elsewhere on the team. Do you think the Canadiens will make a move this season
to trade him? And will they be able to get anything in return, perhaps from a
deeper team such as San Jose or New Jersey?
If Koivu can come back and show that his left knee is sound and that he can still juke, he'll have some trade value. And the Canadiens would be wise to deal him. There's no denying his skills. What the Canadiens have found out -- too late -- is that he's not a player good enough to build a team around. But he can be a neat spark for a good club. New Jersey might be a good fit. With Koivu and Scott Gomez and John Madden running around they'd have a lot of little Devils flitting about.
What do you think of the young players on the New York Rangers? They seem to
be better than in recent years. Mike York is great in both ends of the rink, and
he's developing into a real leader for the Rangers. Plus, guys like Jan Hlavac,
Radek Dvorak and Kim Jonsson play significant roles every night. I'm more
excited about the young guns on this team than I have been in a long time.
I remember seeing York at the NCAA Frozen Four a couple of years ago and thinking what a splendid two-way player he was. He's really solid defensively in addition to his obvious offensive assets. Yes, the Rangers have some good young talent -- not an overwhelming abundance but certainly more than they've had in years. Center Manny Malhotra is close to becoming a regular contributor and Mike Mottau may develop into a top-four blueliner. If Pavel Brendl and/or Jamie Lundmark can make an effective transition into the NHL, New York will have a swell young core. This is what made it so hard for Neil Smith when he was fired as GM last year. He put together a lot of this team and knew that it was close to becoming at least respectable. I'm not saying Smith shouldn't have been let go -- he was afforded a long run in New York -- but he will have had a big hand in the Rangers' future as they improve.
Sports Illustrated staff writer Kostya Kennedy covers the NHL and is a
regular contributor to CNNSI.com. To send a question to his mailbag, click here.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
