Raleigh cry

I've always liked Kevin Constantine, partly because my given name is Constantine, partly because Kevin has great red hair and partly because he never took shinola from Jaromir Jagr. He's a smart guy with a clear vision and he has inherited a sleeping giant in New Jersey. I wouldn't read all that much into the Devils' two quick wins under Constantine since New Jersey still has its scoring woes. But if Constantine gets the group to regain its focus, it remains a mighty Cup contender and a team that can dominate for games on end.

Many thanks for the good notes this week, folks -- including those of you who sent feedback I couldn't get to in this space. Now, on to your mailbag.

I am sure that this letter won't get into your mailbag, but perhaps you could communicate back to me at my e-mail address to explain your dislike of the Hurricanes on the whole. In all the time I've read your pieces -- of the notes variety, not profiles of players -- you have never had a kind word for the team, the management, the players, or our area. Is it something personal?
—Charlie Bruce, Raleigh, N.C.

Charlie, let me thank you for your kind note. I am sorry that you feel I haven't been as sweet on the 'Canes as I might have been. I really have no unkind feelings toward them at all. I was very impressed with the way the club rallied back from three games down against the Devils last year; only a gutsy bunch could have brought that series to 3-2. This year, they've played well above my expectations and it's looking as though they will indeed outlast the troubled Caps.

I always seem to get in trouble with Hurricanes fans for speaking frankly. This started with two things: First, when the team was in Greensboro the management lied to me (and thus, indirectly, to their fans) about their ticket sales. They pretended they were selling many more tickets than they actually were. When I pointed this out, some fans got indignant. Secondly, I wrote a piece pointing out that Paul Coffey was well over the hill when he was with the Hurricanes. This was no great observation on my part -- the fact was clear to anyone who watched the game discriminately. In the piece, I went out of my way to talk about what a wonderful player Coffey had been (he's one of the reasons I fell in love with hockey) but that his time, like Rocky Balboa's, was past. Again, Carolina fans got upset.

So it is clear that you all are a sensitive bunch. That's nice. Your team has a lot to be proud of: Ron Francis is a joy; Arturs Irbe, as I've been saying for years, is well underrated; I lobbied for David Tanabe to make the U.S. Olympic team; Erik Cole looks like a keeper. You see, Charlie, I do have some warm feelings about your motley bunch. I won't, however, stop writing honestly about the Hurricanes (or any other team). I hope you can handle it if I write things you don't like.

I totally disagree with your assessment of the Dallas Stars having a playoff spot in jeopardy. Your only basis appears to be that the team lost on the night their coach was fired and beat Columbus via normal Stars fashion. Are you saying that the message disappears because there is a new messenger? Ed Belfour is still one of the best pressure goalies in hockey and he now has Rick Wilson's full blessing as "the man." The team has also shown signs of gelling. Are you just being reactionary or do you truly think the Stars will misfire without Hitchcock?
—Mark Weddington, Fort Worth, Texas

I admit that the Stars' non-performance against the Mighty Ducks and their lackluster play against the Blue Jackets had some impact. The Columbus win was exactly the type of win that made Mike Modano so sad under Hitchcock. Modano became very unhappy when the team didn't win more easily against below average teams. Dallas is in trouble as far as the playoffs go. Wilson will be delivering essentially the same message that Hitchcock preached but with far less force, conviction or authority. Wilson may well be a good coach down the road, but in the short term he offers no advantage over Hitchcock. (And if Wilson caters more to Belfour than Hitch did, he'll have to deliver room service to Eddie's' hotel room himself.)

When you look at how easy the Stars' upcoming schedule is -- they have games against the Predators, Ducks and Rangers in the week after the All-Star break; they're done with Detroit for the year; they play St. Louis only once more and it's at home -- it's certainly possible that they could win a few games and stretch their hold on the Western Conference's final playoff spot. (Right now they have a one-point edge over two teams.) While I do think they'll miss the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me if they got in. If they reach the postseason, though, they won't get past the first round. Under Hitchcock, they had a chance to do so.

Kostya, is it time for Ron Wilson to go as coach of the Caps?
—Marshall, Washington, D.C.

Here's what Wilson has going for him: a) He's unquestionably a good coach; b) General manager George McPhee believes in maintaining stability in the organization; c) Wilson has a history of strong second-half spurts, and it's possible that the Caps have one in them.

Aside from that he is a candidate to go. As smart and attentive as Wilson is -- I consider him one of the eight best coaches in the league -- he can lose players. His poor relationship with Adam Oates has plagued the club all season, and he hasn't been able to put any glee into Jaromir Jagr's game. Right now the Capitals simply don't show up on many nights. Wilson admits that the team has a "loser's mentality" and he's feeling the pressure to turn them around.

What Wilson should do is couch Wednesday's awful 4-1 home loss to the Blues (on the same night the Caps learned that Jeff Halpern will be out for the rest of the season) as rock bottom. He needs the team to get between six and eight points next week when they play Minnesota, Nashville and Tampa Bay (twice). Washington has a brutal road schedule in March and if Wilson hasn't pointed the team in the right direction by then, this may well be his last season in D.C.

What will the Chicago Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers have to do before the trade deadline to make them Cup contenders?
—Derek Cordick, Perth, Ontario

The Flyers really don't need to do a thing. They clearly have the best team in the East and they have a roster that can adapt to different styles of play. If they make a major late-season move -- as Bob Clarke has been wont to do, often successfully -- they'll unnecessarily risk disturbing their mojo.

The Blackhawks need a good defenseman, though he won't be easy to come by. Chicago's defense has played well at times. It's an overachieving bunch but it's one that's allowing 2.7 goals per game, which in today's NHL is too much for a serious Cup contender. I could see them make a pitch for Buffalo's Richard Smehlik or the Kings' Phillipe Boucher.

With the lingering injuries that the Rangers have endured throughout the season, and the impending free agency of Mike Richter in the offseason, is there any chance of them sending Richter elsewhere? Perhaps to St. Louis for Keith Tkachuk? I can see a very formidable line of Eric Lindros centering Tkachuk and perhaps Bobby Holik, who will be a free agent this offseason.
—Matt Joseph, Staten Island, New York

There's certainly a chance Richter will be moved -- and the Blues are a nice fit, because they have some good young players and they could throw Fred Brathwaite into whatever deal they chose. Thus, the Rangers would have a veteran to help Dan Blackburn get through his inconsistencies. Don't expect Tkachuk to be dealt, though. He's a skilled body mover that the Blues feel they need to advance to the Cup finals. Whatever deals the Rangers make, they'd be silly to make them with any visions of a future with Lindros. His future is just too uncertain. If he plays, wonderful. But to build around him would be a reckless mistake.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Kostya Kennedy covers the NHL for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. To send a question to his Mailbag, click here.

 

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