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Rangers have money to patch holes

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Posted: Saturday July 03, 1999 03:12 PM

The New York Rangers paid a short-term price in trading forward Niklas Sundstrom and goalie Dan Cloutier to Tampa Bay for the chance to draft Pavel Brendl, a winger with eventual 50-goal potential. But the Rangers will be able to patch themselves up with a free-agent market shopping spree beginning July 1.

General manager Neil Smith has targeted Stephane Quintal -- a Montreal defenseman still negotiating with the Canadiens -- and Colorado defenseman Sylvain Lefebvre. But the real prize is winger Theo Fleury of the Avalanche. Fleury has been leaning toward staying in the West, but Rangers money can be very persuasive.

Thrashers still searching for coach

The NHL is ushering in a new ice age in Atlanta, appropriate enough considering the expansion Thrashers' glacial search for a head coach. Nine weeks from the start of training camp, general manager Don Waddell has yet to finalize even his list of candidates. Waddell has interviewed four -- Ron Low, Ted Nolan, Curt Fraser and Don Hay -- but could still meet a fifth candidate by the end of next week. He plans to make his final decision around July 15. Waddell explained he isn't looking merely for a coach but for someone who can sell hockey in a non-traditional market.

Leafs may hire a European GM

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Pat Quinn was stung by the dismissal of associate general manager Mike Smith, forced out by president Ken Dryden last week. Dryden said he had consulted Quinn during the negotiations, although other than being given a cursory and vague appraisal of the talks, Quinn said he was kept in the dark.

Dryden and Smith had a cool relationship that Dryden feared would wind up undermining the team as it did in Buffalo when former GM John Muckler and coach Ted Nolan were at odds three years ago. A possible successor to Smith is Anders Hedberg, who oversees Toronto scouting. Hedberg would be the first European GM in NHL history.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL and appears regularly on CNN/Sports Illustrated.

 

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