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Drill sergeant Hiring of Keenan provides increased pressure to Bruins
Updated: Tuesday October 31, 2000 12:32 PM
The theory in Boston is that Bruins president Harry Sinden deviated from the standard "good cop/bad cop" rotation by hiring a "worse cop," Mike Keenan, to replace fired "bad cop" Pat Burns. This is a gross misunderstanding of Burns and Keenan. Burns, who could be ornery but rarely messed with his players' heads, is a defensive-minded coach who has thrived whenever he's had a dependable checking line, something Boston has lacked since Tim Taylor bolted as a free agent in 1999. Keenan, who runs the best practices in hockey, is an up-tempo coach who loves nothing more than puck pressure -- unless it's challenging his team's comfort level. The Bruins picked up three of a possible six points in Keenan's first three games.
Goalie reservesThe Chicago Blackhawks are now, officially, one of the NHL's patsies. Not because of eight losses in eight matches against non-expansion teams, but because opponents routinely start their back-up goalie against them. Even expansion Minnesota tried it Sunday, losing 3-2 behind Manny Fernandez. Chicago's three wins have all come at the expense of either the Wild or their expansion brothers, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Indeed, four of Chicago's seven losses in regulation have come against second-stringers, most recently a shutout last Thursday by Colorado rookie David Aebischer, a Patrick Roy look-alike. Blackhawks general manager Mike Smith isn't wild about his own goaltending duo of Jocelyn Thibault and Rob Tallas, either, labeling the pair "below average."
Staying in L.A.The most attractive would-be free agent, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Rob Blake, should send a thank-you note to St. Louis Blues rearguard Chris Pronger for signing a three-year, $29.5 million extension. Blake and the Kings stopped negotiating when the team refused to go over $7.5 million a year for three seasons, but Pronger's deal surely upped the ante for one of the NHL's most steadfast defensemen. Incredibly, Blake returned last week after missing just three games with a hairline fracture in his back, getting two goals and two assists in his first three games as the Kings won twice. During his absence, Los Angeles took just one of six points and was 0-for-15 on the power play. Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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