In The Crease

The panthers gambled and lost in November when they acquired skilled but un-proven center Viktor Kozlov (left) from the Sharks for a 1998 first-round draft choice. With Florida close to elimination from the playoff race, that pick will likely be a lottery selection. Meanwhile, Kozlov, the sixth player selected in the '93 draft, is displaying signs of a poor work ethic—the reason San Jose traded him....

Rookie defenseman Mattias Ohlund of the Canucks is the centerpiece of Mike Keenan's rebuilding process in Vancouver. Ohlund, 21, excels at everything—he passes crisply out of the defensive zone, clears players from the crease and runs the power play well, thanks in part to a lightning-quick release on his shot....

The NHL's top five players, in terms of lifting fans out of their seats: Pavel Bure of the Canucks, Jaromir Jagr of the Penguins, Mike Modano of the Stars, and Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne of the Mighty Ducks. All of these stars possess the ability to accelerate with the puck and beat opponents one-on-one....

What makes Avalanche center Peter Forsberg one of the best players in the world? He has the patience to control the puck in traffic for a fraction of a second longer than most players, which often allows his linemates to break free from coverage. Forsberg can also create offensive chances off the rush and the cycle, a dangerous skill provided that he is surrounded with finishers....

Players around the league say that the boards and seamless glass behind the nets in Phoenix's America West Arena have virtually no give. Modano separated his shoulder running into those boards last Thursday and is sidelined for the rest of the regular season.