THIS just in from the IOC: after review by nine impartial judges of Brett Hull’s in-the-crease-goal that decided Game 6 of the 1999 Finals, Jacques Rogge has directed Gary Bettman to immediately award the Sabres co-Stanley Cup champion status with Dallas.
Watching Jaromir Jagr skate in the Olympics only serves as a reminder of just how desperately the NHL misses the dominating, joyful, charisma No. 68 brought to the rink every night as recently as two years ago, doesn’t it?
And just how acutely the NHL needs an individual to pick up the torch no one has been able to carry since Wayne Gretzky turned in his skates for a key to the Board of Governors’ washroom.
Because we ask: Who exactly is the best player in the league these days? Who exactly is a night-in, night-out, can’t miss attraction worth the price of admission?
There isn’t one, and that’s one of the most serious problems, but you know who comes the closest?
Patrik Elias does.
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The smartest team in the league this summer will be the one to offer Boston winger Billy Guerin and Chicago winger Tony Amonte – Massachusetts buds and Team USA linemates – a package deal to sign as unrestricted free agents, isn’t that right, Glen Sather?
And if the GM can get Tom Poti and Mike Grier out of Edmonton for Radek Dvorak and any defenseman in the organization other than Tomas Kloucek, he’d have to do it, wouldn’t he?
Meanwhile, there’s just too much talk around the league that the Bruins are willing to listen to bids for Guerin not to take seriously.
Which means that Mike Milbury would be remiss in not offering Brad Isbister . . . or, if able to strike a long-term deal with Guerin as a precondition to a trade, Rick DiPietro.
Is it or is it not true that Rick Dudley had a clause in his contract guaranteeing an extension if the Lightning made the playoffs? And is it or is it not true that the Tampa Bay GM resigned last week because ownership would not permit him to trade Vincent Lecavalier?
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Imagine Brian Leetch paired throughout the season with USA partner Aaron Miller. Imagine that the Rangers actually drafted Miller in 1989 . . . two years before trading the-then U. of Vermont sophomore to Quebec for Joe Cirella. Only that’s not your imagination; that’s reality.
No one will ever convince me that Patrick Roy’s decision to stay home was not borne of spite from having been omitted from Canada’s original eight selections, nor that the move wasn’t actively encouraged by GM Pierre Lacroix.
Finally, you mean to say none of the headlines read: “Canada Torpedoed?”