NHL NEWS AND NOTES - OPENING NIGHT
1. History, Heritage and Heroes Highlight Opening of 87th NHL Season
The quest for berths in the Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Oct. 8 launching a season that will see the NHL celebrate its rich history with the Heritage Classic outdoor game, a Vintage "throwback" jersey program and the donation of footage of the first 20 of the 50 greatest games in broadcast history to the library of The Museum of Television and Radio.
Hot division rivalries, such as Islanders-Rangers, Devils-Flyers, Oilers-Flames, Bruins-Canadiens and Maple Leafs-Senators get even hotter this season as each team plays six games against of its divisional rivals (24 total) - a 20 percent increase over last year's five -- while playing four games against all non-Division clubs in the Conference (40 total), one against each club from the other Conference (15) and three other games against non-Conference opponents. _More "four-point" games mean more excitement as races go down to the wire.
Storylines abound as NHL clubs open the 2003-04 season:
DOM AND DERIAN IN DETROIT -- Six-time Vezina Trophy and two-time Hart Trophy winner DOMINIK HASEK returns to the Red Wings, who added Michigan-born defensive standout DERIAN HATCHER during the off-season. Hatcher (Sterling Heights, Mich.), joins a defense that already features three-time Norris Trophy winner NICKLAS LIDSTROM, CHRIS CHELIOS and MATHIEU SCHNEIDER.
REUNITED -- The Colorado Avalanche are reuniting the dynamic duo of left wing PAUL KARIYA and right wing TEEMU SELANNE, who formed a successful partnership in their many years together in Anaheim. _Kariya and Selanne join a star-studded lineup as the Avalanche look to extend its own record with a 10th consecutive division title.
WINGING HIS WAY WEST -- _After 13 years wearing the "Winged Wheel" in Detroit, SERGEI FEDOROV lands in Anaheim to take flight with last year's Western Conference champions, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Mighty Ducks also obtained VACLAV PROSPAL, the Tampa Bay Lightning's leading scorer last season.
A HISTORIC FIRST -- JORDIN TOOTOO of the Nashville Predators will become the first Inuit to play in the NHL. _Tootoo's entire family will attend the Predators' home opener on Oct. 9. _More than 100 residents of his Nunavut home near the Arctic Circle also are planning a two-hour flight to Winnipeg and a 23-hour bus ride to Nashville for his professional debut.
YOUNGSTERS AND YOUNG STARS -- Boston's JOE THORNTON, 24, tallied a career-high 101 points last season. _Is a scoring title around the corner? . . . _Ottawa's MARIAN HOSSA, 24, led the Presidents' Trophy champion in goals and finished fourth in the NHL overall with 45. . . . Tampa Bay's VINCENT LECAVALIER, 23, had a career-high 78 points last season, more than double his total of 2001-2002. _He helped the Lightning post a franchise-record 93 points . . . San Jose's PATRICK MARLEAU, 24, scored a career-high 28 goals last season, tied for the club lead. _
A FEW OTHER KIDS TO WATCH -- MIKE KOMISAREK, D, Montreal . . . RICK DiPIETRO, G, Islanders . . . JASON SPEZZA, F, Ottawa . . . JONI PITKANEN, D, Philadelphia . . . ALES HEMSKY, F, Edmonton . . . STANISLAV CHISTOV, F, Anaheim . . . JIM FAHEY, D, San Jose . . . _TUOMO RUUTTU, F, Chicago.
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2. ESPN and TSN to Start 2003-04 Coverage Oct. 8; ESPN2 and CBC on Oct. 9 _
ESPN's 12th season of NHL coverage will begin on Opening Night, Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 8 p.m., ET, with the network's first-ever, three-game regional telecast. _Two of the three games will include last year's Stanley Cup Finalists and are rematches from the post-season. _Every telecast of the entire 20-game ESPN schedule will be fully exclusive and only seen on ESPN for the first time in history. _
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim visit the Dallas Stars in a 2003 Conference Semifinal rematch which features SERGEI FEDOROV's regular-season debut in a Mighty Ducks uniform. _The defending champion New Jersey Devils open their 2003-04 campaign in Boston, where their championship drive began last season. _The third game will feature last season's Cinderella playoff team, Minnesota, at Chicago. _
ESPN2 opens its 50-game broadcast schedule on the second night of the season when the Los Angeles Kings visit the Detroit Red Wings. _LUC ROBITAILLE will begin his third tour with the Kings by facing his former team, the Detroit Red Wings.
TSN also begins NHL coverage on Wednesday with the Mighty Ducks-Stars game. _TSN will televise one NHL game every Wednesday night during the regular season as part of the network's extensive 73-game national telecast schedule. All 26 of TSN's Wednesday night games are exclusive in Canada.
The new season of CBC's HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA gets its 60-game schedule underway with a special Thursday edition Oct. 9 (7 p.m. ET). Viewers in Ontario will see the Ottawa Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Later, viewers across the country can tune in as the Calgary Flames take on the Vancouver Canucks (10:30 pm. ET)._
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3. 100,000 Pucks to be Distributed In Shoot for a Million Pucks Promotion
The National Hockey League and its 30 member clubs will launch the 87th NHL season with a League-wide promotion - Shoot for a Million Pucks presented by POWERade (U.S.) and Coca-Cola (Canada) - that will offer one lucky fan the chance to shoot for $1 million (U.S.) at NHL All-Star Weekend, Feb. 7-8, in St. Paul.
During the first week of the NHL season, NHL clubs will distribute more than 100,000 pucks across the United States and Canada. The pucks feature the NHL's season-opening branding, Game On!, and will direct fans to NHL.com, where they can register for a chance to win a grand prize of a trip for two to All-Star Weekend, where the grand-prize winner will be given the opportunity to shoot for $1 million (U.S.) or one million hockey pucks. There also will be 30 drawings to win one prize from each of the NHL's member clubs. Clubs are awarding prizes such as team merchandise, season tickets and suite nights.
NHL clubs will be distributing the pucks in a variety of creative ways, including:
· _ _ _ _At historic North Station (Boston Bruins).
· _ _ _ _At an eight-acre farm that features a Sabres logo carved out of a cornfield (Buffalo Sabres).
· _ _ _ _At shopping malls in Calgary by mascot Harvey the Hound (Calgary Flames).
· _ _ _ _Via toll booths on I-95 in South Florida (Florida Panthers).
· _ _ _ _At Hermosa, Redondo, Manhattan, Huntington and Seal beaches (Los Angeles Kings).
· _ _ _ _At the Twin Cities Marathon and at a morning pep rally the day of their home opener (Minnesota Wild).
· _ _ _ _At Union Station in Toronto at an event celebrating the Stanley Cup's return to the Hall of Fame (Toronto Maple Leafs).
· _ _ _ _At various train stations throughout Long Island (New York Islanders).
· _ _ _ _At busy downtown locations via the Canucks Community Caravan (Vancouver Canucks).
The contest runs from Oct. 1-31. No purchase is necessary. Log on to NHL.com for more information, including prize descriptions and official rules. POWERade is the official isotonic beverage of the NHL and all 30 NHL teams. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink of the NHL and a corporate partner of the League's six Canadian clubs.
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4. NHL to Celebrate Opening of the Season with Three Events _
The NHL will open the 2003-04 season with three events, two of which feature hockey's ultimate prize -- the Stanley Cup.
The NHL will publicly display the Stanley Cup and its historic trophies from the Hockey Hall of Fame -- the first public display of the trophies in New York City in almost 10 years - at Times Square Studio at 44th Street and Broadway in Manhattan from noon - 7 p.m. ET. _Former players KEN DANEYKO, WILLIE O'REE and BOBBY BAUN will attend the event.
On Oct. 9, the trophies will fly back to their home in Toronto, and then proceed by train to Union Station for a special homecoming ceremony. From Union Station, a public procession will accompany the trophies to the Hockey Hall of Fame, where the trophies will re-enter the Hall of Fame via the seldom-used front doors on Front and Yonge streets.
Also on Oct. 8, a private Opening Night Reception and Panel Discussion, led by hockey broadcaster MIKE EMRICK, will be held at the Museum of Television & Radio. _The event also commemorates the National Hockey League's donation of the top 50 NHL Broadcasts to the Museum.
Emrick will moderate the panel, which includes former Ranger, Islander, Sabre and Hockey Hall of Fame member PAT LaFONTAINE, former New York Islander and Hockey Hall of Fame member CLARK GILLIES and BOBBY NYSTROM and former New Jersey Devil and three-time Stanley Cup winner KEN DANEYKO.
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5. Grant Fuhr's No. 31 To Be Retired Thursday, First of Four Jersey Retirements This Season
Former Oilers netminder GRANT FUHR (No. 31) will become the first of four NHL alumni to have his jeersey retired this season when Edmonton hosts the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 9. _Fuhr, who backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cup Championships and recently was selected for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame, will become only the fourth Oilers player to have his number (31) retired, joining WAYNE GRETZKY (No. 99), AL HAMILTON (No. 3) and JARI KURRI (No. 17).
The Colorado Avalanche will retire PATRICK ROY's No. 33 prior to the club's game against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 24. The four-time Stanley Cup winner is the NHL's goaltending leader for games played (1,029), minutes played (60,235) and victories (551). _Roy also was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner three times, won the Vezina Trophy three times and won or shared the William M. Jennings Trophy five times. _Roy's No. 33 will be the second sweater to be retired in the eight-year history of the Colorado Avalanche and the fifth in the overall history of the franchise. _The Quebec Nordiques retired the sweater of three players: MARC TARDIF (No. 8), J.C. TREMBLAY (No. 3) and MICHEL GOULET (No. 16). _The Avalanche retired RAY BOURQUE's No. 77 in 2001.
Celebrating their 80th season, the Boston Bruins will honor CAM NEELY by retiring his familiar No. 8 jersey in a ceremony on Jan. 12 before they host the Buffalo Sabres at FleetCenter. _No Boston player has worn the number since injuries forced Neely's retirement as a player in September, 1996. _Neely joins nine Bruins who have had their number retired: EDDIE SHORE (No. 2), LIONEL HITCHMAN (No. 3), BOBBY ORR (No. 4), AUBREY "DIT" CLAPPER (No. 5), PHIL ESPOSITO (No. 7), JOHN BUCYK (No. 9), MILT SCHMIDT (No.15), TERRY O'REILLY (No. 24) and RAY BOURQUE (No. 77).
The New York Rangers will honor goaltender MIKE RICHTER on Feb. 4 by retiring his No. 35 to the rafters of the "World's Most Famous Arena." _Richter spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers and is the club's all-time goaltending leader for regular-season victories (301), appearances (666) and minutes played (38,185), as well as playoff victories (41) and shutouts (nine). _Richter will become only the third Rangers player to have his number retired, joining ROD GILBERT (No. 7) and EDDIE GIACOMIN (No. 1).
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6. Kings Look to Extend Season Opener Unbeaten Streak
The Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their nine-game, unbeaten streak in season openers (6-0-3) when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 9. _The Dallas Stars are the only other NHL team in the past seven years to open the season undefeated (4-0-3). _The longest unbeaten streak in season-openers is 17, set by the Montreal Canadiens (13-0-4) from 1963-1979.
Colorado has earned a point in 21 of its past 24 season-openers (14-4-6) and boasts a .708 points percentage, tops in the NHL, ahead of the New Jersey Devils (38 points in 29 games; .655) and Montreal Canadiens (107 in 86; .622).
Detroit's BRETT HULL, Toronto's ALEXANDER MOGILNY and Los Angeles' LUC ROBITAILLE all have the opportunity to tie the record for most goals in a season opener (14).
1. History, Heritage and Heroes Highlight Opening of 87th NHL Season
The quest for berths in the Stanley Cup Playoffs begins Oct. 8 launching a season that will see the NHL celebrate its rich history with the Heritage Classic outdoor game, a Vintage "throwback" jersey program and the donation of footage of the first 20 of the 50 greatest games in broadcast history to the library of The Museum of Television and Radio.
Hot division rivalries, such as Islanders-Rangers, Devils-Flyers, Oilers-Flames, Bruins-Canadiens and Maple Leafs-Senators get even hotter this season as each team plays six games against of its divisional rivals (24 total) - a 20 percent increase over last year's five -- while playing four games against all non-Division clubs in the Conference (40 total), one against each club from the other Conference (15) and three other games against non-Conference opponents. _More "four-point" games mean more excitement as races go down to the wire.
Storylines abound as NHL clubs open the 2003-04 season:
DOM AND DERIAN IN DETROIT -- Six-time Vezina Trophy and two-time Hart Trophy winner DOMINIK HASEK returns to the Red Wings, who added Michigan-born defensive standout DERIAN HATCHER during the off-season. Hatcher (Sterling Heights, Mich.), joins a defense that already features three-time Norris Trophy winner NICKLAS LIDSTROM, CHRIS CHELIOS and MATHIEU SCHNEIDER.
REUNITED -- The Colorado Avalanche are reuniting the dynamic duo of left wing PAUL KARIYA and right wing TEEMU SELANNE, who formed a successful partnership in their many years together in Anaheim. _Kariya and Selanne join a star-studded lineup as the Avalanche look to extend its own record with a 10th consecutive division title.
WINGING HIS WAY WEST -- _After 13 years wearing the "Winged Wheel" in Detroit, SERGEI FEDOROV lands in Anaheim to take flight with last year's Western Conference champions, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Mighty Ducks also obtained VACLAV PROSPAL, the Tampa Bay Lightning's leading scorer last season.
A HISTORIC FIRST -- JORDIN TOOTOO of the Nashville Predators will become the first Inuit to play in the NHL. _Tootoo's entire family will attend the Predators' home opener on Oct. 9. _More than 100 residents of his Nunavut home near the Arctic Circle also are planning a two-hour flight to Winnipeg and a 23-hour bus ride to Nashville for his professional debut.
YOUNGSTERS AND YOUNG STARS -- Boston's JOE THORNTON, 24, tallied a career-high 101 points last season. _Is a scoring title around the corner? . . . _Ottawa's MARIAN HOSSA, 24, led the Presidents' Trophy champion in goals and finished fourth in the NHL overall with 45. . . . Tampa Bay's VINCENT LECAVALIER, 23, had a career-high 78 points last season, more than double his total of 2001-2002. _He helped the Lightning post a franchise-record 93 points . . . San Jose's PATRICK MARLEAU, 24, scored a career-high 28 goals last season, tied for the club lead. _
A FEW OTHER KIDS TO WATCH -- MIKE KOMISAREK, D, Montreal . . . RICK DiPIETRO, G, Islanders . . . JASON SPEZZA, F, Ottawa . . . JONI PITKANEN, D, Philadelphia . . . ALES HEMSKY, F, Edmonton . . . STANISLAV CHISTOV, F, Anaheim . . . JIM FAHEY, D, San Jose . . . _TUOMO RUUTTU, F, Chicago.
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2. ESPN and TSN to Start 2003-04 Coverage Oct. 8; ESPN2 and CBC on Oct. 9 _
ESPN's 12th season of NHL coverage will begin on Opening Night, Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 8 p.m., ET, with the network's first-ever, three-game regional telecast. _Two of the three games will include last year's Stanley Cup Finalists and are rematches from the post-season. _Every telecast of the entire 20-game ESPN schedule will be fully exclusive and only seen on ESPN for the first time in history. _
The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim visit the Dallas Stars in a 2003 Conference Semifinal rematch which features SERGEI FEDOROV's regular-season debut in a Mighty Ducks uniform. _The defending champion New Jersey Devils open their 2003-04 campaign in Boston, where their championship drive began last season. _The third game will feature last season's Cinderella playoff team, Minnesota, at Chicago. _
ESPN2 opens its 50-game broadcast schedule on the second night of the season when the Los Angeles Kings visit the Detroit Red Wings. _LUC ROBITAILLE will begin his third tour with the Kings by facing his former team, the Detroit Red Wings.
TSN also begins NHL coverage on Wednesday with the Mighty Ducks-Stars game. _TSN will televise one NHL game every Wednesday night during the regular season as part of the network's extensive 73-game national telecast schedule. All 26 of TSN's Wednesday night games are exclusive in Canada.
The new season of CBC's HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA gets its 60-game schedule underway with a special Thursday edition Oct. 9 (7 p.m. ET). Viewers in Ontario will see the Ottawa Senators host the Montreal Canadiens. Later, viewers across the country can tune in as the Calgary Flames take on the Vancouver Canucks (10:30 pm. ET)._
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3. 100,000 Pucks to be Distributed In Shoot for a Million Pucks Promotion
The National Hockey League and its 30 member clubs will launch the 87th NHL season with a League-wide promotion - Shoot for a Million Pucks presented by POWERade (U.S.) and Coca-Cola (Canada) - that will offer one lucky fan the chance to shoot for $1 million (U.S.) at NHL All-Star Weekend, Feb. 7-8, in St. Paul.
During the first week of the NHL season, NHL clubs will distribute more than 100,000 pucks across the United States and Canada. The pucks feature the NHL's season-opening branding, Game On!, and will direct fans to NHL.com, where they can register for a chance to win a grand prize of a trip for two to All-Star Weekend, where the grand-prize winner will be given the opportunity to shoot for $1 million (U.S.) or one million hockey pucks. There also will be 30 drawings to win one prize from each of the NHL's member clubs. Clubs are awarding prizes such as team merchandise, season tickets and suite nights.
NHL clubs will be distributing the pucks in a variety of creative ways, including:
· _ _ _ _At historic North Station (Boston Bruins).
· _ _ _ _At an eight-acre farm that features a Sabres logo carved out of a cornfield (Buffalo Sabres).
· _ _ _ _At shopping malls in Calgary by mascot Harvey the Hound (Calgary Flames).
· _ _ _ _Via toll booths on I-95 in South Florida (Florida Panthers).
· _ _ _ _At Hermosa, Redondo, Manhattan, Huntington and Seal beaches (Los Angeles Kings).
· _ _ _ _At the Twin Cities Marathon and at a morning pep rally the day of their home opener (Minnesota Wild).
· _ _ _ _At Union Station in Toronto at an event celebrating the Stanley Cup's return to the Hall of Fame (Toronto Maple Leafs).
· _ _ _ _At various train stations throughout Long Island (New York Islanders).
· _ _ _ _At busy downtown locations via the Canucks Community Caravan (Vancouver Canucks).
The contest runs from Oct. 1-31. No purchase is necessary. Log on to NHL.com for more information, including prize descriptions and official rules. POWERade is the official isotonic beverage of the NHL and all 30 NHL teams. Coca-Cola is the official soft drink of the NHL and a corporate partner of the League's six Canadian clubs.
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4. NHL to Celebrate Opening of the Season with Three Events _
The NHL will open the 2003-04 season with three events, two of which feature hockey's ultimate prize -- the Stanley Cup.
The NHL will publicly display the Stanley Cup and its historic trophies from the Hockey Hall of Fame -- the first public display of the trophies in New York City in almost 10 years - at Times Square Studio at 44th Street and Broadway in Manhattan from noon - 7 p.m. ET. _Former players KEN DANEYKO, WILLIE O'REE and BOBBY BAUN will attend the event.
On Oct. 9, the trophies will fly back to their home in Toronto, and then proceed by train to Union Station for a special homecoming ceremony. From Union Station, a public procession will accompany the trophies to the Hockey Hall of Fame, where the trophies will re-enter the Hall of Fame via the seldom-used front doors on Front and Yonge streets.
Also on Oct. 8, a private Opening Night Reception and Panel Discussion, led by hockey broadcaster MIKE EMRICK, will be held at the Museum of Television & Radio. _The event also commemorates the National Hockey League's donation of the top 50 NHL Broadcasts to the Museum.
Emrick will moderate the panel, which includes former Ranger, Islander, Sabre and Hockey Hall of Fame member PAT LaFONTAINE, former New York Islander and Hockey Hall of Fame member CLARK GILLIES and BOBBY NYSTROM and former New Jersey Devil and three-time Stanley Cup winner KEN DANEYKO.
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5. Grant Fuhr's No. 31 To Be Retired Thursday, First of Four Jersey Retirements This Season
Former Oilers netminder GRANT FUHR (No. 31) will become the first of four NHL alumni to have his jeersey retired this season when Edmonton hosts the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 9. _Fuhr, who backstopped the Oilers to five Stanley Cup Championships and recently was selected for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame, will become only the fourth Oilers player to have his number (31) retired, joining WAYNE GRETZKY (No. 99), AL HAMILTON (No. 3) and JARI KURRI (No. 17).
The Colorado Avalanche will retire PATRICK ROY's No. 33 prior to the club's game against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 24. The four-time Stanley Cup winner is the NHL's goaltending leader for games played (1,029), minutes played (60,235) and victories (551). _Roy also was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner three times, won the Vezina Trophy three times and won or shared the William M. Jennings Trophy five times. _Roy's No. 33 will be the second sweater to be retired in the eight-year history of the Colorado Avalanche and the fifth in the overall history of the franchise. _The Quebec Nordiques retired the sweater of three players: MARC TARDIF (No. 8), J.C. TREMBLAY (No. 3) and MICHEL GOULET (No. 16). _The Avalanche retired RAY BOURQUE's No. 77 in 2001.
Celebrating their 80th season, the Boston Bruins will honor CAM NEELY by retiring his familiar No. 8 jersey in a ceremony on Jan. 12 before they host the Buffalo Sabres at FleetCenter. _No Boston player has worn the number since injuries forced Neely's retirement as a player in September, 1996. _Neely joins nine Bruins who have had their number retired: EDDIE SHORE (No. 2), LIONEL HITCHMAN (No. 3), BOBBY ORR (No. 4), AUBREY "DIT" CLAPPER (No. 5), PHIL ESPOSITO (No. 7), JOHN BUCYK (No. 9), MILT SCHMIDT (No.15), TERRY O'REILLY (No. 24) and RAY BOURQUE (No. 77).
The New York Rangers will honor goaltender MIKE RICHTER on Feb. 4 by retiring his No. 35 to the rafters of the "World's Most Famous Arena." _Richter spent his entire NHL career with the Rangers and is the club's all-time goaltending leader for regular-season victories (301), appearances (666) and minutes played (38,185), as well as playoff victories (41) and shutouts (nine). _Richter will become only the third Rangers player to have his number retired, joining ROD GILBERT (No. 7) and EDDIE GIACOMIN (No. 1).
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6. Kings Look to Extend Season Opener Unbeaten Streak
The Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their nine-game, unbeaten streak in season openers (6-0-3) when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 9. _The Dallas Stars are the only other NHL team in the past seven years to open the season undefeated (4-0-3). _The longest unbeaten streak in season-openers is 17, set by the Montreal Canadiens (13-0-4) from 1963-1979.
Colorado has earned a point in 21 of its past 24 season-openers (14-4-6) and boasts a .708 points percentage, tops in the NHL, ahead of the New Jersey Devils (38 points in 29 games; .655) and Montreal Canadiens (107 in 86; .622).
Detroit's BRETT HULL, Toronto's ALEXANDER MOGILNY and Los Angeles' LUC ROBITAILLE all have the opportunity to tie the record for most goals in a season opener (14).
