UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (01/23/00)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Work, passion make Dave Super again

Boston Bruins' captain Raymond Bourque and Ukrainian veteran Dave Andreychuk have engaged in many battles for space and possession of the puck as opponents over the years.

One would think Bourque, in his 21st year in the NHL, would know just about everything there is to know about Andreychuk, his new teammate who is in his 18th season. But that is not so.

"I knew he was tough to play against," Bourque said, "and how good he is at positioning himself in front of the net and scoring from in tight. What I didn't know about him was how much enthusiasm he brings to the rink every day. On and off the ice, you can tell just how much he loves the game. And how committed he is to the game. It rubs off on the other players."

Andreychuk, who readily admitted he is not known for fast starts, is making the Bruins look like geniuses for taking a chance on him last summer when he became an unrestricted free agent. The Bruins needed to replace Dmitri Khristich (another Ukrainian) and his offensive contribution after deciding to part company with the high-scoring winger.

Although Andreychuk scored only 15 goals last season and 14 in the 1997-1998 season, during which he endured numerous injuries, including two broken ankles, coach Pat Burns convinced cost-conscious GM Harry Sinden to sign the 36-year-old left-winger.

"They asked me about Dave, and I told them if they wanted a guy who brings passion to the game, then he was their man," Burns said.

Andreychuk, who also had contract discussions with the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning, said he felt the Bruins were a perfect fit for him. And coming in at today's bargain-basement price of $1.2 million (with a $200,000 bonus for scoring 25 goals and another $200,000 bonus for hitting 35), he gave the frugal Bruins a potential 30-goal man for relatively little money. Andreychuk earned $2.5 million as a New Jersey Devil last season.

Through the Bruins' first 40 games, the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder has notched 17 goals. During the first 17 games, Andreychuk was actually tied with Jaromir Jagr of the Penguins with 13 goals, first in the league. So much for a player not known for his fast starts. Included in this year's goal total was a four-goal outburst against the Lightning on October 28 - the fourth time in his career he had scored four or more in a game. He's one of the Bruins' top scorers. In fact, of all the unrestricted free agents who switched teams after last season, none had more goals or points than Andreychuk.

Andreychuk said it was easy to pick the Bruins from among the teams interested in his services.

"First of all, I played for Pat in Toronto and knew what he's about as a coach," Andreychuk said. "Also, I was looking at teams where I would get playing time. I felt that would be the case with the Bruins."

Andreychuk has played more than he expected, more than 20 minutes per game, which he said is as much as he ever played with Toronto, New Jersey and the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him 16th overall in 1982. He has been used as a penalty killer and a power play specialist.

"I had a couple of bad years in New Jersey and I didn't want to go out of the game on a downer," Andreychuk said. "I knew (Burns') system and I looked at the Bruins as a team that needed a veteran presence up front. I'm the type of player who needs to be counted on. But even more than all that, I still love to train in the off-season to get ready to play again. I'm not prepared at this point in my life to put that behind me."

For most players, suffering broken ankles (left and right) in successive seasons could have a disastrous affect on their speed. In Andreychuk's case, he didn't have a lot to lose. He is most effective down low and in front of the net. That doesn't require speed, just patience, courage and tenacity - attributes found on Andreychuk's resume.

"He battles for the puck like nobody," Bourque said. "Even in practice, he won't give up on the puck until it's in the net."

Asked about that particular trait, Burns laughed heartily and said: "When we were in Toronto, he and (goalie) Felix Potvin used to have quite a thing going. Dave would battle and battle until he scored; then he'd raise his hands in the air like it was in a game and he'd stare down the goalie. It used to drive Felix crazy."

It is this kind of intensity that has helped make Andreychuk the 17th highest goal-scorer (549 goals and counting) in NHL history. It's not out of the question that he'll finish with 600 career goals, which would place him among the top 15 all time and would put him in line for Hockey Hall of Fame consideration. Or will he simply be hockey's answer to Dave Kingman, the baseball star who finished 23rd all time with 442 home runs, but isn't in the Hall of Fame?

Time will tell. For now, Andreychuk lives for the moment. Indeed, he craves the moment.

"Some of the younger guys get a kick out of me," he said. "They see an older guy who doesn't sleep in late every morning - I get up early - who doesn't need three hours of sleep every afternoon and who likes to go for long walks."

Speaking of walks, this current hockey season has been a walk in the park.

UKRAINIAN UTTERINGS: The Carolina Hurricanes acquired goaltender Randy Petruk from Colorado for a fifth-round draft pick in the 1999 draft. Petruk, 20, was originally drafted by the Avalanche in the fourth round of the 1996 draft, though he never signed with the team. ... Defenseman/enforcer Wade Belak, who was assigned to St. John of the American Hockey League after being acquired from Colorado early last season, was a junior teammate of Flames' captain Todd Simpson with Saskatoon (WHL). On the day after the trade, Simpson was wearing a T-shirt featuring him and Belak, who were known in their junior day as the "Twin Towers."... Left- winger Keith Tkachuk and right-winger Dallas Drake - linemates, best friends and roommates on the road celebrated the births of their second children two days apart last summer. Their first kids were born six days apart almost two years ago. ... Devils' coach Robbie Ftorek said the loss of Dave Andreychuk would hurt because of his scoring touch, but the coach was confident a younger player could help fill the gap. ... With 992 games wearing a Devils' jersey (at the time), defenseman Kenny Daneyko ranked 19th all-time among NHL players who spent their careers with one club. Alex Delvecchio was first with 1,549 games as a Detroit Red Wing. ... The Anaheim Mighty Ducks signed goalie Gregg Naumenko, 22, to a multiyear contract. Naumenko, a freshman at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, led the Western Collegiate Hockey association with a 2.31 goals against average and .920 save percentage. ... The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Richard Matvichuk to a four-year $7.8 million contract hours before their 1999-2000 season opener. ... After center/left wing Dmitri Khristich signed with Toronto, he said negative things about Boston management, and it was clear he didn't think he was treated well. "The feeling is mutual," said GM-president Harry Sinden. ... Free-agent center Tony Hrkac signed a two-year, $1.05-million deal with the New York Islanders last summer. This season's first month saw the Isles turn around and send Hrkac to Anaheim, where he's currently on a line with Teemu Selanne. ... Pittsburgh did not make a serious bid to retain the services of unrestricted free agent defenseman Greg Andrusak, who signed a one-year $350,000 deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Unfortunately for Andrusak, the Leafs' depth chart on the blueline listed at least eight capable NHL backliners ahead of him. Andrusak was loaned to Chicago of the IHL.

(Dave Andreychuk quotes courtesy of Mike Brophy, senior writer for The Hockey News.)

| Home Page |