UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Andreychuk deserves Hall of Fame

No hockey pundit anywhere will dispute the fact that Dave Andreychuk has spent the better part of his long illustrious career as an immovable object in front of NHL goalies. However, does this mean Andreychuk himself should be considered an irresistable force once he eventually becomes eligible for Hockey Hall of Fame induction? Of course, at the rate Andreychuk's going along, his retirement from active status will probably be delayed still one more year. After all, the aging sniper notched the 20-goal plateau for the 19th time during the 2003-2004 regular season, finishing the season with 21 goals and 39 points, haveing played in all 82 of Tampa Bay's games.

The career of Dave Andreychuk will present an interesting challenge for Hall of Fame selectors, who in the past couple of years granted entry to the likes of Ukrainian Bernie Federko, Clark Gillies, Pat LaFontaine and coach Roger Neilson - all debatable choices.

So, what does one do with a player who has never won a Stanley Cup, never been named to an all-star team, never been considered the dominant player at his position in any given season? Will these traditional measurable Hall of Fame criteria preclude a player of Andreychuk's calibre from gaining serious consideration and/or election despite a lengthy list of on-ice achievements?

Well, this same player will eventually finish his career 11th all-time in goals scored - ahead of such superstars as Bobby Hull and Jari Kurri - and may likely end up with either the record for power play goals or come in a close second place.

The advice to the Hall of Fame committee is: if in any doubt, don't leave him out!

Here are the arguments (countering "complaints" about this hockey player) to include Andreychuk.

First rebuttal: Who cares? He doesn't have Sergei Fedorov's wheels or Jaromir Jagr's moves, but Andreychuk, 40 years young, has been remarkably consistent throughout his 21-year career. He has failed to reach the 20-goal mark just three times - once in his rookie year, and a second time in an injury-shortened season.

During his most productive years, he was perhaps the league's best scorer from tight quarters, usually two feet in front of the net. And when he does ultimately call it a career, he'll be the highest goal-getting forward among the all-time top 30 either not yet in the Hall or a legitimate shoo-in for immediate induction. (The other bubble boys on the doorstep are Dino Ciccarelli and Pat Verbeek.) Let us not forget, in these offensively challenged, low-goal scoring slew of years the NHL is trying to escape, scoring continues to be the name of the game.

Second rebuttal: Individual awards and all-star berths are wonderful, but they're still subjective measures of excellence, voted on by members of the sport's media. There is margin for error. On the other hand, Andreychuk's goal totals are purely objective. The lack of championships, meanwhile, should not be a deterrent. Witness prolific scorers like Marcel Dionne, Mike Gartner and other Hall of Famers who have already set the non-cup precedent.

Third rebuttal: Are you kidding? We're not talking about inducting some Johan Garpenlov (yeah, who?). When he finally finishes his career, it will be with well over 600 goals. The inductee class of 2003 (Federko, Gillies and defenseman Rod Langway) combined for 739. Note that's three player's combined totals to Andreychuk's total. Besides, the Hockey Hall of Fame is already filled with true-blue superstars. Isn't it time to reward a true blue-collar hero for the ultimate in longevity and consistence? Five years after he retires, of course.

Mysterious illness hits Tkachuk

St. Louis Blues left-winger Keith Tkachuk, his team's most consistent offensive presence this season, woke up one morning in late December with a grossly swollen ankle and terrible pain.

Somewhere, somehow - no one ever figured out for sure - he picked up an infection called "cellulitis," which is inflamed cells. He tried skating several days later in Detroit, but didn't have enough strength in the ankle. The Blues no doubt missed their top point producer, scoring just once in two losses at Detroit and lowly Chicago. After some creative cobbling of his skate, Tkachuk was able to dress and skate after Christmas, though still in some pain. He tallied two assists his first night back, again as the Blues top threat.

"It's not quite where I want it to be yet," Tkachuk said at the time. "But we're hurting for healthy bodies."

Few would directly admit it, but with so many Blues out with nagging injuries, some in the organization wanted teammates to take a cue from Tkachuk and Doug Weight (playing with a sore groin at the time).

"It's a good situation," said then-Coach Joel Quenneville, "having your top players wanting to play, playing through injuries."

Nieuwendyk works wonders with two young Ukes

For a guy who's closer to 40 than he is to 30, veteran Joe Nieuwendyk certainly wasn't acting his age this regular season. After all, age is just a number, eh?

First of all, he roomed with 20-year-old rookie Ukrainian Matt Stajan on all Toronto Maple Leafs road trips. But his most important contribution was centering a forward line with a couple of stalled 23-year-olds, Ukrainian Alexei Ponikarovsky and Russian Nik Antropov. The three linemates combined for seven points in three games in mid-January when first put together.

Nieuwendyk, 37, was particularly helpful with Ponikarovsky, a hulking left-winger whose development slowed for three years in the Leafs organization. Perhaps he was ready to break out, but playing with Nieuwendyk seemed to have injected Ponikarovsky with the right doses of enthusiasm and confidence.

"I think Ponikarovsky has great talent and when you have size and speed like him, it's crazy for him not to develop into being a force out there," Nieuwendyk said. "He's just realizing that now."

Fedoruk not about to change his ways

It's going to take more than a few broken facial bones to freeze out "The Fridge." Those who follow the Philadelphia Flyers wondered if Todd Fedoruk's career role - that of team enforcer - might have to change after he underwent surgery in mid-November to have four fractures in the orbital bone around his left eye repaired.

Fedoruk, injured in a fight with the New York Islanders' tough guy Eric Cairns the previous night, vowed he wouldn't change his style, even though doctors had to implant a small, permanent titanium plate in his upper cheekbone.

"Guys break their faces all the time," Fedoruk said. "The stuff they put in there is only going to make it stronger. It's ready to take another punch. It's not going to affect me."

Fedoruk returned to the Flyers line-up in early December and wore a visor for about one month afterward. Coach Ken Hitchcock called the Ukrainian rumbler his most improved player on the team and said he has finally become more than just a fighter.

Olczyk learning motivational techniques

Rookie Coach Eddie Olczyk was pushing the right buttons for the improving Pittsburgh Penguins, who managed to put together an impressive final month of the 2003-2004 regular season.

Center Milan Kraft, a healthy scratch for a couple of games, responded to the benching with three goals in the next two games. Left-winger Ramzi Abid, scratched in five straight games, turned it around with four points in his next three. Center Brian Holzinger, prior to being traded to Columbus, left-winger Tomas Surovy and defenseman Brooks Orpik also responded to sitting out.

However, when defender Josef Melichar played poorly, Coach Olczyk tried a different motivational tactic: Melichar was made an alternate captain for one game. Melichar responded with back-to-back strong efforts.

"Everyone seems to be listening to Olczyk real well," said GM Craig Patrick. "They're responding to everything he wants."

Nikolishin's efforts not going unnoticed

Who could have possibly predicted this? A veteran castoff from the Chicago Blackhawks might be the most indispensable player for the star-studded Colorado Avalanche?

Nobody would have, but this does arguably describe the value of center Andrei Nikolishin to the Avs.

Not only was Nikolishin the Avalanche's top penalty-killing forward, he was also one of the NHL's best at winning faceoffs - a category the Avs did not excel in last season.

"He has gotten more minutes with some of the injuries we've had and he has made the most of them," said Avs coach Tony Granato. "He has been great for us."

Acquired for a third-round draft choice from Chicago last June, Nikolishin ranked third for a time this season in faceoff-winning percentage at nearly 62 percent and even chipped in a bit offensively with five well-timed goals and 12 points. On the penalty kill, he helped improve Colorado from 21st into a top 10 ranking.

"He's a really, really solid player," said teammate Teemu Selanne.

(Quotes courtesy of beat writers Derrick Goold, Ken Campbell, Wayne Fish, Joe Starkey and Adrian Dater. Thanks also to The Hockey News' Jason Kay.)

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 23, 2004, No. 21, Vol. LXXII

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