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Sunday, November 12, 2000

By Dejan Kovacevic, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

The disappointments to this point in the NHL season have been numerous. Shocking, in some cases.

What are the Philadelphia Flyers doing in last place? Weren't the Florida Panthers supposed to compete for the Stanley Cup? Who stole the Bure brothers' hands?

But we'll set aside the bashing this week and stay positive, looking at the top five performances which have been well above expectations:

1. Start with Markus Naslund and the Vancouver Canucks.

Although, to a man, the players and coaches will tell you that Mark Messier was a great inspiration to them during his three years there, the fact remains that the Canucks never made the playoffs under his captaincy.

It's too early to say they'll break that streak this year, but the way they're skating, it's hard to imagine a collapse. Naslund, Messier's low-key successor to the 'C,' has led on and off the ice, scoring at a 50-goal pace and setting the tone for a spirited, young group.

Vancouver also has benefited from terrific showings by rookie twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin, playmaker Andrew Cassels and rugged blueliner Ed Jovanovski.

"Everything just feels different this year from the past," Naslund said before facing the Penguins in Vancouver nine days ago. "We didn't always feel confident with the team we had. But take a look at our record in the last 30 games last season, and we were one of the best teams in the league."

The Canucks ended last season on a 15-10-5 run, 30-37-15 overall.

"I thought something started at that time," Naslund said. "We really focused on trying to recapture that, and it's working so far. We have a great bunch of hard-working guys."

Naslund credited Messier, too, for setting a powerful example.

"You learn from any great leader you play with. I've been fortunate to play with quite a few, including Mario Lemieux. But you've also got to try to lead the way you know. It's great to be respected enough to be named captain. I feel honored."

2. After all of Jason Allison's inconsistency through seven NHL seasons, who knew he had the stuff to contend for the league scoring lead? And who could have guessed, after all the time he spent in Pat Burns' doghouse, that he had the stuff to be named Boston's captain? Mike Keenan, Burns' successor behind the Bruins' bench, stitched the 'C' on his sweater this week.

3. Scott Young has never scored more than 30 goals in a season. And he's 33 years old, not exactly on the upswing of his career. But, thanks in large part to the passing wizardry of Pierre Turgeon, he's on an incredible goal-a-game pace for the sizzling St. Louis Blues.

4. Roman Hamrlik, an enigma for most of his NHL career, signed a three-year contract with the New York Islanders this past summer. And he was expected by some cynics to remain dormant through its duration. But, after initially balking at the trade which sent him there from Edmonton in June, he has picked up his new club and carried it to its best start since the 1992-93 season. At the moment, he might be the most dominant defenseman in the league not named Chris Pronger.

5. As late as September, Sean Burke was still available as a free agent. He was calling the Penguins to try to get a contract, then opted to re-sign with Phoenix. And that's the main reason the Coyotes have been among the NHL's best teams in the first month. He is among the top three in the league in goals-against average, save percentage and victories. And, yes, that one-year, $1.3 million contract is looking like quite a bargain, isn't it?

Finally, an honorable mention ...

Weren't those teams that made the trip to Japan supposed to suffer from jet lag for months and have their seasons completely wrecked by poor starts? Judging by the standings, someone apparently forgot to tell the Penguins and Nashville Predators.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@ post-gazette.com.