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Sunday, January 27, 2002

Compiled by Dejan Kovacevic

On paper, it seems ludicrous the Stars would fire Ken Hitchcock.

He was 2 1/2 years removed from leading Dallas to a Stanley Cup. The Stars were 23-17-6-4 and four points out of first in the Pacific Division, which they have won the past five years. He was 277-166-60 since taking over in 1995, most victories in franchise history. His victory total through 500 games was fourth-highest in NHL history.

On the other hand, in what is developing into a promising trend around the league, players rebelled against his defense-first system. A faction developed in the Dallas locker room which had grown weary of Hitchcock's relentlessly conservative ways, and that even included the star of Stars, Mike Modano, a longtime Hitchcock ally.

The No. 1 problem with hockey is the lack of scoring. And the No. 1 source of that is conservative coaching. Not bad ice. Not a lack of skilled players. Not Gary Bettman. The Stars had become boring. Whether Hitchcock felt this was important or not, his style of hockey -- dump and chase, wait, trap, check, check, check -- was dreadful to watch and, frequently, a poor match for the players he was given.

All it will take to restore hockey to its rightful place as the most exciting sport on the planet is about 15 or so similar revolutions.

Don't think the Capitals' Ron Wilson isn't paying attention. That system of three defensemen he used last week won't sell tickets to line Ted Leonsis' pockets, either.

Proof that real hockey still works: The Canucks have gone goal-happy, scoring 62 times in a 10-3-0-1 surge since Christmas, a league-best average of 4.43 per game in that span. And they have piled up those numbers in daring fashion, sending their defensemen into the attack at every chance. For the season, their blueliners have a league-high 36 goals.

Markus Naslund for the Art Ross Trophy? He looks like the favorite now, with 53 points, one behind the Flames' Jarome Iginla.

Go ahead and take your Alek Stojanov shot now. We'll wait.

Larry Murphy, last seen with the Red Wings last season, still hasn't given agent Don Baizley orders to call around the NHL to inform teams of his availability as an unretired, unrestricted free agent. He wants to play again, and he could be ready to do so within two weeks of signing a contract, but he isn't about to beg for work.

Wayne Gretzky, never one to shun a camera, has been skating with the Coyotes all week despite insistences he has no plan to end retirement at age 41. "Don't get any ideas," he told the Arizona Republic. "I'm not coming back." In that case, why steal attention from a talented, young team that is threatening to make a surprise appearance in the playoffs?

The slumping Oilers, who have looked nearly as lifeless against everyone as they did against the Penguins Saturday, are shopping Tom Poti. A mobile and gifted defenseman, he has become a public target of criticism for his soft play in the Edmonton zone.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch contacted NHL executive Colin Campbell to ask how the league could have left 26-goal man Keith Tkachuk out of the All-Star Game while selecting Mario Lemieux despite his limited playing time. Campbell's reply? "If I'm paying $300 for tickets, I wouldn't mind seeing the best player in the league. Mario Lemieux would make an All-Star Forever Game, so why not make him an All-Star forever?"