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Sunday, February 10, 2002

Compiled by Dejan Kovacevic

Theoren Fleury never made good on his threat to tattle to the NHL on the on-ice comments he described as "very, very, very personal" that were made to him Wednesday by Chris Chelios.

And that probably was a wise move, because the league was plenty ready for Fleury if he did.

"A lot of what's said on the ice should stay on the ice," Colin Campbell, league director of discipline, told Newsday. "And people in the NHL should know that."

Fleury has a history of personal problems that include substance abuse, but the league only has a policy to deal with on-ice comments that are perceived to be racist.

Campbell couldn't help but note that Fleury has been in a bounty of trouble all season.

"Is it proper to comment on a player's personal life if it's public knowledge?" Campbell said. "Well, is it proper to flap your arms like a chicken at other players? Is it appropriate to make obscene gestures to the fans? I think common sense has to kick in someplace."

Nikolai Khabibulin of the Lightning was an obvious choice for All-Star Game MVP, having posted a rare perfect period for a goaltender. But he lost out to Eric Daze, who had a rather common two goals and an assist. How did it happen? Turns out the Professional Hockey Writers Association did its voting with 5-10 minutes left and had no plan for late developments. Khabibulin's 20-for-20 period was the third, during which his World team rallied to win, 7-5. Larry Brooks of the New York Post, president of the PHWA, vowed to improve the system for next time.

Has there been a better sight anywhere in hockey this season than Saku Koivu smiling as he was Thursday?

The New York Post reported the Islanders and Thrashers are in serious talks on a major trade in which Atlanta finally would get its coveted goaltender of the future, Rick DiPietro. New York, hit hard by injuries to its defense, wants Jiri Slegr and Frantisek Kaberle and probably much more. DiPietro, 20, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft and is 15-16-6 in the AHL. The Islanders are happy with Chris Osgood as their starter.

Wayne Gretzky is so eager to get the Bruins' Joe Thornton onto the Canadian Olympic roster that he has sent letters to all players imploring them not to go to Salt Lake City if they are not at full health. The only two who publicly wavered so far are Steve Yzerman and Owen Nolan.

*The Flyers' Rick Tocchet has been working to rehabilitate his badly damaged left knee for three months. Now he is healthy, but there is no place for him in Bill Barber's lineup. "There's no hurry here," Barber told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Maybe I have to initiate it," Tocchet said. "I have to find out some answers." Tocchet, 37, is in the final year of his contract.

Who will be given the boot out of Washington first: Jaromir Jagr or Ron Wilson?

Check out this quote from Wilson on Jagr in The Hockey News: "He has a lot of his own ideas about how things should be done. And I've said to him, 'If you had all the answers, what were you doing the last nine years in Pittsburgh? You didn't win a Cup there.' " No, but the two Jagr won in his first two seasons with the Penguins are two more than Wilson has won.

Is anybody in Montreal really enjoying the horrifically dull way the Canadiens are playing?