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Tuesday, February 19, 2002

By Dave Molinari, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

It was 10 years ago today that Rick Tocchet was transplanted across the Commonwealth, when Philadelphia sent him to the Penguins as part of a complicated three-team transaction.

Three and a half months later, Tocchet got a Stanley Cup ring for his trouble. And even though his career subsequently took him to Los Angeles and back to Philadelphia, he still has a genuine fondness for this franchise and its fans.

"It's been a long time," he said. "But every time I come back here, honest to God, I was watching warmups [before the Flyers' game at Mellon Arena Jan. 21] and just kind of looking at the building and reminiscing, and it brings it back. There's not a time when I come back here that there's not a story or a moment that makes you reflect on it."

And what he often thinks about is how the Penguins, who won their first championship the year before he arrived, could have developed into a dynasty of sorts if ownership hadn't been forced to break up that team because of financial considerations.

"If that team was together for six years, it should have won three or four, by rights," Tocchet said. "For whatever reason, it didn't. There might be a bunch of reasons. Who knows?"

Tocchet is hoping to earn another ring with the Flyers this season -- "I'm glad I got the one, but being greedy, you wish [the Penguins' early '90's roster] would have stayed the same" -- and said the run to a championship was every bit as invigorating as he expected. Or better.

"That whole scenario, that '92 season, was as good as it gets," he said.

Tocchet's role in it hasn't been forgotten, as he discovered while attending the Steelers' first playoff game at Heinz Field last month.

"Some people recognized me, and they obviously talked about the Steelers and stuff, but they always remember that '92 team," Tocchet said. "It was kind of cool to [reminisce about] that.

"It's funny, because a couple of guys I was talking to, tailgating with, said, 'I used to hate you, I used to love you and, for some reason, I hate you again.'"

Fans in this town, of course, don't have much affection for anyone wearing a Flyers sweater. Never have, and probably never will. Still, guys like Tocchet and Mark Recchi -- who, coincidentally enough, went to the Flyers in the trade that made Tocchet a Penguin -- won the Cup here and get considerably more slack than their teammates.

Indeed, Recchi still makes his off-season home here, and Tocchet insists he would have no reservations about doing the same.

"I could always come back here and live," he said. "It's probably one of the best places I've ever played. I've always said that, and I'll say it until I retire. This is one of the best places to play."

Trivia Question

The top five playoff scorers in Penguins history played on one -- or both -- of their Stanley Cup teams. Who has the most playoff points of any Penguins player who didn't earn a championship ring here? Answer at end.

Trade talk

Since there still is no indication the Penguins will try to re-sign center Robert Lang and defenseman Darius Kasparaitis, each of whom will be unrestricted free agents after this season, there's every reason to think both will be laboring elsewhere by the NHL trading deadline, which is a month from today.

Numerous teams, most notably Detroit and the New York Islanders, are interested in Kasparaitis, who adds a physical element that would enhance any defense, and there should be a decent market for a solid two-way center like Lang.

While there are some inside the organization who say privately that dealing Kasparaitis and/or Lang would be a mistake, the only questions remaining appear to be where those two will be sent and what the Penguins will get in return.

One intriguing idea is that the Penguins will try to package Kasparaitis and Lang in exchange for prospects and/or draft choices. That kind of deal might have real appeal to a club like Colorado, which has lost defenseman Raymond Bourque and center Peter Forsberg from the team that won the Stanley Cup in June.

Detroit dramatically upgraded its lineup during the off-season, and picking up a couple of veterans like Kasparaitis and Lang could help the Avalanche to brace for the challenge the Red Wings will pose during the postseason.

The Avalanche also seems to have a steady supply of good young players, and it's clear the Penguins could use an infusion of those over the next few seasons.

Banking on Moose

Whatever nominal chance the Penguins have of getting back into playoff contention hinges, in large part, on the play of goalie Johan Hedberg, who never performed in the NHL until the Penguins acquired him from San Jose, March 12, 2001.

Hedberg, though, was sensational during the stretch drive and first two rounds of the playoffs, and his bosses and teammates are confident he can repeat that over the final 24 games of the regular season.

"I think he's proven over the course of this year that he belongs in the National Hockey League," Coach Rick Kehoe said. "The way he's played, he deserves to be there."

Center Mario Lemieux added, "The way he's playing this year, I don't think he's lost anything from last year," and Hedberg said he has no concerns about being unable to duplicate his work from a year ago.

"I don't think I view myself as any worse than I was last year, so I hope I am," he said. "I don't see any reason why I shouldn't be."

Although he has a fairly slight build, Hedberg thrives on a heavy workload. He invariably is one of the first players onto the ice for practices, and isn't given to asking for time off to rest.

"He's the type of guy who, it seems like he has to get out there and practice and work," Kehoe said. "We'd like to give him a little more time off, but he likes to be out on the ice. There's nothing wrong with that."

By name only

Kasparaitis is performing for the greater glory of Russia's Olympic team in Salt Lake City. There's nothing surprising about that, except that Kasparaitis isn't Russian; he was born in Lithuania.

Kasparaitis, however, came up through the old Soviet system, and has been playing with Russians since he took up the game. Consequently, he has no qualms about playing for a country that is not his own.

"I play with my friends who I played with when I was a kid," Kasparaitis said. "I'm playing for the feeling to be there, to be in the Olympics, to try to win Olympic gold. That's a big accomplishment. It doesn't matter what country I'm from. I just want to ... help my team win.

"Playing with the Russians -- growing up with Russians, and being in a Russian environment for many years -- it's good for me to be there. And I feel part of Russia right now."

Trivia Answer

Martin Straka is the No. 6 scorer in Penguins playoff history, with 19 goals and 27 assists in 65 games. He made his Penguins debut about five months after they won their second Cup.