NHL Notes : Home Is Sweet, but Jets Having Success on Road

The Winnipeg Jets have gotten into a comfortable groove on the road. That’s one of the main reasons, their players say, the team has done so well away from home this season.

“We’re a pretty close-knit team traveling together,” said Brian Mullen after a recent 2-2 tie at the Nassau Coliseum put the Jets’ road record at 11-9-3, only one of two teams in the NHL over .500 away from home. “We just go out and play our game, and have fun, mostly.”

Besides, Mullen said, there was more pressure at home to “produce, excite the fans and make the big plays. On the road, we don’t have to put a show on for anybody. We’ve just been playing more disciplined on the road.”

The tie with the Islanders extended the Jets’ current unbeaten streak on the road to six games (5-0-1).

Since Chrysler-Dodge initiated its sponsorship of NHL player awards, Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky has been the champion money-maker for the youth hockey organizations that benefit on behalf of the recipients.

Gretzky has been responsible for $10,500 of the total of the roughly $50,000 that has been accumulated in the midst of the third season of the awards. Gretzky’s total includes $3,500 for seven Player of the Week awards and $7,000 for seven Player of the Month honors.

Since the sponsorship was started in 1984-85, Chrysler-Dodge has donated $500 and $1,000 to youth hockey organizations for each weekly and monthly winner, respectively.

After an undignified departure from the Montreal Canadiens’ organization 16 months ago, former star player Guy Lafleur wants to return to the club’s front office, preferably to be involved in public relations, or marketing or administration.

Lafleur took the initiative recently by calling Canadiens president Ron Corey and asking that they meet to absolve a public dispute over Lafleur’s role and salary with the club which began in September 1985, when Lafleur left the organization.

They met two months ago for the first time since Lafleur’s walkout.

“When I met him, it was to clear the air,” said the 35-year-old Lafleur. “It was hard to call him, but I had to do it.”

The two agreed to continue talking after Lafleur has completed his job as goodwill ambassador for Rendez-Vous 87, a two-game series between the NHL All-Stars and Soviet National Team in Quebec City next month.

Since early January, Lafleur has been a regular at the Canadiens’ home games, working as a color commentator for Montreal radio station CKAC. His seat in the press box is almost directly across from where the retired No. 10 jersey he wore for 14 years hangs from the Forum rafters.

What makes a good captain in hockey? Terry Ruskowski of the Pittsburgh Penguins says:

“A captain has to be willing to talk with teammates, tell them your feelings, especially when things aren’t going well. You have to talk reasonably, not yell at them, and when they’re playing well, tell them.

“I play as hard as I can because I want to win. I’m willing to do all the little things it takes to win. I try to keep things in the right perspective off the ice, to help the younger players through the difficult times.”

If television star Michael J. Fox cools off as an actor, he might be able to play hockey for a living. In a recent charity fund-raising game at the Minnesota North Stars’ Met Center, Fox scored three goals to lead a squad of celebrities to an 8-6 victory over a team of former North Stars. Along with Fox (“Family Ties”), the celebrity squad also got offensive support from Richard Dean Anderson (“MacGyver”), who had two assists, and Michael Keaton (“Mr. Mom”), one goal.