Soviet Newcomers to NHL Might Receive Icy Reception

What impact will the invasion of Soviet players have on the National Hockey League?

Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant quotes the Whalers’ Kevin Dineen: “I’m excited about playing against them. I get along with (Viacheslav) Fetisov. But (Calgary’s Sergei) Makarov and (Vancouver’s Vladimir) Krutov, I probably wouldn’t like them even if they were Canadian or American.

“Krutov and (the Canucks’ Igor) Larionov are going to have problems. Krutov has an attitude. You should see Makarov and Krutov yell at each other when things don’t go their way.

“Alexander Mogilny (Buffalo’s young Soviet defector) buys a Porsche his first month here right off the bat. A month later, he buys a Corvette. They have no-self discipline. They need some strong guidance.”

Add Jacobs: “Defenseman Barry (Bubba) Beck, making a comeback bid with the Kings, has a tattoo of a Haida killer whale on the bad shoulder that forced him into retirement.

“ ‘It’s a sign of strength,’ Beck said. ‘I’m into Haida Indian art and culture. I believe it. The killer whale is my favorite animal. I love its markings. I just hope I don’t have to get a tattoo with every little injury.’ ”

NHL forecast: Inside Sports picks the Kings to finish second in the Smythe Division behind the defending champion Calgary Flames. On the Flames: “ . . . They’re the best, from goal to defense to scoring.” On the Kings: “ . . . Their defense is shaky at best.”

The other picks: Somewhat surprising is the selection of the Minnesota North Stars in the Norris Division; the Washington Capitals in the Patrick Division, and the Montreal Canadiens in the Adams Division. The Stanley Cup pick? Washington.

Trivia time: What National Football League team has drafted the most Heisman Trophy winners since 1967?

Far beyond the call: From Richard Justice of the Washington Post: “As it turns out, that injury Kirk Gibson suffered in the National League playoffs last year was much more serious than anyone thought. When his left hamstring was finally surgically repaired last week, doctors found that the ligament connecting the hamstring and knee was torn. Team physician Frank Jobe said he’d never seen that kind of injury, but expects Gibson to be ready for spring training.”

Dial M for money: Jose Canseco has jumped on the increasingly lucrative 1-900 call-in bandwagon. If you care to hear Canseco explain why he drives fast or why he carries a loaded gun in his car, you can find out by giving Canseco a call at 1-900-234-JOSE.

Canseco’s agent, Dennis Gilbert of Beverly Hills, said: “Jose was growing tired of reporters doing interviews with him, asking him to tell his side of things, then not getting it right. So he decided to take things into his own hands.”

Part of the message, when Canseco talks about his hassles with the law and his stand on steroids, will stay the same. But there will be a new part inserted after every game, Gilbert said.

The call costs $2 for the first minute and $1 for each additional minute. But won’t it be worth it?

Sound of silence: Joe Gergen of Newsday on noise control at pro football games: “Fans deserve better than what they’ve been getting. . . . The National Football League wants them to fill its stadiums and stifle their enthusiasm. Executives in all sports bombard them with commercials, threaten their hearing with relentless musical interludes and tell them when to applaud.

“You’ll know when it has gone too far. That is the day when the ultimate prohibition appears above the entrances to our stadiums and arenas: No boos allowed.”

Trivia answer: The Detroit Lions. They drafted Steve Owens of Oklahoma in 1969, Billy Simms of Oklahoma in 1978 and Barry Sanders of Oklahoma State this year.

Quotebook: Phil Jackman of the Baltimore Evening Sun: “It’s a tossup which was the weekend’s worst call, the interference penalty against Notre Dame that handed Michigan a touchdown, or the forward lateral by Philadelphia that ended up with the Eagles a couple of feet from the winning touchdown against the Washington Redskins.”