THE NHL : When It Comes to Patrick, There’s No Division

It seems Craig Patrick can’t get away from his association with the Esposito brothers, or the Patrick Division.

Both are ironies that have cropped up as a result of his hiring last week as general manager and coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Patrick was the general manager of the New York Rangers when he was replaced by Phil Esposito. When he was hired by the Penguins, Patrick replaced Phil’s brother, Tony.

Both of Patrick’s affiliations in the NHL have been with teams in the Patrick Division, which of course was named after his grandfather, Lester.

New York Ranger coach Roger Neilson is unhappy about his December schedule, which has his team playing seven home games, including two during the Christmas holiday week.

“I’d rather be on the road at that time,” he says. “Being home for the players during Christmas is too distracting.”

The New Jersey Devils reportedly brought in a consultant recently to inspect the ice at the Brendan Byrne Arena. It seems the Devils are concerned about their poor home record.

In any case, Barry Jones, director of ice operations for the Spectrum in Philadelphia, examined the rink and reported findings of three major problems in the ice production at the Meadowlands. Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello was secretive about the whole thing. “It was nothing that can’t be fixed,” he said.

Now all they have to do is fix their home record, which was 6-8-1 after 15 games.

Paul Coffey is one of the team leaders on the Pittsburgh Penguins, and not just because he’s one of the oldest players at 28. In Coffey’s case, it’s because of something he picked up from a teammate while winning three Stanley Cups in Edmonton.

“I was fortunate to play with one of the greatest players in the game, Wayne Gretzky, and he was the type of guy who, when things went bad, took his leadership onto the ice.

“He tried to show by example when things were down and the team needed a lift. Playing with him for seven years in Edmonton, you could always count on him, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Minnesota coach Pierre Page after a recent loss: “Our bodies were in the right place, but our minds were somewhere else.”

Chicago defenseman Doug Wilson likens playing in the NHL to being a professional musician.

“If a concert pianist thinks of every key he is going to hit, he’s in trouble. Same in hockey. When you start thinking instead of reacting, then you’ve got problems.”

It hasn’t taken Peter Klima long to settle in Edmonton. Klima has purchased a home outside the city.

“I can’t live in a hotel,” he says. “I don’t like renting. I need a home. I lost mine in Czechoslovakia when I was 19 years old. I need my home, my couch, my TV, my carpet. My three dogs will be moving in, too.”

Klima has a great Dane, a German shepherd and a doberman.

When the NHL’s all-star game in Pittsburgh this season was scheduled for a Sunday afternoon rather than the usual Tuesday night, league officials had to reschedule 241 games.

Former New York Islanders defenseman Denis Potvin is hyping Ottawa as an expansion site, and offers this anecdote.

“The first time I drank from the Stanley Cup (1980), I drank thirstily,” says Potvin, who played his junior hockey in Ottawa. “I was drinking, drinking, drinking and when I got to the bottom of the Cup, I saw the word Ottawa. I couldn’t believe it. I was really impressed.”

Ottawa appears on the Stanley Cup 10 times -- four by the Silver Seven and six for the Senators.