Red Wings Try a New Approach

With a lineup that included two 500-goal scorers, a three-time Norris Trophy winner, a two-time Selke Trophy winner who also won MVP honors once, several Olympic gold medalists, two Stanley Cup winners and half a dozen players who had won world championships, it’s no wonder the Detroit Red Wings won a league-record 62 games last season.

“Some teams last year got intimidated by our roster because we had such a great roster,” center Sergei Fedorov said. “It was a walk in the park. It’s not going to happen again. That’s only going to happen once.”

The Red Wings won’t set any records this season, but they may be better off in the long run. Their roster was a masterpiece last season, but their loss to Colorado in the Western Conference finals proved skill alone doesn’t win playoff games. This season they’re more like a collage that’s still being assembled, with an eye toward rougher edges and a gutsier mix.

Gone are defensemen Paul Coffey, Mike Ramsey and Marc Bergevin and forwards Dino Ciccarelli and Keith Primeau. Trades and promotions brought in Brendan Shanahan, Tomas Holmstrom, Martin Lapointe and youngsters Jamie Pushor, Aaron Ward and Mathieu Dandenault.

They haven’t suffered defensively--their 1.86 team goals-against average is the NHL’s best--but their power play has plunged from third last season to 25th and they rarely dominate games.

“Our team probably doesn’t have the overall talent level the team the previous two years had, but we’ve gotten younger and a little stronger physically and hopefully a little grittier,” said Jimmy Devellano, Detroit’s senior vice president for hockey operations and co-general manager with Scotty Bowman. “We’re finding goals harder to come by. And when I say that, you may say, ‘Why did you give up Dino?’ Well, Scotty and I felt we had to make room finally for Darren McCarty and Martin Lapointe. . . .

“We’re not going to get 131 points. We’d settle for 100. The two teams that beat us the past two years, New Jersey [in the 1995 Cup finals] and Colorado last year, seemed to be stronger physically and seemed to be able to contain us in a series. We’re trying to become like that.”

Players acknowledge they are still adjusting, but they’re willing to sacrifice now to win later.

“Our thinking is, we’re trying to improve each month as we wind toward the playoffs,” said center Steve Yzerman, who has benefited from Shanahan’s arrival and ranks third in the scoring race with 32 points. “You can’t worry about last year. You’ve got to prove yourself every year. We’ve got a good hockey team and we’re just getting started.”

Which is better than finishing with trophies and records but no Cup.

THE LIFE OF BRYAN

As a third-line center on the star-studded Pittsburgh Penguins, Bryan Smolinski was accustomed to being overlooked.

“I never played with the big guns,” he said. “I was always in the shadows. I never had the spotlight. I’d score a couple of goals now and then. I’m not very flashy. I’m a blue-collar worker. I just come out and play hard, and that’s the style here.”

“Here” is the New York Islanders, who beat out half a dozen teams to acquire his rights in a trade for hard-hitting defenseman Darius Kasparaitis and center Andreas Johansson. The Islanders signed Smolinski, who was a restricted free agent, to a one-year contract worth $950,000.

It figures to be a good deal for the Islanders. Kasparaitis is capable of thunderous hits, but his physical style means he’s often hurt. Smolinski, a good two-way center, is more durable.

Smolinski thinks it’s also a good deal for him.

“I played for Mike [Milbury] when he was [assistant] GM in Boston and this team is moving forward,” Smolinski said. “There’s a great bunch of guys. They’ve got some real high picks too, and hopefully the chemistry will be right. I think they’re doing the right things to get back on track.”

A BIG PLUS FOR SYDOR

Defenseman Darryl Sydor, who looked so promising during the Kings’ run to the 1993 Stanley Cup finals but regressed to the point where Coach Larry Robinson called him a time bomb last season, has revived in Dallas.

Sydor, who was minus-12 last season with the Kings and Stars, is plus-10 this season. The differences are that he’s heavier, at about 200 pounds, and he feels more comfortable with the Stars’ strong team defensive system.

“I don’t think I’m getting pushed around as much as before,” said Sydor, who was traded to Dallas for Shane Churla and Doug Zmolek last February. “The mental game is a big part of it. I got a fresh start and I feel great. . . .

“Last year I put a lot of pressure on myself because Rob [Blake] was out and then I put a lot of negatives on myself because maybe I wasn’t accomplishing what I wanted to do. I was starting to beat myself up mentally. Every defense pairing here is a good pairing and I have a lot more confidence in myself.”

CAPITAL GAINS

The Washington Capitals’ 6-1-1 surge is admirable, especially since they have done it without Pat Peake, who has a shattered heel, Calle Johansson, who has a broken jaw, and Michal Pivonka, who has a knee injury. But to avoid their usual playoff collapse, they still need a game breaker. And they will have to keep a careful eye on goalie Jim Carey, who has collapsed in the playoffs the last two seasons.

General Manager David Poile pursued several free agents and was involved in various trade discussions but hasn’t made the big deal that would boost the Capitals into the upper echelon. With a new arena scheduled to open next season, Poile may be under pressure to get a marquee player-drawing card. He signed Phil Housley and traded for Curtis Leschyshyn and Andrei Nikolishin, but although the latter two are solid players, they’re not stars.

It’s interesting that Coach Jim Schoenfeld got a contract extension through 1998-99 but Poile didn’t, leaving only this season on his contract. The Capitals haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since 1990, and another failure would almost certainly end Poile’s tenure.

SLAP SHOTS

Congratulations to Borje Salming, Al Arbour and broadcaster Bob Cole on their Hall of Fame induction Monday. Every Swedish player in the NHL owes Salming a debt for being a pioneer. Arbour was a fine defenseman and an even better coach, guiding the New York Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups. . . . The San Jose Sharks were 10 points better in the first 21 games this season than a year ago. They were 2-15-4 last season but were 7-10-4 this season.

The Dallas Stars had 13 victories at the one-quarter mark. They had 26 all of last season. . . . Hartford Whaler General Manager Jim Rutherford, unhappy with the offers he has had for Coffey, said he will stop trying to make a deal if he can’t pull one off in the next few days. . . . New York Ranger tough guy Shane Churla will sit out a month because of a broken bone above his eye.

Ottawa forward Radek Bonk will be out a month because of a broken wrist. . . . Florida defenseman Ed Jovanovski has two games left on a three-game suspension for leaving the penalty box early. . . . Center Alexei Zhamnov has 19 points in 17 games since signing with Chicago. . . . Calgary defenseman James Patrick, who last week suffered his third concussion in two seasons and sixth of his career, said one more may force him to retire. He is expected to return this week.

New York Islander defenseman Dennis Vaske, out nearly a year after suffering a concussion last season and a separated shoulder this fall, no longer looks over his shoulder if he anticipates a hit. “I was working on that during training camp, taking the double peek,” he said.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks have discussed a trade that would send Kirk Muller to Vancouver for Russ Courtnall. Vancouver is deep at right wing and Toronto needs speed. . . . The New Jersey Devils, who must get goalie Mike Dunham 25 appearances or lose him to free agency, are slipping him into games here and there so he can meet that quota. Martin Brodeur isn’t happy about it. . . . Edmonton goalie Curtis Joseph on the return to Edmonton last week of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier: “Those guys are legends here. The rest of us are just passing through.”

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Vintage Scorers

Hockey has become a young man’s game. Of the top 10 scorers, only three are older than 30--the New York Rangers’ Wayne Gretzky, who will be 36 in January, Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux, 31, and Detroit’s Steve Yzerman, also 31.

The story is similar among the goal-scoring leaders. Tampa Bay’s Dino Ciccarelli, 36, ranks third with 14 goals, and Phoenix right wing Mike Gartner, 37, Toronto winger Wendel Clark, 30, and Dallas left wing Greg Adams, 33, are tied for eighth with 11 each.

Here are the oldest players to win the NHL scoring and goal-scoring titles. (Gretzky will be 36 years, 77 days old at the end of this season).

SCORING CHAMPIONSHIP

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Player Team Season Age Bill Cook New York Rangers 1932-33 36 years, 162 days Gordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 1962-63 35 Wayne Gretzky Kings 1993-94 33

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GOAL-SCORING TITLE

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Player Team Season Age Bill Cook New York Rangers 1932-33 36 years, 162 days Bill Cook New York Rangers 1931-32 35 Nels Stewart Boston Bruins 1936-37 35 Gordie Howe Detroit 1962-63 35

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