Senators Become a Front-Runner to Watch

The tone for the Ottawa Senators’ early years was set during the 1992 expansion draft, when General Manager Mel Bridgman on three occasions chose players who were ineligible. “Ottawa apologizes,” Bridgman said.

The Senators have nothing to be sorry for anymore.

Like many so-called Cinderella stories, the Senators’ transformation from doormats to Eastern Conference leaders didn’t happen overnight. It took years of smart drafting and careful development to build the depth that makes them the NHL’s second-best defensive team and one of the most productive offensively, even though they were outplayed by the Kings on Monday in a 4-0 loss at the Forum. Their first-round playoff upset of the New Jersey Devils last spring may be only a hint of what they can accomplish this season.

“We have the youngest team in the league and we have a lot of guys who are maturing together,” said left wing Shawn McEachern, a former King who has scored a career-high 29 goals. “Since we beat New Jersey last year we’ve played with a lot more confidence. We have solid goaltending, our defense has been great and everybody’s been having good seasons.”

On a team that has set or tied 25 team and individual records, the top performers are center Alexei Yashin, who shares the NHL goal-scoring lead with 38, and former Mighty Duck goalie Ron Tugnutt, who has a league-low 1.67 goals-against average. But Swedish forwards Andreas Dackell, Andreas Johansson and Magnus Arvedson also have blossomed, as have steady defensemen Wade Redden and Jason York.

“Since Christmas, we’ve elevated our game and gotten ourselves among the top teams in the conference,” said Coach Jacques Martin, who is completing his third full season and is Ottawa’s third coach in seven seasons. “It’s extremely close, but we won the season series against the top teams, Philly and New Jersey. I think our team has reached the elite level and we’re trying to stay there. It’s going to be difficult. There are no easy games.”

Although they had a tough time Monday, and have lost back-to-back games for the first time since December, their speed, skill and defensive discipline bode well for success in the playoffs, where games get tighter.

“I don’t think we know ourselves how good we can be,” said Daniel Alfredsson, the 1996 rookie of the year who has battled two knee injuries this season. “In the past, a lot of No. 1 teams have been knocked out, so we’ve got to be ready to play harder down the stretch and going into the playoffs.

“Everybody has been pulling together and going in the right direction together. We believe in each other.”

AN AVALANCHE OF LOSSES

Marc Crawford, forced out of the Colorado coaching job last spring, may not have known what he was getting into when he succeeded Mike Keenan as coach of the Vancouver Canucks. After 23 games and a 5-13-5 record, he knows all too well.

“We’ve got a long way to go, no two ways about it,” said Crawford, who led Colorado to the Stanley Cup in 1996 but left when he couldn’t resolve differences with General Manager Pierre Lacroix. “Every day, we work at things. Doing simple things very well will make this team a better team. I’m going to be very tough on this group until the end of the season.

“If they don’t make a spectacular run, they’re going to be hitting golf balls when other teams are in the playoffs. They’re going to be harped on to strive to improve in areas we think are important. Everybody has to strive: the players, the coaches, the peanut vendors. There are some good pieces and our young guys look like players. We’ve got to be a little bit better at everything. We’ve lost a lot of close games, and we’ve got to get to the point where close is not good enough.”

Although they’re 12th in the West, the Canucks have some talent. Left wing Markus Naslund is among the goal-scoring leaders with 34, center Bill Muckalt is a candidate for rookie of the year, and Mattias Ohlund, Adrian Aucoin, Ed Jovanovski and Bryan McCabe are the core of a solid defense. Players say Crawford’s teaching approach works better than Keenan’s blasting.

“Marc comes across as offering constructive criticism, which is a whole different level,” rookie center Josh Holden said. “You appreciate it and it makes you want to go out and work hard. You know you made mistakes, but Marc makes you want to correct them and learn from them. . . . We’ve got to learn to be consistent as hockey players. We don’t want this to last too long.”

RENT A RECCHI

Acquiring Mark Recchi from Montreal for Dainius Zubrus was a good public-relations move for the Flyers, but it didn’t solve the defensive woes that underlie their 0-7-4 slump.

Owner Ed Snider’s declaration last week that the team had suffered “a complete mental collapse” and a fiery lecture from General Manager Bob Clarke inspired them to show some fire Sunday in a 1-1 tie with the Dallas Stars, but their recovery is far from assured.

Their chief asset is their size up front, but that’s of no use when their defensemen repeatedly turn the puck over in their own zone and don’t help the goalies clear rebounds. Unless they find a defenseman who’s steady in his own end and moves the puck quickly, the Flyers will be an early playoff casualty again and Clarke will fire Coach Roger Neilson and install old pal Bill Barber, coach of the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate.

WHEELING AND DEALING

With the trade deadline a week away, these are the hottest rumors:

* The Sabres have been scouting Chicago’s Doug Gilmour for weeks, but is he worth the $12 million left on his contract over the next two years?

* The stumbling Coyotes talked to Montreal about center Vincent Damphousse, who can be an unrestricted free agent July 1.

* The Stars may bid for center-winger Trevor Linden when the Islanders dump salaries. If the Stars do nothing, they’re probably good enough to win.

* The Flyers haven’t given up on getting Chris Chelios out of Chicago, but Chelios has said he doesn’t want to leave. Montreal has two defensemen to move: Stephane Quintal, who can be a free agent July 1, and Igor Ulanov.

* The Kings are willing to trade Steve Duchesne and are resigned to paying a chunk of the $7.5 million left on the last two years of his contract.

* The Lightning declared only Vincent Lecavalier, Pavel Kubina and Chris Gratton untouchable. That leaves Wendel Clark available, but only teams close to the top are likely to take a chance on him.

* The Panthers want a defenseman who can move the puck, and St. Louis wants a defenseman, period. Neither has much to deal besides prospects.

* The Maple Leafs like Tampa Bay center Darcy Tucker, who’s strong on faceoffs, but the Lightning wants to keep him.

* Washington, again falling behind in the East, may move Joe Juneau but is likely to keep Adam Oates.

SLAP SHOTS

A group headed by Mario Lemieux is expected to submit a bid to bankruptcy court this week to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lemieux, who is owed $27.5 million by the club, has a mysterious but rich backer working with him. Harvey Gainey, a Michigan trucking company executive, is also expected to submit a bid. Roger Marino, the current owner, expressed skepticism over Lemieux’s bid, but Lemieux’s name and ties to the community make him the best hope of keeping the team in Pittsburgh.

The Rangers and winger Adam Graves agreed on a three-year, $12-million deal. General Manager Neil Smith has had preliminary talks with free-agent-to-be Brian Leetch, who will seek more than $5 million a year. . . . Calgary defenseman Phil Housley, a native of St. Paul, Minn., became the highest-scoring American-born player in NHL history Saturday. He has 1,066 points, three more than New York-born Joe Mullen.

The Coyotes’ victory over the Ducks on Saturday may not save Coach Jim Schoenfeld’s job. This was supposed to be the year they shed their choker reputation, but their recent fade has reinforced that label. . . . Theo Fleury, who sprained his knee in his Colorado debut, may return Thursday against Carolina. . . . Blues’ left wing Geoff Courtnall, who has post-concussion syndrome, skated a few times without feeling dizzy but he may not return this season.

Florida goalie Sean Burke pledged $40,000 to the Canadian national team program, which faces extinction if it can’t raise $200,000 by May 1. The national team has been a haven for Burke and other players during contract disputes, and they should follow Burke’s lead and repay that debt. . . . Red Wing defenseman Uwe Krupp resumed skating last week after missing more than two months because of back problems. There’s no timetable for his return.

The Flames, Senators, Oilers and Canucks have hired a lobbying firm in their crusade to change Canadian tax laws. Separately, the Canadiens have appealed the tax valuation on the Molson Centre in hopes of reducing their assessment. They pay about $9 million a year in taxes.