Red-Hot Fleury Starting to Earn Keep

Last season, Theo Fleury seemed as out of place in New York City as a nervous kid just off the Canadian prairie. He couldn’t score. He couldn’t skate. He wasn’t feisty. He was held up as an example of all that was wrong with the free-spending New York Rangers, who give piles of money to any free agent with a pulse.

To be sure, Fleury’s resume was highlighted by plenty of 75-plus point seasons. But then he bombed in New York, scoring 15 goals and 64 points, and a lot of people figured he simply couldn’t cut it in the physical Eastern Conference.

The man from tiny Oxbow (pop. 1,229), in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, was one of the main scapegoats as the Rangers failed to make the playoffs for the third consecutive season. He was a superstar in easygoing Calgary, but in New York he was viewed as a rube, a guy who couldn’t make it in the big-city atmosphere.

“Obviously, I think coming in here, the expectations were as high as they have ever been in my career,” said Fleury, who in the summer of 1999 signed a three-year, $21-million deal with the Rangers. “And when things don’t go well and you sign a big contract, especially in New York, people expect you to produce. I didn’t do that. Not only were the fans and media disappointed, I was just as disappointed in myself. I wanted to come in here and continue to play the way that I always have.

“But last year is in the past and I’ve obviously moved on and am looking forward to the rest of this season.”

So far, Fleury has good reasons to forget 1999-2000. He has 13 goals and 21 points in 16 games and is moving smartly among the league leaders in each category. It’s also Fleury’s best start in his 13-season NHL career.

The Rangers, although not exactly a league power, have moved to the .500 mark with an 8-8 record for 16 points. Some of their success can be traced to the leadership of Mark Messier, who has made a triumphant return to the Rangers. Remember, it was Messier who took the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship in 54 years when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks in 1994.

But Fleury’s sudden resurgence hasn’t hurt.

“I lost my confidence early last season,” he said. “I must have hit probably 30 goal posts. If 15 of those go in, it’s a pretty good season for me.

“Coming into this season, I’m a lot more prepared for what New York is all about and feel a lot more comfortable here. The coaching staff and everybody has given me great support this year and things have gotten off well.”

ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLISS

Here’s one reason the Colorado Avalanche is a good deal better than most NHL teams: defenseman Ray Bourque.

The addition of the ageless Bourque has given the Avalanche the smarts it lacked with the inconsistent Sandis Ozolinsh--now with the Carolina Hurricanes--on the blue line. With two goals and 12 points, Bourque has shown he still has plenty of game.

Certainly, it has helped that Bourque has found a comfort zone in Colorado after last season’s trade from the Boston Bruins. Leaving Beantown after 20-plus seasons was disconcerting.

“A few adjustments had to be made, dealing with the whole situation,” he said. “Coming into this year, I feel a lot better knowing the area, knowing the guys, knowing the system.”

Pierre Lacroix, Colorado president and general manager, further eased Bourque’s transition from Boston to Denver by giving him a one-season, $5.5-million contract June 14, more than two weeks before the future Hall of Famer would have become an unrestricted free agent.

“They didn’t even give me a chance to become a free agent. It was settled,” Bourque said. “It’s a perfect situation here. We’re in competition for the Cup. It’s been fun. It’s been a good change for me.”

Here’s another reason the Avalanche lead the NHL with 29 points: center Joe Sakic.

With forwards Adam Deadmarsh and Chris Drury sidelined because of injuries, Sakic has turned up his game several notches. Sakic had two goals and 10 points in the season’s first 13 games, but since Deadmarsh suffered a concussion and Drury a sprained knee Nov. 1 against the Canucks, Sakic has five goals goals and 12 points in five games.

Perhaps that’s why a calm, cool and collected Lacroix could be seen taking slap shots while dressed in street clothes after a recent morning skate at the Pepsi Center. With players like Bourque and Sakic in the fold, why should Lacroix have a care in the world?

A DEVIL OF A TIME

That’s some Stanley Cup hangover the New Jersey Devils are experiencing. They are mired in a five-game losing streak, their longest since 1990-91, and a 0-5-1 winless streak that has dropped them to the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings.

General Manager Lou Lamoriello’s hard-line negotiations with unsigned free agents Jason Arnott and Scott Niedermayer haven’t exactly charmed Devil fans. Chants of “We want Arnott!” were heard during the Devils’ 4-0 loss Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.

The Devils have a chance to get it right tonight against the scalding San Jose Sharks, 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Signing Arnott and Niedermayer may prove to be every bit as difficult as defeating the Sharks, however.

BETTMAN’S RULING

He has taken a beating for all sorts of things--allowing Fox to use a glowing puck on its telecasts comes to mind immediately--but Commissioner Gary Bettman made the right move by extending Marty McSorley’s suspension to a full year for whacking Donald Brashear in the head.

McSorley was right to decide against appealing his assault conviction in a Vancouver court, which will make it easier for Bettman to reinstate the former King defenseman when his suspension is lifted Feb. 21. That’s assuming some team has the guts to sign McSorley.

Brashear might want to consider forgiving McSorley, which would go a long way toward ending this whole mess. So far, Brashear has been unwilling to accept McSorley’s apology. It’s high time everyone learned his lessons and put this episode behind for the good of the game.

KICK SAVES

The NBA-ization of the NHL continues. The latest NBA-style battle of personalities comes in the form of a clash between superstar winger Jaromir Jagr and Penguin Coach Ivan Hlinka. According to reports, Jagr refused to participate in a Penguin power play during a 5-2 victory Wednesday over the Philadelphia Flyers. Jagr reportedly isn’t happy with Hlinka’s defensive game plan. The two had a 20-minute postgame meeting to hash out their differences.

Colorado’s Peter Forsberg suffered a rib injury in the third period of Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Mighty Ducks. It could mean Forsberg, Deadmarsh and Drury will be sidelined for the rematch Wednesday at the Arrowhead Pond.

The Florida Panthers are said to be among several teams interested in dealing for King defenseman Aki Berg. Maybe the Kings will end up with Pavel Bure after all. Yeah, right.

And speaking of trades that will never happen in a million years, the Rangers have offered Petr Nedved to the Flyers for Eric Lindros. The Rangers had better offer more than the inconsistent Nedved if they expect to see Lindros in Broadway Blue.

The Dallas Stars visit the Sabres on Wednesday for the first time since Brett Hull pitched a tent in the crease before scoring the Stanley Cup-winning goal in overtime in Game 6 of the 1999 finals. There are still bumper stickers around Buffalo, one by the media entrance to HSBC Arena, that read: “No goal.” The game is on ESPN at 5 p.m.

The general managers’ meetings started Monday in Toronto, but don’t expect any blockbuster trades just yet. It’s still too early in the season for general managers to start tinkering with their rosters. Expect a few deals around the 25-game mark, though. General managers should have a better feel for their teams’ strengths and weaknesses by then.