UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (05/09/99)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Frank Bialowas: "Animal" magnetism

When the Philadelphia Flyers announced several years back that they were relocating their American Hockey League affiliate to Philadelphia, Ukrainian Frank Bialowas figured it was the last place he'd ever want to go.

"I remember thinking, 'Those poor guys who have to play there,'" he said. "They've got a big league team across the street and they're not going to draw any fans."

Shortly thereafter Bialowas couldn't imagine being anywhere else but in Philadelphia - minor leagues or not. The then-Philadelphia Phantoms' resident tough guy quickly became one of the most popular icons in a town populated by big-name, high-profile multi-millionaire athletes.

In addition to perennially leading the AHL in the standings, the Phantoms are also always tops at the gate, and Bialowas was a very big reason why, especially in their formative seasons. The 28-year-old right-winger became quite a cult hero in Philadelphia, a blue-collar player in a blue-collar town.

"At our level, these guys aren't making million-dollar contracts, so they're a little more in touch with the people who come to see them play," said Frank Miceli, chief operating officer of the Phantoms.

"That relationship gets bonded a little quicker than it does with some other professional athletes. (Frank's) personality on the ice is something that attracts people to him, and his personality off the ice keeps that attraction going."

Wherever he has been, Roanoke, Va., St. John's, Newfoundland, Toronto and Portland, Maine, before Philadelphia; back to Portland and most recently Indianapolis in the IHL late this current season, Bialowas' on-ice role has been to serve and protect his teammates.

This style earned him a promotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993-1994. A flamboyant character whose long flowing locks cover the name on the back of his sweater, Bialowas played three games and earned 12 penalty minutes before returning to the minor hockey ranks. His reputation draws the attention of all up-and-coming enforcers eager to establish themselves against one of the minor leagues' most feared fighters.

"That's the never-ending cycle," Bialowas said. "It gets old after a while, but you've got to learn to deal with it."

With one goal, four points and 69 penalty minutes in 41 games this season (an injury-filled one), his career minor league totals stand at some 30 goals, 50 points and almost 2,000 minutes in penalties in over 450 games.

"I'm not a very skilled player," Bialowas said. "I'm your basic grinder, mucker ... I've just got to keep plugging away and, hopefully, it takes me back (to the NHL)."

A return to the Phantoms (rumored in the discussion stages) and a parent club would mean a stroll across the parking lot, from the fabled old Spectrum to the Flyers' new home at the CoreStates Center. That would be good news for Philadelphia fans, who have made the Winnipeg native their adopted son - even after 1998-1999 deals that saw Bialowas moved from Philly back to Portland, and then a relocation to Indy.

"He took fan support to a whole new realm," said Jason Vogel, Phantoms' director of media relations, who coordinated player appearances. Bialowas' name was always at the top of the list.

"They cheered when he had a shift (on the ice), and they booed when he went off. They counted the time he had left when he was in the penalty box," Vogel said. "He was embraced by the city, and he embraced it right back. He was probably one of the top 10 icons in the city."

Nicknamed "The Animal," Bialowas' popularity was accurately measured by the success of a promotional event a few years back. It was an "Animal Night," held two Februaries ago before a sellout crowd of 17,380 for the second straight year.

The special promotion was run in conjunction with the Philadelphia Zoo and Keebler. The Phantoms handed out animal crackers to all fans as well as hand-held masks featuring Bialowas' likeness. A live petting zoo was set up in the Spectrum's concourse, and fans had the opportunity to win a chance to visit the zoo and feed the animals with Bialowas.

Less than a week earlier this same year, at the Philadelphia Flyers' wives charity carnival, Bialowas showed up unannounced at a photo booth and proceeded to spend four and a half hours posing for photographs at $10 apiece. He actually had as much camera time as any of the Flyers' biggest stars, including Eric Lindros and John LeClair.

"They used a whole box of Polaroids," Bialowas remembered. "It had to have been over 500 pictures. It was like a semi (transport truck) flashing its lights in my face."

Over the Christmas season two years ago Bialowas was the focal point of a major toy drive, named "Animals from the Animal," held to benefit some 30 underprivileged kids from the Children's Miracle Network. Some 1,000 stuffed animals were collected and the remainder was taken to affiliated hospitals on Christmas Eve.

"He was very giving to the community, almost to a fault," Vogel said. "Everybody knew about him. He would do anything - schools, hospitals. Sometimes he did too much."

Acquired from the Washington Capitals for the proverbial "future considerations" in July of 1996, Bialowas hopes his landing in Indianapolis this season turns out to be a temporary stop. Even if his career does not take him back to the NHL (though further expansion may just open up an available enforcer slot), he is still glad his career took him through Philly.

"I appreciate everything everyone did for me, so when you get a chance to give a little back to the community, it's a pleasure."

Speaking on behalf of countless grateful professional hockey fans in the City of Brotherly Love, the pleasure was indeed theirs, Animal!

Over in the junior league ranks...

At least one Ontario Junior League general manager feels commissioner Dave Branch went too far by awarding the Sarnia Sting compensation for losing import draft pick Yevgeny Lazarev. Lazarev, 18, from Ukraine, resumed playing with the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears and the Sting dropped its lawsuit that sought to force his return to the OHL.

Branch gave the Sting additional selections in the third and seventh rounds of the 2000 OHL draft. The GM, who asked not to be identified, had a European pick not report to his club after being drafted by an NHL team.

Jim Rooney, Guelph Storm president and chairman of the OHL's board of directors, said it is within Branch's scope to award the picks. The Sting gave the picks to Belleville to get the Bulls' higher selection in the Canadian League import draft.

"I'm sure not every GM is going to embrace this, but it's the job of the commissioner to resolve a dispute," Rooney said. "He has the privilege within the parameters of our constitution. And besides, the Lazarev case is different than the others. The Sting felt it had an agreement with him. He spent the summer with (coach-GM) Mark Hunter."

Lazarev was drafted by Colorado, and the Avalanche assigned him to Hershey. The Sting challenged that and got a court injunction last October 19 preventing Lazarev from playing anywhere. The Sting claimed the Avalanche contravened the NHL-CHL agreement which requires signed 18- and 19-year-olds to play in the NHL or be returned to their major junior team.

The NHL said that only pertains to players in Junior A or the major juniors the previous season. Lazarev had played Junior B in Kitchener, Ontario, last year. If Lazarev is eventually returned to Sarnia before the 2000 draft, the Sting won't get the picks, but Avs' Assistant GM Francois Giguere said there are no plans to send him down.

Quotes courtesy of Phil Janack, minor league beat writer for The Hockey News and Jim Cressman, The Hockey News, correspondent for the Ontario Hockey League.

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