UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Captain Coyote all Gung-Ho

Keith Tkachuk may one day become the No. 1 goal-scoring American-born player of all-time. That would be just great. But at the start of training camp 1999, the only record the Phoenix captain was focusing on was a birth certificate.

Tkachuk and his wife, Chantal, were expecting the arrival of their second child in mid-September. At the time they had no idea whether their son Matthew, then 20 months old, would have a baby brother or sister, which was just the way they liked it.

Tkachuk's philosophy on goal-scoring coincides with the decision not to know the gender of the unborn child. Good things happen to those who wait.

"The puck's going to get to the net eventually," Tkachuk said. "So why not go to the net and wait for it?"

This theory has helped Tkachuk score the majority of his 272 career goals in the NHL and gives him a legitimate chance to surpass U.S.-born Joe Mullen's mark of 502.

Tkachuk is sixth among active players behind teammate Jeremy Roenick (344 goals heading into the 1999-2000 season), Ed Olczyk (340), Kevin Stevens (315), Mike Modano (311) and Phil Housley (302). But, at age 27, Tkachuk is still in his goal-scoring prime and figures to surpass those ahead of him in the current and coming seasons. Also in the mix are 30-year-old John LeClair (269) and 29-year-old Tony Amonte (248).

Of the eight players mentioned, Tkachuk has played the fewest games (526), is the only one to average more than 30 goals per season (34) and is the only one, at each player's current pace, who will score 502 goals in less than the 1,062 games it took Mullen. Tkachuk is on pace to score 502 goals in 970 games, which leaves him about five healthy seasons away.

Brett Hull, who skates for the U.S. in international competition, is not on the list because he was born in Canada (Belleville, Ontario). Hull had 586 career goals prior to the current campaign.

"I never thought I'd get one goal, let alone 100 or 272," Tkachuk said. "It's just hard work that's got me this far. Going to the net, sacrificing, getting the garbage goals."

This current season marked the first in the past three that Tkachuk was in Phoenix and attended the start of training camp. He was so gung-ho he showed up at 6:30 a.m. on a Monday morning for an informal workout, a full week before camp even began.

In each of the past two seasons, Tkachuk was a camp no-show because of contract holdouts. In 1998-1999 he refused to report until his deal was renegotiated; a new contract was finally signed a week before the season started.

Originally scheduled to earn $3 million in 1999-2000, he will now make $4.3 million this season and $8.3 million next year.

"The money hasn't changed my outlook," Tkachuk said. "But it may change the way that some people see me. The more you get paid, the more pressure that's put on you."

And not being in camp until the final stages did hurt Tkachuk. His goal totals the past two seasons (40 and 36) followed back-to-back 50-goal campaigns. True, injuries limited him to 68 and 69 games in 1997-1998 and 1998-1999, respectively, but his goals-per-game average declined as well.

"It feels weird, I'm lost right now," joked the left-winger about being in training camp so early. "But it feels good because I'm in camp and there's no worries in my mind. It's nice to relax and concentrate on just playing hockey. Coming in a week before the season starts is tough."

Being in Phoenix for the start of training camp and focusing on the current season allowed Tkachuk to put the nightmarish end to last season behind him. The Coyotes blew a three-games-to-one lead over the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the playoffs. Tkachuk was held to one goal and four points in the series as the franchise bowed out in the first round for the fourth straight year.

"It was difficult to swallow," he said. "We became a better hockey team last year, but we let it slip in the playoffs."

A native of Melrose, Mass., Tkachuk says passing Mullen would be a rewarding milestone, but it's not foremost in his mind.

"It's definitely an honor," he said. "But if I don't get 500 goals, it's not going to break my career. My goal has always been to win the Stanley Cup."

With the uniquely positive beginning to this latest hockey season, could this finally be Keith Tkachuk's year? And, more importantly, could it be the year of the Coyote?

(Quotations in Tkachuk article courtesy of Mr. Mike Gibb, beat writer for The Hockey News covering the Coyotes.)

Ukrainian Transactions:
(player movement from off-season through November)

ANAHEIM - Oleg Tverdovsky, D, acquired from Phoenix in trade; Vitali Vishnevsky, D, signed three-year contract and assigned to Cincinnati (AHL); Tverdovsky signed one-year contract; Gregg Naumenko, GT, assigned to Cincinnati (AHL).

ATLANTA - David Kaczowka, LW, returned to Seattle (WHL); Mike Muzechka, D, assigned to Orlando (IHL).

BOSTON - Dave Andreychuk, LW, signed one-year contract as free agent; Seamus Kotyk, GT, returned to Ottawa (OHL).

BUFFALO - Dieter Kochan, GT, returned to Binghamton (UHL).

CALGARY - Daniel Tkaczuk, C, signed three-year contract and assigned to St. John (AHL); Lee Sorochan, D, assigned to St. John (AHL).

CAROLINA - Randy Petruk, GT, assigned to Cincinnati (AHL).

CHICAGO - Ed Olczyk, C, signed one-year contract.

COLORADO - Jordan Krestanovich, LW, returned to Calgary (WHL).

DALLAS - Brad Lukowich, D, signed one-year contract; Evgeny Tsybuk, D, assigned to Michigan (IHL); Richard Matvichuk, D, signed four-year contract.

FLORIDA - Joey Tetarenko, D, and Peter Ratchuk, D, assigned to Louisville (AHL); Denis Shvidki, RW, returned to Barrie (OHL).

MONTREAL - Steve Cheredaryk, D, released.

NASHVILLE - Jayme Filipowicz, D, signed contract.

NEW JERSEY - Mike Buzak, GT, and Stanislav Gron, C, assigned to Albany (AHL).

N.Y. ISLES - Tony Hrkac, C, signed two-year contract as free agent; Hrkac traded to Anaheim.

OTTAWA - Chris Szysky, RW, signed multi-year contract; Petr Schastlivy, LW, assigned to Grand Rapids (IHL); Szysky assigned to Grand Rapids (IHL).

PHILADELPHIA - Mike Maneluk, LW, signed one-year contract; Todd Fedoruk, LW, assigned to Philadelphia (AHL); Maneluk assigned to Philadelphia (AHL).

PHOENIX - Alexander Andreyev, D, signed multi-year contract and assigned to Springfield (AHL); Radislav Suchy, D, recalled from Springfield (AHL).

PITTSBURGH - Gary Shuchuk, RW, released; Boris Protsenko, RW, assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

ST. LOUIS - Jaroslav Obsut, D, assigned to Worcester (AHL); Cory Rudkowsky, GT, and Trevor Wasyluk, LW, assigned to Worcester (AHL).

TAMPA BAY - Steve Ludzik named head coach.

TORONTO - Greg Andrusak, D, signed one-year contract as free agent; Andrusak assigned to St. John's (AHL) and reassigned to Chicago (IHL); Andrusak recalled from Chicago and returned; David Nemirovsky, LW, signed contract and assigned to St. John's (AHL); Dmitri Khristich, LW, acquired from Boston for second round pick in 2000 and signed to four-year contract.

VANCOUVER - Yevgeny Namestnikov, D, claimed in waiver draft from N.Y. Rangers; Namestnikov placed on waivers and claimed by N.Y. Rangers; Zenith Komarniski, D, assigned to Syracuse (AHL) and later recalled.

WASHINGTON - Glen Metropolit, RW, signed contract; Jason Shmyr, RW, assigned to Portland (AHL); Ross Lupaschuk, D, returned to Prince Albert (WHL); Metropolit assigned to Portland (AHL) and later recalled.

Ukrainian Scoring Leaders:
(through games of November 29)

Player Team GP G A PTS PIM
K. Tkachuk Phoenix 25 11 11 22 39
D. Andreychuk Boston 25 15 4 19 8
P. Bondra Washington 23 13 3 16 12
O. Tverdovsky Anaheim 24 4 11 15 10
S. Konowalchuk Washington 23 5 9 14 14
D. Khristich Toronto 17 6 5 11 4
D. Berehowsky Nashville 22 3 5 8 21
A. Nikolishin Washington 23 2 6 8 4
G. Metropolit Washington 14 3 4 7 2
A. Zhitnik Buffalo 23 1 4 5 24
R. Matvichuk Dallas 17 1 2 3 6
L. Suchy Phoenix 16 0 3 3 4
T. Hrkac N.Y. Isles ­ Anaheim 19 1 2 3 2
B. Lukowich Dallas 23 1 1 2 26
Z. Komarniski Vancouver 5 0 1 1 4
S. Halko Carolina 6 0 1 1 11
G. Andrusak Toronto 1 0 1 1 0
K. Daneyko New Jersey Devils 20 0 1 1 17
C. Leschyshyn Carolina 25 0 1 1 6
E. Olczyk Chicago 5 0 0 0 2
W. Belak Calgary 16 0 0 0 66

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 26, 1999, No. 52, Vol. LXVII

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