UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE
by Ihor Stelmach
Jagr's arrival thrills Bondra
It is very easy to tell when the Washington Capitals' Peter Bondra gets truly excited - his grasp of the English language starts to slip. This has happened quite often lately, especially when he discusses playing with the newest Cap in town, Jaromir Jagr.
"You stop to think about it - wow, the Washington Capitals are able to actually have such a player like Jagr," Bondra said. "It's amazing. He's the best player in the world. (Owner) Ted Leonsis said he was going to do it and he did."
Jagr is expected to help erase the team's annual playoff shortcoming: a severe lack of offense. The Caps hope he can make a major contribution with Bondra on the power play, which was solid for Washington last season.
"Jagr is the type of player who can make all the players around him better," Bondra said. "He can make a 20-goal scorer a 40-goal scorer; he can make a 40-point player into an 80-point player. His presence on the ice attracts the other team's defenders because of who he is, and that opens up a lot of ice for everybody else."
"And he is the type of player who is going to score a goal when the team most needs it. You don't have many players like that around the league, maybe two or three, and he's one of them," Bondra noted.
Bondra admitted he was mobbed by reporters when he returned to Slovakia for vacation, but he was acting only as a messenger.
"They didn't ask me questions about myself, they all wanted to know about Jagr and how I reacted," he said. "It was a major news story over there and I told them I was so excited for our team and Jagr, for the organization, for everybody."
Sabres' blueline all intact
The Buffalo Sabres might no longer have superstar goaltender Dominik Hasek, but their entire defense corps returned when Ukrainian Alexei Zhitnik signed a two-year contract just before training camp. The deal could be worth $10.5 million, should the Sabres pick up an option for a third year. Zhitnik appeared to have been bracing himself for a lengthy dispute before the two sides reached the agreement.
"What's important is our defense is intact going into camp," said Sabre coach Lindy Ruff. "The fact (the deal) got done and he will be in camp looks good for us."
Zhitnik was Buffalo's best two-way defender last season. Hasek got much of the credit for the Sabres' allowing the fewest goals in the league (184), but much of his success resulted from the fortress Buffalo built around the crease. One of the main architects of that fortress was Alexei Zhitnik.
Zhitnik, who had eight goals and 37 points in 78 games last season, started the current campaign paired with veteran Richard Smehlik. Jay McKee and Rhett Warrener stayed together, while Dmitri Kalinin had a solid rookie season and Brian Campbell continues to push Jason Woolley for playing time. The Sabres also have steady veteran James Patrick as a spare blueliner.
Best two-way defenseman in Buffalo last season? Perhaps the past several seasons? Through his club's first 28 games in 2001-2002, Zhitnik is among the team's top point getters with one goal and 15 assists. It's money well spent.
Hrudey dons pads for audience
Hockey fans in Canada got a rare inside look at what really happens during a National Hockey League team's training camp, courtesy of former NHL goalie Kelly Hrudey and CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada."
"Basic Training," part of the Labatt Saturday Night pre-game show, took viewers inside the inner sanctum of the Calgary Flames' September training camp, which was held in Banff, Alberta.
Hrudey, 40, strapped on the goalie pads and participated in the camp as if he was trying out for the team. He had not faced any shots since retiring in 1998, but didn't exclude himself from anything and was exposed to the same risks as other goalies in intra-squad games. He took the team bus to Banff and roomed with goalers Roman Turek and Brent Krahn. "Hockey Night in Canada" cameras were granted unlimited behind-the-scenes access.
Hrudey, who compiled a record of 271-265-88 with a 3.43 goals against average in his 15-year NHL career with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, said he first met with Flames' strength coach Rick Hesketh in early June and underwent his first fitness test on June 11. In late August he attended an off-season conditioning camp for pros and junior players at Father David Bauer Arena in Calgary.
"I was in lousy shape when I started, but I ended up in decent shape through a lot of hard work with my personal trainer Dave Brown," Hrudey said. "You can't just do about a mile a day and about 20 pushups; it's just not enough."
"I took it seriously. I didn't want to look out of place when facing 100 mph slapshots," he added.
Hrudey said he saw the attitude towards off-season training change in the NHL about the mid-to-late 1980s. Then in the early 1990s proper physical preparation really caught on.
He approached the Canadian Broadcast-ing Company and Calgary Flames General Manager Craig Button with the idea following a discussion with his wife and a friend. GM Button said he welcomed the invitation for the Flames to participate.
"It is important to bring our fans closer to the game and provide them with a better understanding of the requirements necessary to compete in the NHL," Button said. "Kelly's insight is an ideal window for fans to further enjoy the game."
The five sessions of the five-part series aired on October 6, 13, 20 and 27 and November 3.
Minor Ukrainian utterings
The Florida Everblades signed defenseman Alexander Godynyuk, who played 233 NHL games from 1991-1992 to 1996-1997, including 55 with the then Hartford Whalers in 1996-1997. The 31-year-old from Ukraine played the last two seasons in Germany. His debut, however, was over before it began. Hours before the team's exhibition opener October 5 vs. Columbus, Godynyuk was released after he flunked a team physical. A bulging disc in his back, aggravated in training camp with the Carolina Hurricanes, denied him medical clearance. The Everblades said Godynyuk likely will retire. Walt Poddubny resigned after five years of coaching Anchorage in the West Coast League. ...
(Thanks to Dave Fay, Bucky Gleason and Denis Gibbons of The Hockey News for quotes from Washington, Buffalo and Calgary, respectively.)
| Keith Tkachuk | St. Louis Blues | $8,300,000 |
| Peter Bondra | Washington Caps | $4,500,000 |
| Alexei Zhitnik | Buffalo Sabres | $3,250,000 |
| Dmitri Khristich | Washington Caps | $3,200,000 |
| Oleg Tverdovsky | Anaheim Ducks | $3,050,000 |
| Richard Matvichuk | Dallas Stars | $2,000,000 |
| Ken Daneyko | New Jersey Devils | $2,000,000 |
| Curtis Leschyshyn | Ottawa Senators | $2,000,000 |
| Steve Konowalchuk | Washington Caps | $1,525,000 |
| Drake Berehowsky | Vancouver Canucks | $1,450,000 |
| Andrei Nikolishin | Washington Caps | $1,240,250 |
| Nikita Alexeev | Tampa Bay Lightning | $1,075,000 |
| Denis Shvidki | Florida Panthers | $1,025,000 |
| Vitaly Vishnevski | Anaheim Ducks | $975,000 |
| Dave Andreychuk | Tampa Bay Lightning | $850,000 |
| Tony Hrkac | Atlanta Thrashers | $800,000 |
| Brad Lukowich | Dallas Stars | $750,000 |
| Wade Belak | Toronto Maple Leafs | $701,800 |
| Steve Halko | Carolina Hurricanes | $600,000 |
| Todd Fedoruk | Philadelphia Flyers | $550,000 |
| Joey Tetarenko | Florida Panthers | $471,900 |
| Ruslan Fedotenko | Philadelphia Flyers | $450,000 |
| Darcy Hordichuk | Atlanta Thrashers | $400,000 |
| Sergei Varlamov | St. Louis Blues | $165,000 |
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, December 23, 2001, No. 51, Vol. LXIX
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