UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (02/09/03)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Mid-season grades for NHL Ukes

Ah, how time flies. Faster than a Lightning-rapid face-off win by Dave Andreychuk. Quicker than an Oleg Tverdovsky laser shot from the Devils' power play point. Speedier than a Capital twisted wrister by Peter Bondra.

Yes, the 2002-2003 National Hockey League season has already well passed the half-way mark. The All-Star break has come and gone. Way too many optimists are beginning to plan out their pre-playoff strategies, hoping to gain entry into the ultimate tournament, the chase for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Time for mid-season grades on all of this year's NHL Ukrainian players as assigned by this veteran Ukrainian school teacher ... er, hockey columnist.

As always, several criteria comprise the eventual overall grade. Expectations heading into the season weigh heavily in the equation. We consider the rating of each puckster as either star, very good or role player. Performance is evaluated as beyond, on or below that expectation level.

(Players listed by grade, from highest to lowest.)

A - DAVE ANDREYCHUK, Tampa Bay - One of the league's best face-off men; captain and true leader of young team continues to chip in with valuable power play goals; immovable.

B+ - STEVE KONOWALCHUK, Washington - Clear the way, Caps' captain is comin' through; heart and soul of a very talented, yet inconsistent team; offers grit; good checker who scores now and then.

B - PETER BONDRA, Washington - Almost 20 goals at mid-point, as usual; this year lacks chemistry with rest of forwards, as coaches have tried him on all three lines with four different centers.

B - KEN DANEYKO, New Jersey - At age 38, finally understands and accepts the importance of sitting out the occasional game, especially if Devils expect to go far in playoffs; partner on blueline most of season is newcomer/fellow Uke Tverdovsky.

B - CURTIS LESCHYSHYN, Ottawa - His veteran presence on a still young, very mobile defense corps is extremely underrated; would like to finish his career with the Senators.

B - KEITH TKACHUK, St. Louis - Off-ice distractions with birth of baby daughter affected first half production; 17 goals scored in his first 35 games still not too shabby; look out in second half.

B- - WADE BELAK, Toronto - Versatile Leaf willingly plays either defense or right wing, invaluable in 2002-2003 because of team's injury barrage; true team player obligingly accepts enforcer role allowing Tie Domi to play more offensive role.

B- - RUSLAN FEDOTENKO, Tampa Bay - Offensive and defensive contributions a bit streaky in first campaign with Bolts; has fared very well when skating on Lecavalier line; will only get better.

B- - RICHARD MATVICHUK, Detroit - May have been distracted by fact this is a contract season; on club's top defense pairing with partner Derian Hatcher; currently out with broken fibula.

C+ - TODD FEDORUK, Philadelphia - Nicknamed "fridge" for his build; has two bad hands from his pugilistic endeavors which do not stop him from dropping the gloves to protect a teammate.

C+ - DARCY HORDICHUK, Phoenix - A real shift-disturber who has almost finished paying his dues as a fourth-line antagonizer; very close to earning more ice time as a two-way left-winger.

C+ - TONY HRKAC, Atlanta - Probably won't match last year's 18 goals, but still good guy to have around Heatley, Kovalchuk, Kozlov; fills in as second line center, plays on checking line and sees regular time on power play; still reasonably productive.

C+ - ANDREI NIKOLISHIN, Chicago - Knee injury (again) set him back after contract standoff with Washington forced trade; valuable face-off man for Hawks; could surprise in second half.

C+ - IVAN NOVOSELTSEV, Florida - Really sharp skater, but has tendency to spin out like a bad Ferrari; will score double-digit goals in only second full NHL season; has stayed out of coach Keenan's doghouse.

C+ - OLEG TVERDOVSKY, New Jersey - Flashes of brilliance offset by battle with severe viral infection which caused tremendous fatigue and 12 games missed.

C+ - ALEXEI ZHITNIK, Buffalo - Puck-lugger and minute-cruncher finally notched a goal in January (his first since November 24, 2001); continues to be a stabilizer on a bankrupt team.

C- - BRAD LUKOWICH, Tampa Bay - Hasn't totally solved problems with defensive zone coverages and positioning which made Dallas move him; his development slowed down due to less talented Lightning personnel.

C- - GLEN METROPOLIT, Washington - Utility man, mostly centerman, hardly played last month of first half; hasn't really gotten a fair shake with this unstable group of Capitals forwards; has produced points, mostly assists, when given chance, including power play.

C- - VITALY VISHNEVSKI, Anaheim - His overall progress has been stymied over the last year and half; still gets his share of ice time and aggressive bodychecking remains his calling card.

Incomplete - DENIS SHVIDKI, Florida - Played in club's first 10 games (one assist and two points) before being sent down to San Antonio to work on consistency and defensive awareness; has amazing speed.

Ogrodnick couldn't win battle of Quebec

John Ogrodnick was only a member of the Quebec Nordiques for 45 games, but it was definitely a time he'll never forget - mostly thanks to the seven playoff games in 1987 that added a chapter to the battle of Quebec.

"Those were such intense games," Ogrodnick, now 42, said. "The players and crowds were so into it. That was the fiercest competition I've ever been in."

The Nordiques pushed the defending Stanley Cup champions to the limit in the Adams Division final, but lost 5-3 to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7.

"We had our chances," said the Ukrainian left wing. "We won the first two games in Montreal, but it's a fickle game and things don't always work out."

Unfortunately for Ogrodnick, that was the most playoff success he experienced in his 14-year career with Quebec, Detroit and the New York Rangers.

Ogrodnick tallied 50 goals and 105 points for the Red Wings in 1984-1985 and finished with a solid 827 points in 928 games. He readily admitted he would have quickly traded some of his scoring success for the playoff glory Detroit has enjoyed in recent years.

Ogrodnick, now an investment consultant, still follows the Red Wings from his home in Farmington Hills, Mich.

UKRAINIAN UTTERINGS: Florida right wing Denis Shvidki, the No. 12 overall selection in the 1999 entry draft who lost all but 16 games last season due to injuries, had his work visa cancelled when he left the U.S. last summer. It took several weeks for it to be reinstated, during which time Shvidki could take part in practices (for which players aren't paid in pre-season), but not pre-season games (for which players are paid,... Left-winger Darcy Hordichuk engaged in two fights in his first three games after an early call-up from the minors. "(Pro scout) Warren Rychel told me in camp, 'Don't start fighting guys right off the bat. Run some of their key players over a couple of times when their heads are down, and then the fights will come.'" Toronto defenseman/winger Wade Belak was suspended for two games by the NHL for an elbow to the head of Washington defenseman Brendan Witt in a 5-4 win on November 26, 2002. "I just put my arm up as a reaction," Belak said. "I didn't want to get killed."... Blackhawks center Andrei Nikolishin underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on December 2, 2002. Former NHL goalie Clint Malarchuk joined the Florida Panthers' coaching staff as a goaltending coach ... Sabres blueliner Alexei Zhitnik was also suspended two games on November 8, 2002, for a knee-on-knee hit on Carolina's Jan Hlavac, who was mildly injured on the play.

(John Ogrodnick quotes courtesy of The Hockey News' Craig Skinner.)

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