From: allan@cs.UAlberta.CA (Allan Sullivan)
Subject: Don Cherry Coach's Corner summary - Jan 16, 1993
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 07:13:37 GMT



Here's a summary of Don Cherry's coach's corner from January 16, 1993
during a Vancouver-Hartford game.


Topics
------

Lemieux, Goal in own net, Toronto Goaltenders and expansion, Anti-Don
Newspaper article.

Summary
-------

The first topic that was discussed was Lemieux and his fight with
cancer. Don gave him a 'thumbs up', and said that he liked the
way Mario came out before the press conference to reassure people.

Next, the goal that Pat Verbeek scored in his own net was highlighted.
(The clip was shown where Montreal had a delayed penalty, the Whalers
pulled their goalie for the extra attacker, and Pat Verbeek went to
tried to pass the puck from behind the Canadien net to the slot,
but the puck slid all the way into the Hartford net.) Don also
showed a clip from when he was coaching Colorado in a game against
the Islanders. On a delayed penalty call against the Islanders,
Rob Ramage (then of the Rockies) went to pass the puck to the
point in the Islander zone, except that Ramage was supposed
to be the one on the point... The puck went all the way down the
ice into the Colorado net.

Next, Don talked about league expansion, and how Toronto could only
protect one goaltender. Don said that he himself would never trade
Fuhr, whom he considers to be the best goaltender in the league. Potvin
was successful earlier in the season, but word has gotten around that
he likes to play back in the net; opposing players are learning to
wait until Potvin goes down before shooting, and then put the puck
into the top corner. [Note: Does anyone have any statistics which
compare Potvin's stats in the first few games as compared with the
last few games he played? Has his performance declined, as Don suggests?)

Don recommended that the Leafs trade Potvin to a Quebec-based team, since
Don says that you will get more back from a Quebec team when you trade
a frenchman there. The Leafs have another good goaltender (Rhodes)
playing in St. John's, who has gone 7-0 lately, and who managed to
win an NHL game last year when the Leafs got him to play a single
game to make him available in the expansion draft.

Finally, Ron Maclean read Don an article from a newspaper where
Murray Costello (of the Canadian Amature Hockey Association) criticized
Don for picking on skilled European players who have impacted the
game. Don points out that Costello also criticizes Wendel Clarke
and the NHL, so he's in good company.

Don questions whether Costello is implying that Canadian players
aren't skilled. Don also points out that Costello's salary is
paid for by the kids in amature hockey, yet it is Don who is
trying to get them into the NHL. "You know the stuff that floats
on the tide? He's like that."

Rating
------

It was an OK episode... Some interesting ideas on goalies.
(I wonder how Don's predictions will end up?)

I'd give it 6.5 out of 10.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   \  \                   |Allan Sullivan (allan@cs.ualberta.ca)
    \  \                  |Department of Computing Science,
     \  \_______          |University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
      \    ###  \     _   |---------------------------------------------------
       \___###___\   (_)  |My opinions are mine and mine alone.
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"It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the
 credit..."          - U. of A. Golden Bears Hockey Motto (C. Drake)
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