|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Pittsburgh's Kraft preseason ROY
The preseason pick for rookie of the year is Pittsburgh's Milan Kraft, in part because of the company he will be keeping. During training camp Kraft, one of eight Czechs likely to make the Penguins roster, will be given an opportunity to center Jaromir Jagr on the No. 1 line -- the most reliable formula for racking up points. Martin Straka, a left-handed shot who has been Jagr's sidekick, likely will move from center to left wing. Of course, scoring goals is rarely a problem in Pittsburgh. Stopping them is. The Penguins start camp with seven goalies, none of whom has a game of NHL experience. The only holdover, Jean-Sebastien Aubin, is unsigned. Look for general manager Craig Patrick to eventually come to terms with Aubin and bring in another veteran out-of-work goalie such as Garth Snow .
The Yashin soap operaWill he or won't he? The Ottawa Senators certainly want Alexei Yashin back for the start of training camp this weekend. Indeed, team captain Daniel Alfredsson has publicly extended an olive branch to the recalcitrant Russian center, who sat out this past season in a contract dispute. But Yashin, who still owes the team a year's service and has all but exhausted his options, has yet to indicate he will honor his contract. In the short term, at least, Yashin has cost himself between $6 and $10 million -- the $3.6 million he was to earn in 1999-2000 plus the at least $6 million he would have been paid this year -- depending, of course, on whether he plays this season.
Canadian Court TVThe videotape of Boston's Marty McSorley stalking Donald Brashear and striking the Vancouver Canucks' enforcer in the head with a stick was the NHL's worst nightmare this past season. Now the NHL faces possibly more unwelcome made-for-TV footage. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has petitioned the courts to televise McSorley's assault trial, scheduled to begin September 25. Unlike the United States, TV cameras are not permitted in Canadian courtrooms. The prospect of a televised trial underscoring the dark side of the game -- just a week before the start of the 2000-2001 season -- is not a happy sendoff. Sports Illustrated senior writer Michael Farber covers the NHL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
| ||||||||||||||||
