With no National Hockey League games scheduled for the last couple of days, we take a swing around the hockey world with lots of news and notes.
Expansion Draft Plan “Generous”
Reports out of Chicago indicate that the National Hockey League board of governors have been talking about variations on a plan to stock the six new expansion franchises slated to begin play in 1967-68. Some executives called it “the most generous plan ever.”
While the governors have been in talks for about four weeks, it must be noted that no formal agreement is in place. Sam Pollock, general manager of the Montreal Canadiens leads a committee tasked with devising a solution to the problem of supplying the six new teams with 20 players each.
One discussed plan would have the established teams initially protect five skaters and one goaltender. Each new team would then be allowed to select five players. Once each club has their five players, the established teams would then freeze five more players.
After that each new team would select two players with the established clubs freezing two more each round. This would continue until each new club has 20 players.
This method would give the new clubs a very strong level of talent. Where the new folks would lag behind is in depth. It’s not likely that the new teams would reap any benefits from their farm systems for several years, at least.
Another draft system that has been discussed is quite revolutionary. The present six teams would divide their rosters into three sections. The new teams would be permitted to draft a varying number of players from each section.
All professional players in an organization are expected to be subject to the expansion draft. Each present NHL team can carry 36 players on its professional roster. Most teams have two farm clubs, so with the players on those teams, most team lists number about 108 players.
In addition, teams have amateur affiliations and negotiation lists of amateur players, but these players would not be subject to the expansion program.
A spokesman for the governors said that devising a system such as this is a balancing act:
There’s a lot of discussion about the draft. We don’t want to make the new teams too weak, but we don’t want to leave the older teams too weak either.
Marlies Win Third Straight vs Petes
The Toronto Marlboros won their third straight game against the Peterborough Petes in their Ontario Hockey Association playoff round. Defenseman Jim McKenny scored the winning goal as the Marlies edged the first-place Petes 4-3 before 4,295 fans in Peterborough. Toronto now has a three games to two lead in the series.
McKenny was easily the first star in this one. He played 45 minutes and was dominant. He orchestrated numerous attacks with his skating and passing and controlled the game in the third period.
Also playing great games for Toronto were Gerry Meehan, who scored the other three Toronto goals and goalie Al Smith. Smith thwarted try after try by the Petes, robbing them of several sure goals.
Andre Lacroix scored twice for the Petes, with Mickey Redmond netting the other goal. Danny Grant, the third member of the big line for Peterborough, returned to action. He was obviously hampered by his back injury but did manage an assist on Redmond’s marker.
Lacroix has had a hand in all 12 goals the Petes have scored in the series.
Kitchener Rangers took a three games to one lead in their series against Niagara Falls, nipping the Flyers 4-3. The Kannegiesser brothers, Sheldon and Gord, each scored for the Rangers. Bob Jones and Bob Cook also connected for Kitchener.
Derek Sanderson, Don Marcotte and Bud Debrody replied for the Flyers.
Oshawa Generals whipped the St. Catharines Black Hawks 7-2 to take a 3-2 lead in that series.
Danny O’Shea and Bill White led the Generals attack with two goals apiece. Singles came from George Babcock, Barry Wilkins and Brian Morenz. Maurice L’Abbe and Bob Sicinski found the range for St. Catharines.
Montreal Junior Canadiens took a 2-0 lead with two games tied in their series with Hamilton Red Wings. With Norm Ferguson and Jacques Lemaire scoring two goals each, the Baby Habs cruised to a 5-2 win over the Red Wings. Chris Bordeleau had the other Montreal marker. Nick Libett and Sandy Snow scored for Hamilton.
Bower Nicked Again
Despite wearing a mask in practice, Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Johnny Bower was injured again yesterday. Thankfully, the mask saves more serious injury, and Bower is not expected to miss any time.
Bower was struck by a deflected shot flush on the forehead. The impact was severe enough that he received an inch-long laceration. The veteran netminder retired briefly to the dressing room where he received a quick patch job. He quickly returned to the ice, donned the facial protection once again, and finished the workout.
Hull Has Big Lead in Scoring Race
Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks continues to stretch his lead in the NHL scoring race. Hull now has 52 goals and 31 assists for 91 points. That’s 23 more than his nearest competitors, team-mate Stan Mikita and Norm Ullman of the Red Wings. They each have 68 points.
Ullman has 29 goals and 39 assists. While Mikita has amassed 26 goals and 42 assists. Next in line is Detroit’s Gordie Howe. He is one point back with 27 goals and 40 assists for 67 points.
The Montreal Canadiens netminding duo of Gump Worsley and Charley Hodge lead the race for the Vezina Trophy. They have combined for a 2.54 goals-against average. Next at 2.61 are Glenn Hall and Dave Dryden of the Chicago Black Hawks.
Notes:
- Boston Bruins have returned winger Wayne Maxner to the San Francisco Seals of the WHL. Bruins have recalled F Bobby Leiter from Hershey of the AHL.
- Goalie Marv Edwards of the Nashville Dixie Flyers of the EHL has been fined $100 and given an indefinite suspension by league prexy Tom Lockhart. He was charged with molesting an official during the final game of the season Sunday night in Johnstown, Pa.
- Paul Emms, general manager of the Niagara Falls Flyers of the OHA Junior A Series, has been charged with assault. The charge stems from an incident that took place in Kitchener during the game Friday night between the Flyers and Kitchener Rangers. Emms is the son of Boston Bruins general manager Hap Emms.
- Detroit Red Wings have announced that defenseman Doug Barkley will have to undergo further surgery on his injured right eye. The Wings have brought up defenseman Pete Goegan from Pittsburgh of the AHL and have sent Bob McCord down to the Hornets.
- According to reports, there will be no more standing room at Chicago Stadium. The Chicago Fire Department says that standing room ticket sales allow the capacity of the building to exceed the maximum of 16,666. Accordingly, no standing room tickets will be sold for the rest of this season. Owner Arthur Wirtz termed the reports “nonsense.”
- Oklahoma Blazers and Tulsa Oilers of the CPHL recently played a game in Phoenix, AZ. Over 8,500 fans turned out for the game.
- San Francisco seals were led by two goals from Michel Harvey and great goalkeeping from Doug Favell to down the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 in a WHL game.