He says hockey is "a lot of fun" after 18 years with no Stanley Cup.
By DAMIAN CRISTODERO
Published June 2, 2003
ANAHEIM, Calif. - The question was repeated so many times the first few days of the Stanley Cup final, it seemed inevitable Adam Oates would tire of answering.
But as more and more reporters asked if Oates needs a title to define his career, the Mighty Ducks center answered more and more forcefully he does not.
"I used to talk to (Ray) Bourque when it looked like he wasn't going to get one," Oates said. "I said, "Who are you answering to other than yourself? Is anybody going to say you didn't give your all?' They should say, "Look what he did for the organization."'
Bourque, one of the game's great defensemen, got his Cup in 2001 with the Avalanche. Oates' pursuit has some of those for-the-ages qualities.
The Weston, Ontario, native is in his 18th season and has played 1,277 regular-season games, third among active players who have not won a championship. He is 15th all-time with 1,402 points, sixth with 1,063 assists and his .832 assists a game is behind only Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
Ask Oates, 40, why he keeps playing, and the Stanley Cup never is mentioned.
"Hockey is still a lot of fun," he said. "To play a long time, you've got to really enjoy the game, and I love the game. I don't know how you can ever give this up."
After his contributions to Anaheim's Cup run, it doesn't seem that day will come any time soon, though he is without a contract for next season.
Oates has a team-high 11 points on four goals and seven assists. And his clean faceoff victory against New Jersey's Pascal Rheaume Saturday led to Ruslan Salei's goal that gave the Ducks a 3-2 overtime victory and cut Anaheim's deficit in the best-of-seven series to two games to one. The assist was Oates' ninth career overtime point, tying Joe Sakic and Doug Gilmour for the record.
"A big win," Oates said. "It gives us a little confidence. We held serve. Now we have to do it again."
Game 4 is tonight at the Arrowhead Pond.
Anaheim seemed an unlikely destination for Oates after successful stints with the Red Wings, Blues, Bruins and Capitals. But after being traded from Washington to Philadelphia last season, Oates was an unrestricted free agent. He said the Mighty Ducks, who struggled with 69 points last season, were his first choice.
"I wanted to go somewhere I could play," he said. "Get some minutes, play on the power play and provide a little leadership; prove that I could still play, and in the same sense, let some things that you can bring to the table grow a little bit and help the organization."
Oates had nine goals, 36 assists in 67 games, missing 15 because of a broken left hand. At a solid 5 feet 11, 190 pounds, he is in the best shape of his career and still can make pinpoint passes.
"He puts them right on the tape," rookie defenseman Kurt Sauer said. "He doesn't even look at me and it's on the tape. In the locker room, he keeps everyone on the right level, not too high, not too low. When you have a guy who's been around like that, it provides a lot of confidence."
"More than anything, it's his presence, his understanding, his professionalism," said Ducks coach Mike Babcock, who is eight months younger than Oates. "The guy is real interested. Nobody watches more teams than this guy. He learns all the time. He understands the game at a high, high level."
And he knows how to take a faceoff. Oates is second in the playoffs among those with at least 100 draws (behind the Lightning's Tim Taylor) with a 61.39 winning percentage. It's an art that depends on timing, strength and, sometimes, the ability to tie up a foe as teammates swoop in and grab the puck.
"Very rarely do you win it clean," Oates said. "What makes a guy good? I guess it's a lot of practice over the years and staying with your game plan."
Said Devils coach Pat Burns: "Adam Oates is probably the all-time best."
