NHL

Slapshots

By TOM JONES
Published November 6, 2005

PUT DOWN YOUR DUKES: Edmonton tough guy Georges Laraque picked up his 100th NHL point last week.

"Seems like it took me 20 years," said Laraque, who usually uses his hands for fighting, not passing. Actually, it took Laraque eight years.

But he doesn't see himself hanging around another eight years even though he's only 28. Laraque sees the NHL's horizon with the new rules and thinks enforcers are a dying breed.

"I think they'll be out of the league in two years," said Laraque, who rarely fights anymore. "If you have any now they better be memorable. To fight now, you almost have to send a fax."

WHAT'S IT RATED?: Speaking of fighters, there's a new DVD coming out, Honor and Courage: Tough Guys in the NHL. It features a few players who have never been shy about dropping the gloves, including Eric Cairns, Darren McCarty, Jim McKenzie and Ian Laperriere.

The Cairns footage was shot two years ago when he was with the Islanders and Cairns thought the DVD had been scrapped. But, apparently, it was only on hold during the NHL lockout.

So what's the message of the DVD?

"I think you can figure that out," Cairns said.

Cairns was miked for sound for three games, but he never got in a fight.

"I tried to," Cairns said, "but it never happened."

PSST: The lack of whistles in NHL games makes line changes tougher and matching lines downright difficult.

While speaking on the subject, Oilers broadcaster Ray Ferraro was reminded about how lines were changed in the old days.

"My old coach in Hartford, Jack Evans, used to have a signal where he'd scratch his nose with a piece of paper (game lineup) when he wanted us to change," Ferraro told the Edmonton Journal. "I knew the secret was out though when I was taking a faceoff with (Montreal's) Guy Carbonneau one night and Guy leaned over and said, "Uh, don't look now, but your coach wants you to get off.' "

FAIR WARNING: Apparently, fans in Buffalo were disappointed not to see former Sabre Dominik Hasek in goal when Hasek's Senators visited Buffalo last week.

But Ottawa coach Bryan Murray said, "They love to boo him, they don't love to see him. There's a big difference. But we play here (three) more times, so they'll get their chance."

[Last modified November 6, 2005, 02:02:18]