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'Rocket' award is launched
By TIM BUCKLEY © St. Petersburg Times, published January 24, 1999 TAMPA -- The NHL has an addition to its roll call of greats. Great trophies, that is. The league on Saturday unveiled the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, which will be awarded to the league's top goal scorer after each season in honor of Richard, the former Montreal Canadiens great who was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season and the first to reach the 500-goal plateau. Designed and built by a Quebec artist collective, the gift from the Canadiens to the NHL is made of wood, silver, brass and bronze and weighs 30 pounds. "It's a great tribute to a great goal scorer," Canadiens president Ronald Corey said. Corey came up with the idea of creating a trophy in honor of Richard, nicknamed "Rocket" by sports writer Baz O'Meara because of his blazing speed. "He was really dynamite," said Tampa resident and retired NHL player Dave Creighton, who played against Richard late in the Rocket's career. "You'd have to see him to believe what you were seeing, because he'd come in and out of the blue, and -- zip, zip, zip -- it was in the net. That quick." Richard, 77, was quick with the wit Saturday, joking that he did not seem to remember the stories Corey was telling. Richard, elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1961, also said he was flattered by the reception he received from fans in Tampa, many of whom sought his autograph. "When I got to the airport," he said, "there was a bunch of kids -- and big kids, too." Richard played 18 seasons with the Canadiens, debuting in 1943-44 and teaming with Toe Blake and Elmer Lach on the Punch Line a season later. He went on to play on eight Stanley Cup champions and was named to the NHL All-Star Team 14 years in a row from 1943-44 to 1956-57. "There's no doubt it was the right thing to do," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said of the trophy, which joins the Hart, Vezina, Norris, Conn Smythe, Art Ross and Lady Byng among the league's individual awards. "Put any of our trophies in a room," Bettman said, "and crowds gather." A crowd of international media members also gathered Saturday to hear Bettman address the state of the league, which is holding its All-Star Game in a Sun Belt city for the first time in its history. "In short," Bettman said, "we are having a very, very competitive season." Bettman reported that "the decade decline" in league scoring has stopped, and he said attendance is on the rise leaguewide. Bettman also said the rate of concussions is down about 25 percent, a fact he attributed to stricter enforcement by NHL officials and new league disciplinarian Colin Campbell. "I'm thrilled with his efforts," Bettman said of Campbell, the former New York Rangers coach. In other league news, Bettman said the NHL Board of Governors met Saturday and discussed ownership issues related to three franchises -- Pittsburgh, Ottawa and the New York Islanders. The league is making progress working with the Islanders and Nassau County in trying to secure a new arena for the franchise, he said. Also, Howard Milstein will hand over his share of the Islanders to his brother, Edward, Bettman said. The move helps satisfy conditions for ownership of an NFL team -- two weeks ago, the Milsteins, along with Daniel Snyder, purchased the Washington Redskins. Also, Bettman said the NHL will review its two-referee system at the end of February and will consider whether to use it in all playoff games.
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