Goaltender Alain Chevrier said that coach Mike Keenan thought he might be rushing himself back from his sprained knee just to play his former New Jersey teammates Wednesday night.
”It`s a possibility,” Chevrier admitted.
So Chevrier was held out of the Devils` game, but probably will return from his six-game absence when the Hawks play Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Chevrier has said he felt he was treated poorly by the Devils last season, when he didn`t get to participate in the playoffs. He was dropped to the No. 3 goalie once rookie Sean Burke arrived late in the season and led the Devils to an impressive playoff effort. Ex-Hawk goalie Bob Sauve was Burke`s backup.
– The first 10,000 fans to come through the Stadium doors March 29 for the Hawks` game against Quebec will receive a patch commemorating the Stadium`s 60th birthday. The building opened on that same March night in 1929. The patch shows the Stadium and has 1929-1989 inscribed on it.
– Keenan doesn`t consider the Norris Division that different from coaching in the Patrick Division, which he did the last four seasons with Philadelphia. Other people think there`s a vast difference between the talent levels in those divisions.
”I don`t see the major differences between teams that people talk about,” Keenan said. ”The teams are pretty evenly balanced in the NHL.”
– Pat Foley, the Hawks` play-by-play announcer, changed sports Tuesday night. He tried his hand at the celebrity slam-dunk contest before the Bulls` game and iced all the competition but one.
– Keenan could now put four former New York Islanders on the ice at the same time. There`s defenseman Steve Konroyd, right wing Duane Sutter, left wing Greg Gilbert and center/winger Bob Bassen.
Gilbert, Konroyd and Bassen have to be pleased to leave a non-playoff situation this year on Long Island for Chicago. Chevrier also would have been out of the playoffs with Winnipeg, which is last and fading in the Smythe Division.
– Defenseman Doug Wilson sat out Wednesday`s game with a bruised shoulder, the second straight game he has missed. Keenan said he expected Wilson to play against the Flyers this weekend.
– Burke`s backup in the Devils` goal, Chris Terreri, was on the U.S. National Olympic team in 1987-88, having a record of 17-7-2. Terreri was recalled from the minors Feb. 14. He relieved Burke Tuesday night in St. Louis, where he allowed two goals in 50 minutes played in that 6-2 loss. Burke was plastered for four goals in 10 minutes.