Since so many Blackhawks, past and anonymous, have made known their dislike of coach/general manager Mike Keenan`s methods and personality, it seems like headline news to hear Hawks winger Stephane Matteau come out in praise of Keenan. It`s Matteau`s former Calgary coach, Doug Risebrough, he can`t stand.
”I didn`t really talk to Risebrough for the year and a half I was here,” said Matteau, traded to the Hawks for defenseman Trent Yawney Dec. 16. ”Keenan is closer to his players off the ice than you`d think. He jokes around and has fun. I know that`s not the image people have of him. But do what he wants and you`ll be OK. Is that fair? More than fair.”
The other side: Yawney is the flip side of that coin. He believes Keenan unfairly benched him. ”I`m loving it in Calgary because I`m playing,” Yawney said. ”The last two years in Chicago I sat out 30 games. In Calgary, I`m on the second power play, killing penalties, playing a regular shift. I`m having fun.”
A postscript: Hartford General Manager Eddie Johnston and Keenan made their second deal in four days Monday. The Hawks sent minor-league forward Paul Gillis to the Whalers for future considerations. That probably means a draft choice, sixth round or lower.
The Hawks acquired Gillis from Quebec last March, but he never caught on full-time.
Face to face: Risebrough, like Keenan a coach/GM, was seen sitting with his Chicago counterpart after Monday morning`s workouts. Could Keenan have been checking to see if Calgary had an interest in developing young goalie Jimmy Waite? Keenan said Sunday he is trying to move Waite out of the minors.
Clearing waivers last Saturday meant a major financial loss for Waite. The Hawks can now start paying him a minor-league salary of $30,000. Before that, while Waite volunteered to be in the minors, he received his NHL pay of $120,000 a year.
Sick of it: The flu is making serious inroads into the Hawks` locker room. Greg Gilbert was looking forward to returning Monday night against Calgary after missing four games with the bug, which caused him to lose eight pounds.
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