Stu Grimson was assigned Sunday to the minor leagues for a short conditioning period. It will give Blackhawks coach Mike Keenan added time to find room for Grimson on a roster that has an excess of left wings.
Grimson`s 10-game suspension for abusing linesman Ray Scapinello ended with Sunday night`s game at the Stadium against Calgary. But since Grimson`s last game was Jan. 16 against Toronto, Keenan can rationalize that sending Grimson to Indianapolis was necessary.
But the other reason for his temporary departure is that Keenan has nowhere to put Grimson, if he is going to play four of his other left wings:
Tony Horacek, Mike Peluso, Jocelyn Lemieux, Greg Gilbert, Michel Goulet and Rob Brown.
Plus, two more left wings are on the injured list: Stephane Matteau and Dan Vincelette.
Dangling the bait: Keenan has placed winger John Tonelli on waivers. Other NHL clubs have until noon Tuesday to claim him. Tonelli has played sparingly this season and has asked Keenan to move him to another team.
Keenan may let Tonelli go on waivers if he`s claimed, or try to make a trade with whichever team or teams decided to make a bid on him.
Hull of a night: Asked which of 16 players he was most enthused about joining in the 500-plus goals club in the NHL after he reached that hallmark Sunday against Calgary, Hawks winger Michel Goulet pointed to former Hawk Bobby Hull. In 16 seasons, Hull scored 610 goals, the fifth-highest total in NHL history.
”I met him when I was 10,” Goulet said. ”He has always been one of my favorite left-wingers.”
How many goals does Goulet figure on scoring before he retires? ”All depends on how long I play,” said a player who signed a 4-year, $2.9-million contract before the season. ”I`m not really thinking about that now.”
From a distance: Calgary coach and General Manager Doug Risebrough wants to simplify matters. The Flames are burning out and in danger of not making the playoffs.
So Risebrough has quit bench-coaching for now, starting with Saturday`s 7-2 loss in St. Louis, and will watch from the press box for an indefinite period.
Assistant coaches Paul Baxter and Guy Charron are calling the shots on the bench.
”I want to watch from a general manager`s perspective,” he said. ”I will be behind the bench again, but I`m not exactly sure when.”
Chances seem good, however, that Risebrough will limit himself to GM duties next season. Who might follow him as coach?
Team Canada coach Dave King is one candidate, especially if he brings home a gold medal from the Olympics. But King has indicated he would like total control, so coaching might not be enough to satisfy him.
Hawks associate coach Darryl Sutter is another possibility. Sutter hails from Alberta and, if he doesn`t become Hawks coach next season, he should be ready to get out of Chicago. Keenan has said he is undecided whether to continue as both coach and GM next season.
Rumors, rumors: The speculation won`t go away that Keenan is asking other GMs what they would give him for Steve Larmer, his second-leading scorer. Larmer has been slumping offensively and it`s not beyond the realm that Keenan could move the longtime Hawk before the March 10 trading deadline.
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One rumor has it that Keenan asked for young Mats Sundin from Quebec in exchange for Larmer. The Nordiques could certainly use Larmer`s unflappable leadership.
But, ultimately, Larmer is unlikely to be traded. It would be a major dressing-room shakeup at this point of the season and do nothing to cement Keenan`s tenuous relationship with his players. Larmer is highly respected by his teammates.
Sundin isn`t the only Nordique in whom Keenan is said to be interested. The troubled Bryan Fogarty is ticketed for a trade out of Quebec, and Keenan reportedly has inquired about him.
Fogarty has had some off-ice problems in his career involving alcohol, but won a trade concession from Nords GM Pierre Page by staying sober for several months.