Dirk Graham will receive new marching orders from coach Darryl Sutter, provided Stephane Matteau is able to regain his strength after a bout with tonsilitis and make his season debut Thursday night against Edmonton. Graham`s assignment then would be to team with Mike Hudson and Brian Noonan and upgrade their performances by his work ethic.
”Dirk can try to get Hudson going and help Noonan on the bench by giving him leadership and the direction he needs,” said Sutter. ”Noonan played better last year when he was with Graham and Brent Sutter. They forced him to work harder.”
Pick `em: Sutter wasn`t ready Wednesday to name his starting goalie against the Oilers. Jimmy Waite might seem to have the edge after strangling St. Louis 3-0 last Saturday. Ed Belfour is 0-1-1.
”Jimmy took a puck in the throat today on a Jeremy Roenick shot,”
Sutter said after practice. ”We`ll see how he is tomorrow.
”I understand what Eddie is saying when he says he has to play a lot to play well, but I`m going to play the guy who plays best. From a coaching standpoint, it`s win or lose.”
Together again: General Manager Mike Keenan traveled to Winnipeg Wednesday to watch Edmonton play the Jets. But did he also resume trade talks with Oilers GM Glen Sather? They have discussed a deal that would bring free agent holdout Joe Murphy to Chicago for Sergei Krivokrasov and Mr. X. It won`t be Igor Kravchuk, as Sather hoped.
That mystery man might have been Keith Brown if the 32-year-old defenseman weren`t injured. Although Sather has shown a tendency to get young and inexpensive talent, he needs experience on the blue line now. But Brown`s healing shoulder won`t allow him to play again until January.
Mr. Dependable: Chris Chelios played 37 minutes in Sunday`s 4-4 tie with Tampa Bay. ”That`s too much,” Sutter said.
But he isn`t promising the defenseman won`t play as much Thursday. A lot depends on special teams, and so far the Hawks have logged plenty of time on penalty killing and power play.
”I think that`s going to settle down,” Sutter said of the referees extensive whistle blowing. ”From what I see in the box scores this week, it already has.”