Jeremy Roenick should have been resting a sprained wrist on the two-week trip that ended Saturday. But he took pen in hand for a good cause-pausing only for periodic cramps-and signed almost 2,000 trading cards instead. He still has more than 600 to go.
The good cause was the low six-figure paycheck he will bank for an agreement with Fleer, a trading card company, to be their first big hockey talent. His autographed cards will be inserted in packs of player cards sold at retail stores.
Roenick`s agent, Neil Abbott, pointed out the difference between Roenick`s draft-day picture on a card and his current picture. ”He looked 18 then and looks 30 now,” he said of Roenick, 22.
Where`s Sather?: That`s what Hawks General Manager Bob Pulford wanted to know late Wednesday afternoon. ”I`m trying to find him,” he said of Glen Sather, Edmonton`s general manager. ”I`ve got a call in to him.”
Pulford acknowledged he still is seeking a deal for Oiler winger Joe Murphy, sitting out in a contract dispute. But he insists that the holdup isn`t $2 million. A source has claimed the Hawks and Oilers have agreed on the player swap but that the Oilers want the money as a sweetener.
”We`re doing lots of talking-with other teams, too,” Pulford said.
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Devalued Europeans: Igor Kravchuk and Frantisek Kucera, the Hawks` second defensive pairing, received a thumbs-down review from coach Darryl Sutter after Tuesday`s 6-3 loss to Los Angeles. They were on the ice for three of the Kings` first four goals.
”Frankie must have had a story written about him recently,” said Sutter, who was praising Kucera a week ago. ”Igor was awful. They were out of position because they were thinking offense ahead of defense. If they think anything but defense in our system, they are in trouble.”
Merry-go-round: Sutter is playing musical chair with his two forward scratches each game. So far, seven different forwards have felt the bite, including Michel Goulet and Stephane Matteau-ranked among the top six forwards at times. The other five have been Dave Christian, Rob Brown, Mike Hudson, Brian Noonan and Greg Gilbert.
”I scratched Matteau Tuesday because I didn`t want to send the wrong message to the team,” Sutter said. ”I don`t want them to think I`m playing favorites. He`s not playing very well.”