The Pittsburgh Penguins, who’ll visit the United Center on Sunday night, are looking more and more like the team that defeated the Blackhawks in the 1992 Stanley Cup championship series.
First, Mario Lemieux came out of retirement and went back to doing what he did in leading the Penguins to their Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and ’92.
Now, Kevin Stevens, one of the co-stars during those back-to-back championship seasons, has returned to the Penguins after being traded Sunday by Philadelphia for defenseman John Stanley.
“It’s kind of like going home for me,” Stevens said. “I loved playing there the first time.”
According to Pittsburgh General Manager Craig Patrick, the 35-year-old left wing will receive an opportunity to skate on the Penguins’ top line with Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr.
“Kevin knows Mario and Kevin knows Jaromir,” Patrick said. “I’ve watched him play. He’s capable of being productive.”
Stevens scored 50-plus goals and collected more than 100 points with the Penguins in 1991-92 and 1993-94 and is the fifth-leading scorer in the history of the franchise, dating back to 1967-68.
But after he fractured his left ankle on Feb. 4, 1995, he wasn’t the same player. That summer he was dealt to Boston, and subsequent trades sent him to Los Angeles and the New York Rangers. In the last five seasons with those three teams, he had a total of only 67 goals.
Last July, the Flyers signed him as a free agent. He came to Philadelphia and stayed in a scoring slump. He played in only 23 games for the Flyers, scoring two goals and assisting on seven.
“It just didn’t work out for him,” said Philadelphia GM Bob Clarke. “Kevin wasn’t playing for us, and we have John LeClair coming back soon [from a back injury], so Kevin was even further away from playing. We hope that going to Pittsburgh will salvage his career.”
Stevens’ career also has been marred by drug and alcohol problems. Last January he and two other men and a prostitute were arrested in a Collinsville, Ill., hotel room and charged with felony-possession of a controlled substance. A court-approved settlement last month stipulates that Stevens must undergo 18 months of drug testing and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to have the felony charge dropped.
“A fresh start may be what he needs right now,” said Lemieux, who is the Penguins’ owner in addition to being the NHL’s premier player. “With the type of team we have, he knows how to play here. We expect a lot of good things.
“He doesn’t have too many chances left. He knows exactly what he has to do. It’s going to be important to make sure that he’s well taken care of off the ice. He’s certainly going to have our support.”
Jagr also gave Stevens a vote of confidence. “He’s a good guy and a good leader,” Jagr said. “He’s what this team needs.”
Who did what? Another member of the Penguins in their championship seasons, center Ron Francis, has become the fifth-leading point-producer in NHL history. Now playing for the Carolina Hurricanes, Francis scored two goals in Sunday night’s 4-0 victory over Anaheim, giving him 1,592 points for his career and enabling him to pass Phil Esposito and move into the No. 5 spot behind Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne and Mark Messier.
Unlike the others, Francis, who broke into the NHL with Hartford in 1981-82, never has been regarded as a superstar.
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“I’ve heard it said that it’s probably the quietest 1,500 points that anybody has ever scored,” Francis said. “That’s probably true. But it doesn’t matter what’s said. I don’t think I ever individually needed the limelight to perform.”
Philly revival: The Blackhawks aren’t the only team showing dramatic improvement in recent weeks. The Philadelphia Flyers are on a roll for their new coach, Bill Barber.
Last week the Flyers swept their three games in St. Louis, Tampa Bay and Los Angeles, extending their undefeated streak to six games (4-0-2).
Like the Hawks’ Jocelyn Thibault, the Flyers’ Roman Cechmanek is showing the way with his goaltending. “He’s making the stops needed for your team to have success,” Barber said.
Cechmanek is unbeaten in his last 12 games (9-0-3).
No-shows? Two of Washington’s best defensive players, defenseman Brendan Witt and forward Joe Sacco, may be suspended when the Capitals play the Hawks on Friday night in the United Center. Both have been hauled on the carpet by the NHL’s designated disciplinarian, Colin Campbell, for their actions in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Atlanta. Witt punched Andrew Brunette in the face and Sacco was ejected for intent to injure for swinging his stick near the head of Darcy Hordichuk after the Thrashers’ forward rammed Sergei Gonchar from behind.