NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND

January 17, 1998

Eric Lindros

ERIC LINDROS: Steve Yzerman obviously be a MVP candidate very quietly. They have people like Kris Draper and Doug Brown could go after some of the defense (inaudible). Played good team defense; could be a trophy candidate. Obviously Nicklas Lidstrom would probably be up for the top defenseman in the National Hockey League. What part of the game does the coaching staff emphasize the most? Probably with Detroit, just the hard work and being responsible defensively. That's sort of been their trademark the last few years. Obviously very creative offensively. I think they take care of their own end first. Obviously a puck control game. Playoffs, I think obviously Detroit will be there. I think they're going to have a tougher road to get there. I think Dallas, some of their acquisitions during the summer have upped their team in terms of personnel. Colorado Avalanche, obviously a highly skilled team. They have something to prove. You know, they got embarrassed. It's going to be tougher for Detroit this year than last year just because everybody's going to be out to go after them. Differences in the teams from last year to this year? The biggest difference obviously is they're the Cup champions, missing some key people, playing great hockey. Down the stretch, I think there's going to be a few teams with a little more motivation. Sometimes that might just be all it takes to knock them off. Right now, I think you look at Detroit finishing in the top three or four teams in the National Hockey League in overall standings. Playoffs, I would think there will be a team like Dallas or Chicago that could knock them off. I would say Chicago Blackhawks, their strength probably is on the blue line with people like Chelios, and Sutter and Weinrich and that's probably their strength. Obviously tradition plays into that. Weaknesses, they don't score a lot of goals. They have Alexei Zhaminov, Tony Amonte, and after that their offense is fairly limited. So they need to keep the games real close. They play a pretty good defensive style. They've been able to hold some of the top teams to low scoring games. When they do that, they have a chance to win all the time. Their season today, they obviously have one of the worst starts in their team history. They almost looked like they were going to be out of the race before they even got started. They've made a pretty good recovery, sort of in the middle of the pack in the conference. They have a chance to make the playoffs. I don't think they have enough scoring to go very far in the playoffs, but they're a rebelling team. You know, obviously their strength is defense and probably goaltending, Jeff Hackett, pretty decent. I think they're rebuilding. But I don't think they're the team that they used to be. The Chicago Blackhawks with some skill and speed, I think they're just an average team. But they do have some people like Chris Chelios and Tony Amonte that can win the game single-handedly. They're never to be counted out. What part of the game does the coaching staff emphasize? Obviously, in Chicago it's just team defense. They really go out to keep the score low. St. Louis, obviously their strength I think is just their good balance. They've good some really terrific offensive players. But I think their real true strength is their defense. Their top four defensemen, you take Pronger, MacInnis and Duchense, those people of people. Bergevin is a very really underrated player. You take him. I think their defense is great. Obviously Grant Fuhr is a great goaltender, but doesn't get the accolades that he should. I think their defense makes them really good. Obviously having a couple people like Pierre Turgeon and Jeff Courtnall, people like that, they can put some good power play out there with MacInnis and Duchense on the points. I think they've really strengthened their team, made them almost an elite team, their role players have really played well. They have a line of Pellerin and Conroy and Atcheynum who I think are developing into one of the best defensive lines in the National Hockey League. They all played in the American Hockey League, young guys that have done really good. Obviously, they start out really strong. They've done just an absolutely great job this year. I think they're one of the surprise teams this year. They've got great chemistry, which hasn't been a St. Louis trademark the last few years. I think they've got a lot more people pulling in the same way, throwing around their own weight. I think they've got good chemistry, good balance, play good team defense. They really have the ability to hurt you offensively with some people -- even some of Pavol Demitra, they can really hurt you. Obviously, they're trophy candidates. They have some top rookies. Maybe Atcheynum might get some votes. Obviously Joel Quenneville will be one of the candidates for coaches of the year. Obviously Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Steve Duchense will be all getting some votes as the top defensemen in the National Hockey League. What part of the game does the coaching staff emphasize? It's plain and simple. It's team chemistry. The concept of team defense. Obviously, they play a real solid game. They really emphasize the chemistry aspect of their team. They've made their top guys and their little guys in terms of their role players feel they have the same purpose, all have something to contribute on their team. That's why they've been so successful. In the playoffs, I really look for St. Louis. I think the one weakness that St. Louis, does, I think when you get past Grant Fuhr, I think their goaltending falls off. I think they're going to have to pick up a goaltender for them to go far. I think this is a team if all the pieces fall in the right place, they could be a team that could surprise other teams and go a long way to deep into the playoffs.