Peter Stastny surveys state of hockey

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000

By Lucas Aykroyd

The list of players who have worn number 30 for the Calgary Flames includes 11 goalies: Dan Bouchard, Mike Vernon, Dwayne Roloson, Tyler Moss, Yves Belanger, Rejean Lemelin, Pat Riggin, Rick Wamsley, Jason Muzzatti, Rick Tabaracci and Ken Wregget. That list does not include Peter Stastny, the ex-Quebec Nordiques great. Or so you’d think. Playing alongside his brother Anton, Stastny sported 30 for the Flames alumni team in a game against their Canuck counterparts at Vancouver’s PNE Agrodome on 8 March. The 43-year-old center from Bratislava, Slovakia chipped in an assist on a Lanny McDonald goal in a 5-3 loss. He showed flashes of the remarkable on-ice vision that earned him seven 100-plus point seasons in the 1980’s. After retiring in 1995 as the highest-scoring European player in NHL history (1,239 points), he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998. Today, Stastny hasn’t lost his zest for hockey, as he revealed in conversation with EuroReport’s Lucas Aykroyd.

EuroReport: How did you hook up with the Calgary Flames alumni?

Peter Stastny: They just gave me a call about three weeks ago and told me this game was going on. They had an idea, like all the Stastny brothers were traded to Calgary! [laughs] You know, when I played in Czechoslovakia back in 1976 or 1977, I got to tour North America and play against WHA teams and NHL teams. And actually, that was the first time I played for a different team. It was the champion team of the country, but they used one line from the national team to help them compete. It happened to be me and my brother Marian and Jaroslav Pouzar, who used to play for Edmonton. So I don’t mind doing something like this. It’s always fun. I played with Lanny McDonald at the Heroes of Hockey game during the All-Star weekend in Toronto, and I’ve seen Tiger Williams at some of these games. Another time I was at the night when they closed the Montreal Forum. It was a special atmosphere, festive. Meeting all these people you played with and against is like meeting your family. They’re part of your life.

EuroReport: Have you moved somewhere near Calgary or Vancouver?

Stastny: No, I’m still in St. Louis, Missouri. I work for the Blues and I’ve lived there almost six years now.

EuroReport: What’s your involvement with the Slovakian hockey program these days?

Stastny: I’m not officially involved. I’ve gone to the world championships the last three or four years and worked with Slovakian television as a color commentator. It’s fun. The federation has also given me a few offers. I stay in touch with them. They’ve changed some people there now, and there is some more seriousness involved. I was always helping because it’s in my nature, in my heart. I care about Slovakian hockey. We do have a great hockey country, and I believe we can compete with the best in the world.

EuroReport: What kind of progress has Slovakian hockey made since your country got its independence?

Stastny: We’ve done pretty well, but we could have done even better with the players we have. There’s no question. When you look around the league, you see many of these guys are leading their teams in scoring. Take Palffy or Stumpel in Los Angeles. Peter Bondra has been a leading scorer for many years, and Richard Zednik is coming along. We’ve got three Slovak forwards on the St. Louis Blues, and they’re among the top guys. Satan is leading in Buffalo. Look at Marian Hossa in Ottawa. These people can really show what Slovakian hockey is all about. We had a great result in the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994. We were almost going for the gold. Canada and Sweden were in the finals, but they were behind us in the preliminary round. Hopefully we’ll get into the medals soon.

EuroReport: Who are some of the up-and-coming Slovak stars that NHL fans should watch out for?

Stastny: One guy who belongs to the St. Louis Blues is Ladislav Nagy. He played last year at the world junior championships in Winnipeg. He was one of the best players. There’s this young kid [Marian] Gaborik, who is ranked number one or two in Central Scouting. These guys just need to take advantage of their exposure and use it to add to their hockey talent. They’ll help out the Olympic team too in Salt Lake City.

EuroReport: Let’s look back at your own history. Five years later, how do you feel about the Quebec Nordiques moving to Colorado?

Stastny: Well, it’s sad. I’ve still got a lot of friends in the organization, like Joey Sakic, who I played with. But you feel for the people in Quebec. You’re sad to see hockey games when there are a lot of empty seats, but that never happened in Quebec. Every year, they were at 97 or 98 percent capacity. Most of the games were sold out. This is the kind of atmosphere that hockey needs. I think Quebec deserves to be around still. But it’s the economic reality now, and you just wish for the best. Hopefully something will change in the future. If the league expands, perhaps Quebec will be considered again.

EuroReport: What’s your favorite memory from your time there?

Stastny: Oh, I’ve got tons of memories! I had four children born there. I remember the first minutes and hours when I arrived in Quebec, and in my times of need, people always came forward to help me and my brothers. I had my most beautiful and productive years in Quebec, so a big chunk of my heart belongs with Quebec and Canada. I’m a Canadian citizen, as are my kids. I’m glad I get to visit there a few times a year, and I still feel like part of the Quebec community.

EuroReport: You and Anton both scored eight points in one game against the Washington Capitals in 1981. That’s something you don’t see in today’s NHL.

Stastny: I think that’s a record that will stand for a while. Especially with two players and doing it on the road. But the funny thing is, what happened was that we started here in Vancouver with a big game where we scored six points apiece. Then we travelled across the continent and had eight points each in Washington. We actually had 28 points between us in two games! I still find it hard to understand. Something happened. We had a lot of luck. But I know one thing: a few weeks before, I was just dead tired! It was the middle of the season, the time when you really hit the bottom. We were mentally and physically exhausted. But after the All-Star break, we felt refreshed, stronger when we came to Vancouver.

EuroReport: You guys beat up on the Canucks more than once over the years.

Stastny: Well, the Canucks always had a very good and very competitive team, so it wasn’t easy. But with the Nordiques, we always had a good offensive team. One interesting thing was that my brother and I always scored more points on the road. It seemed like on the road we had a little bit more freedom. When teams came to Quebec, they paid a lot of attention to their defensive responsibilities and checking our top forwards. But on the road, the other team’s fans kind of pushed you. I enjoyed playing in front of a rowdy crowd. My best games and favorite rinks were in places like Boston and Chicago. Small buildings, and the crowds were very noisy. In Vancouver, the crowd was a little quieter. But you know, we took our share of whippings from strong and worthy opponents too.

EuroReport: What’s been the most important change in the NHL since the 1980’s?

Stastny: Overall, I believe the game is changing for the better. Certain things are missing right now, and other things are prevailing. But we’re getting bigger, stronger, faster players. They’re better-trained and better-coached. It’s not as easy as it probably used to be. Not to say it was easy in those days either. But in 1989, when the Wall came down and Communism fell, a lot of Russians, Czechs, and Slovaks took their chance to come over and the game became more international. The new talent has changed the style of the game. It’s as competitive as ever, but the game lacks some of the creativity and spontaneity it used to have. It’s more disciplined and defensive-minded. And you look at the goalies! I only realized recently how much goalies’ equipment has changed. They almost fill the whole net. They’re using bigger guys now, but they use all kinds of jerseys and equipment that makes them look double or triple the size they used to be.

EuroReport: Yeah, Patrick Roy looks a lot bigger than when he won that first Stanley Cup with Montreal.

Stastny: He’s an oldtimer. He knows what it’s all about. But you know, he wasn’t around in 1980 or before. Somebody came in with one of my old Czechoslovakian jerseys from 1979 to get it autographed, and the other alumni were laughing. How tiny it was! That was normal. It was very tight and small, but so was the equipment. You just notice it even more with the goalies.

EuroReport: Which of today’s NHL stars do you admire the most?

Stastny: There are many good hockey players. I’m hard-pressed, but I would pick Peter Forsberg as a nice sample. He’s an ideal player. I might even like to compare him to how I played. He’s not afraid. He gets in the corner and does the dirty work. But he also has tons of skills. He will take a hit and sacrifice to get a goal. He plays with heart. I have a lot of respect for him. But then you’ve got Kariya and Selänne, and Joey Sakic. I wished Joey lots of luck when I left the team. I knew the Nordiques franchise was going to get a Cup. I just wish they’d done it in Quebec. Anyway, Jaromir Jagr is another one, maybe the best player in the whole league. We need players like this with the league expanding, high-caliber guys who can get 100-plus points. When you see skills diminishing and a lack of talent, it puts everyone at the same level and that’s not fun to watch.

EuroReport: Do you like the four-on-four overtime format this year?

Stastny: I think that was the greatest move. It opens everything up and it creates enthusiasm and scoring chances. You feel euphoria toward the end when there are chances in front of both nets. Everybody leaves happy because you remember these moments. It’s fast hockey and you see the skilled players moving the puck. That’s what people want to see. That was one of the best rule changes, along with the elimination of the goal crease violation rule. That was terrible. I don’t know who came up with it, but it almost ruined the game. Now they’ve got rid of it, and the game is returning to its beauty.

EuroReport: What are your future plans, Peter?

Stastny: I don’t know. I’m still working for the Blues, and my first child just went off to college. Three to go. Once they’re all at college, I’ll be more free, more ready to devote myself to other projects. I plan to keep working, but not full-time. I need to enjoy those moments with my kids, because they won’t be back. But I have a lot of opportunities ahead with the Blues, Slovakia, and the Olympic movement. I’ve got a schedule that keeps me very busy, and I enjoy that.