Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2003 By Lucas Aykroyd Peter Bondra has scored many spectacular goals during his 13-year NHL career with the Washington Capitals. But few could rival the laser bullet he put past Russian goaltender Maxim Sokolov to give Slovakia its first hockey gold medal ever at the 2002 IIHF World Championships in […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Jaroslav Spacek has excelled on the international stage before, but life in the NHL hasn’t always been as kind to him. Chicago and Columbus are both cities in the American Midwest, but as Spacek is finding out, they’re worlds apart in the hockey universe. The skillful […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd Not many NHL lines reflect the expanding international diversity of hockey better than the Dallas Stars combo of Jere Lehtinen, Mike Modano and Brett Hull. You’ve got two amazing Americans and a fine Finn. Three NHL goal-scoring titles for Hull, two Selke Trophies for Lehtinen and […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd Ruslan Salei gained some notoriety in 1999 when he cross-checked Dallas star Mike Modano from behind and earned a 10-game suspension. But now the Anaheim Mighty Ducks defenseman is making a better name for himself with tough but clean play. Team Belarus will miss him at […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd Few NHL teams were more generous in sending players to the 2000 IIHF World Championships than the Vancouver Canucks. Team Canada was a prime beneficiary. Defensemen Ed Jovanovski and Adrian Aucoin (now with the Tampa Bay Lightning) plus forwards Todd Bertuzzi, Peter Schaefer and Brendan Morrison […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd When Wayne Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988, it proved no one is untouchable. Jeff Friesen, long considered the heart and soul of the San Jose Sharks, learned that lesson the hard way when he was shipped off to Anaheim in a […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd 2001 won’t mark the first time the IIHF World Championships have come to Germany. The tournament has a long and illustrious history in this part of the world. But there is a chance for a different kind of breakthrough. While both Canada and Russia are considered […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd 2001 marks the fortieth anniversary of Canada’s last victory at the IIHF World Championships with an exclusively amateur roster. It was a small town from British Columbia in Western Canada that achieved this feat, and player-coach Bobby Kromm led the way for the Trail Smoke Eaters. […]

Originally published on IHWC.NET in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd They call him “Archie.” Maybe that’s an appropriate nickname for Alexei Zhamnov. The red-haired Russian sometimes achieves hockey feats of the larger-than-life dimensions of a cartoon character. But other times, his play is a mere caricature of what it could be. Russian Head Coach Alexander Yakushev […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2002 By Lucas Aykroyd Americans say “Zee,” but since 13 March 2001, the Montreal Canadiens have been saying “Zed.” The acquisition of fleet right wing Richard Zednik from the Washington Capitals along with Jan Bulis on that date looks like a minor coup for the Habs at this writing, since […]