Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd The menacing theme music from Jaws has echoed through San Jose Arena thousands of times when the Sharks go on the power play. Marco Sturm’s presence isn’t quite that intimidating, but the swift winger from Dingolfing, Germany does his part to strike fear into the hearts […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd Perhaps we should qualify the saying that “one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity” in the case of rookie Calgary defenseman Toni Lydman. Derek Morris’s decision to hold out in contract negotiations isn’t exactly a misfortune, but it has allowed Lydman to stake his claim on […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Although Roberto Luongo resided in Miami, Florida for five years, it hasn’t taken him long to get comfortable with living in Vancouver, Canada this season. “It’s beautiful here,” the 27-year-old Montreal-born goalie told Eishockey News. “You’ve got a bit of everything with the mountains and […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2007 By Lucas Aykroyd They’re called the Los Angeles Kings, but for most of 2006-07, a better name would have been the Los Angeles Peasants. This club, which hasn’t made the NHL playoffs since 2002, has been mediocre at home and terrible on the road, and has recently battled […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd Before Nicklas Lidstrom joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1991, he spent time studying to become an engineer. That must have influenced his style of play. The 30-year-old defenseman from Vasteras, Sweden approaches hockey with mathematical precision, whether completing an outlet pass in his own zone […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd When Igor Larionov was traded back to Detroit from Florida on 28 December 2000, you might say it was the end of a failed experiment in emigration. The previous times when the canny Russian center packed his bags and left for a new home, it paid […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd And then there were three. Igor Kravchuk recently became the third current Russian member of the Calgary Flames, joining Valeri Bure and Oleg Saprykin when he was picked up on waivers from Ottawa on 10 November 2000. The 34-year-old defenseman didn’t see the move coming, but […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 1999 By Lucas Aykroyd Tall expectations led the San Jose Sharks to draft Viktor Kozlov 6th overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Coming off a strong rookie season with Moscow Dynamo of the Russian League, the 6-5, 232-pound center was expected to energize the Sharks’ woeful attack. But he […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd John Sanful’s forthcoming book Russian Revolution: Exodus to the NHL dubs Alexei Kovalev an “enigma.” It’s hard to disagree with that assessment. The 27-year-old right wing has confounded teammates, coaches and fans ever since he entered the NHL with the New York Rangers in 1992-93. Blessed […]

Originally published in Eishockey News in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Since Ed Belfour has apparently been relegated to backup status this season in Florida, that would make Olaf Kolzig the only remaining starting NHL goalie to have played his first NHL game in the 1980’s (a 4-1 loss to Hartford on October 11, 1989). However, […]