Definitely a difference-maker

Sporting News, The, March 20, 2000 by Larry Wigge

The Avalanche became a Stanley Cup threat by adding Ray Bourque, the game's best defender for more than two decades

The chalkboard at the Oilers' practice rink last Thursday is wiped clean. Either coach Kevin Lowe doesn't want anyone to see what he has in mind as he prepares to face the Avalanche, or the game plan has to be scrapped because of Colorado's recent trade.

I'll bet it was the latter.

"Do you think teams are going to prepare to play the Cincinnati Reds any differently now that they have Ken Griffey Jr. with all the tools he brings to his new team?" asks Oilers captain Doug Weight, who already knows the answer. "The same is true of the Avalanche now that Raymond Bourque is there."

The old game plan against the Avalanche pretty much has included the same assignments the past couple of seasons:

* Stop centers Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic from skating you into the ice.

* Watch out for hard-working and talented youngsters such as Adam Deadmarsh, Chris Drury and Milan Hejduk.

* Make sure defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh doesn't jump into plays and get good scoring chances.

* Dump the puck in deep against them and make their defense handle the puck because, except for Ozolinsh, none of the defensemen is really very good at the transition game.

* Try to get in the face of goaltender Patrick Roy by crowding the goal crease.

The five ways to beat the Avalanche have been reduced dramatically now that Bourque has been acquired from the Bruins along with veteran winger Dave Andreychuk for left winger Brian Rolston, junior defenseman Martin Grenier, Swedish center Samual Pahlsson and a first-round draft choice in 2000 or 2001.

"Maybe now," Oilers assistant coach Craig MacTavish says, "we'll have to play more aggressively against their individual stars.... But then, you'd have to take your chances with their power play--and that might not be a good idea with Bourque and Andreychuk joining Sakic and Forsberg and the rest."

Not a good idea at all. Bourque scored two power-play goals last Friday in Colorado's 4-2 victory over Edmonton.

In essence, the Avalanche gave up a bunch of guys you'll never miss and got a Ray of hope. No, more like an injection of confidence.

One quick move, and the Avalanche went from being a team fighting for a playoff spot to a legitimate Stanley Cup threat. More important, Colorado now matches up with Dallas, St. Louis and Detroit, teams that had a big advantage before the trade.

Can one guy really make that much of a difference? When it's Ray Bourque, you bet.

"Can he move the puck? Run a power play? Play sound defense? Sure," says Lowe, a pretty good defensemen for the Oilers and Rangers in his day. "And he'll do it better than most other defensemen."

"It comes down to how much you want to give up to win a Cup," Oilers G.M. Glen Sather says. "I don't think Bourque's age (39) is a factor. Heck, I would have taken a shot at him if we had the money. Who wouldn't?"

Only someone who doesn't know that you get into a position to win the Cup only so many times--and you have to pay the price to make your team as unbeatable as you can.

I'm walking out of Kiel Center in St. Louis after a 4-0 Blues victory over the Coyotes, and Blues G.M. Larry Pleau, who was in the final bidding for Bourque, says, "Did you see what Colorado did to Calgary tonight?"

A know-it-all radio guy chimes in, "But Bourque only had one assist."

Right! And Bernie Williams had only three hits in the World Series. But how many times did his presence in the lineup force the opposition to pitch around him to face another Yankee? And how many times did Williams make the perfect play in the field to help beat the Braves?

Rating Bourque's performance on simple points shows a lack of knowledge for what it takes to put together a winning team. Some players provide the intangibles--like leadership, poise under pressure, passion to win, etc.--that others only can hope to provide.

And Bourque is the ultimate quarterback.

Yes, Bourque had only one assist in helping the Avalanche to a season-high eight goals against Calgary. But he also killed penalties, anchored the power play, made those nifty outlet passes he has become famous for, displayed great man-on-man positioning on defense and was a plus-four in the game.

And he played 20 minutes, 26 seconds before taking himself out with a slight groin pull.

"He's the top defenseman in the world the last two decades," says Flames coach Brian Sutter. "He can adapt to anything. If you wanted to play him at center, he'd be the best centerman on the ice. Same thing if you put him on a wing.

"He's a horse. He plays a lot of minutes. He's outstanding defensively, and he makes plays with the game on the line. You definitely have to change your game plan when you face the Avalanche now."

Coyotes left winger Keith Tkachuk takes it one step further, saying, "At this time of the year, a lot of teams are looking for an offensive defenseman. Others are looking for a defensive defenseman. With Bourque, they get the best of both."

Yes, Ray Bourque is 39. Yes, he's got 21 seasons of mileage on him. And, no, he doesn't fill all of the Avalanche's needs. But he fills the biggest one.