Changing on the fly can prove playoffs' bottom line

Sporting News, The, Feb 15, 1999 by Larry Wigge

Reading between the lines leads to the bottom line more often than you think. To me, a comment by a player or general manager usually isn't the real story. The key often falls in observation--how a person reacts when answering the question. If he doesn't make eye contact, beware.

It's more than a month until the NHL's March 23 trading deadline, and teams already are talking about one of the main ingredients to winning in the playoffs: having more than one line. Teams that aren't certain their second line can produce under playoff pressure might win one round but can't dream Stanley Cup dreams.

"I scored 29 goals last season and didn't get any in the playoffs, so I know what you're talking about," Devils center Bobby Holik says. "That won't happen this year."

Reading between the lines, I'm convinced because I see Holik gritting his teeth and pounding his right hand into his left palm.

"I'd like to think we are more likely to score in the playoffs this year because we are not punished ... well, maybe punished is too harsh ... when we tried to be creative and it didn't work," Holik says. "This year, Robbie Ftorek encourages us to be disciplined defensively, but not to pass up a chance to be creative offensively.

"If you keep missing layups in basketball and you get scolded, it's only natural you may not have confidence the next time you are in that position. Robbie tries to give us that confidence."

The Devils had 10 players with 10 or more goals last season and seem to be producing at an equally well-distributed pace this time. But Doug Gilmour, who was the only New Jersey player to get more than one goal-he had five-in a five-game first-round upset against Ottawa, is gone. That means New Jersey is counting on big-time help from the second line of Jason Arnott, Petr Sykora and Patrik Elias.

And, excuse me, but that likely is why G.M. Lou Lamoriello often was seen talking long and hard with Flames G.M. Al Coates about Theo Fleury at league meetings last week.

"We've got Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, two of the best players in the game, but trying to find a good second line is sometimes like prospecting for gold," says first-year Mighty Ducks G.M. Pierre Gauthier. "Gold is hard to find.

"Look at how long the Flyers have been trying to get goals from a second line to back up Eric Lindros and John LeClair?"

This bottom-line, two-line formula for success in the playoffs is infinitely more important than where a team winds up in the standings.

Bottom-line teams

Detroit. At center, nobody matches Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov and Kris Draper.

Dallas. Scoring lines with Mike Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk and two terrific checking lines make the Stars a constant threat.

Philadelphia. This season's additions--Keith Jones, Valeri Zelepukin and Mikael Renberg--make the Flyers better upfront than when they went to the finals in 1997.

Ottawa. Alexei Yashin and Shawn McEachern are already over 20 goals, and three more are in double figures--and that doesn't include Daniel Alfredsson. Big, strong, fast forwards in abundance.

Colorado. The Avalanche always have had the luxury of having Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic centering the top two lines, but now they're playing together--with Adam Deadmarsh, rookie Chris Drury and Stephane Yelle at center.

Buffalo. Six players on a 20-goal pace, all that speed and checking in front of the game's best goalie make the Sabres a team to watch, again.

Between-the-lines teams

New Jersey. This is the same team that historically has gotten players such as Peter Stastny, Neal Broten and Gilmour near the trade deadline to add to the bottom line.

Phoenix. Through last week the Coyotes had only four players with 10 or more goals.

Pittsburgh. Since the Penguins have added Alexei Kovalev, they've had plenty of goals from two lines.

Edmonton. With all this team's speed upfront, the Oilers can be dangerous in the playoffs provided G.M. Glen Sather adds a goaltender.

Washington. Have to add the defending Stanley Cup finalist to the iffy list because of the hole the Capitals got themselves into when Adam Dates was injured for so long.

Closing-line teams

Boston. There's no second line production, yet Pat Burns has had success coaching in the playoffs.

Carolina. Keith Primeau has done his part as the No. 1 center, but Ron Francis hasn't while centering the second line.

Toronto. Mats Sundin is one of the most underrated power forwards in the NHL. But somehow the rest of those seven players already in double figures appear checkable in postseason.

St. Louis. The Blues have no second line but get great effort from Craig Conroy's checking line--and, with one or two key additions, coach Joel Quenneville could surprise a lot of people.

It will be interesting to watch these teams to see if they can move up a level with forwards potentially available such as Fleury, Dates, Montreal's Mark Recchi, Pittsburgh's Stu Barnes, Tampa Bay's Wendel Clark, Chicago's Ethan Moreau, Buffalo's Matthew Barnaby, the Rangers' Adam Graves and perhaps even Vancouver's Mark Messier.