Taking offense

Sporting News, The, May 26, 1997 by Larry Wigge

In today's world of neutral-zone traps and defense-first coaching styles, the puck-handling defenseman provides a necessary source of offensive relief

At times he looks like a figure skater doing pretty twirls, spins and double axels in a sport that encourages grit over glamour, courage over cutesy. But make no mistake about it: Avalanche defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh is no threat to Elvis Stojko. His defensive style is coveted by every NHL general manager.

Ozolinsh was 4 1/2 years old when his mother introduced him to the ice, hoping he could become Latvia's first great figure skater. He was 6 when his mother found out he had been sneaking out with his friends to play hockey.

Now, at age 24, Ozolinsh has become one of hockey's best players. He leads all defensemen in playoff scoring--and most forwards as well.

"None of my friends wanted to be a figure skater," Ozolinsh says with an impish grin. "I tricked my mom. I would sneak out and practice with the friends after the figure-skating lessons were over. When she found out, she finally gave in and let me play hockey. In fact, she took me to a hockey school."

Ozolinsh probably wouldn't be looking forward to a new $2.5 million contract if he were touring with Latvia on Ice instead of serving as the secret weapon in Colorado's bid to return to the Stanley Cup finals for a second straight season.

Learning to skate the right way--forward, backward and spinning like a figure skater--before he played hockey gave Ozolinsh a Scott Hamilton-like ability in a game geared more toward a Scott Stevens. Except for the Rangers' Brian Leetch, no defenseman can step up into the play and make things happen so often.

"He's always got the green light as far as I'm concerned," Avalanche coach Marc Crawford says. "But that doesn't mean I'm not behind the bench pulling my hair out sometimes when he has no business trying to force offense out of a play that will never work.

"The great plays far outnumber the bad ones, however."

Because of that pioneering spirit, Ozolinsh often is referred to as a rover instead of a defenseman. But the defensive dive he made to knock the puck off the stick of Detroit's Kirk Maltby in front of an open net in the second round of the playoffs is an example of how much he has improved. The Avalanche, however, might not succeed without Ozolinsh's offensive contributions against the Red Wings, who outshot them 35-19 and 40-17 in a split of the first two games in Denver.

"We've been able keep them bottled up in the neutral zone, but if Ozolinsh decides to become Bobby Orr the rest of the way, we might have some problems," Red Wings left winger Brendan Shanahan says. "He can control a game from defense if you give him the chance."

Such is the special niche carved out by the offensively gifted defenseman in today's game. And quite often when a defenseman such as Ozolinsh, Leetch, Paul Coffey or Larry Murphy leads by example, other defensemen gain confidence in handling the puck.

"Think of it like an end-around in football or a halfback option, someone other than the quarterback has the ball and can surprise you with some offense," says Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin, who helped the Islanders win four consecutive Stanley Cups (1980-83) with his great offensive work. "A talented offensive defenseman is not a secret weapon, but he does come at you at angles and in lanes the defense doesn't always see--until it's too late."

On a team that features Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, it's hard to grab headlines outside New York if you're a member of the Rangers. But Brian Leetch does it anyway. It's tough to ignore the player who might capture a second Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.

Leetch also has won a Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year (1988-89) and a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after the Rangers' 1994 run to the Stanley Cup title.

"Show me a player who means more to his team than Brian Leetch," challenges Rangers coach Colin Campbell.

"He adds a whole new dimension to the team," Messier says.

What Leetch lacks in size, he makes up for with speed and agility. He relishes the game-breaker role, stepping up to change a game's momentum with a surprise rush, as part of a 2-on-1 break or with a finely timed slap shot from the point.

"I've always felt that my biggest strength since I came into the league was offense," Leetch says. "I've always had to tell myself mentally to stay focused on defense and work on staying back and being in a position of not forcing things. I think I've done much better over the last three years with that."

Campbell says he first noticed a change in Leetch's approach during the 1993-94 season, the year that ended with the Rangers' first Stanley Cup victory in 54 years and Leetch's MVP playoff performance.

The season before, Leetch had suffered through a tough, injury-plagued year that concluded with a broken ankle suffered when he slipped on ice outside his apartment building. Media speculation questioned whether alcohol was involved and how a player who makes his tying on the ice could let a little patch of the sidewalk variety end his season.