SHORT SHIFTS
❚ ❚ Barry Trotz joined the parade of people pumping for University of Alberta men’s hockey coaching great Clare Drake in the Hockey Hall of Fame builder’s category. “It’s a shame Clarke’s not in,” said Trotz, who was let go as the head coach of the Nashville Predators at season’s end and a former university coach himself. “He’s had more impact than anybody at improving the coaching in Canada. All those coaching programs he ran. I remember when I used to coach (University) Manitoba against Clare’s Alberta, we’d be scared to death of their penalty-kill. His guys went at people.” All teams now mirror Drake’s philosophy of years ago at pressuring the power play guys.
❚ ❚ If you’re Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi, do you consider using one of those get-out-of-jail buyouts that don’t count against the cap on Mike Richards, who’s looked better the last two playoff games but had a miserable regular season? Has the speed of the game ramped up too much for Richards or is this a writeoff season? He’s only 29. He’ll have $26 million over six years left on his contract after the playoffs. I guess if Tampa can buy out one-time face-of-the-franchise Vincent Lecavalier, the Kings might have to consider it for Richards.
❚❚ I can’t imagine a tougher, more blue-collar NHL-er than Anaheim Ducks defenceman Stephane Robidas, who got dumped on by the hockey gods, breaking the same leg twice. One of hockey’s great guys says he’ll be back playing, although it’ll be in the fall after Stars forward Ryan Garbutt accidentally slid into Robidas recently during playoff action. The last time I saw Robidas, in early April when the Ducks were in Edmonton, he was telling funny stories about ex-Stars teammate Sergei Zubov and how he loved his ciggies. “You’d see the rooming list on the road and beside Zubie’s name would be “smoking floor,” Robidas said. You’d be hardpressed to find any NHL-ers who smoke now. Guy Lafleur loved his darts with the Habs, though. And I remember Al Iafrate regularly working on the curve of his hockey sticks with a blowtorch, outside the visiting team dressing room, lighting two ciggies at once, with the flame-thrower.
❚ ❚ Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop, who is having surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his right wrist, originally hurt it in warm-up at Rexall Place on Jan. 5. He played a couple of minutes and left in favour of backup Anders Lindback after a Jordan Eberle goal. Bishop needed a cast on the wrist for games after that but kept dropping his stick.
❚ ❚ When the Chicago Blackhawks recalled a whack of Rockford farmhands to be black aces for the playoffs, there was no sign of ex-Oilers defenceman Theo Peckham on the list. Three defencemen — Adam Clendening, Brian Connelly and Mathieu Brisebois — were summoned but no Teddy Peckman, as Don Cherry called him. Peckham played 45 games for the AHL club this season.