For now, Providence will provide

[Rock]

For now, Providence will provide

By Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff | September 26, 2004

http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/minors...provide?pg=full

The Bruins open training camp Wednesday, and the first exhibition game is slated for Oct. 6. Sorry, friends of the spoked-B, we're talking about the Providence Bruins and the American Hockey League season.

It could be the best hockey you get here in Lockout Loco 2004-05.

However, from a Bruin-centric point of view, there is a good chance that former Bostonians Patrice Bergeron and Andy Hilbert will suit up for the Baby B's. Jeff Gorton, Boston's assistant general manager, said Friday that Providence hopes both forwards will agree to AHL deals this weekend.

Bergeron, figures Gorton, would get ample playing time at center, his natural position. He was used almost exclusively as a winger during his freshman year here in the Hub of Hockey.

"I'm sure Patrice has plenty of offers from other places, too," said Gorton. "But for a 19-year-old kid who already had one cultural overhaul last year, we really think the smartest thing for him would be to be in Providence."

Hilbert's case is somewhat different. He has been knocking on the NHL door for a couple of seasons now and lost considerable time to injury. He's never had to overcome a cultural shift like Bergeron, who went from junior hockey (Quebec League) straight to the bigs, but more playing time in the AHL, where Hilbert would likely gain confidence, could provide him a booster shot when/if NHL camps open their doors.

"In both their cases, we'd like to have them playing and in shape when this thing is sorted out," said Gorton. "If they're playing in Providence -- as opposed to, say, Europe or wherever -- then their ice time is essentially controlled by the parent club. If Hilbert were in Switzerland, who knows what ice time he might get? And the truth is, his time has come here; it's time for him to show that he can play for Boston."

Other familiar names who definitely will be in the Providence camp: Hannu Toivonen, Milan Jurcina, and Brad Boyes. Boyes was picked up at the trade deadline from San Jose in a swap that landed Jeff Jillson in Buffalo.

Meanwhile, AHL fans will be watching a different game this season, on a number of fronts:

For a trial period of seven weeks, goaltenders will be able to play the puck only in a designated area behind the net. The shaded area, running 28 feet along the end boards, will be trimmed by lines that run out diagonally from behind the cage. If a goalie plays the puck outside the zone, his team will be assessed a two-minute minor penalty for delay of the game.

Shootouts will be used to settle ties. If a five-minute four-on-four session doesn't settle the score in sudden death, then each side will select five shooters for the shootout session. If the shootout doesn't break the deadlock, then each side will select a single shooter, and they'll continue to take turns (with the coach's option of changing the shooter) in the extra-extra-extra session.

The goal line, previously spotted 13 feet from the end boards, will be moved back to 11 feet. That will make it harder for forwards to set up (or hide) back there.

No-touch icing will be employed. No more reckless races to make the touch. Tag-up offsides also will be the order of the day.

Both the center-ice red line and the two blue lines will be widened, from 12 inches to 24 inches. The theory: It will allow teams in control of the puck a better chance to maintain control, make plays, and perhaps score goals.

One important delayed call, however: Goalie pads will be trimmed back from 12 inches to 10, but not until the 2005-06 season. Remember, the NHL wanted to implement this change for the 2004-05 season, but the Players Association raised an immediate objection.

A voice of pessimism

Longtime agent Bob Murray is thoroughly convinced that ownership's mission with the lockout is to break the union. "I think they're doing whatever it takes for them to make a case for declaring impasse," said Murray, "in hopes that they'll throw open the doors and see what happens from there. It's going to be an ugly, ugly process, and I think the game's going to get hurt terribly in the process." . . .

According to Gorton, pint-sized pugilist P.J. Stock, back as Boston property after a stint in the Flyer organization, has a lingering vision problem that may require surgery. Stock, said Gorton, has seen specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital a number of times in recent days and soon might have to make a decision about an operation . . . Another Boston-based agent, speaking under the condition of anonymity, can't figure why the union is so adamantly against a cap. To wit: "The caps in the league proposals bring average pay down from $1.8 million to $1.3 million. What's wrong with that? And, hey, I'm saying that from the slimy agent side. Come on, guys. Let's see the forest for the trees. What are we doing, exactly? What are we trying to win?" . . .

The fact that the league fined Kings president Tim Leiweke for on-air comments about the labor strife is not surprising. However, eye-catching in related reports was that Kings owners Philip F. Anschutz and Edward P. Roski have lost $200 million over their 10 years of ownership. "Oh, I believe that," said one of the league's longtime general managers. "They got it out of bankruptcy, took over a very high payroll after the [Wayne] Gretzky years, and made good on deferred commitments that, frankly, they might have been able to dodge. So, $200 million, I don't think that's a stretch at all." . . .

The lockout, in part, made certain that prized Boston prospects Mark Stuart (Colorado College) and Andrew Alberts (Boston College) would return to campus without signing. According to Gorton, there is nothing that prevents a player from leaving college at any time and signing with his NHL club. "But that's not our intention, whatsoever," emphasized Gorton. "Our full intention is for them to stay with their clubs, enjoy their college time." . . .

You're showing serious signs of puck withdrawal if you've hunkered down with Mapquest.com looking for the best route to North Dakota for the World Junior Championship (Dec. 26-Jan. 4). Watch out for the speed traps around Cleveland . . .

No doubt, the Players Association, when it helped John Madden soften his suggestion about a cap being OK, reminded him that the deal he signed over the summer with New Jersey -- worth a guaranteed $20 million over five years -- was a product of the "free market" system . . .

One league source figures Hurricanes owner Peter Karmanos has lost more than $200 million over the last five years. Karmanos, in a public appearance last week, acknowledged losing $12 million-$16 million per year since buying the former Forever .500s in '94. To remain in lockout mode, said Karmanos, will cost him only $5 million a year. "It's like a panacea to me," said Karmanos. "I suddenly have an extra seven, eight million dollars." Reminiscent of the line from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid": "If they'd just pay us what they're spending for us to stop robbin' 'em, we'd stop robbin' 'em."

It'll be a dogfight

If the NHL and its players can't get over their differences by Oct. 24, make your way to the Boston University campus, where a bunch of NHLers, all former Terriers, will take on Jack Parker's varsity in a charity gig to benefit both the Mark Bavis and Travis Roy foundations. Among the NHLers: Shawn McEachern, Chris Drury, Tom Poti, Keith Tkachuk, Jay Pandolfo, Shawn Bates, Mike Grier, Dan Lacouture, Adrian Aucoin, Scott Lachance, Rick DiPietro, and Scott Young. Faceoff is 1 p.m. at Walter Brown Arena, with tickets available at the door. The 2004-05 Terriers, with freshman Chris Bourque in uniform, will open their season against the University of Miami (Ohio), in a tournament in Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 8. BU takes on national powerhouse Michigan the next day . . .

Ex-Bruin captain Jason Allison, still working his way back from a severe whiplash injury that kept him out of the Los Angeles lineup all last season, is undergoing daily physical therapy in Toronto, adamant about following his doctor's advice about not getting back on the ice until he is 100 percent back in skating/playing shape . . . There were hints early last week that the Players Association could be shaping a proposal that includes a soft cap of $40 million (about 30 percent over what the league maintains it can afford). If so, said a source close to a member of the players' veteran leadership, the union wouldn't expect to trot such a proposal to the table until November at the earliest. At least the theory of a $40 million soft cap could get the sides back to the table . . .

One thing is for certain: The sides never will come to a cap agreement unless the players can be persuaded there is a way to define the revenues (now at some $2.1 billion, according to the owners). Just defining a method of how to define the revenues could take these guys years. "And that's because there has been such a historical lack of trust the last 10 or more years," said one longtime GM . . .

Both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and union boss Bob Goodenow made separate appearances on CBC's "The National," hosted by Peter Mansbridge. Bettman won the battle of popularity points (for whatever that brings him). Goodenow once again continued to tell the world that there is no relation between player salaries and ticket prices. He also said the players aren't looking for the public's sympathy. To which the normally low-key Mansbridge said, "Come on, get real." Players aren't greedy, added Goodenow, but he did make it clear that some people may be jealous of their salaries . . .

Tough loss already for the Avalanche. Peter Forsberg, back in Sweden and playing for MoDo, said last week that he'll stay on the MoDo roster all season, no matter what happens in the NHL. Not to be overlooked: MoDo's season could end by the time the Avalanche are in the playoffs (again, provided there is a 2004-05 season). Even without Forsberg, Colorado should be able to make the Round of 16 . . . Wrentham goalie Garth Snow, part of the '94 Olympic squad, is among the 150-plus NHLers who have headed for Europe during the Deep Freeze. Snow came to terms with SKA St. Petersburg in Russia. If the lockout isn't snapped, Snow could be between the pipes for the Russian squad in February on the 25th anniversary of the Yanks dumping the CCCP in the '80 Olympic Games at Lake Placid. What next, Mike Eruzione the ambassador to Ukraine?