Molleken has Hawks pointed in right direction - Hockey - Brief Article

1998-99 RECORD: 29-41-12 (3rd in Central).

FIVE-YEAR RECORD: 157-162-57 (.493, ranks 14th in NHL in that span).

GOOD NEWS: An overhauled defense is anchored by Boris Mironov, Anders Eriksson and Bryan McCabe. All three have good wheels, can move the puck and can shoot Coach Lorne Molleken believes that five-up, five-back hockey is the style that wins in today's NHL, so puck-savvy defensemen are vital. So are centers, and the Hawks finally have more than one. Though Doug Gilmour and Alexei Zhamnov were together all of last season, Gilmour was hurling most of the year and Zhamnov felt pressured until Molleken arrived. Gilmour's back surgery was a success, and the pressure is off Zhamnov. Gilmour, the new captain, will be reunited with Wendel Clark, an old Toronto running mate. Zhamnov has Tony Amonte, who is coming off a career-best 44-goal season.

BAD NEWS: The absence of Mironov and Eriksson for the first 10 days of training camp because of a contract dispute-and the prospect they could be gone for some time-could hamper Molleken's quest to turn the Hawks into a one-for-all team. GM. Bob Murray's attempt to chop the salaries of Bob Probed, Dave Manson and Doug Zmolek, who'll make a combined $4.75 million this season, by threatening to send them to the minors unless they sign low-priced contracts could backfire in the locker room, where all three are popular. And have we mentioned that goaltender Steve Passmore, the backup to Jocelyn Thibault, has only six games of NHL experience?

WORKING OVERTIME: The Hawks take more drab penalties than the next three teams combined and average five penalty kills a game. That's a lot of extra work, especially backpedaling. The power play has stunk in recent years, but it ought to improve with a full season of Mironov and Eriksson at the points, Clark in the slot creating trouble and Amonte and Gilmour on either side.

SEE A DIFFERENT GAME: After years of the grinding style, the Hawks finally got back to carrying the puck and creating plays under Molleken. That means the Hawks not only will be more fun to watch, but they'll win more as well. In a league that has moved so far toward defense that drastic rules changes had to be instituted, Chicago has gone the other way. Sure, the left-wing lock is there when backchecking is needed, but the Hawks are no longer an outfit that drops the puck first and then thinks about getting it back.

AFTER 82 GAMES: Watch for a relatively good start thanks to a favorable schedule, a dog-days slump then a big finish that will put the Hawks over .500 for the first time since 1995-96. Thibault will have his best NHL season in net and RW Jean-Pierre Dumont will contend for the Calder Trophy. But Stanley Cup contenders? Let's not go crazy here. A couple breaks, and maybe the Hawks make the conference finals. No breaks, and they're out in the first round.

GRADING OUT

COACHING         B
FORWARDS         B
DEFENSEMEN       C
GOALTENDERS      B-
SPECIAL TEAMS    C-
FRONT OFFICE     C

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