Spectator

DAVE Babych does not
disagree with the popu-
lar sentiment that the
Vancouver Canucks will
be a better team this
season if only because of
the presence of Mark
Messier.

As a fellow native of
Edmonton, born just four
months later than Messier in
1961, he should know. He
seems to have been playing
against him for most of his life.
Finally, in what most people
would designate as the twilight
of both their careers, he’ll be
plying on the same ‘side. The
prospect pleases him.

Babych remembers the
Canucks’ 20-million-dollar
man from a time when he
(Dave) had only fuzz, instead
of that magnificent black
Groucho Marx moustache, on
his upper lip; and Messier had a
full head of hair. Aside from
the baiding, shaven pate, his
style hasn’t changed.

“He always had the puck.
No one could take it away
from him. He was always going
at full speed. He was always
setting the pace. He’s still
doing it,” said Babych.

If there’s a one-word
description for all this on-ice
energy, it would have to be
intensity. It’s a commodity the
Canucks can put to good use
this time out. If there’s any
question, your agent suggested
to Babych, it has to be how
long can the commodity last?

These two guys are the
Canucks’ grand old men. Both
went into training camp this
week at the age of 36. Both
will be 37 before the season is
out. Babych, a Deep Cove resi-
dent, is starting his 18th NHL
season on a new two-year con-
tract, Messier his 9th. And
one does have the feeling, that
of the two, Messier has more
mileage on the old bod. One
unpredictable day soon, will it
not suddenly give out?

“I don’t think so,” said
Babych. “Of course, given my
age, I could be prejudiced. But
the thing about Mark is, he
doesn’t take any direct hits.
He’s like a boxer slipping
punches. Nobody gets more
than lirtle bits and pieces of
him.”

As one who has never man-
aged to put a solid hit on him,
he’s in a position to know. As
to how he feels at 36 after
nearly two decades in the NHL
trenches, “P’ve never felt physi-
cally better than J do right
now, People keep saying to me:
‘How’s the body hanging in? !

vou don’t have too much
pre ch?* Tf vor're told that

ve it, So i try not to lis:

oO, betore the origi-
S expansion, Punch
eloquent on the
Fold folks on detence.
He always maintained that no
one learned to play deteace
. And
-30 defenceman took
care of himself, he could play
until past 40. As coach of the
Maple Te. NS, Tinlach practiced
what he preached and won
four Stanley Cups in a span of
siv seasons with defenders of
such
advanced
athletic age
that come-
dian
Johnny

teams have
knee and
shoulder
and wrist
problems.
The Leafs”
main prob-
lem is
prostate.”

When
they won Ann Hamilton photo
their last Deep Cove’s
Stanley Cup Dave Babych.
in the
spring of
°67, the heart of the defence
were Allan Stanley at 41 and
Tins Horton and Marcel
Pronovost, both 37.

Of the Imlach philosophy,
Babych winked and declared:
“Punch was absolutely righ

Pat Quinn nvust be a believ-

STARTING SEPT.

CHANNEL 30
NOTH & WES

er, too. Did he not sign tree
agent Grant Ledvard a tew
weeks back? He did. On Nov,
19 Loedvard’s birthday cake wilt
carry 36 candies.

Then there’s the other end
of the experience scale, the
much touted Mattias Ohlund.
He had hts 21st birthday just

When Toronto. comes to OGM
Place Get. 9, he should look
up Rill Watters

“an the kid play in the
And will his wo million
a year for the next five vears be
resented by the rank and tite?
“From the little ve seen,
no reason he can’t.
He’s big and strong and ie
certainly can skate ... The only
question
rough
smafler
“As for the money, no,
there” Hi be no resentment.
yeryone knows the circum-

. By staying another year
in Sweden, he gambled and
won, What if he’d suff a
bad injury over there? He'd
have been a financial loser.”

Babych knows whar it’s like
to be a hotshot rookie.
Selected second overall by
Winnipeg in the 1980 entry
draft (Doug Wickenheiser, out
of hockey since 1990, was
first), he doesn't remember
anyone on the Jets resenting
him when he instandy became
one of their highest paid play-
ers — $100,000 for his first
season and a $100,000 signing
bonus.

“At the time it seemed like
all the money in the world.”

Times have changed, have
they not?

iff and do it on the

on Channel

22

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