rovb tay
rrtreirve

NHL schedule deserves a brea

From page 30

That could be reason enough. And
one that could be emulated over here
by the NHL and its interminably
long schedule.’

Indeed, two years from right
about now, hockey's premier league
will close down for a month to per-
mit all its best players -—- Canadians,
Americans, Swedes, Finns,

Russians, Czechs, Slovaks and oth-
ers — to play for their countries in
the 1998 Winter Olympics at
Nagano, Japan.

Those who aren’t chosen will
have an opportunity to rest and

Gaerne

Led by ‘Suthertatid praduate
(third in league scor-

ing avesaginig:21.8 points a’ game),

the Blue: are urréntly. locked i ina

Kk). though: ‘starter: Catherine
eads the league in rebounds

ring (15.4 points per):

) ‘The ‘Lady Blues tip-off
inst Okani gan’ on Friday at 6
mteplex.

ecooceoocseso

Neeveowoaas ;
OOmH HaMNONG
NOVADAONAO

— Andrew McCredie

recharge their batteries, But this isn't
the reason the NHL has pushed to
get its product into the Olympics.
Global exposure and marketing are
what the league has in mind.

As for the fans in Canada and the

U.S.? Hey, what an opportunity to
spend the money, otherwise invested
in hockey tickets, to pay down all
the bills from Christmas spending.
After the Olympics, maybe the next

International Ice Hockey Federation _

to schedule its annual world tourna-
ment for January, thus making it a
true global championship.

To fit in an: 82-game schedule,
this would mean one of two things:

WEST VANCOUVER
-NSWC

NORTH VANCOUVER

_NSWC

“our Countly Club

NSWC
~ SQUAMISH

NSWo

SUNSHINE COAST
-NSWC

HOLLYBURN Country. Club

NsWe
SEAFAIR

NSWC.

WEST VANCOUVER

NSWG"
NORTH VANCOUVER |

NSWC
SQUAMISH

8 TYKE Teams (age 6-7)

step would be for the NHL to get the

NOviCE

NOVICE
NOVICE

~ NOVICE
- NOVICE
NOVICE

NOVICE

NOVICE

NOVICE

NOVICE

- NOVICE

NOVICE

“WINTER HAWKS"
“THE KINGS”

“LIGHTNING”

“THE PANT HERS”

“VOODOO”

“BLACK HAWKS”.
“GRIZZUES”,
“THE HUNTERS” |
“RED: bogs
“PANTHERS”
“ELTMINATORS”
“VOODOO”

“BROMLEY BUCKS” ©

“ROCKETS”

“DEVILS”

“VIPERS”
“BULLDOGS”
“EAGLES”
“HOT SHOTS”

“THUNDERBIRDS”

42 NOVICE Teams (age 8-9)

Opening the season on Labor Day or
running the playoffs into mid-July.’
Would hockey fans siaud for it?. ,

Locally at least, judging by the
crowds at GM Place, they’ i stand a
for anything.