Patrick puts Jagr trade, free agents on hold
SUNRISE, Fla. _ Craig Patrick managed to spend two days at the National Rental Car Center this weekend surrounded by his fellow NHL general managers and not make a trade involving Jaromir Jagr, or any of the other Penguins for that matter.
'We didn't have any conversations about him today,' Patrick reported. 'Nothing will happen with any of our guys (at present). We won't make any trades.
'I have to travel for the next few days so I won't be doing anything for the next few days. Later in the week I'll get back on the phones. This is going to be an on-going thing all summer long (dealing with the Jagr situation and all the Penguins' free agents). I wish it was going to be easier for all of us.'
Rangers GM Glen Sather managed to involve his club in a deal that revolved around a high-profile player, but it turned out to be sending Adam Graves to San Jose rather than bringing Jagr to the big apple.
'There are going to be more changes, absolutely,' Sather vowed.
One published report on Sunday had the Rangers unsuccessfully offering Tim Taylor, Valeri Kamensky and $10 million for Jagr.
Sather declined to name names.
'It's better for you guys (in the media) to try to fabricate the deals,' he said. 'To stand here and tell you I'm going to dream about this one or that one ... I don't have any idea right now.'
THE BC PIPELINE
Officially, the nickname for the athletic teams from Boston College is 'Eagles,' but it might as well be 'Penguins' as far as hockey is concerned.
Kevin Stevens, Joe Mullen and Ian Moran came to the Pens from BC (although Mullen made stops in St. Louis and Calgary first). BC defenseman Rob Scuderi (a fifth-round pick in 1998) recently signed with the Pens, and BC defenseman Brooks Orpik was the Pens' first-round pick a year ago.
Now comes center Ben Eaves, who became the Pens' second selection of the fourth round of the 2001 Entry Draft on Sunday.
'It seems like you're getting more and more of us,' Eaves said. 'I'm really excited. I'm excited for those guys (Orpik and Scuderi). Hopefully, in the next couple of years we'll get to play for the Pens.'
Pens New England scout Neil Shea believes that's a distinct possibility.
'Orpik, he just keeps getting better and better,' Shea said. 'He took on a bigger responsibility at BC this year, where he got power-play-time, so his skill level is getting better. He always had the toughness. He's becoming the complete package that we hoped he would. As far as where he's at, if he's coming or not, I think he's going back to school for another year (Orpik has one year of eligibility remaining). But when we finally do get him, he's going to be something special.
'Scuderi is a guy that I think is going to surprise some people. He's a stay-at-home defenseman. He moves the puck extremely well. He's just a steady guy that brings a little of everything. We're happy to give him a chance as well.'
Eaves also gave his BC teammates a ringing endorsement.
'I hate going against those guys in practice,' Eaves said. 'Scuderi has the longest stick in the league, I think. He knocks every puck out of the air. I don't think I saw him get beat in a one-on-one (situation) this year. And Brooks, if you have your head down, Brooks is going to try to kill you.
'I think they're both going to be real god players for the Pens.'
EAVES-ING INTO IT
This could have been an uncomfortable situation.
Former Penguins assistant coach Mike Eaves hadn't had much contact with the Penguins since he was fired on Dec. 9, 1999. But when his son Ben was drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round of the NHL Entry Draft on Sunday, Eaves renewed acquaintances with Penguins general manager Craig Patrick and the other men at the Penguins draft table.
Was it strangeâ¢
'Not at all,' Eaves said. 'What happened with us is part of the business. Craig had to do what he felt was best for the team, and he did that. I thought it was great to go down to the table and see everybody. We had some great memories. We accomplished some great things together. It just didn't end up the way that you would hope.'
Eaves was the only member of coach Kevin Constantine's staff who was offered a chance to stay on, but he declined the offer. Constantine has been trying to land a head coaching job ever since but hasn't succeeded. Eaves hopes he does.
'He understands that maybe the perception out there is that he doesn't get along with the star players, but he's a bright man,' Eaves said. 'He'll change. His only fault is that he may have worked too hard at what he thought his job was and he wasn't people-oriented enough. And that's something he is aware of and will work to get better.
'He's a good coach. Working underneath him, I could see that. I see the way the team gets better, the way the individual players get better. A compliment that still rings with me today is a comment Ronnie Francis made after his first year with Kevin. He said, 'I played this game for 17 years. This is what I thought pro coaching was going to be like.' That's coming from a guy who's going to be a future Hall of Famer. I sure hope Kevin gets a chance.'
Penguins captain Jaromir Jagr provided Constantine, Eaves & Co. with a daily challenge. By the end of their tenure together, Jagr wasn't speaking to the coaching staff. Eaves isn't surprised that Jagr's situation went downhill this season.
'Jags is the most unique personality - very emotional,' Eaves said. 'I think the second language thing is difficult, especially when you're an emotional person. Us coaching there, it was probably one of the greatest challenges of coaching because he is that way. Day to day, you didn't know quite what was going to happen. A very volatile situation. So, what transpired this year, I think we had a sense that could have happened because of his type of personality. He wants to be the best. He wants to win. And when things don't go right, and you're emotional, sometimes you do things and say things you really look back and regret.'
NORTH AMERICAN FLAVOR
The final breakdown of the Penguins' nine draft picks: Four Americans, three Canadians, a Slovak and a Czech. The Penguins haven't drafted as many Europeans in the higher rounds the past two seasons.
'There were Europeans we had rated very, very high,' said Penguins European scout Mark Kelley. 'When we draft, it's a clicheé to take the best player, but that's what we try to do. There were a few years where it always seemed like the European player on our list was there. Right now, it's just shifted, where it's the North American player.'
