Blues Extend Fuhr’s Pact
Workhorse goalie Grant Fuhr signed a contract extension Thursday with the St. Louis Blues.
Fuhr, 34, is in his second season with the Blues and his 15th in the NHL. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Fuhr had accepted a two-year deal worth about $2 million a year, with bonuses and incentives that could make his salary grow.
Last year he earned $1 million. The average salary of other topflight goalies is $2.4 million.
“I guess we’ll stick around for a little while longer,” Fuhr told the Post-Dispatch. “We’re very happy about the deal. My family and I really like it in St. Louis. We’re settled here.”
Expansion not imminent
Expansion is unlikely for the 1997-98 season, and there’s no firm timetable for adding more teams, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bettman said the league’s Board of Governors discussed expansion at length during its meetings, and “no decision was made although I do think it’s clear there’s no way we’ll expand for ‘97-98.”
“There’s been a lot of speculation. Let’s put that to rest,” Bettman added. “That’s not to say we won’t expand at some point. We’re just not in any rush.”
Patrick winners named
Seymour H. Knox III, Bill Cleary and Pat LaFontaine were selected in New York as recipients for 1997 of Lester Patrick Awards for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.
Knox, who died last year, was a builder who brought the NHL to Buffalo in 1970 and guided the Sabres’ franchise for the next 25 years.
Cleary, athletic director at Harvard University, was an outstanding player and later coach for the Crimson.
LaFontiane, who plays for Buffalo but is currently sidelined with a head injury, has been one of the outstanding American players throughout his 14 seasons in the NHL.
Ozolinsh moves up
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh has moved into the second spot among Western Conference defenseman in fan voting for this year’s NHL all-star game.
Chris Chelios of the Chicago Blackhawks leads the way among defensemen with 146,292 votes, with Ozolinsh second at 83,249.
Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy leads the overall voting with 159,917 votes. Teammate Joe Sakic tops the field at center with 120,510 votes, while St. Louis’ Brett Hull (101,703) and Vancouver’s Pavel Bure (87,290) continue to lead among the wings.
On the ice
John MacLean scored two goals and Valerie Zelepukin had three assists as the New Jersey Devils beat the Boston Bruins 7-4. … Eric Lindros had a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers extended their unbeaten streak to six games with a 3-2 victory over the Hartford Whalers. … Brendan Shanahan had a goal and two assists as Detroit ended a three-game home winless streak and handed Chicago its fourth straight loss, 6-2. Chicago is 2-10-1 in its last 13 games.