Rookies ready for NHL debuts

The NHL season begins Wednesday night with bagpipers in Toronto, a patriotic whiteout in Pittsburgh and a tailgate party in Calgary.

The 48th Highlanders, as they always do, will play The Maple Leaf Forever before the Leafs clash with the Ottawa Senators.

Spectators in Pittsburgh will be given white T-shirts with an American flag on the front and the slogan United We Stand on the back to reflect sentiment in the United States following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Colorado Avalanche are the visitors.

The most novel marketing approach is in Atlanta.

The Thrashers, who will distribute bobble head dolls in the image of captain Ray Ferraro before their home opener Saturday, are selling packages that include the game against Carolina and a concert at a city club starring legendary rocker Alice Cooper.

A new season -- all 1,230 games of it -- brings a fresh batch of rookies into the league, and the Thrashers are leading the way with as many as six.

Ilya Kovalchuk, 18, the big Russian forward who was the No. 1 pick in the entry draft last June, fired in six goals during the pre-season to show he's ready.

He'll make his debut in Buffalo against the Sabres on Thursday night.

"The way he competes, and with his skating and puckhandling abilities, he'll be fine," says general manager Don Waddell. "He's a gritty type of player who handles the puck in traffic so playing in a smaller rink won't pose any problems for him."

Dany Heatley, 20, of Calgary via the University of Wisconsin also is tabbed as a future Thrashers star.

The most starstruck rookie will be Kris Beech, 20, of Salmon Arm, B.C., whom Penguins owner-captain Mario Lemieux has selected as a linemate.

"Kris Beech has all the tools to be a great player for many, many years," says Lemieux.

For Beech, being cut from Canada's national junior team last December doesn't hurt nearly as much now.

Pavel Brendl, who helped the Czech Republic win that junior title, will start the NHL season on Philadelphia's all-Czech third line with Jiri Dopita and Jan Hlavac.

In Washington, the Capitals will use on their fourth line Edmonton native Brian Sutherby, who was team MVP last season with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors.

"He plays hard and he plays honest and he's very good defensively, which is rare for a young player," general manager George McPhee told the Washington Post.

Also making the Capitals is rugged Stephen Peat of Princeton, B.C.

In Calgary, American defenceman Chuck Kobasew, a 2001 draft pick out of the WHL's Kelowna Rockets, looked good enough during camp to begin the season in the big league.

A not-so-young rookie with the Flames will be Scott Nichol, 26, of Edmonton.

Nichol hasn't played an NHL game since 1998 when he was Buffalo's property.

He persevered, and the hard work has paid off.

"Scotty's 180 pounds of all heart," coach Greg Gilbert told the Calgary Sun.

The New York Rangers have just signed Montreal native Dan Blackburn, who was Canadian major junior goalie of the year with the WHL's Kootenay Ice last season.

He'll be the backup to Mike Richter.

Right winger Brian Willsie of London, Ont., will be in Colorado's lineup.

He's been on the AHL farm for three years.

Norm Milley in Buffalo, Vaclav Nedorost with the Avalanche, Kristian Huselius and Niklas Hagman with the Florida Panthers, Niko Kapanen in Dallas, Jimmy Olvestad with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

They are not household names yet but, maybe someday, they too will be bobble head dolls.

By Neil Stevens