News from June 2000
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Panthers release pre-season schedule
The Florida Panthers today announced the club’s 2000-2001 preseason schedule:
'Hockey Digest' - Summer Edition - article on Pavel Bure
Pavel Bure's career took off years ago, but our Player of the Year became a superstar this season AT THE NHL'S 50TH ALL-STAR Game, "the Russian Rocket" arrived. In his nine-year NHL career, dazzling winger Pavel Bure had certainly racked up some impressive goal-scoring numbers--and even played in a Stanley Cup Finals--but this was the season that Bure went from being one of the league's top scorers to its top player. Ironically, despite all of his regular-season heroics, it took the All-Star Weekend for Bure to truly break into the public's collective consciousness. Bure posted back-to-back 60-goal seasons for the Vancouver Canucks in the early 1990s, and helped them to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994. Now prowling on the right wing for the Florida Panthers, Bure came into the 1999-2000 season ranked third in goals-per-game among active players with a .608 average--trailing only Brett Hull (.681) and Teemu Selanne (.645). Bure got the season off to a tremendous start by scoring the Panthers' first goal. He was named December's NHL Player of the Month, a just reward after tallying 12 goals--including two hat tricks--and 10 assists in only 13 games. So, as the All-Star events approached, Bure was the league's top goal scorer with 37, was on pace for a 5040 goal season, and was riding a wave of success. With the retirement of superstars Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, the 50th All-Star Game was set up as the passing of the torch from "the Great Ones" to "the Next Ones." Well, Mr. Bure took it upon himself to show that he was going to do his part to ease the transition. He turned the game into a personal coming out party, dazzling his opponents and the fans by scoring three goals and one assist in the World team's 9-4 victory over North America. As a result, Bure was named All-Star MVP. North American starting goalie Curtis Joseph, another Player of the Year candidate, acknowledged Bure's emergence. "You have to get in his way," says Joseph. "You can't let him wind up through the neutral zone. If he gets your defense to back up, then he's got 10 feet of room to play with and no one else can take advantage of that space like he can. He can kill you. He's a gamebreaker." With his main Player of the Year competitor, Jaromir Jagr, suffering ongoing injuries this season, Bure was running away with the goal-scoring title heading into the home stretch, and it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Russian Rocket was going to claim the Maurice Richard Trophy--named in honor of the original "Rocket." Given Bure's offensive excellence, his major contribution to the Panthers' re-emergence as a Stanley Cup contender, and his overall dash and flash, he is the 1999-2000 HOCKEY DIGEST Player of the Year. Pavel Bure is emblematic of the Next Ones, the new group of superstars who will take the NHL ahead into the new Millennium. Rockets are often sent into space from Florida's Atlantic coast, so it's not that unusual to see one making a splash in South Florida. Averaging just under a goal-a-game since he arrived midway through the 1998-99 season, Bure has captured South Florida's sporting imagination. Taking over from the retired Dan Marino and former World Series champions, but now woeful, Florida Marlins, the Russian Rocket is Florida's No. 1 sports hero. And he is not only making news with his goal-scoring exploits, but also with his personal life. In March, the media was all over the story that Bure, 28, and sexy tennis star Anna Kournikova, 18--neighbors in an apartment building in Miami's trendy South Beach neighborhood--were engaged to be married. Hot, sunny, exciting Miami must be a million miles away from rainy and grey Vancouver, where Bure plied his trade from the time he joined the NHL and the Canucks in 1991-92 until last season's trade to the Panthers. Miami is even further away from Moscow, where his father Vladimir was an Olympic Games medal-winning swimmer. Young Pavel didn't take easily to skating, it was his father who used to have to give him a chair to help him stay upright. But, motivated by his demanding father, who wanted him to be the best, young Bure was a star at the age of 16 on the famous Red Army team. Bure, Sergei Fedorov, and Alexander Mogilny formed a dynamic trio, who all ended up playing in the NHL. Young Bure played in the World Junior Championships for three years, where he scored 27 goals and 12 assists for a total of 39 points in just 21 games. He won gold medals at the Championships in 1989, when he was Soviet League Rookie of the Year, and in 1990. In 1991, just before joining the Canucks, he won a silver medal. Bure accomplished all of that before he even played a single NHL game. Bure made a dramatic first year impact in the league, earning NHL Rookie of the Year honors, while scoring 34 goals playing for the Canucks. He scored a whopping 120 goals in his next two seasons--60 in each season--joining an elite group of NHL players who had accomplished that feat including Phil Esposito, Mike Bossy, Jari Kurri, Wayne Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, and Mario Lemieux. But Bure wasn't just about scoring as his playmaking abilities also saw him rack up 97 assists in those two seasons. But it's Bure's goalscoring that lights up those highlight reels. Playing on a line with Viktor Kozlov and Ray Whitney, Bure's game is about hanging around in neutral zone, rarely venturing back over his own blue line. He's always looking for that breakout pass and a chance to use his world class speed. There's nothing more frightening to NHL goalies than Pavel Bure bearing down on them at full tilt with his bag of shots, tricks, and fakes. So how do you stop a Russian Rocket? The Washington Capitals chased the Panthers all season for Southeast division dominance. Capitals coach Ron Wilson has seen Bure close up and offers this plan to slow him down: "First of all, you must get puck possession down low," Wilson suggests. "If Bure doesn't have the puck, you've done as much to control him as anything. Being aware of where he is on the ice is very important, and whoever is out there must understand you cannot allow him in the middle. If he's going to damage us, it's [going to have to be] from the outside. You really have to be diligent. You have to be 100% committed to knowing where he is and responding in kind when he is on the ice. Because as soon as that transition occurs, it's like when the horn sounds on a submarine and you dive--everybody has to respond to the drill properly." Some teams have taken to assigning specific players to shadow Bure throughout the game. The Maple Leafs, with their large contingent of Russian players, have sent specific defense pairings on whenever Bure hits the ice. For instance, in the Leafs 64 win in Florida last December, the Leafs had their Russian defense pair, Dimitri Yushkevich and Daniil Markov, on the ice to shadow Bure with veteran Yushkevich blanketing the Rocket. The key, of course, is not letting him get behind you. The only other thing that has slowed down Bure in his career is his penchant for injuries. For instance, a knee injury in 1995-96 scuttled Bure's season with the Canucks; he appeared in only 15 games that year. The injury bug followed him to Florida last year after his trade from the Canucks, forcing him out of action after only 11 games, although he did score 13 goals. And, once again this season, various injuries cropped up. A groin strain cost him five games earlier in the season, and then a broken finger forced him to spend three more games on the sidelines. As a result, he's developed a philosophical approach. "Injuries are a part of hockey and it is not what happens to you, it is how you react," Bure says. Bure's contributions to Florida's rise back to its status as playoff contenders, as they were in 1996 when they went to the Finals, was rewarded this season when coach Terry Murray named him an alternate captain. "Pavel is the best player on our hockey club, and I think that it's important that the best player have an `A' or a `C' on his sweater," says Murray. "Pavel leads with his effort on the ice." Sure enough, Bure commands respect from his teammates. "When you have a star player like this, the players come to the game to get the job done," Murray adds. "Not only on the ice, but [also] in the locker room he helps bring everybody together. I rely on him for that and to help the younger guys develop their overall skills and understanding of the game." Bure is also fully aware of the torch being passed onto a new generation of superstars and of the responsibility that goes with this transition. During the All-Star celebrations, a very special television commercial was shown featuring Bure, Jagr, Eric Lindros, and Paul Kariya. As these four NHLers played their frozen pickup game, they were visited by legends Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Gordie Howe. It concluded with Gretzky saying, "It's your turn now." Bure, who has established himself as one of the NHL's most valuable commodities, recalls what he felt when he saw that commercial, saying, "I felt like I was part of hockey history when you see those legends like Wayne, Mario, and Gordie. I don't think it was just a commercial, it was something bigger. It was like changing generations and it meant a lot to me." Our Player of the Year and the NHL's player of the moment certainly has a clear sense of hockey history. HOCKEY DIGEST'S PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Year Player, position Team 2000 Pavel Bure, right wing Florida Panthers 1999 Eric Lindros, center Philadelphia Flyers 1998 Teemu Selanne, right wing Anaheim Mighty Ducks 1997 Mario Lemieux, center Pittsburgh Penguins 1996 Mark Messier, center New York Rangers 1995 No award given 1994 Sergei Fedorov, center Detroit Red Wings 1993 Doug Gilmour, center Toronto Maple Leafs 1992 Mark Messier, center New York Rangers 1991 Brett Hull, right wing St. Louis Blues 1990 Ray Bourque, defenseman Boston Bruins 1989 Mario Lemieux, center Pittsburgh Penguins 1988 Grant Fuhr, goaltender Edmonton Oilers 1987 Wayne Gretzky, center Edmonton Oilers 1986 Wayne Gretzky, center Edmonton Oilers 1985 Wayne Gretzky, center Edmonton Oilers 1984 Wayne Gretzky, center Edmonton Oilers
Naked City The gossip about romantic ties and even matrimony for the "Russian Rocket" Pavel Bure and the women’s tennis, Anna Kournikova, was answered conclusively last week. In other words, the rumor was definitely put to rest in two new publications concerning the private life of both athletes, but not about their private lives together. The 7 Dnei (Seven Days) weekly entertainment magazine published a photo spread of four pictures taken by paparazzi in Paris, where the French Open at Roland Garros was being held. In the photos, Kournikova, 19, was shown with her former "friend," also a Russian hockey star, 30-year-old Sergei Fedorov. The word "friend" is used here as both Kournikova and Fedorov, since their first meeting three years ago at Wimbledon, have insisted they were only friends. Despite Fedorov having frequently accompanied Kournikova during training sessions and on tour, an announcement never came that they were more than simply friends. This idyllic "friendship" was broken off a couple of months ago when in a restaurant in Florida, Bure was reported to have publicly proposed to Kournikova. Later, Kournikova denied that she ever was, or would be, Bure’s fianc?e. In these latest Parisian pictures, Kournikova is seen embracing and kissing Fedorov, so now it is finally out in the open. The word "boy" can now be joined to the word "friend" as the definition of Fedorov’s official status. This further seems to prove that the liaison between Bure and Kournikova was merely a publicity ploy to promote the stars’ careers. But Bure’s private life wasn’t overlooked. Moskovskiye Vedomosti gossip newspaper published last week some hot "facts" about Bure’s new passion, Anastasia Volochkova, the Bolshoi Theater prima ballerina, under the headline, "The Broken Heart of Pavel Bure." Bure was reported to have fallen in love from afar with the blonde beauty, obtained her phone number and summoned the courage to invite her to dinner at the Praga restaurant. The ballerina agreed. But when Volochkova discovered that Bure had already fortified himself with 100 grams of vodka (‘for courage,’ as Russians say), she was so disappointed that she just turned and walked away, and hasn’t seen him since.
Of course, the paper’s report could be mere sniping fueled by the lingering resentment over the Bure-led Russian team’s woeful performance in May in the World Hockey Championships in St. Petersburg.
I attended the NHL Awards Hey everyone, I am pleased to say that I attended the NHL Awards Show on Thursday. It was a great event and I had a wonderful time. The best part was when Pavel went up to accept his award. For me, it was very special because it was the first time that I had ever seen Pavel not on TV. (He really is one of the smaller players, I can't believe it!) If anyone has a tape of the Awards show, watch Pavel's speech. Just before he thanks the fans, he looks to his left... at me!!!!!! (No word of a lie) I was in the section to the left of the stage screaming my head off and waving my three Pavel jerseys. Everyone in the arena probably thought I was a freak, but at least I got his attention! It was soooooo cool.... Another cool thing is that my parents are photographers and my mom snuck in her zoom lens camera... I am hoping the pictures of Pavel turned out great! I was really surprised to see him back with Dahn... as long as he's happy, I guess... And I almost met him, but the guard at the top of Pavel's aisle would not let me and my brothers go and say "Hi" to him. The guard was soooo rude, it crushed me, but I am sure I will meet him another time. There is one thing I want to make very clear, and it is that I am sick and tired of people in the media, especially the little pencil pusher Al Strachan of the Toronto Sun spreading rumours about our hero. (It was Strachan who planted the rumour about Pavel not being at the Awards Show, and it was also he who planted the rumour in 1994 about Pavel holding out in the finals...) Anyway, Pavel was there (as you all know) and, not to knock these players, but Yzerman and Demitra were not. Nothing against those two, I am sure they had their reasons, but no one ever says bad stuff about them now do they? Another thing that bothered me is that there was this guy who saw me with my jerseys and started trying to convince me that Pavel was a pr*ck. He tried to tell me some lame story that Pavel would not sign an autograph for him, and I told him that I would not believe it unless it happened to me. (Pavel has taught us all not to believe what others may say, most of the time it's all lies.) Anyways, this guy then goes on to tell me that he wanted Pavel to sign some merchandise for him so that he could sell at his store... what a loser. You know what, Pavel probably knows that this guy wanted to make money off him. Like he could sense it or something... Anyways, so in the arena, Pavel was always signing autographs for people, I saw it with my own eyes, young and old alike. People can be such liars and be soooo cruel. :-( Another point about the awards... Everyone thinks Gary Bettman is a weasel and a jerk, but my little brother recognized him and said "Hey Mr. Bettman" as he stretched over a rail that led to the stage area... And Gary leaps up a little and gives my brother a five on his hand and said "I'm doing great, how about you son?" People don't realize what this man's done for hockey, and I thought it was really nice of him to make my little brother's day like that. It just goes to show you that the people who the media makes out to be mean aren't necessarily, and the other people never get anything printed about them.
CONGRATS PAVEL ON THE AWARD!!!!! :-)
Bure nets goal award It was a fitting conclusion to an extraordinary season for the Panthers' Pavel Bure. When Bure had his second major reconstructive surgery on his right knee in March 1999, the Russian Rocket did not know what his hockey future held. He had gone through the rehabilitation process before and was aware that even after he completed it, it could take more than a year to get back to his old form -- if that happened at all. Receiving the Maurice Richard Trophy on Thursday for leading the league with 58 goals was never something he anticipated. Neither was rewriting the Panthers' record book in more than 20 categories. "I would have been just happy to return and be healthy," Bure said by phone from Toronto. "I didn't expect to score so many goals. I didn't expect to play so well. I would definitely say that last year was my best." And that's coming from a former Calder Trophy winner and two-time 60-goal scorer. Bure also was a runner-up to St. Louis' Chris Pronger for the Hart Trophy (MVP, voted by writers) and to Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr for the Lester B. Pearson Trophy (MVP, voted by players). The voting in both races was the closest ever. Bure was touched during the Maurice Richard Trophy presentation. It followed a look back at Richard's career and tribute by legendary hockey announcer Dick Irvin. Bure was presented with the trophy by his younger brother, the Calgary Flames' Valeri Bure, who called Pavel his hero, and given a framed picture of Maurice Richard. It was autographed to Pavel from Richard just before he died last month. During his acceptance speech, Bure thanked Panthers President Bill Torrey, General Manager Bryan Murray and coach Terry Murray. Bure also thanked Panthers fans, as well as his mother, Tatiana, Valeri and Valeri's wife, actress Candace Cameron. Bure also thanked his longtime girlfriend, Dahn Bryan, and his best friend, the Islanders' Gino Odjick, both who accompanied him to the event with Tatiana. "It was a huge honor being there," Bure said. "It was a nice surprise receiving the picture from Rocket Richard and being on the stage with my brother." Bure had a fantastic season, leading the NHL with 14 game-winning goals and 360 shots. He finished second to Jagr in points (96-94) and led the league's forwards in ice time (24:23). Pronger was the first defenseman to win the Hart since Bobby Orr in 1972. Jagr won the Lester B. Pearson Trophy, presented at the Hockey Hall of Fame, for the second consecutive time. At the Pearson ceremony, Bure received $10,000 to donate to a grassroots hockey charity of his choice. He said he will make the donation to the Red Army Junior Hockey School in Moscow. The Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) was won by New Jersey's Scott Gomez. He thanked Pavel's estranged father, Vladimir Bure, for "training and putting up with me last summer. I probably couldn't have done this without him."
Pronger wins MVP award St. Louis Blues star Chris Pronger was named the NHL's Most Valuable Player and top defenseman Thursday, beating out scoring champion Jaromir Jagr of the Penguins and Panthers star Pavel Bure in the closest balloting in the award's history. Bure received the Maurice Richard Trophy for scoring the most goals, 58. Bure also finished second to Jagr in voting for the Lester B. Pearson Award, given to the NHL's best player as voted on by members of the NHL Players' Association. Said Jagr: ``This trophy is very special to me because it's voted by the players.'' Bure designated the $10,000 he received to Moscow's Red Army Junior Hockey School. Bure played for Red Army's junior team and the main Red Army team before coming to North America in 1991. Pronger is the first defenseman since Bobby Orr in 1972 to win the Hart Memorial Trophy. At 25, he is also the youngest winner of the Norris (defenseman) Trophy in 15 years. Pronger led the league in plus-minus rating at plus-52. Pittsburgh's Jagr and Detroit's Steve Yzerman joined Pronger on the 2000 All-Star team, along with Detroit winger Brendan Shanahan and Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, and Washington goalie Olaf Kolzig. Kolzig was selected as the NHL's best goaltender, winning the Vezina Trophy. But Roman Turek of St. Louis was the Jennings Trophy winner for lowest goals-against average. Scott Gomez, 20, who led all first-year players in points and helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup, won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie. St. Louis forward Pavol Demitra got the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play.
Pavel Bure was selected to the NHL's Second All-Star Team TORONTO - Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Jaromir Jagr was selected to the NHL's First All-Star Team for the fifth time in the last six seasons and leads the list of players named to the First Team this evening at the 17th annual NHL Awards Television Special at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. Jagr led the NHL in scoring for the third consecutive year with 96 points (42 goals, 54 assists) to become only the fifth player in NHL history to do so in three-or-more consecutive seasons. Gordie Howe (1951-54) and Guy Lafleur (1976-78). The Detroit Red Wings have three representatives on the First Team, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, center Steve Yzerman and left wing Brendan Shanahan. Also voted to the First Team are defenseman Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues and goaltender Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals. The Second Team is led by center Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars and goaltender Roman Turek of the St. Louis Blues, who both earned their first NHL All-Star Team selection. The other players selected to the Second Team are right wing Pavel Bure of the Florida Panthers, Mighty Duks of Anaheim left wing Paul Kariya, and defensemen Rob Blake of the Los Angeles Kings and Eric Desjardins of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Voting for the All-Star Team is conducted among representatives
of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of
the regular season.
NHLPA exclusive photo gallery
Jagr repeats as winner of NHL's Top Player Award Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins today was selected by his peers as the winner of the Lester B. Pearson Award, honoring the NHL's most outstanding player. The 28-year-old right wing became the fifth player to win the award in back-to-back seasons and the first since Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres in 1997 and 1998. Jagr received 192 votes, 33 more than Pavel Bure of the Florida Panthers and 63 more than Chris Pronger of the St. Louis Blues. A native of the Czech Republic, Jagr captured his third straight scoring title this season with 96 points, including 42 goals, despite missing 19 games due to injury. Among the highlights for Jagr this season was a seven-point game on December 30 against the New York Islanders. He also recorded his 900th career point and participated in his sixth All-Star Game. Named after the former prime minister of Canada, the Lester B. Pearson Award has been voted on by players since the 1970-71 season, when Phil Esposito was the inaugural recipient. Jagr is also a finalist for the Hart Trophy as most valuable player, which will be awarded here tonight. The Hart Trophy is voted on by members of the media.
Bure to receive Richard Trophy For leading the NHL with 58 goals, Pavel Bure will be presented with the Maurice Richard Trophy Thursday at the NHL Awards Television Special in Toronto. Bure voiced regret that Richard won't be able to present him with the award. The hockey legend died last month. "It's obviously a big day for me," Bure said by phone from Toronto on Wednesday night. "You don't get trophies every day, so it's nice to get one. "I unfortunately never met Rocket Richard. It's really sad that he left us." Pavel's younger brother, Calgary's Valeri Bure, will present Pavel with the Richard Trophy. "That's very nice, special," Pavel said. Besides his brother, Pavel's mother, Tatiana, and other family and friends flew to Toronto for tonight's event.
Bure is also a finalist with Pittsburgh's Jaromir Jagr and St. Louis' Chris Pronger for the Hart Trophy (MVP) and Lester B. Pearson Trophy (outstanding player, voted by players).
Pavel in 'Rolling Stone'
Picking on Pavel Pavel Bure has always been surrounded by mystery. He also has been a victim of inaccurate reports. The latest came last week, a report published in Canada and picked up by several news agencies. Bure, the winner of the Maurice Richard Trophy for leading the NHL with 58 goals, was criticized in a column for not attending Richard's funeral in Montreal last week. Instead, the report said, Bure opted to stay in Monte Carlo, where he was on vacation. Panthers media relations director Mike Hanson took exception to the report, saying that Bure did not have his green card and Canadian paperwork that would have allowed him to fly into Canada. Those documents were left in Moscow. Also the report said Bure has told organizers of the NHL's awards ceremony, which will take place in Toronto on Thursday, that he can't be bothered showing up at that function. Hanson contends that is "completely false." He says Bure has always been agreeable to attending the ceremony. He says Bure has been arranging with the Panthers for some time the number, including his mother, who will be in his party during the event. The Panthers have been organizing a surprise for Bure when he is presented with the Richard Trophy.
Bure is also a candidate for the Hart Trophy (MVP) along with the Penguins' Jaromir Jagr and the Blues' Chris Pronger.
NHL awards The NHL Awards will be handed out on June 15 at an annual gala held at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Despite published reports, Panthers superstar RW Pavel Bure will be on hand for the Awards ceremony. Says Panthers Director of Communications, Mike Hanson, "Pavel has planned to be there from the start. At no time did he say he would not attend." Bure has already been named the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Award Winner for being the NHL's goal-scoring champ (58 goals). He is also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player to his team) along with Jaromir Jagr and Chris Pronger, and the Lester B. Pearson Award (League's most outstanding player as voted by the Players Association) again with Jagr and Pronger. This is Bure's first Hart nomination.
The awards show will be televised on CBC and ESPN2 beginning at 8:00 pm (check your local listings for confirmation).
Sports Illustrated article
Pavel not to attend awards ceremony ?
It would have been a classy move had Pavel Bure, the holder of the Maurice Richard Trophy, attended the Rocket's funeral on Wednesday. Instead, he opted to stay in Monte Carlo. For that matter, Bure already has told the organizers of the NHL's awards ceremony that he can't be bothered to show up at that function either
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