Central: At last -- a Gretzky-free zone

We're sick and tired of hearing (and writing) about Gretzky. So, let's look at what's going on outside of Wayne's World in the Central Division.

But first, one Wayne Gretzky note.

Gretzky's last game as a King was Monday in Winnipeg, where he tortured the Jets and their fans for years. He scored his 2,000th career point there, and had 219 points in 98 games, on 77 goals and 142 assists for 219 points.

Rumor Mil
Now that Gretzky is gone, next on the Kings' chopping block is Marty McSorley.

The Wings, Chicago and Philadelphia are pursuing him, but the Wings aren't interested in getting into a bidding war.

"I don't think we're in a position though where we really want to mortgage the future on a deal unless it's cut-and-dry," Bowman said. "And it's pretty hard to look at a deal and say it's cut-and-dry."

Bowman was angry that forwards Greg Johnson, Martin Lapointe, Tim Taylor and Kris Draper have been named in McSorley trade rumors.

"Those four guys won't be traded," Bowman said.

Maybe not all at once.

In another rumor of note, the sliding Toronto Maple Leafs are making a pitch for former captain Wendel Clark. Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia -- again? -- also are courting the Islanders.

Burning Leafs
Toronto is in the throes of a terrific slump. Going into the game Saturday at Dallas, they had won only three of 20 games -- 3-13-3 in that span. On Jan. 10, they were eight games over .500 and within striking distance of the Red Wings.

Now, they're three games under and closer to last-place San Jose (26 points ahead) than first-place Detroit (36 points behind).

Coach Pat Burns has been ridiculed in the media. The Toronto Sun labeled him "a chronic sourpuss." The paper also speculated on possible replacements next seasons.

Burns has brought in a sports psychologist Peter Jenson, who has worked with Canadian figure skaters.

Burns also has suggested that there's a curse on the Leafs.

Could be.

For two weeks, Burns has been poised to pass Red Kelly on the team's all-time win list. They're tied at 133.

The Sun referred to Kelly, who coached the Leafs' from 1973 to 1977, as "Pyramid Power."

The stress is getting to Burns, 43.

"I've never in my life felt as much strain and stress as I am now," he said. "I mean to say, I can't even sleep well at night any more. I lay awake for hours, trying to figure out what we have to do to get out of this slump. I've never experienced anything as bad as this before. Never.''

Not even as a cop in Quebec in his pre-coaching days?

"When I was a detective in Quebec in 1976, I remember going into an armed robbery once, reaching into my back pocket and realizing I didn't have my gun," he said. "That scared the hell out of me, but it was over quickly. So, even that wasn't as bad as what I'm feeling now."

Chevy Crashed
The last time Gretzky got traded, a deal between St. Louis and Montreal -- Sergio Momesso and goalie Vincent Riendeau to St. Louis for Jocelyn Lemieux and Darrell May -- went largely unnoticed.

Same this time. Winnipeg sent tortured backup goalie Tim Cheveldae and a third-round pick in 1996 to Philadelphia for minor-leaguer Dominic Roussel, the Flyers' third-strong goalie.

The deal doesn't make much sense for the Flyers, considering Cheveldae has another year remaining on a five-year deal worth $1.2 million per year. Roussel is in the final season of a $600,000 per year contract.

After the trade, Cheveldae was put on waivers and sent to the Flyers' farm team in Hershey.

"We wanted to get a goalie back with NHL experience," said Flyers GM Bob Clarke. "We wanted that for our third goalie, plus we got a draft pick, too."

Jets assistant GM Mike O'Hearn was asked if there was some kind of side deal made regarding Cheveldae's hefty contract.

"Side deals aren't allowed in the NHL," O'Hearn deadpanned.

The only way the deal makes sense for the Jets is that they dumped Cheveldae's salary and gave up a draft choice as a premium. Roussel, 25, was the Flyers goalie in 1993-94 when they missed the playoffs and Simpson got fired.

"Money had nothing to do with it,'' Jets GM John Paddock said. "We wanted to change something at that position, change it now, and especially going ahead. I don't think Chevy's record indicates how he played but it ends up being the bottom line."

Oh, OK.

Wild Wings
Not that anyone cares, but the Detroit Red Wings clinched a playoff berth last week.

"It doesn't mean anything," Steve Yzerman said. ``We expect to be in the playoffs. I don't have any thoughts on it; I didn't know until someone told me.'' Keith Primeau also had no clue. ``That's great,'' Primeau said. ``Last couple of years we've clinched a playoff spot, maybe not this early, but at some point. But we can't change our approach because of it."

The Red Wings lead the NHL with a record of 46-11-4 for 96 points. A victory against Vancouver on Saturday would tie the team record of 47, set in 1992-93.

The NHL record for most victories also is in sight. The Wings would have to win 14 of their last 21 games to match the 60 games won by the Montreal Canadiens in 1976-77. Wings coach Scoot Bowman also was coach of those Canadiens.

Irate Igor
The Red Wings' Russians are having no luck with referees and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

A couple of weeks ago, Tampa's Brian Bradley sliced Vladimir Konstantinov for 12 stitches, but hapless Dan Marouelli missed it. Konstantinov said the oversight is part of Canadian referees prejudice against Russians.

Igor Larionov didn't go that far, but he wasn't happy when Dan O'Halloran called nothing on Tampa Bay's Adrien Plavsic for slicing a 10-stitch gash under his left eye and on the bridge of his nose.

"I got lucky," Larionov said. "I could have lost my eye. I'm glad I'm OK, I can see. I was just concerned about the referee.

"He didn't want to call a penalty. They've got three referees. Somebody should see it. It scares me because this is a dangerous game. If the referee never calls a penalty, I would rather quit this game."

Bluelines
The quote of the week goes to Colorado coach Marc Crawford. When a sportwriter asked the cliche question about whether he wanted the 'Lanche to send a message in their home home-and-home series with the Blackhawks last week, he said: "If you want to deliver messages, you use the post office or Federal Express."

Star Gazing
What has gotten into the Dallas Stars? Going into their game against slumping Toronto on Saturday, they had a winning streak of four games -- 3-0-1.

Interestingly, nine of the Stars' 19 victories this season have come in similar streaks.

Through Friday, Dallas was only eight points out of the last playoff spot.

Ludwig's Goal
Dallas defenseman Craig Ludwig was scheduled to appear in his 999th career game on Saturday night. He has a special request for coach Ken Hitchcock for Game No. 1,000.

"I'm gonna ask Hitch if I can play goalie in the 1,000th," Ludwig said. "I'm serious."

Yeah, right. Ludwig actually has been playing goal for years. He's one of the league's top shot blockers, wearing shin pads that flare out wide on the sides for extra coverage.

When asked if was the Stars' emergency goalie, he said, "Of course." But he said he would disdain goalie equipment if ever called upon.

"I'm not going to wear any of that equipment," he said. "And I'm not wearing a mask. And I want Al MacInnis teeing it up."

He might want to think twice about that. Hartford's Jeff Brown, whose slapshot isn't far behind MacInnis', recently knocked Stars goalie Darcy Wakaluk out of a game with a slapshot off the knee cap.

"I thought I shattered it," Wakaluk said.

Fortunately, it was only a bruise.

Eddie O
After scoring only two goals in seven weeks, Winnipeg's Ed Olczyk has had two goals and four assists in back-to-back 4-3 wins last week over Los Angeles and Toronto.

Coach Terry Simpson said Olczyk is "playing with determination again."

"Yeah, de-termination," Olczyk said, a play on words because he's on a "termination" contract. "That's the kind of contract I'm on."

So, call this a contract drive. Olczyk will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end. He has 22 goals and 38 points, but he's dropping team-oriented quotes.

"When I get really excited is taking faceoffs when there's 20 seconds left in the game," Olczyk said. "When it's in our own end, I eat that stuff up because it's a team thing. What I've always enjoyed in my career and when I've played my best hockey is when I've been given responsibility. I want to help this team to the playoffs. Whatever role they need me to fill, I will do that."

Said Simpson: "Eddie's a smart player. The way he's playing right now, he could be a big leader for us down the stretch."

The Jets have won four in a row, their longest winning streak of the season. This after trading leading scorer Teemu Selanne for Oleg Tverdovsky and Chad Kilger.

Sleep Aid
Darrin Shannon's game-winning goal against Los Angeles last week was his first goal since Oct. 27. When asked if he slept better that night, he said said: "I got to sleep, so that's better."

Flying Phoenix
And finally, some news and notes from the Jets next stop.