| There's at
least one team in the World Hockey Association that apparently believes the Cincinnati
Stingers are only a player or two away from being a contender for the league title.
Stingers coach Jacques Demers said he needed a couple of big, tough wingers to complement
his young, smallish squad and he could challenge any WHA team. Demers used a trio of
Quebec forwards - Peter Driscoll, Curt Brackenbury and Bob Fitchner - as example of the
type of tough but capable skaters he sought. It came as
somewhat of a shock to learn that the Nordiques had sold Driscoll outright to the
Indianapolis Racers this past weekend. Drisoll wasn't happy in Quebec, so why didn't the
Stingers make a bid? 'We tried to get Driscoll for a month," replied Stinger
executive vice president Bill DeWitt Jr. "We tried player trades and cash, but Quebec
just didn't want to give us Driscoll. It reached the point where they wouldn't give us
Driscoll at any price. Maurice Fillion (Nordique general manager) said if we got Drisoll
we would be one of the strongest teams in the league. They didn't want that to
happen."
DeWitt said he called Fillion when he heard Driscoll had been sold,
asking why the Stingers hadn't been given a shot at the big winger. "He said they had
to make a quick decision and chose to deal with the Racers," said DeWitt, adding that
obviously Cincinnati was never given a chance.
Agreeing that Driscoll would have fit into the Stinger picture quite
well, DeWitt went on to say the Cincinnati organization was still looking for players.
"We're scouting the American Hockey League teams," DeWitt said. "There's
quite a bit of talent in that league and sometimes you can come up with a sleeper in the
minors." The Stingers would rather have an experienced major league winger, however,
and DeWitt said he had been talking to some of the National Hockey League teams. He
pointed out that in most cases the NHL squads didn't wish to part with the better players,
or if they did they wanted a great deal in return. The Stingers may have found a gem in
center Bill Gilligan, the Brown University All-American who was called up recently from
Hampton and has been playing well. But Gilligan doesn't have the physical size and
hard-nosed capabilities Demers is seeking.
The Stingers left Tuesday morning for Edmonton where they take on
the Oilers tonight (10 p.m.). Center Jacques Locas suspend last week did not make the
trip. "That situation is still in limbo," DeWitt said, not wishing to comment in
depth on Locas' current standing. "I've talked with his lawyer and I would hope we
can resolve the situation in the near future. I can't really say right now what will
happen." With Locas off the roster, there is room for another forward. Unfortunately
for the Stingers, it won't be Peter Driscoll unless Indianapolis decides to make a deal.
That isn't likely since the Racers are having problems of their own and can undoubtedly
use a skater of Driscoll's ability. |
