| Richard
Henri Leduc, hereafter referred to as Rich Leduc, Cincinnati Stingers' center, is a
prolific scorer and solid all-around hockey player, who, after seven years as a pro, is
still looking for a championship. Leduc, the unofficial leader of the Stingers' Quebecois,
led the team in scoring last season with 52 goals and 55 assists, tying Chris Bordeleau of
the Nordiques for seventh on the World Hockey Association scoring list. But Leduc would
gladly trade personal production for a stringer team effort and a shot at the WHA's Avco
Cup championship this year. "I feel super this year, said the muscular center.
"I think I'm in great shape and I'm happy with the way things have gone for me so far
this season." Well, he should be, with nine goals and four assists after six
games. However, he is one of but a few Stingers scoring goals. Meanwhile, the team has
given up enough points to stand 1-5 during October. "Its great to be going well and
scoring a lot," Lecuc continued, "but it doesn't mean very much if the team
isn't winning. I have never played on a championship team, and I can't think of anything
that would be more satisfying than to win the Avco Cup. Personal success is great, but
team success is more important. If you score a lot and your team is a loser, you won't get
much recognition anyway."
He pointed to young Mark Napier, the fast-skating, high-scoring
forward with the Birmingham Bulls. Napier is an exceptionally talented offensive hockey
player, but Leduc said the young winger doesn't get the recognition he may deserve simply
because he plays for a last place club. Leduc, who possesses an infectious sense of humor,
is quite serious when he talks about championships and team spirit. He is one of the best
when it comes to friendly "ripping" and jokes, but he doesn't joke where winning
hockey is concerned. 'We must have a winning spirit on the team," he said. "Some
of the young players, the rookie and guys who have only played one season, don't quite
have that feeling and we must try to instill it. We have to forget personal goals and
think of going all the way."
Leduc talked of his off-season conversations with several of the WHA
champion Nordiques, especially big winner Marc Tardiff. "He (Tardif) said winning the
Avco Cup was the best thing that had ever happened to him," Leduc related. "He
told me how the players went to the locker room after the final gam and just sat there
smiling, knowing it was all over and they had won the championship. There wasn't much
noise, just a lot of satisfaction. Of course, they also picked up about sixteen grand
each, and that's not to shabby."
Leduc, who played with the NHL Boston Bruins and WHA Cleveland
Crusaders before joining Cincinnati last year, is convinced the Stingers will break out of
their slump and start to win with regularity very soon. We lost four one-goal games,"
he recalled. "We could have won three of them, and we should have won the last game
in Winnipeg ( a 3-2 defeat). I didn't say could, but should. We're not playing bad hockey,
but we're not as sharp as we should be. November will make us or break us and I believe
it's going to make us."
The Stingers, who resume competition Friday night against the New
England Whalers in Hartford, Conn., after a week-long rest, play 16 games in November, 14
in a span of 23 days. Eight of the games this month are on the road. Leduc said he felt
perhaps the single most important move the Stingers' front office made this year was the
acquisition of center Robbie Ftorek, the WHA's most valuable player last season.
"Ftorek is a guy who had to work hard when he was in the minor
leagues and now that's he's on top he still works hard every game," said Leduc.
"He has a professional attitude that was lacking on this team last year. Other
players, especially the younger ones, can use him as an example. He's a real asset to the
team for may reasons." |
