The Province
September 28, 2000
By Ben Kuzma

Drawing roster conclusions in the NHL preseason is like predicting which technology stock is going to soar. It may perform one day and look pitiful the next.

For the Vancouver Canucks, it was a banner day Wednesday. Brad Leeb and Harold Druken, investments for a more profitable franchise future, posted impressive gains in a 7-2 drubbing of Ottawa at GM Place.

For the Senators, it was another day to forget as goalies Patrick Lalime and Jani Hurme saw their NHL stock plummet.

Leeb made the biggest gain. Not only did the right winger finish with a goal and an assist, his quickness and grit have thickened the roster plot. The Canucks still need to trim 10 bodies to get down to a 23-man regular-season roster.

"That was his best game in uniform for the Canucks,'' Vancouver coach Marc Crawford said of Leeb, who had 37 points in 60 games last season with Syracuse of the AHL. "His skill with the puck showed and he has the ability to find the open man and open ice.

"He's taken the next step to challenge for a spot with this club.''

"That's all the 21-year-old Leeb has ever wanted. You don't have to tell him that a half dozen guys can play the right side. He found that out last season when he was recalled from the minors for two games. Wednesday, Leeb snapped a 2-on-1 feed from Druken past a sprawling Lalime just 20 seconds in as the Canucks scored on their first three shots to improve to 4-1-2 in the preseason. The Senators fell to 1-3-1-2.

"I was surprised,'' Leeb said of his first Canuck goal. "I jusT tried to get (the shot) on net. You take that opportunity I had last year and try to learn from it. You find out what you're up against and how hard you have to work.''

That's exactly what the line of Leeb, Druken and Matt Cooke did. Druken had his best outing of the preseason with two assists, thanks to a telephone pep talk from back home in Newfoundland.

"I talked to my old man and he said just put it (struggling) aside,'' said Druken, who had seven goals in 33 NHL games last season but knows he's in a battle for a centre spot. "I haven't been playing with a whole lot of confidence and I'm just trying to step it up from last year.''

Crawford noticed.

"That line got us off to a good start and that first goal really served to energize the team,'' he said.

Trent Klatt added two goals for the Canucks while Josh Holden, Denis Pederson, Andrew Cassels and Cooke also scored. Bob Essensa was sharp in goal, turning aside 25 of 27 shots.



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