Winnipeg Free Press
Tue, Dec 11, 2001
By Tim Campbell

THE growing smile on the face of Manitoba Moose head coach Stan Smyl Sunday night had little to do with a road-trip-ending 4-2 loss to the Houston Aeros.

The grin-inducing question put to Smyl was about right-winger Brad Leeb.

As in, "Stan, so many times when players are returned by an NHL team to their minor-league affiliate, there's a pout period and/or a few games of adjustment. Why does Leeb not fit this script?"

Leeb, for the record, has played his best hockey of the season since the Vancouver Canucks sent him back to Winnipeg after a two-game call-up in mid-November. And not only played, but scored. The 22-year-old third-year pro from Red Deer, Alta., had five goals and two assists on the just-completed seven-game road trip. Prior to that, he had but four goals in 17 games. "I think he wants to contribute in so many areas," Smyl said, clearly pleased that Leeb was no passenger on the long road trip. "He has all the abilities. The way I project him is being the guy who's reliable defensively, getting pucks out and making the heads-up first pass out of our zone. He's a very consistent guy that way and it's the way I've always looked at him."

Leeb has played under Smyl in each of his three pro seasons and maybe the coach sees a little of himself, a multi-faceted performer who could forecheck and put up offensive numbers, too.

Leeb's skating should make him a factor most nights.

"His shot's a rifle," Smyl said. "I think with Brad, he wants to contribute in that department and now that he's been up there (in Vancouver), he's been noticeably better.

"I think it's just that it starts with him in the defensive area. Early on, I think sometimes he was going in circles and not being in the positions where he usually was. Now he's back to that, especially since he's come back."

Leeb, who had one goal after eight games, said he's quite aware of his growing impact.

"Hopefully it's going to continue," he smiled after scoring a goal in each of the three weekend contests, two in Utah and one in Houston. "I think maybe I'm even getting less shots on goal than I was before."

He's been far more dangerous, however, and each of his weekend markers were high-skill, high-grit plays that Smyl will no doubt be putting on a personal video as potential future reminders if there's any future lull in Leeb's play.

"All I can think to say about it is that when you go to the NHL level, your game has to be at the top level," Leeb said. "I've always learned things when I've gone up. It's a lot of little things and they always seem to make a difference. It's great experience, how hard you have to work every day and that work ethic is a big part of what you want to be doing here."

The brief recall to Vancouver has obviously been a shot in the arm.

"Confidence definitely has something to do with it," Leeb said. "When you get called up, it's great that they've noticed you're doing something right. Other than that, I can't really say.

"I just hope it continues."



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