Winnipeg Sun
Monday, September 24, 2001
By GRANT GRANGER -- Winnipeg Sun

BURNABY, B.C. -- Brad Leeb and Pat Kavanagh were two of the sharper Blades in the Kansas City drawer last season.

They've continued that fine play throughout the Vancouver Canucks training camp, earning plenty of praise from head coach Marc Crawford following scrimmages and pre-season games.

"It's nice to hear those things, but you still have to keep a level head at the same time," said Leeb, 22, a former Red Deer Rebel star who signed with the Canucks as an undrafted free agent two years ago.

"I'm pretty confident with my game. Obviously, there's always room for improvement but as far as my game goes I don't think I'll be a liability to these guys and hopefully they notice that. I think I could chip in."

The speedy 5-foot-11 right winger had 34 points, including 16 goals, in 53 games in Kansas City last year. While those stats don't exactly have Markus Naslund shaking in his skate boots, Leeb was hampered by a knee injury.

"He's very reliable but a very skilled player at the same time," said Moose head coach Stan Smyl, who was also the Blades bench boss last season. "If he had been in the lineup (more) his stats would've been up there.

"He's got great touch, really nice touch. That's because he's got a quick release and that release surprises a lot of goalies."

PASSED OVER

While Leeb, who scored the opening goal in yesterday's game 3-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, was passed over by everybody else, Kavanagh, 22, was taken by the Canucks in the second round, 50th overall, in 1997. He had 26 goals and 41 points in 78 games, but a switch from right wing to centre midway through the season sparked Kavanagh.

While the injury-riddled Blades club spiralled out of the playoff race, Kavanagh took advantage of the ice time and upped his level. It earned him a three-game playoff appearance against the Colorado Avalanche.

"He was our key guy coming down the road and that's why he got into the playoffs against Colorado," said Smyl. "He really broke the shell and got the ice time and proved he could play at that (IHL) level.

"The one area he's gotten a lot better at is he's gotten stronger. That's going to help him out a lot this year."

Kavanagh figures he'll have to put the puck in the net if he hopes to finally collect an NHL paycheque.

"That's probably how you get noticed the most," said Kavanagh, who was assigned to the Moose yesterday. "Just for me, I'd like to produce a little bit more. I expect that for myself."

Both Leeb and Kavanagh, however, are on two-way contracts and don't have to clear waivers to be assigned to the Moose, making it much easier for them to be sent down and much harder to force the Canucks management to keep them.

NOTES: Leeb's older brother Greg, who played for the Utah Grizzlies last season, has been demoted by the Oilers to the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Leeb boys may see each other a lot this winter since the Moose and Bulldogs play each other 12 times.



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