Winnipeg Sun
Tuesday, October 23, 2001

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- The Vancouver Canucks, off to their their worst start in 14 years, sent three players to their minor-league affiliate on Tuesday.

The 2-6-1 Canucks demoted wingers Harold Druken, Steve Kariya and defenseman Bryan Allen to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, and recalled forwards Mike Brown and Artem Chubarov and defenseman Justin Kurtz.

All three are expected arrive in time to play Tuesday night against Nashville.

Kariya, the younger brother of Anaheim star Paul Kariya, played just three games since an Oct. 17 recall from Manitoba, recording one assist.

Allen, who was the fourth overall pick in the 1998 entry draft, and Druken both started the season in Vancouver but neither was playing regularly minutes. Allen was without a point in seven games and averaging a little more than 10 minutes of ice time. Druken, who had 22 goals and 24 assists in 88 games with Vancouver before this year, was playing even less and had just two goals in eight games.

Vancouver, with its worst start since 1987, is missing the scoring of Todd Bertuzzi, who still has six games left on his 10-game suspension, and the reliability of defenseman Murray Baron, out with a broken left foot.



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