Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 7, 1994 TAG: 9410070013
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In its second major pickup in 48 hours, the Express announced Thursday the signing of former NHL performer Derek Laxdal as the club's first player-assistant coach.
Laxdal, 28, played in the NHL for parts of six seasons (1984-91), registering 12 goals, seven assists and 90 penalty minutes in 67 games with Toronto and the New York Islanders.
When not on NHL call, the third-line ``mucker and grinder'' toiled in the American Hockey League, producing 108 goals, 112 assists and 450 penalty minutes in 356 games with St.Catherine's, Newmarket, Springfield and Capital District.
The lure of coaching brings Laxdal to Roanoke and the ECHL. His playing years waning, the Manitoba native decided he'd better start now up a new path that will keep him in the game.
``I'm at that point in my career where I've got to look at the future,'' Laxdal said.
``I've always wanted to be a coach and give a little bit back to the younger players. I work hockey schools all summer. I think I'm a people person. So I want to get into the coaching line, and right now, I think this is the best way to do it.''
Roanoke head coach Frank Anzalone said he was elated to add Laxdal, a heady veteran long known for his on-ice work ethic and locker-room leadership skills.
``We had no set plans to add a player-assistant,'' said Anzalone, ``but when Derek Laxdal became available we jumped on it.
``Derek's name is associated with character. Everybody I called said he plays hard, comes to play every night.
``What clinched it was talking to [ex-Hartford coach] Jimmy Roberts. Jimmy said, `You can't go wrong with Derek. He's a big strong winger who likes to go up and down the walls. He's straightforward off the ice, too, and he'll be great for [Roanoke's] young guys.'''
Anzalone emphasized his new right-hand man will be a player first, a coach second.
``Derek's combined elements of talent and toughness should make him one of the overall premier players in the ECHL,'' Anzalone said.
``He's going to give us strength on the boards, plus he's a smart hockey player. He's not a guy who's going to give you those Lev Berdichevsky or Oleg Yashin moves. He's going to give you that Pat Ferschweiler, that muck and grind with talent around the net and a good shot.''
Off the ice, Anzalone expects Laxdal to be a tower of power in a locker room filled with kids just breaking into the professional ranks.
``The most important thing, especially in this division [East], where every team has really done a good recruiting job, I need somebody in that locker room who has been in the American and the National Hockey League, and the guys on the team can look to him for that big-time advice,'' Anzalone said.
``Sort of like [veteran goalie] Paul Cohen did for us at the end of last year. Paul would say, `Guys, calm down. We got through the first period, and we're only down 1-0. Don't worry that they got 18 shots and we only got three. Let's go out in the second period and turn this game around.'
``That's where Derek's assets are great. Because, hey, there's no question that players misunderstand coaches sometimes. I think Derek is the guy who can in there and say, `Hey, Frank didn't mean that. What he meant was this ... and don't be a baby about this.'''
ICE CHIPS: The addition of Laxdal to Tuesday's signing of top-flight goalie Dave Gagnon sews up two of Roanoke's three ``veteran'' spots on the 18-man roster. Each ECHL club can keep only three third-year pros on its roster. ... The other two veterans invited to camp are Oleg Yashin and Roger Larche from last season's squad. One won't make the team. ... Nine players off last season's roster are expected to be among the 36 players in preseason training camp, which starts Sunday at the Roanoke Civic Center. Besides Yashin and Larche, the list includes Pat Ferschweiler, Jeff Jestadt, Michael Smith, Chris Potter, Ilja Dubkov, Reggie Brezeault and Dan Ryder.
by CNB