NHL All-Star Notebook: Crosby wins Messier Leadership Award

Penguins center Sidney Crosby accepts the Leadership Award sponsored by COLD-fX from Hall-of-Famer Mark Messier prior to the 55th NHL All-Star Game.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

By The Associated Press

Penguins center and All-Star starter Sidney Crosby received the Mark Messier Leadership Award from the retired National Hockey League superstar last night before the game in Dallas. It was presented in honor of Crosby's leadership on and off the ice.

Messier called Crosby "a bona fide NHL superstar."

A $5,000 donation will be made to a charity of Crosby's choice.

Bettman addresses diversity

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, opening a luncheon this week on diversity in hockey, proudly made note of 39 cities offering inner-city programs with the help of the league. Ironically, Bettman trumpeted the programs in a city without one.

The lack of a diversity program in Dallas underscores the creeping pace of the NHL in diversifying rosters.

Bettman said this week that he is not satisfied with the number of minorities in the NHL -- currently 31 (about 5 percent) players. Among them is San Jose forward Jonathan Cheechoo, a Cree Indian from Canada who was the league's top goal-scorer last season and voted in by fans to start for the Western Conference in the All-Star Game.

"It's at best a start," Bettman said. "But ,when you look at the history, it is a step forward."


Different kind of ice storm

When the NHL came to Texas in 1993 after the Minnesota North Stars moved south, there were only five sheets of ice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. There are now 25.

When the Stars arrived, there were no high school hockey teams in the area. Now there are 70. The number of youths playing organized hockey has increased from about 250 to more than 5,000.


Elsewhere

The Minnesota Wild recalled goaltender Josh Harding from the Houston Aeros on the American Hockey League yesterday, raising questions about the health of starter Manny Fernandez, who has sprained left knee. The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Joe Rullier, 26, from the Vancouver Canucks for right winger Colby Genoway, then sent him to Portland of the AHL. ...The Dallas Stars recalled center Steve Ott from a rehabilitation assignment with Iowa of the AHL. Ott has been out of Dallas' lineup for almost three months because of a broken ankle.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Post-Gazette staff writer Shelly Anderson contributed to this report. )