From lmcewen@gpu.srv.ualberta.caSun Dec 15 15:38:27 1996 Date: Sat, 7 DEC 1996 16:14:11 -0700 (MST) From: L McEwen To: "Darren W. Kinnaird" Cc: Michael Hebert , Web Hockey League -- Dave Sprowl , Mike Vader , Mike Newman , Marc Hebert , Jason Kolsrud , Carson Pierce , Jay Patrick , Rob Hite , Keith Jones , Kevin Beilner , Dave Moore , Shaun Driver , Mike Henschel , Robert Wysoglad , Adam Ardis , Andreas Larsson , "Brian R. Howe" , Robert Wysoglad , Lori Steward , Todd Henry , David Jensen , Larry Berteotti , Jason Stumpf , Jeff MacDonald , Lars Nordekvist Subject: WHL: All-Star Voting a Sham P # Player GP G A PTS +/- PP SH GW GT S PIM F 14 Pavel Bure 36 18 16 34 7 1 2 2 0 124 70 F 12 Owen Nolan 34 18 23 41 3 7 1 3 0 108 72 The GM's of the WHL shirked their responsibilities and devalued the All-Star voting process by voting the Voodoo's Pavel Bure to the starting line-up by a wide margin over the Vikings Owen Nolan. GM Lee McEwen was more than a little upset when informed of this. "Now I don't want to take anything away from Pavel Bure by any stretch of the imagination but this is a complete joke. Owen has better numbers than Bure in every category except for +/- and shorthanded goals and the difference there is miniscule. What does a player have to do to get some respect in this league? I thought my fellow GM's were beyond making the All-Star game a fabrication but apparently I was mistaken. It just goes to show you the lack of respect the Vikings get in this league. Last year Patrick Roy was in the top 5 in every goaltending category and wasn't even invited to participate in the so-called "mid-season" classic. Eric Desjardins is not voted to start this year but Chris Chelios is. I can't explain it or understand it. What's the reasoning or justification? Can you explain it? Can Pavel Bure explain it? Did the Russian Mafia get to the other GM's in this league? I was relieved when the WHL got away from fan-voting for the All-Star game because I thought that players would get rewarded based on results, not how well-known they are. Sadly it looks like I was wrong and it's still a frickin' popularity contest. I hope Mr. Bure feels really proud when he skates out for the introductions because he really, really earned it. Yeah right." Strong words from Vikings GM Lee McEwen, perhaps part of it is due to the fact the Vikings are coming off an embarrassing 8-4 defeat at the hands of the Norsemen? Owen Nolan was a bit more diplomatic when asked if he was disappointed. "Well, I'm a little upset but what can I do. Last year it was Renberg, this year it's Bure, next year who knows. All I can do is go out there and keep playing my game. I know I'm a good player and an important part of the Vikings, just like Bure's an important part of the Voodoo. I'll turn it up here in the second half and hopefully we'll have a strong performance and win the Cyber Cup, because ultimately that's all that matters." "That's Hockey"