1997-98 Plymouth Whalers
WHALERS GET A LEG UP ON COMPETITION
In the summer of 1997, the Whalers made another name change. But this time the name made sense.
Citing Plymouth's acceptance of the team and the new Compuware Sports Arena during the 1996-97 season, the team took the name of the city that embraced it.
The Plymouth Whalers were born and they confounded the experts in 1997-98.
Many observers feel good Ontario Hockey League teams rebuild in three-year cycles. After the Whalers auditioned 17 rookies in 1996-97, it figured the team would ascend gradually to around the .500 mark the following year.
But a funny thing happened on the way to a rebuilding year - the Whalers refused to believe in the process, jump-starting to a 7-3-0 start en route 37-22-7 season and a trip to the OHL semi-finals for the first time since 1996.
LEGWAND NAMED OHL MVP
While there were plenty of positives in 1997-98, any discussion must begin with first-round selection David Legwand (Grosse Pointe Woods), who joined the Whalers as a shy youngster and emerged as the OHL's top prospect.
In scoring 54 goals with 51 points for 105 points, Legwand led the OHL in the following categories:
- Game winning goals (10)
- Consecutive point scoring streak (23 games, 38 points)
- Longest consecutive goal scoring streak (10 games, 12 goals)
- Rookie goals, assists and points (54-51-105)
- Rookie power play goals (18)
Legwand joined Barrie's Daniel Tkaczuk one of two players in the OHL Coaches Poll to receive votes in four separate categories: Smartest Player, Most Dangerous in the Goal Area, Best Play Maker and Best Skater. Legwand was voted the OHL's Most Valuable Player, the OHL's Rookie of the Year and made the OHL first all-star team.
While Legwand scored many spectacular goals, an empty net goal he scored in a 6-3 win in London September 26th may have been his best:
The Whalers were holding a 5-3 lead in the final minute of play. London pulled their goaltender, but Plymouth intercepted the puck and shot it deep into Knights territory. Legwand picked up the puck deep in along the right wing boards and carried it into the corner beyond the icing line.
It looked like Legwand had no play and certainly no shot from even an impossible angle. But he made a slight turn and absolutely threaded the needle with a shot that made it into the net no more than two inches inside the far post.
Legwand's goal prompted DeBoer to think about Whaler great Bryan Berard.
"Kids with that kind of talent kind of do things that are unexpected," DeBoer said with a smile. "I remember Bryan Berard going on an end-to-end rush in Sault Ste. Marie as rookie and scoring an unbelievable goal to win a game for us. I see a lot of the same characteristics in David Legwand - he's a kid when the game's on the line, you almost expect him to pull off something unbelievable.
"Fortunately, we've got a few of those kinds of guys this year. We've got a lot of speed up front and I think when you watch our games you can see by the number of 2-on-1's and breakaways and things we get that speed and scoring chances are not going to be a problem for us this year."
The rookie Michigander went on to capture the OHL MVP Award and the CHL Rookie of the Year Award.
A STAR AMONGST MANY
But Legwand had plenty of help offensively. Captain Andrew Taylor (33-38) showed outstanding leadership and finished his career with 209 games played with 81 goals and 103 points for 184 career points.
Harold Druken (38-44) enjoyed a second straight good season. Import pick Yuri Babenko (22-34) scored his share of spectacular goals. Gritty Randy Fitzgerald (11-24), power forwards Jesse Boulerice (20-23) and Eric Gooldy (16-20) and the underrated Julian Smith (16-26) all contributed to a winning effort.
Veteran goaltender Robert Esche completed a fine career, finishing with a franchise-best mark for games played (129) and minutes played (7,270). His career best 2.88 goals against in 1997-98 set the franchise mark that would be surpassed by his back up Scott Holsinger the following year.
Esche played for Team USA in the World Junior Championships and for the western squad at the OHL All-Star game for the second consecutive season.
"Robert's really created quite a career for himself," DeBoer said. "He was a late pick for us (10th round, 169th overall in 1995) and wasn't really expected to make the team. At the end of this season, we'll look back and see a kid who was a stellar goaltender for us - one of the best in the league at least over the last two years who's also played in two World Junior Championships. It's all due to hard work and perseverance. You can't say enough about that.
"For any of the young people out there that get discouraged, he's a great role model to look at."
THE TRADE WINDS BLOW
The Whalers' excellent start prompted DeBoer to start making deals to try to make the team stronger, both short-term and long-term. One of his early trades solved Plymouth's overloaded over-age situation when popular veteran Mark Cadotte was traded to London so Andrew Taylor could return from the minor leagues.
Many Whalers fans didn't like the deal, but there was a reason for the trade. DeBoer could keep just Taylor or Cadotte, not both.
"Mark Cadotte has been a great addition for us ever since he got here two years ago," said DeBoer. "We knew that this would probably be a breakthrough season for him. He's assumed a great leadership role with the team. He's playing for an NHL contract - this is his last year in our league and he's definitely got the tools to move on if he can continue playing the way that he has been. He's a heart-and-soul kid, but it's the time of year when over-agers start drifting down from pro camps and the price goes down."
Cadotte returned to Plymouth about a week later after the trade.
"At first it was a shock," Cadotte said. "You have to go with what happens. It's a business and that's the way it goes sometimes and you just keep going from there. London's a great town and things are working out so far."
Cadotte had a career year in London (39-55-94), helping the Knights to a division title.
DeBoer also retooled his defense, acquiring Nik Tselios (8-20) from Belleville for Jason Lawmaster.
Shaun Fisher (3-24) signed on from Springfield in the North American League and Paul Mara (8-15) joined Plymouth in a three-way deal with Windsor and Sudbury. Working with holdovers Kevin Holdridge, Troy Smith and Sergei Fedotov, Plymouth's mobile defense help limit the opposition to 223 goals, third overall in the OHL.
OHL'S STRANGEST 3-WAY DEAL
The Whalers made the deal for Mara during the Christmas holidays while DeBoer was away coaching Canada at World Junior Championships.
Associate coaches Steve Spott and Greg Stefan worked out the deal just prior a game at Windsor Arena. In fact, it wasn't done until the singing of the national anthems. In a bizarre evening, Luc Rioux, Mark Ridout and Andy Burnham started the warm-up sitting in the stands as Whalers, but moved to the Windsor side just before the game started.
As well as the Whalers played over the second half, London played better, winning the division with a record of 40-21-5.
ANOTHER RUN TO THE FINAL 4
Plymouth met Sarnia is the first round of the playoffs and exorcised some demons in eliminating the Sting in five games. The Whalers had never been very successful at the tiny Sarnia Arena, but a 7-2 thrashing of the Sting March 21 in game 4 was the key game of the series.
Robert Esche won the battle of goaltenders, beating rival Patrick DesRochers decisively. In fact,
DesRochers was pulled during Game 4 after allowing a couple of soft goals that gave Plymouth a lead in the series they wouldn't relinquish. DesRochers' season was done, replaced by Greg Hewitt for the remainder of the series.
The Whalers met Belleville in the second round of the playoffs and raced to a 3-0 series lead. Esche was particularly outstanding in Belleville's Yardmen Arena during games 2 and 3 of the Plymouth-Belleville second round playoff series when he stopped 82 of 87 Bulls shots and was the first star in each game, both Plymouth victories.
Before the Whalers' winning double-dip in Belleville, the Bulls had lost a league-best 6 home games all year.
THE IMPOSSIBLE COMEBACK
Game 3 of the series provided another great moment in the franchise history.
Plymouth trailed Belleville, 3-2 during the game's final 25 seconds in regulation. With a face-off deep in Plymouth territory, it appeared that the Whalers would be heading back to Plymouth with a 2-1 series lead.
The Bulls tried to dump the puck deep into the corner, but it hit a player and came back to Harold Druken. He skated the puck to the blue line and hit Legwand with a pass. Legwand moved the puck to Taylor in the neutral zone.
With the clock ticking down towards zero, the Captain then skated to the Bulls line and fired a "Hail Mary" towards the Belleville goal. Taylor's shot went off Bulls' goaltender Shawn Gallant and deflected into the net to tie the score and send the game into overtime.
The Whalers won the game early in the extra session when the line of Gooldy, Fitzgerald and Julian Smith went to work in the Belleville zone. Fitzgerald dug the puck out from behind the Belleville goal and found Julian Smith in the slot, who beat Gallant cleanly.
Plymouth eventually eliminated Belleville in 6 games and met Guelph in the OHL semi-finals.
Perhaps the Whalers were hurt, tired, or both, but they were swept out of the playoffs by the Storm. Plymouth's best chance for a victory came in Game 1 when they dominated early but couldn't dent Guelph goaltender Chris Madden. Plymouth peppered Madden with 20 shots in the opening frame, but came away empty handed. The Storm eventually took Game 1, 2-1 and cruised the rest of the way, outscoring Plymouth, 17-5, in the series.
The final game of the series - April 17 at the Compuware Sports Arena - produced an ugly event that followed junior hockey around like a dark cloud for months afterwards.
In the first period, the puck was shot behind the Guelph goal. Chasing after the puck, Whalers' forward Jesse Boulerice collided heavily with Guelph's Andrew Long. As the puck was rimmed around the boards and play continued in neutral ice, Boulerice took his stick and swung it at Long's face.
Long crumpled to the ice. Play was held up 25 minutes will Long received medical attention.
The Whalers were swept, but were ready to take it to the next level in 1999.
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