FLORIDA READY FOR KEENAN?

Byline: MATT MCHALE NHL 

Mike Keenan was 3,000 miles away in Florida, but the thought of his coaching in the NHL again sent chills through the Kings dressing room.

Jason Allison, who had a career year playing for Keenan last season in Boston, paused for 30 seconds and said, ``He was a motivator.''

That was it. On the record. Off the record. Not even teammate and team translator Jaroslav Modry would have helped explain what makes Keenan a success, and so difficult to play for.

``Is this going to get me in trouble?'' said Ian Laperriere, who played for Keenan in St. Louis and never has backed down from trouble on the ice.

``He had this stare,'' said Craig Johnson, who also played for Keenan in St. Louis. ``You never wanted to be on the other end of that stare. Once I turned the puck over and the other team scored. He pulled me off the ice and I didn't play again for a while.''

Florida announced Monday that Keenan is the new head man for the Panthers, a hapless franchise with the league's fewest (six) victories.

The Panthers are his seventh team. He won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994 and took the Philadelphia Flyers to the Finals twice (1985 and '87) and the Chicago Blackhawks once (1992).

He is the ultimate control freak, a taskmaster who learned from his mentor Scotty Bowman to never let his best players get comfortable.

Interestingly, one of the players he took to the edge is Pavel Bure, perhaps the game's most gifted goal scorer but considered lazy and one dimensional. Bure is now a member of the Panthers. He played for Keenan in Vancouver for the final 63 games of the 1997-98 season. Bure scored 51 goals, but the Canucks failed to make the playoffs.

That summer, Bure demanded a trade and was sent to the Panthers, who gave him a $10 million-a-year contract.

Bure was joined this season by his brother Valeri and both have been hurt. Despite sensational youngsters Kristian Huselius and Roberto Luongo, the Panthers have been a selfish and unfocused team.

``Nobody gets your attention like Mike Keenan,'' Laperriere said. ``I hear he's mellowed. I'm not so sure.''

Keenan's demanding nature will be felt in the Panthers' front office, too. After coach Duane Sutter and president/GM Bill Torrey were fired, 34- year-old Chuck Fletcher was brought in as the interim general manager.

Keenan also has the title of assistant GM. He always has gotten the players he wanted. Fletcher could get steamrolled.

Keenan's recent stops haven't been very successful. St. Louis, Vancouver and Boston weren't winners. Three years ago, he was on the long list of candidates to replace the Kings' Larry Robinson, the job that went to Andy Murray.

But although few players enjoy the experience, playing for Keenan has produced some impressive results.

He coached a reckless kid named Chris Pronger, who came to the St. Louis Blues from Hartford in exchange for Brendan Shanahan. Pronger found his game under Keenan, developed a blend of greatness and meanness that two seasons ago translated into an MVP award, the first by a defenseman since Bobby Orr almost 30 years earlier.

Not everyone hated him. After the Rangers won their first title in 40 years, captain Mark Messier skated over and presented Keenan with the Stanley Cup.

What few knew at the time was Keenan was trying to wiggle out of his Rangers deal and become the coach and general manager in Detroit. He was fired in New York and never got the job with the Red Wings.

In Boston last year, Allison had an outstanding season with 36 goals and 95 points. Keenan named him the Bruins captain.

But it was Keenan's impact on another center Joe Thornton, the former No. 1 overall pick who had underachieved during his first three seasons that should not be overlooked.

Last year looked to be no different than the first three, even after Keenan replaced Pat Burns seven games into the season. That ended in January when Keenan ripped his top young player to the media in Boston.

``He has no excuses,'' Keenan said. ``It's time for him to decide if he wants to be the hockey player he is capable of being or whether he just wants to participate. Is he going to be one of those guys who, years from now, we say, 'Well, he had the potential, but ...?' ''

At the time of the blast, Thornton had 24 points in 33 games. For the rest of the season, he had 47 points in 39 games.

A star was born, even if he arrived a little later than expected. Allison, the Bruins' top-line center, was a restricted free agent and looking for a multiyear contract at $8 million a year. Boston didn't think he was worth the money and eventually traded him to the Kings.

Keenan was gone by then. When he was named coach of the Bruins, the team held the option of terminating his contract after one season.

Boston recorded 88 points and tied No. 8 Carolina in victories. But in a tiebreaker, the Hurricanes went to the postseason. By then, Bruins GM Harry Sinden had retired and was replaced by Mike O'Connell. Keenan, who had lost his job in Vancouver, in part because of the arrival of new GM Brian Burke, faced the same situation.

If Fletcher survives in Florida, it could be a short term for Keenan. Or he could turn around one of the NHL's most dismal teams. Or, win or lose, Mike Keenan could wear out his welcome all by himself.

BLUE LINES

By Matt McHale

IN WITH THE NEW

The Dallas Stars are on a roll, going 5-1-3 their past eight games, including 3-0-1 since dealing Donald Audette, Shaun Van Allen and Jyrki Lumme. Newcomer Benoit Brunet has two goals and three assists in three games with Dallas after having two points in 16 games with Montreal this season.

TOUGH GUY

Phoenix's Danny Markov took a shot off his nose in the secondperiod of a game last week. He suffered a broken nose, two swollen eyes and a cut that required 25 stitches. With his team trailing 3-0, Markov came back in the third period. ``If we had 20 more guys like that, we'dwin 90 percent of our games,'' teammate Claude Lemieux said.

CENTER OF ATTENTION

Pavol Demitra scored five goals in the last four games and has created a healthy competition for the Blues' No. 1 center spot with Doug Weight. Last week Demitra had back-to-back two-goal games and has 17 for the season. Weight hasn't disappeared. He had a goal and two assists Saturday vs. Columbus and is among the league leaders with 18 assists.

GETTING STRONGER

The San Jose Sharks lead the Pacific Division, but they just got a lot stronger this past week by agreeing to terms with holdout defenseman Mike Rathje on a four-year, $8.25 million contract. The Sharks also got back Bryan Marchment from a suspension. That will help on the road, where they play seven of their next 10 games and lost 3-1 to the Kings 10 days ago.

SURPRISING POWER

The Northwest Division is much more balanced this year. Edmonton and Calgary are better, but the biggest jump is with second-year Minnesota, which is second in the league on the power play. Martin Gaborik, a rising star in his second season, and Andrew Burnette, a free agent from Atlanta, are tied for second in the league with 15 power-play points.

CAPTION(S):

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Photo:

Danny Markov of Phoenix is lifted high off the glass by Tyson Nash of St. Louis. Markov has developed a reputation as tough-nosed player.

Tom Gannan/Associated Press

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BLUE LINES (see text)