Over his long NHL career, former winger and current Columbus Blue Jackets assistant coach Mark Recchi was consistently one of the most dangerous offense-minded players on the planet.
And in this feature story from The Hockey News’ April 7, 2000, edition – Volume 53, Issue 30 – contributing writer Wayne Fish profiled Recchi at the time he was a fixture for the Philadelphia Flyers.
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Recchi had already won one Stanley Cup by the time he became a Flyer in 1999. In the five full seasons as a Flyer, Recchi posted at least 20 goals – and in four of those seasons, he generated at least 64 points. He told Fish that he knew, from experience, his proficiency on the power play was a major driver of team success.
“The power play in the regular season is big, but in the playoffs it’s even more important,” Recchi told Fish. “It can become a real big factor. If you look at teams that have made runs throughout the past years, a hot power play can carry you through the playoffs.”
Recchi went on to amass 956 assists and 1,533 points in 1,652 regular-season games. He’s won a Cup three times as a player and twice as a development coach. He carved out a legacy as one of the all-time greats, and long before his on-ice career ended, he’d earned the respect of co-workers and opponents alike.
“I think (Recchi) demands attention, even though he doesn’t have the big shot from the point,” said then-interim Flyers coach Craig Ramsay. “He moves the puck so well. If people want to cheat out to him at the point, then some of the low plays will open up. “Lots of times we just want him to wrist the puck through to the net. If it gets there, good things can happen. He’s just an alert, quick player.”
POWER PLAYER
Vol. 53, No. 30, April 7, 2000
By Wayne Fish
At first, it’s a little like skydiving. You jump out of the plane and hope the chute opens. When it does, everything is fine and the possibilities are endless.
When Philadelphia coach Roger Neilson told right winger Mark Recchi he wanted him on the point of the Flyers’ power play this year, Recchi leaped at the chance.
Worry later about giving up the occasional shorthanded breakaway, Neilson added.
The 31-year-old Recchi, who had bypassed unrestricted free agency by signing a five-year, $25-million contract last May, was eager to put a rocky 1998-99 season behind him. And joining Eric Desjardins on the blueline in front of some of hockey’s most glittering offensive talent during the man-advantage seemed like a good starting point.
No one dreamed it would be this good.
Recchi’s versatility has helped the Flyers’ power play go from pretty good last year (16.8 per cent, 10th in the NHL) to the top of the pile this season (21.8 per cent). His precise passing, ability to make quick reads and knack for jumping up in the play at exactly the right moment have made him the perfect man for the job.
As a result, Recchi has turned last year’s struggles into a distant memory. Through 74 games, he had 24 goals and 83 points and was challenging Jaromir Jagr and Owen Nolan for the league scoring title. His power play assists (32) and points (39) were the most in the NHL.
A resurgent power play should bode well for the Flyers in the playoffs — special teams often settle tight-checking post-season games.
Recchi could be the key. Once a week, he steps out onto the ice at the Flyers’ training facility in Voorhees, N.J., and plays defenseman for a day. It’s a good way to hone his defensive skills.
Desjardins, Recchi’s “parachute,” provides a safety mechanism. If a shot is blocked or Recchi gets caught in a little deep, Desjardins has the speed and instinct to get back and cover. The Flyers have allowed a middle-of-the-pack seven short-handed goals this season.
“The power play in the regular season is big, but in the playoffs it’s even more important,” Recchi said. “It can become a real big factor. If you look at teams that have made runs throughout the past years, a hot power play can carry you through the playoffs.”
Recchi said the reason he has been able to amass so many assists on the man-advantage is simple: He makes sure the puck gets to the net or (via pass) to the Flyers’ big men down low — Eric Lindros, John LeClair, Keith Primeau and Simon Gagne.
“With ‘Rico’ (Desjardins) and I back there, the important thing is to get it in there because we have big guys who can get to loose pucks,” Recchi said. “That has been a key for us.”
Said interim Flyers’ head coach Craig Ramsay, “I think (Recchi) demands attention, even though he doesn’t have the big shot from the point. He moves the puck so well. If people want to cheat out to him at the point, then some of the low plays will open up.
“Lots of times we just want him to wrist the puck through to the net. If it gets there, good things can happen. He’s just an alert, quick player.”
Excluding the lockout-shortened season of 1994-95, Recchi had a career-low for goals (16) and points (53) last year. There were a lot of contributing factors: A bout with pneumonia, a concussion, his uncertain status with the Montreal Canadiens and taxing commutes back and forth from Pittsburgh to witness the birth of his first child.
But once the health matters cleared up and he had time to work on his conditioning over the summer, Recchi was his old self.
He has been, without question, the Flyers’ MVP this season. And in an informal poll of about a dozen players at the All-Star Game in Toronto in February, more than a few suggested Recchi should receive consideration for the Hart Trophy.
“Over the summer, I built myself back up to where I was the previous year before I got sick,” said Recchi, who recently was nominated as the Flyers’ candidate for this season’s Masterton Trophy.
“Obviously, you have to get off to a good start. I had a good exhibition season and that made me feel comfortable that I could continue at this level.”
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