Adam Oates

The Kings, who have been searching for a second-line center all season, are talking to the St. Louis Blues about obtaining unhappy Adam Oates. Although he would not confirm reports out of St. Louis that the deal involves King wing Tomas Sandstrom, owner Bruce McNall said General Manager Rogie Vachon is talking with the Blues. "Normally, when we are about to do something, he (Vachon) comes to me," McNall said, "and that hasn't happened yet. But they are talking."

Mats Sundin's reaction told the story. "Are you serious?" he said. Sundin, who played 13 of his 18 NHL seasons with Toronto, couldn't quite believe the call from the hall. That would be the Hockey Hall of Fame. Sundin, Joe Sakic, Pavel Bure and Adam Oates were elected to Hall of Fame on Tuesday. The induction ceremony is Nov. 12 in Toronto. Among those eligible this year for the first time but not elected was Brendan Shanahan, who is the league's chief disciplinarian.

Mats Sundin's immediate reaction told the story. "Are you serious?" he said. "You made my whole year. " Sundin, who played 13 of his 18 NHL seasons with Toronto, couldn't quite believe the call from the Hall of Fame. Sundin, Joe Sakic, Pavel Bure and Adam Oates were elected to the Hall on Tuesday. Sundin is the second Swedish player in the Hall, joining Borje Salming, another Maple Leafs icon. The induction ceremony is Nov. 12 in Toronto. Among those eligible this year for the first time but not elected was Brendan Shanahan, who is the league's chief disciplinarian.

The Boston Bruins stripped the assistant captain's "A" off Adam Oates' sweater in response to his criticism of team management. Oates angered the Bruins this week when he ripped management for failing to upgrade the team's talent. * Defenseman Mike Ramsey, a veteran of 17 years, will come out of retirement to play for the Detroit Red Wings, the club said.

Adam Oates backed off his demands to renegotiate his contract and agreed to start playing for the Washington Capitals tonight. The four-time all-star, who came to the Capitals from Boston on Saturday as part of a six-player trade, skated this morning and was scheduled to be available for Washington's game at USAir Arena against the Calgary Flames. Oates had said before the trade he would want to renegotiate his current contract with any new team.

The Ducks spoke to the Boston Bruins briefly about center Adam Oates before he was traded to Washington, but Anaheim General Manager Jack Ferreira said he wasn't willing to trade the Ducks' first-round pick and talks didn't go any further. Boston wanted a current Duck in addition to the draft choice, which will be a lottery pick if the Ducks fail to make the playoffs.

One of the NHL's highest-scoring lines was dismantled Friday when the St. Louis Blues traded All-Star center Adam Oates to the Boston Bruins for center Craig Janney and defenseman Stephane Quintal. Oates, 29, who has a league-leading 59 assists, centered the line that included the league's leading goal scorer, Brett Hull. Oates, who has 10 goals in 54 games, was involved in a salary dispute with the Blues. Janney, in his fourth season with the Bruins, has 12 goals and 39 assists in 53 games.

Right wing Petr Sykora was ready. He had seen too many things this season to be caught napping. Paul Kariya fired the puck toward the net and Adam Oates, wearing a Vancouver player like a sweater, somehow managed to get his skate on the puck to redirect it. Sykora, waiting near the post, was there to finish, giving the Ducks their final goal in a 3-1 victory Sunday. "I'm not surprised by anything Adam does," Sykora said.

The St. Louis Blues on Thursday traded their all-time leading scorer, Bernie Federko, and left wing Tony McKegney to the Detroit Red Wings for center Adam Oates and right wing Paul MacLean. Federko, 33, who has played his 13-year career with the Blues, scored 1,073 points in 923 games. He said he was sorry to leave St. Louis but looked forward to going to Detroit. "Jacques Demers is a very good coach," Federko said. "I had three of my very best years with the Blues when he was coaching, so I'm excited that I'm going to be back playing for him."

These may have to be the lasting memories. The still-frames seem to have more movement than their subjects for the moment. Snap. Steve Thomas, arms raised, bracing for the crush of teammates seconds after scoring in overtime to give the Mighty Ducks a 1-0 victory over New Jersey in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. Thomas, 40, was a key late-season addition to the Ducks, scoring 10 goals in 12 regular-season games.

Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Mighty Ducks, battling to keep their championship hopes alive, had absorbed a potentially deflating blow early in the second period. The New Jersey Devils had pressured the Ducks' defense into a turnover and cut their lead to 3-1, and goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere was under siege. Paul Kariya controlled the puck at the Devils' blue line and threaded a pass up ice.

What, you wanted "Tin Cup" and a Stanley Cup? Mike Weir got his first major title this year, winning the Masters in April, but his friend Adam Oates fell one game short Monday night when New Jersey defeated Anaheim, 3-0, in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Weir and Oates, the veteran Mighty Ducks' star, are close friends. When Weir became the first Canadian to win the Masters, he and Oates giggled like schoolboys in a post-victory phone conversation.

It is these moments of unexpected accomplishment that make sports addictive, that make us able to put up with the sideshows, the contract disputes and strikes, the disloyalty -- of owners and players -- the sometime-sense that only money matters. Not winning, not fans, not the sport or the competition.

A mass of humanity with that silly-looking logo on each sweater swarmed around Mighty Duck goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who emerged to wave to the ear-numbing noise from seats that had so often been empty. Steve Rucchin found Paul Kariya, two survivors in a 10-year odyssey, and hugged him. Fans stood outside the Arrowhead Pond afterward, cheering players as they walked to their cars.

Mike Leclerc leaned on one leg, his bad one, and let loose a shot that moments later had him buried by the mob. Leclerc got only a glimpse of the puck in the net, which gave the Ducks a 3-2 victory over Dallas 1 minute 44 seconds into overtime Saturday at the American Airlines Center. Dog pile on Leclerc came at full speed and it was nearly a minute before he was able to get from beneath the mass of teammates. "Who cares?" Leclerc said with a weary smile.

The $100 bill taped to his locker was only a small measure of what Adam Oates meant to the Boston Bruins in a 6-2 victory Thursday night over the Winnipeg Jets at Boston. Oates, who had three goals, earned the bonus from teammate Brent Hughes, who had offered the money to any Bruin scoring the game-winner against his former team. "How much can you do with $100?" Oates asked. "I'm sure my wife will want it, anyway."

Adam Oates, who signed as a free agent with the Mighty Ducks in the off-season, will have surgery today to have screws put in his broken left hand. Oates, 41, suffered two broken bones in his hand after being slashed in Thursday's 2-2 tie with Vancouver. The timetable for his return will be determined after the surgery, but he will be sidelined at least a month. "You don't replace a guy like Adam Oates," Coach Mike Babcock said. "He is so strong on the power play and faceoffs.

Right wing Petr Sykora was ready. He had seen too many things this season to be caught napping. Paul Kariya fired the puck toward the net and Adam Oates, wearing a Vancouver player like a sweater, somehow managed to get his skate on the puck to redirect it. Sykora, waiting near the post, was there to finish, giving the Ducks their final goal in a 3-1 victory Sunday. "I'm not surprised by anything Adam does," Sykora said.

CHICAGO -- Last season, Adam Oates led the NHL with 64 assists but he has only five this season with the Mighty Ducks, heading into tonight's game at Chicago. But Oates, who ranks third in assists among active NHL players, knows it's going to take time for him to get his total game back after sitting out 15 games following hand surgery Oct. 26. "It feels good to be back," said Oates, who has two points in five games since returning to the Mighty Duck lineup Nov. 27 against Phoenix.