Former Rangers coach Colin Campbell was named NHL
Senior VP/Dir of Hockey Operations, replacing Brian Burke
who resigned after five years to become GM of the Canucks
(NHL). In N.Y., Sherry Ross reports that Campbell's "tasks
will include the continued crackdown on obstruction,
implementation of new rules for 1998-99, the league's
adoption of a two-referee system for some of its games,
video review and the critical area of supplementary
discipline" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/22). NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman: "We'll be stricter in enforcing the laws" (Alex
Yannis, N.Y. TIMES, 7/22). In Toronto, Randy Starkman
writes that Bettman "said an important part of the job will
be to apply stricter penalties to players for deliberate
blows to the head." Starkman: "But that won't include
fighting." Campbell: "I can't touch fighting right now.
I'm not into the territory where I'm going to talk about
legislating fighting one way or the other" (TORONTO STAR,
7/22). Campbell, on "what type of justice" he will bring to
the post: "You can draw up a game plan. But most of the
time you play it by ear" (Tim Wharnsby, TORONTO SUN, 7/22).
