An analysis of the NHL's rosters from October 6 shows
that 17 countries are represented by the NHL's 661 players,
with Canadian-born players making up 56.3% of the league.
The number of non-North American born players increased from
23.9% to 27.7% this season, while the number of U.S.-born
players increased by 1% (15%-16%) and the number of
Canadian-born players decreased by 4.8% (61.1%-56.3%) (NHL).
Canada's representation is its "lowest" ever, as its players
made up 90% of the league's rosters in '76-77 and 72.7% in
'90-91. In the last decade, Europe's representation grew
from 11.2% to 27.7% (Kevin Allen, USA TODAY, 10/12).
WORTH A LOOK? In N.Y., Walter Goodman writes on "Mafia
Power Play," a PBS "Frontline" documentary airing tonight
that reports on possible links between the Russian mafia and
Panthers RW Pavel Bure, Rangers LW Valeri Kamensky and
Devils assistant coach Slava Fetisov. Goodman calls the
show an "exercise in suspicion by association. ... The
program can't even decide whether the players are victims of
the Russian Mafia or accomplices" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/12). But
in Chicago, K.C. Johnson writes that the show is an
"intriguing look," which is "better for its rich details and
background on the growth of organized crime and its relation
to hockey within Russian culture" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/12).
In NJ, Tom Gulitti: "If you've had enough of baseball and
are looking for something to stimulate you intellectually
while still satisfying your craving for sports, this one-
hour program is a pretty good alternative" (Bergen RECORD,
10/12). The show airs tonight at various times (THE DAILY).
