Hockey Today
October 2, 2007
No games scheduled.
Hundreds of mourners from the world of hockey and sports gathered Monday for funeral services for William Wirtz, 77, who died Wednesday of cancer. Wirtz was as well known as the Blackhawks, and the famed owner was remembered as one of the towering figures in Chicago's sports history. Wirtz, long known for his tightfisted negotiations with big-name players, earning him the nickname ``Dollar Bill,'' and his refusal to televise Blackhawks home games, was remembered for his generosity, devotion to his family and sense of humor.
Sabres forward Ales Kotalik is expected to miss Buffalo's opener against the New York Islanders on Friday because of a knee injury. A two-time 20-goal scorer, Kotalik was hurt during practice Thursday and missed the Sabres' final two preseason games.
Carey Price and Mikhail Grabovski are on Montreal's opening roster after the Canadiens made three final preseason cuts Monday. Price, the Canadiens' highly regarded goaltender prospect, will back up Cristobal Huet. The 20-year-old native of Vancouver won a gold medal with the Canadian national junior team last season before he joined Hamilton and led the Bulldogs to a Calder Cup championship with an MVP performance in the AHL playoffs.