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Sunday, September 12, 1999
Top Guns blazin'
LINE OF FIRST-ROUND PICKS READY TO STRUT THEIR STUFF FOR REAL
Three rookies on the Young Guns. Each a first rounder.
On the first night they played together, they produced five goals.
Tonight, they make their NHL debut -- a line that features all that is good about the future of the Calgary Flames.
It's centered by 1997 first round draft pick Daniel Tkaczuk, and features 1998 and 1999 No. 1 picks on the wings, Rico Fata and Oleg Saprykin, respectively.
They are the last of the Flames breed for the 20th century and will effectively be this club's leaders for the new millenium -- the Flames ultimate Young Guns line, except, unlike their namesakes of the past few years, these guys appear headed into battle armed with offensive weapons.
Tkaczuk, at 20, is the acknowledged leader, a veteran of three training camps and heralded as the most likely of the triumvirate to earn a job in the Flames lineup this season.
He scored three in the Flames rookies victory over Edmonton's prospects Friday night in Red Deer.
Fata, the one gifted with speed to burn, added two more goals, which is two more than he scored in a disappointing 20-game NHL initiation last season as an 18-year-old.
The third wheel is the youngster, 18-year old Oleg Saprykin, a Russian who combines skill and Canadian attitude, and is already serving notice he's a contender for an NHL job.
He set up three of his linemates' goals in the Top Gun debut.
"You can give us any name you want -- I know people can expect to see three guys (tonight) who bring a lot of skill and attitude to the table -- an all-out effort," promised Tkaczuk yesterday in anticipation of the line's debut against the Montreal Canadiens.
Big words indeed.
But their impressive debut is the talk of camp, although everyone recognizes there is a world of difference between a rookie game and NHL opponents.
Still, the chemistry will be on display tonight -- a rare opportunity for Flames fans to witness signs of finally producing something this franchise has lacked for years -- talent.
Sure it's premature to get too excited, but when a team has missed the playoffs for three straight years, why not allow oneself a positive look at what could be possible in a couple years?
They may be Top Guns, but they're hardly battle-tested.
Teammate Grant Fuhr had already won a Stanley Cup while these three young players were still in diapers.
Their combined ages are less than that of one of the coaches (Al MacNeil).
But even into the first week of training camp, it's these Top Guns who are drawing raves.
"It was good line," admitted Saprykin in halting English, his beaming smile communicating more about his opinion of the line.
"Rico Fata is pretty fast and there was a lot of movement on the ice. We worked hard and were very quick on the ice."
Saprykin, 18, has impressed with his skill. This is a Russian kid who had 47 goals and 93 points in 66 games with Seattle in the WHL last season.
"I just want to show that I can play here," he says.
He's a longshot certainly, but a couple of years ago, an 18-year-old named Derek Morris proved that step from junior isn't so big.
Tkaczuk, 20, has been a goal-scoring machine throughout camp.
"It's my third camp and I know more what to expect here now," he said.
"This line has some real talent with Rico's speed and Oleg is willing to get his nose dirty -- we've got a good thing going and hope we can keep it going into (tonight)."
Fata, 19, has to prove this camp he can use that unquestioned speed to his advantage.
"I just want to show everybody that I can help the team out offensively and defensively, that I can be a complete player. I want to prove to the coaches and management that I can put the puck in the net.
"We had a lot of fun playing together. We're all first-rounders and Oleg is in his first camp so he's kind of nervous, just like we were. We took the young guy under our wings a little bit and we just rolled with it.
"I hope we can do exactly the same thing when we played the Edmonton prospects, but we know the game will be totally different."
That it will. But at some point even the Top Guns have to be thrown into battle.
Tonight, these Top Guns earn their wings.
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