ISSUE #1, February 19/00
SCOUTING THE CONFERENCES
CANADA
The Edmonton Thinspirit have control over the Canadian conference, their .800 winning percentage and 7-1-2 record is tough to beat. They also have a 5-0-0 record on the road. The Surrey Juggernaut and Vancouver Blades played 3 less games than the Thinspirit, and both will prove to be a force throughout the season, their 5-2-0 record tops off any other team in the league. After a more than decent 2-0-2 start to the season the Toronto CDN Terror have lost their last three and are in trouble of falling behind the steadily improving Atlantis Pilons for last place in the Canadian conference. The Pilons started the season with a horrible 0-4-1 record, but they a 2-0-1 in their last 3, so who knows where coach Ron Wilson will take them.		 WORLD
The world conference is in a lot rougher shape. The Shaolin Blackout Whalley Bullets and London Bracknell are all even in first place in the World conference with 3-2-2 records. After a god-awful start to the season, with losses in their first 5 games, though their coach Jaques Lemair seems to have finally got his club under control, winning their last 3 and getting back into the race. The Lucksville Shamrocks started the season with a 3-1-1 record, but they seem to have lost their 4-leaf clover as they have dropped their last 3. Times are troubling in Moscow, where the Dynamo are stuck in last place of the American conference where they have watched a 2-1-0 start turn into a 2-5-0 record as they have lossed 4 straight.

THE TRADE WIRE, with BOB JOHNSON
Disappointingly, there has been a demeaning one trade this season, so the first article will be short. The trade was between the Calgary Hawks and Las Vegas Gamblers, and the trade sent marquee Left Winger Jeff Friesen north of the border into Calgary, and in return the Gamblers received some young talent in Jozef Stumpel, Dean McAmmond, and Chris Phillips. A talented Left Winger in McAmmond, an all-star potental kid defenseman and a streaky but capable center in Jozef Stumpel. The trade could go either way depending on how you think of it, but the way I see it, a superstar Winger like Jeff Friesen was worth the dividends, General Manager Kyle Myers made a wise decision making this trade. These are my thoughts and not yours, this is Bob Johnson for the Trade Wire.
THE WHA ENQUIRER
Roenick recieves finefor skipping practice Monday afternoon. Jeremy Roenick of the Thinspirit was asked by the Enquirer why he missed the practice. He then told us that after his Monday 4-0 win over the Pilons he was cut to coach on Tuesday's flight to Vancouver. He said he was choked with his coach Don Cherry, so he decided to go to the French Maid (Edmonton strip club) for a few drinks. He woke up roughly 2 hours after practice had ended, chained to a bed without pants, and no money in his wallet. We have reason to believe that this activity persued by JR has something to do with the 1 goal he has been limited to thus far in the season.
Russian Rocket tests positive to an unusual drug test. The Denver Avalanche winger has 4 goals and 11 assists in 8 games and was tested positive for using a steroid used by horses that come in 800000 mg doses. Though the league and Avalanche franchise insist there was a mistake in the lab and insists on a retake, we believe this is all part of a cover-up, and Pavel Bure has an uncanny metabolism, since he's a little guy to be eating like a horse.
Brashear rejects King for boxing match. Sources say that Denver Avalanche forward enforcer Donald Brashear has rejected boxing promoter Don King to be the next opponent for "Iron" Mike Tyson. Brashear says he would rather concentrate on his hockey abilities, and that he can't be concentrating on fighting because he is going to be the next Wayne Gretzky.
Sundin calls ABBA.  After the first 5 games this season Sundin listened to ABBA before every game, and averaged 2 points per game, but since then Sundin's fortunes have not been the same, with only 1 point in 3 games. Sundin has decided that the recorded ABBA songs were no longer working, so a reliable source tells us that he has contacted the rock band and requested they play prior to a game in the Green Clover arena. We have not had confermation whether or not the band has responded.

THIS WEEKS BEST OF THE BEST
SURE SHOT
The Edmonton Thinspirit star Right Winger leads the league with 8 goals. On top of this he has 5 assists for team leading, and tied for second in the league, 13 points. Theoren Fleury has had an extremely hot hand, as he has scored on just over 1 of 4 shots. The Thinspirit will need Fleury to stay strong if they want their impressive start to season 1 of the WHA to go anywhere.
THE LIONS DEN
Well there has been an embarresing 0 fights this season, but I gave this award to "Big E" Eric Lindros of the Whalley Bullets who has an average of almost 4 penalry minutes per game (26 minutes in 7 games) He hasn't fought, but I still wouldn't mess with him, he has proved that he isn't afraid to hurt someone. Despite being a tough guy, Lindros is also in the process of working on a 5 game point scoring streak.
MAY THE BEST DEFENSEMAN PLEASE RISE?
This award will go to Shamrocks Point man Vladimir Malakhov, despite his -2 he has 8 points in 8 games, more than impressive, especially for a blue liner. The star defenseman has put the puck into the net twice personally plus contributed 6 helpers. Malakhov is a key contributer to the currently stuggling Lucksville franchise.
THE MASKED MAN
The Surging Thinspirit netminder Chris Osgood is dominating all goalies, as he leads starters in save percentage (.940), record (6-1-2), shutouts (4), assists (tied with Belfour, 1), goals against average (1.53) and even penalty minutes (9). And while we're on the subject, he leads in star points, with 24. There was no question who the first "masked man" award would go to.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The first player of the week award goes to the "Russian Rocket" Pavel Bure of the Denver Avalanche. The Russian Rocket will be the first to earn this spot, with an average of almost 2 points per game (15 points in 8 games). Bure has expanded his game to become an ultimate playmaker, though the Avalanche certainly wouldn't mind him putting a few more into the back of the net. Despite the clubs current 4-4-0 record, Bure will lead the team to great lengths.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
The Black Diamond Drillers rookie Mike Johnson will get these honors, despite having yet to score a goal in the WHA, he has been a playmaker for the Drillers being the only rookie on the Point scoring chart, with his 8 assists. The steadily improving Drillers need their rookies to perform, and Mike Johnson has proved himself worthy of his position with the club.
GENERAL MANAGER OF THE WEEK
Well There has only been one trade, so this was rather an easy decision to make. There was one trade, our analyst gave the advantage to the Calgary Hawks General Manager Kyle Myers, so Kyle will be our first GM of the week. Unfortunately he can not make it to accept his award, as he is tsking in some sun on the beaches of Florida. 
THE BOOM BUST CYCLE
BOOM
Robert Reichel, of the Las Vegas Gamblers has touched something he hasn't for a long time, a scoring touch. He still has only scored 2 goals, but his 10 assists in 7 games certainly make up for that. Coach Mike Milbury has really brought something out his forward, and he has been absolutely unbelievable.
BUST
Daniel Alfredsson of the Lucksville Shamrocks has only put up 1 point (a goal) in 8 games this season. His short comings have played a part in the Shamrocks recent falling, and either Larry Robinson or Neil Loughran will have to do something to get the star-callibre player performing.
NHL NOTES
Sergei Fedorov health is questionable. Red Wings star Sergei Fedorov injured his right hand and bruised a knee when he was checked into the boards by Bob Corkum in the second period and did not return.

"We're going to practice (Saturday) and see how he is then," Detroit coach Scotty Bowman said. Fedorov has already missed nine games this season with other injuries.