TEAM BY TEAM

For the first time since 1979, the NHL will start a season without Wayne Gretzky, who rewrote its record books before he retired last spring.

In one of two games that begin the NHL’s 83rd season, Gretzky will be honored Friday at Edmonton, where the Oilers--his first NHL team--face his last team, the New York Rangers. Also on Friday, the Stars will raise their Stanley Cup banner in Dallas, the first of the Sunbelt cities to be home to hockey’s greatest prize.

The departure of Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time scoring leader, coincides with several rule modifications designed to increase scoring.

The major change is awarding each team a point if the score is tied after 60 minutes and playing a sudden-death overtime period of not more than five minutes in which each team will deploy four skaters plus a goalie. A team that scores in overtime will be awarded another point. (Story, Page 7)

Another key revision eliminates video review in determining the legitimacy of goals scored when an attacking player is in the crease. A “no harm, no foul, no video review” policy gives referees authority in those instances, and they can nullify goals if they determine an attacking player impeded the goalie’s movement or deliberately initiated contact with the goalie.

Video review will still be used in certain circumstances, such as to determine whether the puck crossed the goal line, was kicked in or was directed into the net by a high stick. However, goals will no longer be disallowed because the scorer’s teammate had a toe on the far side of the crease.

“I am of the belief, and so are a lot of people, that officials can call the game,” said Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior vice president of hockey operations. “The most natural thing to do is have a referee call [crease situations]. He judges trips, he judges interference, he judges penalty shots, so why can’t he judge this?”

Of 289 goals subjected to video review last season because a player was in the crease, 137 were disallowed.

To help ensure goalies won’t be run over by opponents invading the crease, a two-referee system will be used in 700 regular-season games, up from 270 last season. Each team will play 50 games--25 at home and 25 away--with two referees.

The league has also instructed on-ice officials to hasten line changes to shorten games.

Off the ice, the NHL welcomed back Mario Lemieux, who retired two years ago. However, he is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ owner and not their captain, after leading a group of investors who rescued the club from bankruptcy. And on Saturday the NHL will return to Atlanta for the debut of the Thrashers, the league’s 28th team. Ted Turner’s club will play in Philips Arena, which stands on the site of the Omni, home of the Atlanta Flames from 1972-73 through 1979-80.

In other changes, rosters have been reduced from 24 to 23 and over-the-air telecasts will be seen on ABC, starting with the All-Star game, Feb. 6 at Toronto. The ABC contract is valued at $600 million for five years. Fox held the over-the-air rights the previous five seasons.

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PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

By HELENE ELLIOTT

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Pacific Division

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. Dallas 51-19-12 114 1 2. Ducks 35-34-13 83 3 3. San Jose 31-33-18 80 4 4. Phoenix 39-31-12 90 2 5. Kings 32-45-5 69 5

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Northwest Division

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. Colorado 44-28-10 98 1 2. Edmonton 33-37-12 78 2 3. Calgary 30-40-12 72 3 4. Vancouver 23-47-12 58 4

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Central Division

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. Detroit 43-32-7 93 1 2. St. Louis 37-32-13 87 2 3. Chicago 29-41-12 70 3 4. Nashville 28-47-7 63 4

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EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. New Jersey 47-24-11 105 1 2. Philadelphia 37-26-19 93 2 3. Pittsburgh 38-30-14 90 3 4. N.Y. Rangers 33-38-11 77 4 5. N.Y. Islanders 24-48-10 58 5

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NORTHEAST DIVISION

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. Buffalo 37-28-17 91 4 2. Toronto 45-30-7 97 2 3. Ottawa 44-23-15 103 1 4. Boston 39-30-13 91 3 5. Montreal 32-39-11 75 5

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SOUTHEAST DIVISION

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No. Team ’99 Pts. ’99 Fin. 1. Washington 31-45-6 68 3 2. Florida 30-34-18 78 2 3. Carolina 34-30-18 86 1 4. Tampa Bay 19-54-9 47 4 5. Atlanta NA NA NA

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