swflyers25
8-03-05, 8:24 AM
Posted on Wed, Aug. 03, 2005
Roenick, Hatcher: Ex-foes bring grudging respect
They were once bitter enemies on the ice, but vow to be professional as Flyers teammates.
By Tim Panaccio
Inquirer Staff Writer
It wasn't that long ago when Jeremy Roenick and Derian Hatcher were mortal enemies.
In the 1998-99 season, when the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup, any game involving the Phoenix Coyotes and Ken Hitchcock's Stars bordered on a melee.
Roenick was with Phoenix, Hatcher with the Stars.
"There is a mutual-respect thing when you have battles with those teams, and it bordered on vicious during the regular season," Hitchcock said a few years ago. "Once injuries came into play, it went to the next level.
On March 23, 1999, Roenick laid out Stars center Mike Modano with a high, clean hit in the corner. The Dallas players were incensed. In their next meeting, on April 14, Hatcher retaliated and broke Roenick's jaw.
"Modano getting hurt and Jeremy getting hurt, there were reprisals," Hitchcock said. "There was a genuine hatred there between the two teams. Jeremy was the focal point of their team, just as Modano was ours. But there was always that grudging respect."
Two years ago, Roenick said his relationship with Hatcher has never been the same. Now, the Flyers center and Hatcher are teammates, with the defenseman's signing late Monday night.
"He is not my favorite person, but he doesn't have to be my favorite person in the world to be my teammate," Roenick said. "The bottom line: He is a warrior to the max."
The two have had numerous run-ins, with Hatcher even taking out Roenick's knees when Roenick was with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I give J.R. so much credit," Hatcher said. "Every time I see him, he goes out of his way [to be nice] and he knows I feel a little awkward. I hurt his knee once in Chicago. He always had a good attitude about it, and I respect that. He is one of those guys that, if he is not on your team, you don't like him. But if he's on your team, you love him."
Roenick said he would be professional because "you have to take everything with a grain of salt."
"We always got along during international competition with Team USA," the Flyers center said. "It's better to have Derian as a teammate than an opponent. I can tell you that my jaw and my knees appreciate that. I don't hold grudges on people."
Roenick said he would forget the past and focus on the positives that Hatcher brings to the Flyers.
"How can I ever be disappointed in a Derian Hatcher, a Mike Rathje and Chris Therien making us a better hockey club and bringing us close to a Stanley Cup?" he said. "Derian is such a force in front of the net.
"His size is going to be very good for us back there now. I don't know if the new rules and the crackdown are going to affect his game - maybe it could hurt him. But he is going to help us a lot."
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Contact staff writer Tim Panaccio at 215-854-2847 or tpanaccio@phillynews.com
Inky (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/12287671.htm)
Roenick, Hatcher: Ex-foes bring grudging respect
They were once bitter enemies on the ice, but vow to be professional as Flyers teammates.
By Tim Panaccio
Inquirer Staff Writer
It wasn't that long ago when Jeremy Roenick and Derian Hatcher were mortal enemies.
In the 1998-99 season, when the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup, any game involving the Phoenix Coyotes and Ken Hitchcock's Stars bordered on a melee.
Roenick was with Phoenix, Hatcher with the Stars.
"There is a mutual-respect thing when you have battles with those teams, and it bordered on vicious during the regular season," Hitchcock said a few years ago. "Once injuries came into play, it went to the next level.
On March 23, 1999, Roenick laid out Stars center Mike Modano with a high, clean hit in the corner. The Dallas players were incensed. In their next meeting, on April 14, Hatcher retaliated and broke Roenick's jaw.
"Modano getting hurt and Jeremy getting hurt, there were reprisals," Hitchcock said. "There was a genuine hatred there between the two teams. Jeremy was the focal point of their team, just as Modano was ours. But there was always that grudging respect."
Two years ago, Roenick said his relationship with Hatcher has never been the same. Now, the Flyers center and Hatcher are teammates, with the defenseman's signing late Monday night.
"He is not my favorite person, but he doesn't have to be my favorite person in the world to be my teammate," Roenick said. "The bottom line: He is a warrior to the max."
The two have had numerous run-ins, with Hatcher even taking out Roenick's knees when Roenick was with the Chicago Blackhawks.
"I give J.R. so much credit," Hatcher said. "Every time I see him, he goes out of his way [to be nice] and he knows I feel a little awkward. I hurt his knee once in Chicago. He always had a good attitude about it, and I respect that. He is one of those guys that, if he is not on your team, you don't like him. But if he's on your team, you love him."
Roenick said he would be professional because "you have to take everything with a grain of salt."
"We always got along during international competition with Team USA," the Flyers center said. "It's better to have Derian as a teammate than an opponent. I can tell you that my jaw and my knees appreciate that. I don't hold grudges on people."
Roenick said he would forget the past and focus on the positives that Hatcher brings to the Flyers.
"How can I ever be disappointed in a Derian Hatcher, a Mike Rathje and Chris Therien making us a better hockey club and bringing us close to a Stanley Cup?" he said. "Derian is such a force in front of the net.
"His size is going to be very good for us back there now. I don't know if the new rules and the crackdown are going to affect his game - maybe it could hurt him. But he is going to help us a lot."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact staff writer Tim Panaccio at 215-854-2847 or tpanaccio@phillynews.com
Inky (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/hockey/12287671.htm)