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Wednesday, October 20, 1999
Dineen has 1,OOO reasons to smile
Milestone NHL game will be family affair for Senator
The festivities begin tonight at the Civic Centre, when Bill Dineen is inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.
Then, tomorrow, his son Kevin will play his 1,000th NHL game when he and the Senators face the Avalanche at the Corel Centre.
FATHER TO BE HONOURED
"I think (my dad's) ceremony is pretty well set. If we can just get Colorado to follow the script, then I think everything will be all right," said Kevin Dineen after the Senators' practised yesterday at the Corel Centre.
The Dineens have relatives scattered across North America, but many have made the trek to Ottawa to experience what has turned into a very important week for the family.
"The timing couldn't have been any better," said Kevin.
The younger Dineen broke into the NHL with Hartford as a call-up from the Binghamton Whalers during the 1984-85 season.
He's been in the NHL for 16 years ever since, except for a brief stint with the Houston Aeros of the IHL six years ago.
Dineen remembers his first game like it happened yesterday. It came at the Montreal Forum, a game the Whalers lost 9-4 to the Canadiens, and Dineen was on the ice for four Habs goals.
"It was a pretty humbling experience," he said.
But Dineen rebounded quickly. In his second game, he was involved in two fights. Then, in his third contest, he scored the first of 338 career NHL goals.
Dineen will become the 139th player in league history to reach the 1,000-game milestone.
"I had to work hard to get into the NHL and I had to work hard to stay in the NHL," he said. "That's the way it's always been. Through my career, I've never been the most talented guy on the ice, but certainly effort has carried me a long way."
Dineen also credited an ability to adjust to changes in the game as a factor in his longevity.
"For the most part, it's just a little bit of durability and the ability to be a chameleon; to adapt a little bit and change your game."
Reaching the milestone is a significant achievement for Dineen. He phoned to congratulate his friend and former teammate Ron Francis, when Francis played his 1,000th game.
"It certainly takes a while, but it's a nice thing to reach," he said.
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