[Devils-list] Terrorist attacks leave mark on hockey world

[John Lopez]

Terrorist attacks leave mark on hockey world

September 12, 2001

The NHL closed its New York City office and league teams were forced to
change their
pre-season plans as a result of unprecedented terrorist attacks on the
United States.


In the wake of Tuesday's attack on the World Trade Center, the league
shifted all operations
to its office in Toronto.

The NHL's New York office is located at 1251 Avenue of the
Americas at Rockefeller Center, four miles from the Twin Towers.

"As this point, the
people who make decisions are getting in touch with family members," said
Gary Meagher,
vice president of public relations, from Toronto. "(The NHL is) in full
communication from
here."

The tragedies caused many league teams to re-schedule their
plans.

The New York Rangers, who were scheduled to hold training camp at
Madison Square Garden for the first time in their 76-year history beginning
Wednesday, are in
the process of adjusting their training camp itinerary. The Rangers were
scheduled to report to
the Garden for physicals and endurance tests Tuesday morning. A team
spokesman said all
players who were invited to camp arrived at the arena safely.

Information on the
status of Washington Capitals training camp, which opened Tuesday in
Odenton, Md., was
not available.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, the only NHL team expected to fly Tuesday,
postponed their trip to St. John's, Newfoundland, where they were to hold
training camp,
after Canadian airports grounded all outgoing flights.The Leafs will instead
work out
Wednesday in Toronto.

The Buffalo Sabres, fearing delays at the Canadian
border
following Tuesday's attacks, postponed plans to open
training
camp at St. Catharines, Ont. Instead, the Sabres will
open camp
at their suburban-Buffalo practice facility Wednesday.