By TRIS WYKES, The Virginian-Pilot

© February 20, 2002

Despite recent slide, Yawney feels team is not playing too badly His team has won two of its last 13 games and tumbled from seventh to 17th in the AHL standings in less than two months. But Norfolk Admirals coach Trent Yawney remains calm.

Tuesday, after a vigorous practice at a Chesapeake recreational rink, Yawney explained why he's not losing sleep over Norfolk's struggles.

``Our record doesn't indicate how well we've played in some games,'' Yawney said. ``With the exception of a couple games recently, we've played really well.

``The only thing we maybe lost a little was our work ethic. We forgot how much it hurts to get a win, but I think we recaptured that in Cincinnati.''

With a victory there Sunday, the Admirals ended an eight-game winless streak and won for the first time in six road games.

``I think we're back to the hard work that this team is made of,'' Norfolk captain Nolan Baumgartner said.

Yawney said the losing has been mitigated by the rise of youngsters like Michael Leighton, Tyler Arnason, Steve McCarthy and Kent Huskins.

``I don't like to lose but part of my job is to get players ready for the National Hockey League and that's happening,'' Yawney said. ``Tyler Arnason wasn't ready to play there at the start of the year but he is now. How do you put a W or an L besides something like that?''

By TRIS WYKES

© 2000, The Virginian-Pilot

Trent Yawney didn't fight often during his 12-year NHL career. And he says he'll be perfectly happy if his players rarely drop the gloves. But the Norfolk Admirals' rookie coach also believes pugilism has a place in hockey.

``Sometimes it can change the momentum of a game, and a lot of times it can clean up the stickwork when two tough guys go at it,'' Yawney said.

``That's a big part of some of our players' games. Sometimes they're struggling and having a good tussle with someone gets them going. They've done it their whole careers.''

Yawney also believes the game is worse off since professional leagues began doling out extra penalties to players who start fights.

``If a tough guy goes after a guy that's wielding his stick like a machete, he gets two minutes for instigating, five minutes for fighting and a game misconduct,'' Yawney said. ``Players should police the game, but a lot of guys are braver now, knowing the rules are going to protect them.''

The issue of coaches ordering players to fight was discussed in the recent assault trial of former NHL enforcer Marty McSorley. Yawney said none of his coaches ever sent a teammate onto the ice for that purpose. Then again, he doesn't believe they had to.

``Players are smart enough to know which guys gotta be held accountable and when,'' Yawney said. ``They also know if someone's taking liberties on one of your better players the best way to hurt them is to go do the same thing to their best player. You don't have to fight.''

Yawney said he fought two or three times a season when he played and that fisticuffs don't seem particularly dear to him. But he's not advocating their removal from hockey.

``The game has been around for hundreds of years; let's not tinker with it too much,'' he said. ``It's a physical game, and that's what some people come to watch.

``If we start trying to treat it as a ballet, we're going to be in trouble.''

Yawney is following instincts in running first training camp------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By TRIS WYKES © 2000, The Virginian-Pilot ------------------------------------------------------------------- One wouldn't blame Norfolk Admirals coach Trent Yawney for being somewhat overwhelmed at the challenge of evaluating as many as 35 players at his first training camp. But the rookie bench boss said he's allowing his instincts and impressions to guide him. ``Each day someone catches your eye and maybe you watch him for the next five minutes,'' said Yawney, who currently is overseeing 23 players. ``The guys who catch your eye are the ones you watch more.'' Examples might include a defenseman who, facing the play, gives accurate directions to backchecking teammates; forwards who automatically defend the correct opponent in the neutral zone; and players who know when to aid a poorly positioned teammate in the defensive zone. ``It's all the little things that go unseen on the scoresheet that make you notice,'' Yawney said. Blackhawks expected to cut 10 more today The Admirals figure to see their numbers swell in the coming days when their NHL parent club, the Chicago Blackhawks, makes further cuts. The Daily Herald, a suburban paper in Arlington Heights, Ill., reported Monday that at least 10 more Blackhawks prospects would be cut this morning. Chicago has played six of its eight exhibition games, including a recent stretch with three in three nights