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| | Friday, December 10 | |||||
| PHILADELPHIA -- Roger Neilson, who has coached more NHL
teams than anyone, has bone cancer but does not intend to miss any
games with the Philadelphia Flyers.
He was upbeat Friday, saying he will begin an expected three
months of chemotherapy followed by a likely bone marrow transplant.
Doctors said the cancer, called multiple myeloma, is controllable
for several years, and Flyers team doctor Jeff Hartzell said a full
recovery remained possible.
"Cancer is never good news, but at least it looks optimistic
for the future," said the 65-year-old Neilson, who told his
players about the illness after practice Friday in Voorhees, N.J.
In Toronto later for a Saturday night game against the Maple
Leafs, Neilson cracked jokes when discussing the situation at a
news conference also attended by Flyers executive Bobby Clarke,
captain Eric Lindros and other players.
It was another bitter blow for the Flyers, a franchise that has
failed to meet championship expectations in recent years and
suffered the death of 22-year-old defenseman Dmitri Tertyshny in a
boating accident in July.
Neilson rejected any sympathy for himself, saying a lot of
people get cancer and noting that doctors think he has a good
chance to beat it. While noting he lost a sister to cancer in 1997,
he said his religious faith made him believe that whatever happened
was God's plan for him.
He drew laughs when, asked if anyone suggested he stop coaching,
he responded: "Several fans."
"If I did have to take a day or a week off or something, we're
in good shape here with assistant coaches Craig Ramsey and Wayne
Cashman," Neilson said. "There should be no problems. Everything
should be able to continue the same."
Neilson had been sick for several months, including during
training camp and the early part of the season. Though he never
missed a game, he coughed a lot and missed several practices.
"When it went on several weeks, I knew something was wrong,"
he said, adding the eventual diagnosis received Friday turned out
to be "a relief because I thought at first I might not be able to
keep coaching through the chemotherapy."
His players said Neilson broke the news in the same low-key
manner.
"It's no big deal, don't be concerned, but I had this diagnosis
and it was cancer," winger John LeClair quoted Neilson as telling
the team.
"This isn't about hockey. This is life, this is much deeper.
Roger's a very spiritual man and a very strong man," Lindros said.
"He's up against the challenge of his life and he's cracking
jokes."
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league supported Neilson.
"Since we know Roger is the consummate competitor, we have no
doubt he will use every resource at his disposal to battle and
conquer this opponent," Bettman said.
Neilson ranks ninth in NHL career wins with 431 and 10th for
games coached with 945. In 15 seasons, he has been the head coach
of seven NHL teams, more than any other coach in league history.
He was hired as the Flyers' coach in March 1998. Before that, he
was an assistant with the St. Louis Blues and was the first coach
of the expansion Florida Panthers for two season, beginning in
1993-94.
He led the New York Rangers to a first-place regular-season
finish in 1991-92, then was fired the following season. His other
head coaching jobs were Toronto, Buffalo, Vancouver and Los
Angeles.
Since joining the Flyers, he has a 64-43-25 regular-season record. This year, the team is leading the Atlantic Division with a 17-8-4 record. Multiple myeloma strikes about 15,000 people a year and causes about 10,000 U.S. deaths annually. Treated by bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy, patients have lived as long as 10 years, doctors said. Neilson likely could continue his coaching duties uninterrupted while the disease is kept in remission with treatment, said Dr. Mitchell Smith of the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Smith is not familiar with Neilson's case and is not connected with the team. Eventually, however, the disease will return, causing bone pain and fractures, anemia and kidney failure. "It is certainly possible that he could choose a treatment that could allow him to continue to work," Smith said. "Eventually, it is fatal." But Hartzell, the Flyers' doctor, called it "realistic to hope he can be cured of this disease if he goes through all these treatments." | AUDIO/VIDEO   Roger Neilson is optimistic after being diagnosed with bone cancer.wav: 118 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6 Eric Lindros says his coach's health condition goes beyond hockey.wav: 99 k RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6  | |||||