FIVE YEARS AGO: March 24, 1994

Another offday note -- tomorrow's issue of The Hockey News will report on a story in the April edition of Vanity Fair (right, I'm reporting on a report of a report), in which the magazine reports that Bruce McNall, owner of the Los Angeles Kings, began his fortune smuggling rare coins out of Europe and Africa.

"I just put 'em in my pocket and left," McNall is quoted as saying. "I committed a crime. But I wasn't thinking then. I was just a kid."

McNall apparently stopped thinking other times, as here in 1999 he remains in jail after defrauding several banks out of multi-multi-multi millions. McNall's downfall greased Wayne Gretzky's 1996 exit to St. Louis, from which he ended up a New York Ranger.

Mike (told you I could make this Ranger related sometimes) Fornabaio -- mef17@oocities.com

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