P.J. Stock - Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL Hockey) On MLN Sports Zone

Philadelphia Phantoms

A Volatile Stock
Throughout his up and down career, P.J. Stock makes every effort to add value to the team that invests in him.

By Dan Hickling
MinorLeagueNews.com

02.24.04 -- Philadelphia, PA -- To think that it was all going so well.

P.J. Stock thought he could finally do all his scuffling on the ice, instead of doing so between four different NHL organizations in a two-year span.

The outgoing, undersized (5-10, 197lbs) puncher had risen from AHL bubble guy, to believing that he had finally earned a permanent stay in the big leagues with the Boston Bruins.

Why wouldn't he think so?

After all, his blue-collar work ethic made Stock a favorite at the FleetCenter these past two years, arguably more popular than Boston's superstar captain Joe Thornton.

His fans even made up their own t-shirts, in garish gold, to signify membership in "P.J.'s Crew".

Boston General Manager Mike O'Connell had just handed Stock a two-year, one-way contract, giving the 28-year-old Montreal native more security than he could have ever dreamed.

"I got a great contract, "said Stock. "I worked really hard the last couple of years, and really hard over the summer, coming into the season."

So what's he doing back in the AHL? Also, what the heck is he doing skating, not for Boston's affiliate in Providence, but the Philadelphia Phantoms?

"That's the life of a hockey player," said Stock. "A roller coaster life story. It's up and down."

While that can often be the case, for Stock, the past few months have been more like a cliff dive into the rocks.

First came the quick falling out of favor with Boston's new head coach, Mike Sullivan.

Sullivan, who carved out a respectable 11 year NHL career by being the consummate mucker, wanted to turn Stock into what personnel types call an "energy player".

This is a guy who could put up a few points while disturbing an opponent's game plan, in short, another mucker.

Stock, who has always been an enforcer, couldn't (or wouldn't) catch Sullivan's wavelength.

Unfortunately, with tough guy Sandy McCarthy already on hand, Boston didn't need another one-dimensional fighter.

The marriage between Sullivan and Stock was doomed to last as long as Britney Spears' did.

So, in short order, Stock found himself on waivers. Although he has taken countless punches to the head over the years, he had enough sense to report to Providence as requested.

"They weren't happy with my training camp," Stock said. "That was their opinion. They made their team and they started off strong. So there's no complaint. You just wish you were part of it, because they are a great bunch of guys, and I have great memories of the last two years."

It's the remembrance of the last few months he'd just as soon forget.

When Stock made it to Providence, he found that the P-Bruins, whose lineup already boasted such edgy players as Doug Doull, Brendan Walsh, and Colton Orr, really didn't have room for one more.

What they really needed were some more scorers.

So after a few games with Providence, an AHL trade was worked out, and on Oct. 29, Stock was shipped to Philadelphia (one of his brief previous stops) in exchange for slick center Andre Savage, a former Bruin who had played on Providence's Calder Cup winners in 1999.

Although Stock remains Boston property, the reality is, even their minor league club has no use for him.

Through it all, Stock remains philosophical.

"We've gone our different ways, so that's all there is to it," he said. "They wanted me out of there. I don't know why. They've got their reasons."

Stock still has ties to Boston, financially at least.

"I'm still getting my money," he said. "Boston's still paying me."

It would be nice to be able to say that Stock arrived in Philadelphia, began filling the net with pucks, while remaining his old rambunctious self.

However, he hadn't been with Philly two weeks before he got his face caved in after tangling with Gavin Morgan of the Hershey Bears.

Stock missed two weeks, and had to play with a full-face shield, a la Hannibal Lechter, for the next four.

The bruises and broken bones were bad enough, but the timing made it worse.

While Stock was on the mend, Boston suddenly found itself needing an enforcer while McCarthy nursed a back strain.

All enforcers have a face for trouble, and with Stock still wearing the cage, the Bruins called up Doull, a longtime minor leaguer, for his first taste of the NHL.

Doull has been a big hit in Boston, making Stock's return to the NHL even less likely.

P.J. has never been one to mope though.

"I'm working on other things now," he said. "Penalty killing and other things. Their reasoning for what happened is that they didn't think I worked hard enough. I work pretty hard. (But) I've just got to work even harder. I can't be complacent with anything. I'm only 28, so I hope I have a few more good years. I'd love for it to be in Boston, but I just want to play."

One thing is certain; Boston still owes him some dough, and if the NHL hasn't locked itself out of business come Sept. 15, he'll at least get one more training camp to make amends.

"We know what P.J. can do," said Jeff Gorton, Boston's Assistant General Manager. "Off the start it didn't go well for him, and it wasn't a good fit for him and the new coaching staff. But we'll continue to watch him. His team has played well and won since he's been there, so we have to think he's been part of it. We'll see. He's not off our radar by any means."

Perhaps P.J.'s Crew in Beantown shouldn't turn those t-shirts into dust rags just yet.