Up until this season, much of the notoriety achieved by Jason Williams stemmed from the fact that he was constantly confused with the National Hockey League's other J. Williams -- namely, the Carolina Hurricanes' Justin Williams, who played four years for the Philadelphia Flyers and was once linked to the Calgary Flames in trade talks for Jarome Iginla.

Here's how to distinguish the two: Justin Williams was a former first-round draft choice; Jason Williams was never drafted. Justin Williams played in the NHL as a 19-year-old; Jason Williams spent his first four seasons on the fringes of the Detroit Red Wings' roster, dressing for 95 NHL games, but spending another 173 in the minors.

In short, Justin Williams was the player with the pedigree; Jason Williams was the smallish free-agent forward, signed out of the Peterborough Petes organization by the Wings in September, 2000.

Thankfully, Jason Williams received the sort of break that 25-year-old NHL wannabes desperately need soon after the lockout ended. The Red Wings appointed as their new coach, his old coach from his minor-league days in Cincinnati, one Mike Babcock. Moreover, in the new salary-capped NHL, the Wings had to slice their league-leading $79-million (all figures U.S.) payroll in half and thus needed a handful of players to play for peanuts.

Enter Williams, who earns the NHL minimum of $450,000. For $450,000, he produced 19 points in his first 17 games, playing mostly on a line with Robert Lang and Brendan Shanahan. Williams also anchors the point on the No. 1 power-play unit, which has been sharp in the Wings' 14-2-1-0 start.

Williams is playing with more confidence than before and the best evidence of that is how he treats his boss, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland. In the past, whenever he saw Holland approaching, Williams would veer off in the opposite direction, afraid that he was being sent down.

Quietly and with little fanfare, Saku Koivu's younger brother Mikko finally made his much-anticipated NHL debut last week. Mikko Koivu has been on the NHL's radar screen for more than four years now, since the Minnesota Wild chose him with the sixth overall pick in the 2001 entry draft. Traditionally, the Wild turn their teenage prospects pro as soon as possible, so they can learn the organizational philosophy -- the Jacques Lemaire way, as it were -- up close and personal. Koivu was the one exception, a player who decided to play in Finland for three years before joining the Wild's American Hockey League affiliate in Houston last season for a year of indoctrination in the North American style. Koivu's NHL debut was delayed by a knee injury in the exhibition season, but he finally scored the first goal of his career in his second game last Sunday and also added a pivotal goal in the shootout as Minnesota won 4-3 over the Mighty Ducks.

That well-known franchise that plays out of the Air Canada fared especially well in the Forbes' rankings. Toronto finished atop three separate categories: Most valuable team ($325-million); biggest increase in franchise value (86 per cent); and most valuable team brand ($41-million).

Sadly, in the press release outlining these figures, the team in question is referred to as the Maple Leaves. As for those struggling clubs in the south, they are called "extension" rather than "expansion" teams.

Another week and another two more preventable eye injuries -- preventable, that is, if the league and the players' association could ever get their respective acts together and make visors mandatory.

First, the Penguins' John LeClair suffered multiple fractures under his right eye and cheekbone after he was hit in the face by a puck during a practice, but was able to play Thursday night against Montreal. As was the case with the Maple Leafs' Mats Sundin, doctors believe LeClair got lucky. Even though he has multiple fractures, he will probably not require surgery.

One night later, the Phoenix Coyotes' Mike Comrie needed five stitches over his left eyelid to close a cut after he was struck in the face by the stick of Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Jaroslav Spacek. Comrie also suffered a scratched cornea, which was treated with eye drops and antibiotics, but didn't miss any games.

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