Tuesday, April 28, 1998 | 9:19 a.m.
It's easy to place Patrice Lefebvre and Ken Quinney in the same sentence.
They are the only two players left from the Las Vegas Thunder's inaugural campaign.
With Lefebvre on the right wing and Quinney on the left, the longtime linemates hold virtually every team offensive record. On Monday they were the only Thunder players named to the IHL's postseason all-star team.
And now they might be leaving Las Vegas together and heading off to Europe.
Quinney, whose four-year contract expired upon the Thunder's elimination from the Western Conference quarterfinals last weekend, claims he has skated his final shift here. His preference is to play on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.
According to a KTNV Channel 13 report Monday night, Lefebvre also is looking into Europe.
Lefebvre, the most prolific and popular player in team history, denied the report but declined further comment until after he meets with Thunder part-owner Ken Stickney this week.
"We're close friends," Quinney said of Lefebvre. "We both have talked about (Europe). We still one day would like to play together. If the chance arose for us to play together over there, it's a chance we'd take.
"But he's in a little different situation than I am."
Lefebvre, 29, still has two years remaining on his Thunder contract. General manager Bob Strumm said Lefebvre must honor the agreement.
"It's pretty cut and dry," Strumm said. "He asked for a four-year contract two years ago and we gave it to him. You give them what they ask for based on a certain amount of time. He was given a signing bonus and what not, based on four years."
Lefebvre is coming off his most productive professional campaign, setting franchise records with 116 points and 89 assists for a team that finished 33-39-10. He is the Thunder's all-time leading scorer with 516 points.
Quinney, who will be 33 next month, notched a team-high 34 goals this season, bringing his all-time, team-leading total to 189. He also holds the Thunder record for goals in a season with 55 in 1993-94.
But Quinney has craved a change for some time. The desire to leave was augmented Monday, when his wife, Angela, gave birth to their second son, Landon.
"First and foremost, I want to go to Europe," Quinney said. "That's something I've been looking to do for two or three years. I've got that chance now. I'm not under contract with anybody.
"It would be a great experience for my wife and family to go, and I can say the 50-game season gets awfully appealing as you get older. I gotta look down the road. I don't have too many more years left, and if the best opportunity is in Europe, I gotta take that."
Strumm was puzzled when informed of Quinney's intentions.
"I have no problems with (Quinney), but at 32 I'm surprised he's looking elsewhere," Strumm said. "But everyone has their own set schedule.
"It's difficult to get emotionally or even physically attached to players at this level because one of their primary objectives is to get an NHL contract or a better deal in Europe."
Per the IHL's collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Hockey Players Association, the Thunder can retain Quinney's league rights by offering him a 10-percent raise by June 30. But if Quinney wanted to remain in the league and not play for Las Vegas, he could circumvent the Thunder's rights by signing a two-way NHL deal. The NHL team then could assign him anywhere, including to another IHL team.
Quinney has never played in Europe, but his linemate is no stranger to the area. Lefebvre has played in England, France and Switzerland. He turned in his most productive pro campaign with Cleveland, England, in 1992-93, when he registered 44 goals and 93 assists in only 31 games. He joined the Thunder the following season.
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