The second season of the NHL begins this week. They play eighty two games to get to the real hockey. What is the prize at the end, The Stanley Cup? In my opinion this is the best trophy in sports. When you win this trophy your name is permanently etched on to it. That is just great. No other trophy puts every players name on the trophy. With Gary Bettman’s idea of parity in the any one of the teams in the playoffs has a legitimate chance to make it to the Stanley cup final. I guess this is good for fans in all the cites participating. In years past many teams did not stand a chance to get past the first or second round. You were excited if your team won one or two rounds. You knew when the playoffs started that one of four or five teams was going to win. I must say I like it better the way it is now. I live in Vancouver and with Roberto Luongo in net the Canucks have as good a chance as every other team in the playoffs to get to the finals.
They also have the ability to get knocked out of the first round because the team they are playing Dallas, is just a good. If Marty Turco can win in the playoffs then Dallas could go a long way. Aneheim has the two big defensemen to carry them deep into the post season. San Jose has been playing well and has more depth on the forward lines than many of the teams. Detroit is always a threat especially if Hasek plays like he can. Then there is Nashiville, Calgary and Minnesota, who all have good teams. The west is going to be a real battle field. I think the east is weaker than the west though there are some teams in the east that could win the cup. The Sabres, Devils and Senators stand out for me. These three teams seem to be a step ahead of all the other teams. You can not count out the youth in Pittsburgh. Crosby has been everything people said he was and more since he came into the league. I am surprised they have become this good so quickly. I do not think they will get there this year. They will get there soon. All the other teams in the east also have good chances to go all the way. Every team is one or two serious injuries away from winning the Stanley cup or going out in the first round.
Over the past few years I have been cheering for many different teams during the playoffs. Last year I went back to my boyhood team of the Buffalo Sabers as my second choice to cheer for. This year there is the possibility of the Sabres and their expansion cousins the Canucks to meet in the cup final. That would be great to see. I am not sure who is going to make it to the finals this year. I do know that I am sure going to enjoy the ride.
When I was young, my friends and I often referred to the Stanley Cup as the wholly grail. We stole this from the Monty Python movies. In Canada the Stanley cup is everything to a Canadian hockey player. So let the quest for the cup begin.
Puckhead
They also have the ability to get knocked out of the first round because the team they are playing Dallas, is just a good. If Marty Turco can win in the playoffs then Dallas could go a long way. Aneheim has the two big defensemen to carry them deep into the post season. San Jose has been playing well and has more depth on the forward lines than many of the teams. Detroit is always a threat especially if Hasek plays like he can. Then there is Nashiville, Calgary and Minnesota, who all have good teams. The west is going to be a real battle field. I think the east is weaker than the west though there are some teams in the east that could win the cup. The Sabres, Devils and Senators stand out for me. These three teams seem to be a step ahead of all the other teams. You can not count out the youth in Pittsburgh. Crosby has been everything people said he was and more since he came into the league. I am surprised they have become this good so quickly. I do not think they will get there this year. They will get there soon. All the other teams in the east also have good chances to go all the way. Every team is one or two serious injuries away from winning the Stanley cup or going out in the first round.
Over the past few years I have been cheering for many different teams during the playoffs. Last year I went back to my boyhood team of the Buffalo Sabers as my second choice to cheer for. This year there is the possibility of the Sabres and their expansion cousins the Canucks to meet in the cup final. That would be great to see. I am not sure who is going to make it to the finals this year. I do know that I am sure going to enjoy the ride.
When I was young, my friends and I often referred to the Stanley Cup as the wholly grail. We stole this from the Monty Python movies. In Canada the Stanley cup is everything to a Canadian hockey player. So let the quest for the cup begin.
Puckhead
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