As he watched Marian Hossa's last second attempt to tie the game roll through the crease, Dan Cleary stood at the top of the crease with a stunned look.
The puck rolled across the crease -- it appeared to be a split second late anyway -- and Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood raised his hands to the hockey gods. The Detroit Red Wings had won their fourth Stanley Cup in just 12 years.
Cleary did not appear to be so sure. He looked on with a stunned face, looking at Osgood as if to ask "is it over now?"
It's over now, and in the process, Cleary becomes the first Newfoundlander to have his name on Lord Stanley's mug. Yet that was not the only significant historical event that happened Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
When captain Nicklas Lidstrom accepted the Stanley Cup from commissioner Gary Bettman, it marked the first time a European born and trained captain had done so.
For many years, the perception of Europeans was they are not as tough or dedicated as North Americans. The stereotype was they were more concerned with the World Championships or Olympics than the Stanley Cup.
If that was the case, this a new generation of Europeans. The Wings are a European-laden team, featuring seven Swedes alone. And nobody would accuse these guys of being soft or not caring enough.
Tomas Holmstrom is the ultimate warrior, a clone of Ryan Smyth in many ways. He takes a beating like nobody else in the league while playing in front of the net, rarely gets a break on the calls, yet does it all with a smile on his face.
Henrik Zetterberg is the best two-way forward in the game. He may just be the league's best defensive player, yet he ranks among the best offensive players in the game.
Lidstrom, the silent assassin, is widely recognized as the second-best defenseman ever to play the game, trailing only some guy named Bobby Orr. And nobody can question his leadership qualities.
But it is not just about the Swedes. Pavel Datsyuk is a skilled player on his own, but put him with Zetterberg and the duo becomes unstoppable at both ends of the ice. Kris Draper has provided grit, determination, and solid defensive play for more than a decade.
You can't forget about the man between the pipes, Chris Osgood. Even when he backstopped the Wings to the 1998 Stanley Cup, many felt he was the weak link on a powerhouse team. Nobody is saying that this time. He started the playoffs as the backup to Dominik Hasek, yet by the end, he was a viable Conn Smythe candidate.
The coach, Mike Babcock, pushed all the right buttons. Despite being one year removed from taking an underdog Anaheim squad to the 2003 Stanley Cup, he was fired within days after Brian Burke became the general manager in Anaheim. There was rampant speculation as to the reasoning for the move, but at the core, Burke seemed to think Babcock did not play entertaining hockey.
Three years later, both teams have Stanley Cup championships to their name. Ironically, Burke's Ducks did it with more of a slow it down, defensive mindset. Detroit certainly had a defensive mindset as well, but much of it was based on great individual defensive performances rather than a stifling system.
Babcock's dealings with the media have always been classy, honest, and entertaining. And when he isn't speaking with the reporters, he is often seen talking with legendary coach Scotty Bowman, now a consultant for Detroit.
Babcock has clearly learned from Bowman, as he is becoming the game's new mastermind. It is a different time, and Babcock has a different personality than Bowman. Yet the results remain the same.
General Manager Ken Holland has been among the league's best for years. When money was no object, he lured the game's best stars to Detroit. In the salary cap era, he has seamlessly transitioned to a new economic structure. Regardless of the rules, Holland has been the best at his craft.
And don't forget about super scout Hakan Anderson. The Swedish-based scout is a big reason the Wings found Holmstrom at the 257th overall pick, Zetterberg at 210th, and Kronwall at the 29th pick in three separate years. Enjoy this, Hockeytown. And enjoy this, they are. Thousands of Wings fans took to the streets peacefully Wednesday night in areas such as downtown Detroit, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Mount Clemens. The parties went late into the night as metro Detroit proved hockey is indeed at the core of the region’s culture.
The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press dedicated the entire front page to the Wings, while much of the inside content was also hockey-related.
This is how it should be. Great hockey, great fan support, and great television ratings. The 4.0 rating/7 share means an average of nearly 7 million U.S.-based viewers were tuned into the game at any one point. For all the media's talk of the NBA's popularity, only one NBA playoff game has had a higher rating so far this year -- and the difference was less than 10%, well within the margin of error when it comes to television ratings.
The future looks bright for the NHL, as well as the Red Wings. Enjoy it, Hockeytown.
Monday night was a game for the ages, and if you do not believe that, consider the names of Bobby Baun and Babe Ruth were invoked sometime around the second or third overtime.
Pittsburgh defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game early with an upper-body injury -- and this time, it really looked like the entire upper body -- after crashing hard into the end boards. Late, and I mean late in every sense of the word, in the overtime periods, Gonchar returned to the bench to provide moral support.
Then came the power play after a high-sticking double minor to Jiri Hudler. Gonchar took to the ice, playing his familiar point position. Watching Gonchar was reminiscient of Bobby Baun, who scored the overtime winner in game six of the 1964 Stanley Cup while playing on a broken ankle.
In the modern case, Gonchar had an opportunity to shoot early in the power play, but it was clear he could not shoot. No problem, when you have Petr Sykora on the same unit.
While on the bench late in the second overtime, Sykora turned to NBC's Pierre McGuire, pointed to himself and said he would score the winning goal.
There are debates as to whether Babe Ruth ever called his shot, but the lore lives on. Today, Sykora becomes part of that lore.
This would be amazing stuff, incredible theater, if it was any old playoff game. But it was far more than that. The Detroit faithful came to coronate the new Stanley Cup Champions, and it nearly happened. Detroit led three games to one coming in, and Joe Louis Arena rocked like it has not in years.
The first period was an unmitigated disaster for the home side. Plagued by nervousness and giveaways, the Wings found themselves down 2-0 after the opening period, a period that might have been their worst of the playoffs.
Detroit opened it up in the second period, but could only find the back of the net once. Heading into the third period, the Wings found themselves trailing by a goal, so they opened the game up even further.
And it worked. At 6:43, Pavel Datsyuk executed a perfect tip off an amazing fake shot-turned-pass from Henrik Zetterberg to tie the game. And when Wyandotte, Mich., native Brian Rafalski gave the Wings the lead midway through the period, the party had started.
Hometown boy becomes a superstar, returns home a decade later, then scores the Stanley Cup winning goal. It seemed the script was too good to be true.
Apparently, it was.
Nobody in the Joe sat through the period's closing minutes, and the Wings were playing to perfection. Pittsburgh was getting very few chances, there were almost no whistles, and the muggy arena was on the verge of going crazy.
When the public address system played Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" late in the third period, as has become Detroit custom, the crowd continued singing. Considering the song has found new life as the closing song from the final episode of the Sopranos, it only seems fitting Maxime Talbot "whacked" in a loose puck to tie the game with just 35 seconds to go.
It had been roughly 70 years since a team facing elimination tied a Stanley Cup Final game in the closing minute of the game, but that is exactly what happened on this night. A fateful 35 seconds that separated Detroit from hockey glory. The struggles of the auto industry, falling housing prices, and a struggling economy did not matter, as the Wings were about to win their fourth Stanley Cup in just 12 years.
And just like that, it was all taken away. For now, anyway.
Then reality set in. There was still an overtime to be played. And if that failed, there would be two more chances for Detroit to capture hockey's holy grail.
The Wings came out flying in the overtime period, dominating the first overtime stanza. Unfortunately for them, a brick wall named Marc-Andre Fleury was guarding the pipes.
Fleury has been hot and cold through the playoffs, as he has much of his career. To put things in perspective, however, Fleury is just 23 years old. Many of the game's best goaltenders -- names like Dominik Hasek and Johnny Bower -- had not tasted the NHL by that age. For Fleury to be the starter on a Stanley Cup finalist at that age is remarkable.
And remarkable does not begin to describe how he played in overtime. He faced 58 shots in the game -- 24 in the two and a half overtimes -- but stats do not tell the whole story. Particularly in the first overtime, Fleury faced countless top-notch scoring chances, and came up big virtually every time.
By the time the game ended around 1 a.m. Detroit time, the Joe Louis Arena was silent, but far from empty. The city earned the reputation as Hockeytown for a reason -- the fans were still there. Whether or not anyone was there -- at work, that is -- at 8 a.m. Tuesday is another matter entirely.
But they all know where they will be at 8 p.m. Wednesday -- in front of a television, in a bar, or in the Mellon Arena. In a series where each game has been more entertaining than the previous, perhaps there should be a petition to extend this series to a best-of-nine.
Failing that, it would be advisable to tune in Wednesday night. Monday's game five got an impressive 4.3 rating/8 share on NBC, and it would seem almost guaranteed all of those people will tune back in for game six.
Tiger Woods may say nobody cares about hockey anymore, but the numbers indicate otherwise. And after all, when is the last time you saw sports bars packed with fans cheering on their favorite golfers?
I thought so.
And in this series, even in Los Angeles, this has been big enough to be on the 100-inch big screens, as well as every television in the bar. At least, that is the way it was at the packed bar I was at for game four Saturday night.
This series is living up to expectations, and with any luck, fans in non-traditional markets will finally discover what the rest of us have known for years. When played at its best, hockey provides excitement, passion, and intrigue not provided by much else on this planet.
Just as the Detroit Red Wings seem to be continually overlooked as a Stanley Cup contender, Henrik Zetterberg has been continually overlooked as one of the NHL's best players.
There is no question the logjam at the top of the league, especially when it comes to young players, is tighter than at any point in the NHL's history. There is the obvious duo -- Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby -- who are considered the two best forwards in the league by a large percentage of observers.
There's Vincent Lecavalier, the elegant and electric Tampa Bay star. On the West Coast, the San Jose Sharks feature Joe Thornton, who combines passing ability with size to provide a formidable combination.
But Zetterberg, as with the Wings as a whole, seems to fly under the radar despite playing in one of the league's strongest markets. As is so often the case, that perception is changing with exposure in the Stanley Cup Finals.
His now-famous work during the Wings' two-man disadvantage late in game four will become legendary. A shot block. Tying up the stick of Crosby at the side of the net, preventing a sure goal. An impressive rush while two men down, killing valuable time. Clearing the zone. Breaking up several passes by playing the passing lanes to perfection.
As great as that shift was, Zetterberg has been outstanding defensively through the entire series. Make that the playoffs. Not to mention the regular season.
In fact, he might be the best defensive forward in the entire league. Not bad for a guy who posted 43 goals and 92 points in 73 regular season games, good for sixth in the NHL.
Sixth in league scoring, and arguably the best defensive forward in the game. It might be a stretch to say Zetterberg is the game's best player, but on the other hand, it would be hard to make a compelling argument otherwise.
For the sake of fairness, let's put it this way -- Zetterberg is the best two-way forward, Ovechkin is the most electrifying and dynamic forward, while Crosby has the best playmaking skills and ice vision.
In any case, it might be time to consider it the league's big three instead of the league's big two.
It wasn't always that way. When Zetterberg landed on this side of the Atlantic in 2002-03, he was a promising young player, but far from dominant. After 44 and 43 point seasons prior to the lockout, his breakout year came in 2005-06 with a retooled post-lockout Red Wings squad. Zetterberg posted 39 goals and 85 points in 77 games, and he had become the focal point in Detroit.
Problem is, not many people outside of Michigan noticed. In some ways, Zetterberg stepped up his game even further the following season, as he developed a knack to take over a game single-handedly when necessary. An injury-shortened season limited him to 63 games and 68 points, but his status as a superstar was solidified.
This season, Zetterberg fulfilled the promise once set by another Swedish player -- Peter Forsberg. In his native Sweden, many dubbed Zetterberg as "Baby Forsberg", but Zetterberg is following a career path that could put him ahead of his famous countryman.
Forsberg was arguably the game's best player for a time in the late 1990s, but injuries kept him from ever fulfilling his massive potential. Zetterberg has been felled with some injuries, keeping him from playing all 82 games in any one season. Yet he has so far avoided the serious recurring problems that limited Forsberg to just one year where he played more than half the season past age 30.
If Zetterberg stays healthy, there is no reason he cannot be a dominant player for another decade. At age 27, he is older than many of the league's young superstars, yet he is just entering his prime. As Phil Esposito stated, he did not hit the prime of his career until his mid-to-late 20s, and it seems Zetterberg is following suit.
There is no question Zetterberg benefits from playing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, but it is his defensive prowess that puts him over the top. Datsyuk is a similarly talented two-way player, and the trio gives the Wings a checking line that just happens to be their best offensive line.
Or is that a top line that just also happens to be their best checking line?
Either way, it is a tough matchup for opposing teams. Just ask the Nashville Predators. Or the Colorado Avalanche... the Dallas Stars... the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Orlando-based Tampa Bay Lightning fan completed every hockey fan's dream last winter, visiting all 30 NHL arenas in 30 nights.
Including Mellon Arena in Pittsbugh.
Why is that significant, you ask? It appears Williamson is not welcome in Mellon Arena. Neither are residents of New England, the South, the West, or much of the Midwest. Visiting from Canada? Forget about it.
Yes, geographic discrimination is alive and well in Steeltown. You see, when the Penguins put tickets on sale at the start of the season, the following appeared on Tickemaster's website when you clicked on any given game.
"Mellon Arena is located in Pittsburgh, PA. Sales to this event will be restricted to residents of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia. Residency will be based on credit card billing address. Orders by residents outside of PA, OH, WV, MD, NY, NJ, DE, VA and the District of Columbia will be canceled without notice and refunds given."
In other words, forget about road trips for visiting fans. That is, unless you're a hometown fan of the Philadelphia Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, the New York Rangers, the New York Islanders, the Buffalo Sabres, a Washington Capitals fan who lives in any D.C. suburb (but not the city itself), or a Detroit Red Wings fan residing a few miles south of the city in Toledo.
Illogical? Yes. Unethical? Yes.
The policy did not come to light until an AOL blog pointed out the policy was in place for the Stanley Cup Finals. Several Penguins fans pointed out the policy was in place all season long, which makes it even worse.
Traveling to road games has long been a part of being a hockey fan. Most die-hard fans have great memories of road games -- they are a place to meet fellow fans from your team in a unique setting, a place to meet fans from other teams, and a place to show your overall hockey support.
Not in Pittsburgh. Yes, I know tickets are hard to get -- there is a season ticket waiting list and single-game tickets sell quickly. Yet tickets are still a lot harder to get in Toronto, and the Maple Leafs are far too classy to institute such a policy. Same goes for Montreal, or Detroit during the late 1990s.
This is not the first time this has happened. Ironically, Pittsburgh fans were up in arms when Washington restricted ticket sales to everyone but people from Pennsylvania in the 2001 playoffs. Those same fans need to speak up in this case. Anything less would be hypocritical.
In 2002, the Carolina Hurricanes limited ticket sales to fans in the mid-Atlantic states. Interestingly, the Detroit Red Wings were the opponent in that year's Stanley Cup Finals as well.
The Hockey Gods have a sense of fairness. In both of those cases, the team employing geographic discrimination lost.
And it is not like Pittsburgh has always been a tough ticket. Just two years ago, this team appeared on the verge of bankruptcy -- and perhaps on the verge of heading to Hamilton. Jim Balsillie attempted to purchase the struggling team, a team that failed to fill a smallish, dated arena despite the presence of Sidney Crosby, and many speculate he would have moved the team north to Ontario.
Eventually, a new arena was approved, and the team stayed in Pittsburgh. The crowds increased, season ticket sales were capped, and the Penguins were the hottest thing since the Steelers won the Super Bowl.
Now, the success has gone to their heads. Or perhaps, they remember the many years when the Penguins struggled to draw fans. From their entry in the league in 1967 until Mario Lemieux was drafted in 1984, empty seats were common at the Igloo. When Lemieux retired for the first time in the 1990s, the same thing happened. And it happened again in the early 2000s as the team struggled with mediocrity.
During those times, it was common for visiting fans to take over the Igloo in large numbers, as tickets were easy to get. So perhaps the policy is not just one of arrogance, but also one of insecurity, as the Penguins recall what it is like to be the road team in their own arena.
As a fan who someday hopes to visit all 30 NHL arenas, as well as all junior and minor league arenas, policies like this are infuriating. If this catches on, going to road games will be a thing of the past. So will going to a game as a neutral fan when you are visiting a city on vacation or a business trip.
The NHL needs to act quick and forbid teams from discriminatory policies such as this one. In the meantime, the answer is simple. Every other NHL team needs to put the address of every city, suburb, and municipality within the greater Pittsburgh area in their Ticketmaster database and forbid sales to fans from those cities.
Perhaps then, those Penguins fans would complain to their own team and get the policy changed. After all, it is absurd the Penguins can shut out fans from other teams, yet Penguins fans can still buy road tickets.
In a perfect world, geographic discrimination would never exist on ticket sales. But until that happens, the other 29 teams might have to act in order to force change.
FINAL THOUGHT/BAD PUN OF THE DAY: It will be interesting to see if Johan Franzen comes out especially fired up in game three after Gary Roberts' cheap shot to the head of a player returning from concussion-like symptoms.
If so, to borrow a line from an upcoming Adam Sandler movie.... you don't mess with the Johan.
Seven games, decided by one goal in double overtime. And even then, it could go either way.
Yes, that is the prevailing thought for this year's Stanley Cup Finals between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Through three rounds, the Wings have lost just four games while the Penguins have just two defeats.
Two great teams that would be great teams at any point in the league's history. It is a dream Stanley Cup Finals for the league's marketing types, and a seven game series would only make it better.
Not so quick. History shows us young teams on a roll do not always fare well when playing for hockey's holy grail. Remember the 1983 Edmonton Oilers? They lost just once through the first three rounds, and they were a young team led by superstars such as Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jari Kurri.
Then they ran into the league's reigning dynasty, the New York Islanders. The Isles may have been considered a bunch of graybeards, but those graybeards swept the youngsters in four games.
The parallels to this series are stunning. Sidney Crosby, annointed as the next Great One, has lived up to the hyperbole. His leadership on and off the ice is remarkable for a 20-year-old. At the media availability day Friday, he spoke like a 25-year veteran.
In other words, he sounded like Chris Chelios.
Just kidding -- but Crosby is a 30-year-old in a 20-year-old's body, and that could present some problems for Detroit. He is not easily rattled on or off the ice, he stays composed yet plays with passion, and he can elude even the best defensemen.
Well, we think the last part is the case. Crosby has not faced Nick Lidstrom, the NHL's best defenseman, for nearly two years. And there is a reason Lidstrom has won enough top defenseman awards to change his first name to Norris.
The "silent assassin" goes about his job more quietly than other high profile defensemen, but few question he is the best. Add Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Kronwall to the defensive corps, and the Wings have the personnel to shut down Pittsburgh.
It will be an interesting battle indeed, as the Penguins have three solid lines. Common sense dictates the Wings would like to get the Pavel Datsyuk-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Holmstrom line out against the third or fourth line, but that might not be the case.
For Detroit, their top scoring line is also their best checking line. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are Selke candidates, and it could be argued they are the two best defensive forwards in the league. Don't let their offensive prowess fool you -- these two come to play at both ends of the ice.
Look for Detroit coach Mike Babcock to send the trio out against the Evgeni Malkin line, as the Malkin line is more defensively deficient than the Crosby line or the Jordan Staal line. Puck possession is the name of the game for Zetterberg and Datsyuk, and that alone could neutralize one of Pittsburgh's top two lines.
From Pittsburgh's point of view, it would seem their best matchup is to keep the Crosby and Malkin lines away from Zetterberg and Datsyuk. The Penguins' top two lines also thrive on puck possession, and they would be best served to play against anyone other than the league's best puck possession unit.
On the blueline, the Wings have the edge. Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, and Hal Gill lead a very competent defensive corps, but the Wings might have the best blueliners in the league -- a point that would likely be argued by Anaheim fans.
In goal, Chris Osgood has been Sogood since taking the starting reins midway through the opening round against Nashville. Osgood has Stanley Cup experience and he never seems to try to do too much.
On the other side, Marc-Andre Fleury has been spectacular, showing why he has been touted as a top-notch prospect for the past several seasons. Maybe it is the new white pads, but Fleury has been a rock for the Penguins in the playoffs.
PREDICTION: It is too easy to say this could go either way (and it could), so there has to be a limb on which to step out. Detroit's experience is invaluable at this time of year, and if the Penguins falter early, this could be a short series. Yet that seems unlikely -- the young Pens simply seem too composed. Stanley Cups will find Pittsburgh in coming years, but this year, look for Detroit to win in six.
You know, the network formerly known as OLN. The network that stepped in to the NHL's rescue when ESPN wanted to cut back games to a very small number, as well as put all of them on ESPN2.
And they did so many things right at the start. They added Mike Emrick -- aka Doc -- as a play-by-play man. Emrick's enthusiastic call of New Jersey games is one of the best in the league.
They hired the classy and knowledgeable Bill Clement as a studio host. They showed two games most weeks, most of them in high definition. They promised the NHL as a base o####rowing all-sports network.
Where did we go wrong?
Today, Versus still employs good talent. It is the production that leaves a lot to be desired, and that is an area in need of immediate change.
To start, the Versus camera work has been nothing short of awful in the playoffs. Cameramen seem obsessed with keeping the puck in the middle of the frame, which causes a litany of problems.
The best way to watch hockey on television is not to watch the puck -- it is to watch the play develop. Much like watching the game in person, the action away from the puck is often as important as who has the puck. Being able to visualize if someone is wide open in the slot is more important than seeing who has the puck in the corner.
With HD, there is no need for compromise. As HDNet proves, good camerawork allows the camera to remain virtually stationary once the puck enters the offensive zone. With the crispness of HD and the shape of an HDTV, it is more than possible for the viewer to see the entire offensive zone at once.
Instead, Versus zooms in to the point you can not see both shooter and goalie in most cases. As a result, instead of seeing the shot and a save, you're watching a blurred puck in transit, not really understanding what was involved in the save (or the goal).
To top it off, all non-tube HDTVs -- and tube HDTVs comprise a very small percentage of all HDTVs -- have a slower refresh rate than traditional tube televisions. The result is continual blurring whenever the camera is in motion. And as long as keeping the puck in the center of the screen is the main goal, the camera is in constant motion.
It is not that I am watching on an old model or one with a particularly slow refresh rate. I spent five years researching HDTVs before purchasing one, checking data on refresh rates and spending hours at electronics stores watching hockey to see which was the best.
After more time than I anticipated, the decision was a HDTV that was also more expensive than I anticipated -- but by all accounts, it was the best available in terms of refresh rate.
Yet even on this model, blurring is a major issue on Versus broadcasts, as the camera simply moves too much. Zoom out, show us more of the ice, and utilize slower camera movements. In other words, emulate HDNet.
When fans are unable to see what is happening because of the camerawork, the announcers do not come to the rescue. By now, it is clear the producers are telling Versus play-by-play men to eschew traditional play-by-play, instead telling stories and anecdotes during the play.
The result is incredibly annoying. For those who enjoy the analytical part of the game, the way to watch hockey on television is to watch the play develop and allow the announcers to tell you who has the puck. Without the second part present on Versus broadcasts, the way the game is viewed has to be changed.
I know -- when you're there in person, there's no play-by-play man. But you also have control of what you watch -- you are not at the mercy of questionable camera work -- and many fans still choose to bring a portable radio to hear the radio play-by-play while they are at the game.
Even Emrick, who is great on the Devils games, tells too many stories. It is obvious he is simply doing what he is told to do -- which is a shame, since at his best, he is one of the top play-by-play men out there.
Joe Beninati has a very different style -- he is more low-key, similar to a baseball announcer. The passion often seems missing from his voice, even after a big goal -- and like anyone working on a Versus broadcasts, the stories and anecdotes are distracting.
Still, do not blame the play-by-play men -- they are simply doing what they are told.
With any luck, Versus will realize the errors of their ways. If not, there is reason for their low regular season television ratings. In the playoffs, fans have no choice -- watch Versus or watch no hockey at all.
But in the regular season, Center Ice offers dozens of games each week from which to choose. And if Versus wants to improve their ratings, making the game easier for the die-hard fan to follow is essential.
It is strange how nobody has talked about the Detroit Red Wings as Stanley Cup contenders for most of the season.
You know, the team that won the President's Trophy -- again. The team led by Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Norris... err, I mean, Nicklas Lidstrom.
The team coached by coach of the year candidate Mike Babcock. The team with three Stanley Cups in a little over a decade. The team that plays in a city that calls itself Hockeytown.
Yes, those Detroit Red Wings. Some would say the Wings are back, but did they ever go away?
Sure, there's been some disappointing playoff runs since their last Stanley Cup in 2002, but disappointing takes on a different tone in Hockeytown. Last season, the Wings made the conference finals and were less than a minute from going up 3 games to 2.
Of course, Anaheim came back to win that series and the Stanley Cup, but Detroit learned from the experience. After a transition period where the Wings adjusted to life without the likes of Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan, the stars seem aligned for Detroit to return to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Now, about those Stars. Dallas might have something to say about it, especially after an impressive six game series against San Jose. Marty Turco is playing some of the best hockey of his career, and his pad save in the first overtime Sunday -- the one earmarked for the top corner -- certainly ranks among the season's best stops.
But it is not all goaltending for the Stars. Brenden Morrow has been the best player in the NHL through the first two rounds of the playoffs, dominating in a manner reminiscent of Mark Messier.
Still, it is hard not to consider Detroit the favorite. They play a puck possession style that frustrates opponents in a very different manner than most systems. Simply put, if the league kept time of possession, the Red Wings would lead the league by a large margin.
Look for a competitive series, but Detroit should take it in six games.
EASTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW:
With just one loss through two rounds, many are quick to anoint the Pittsburgh Penguins as Stanley Cup Champions.
They have two of the league's best players in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The trade deadline acquisition of Marian Hossa has paid dividends. And Marc-Andre Fleury is playing some of the most consistent goaltending of his young career.
Considering those tidbits of information, why does it seem Philadelphia might be poised to go to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in more than a decade?
These Flyers are on a roll. They have not necessarily been the better team the first two rounds if you break down the game minute by minute, but they've been the best team when the chips are down. Philadelphia has been tenacious, aggressive, and relentless -- in other words, they've been the Flyers.
R.J. Umberger has become a household name in the playoffs, while Marty Biron has been outstanding between the pipes. Daniel Briere has shown why he got a huge contract last summer. The defense, questioned by some, has been plenty good enough to win.
The Flyers knocked off Washington, arguably the hottest team in the league down the stretch, in the opening round. In the second round, they handled heavily favored Montreal in just five games.
It will not be easy, and it will be physical. These two teams do not like each other at all, which should make for some good hockey.
Pittsburgh will unquestionably win more than one Stanley Cup in the coming decade if they are able to keep the team together. Yet these Penguins have yet to face their first real tough test. In the first round, they swept an Ottawa team in turmoil, while the Rangers seemed to be at less than full strength in the second round.
It could be the Penguins really are that good, and they've made everyone look bad so far. Yet most great teams have to stumble before they walk, lose before they learn to win.
This one could go either way, but call it a hunch -- Flyers in seven.
-- It's funny how things work out sometimes. The salary cap was supposed to mean every team had a chance of winning every year, and that has been the case.
In the post-lockout NHL, no team that reached the Stanley Cup finals has advanced out of the first round the following season, but look a little deeper.
In the Western Conference, we have Detroit, San Jose, Dallas, and Colorado remaining. In the Eastern Conference, it is Montreal, Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers, and Philadelphia.
1998, anyone?
With the possible exception of the Rangers, who were mired in an era of overspending, this list looks a lot like the power teams of the late 1990s. In that era, people said those were the big money teams, and the less wealthy teams were unable to compete.
Perhaps that was the truth, but overspending never got the Rangers anywhere.
Rather, it seems those teams have a template that works. Good drafting, finding hidden gems, wise trades -- that is what has caused many of those teams to return to the top.
Under the new system, it is often the case that many teams are able to offer the same amount of money to an unrestricted free agent. Increasingly, the desire to win will be the determining factor of a final destination -- players will go where there is a winning tradition.
In that case, the eight teams still playing could be in good shape for years to come.
-- The fervor over Sean Avery's arm-waving, in-your-face antics has died down, but the agitator's effectiveness has not dissipated.
He may be the most reviled player in the game, and there is no question he spends most of his time stradeling a fine line between what is and is not allowed. Yet his three goals and five points in five first round games make him one of the Rangers' most valuable players.
His unique style of screening Brodeur that prompted the "Avery Rule" is something nobody wants to see regularly in hockey. Yet a good number of people would admit to laughing when seeing it for the first time. Once, it is funny. Twice, it is annoying.
Kind of like the player himself. I'm not sure the NHL needs more Sean Averys, but at the same time, it may be a more entertaining place because of the presence of one.
-- The NHL might be excited about renewing their television contract with NBC for another year, but I am less than thrilled.
The league's press release states eight of the nine Sunday "afternoon" games will be at 12:30 Eastern/9:30 Pacific.
Ouch. Not only is 12:30 an inconvenient and unenjoyable time to attend a hockey game, it will kill ratings in most of the country.
12:30 in New York is 11:30 in Chicago, 10:30 in Denver, and 9:30 in Los Angeles. Hockey for Sunday breakfast just does not make sense.
The NFL thrives in spite of, not because of, their game times. And even there, the highest rated games are typically the Sunday and Monday night games.
Apparently, the rumors of ESPN picking up NBC's portion of the television contract were not true. It is a shame, since those rumors included replacing the annoying morning games with Friday night games.
On the bright side, it is a one year deal. We can only hope something changes next year -- specifically, the game times.
Second round predictions:
Western Conference
1) Detroit over 6) Colorado in six games
2) San Jose over 5) Dallas in six games
Eastern Conference
1) Montreal over 6) Philadelphia in six games
2) Pittsburgh over 5) New York Rangers in seven games
Some say it is the biggest surprise of the Stanley Cup Playoffs' opening week.
Whenever the defending Stanley Cup champions find themselves going on the road down two games to none in the opening round, it has to be somewhat of a surprise.
Yet five minutes into the opening period of game one, you could see it coming.
Dallas won five of eight games from Anaheim in the regular season, and although the Ducks won the final two matchups -- games that came during the Stars' late-season slide -- the Stars clearly know something about their opponents.
Last season, the Ducks rode the strength of their checking line of Sami Pahlsson, Rob Niedermayer, and Travis Moen to the franchise's first Stanley Cup. Yet in the first two shifts, Pahlsson was hit no less than three times. The stellar Swede is used to being the hitter and not the hittee, but this series would be different.
It continued throughout the first two games. Typically matched up against Brendan Morrow's line, Morrow led the physical charge against Anaheim's most physical line, rendering the checking line ineffective.
From the first shot on goal, it was clear the Stars had goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere figured out as well. Giguere is a classic butterfly goaltender, which often tempts shooters to go for the briefly available five-hole. Yet Giguere's weakness tends to be high, particularly to the blocker side.
Two of Dallas' first three goals went high to the blocker side, and the Stars shot high on Giguere all night.
Yes, these Stars have the Ducks figured out. Seven wins in ten games is more than a trend -- it's a sign the defending champs are in trouble.
Anaheim has played a strict defensive system all year, one based on structure and positioning. At the same time, the offensive system is stifling and unentertaining -- and veteran center Doug Weight essentially said so in the days leading to the playoffs.
The system is based neither on passion nor creativity and features a dump-and-chase style as the primary offensive option. Against this Dallas squad, the system does not work. The Stars have an underrated and physical defensive corps, and more often than not, Dallas has had little trouble winning the battles in their own zone.
The way to score against Dallas might be to engage in a run-and-gun style of play, one where teams trade odd-man rushes and scoring chances. Yet the Ducks have shown a disdain for that style of play this season, so one can only wonder if they will adjust Tuesday night.
Marty Turco has been solid between the pipes for Dallas, but he has not had to face many second shots. Dallas owned the defensive slot in the first two games, giving up very few chances there and allowing even fewer rebounds.
Anaheim has a reputation for getting in the goaltender's face -- some would say they get away with a lot of goaltender interference -- but that has been less prevalent without Corey Perry in the lineup. And with Rob Niedermayer -- once referred to as the human missle -- unlikely to play Tuesday with an "upper body injury," the Ducks will need to find another way to get under Turco's skin.
Unless the Ducks are willing to open it up in game three, do not count on anything changing. Anaheim plays a rope-a-dope style of play -- they like to sit back in the neutral zone, play a 1-2-2, and then utilize the dump and chase when they are on offense. For all the talk of Anaheim's forechecking style, the truth is, they often back off quickly once they lose possession in the offensive zone.
In other words, they are playing a passive game. Dallas has played a far more aggressive, attacking style in the first two games, and they have the wins to show.
Unless the Ducks figure out the Stars the same way Dallas has figured out Anaheim, it could be fall before hockey returns to the Honda Center. The personnel is certainly in place for Anaheim to change their style, but the question is, will that be the game plan?
Note: Since my last name is Grimm, the name is a takeoff on my name and the music awards of a similar name. These are not predictions, nor are they any kind of announcement of the actual awards.
Hart Trophy (Most Valuable Player): Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Runners-up: Joe Thornton (San Jose), Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh)
In the end, it was not even close.
The only thing that could keep Ovechkin from winning the Hart Trophy was the Capitals missing the playoffs. When the Caps were in 14th place in the conference at Thanksgiving, the playoffs looked like a dream.
Thanks to Ovechkin and new coach Bruce Boudreau -- more on that later -- the Caps eventually won the Southeast Division, grabbing the East's third seed in the process. To say Ovechkin led the way would be an understatement.
He led the league with 65 goals, the highest total in 12 years. He led the league with 112 points. He posted an impressive +28, and despite being among the league leaders in hits, he finished with only 40 penalty minutes. Ovechkin also had 43 more points than the next highest scoring Capital -- his linemate Nicklas Backstrom.
Considering the low-scoring nature of this season's NHL, Ovechkin's season was of historic proportions.
Joe Thornton led a middling San Jose offense with 96 points, while Evgeni Malkin posted remarkable numbers (47-59--106) and carried the Penguins while Sidney Crosby was injured.
Calder (Rookie of the Year): Jonathan Toews/Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Nicklas Backstrom (Washington), Peter Mueller (Phoenix)
It simply is not possible to separate the duo. Toews and Kane not only made hockey in Chicago popular again, they have the potential to make the Blackhawks perennial contenders for years to come.
The two linemates fed off each other, with Kane (21-51--72) posting the higher totals as a result of Toews (24-30--54) missing 18 games with an injury. The Hawks slumped with half of the duo missing, and that slump unquestionably cost them a playoff berth.
Kane's speed and vision is the perfect complement to Toews' goal scoring ability and all-around game. Perhaps it is too easy to pick a duo for this award, but in this case, it only seems appropriate.
Backstrom posted 69 points while playing on a line with Ovechkin, while Mueller (22-32--54) helped keep the Coyotes in the playoff race well into March.
Norris (Top Defenseman): Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings
Runners-up: Dion Phaneuf (Calgary), Brian Campbell (San Jose/Buffalo)
They might as well rename this award the Lidstrom Trophy.
After all, he has enough of them. But year in and year out, Lidstrom makes it tough to pick anyone else. This year, he led all blueliners with 60 assists and 70 points while posting a +40.
Just another year for the so-called cerebral assassain. Lidstrom out-thinks opposing players at both ends of the ice, and the results show.
Detroit general manager Ken Holland has joked he will retire minutes after Lidstrom retires, and it is easy to understand the genesis of the comment.
Phaneuf anchored Calgary's blueline with 60 points and 112 penalty minutes, while Campbell (8-54--62) made a huge impact in San Jose after the trade deadline, posting nearly a point per game with the Sharks.
Jack Adams (Coach of the Year): Bruce Boudreau, Washington Capitals
Runners-up: Guy Carbonneau (Montreal), Mike Babcock (Detroit)
This one was tough -- very tough.
With a month left in the season, Carbonneau was an obvious choice. He led the Canadiens to the best record in the Eastern Conference, and did it while playing an entertaining style that eschewed the all-too-prevalent dump-and-chase for a more offensive minded system.
Yet it is impossible to overlook what Boudreau has done. The career minor league coach finally got a shot at the NHL on Thanksgiving, and he made the most of his opportunity.
Boudreau scrapped Washington's dull, structured system and turned his team loose. When you have a player like Ovechkin, that only makes sense.
The result? The team had fun, the fans had fun, the owner had fun, the arena staff had fun, and Boudreau had fun. Did we mention how much fun Boudreau brought to the game?
Babcock led the Red Wings to yet another President's Trophy, and did so with a dominating puck-possession style of play.
Selke (Top Defensive Forward): Patrick Sharp, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Samuel Pahlsson (Anaheim), Daniel Cleary (Detroit)
It might seem strange for a Selke winner to come from a non-playoff team, but consider the numbers.
Sharp posted impressive offensive totals (36-26--62) and finished tenth in plus/minus at +23 -- by far the highest of anyone on a non-playoff team.
Penalty killing? Check. His 7 shorthanded goals tied for the league lead with Daniel Alfredsson. Thanks to Sharp, the Hawks became a formidable threat while short-handed, causing teams to become more conservative on the power play.
Pahlsson missed 28 games with injuries, but when he returned, the Ducks found last season's form. Without Pahlsson, Anaheim might not have been a playoff team this year. Cleary (20-22--42) was +21 for the season, and Detroit faltered greatly during his mid-season absence.
Vezina (Top Goaltender): Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks
Runners-up: Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Anaheim)
Critics will point to the middling .910 save percentage, but Nabokov got the job done for an often offensively challenged San Jose squad.
His 2.14 goals against average was third in the league, and Nabokov always seemed to come up with the big save at the right time. Following several seasons of splitting time with Vesa Toskala, Nabokov was handed the reins this year, seeing action in a league-high 77 games.
Brodeur also had 77 appearances, posting a 2.17 goals against and .920 save percentage. Giguere's posted a 2.12 goals against and .922 save percentage behind the league's best blueline brigade.
Executive of the Year: Rocky Wirtz, Chicago Blackhawks
Runners-up: Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Doug Wilson (San Jose)
Typically, executive of the year is code for best general manager. Not this year.
Wirtz took control of the Hawks following the death of his father, Bill Wirtz, and wasted no time making changes. With weeks, Chicago had home games on television, a new marketing director, a new organizational philosophy, and sold out games at the United Center.
By the end of the year, Chicago's average attendance had soared to 16,814 -- a significant increase from last year's 12,727. The numbers are understated, as the first month of the season continued to draw half-full crowds at the United Center. By the end of the year, sellouts were the norm.
Sure, Toews and Kane had something to do with the increase. But the most important issue was home games on television. With modern NHL economics, most fans cannot afford to attend each home game. It only seems natural they would want to see the rest on television, and if they cannot, fans will lose interest.
That problem is fixed. All 82 games will be televised next season -- and in high-definition yet.
Holmgren did an impressive job in retooling last year's cellar dwellers into a playoff team, as the Flyers grabbed the sixth seed in the East. Wilson pulled off a deadline deal for Brian Campbell, and the Sharks have just one regulation loss since that time. His signing of Jeremy Roenick also turned out to be far more significant than almost anyone expected.
-- Hockey fans should be thankful for the Washington Capitals. Since long-time minor league coach Bruce Boudreau took over on Thanksgiving, the Caps have arguably been the league's most exciting team.
Of course, having Alex Ovechkin helps, but Boudreau allows the Caps to play to their strengths. In a league full of stifling, often dull defensive systems, Washington plays old time hockey. The Capitals are up-tempo, high-scoring, and play a hard-nosed -- yet clean -- physical game.
Owner Ted Leonsis is not just an owner, he is a fan. Leonsis has been attending games in a red Capitals sweater, while his family has been decked out similarly. Too many owners seem distant, always in suits, and unapproachable. Leonsis is none of that. He is one of us -- a fan who happened to come into money.
A deep Capitals run would be good for the game. Everyone in this league seemingly emulates a winner, and if the Caps are the ones being emulated, the game will be in much better shape.
-- Along with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Caps have become the media darlings over the end of the regular season.
As a result, NBC has picked up two of their first round games against the Philadelphia Flyers. Games two and five will be telecast on the network -- but both games start prior to noon on the West Coast.
If the league wants to grow fans in the non-traditional markets of the Pacific time zone, 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. games are not the proper approach. Few, if any, watch hockey at that time of day.
In an era when the vast majority of people have cable or satellite, what is the big deal about network television? The league would be better off to give those games to Versus and play them in a prime time slot. NFL fans might be used to afternoon games, but this is not the NFL. Hockey is a night game, and to be successful, needs to be marketed as such.
-- Only two teams scored less goals than the Anaheim Ducks, and both of them are out of the playoffs.
Columbus and the New York Islanders each scored less than 200 goals, but the defending Stanley Cup champs were tied for 27th in offense with 205 goals.
Sure, the Ducks have a formidable blueline, with or without oft-suspended Chris Pronger. But can anyone remember the last team to win the Stanley Cup without at least a decent offense?
Last year's Ducks were not an offensive juggernaut, but were well ahead of this year's pace. The previous two champions -- Carolina and Tampa Bay -- were high octane teams.
The New Jersey Devils? Guess again. The Devils led the league in regular season goals for when they won the Cup in 2000.
If the Ducks find a way to win the Stanley Cup with a sub-par offense, look for the game to get stiflingly defensive next season. Yes, even more so than right now.
Oh, for more teams like the Capitals.
-- Several NHL teams continue to advertise single-game playoff tickets on sale, just days before the playoffs begin.
Perhaps most notable is the location of some of those teams -- Detroit, Colorado, and Anaheim. The first two were guaranteed sellouts for much o####eneration, while the third city is the defending champion.
Perhaps it is no coincidence they play in the defensive-oriented Western Conference. Since the midpoint of the 2006-07 season, the new NHL is nothing but a memory in the West, and the entertainment value is not what it could be.
Offense sells tickets and defense wins championships -- we've all heard that phrase. But for a league that is constantly concerned with its standing in the United States marketplace, perhaps more emphasis needs to be put on the offensive side of the game.
-- Set those DVRs for extra time -- the low scoring nature of this season could make for some long playoff games.
A 5-5 game is statistically likely to have a goal scored early in overtime, but the same is not the case for a 0-0 or 1-1 game. To make matters more severe, many teams have taken a defensive approach to regular season overtimes, thanks to the shootout. If that trend does not reverse, look for plenty of double and triple overtime games.
All we ask of our friends at the NHL offices is to let us know where the overtime will be played. If NBC has to cut to a two-hour pre-game show of a horse race again, let us know ahead of time. Otherwise, those of us who don't watch hockey at 10 in the morning will not have a chance to change our DVR settings, and we will miss the presentation of the Prince of Wales Trophy once again?
Am I a little bitter yet? Without a doubt.
Onto the predictions.....
Western Conference
1) Detroit over 8) Nashville in five games
2) San Jose over 7) Calgary in six games
6) Colorado over 3) Minnesota in seven games
4) Anaheim over 5) Dallas in six games
Eastern Conference
1) Montreal over 8) Boston in five games
2) Pittsburgh over 7) Ottawa in four games
3) Washington over 6) Philadelphia in seven games
5) New York Rangers over 4) New Jersey Devils in six games
Contrary to popular opinion, the national opinion of hockey in the United States is indeed... popular.
There is no need to look further than attendance numbers. The NHL's average attendance is virtually neck and neck with the NBA, with the NHL having a slight lead. When percentage of capacities is compared, the difference is greater, as the NHL is in the 93% range while the NBA is below 90%.
Without question, the NHL has always drawn good crowds. Even in the Original Six era, most arenas were sold out every night. At the same time, the NBA was struggling to gain a footing, often averaging no more than a few thousand fans per night in many cities.
No, it is not in arena attendance that has caused the media to think hockey is not popular in much of the United States. Instead, it is television ratings.
Nobody will dispute the NHL's TV ratings could be better, but there are several factors to consider. First and foremost, the reality is, hockey loses more than any other sport when translated from an in-person event to television.
Hockey is very different from most popular North American sports, sharing certain similarities with only soccer. In both hockey and soccer, the knowledgeable fan is not watching only the puck or the ball, but rather, is focusing more on watching the play develop.
This is why hockey fans prefer a variety of seats. Some prefer sitting high on the sides. Some prefer low on the ends. Others prefer anything in between.
Each fan sees the game differently from different perspectives, and their enjoyment is generally greatly increased or decreased based on their positioning.
On television, there is a great limitation placed on the viewer, as they are only able to watch what the camera shows them. On a good broadcast, especially those in high-definition, the camera angle is wide enough to show most of the players on the ice.
Increasingly, too many broadcasters -- especially U.S.-based broadcasters who are searching for a way to boost ratings -- are focusing in too much on the puck. If a team has a power play and the point man has the puck, but you cannot see the net at the same time, that is not good camera work.
When the puck wraps around the boards, the camera does not have to follow the puck's movement, first to the left and then to the right. The preferred method would be to zoom out so the viewer could see the status of the forecheck.
Camera work is absolutely essential, and many networks get this. HDNet, CBC, TSN, and Rogers Sportsnet generally have outstanding camera work. NBC and Versus can vary from game to game -- sometimes they are decent, but on some occasions, they zoom in to the point where the game is unwatchable. Local FSN broadcasts also vary wildly from game to game and market to market
In addition, when the camera zooms in more, there is more camera movement. On most new HD televisions, this is a serious issue. Even a plasma television, which has a significantly faster refresh rate than an LCD or DLP, has a much slower refresh rate than traditional tube televisions.
In plain English, this means more blurring on the television set. When the blurring becomes too strong, a game becomes nearly unwatchable -- even in HD.
To add to the problem, many announcing teams have quit doing a solid play-by-play, instead opting to tell distracting stories with the occasional break for play-by-play.
The time for stories is whistles and intermission -- the game needs a play-by-play. There are those who say you can already see what's happening, but this thought has several flaws.
First and foremost, the fan watching on TV is already struggling to follow the play as a whole because of previously mentioned issues. The fan's focus is typically to watch the play as a whole instead of looking for who is on the ice.
The play-by-play man is supposed to fill in those gaps, telling the fan who is on the ice and who has the puck. Even in person, many fans find it easier to watch the game with a play-by-play, explaining why so many fans traditionally bring portable radios to games.
The second issue -- if the play-by-play man never says the players' names, fans do not learn the players. Most fans do not spend hours online researching names and numbers, so the play-by-play man is their way of learning out-of-market teams.
This issue is especially accented with the current schedule, as fans in each conference have only seen teams from the other conference once in person since the lockout. It is pretty hard to learn teams that way.
Generally, traditional markets have better play-by-play teams. All Canadian teams, Detroit, Chicago, New York, and Buffalo are among the best. Many non-traditional markets have gotten very bad in recent seasons, and generally, those are the teams with the lowest television ratings.
There are exceptions, of course. Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, and Phoenix have good broadcast teams, but there are others who would be best left telling their stories on the pre-game show.
Add it up, and hockey on television just does not compare to hockey in person. And perhaps that is why so many hockey fans choose to watch junior or minor league hockey instead of watching hockey on television.
Basketball is different -- most fans choose to watch the NBA on television instead of going to a minor league game.
Check the numbers -- the AHL is once again averaging over 5,000 fans per game. The ECHL averages more than 4,000. The Central Hockey League is a shade under 4,000, while the IHL draws more than 3,400 per game.
All three major junior leagues draw well with a traditional average attendance of more than 4,000 per game, while the USHL also draws more than 2,500 per game.
The most prevalent minor league basketball leagues, the NBA's developmental league and the modern version of the ABA, do not post attendance averages, and it is understandable why they do not. While some games draw better, many games draw significantly less than 1,000 fans, with some ABA teams playing games in high school gyms.
Factor in those numbers, and there are more hockey fans than the TV numbers indicate.
The fact is, a higher percent of hockey fans will choose developmental leagues in person over the top level of the game on television than in any other sport.
This does not help the TV networks, but the TV networks could help themselves. To get the die-hard fans to watch more on TV, the aforementioned improvements could be made to broadcasts.
It is no coincidence the TV ratings are better in many of the markets with better TV coverage. If the league could get every broadcast up to the level of Hockey Night in Canada, the ratings would unquestionably skyrocket.
For some reason, Los Angeles is not an easy place to be a goalie.
Just ask Dan Cloutier. Or Jason Labarbera. Jean-Sebastien Aubin and Mathieu Garon would agree. A Roman Cechmanek sighting, anyone?
You can understand why Kings fans are quick to anoint incoming goalies as the next one. Yutaka Fukufuji's time lasted, well, about a half-hour.
That mix of hopefulness and a fatalist approach might lead to the franchise's latest goaltending hope -- Erik Ersberg.
If you haven't heard of Ersberg, you aren't alone. Following two seasons in the Swedish Elite League, Ersberg started the year with the Kings' AHL affiliate in Manchester, N.H. He posted a pedestrian 2.92 goals against average and an .897 save percentage in 30 appearances with a mediocre Monarchs squad.
So you can see why what happened next was unexpected.
Sure, it has only been four games, but Ersberg has posted a 1.68 goals against and .952 save percentage since being called up to Los Angeles because of an injury to Jason LaBarbera. His most recent performance was an impressive 2-0 shutout against Ottawa Thursday night at Staples Center.
And it was not a routine shutout. Facing the high-powered Senators, Ersberg faced 40 shots en route to his first NHL win.
In the process, Ersberg has shown the tools necessary to be an NHL goalie. H stands just 5'11", but his quickness renders that point largely moot. His rebound control has been remarkable -- Kings' captain Rob Blake referred to him as a sponge, while others have referred to him as velcro.
His lateral movement has been excellent, while he has shown a great amount of confidence between the pipes. Ersberg's smallish stature leads him to play deeper in the net than many larger goalies, but it has proven to be anything but a problem so far.
Sure, there's a chance Ersberg will be the latest goalie to disappear from Los Angeles as quickly as he arrived. Yet something feels different with Ersberg. Technically, he is solid in almost every way. He is confident. And despite being a newcomer to North America, he is experienced from high-level competition in Sweden.
Saturday afteroon, the Montreal Canadiens return to Staples Center for the first time in years. Ersberg turns 26 that day, and will likely start against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
In a strange sort of season, Ersberg gives Kings fans yet another reason for hope. While the defense has been porous at times and the goaltending has been average, the young forwards continue to progress. Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Patrick O'Sullivan, Alexander Frolov, and Michael Cammalleri give the Kings a group of young forwards envied by most NHL teams.
Jonathan Bernier has been hailed as the future superstar between the pipes, but some feel he is still a year or two away. If Ersberg can even bridge the gap, the Kings go into next season with a lot of promise.
We've heard it before, no question. The next Kings goalie has arrived.
Los Angeles hopes this time, that really is the case.
