1. Detroit (Central Division champions). Take away a ten-game stretch late in the season, and last year's Wings were one of the best teams in NHL regular season history. This year's squad is better.
2. San Jose (Pacific Division champions). It is no secret Patrick Marleau and Ron Wilson did not see eye to eye the past couple of years. A coaching change alone could mean an additional 10% out of each player, and that could be enough for the Sharks to challenge the Wings.
3. Calgary (Northwest Division champions). When Iron Mike Keenan is behind the bench, the potential for implosion always exists. So does the potential for teams playing beyond their abilities. And with the additions of Mike Cammalleri and Todd Bertuzzi, this is clearly an improved team.
4 . Dallas. They are off to a bad start in the injury department, but this team is solid top to bottom. Since Brett Hull and Les Jackson took over as co-general managers, this team is also a lot more enjoyable to watch.
5. Chicago. The sum is greater than the whole of the parts in Chicago, where youthful enthusiasm and a reinvigorated fan base combine to create a dynamic energy. Adding puck-moving defenseman Brian Campbell will have a massive impact as well.
6. Edmonton. The acquisitions of Erik Cole and Lubomir Visnovsky were much talked-about, but the Oilers paid a strong price in the departed players. The real key may be the progression of the young players, which alone was enough to make Edmonton a contender in the Northwest.
7. Anaheim. Despite losing Mathieu Schneider and Sean O'Donnell, the Ducks have one of the top defensive corps in the league. But where will the goals come from? Right now, the Ducks seem to be in position to put a fourth-liner in their top six forwards. They are one key injury away from missing the playoffs.
8. Colorado. Joe Sakic never seems to get old, and he is surrounded by some decent young talent. If the goaltending holds up, the Avs will be fine. If not, they could fall several spots in the standings.
9. Nashville. Talk of franchise relocation and defections to Russia -- what a difference a few decades makes -- means the Preds are in the news as much in summer as winter. The scrappy Predators find a way to get things done year after year, and they will be in the heart of the playoff race.
10. Minnesota. An offensively-challenged team without Brian Rolston, the Wild will have to win many 2-1 games. They've been good at that in the past, but they also have to be cognizant of UFA-to-be Marian Gaborik. If the team gets too much into a defensive shell, they risk losing Gaborik to a more offensive-minded team once the season ends.
11. Vancouver. It's hard to bet against a team with Roberto Luongo, but at some point, the Canucks need to address offensive deficiencies. Much like the hyper-inflated Vancouver housing market, there is fear this team could be headed for a bust at some point. This might not be the year, however.
12. Columbus. The Blue Jackets are the only NHL team never to make the playoffs, but that could change this year. Rick Nash is a top-notch goal scorer, and the off-season moves will make Columbus more competitive. Still, it's a tall task in a tough Western Conference.
13. Phoenix. The Coyotes paid a high price to acquire Olli Jokinen, and as a result, there are questions about this team's blueline. Keith Ballard had evolved into a very solid defenseman, but he's now in Florida. If the defense turns out alright, Phoenix could sneak into the playoffs.
14. Los Angeles. The young forwards are highly talented, and several rookies seem ready to step into key roles. The defense is young, even with the acquisition of O'Donnell. If the goaltending shores up, the Kings will surprise some people this season.
15. St. Louis. A strange mix of young and aged changed little during the off-season. Most concerning is the fact that some of the older players are showing signs of slowing down. In a tough conference, the Blues could struggle.
Eastern Conference
1. Montreal (Northeast Division champions). The Habs have solid depth up front, and the additions of Alex Tanguay and Robert Lang only add to the situation. Carey Price has lost more than 20 pounds, and looks primed for a huge season. The celebration of a century of Habs hockey in Montreal and a first-place finish loom in the coming months.
2. Washington (Southeast Division champions). The Caps were electric after Bruce Boudreau stepped behind the bench, and they have the game's most electrifying player in Alex Ovechkin. If Jose Theodore repeats last season's performance, the Caps are serious contenders.
3. Philadelphia (Atlantic Division champions). The Flyers are young, fast, deep, quick, and tough -- not a bad combination. Mike Richards is ready to take the reins as the team's leader, and he could take them deep into the playoffs. A traditional-looking Flyers squad, this team is built for the post-season.
4. Pittsburgh. Injuries have ravaged the blueline before the season begins, but the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ensure this team will be in the hunt. Someone will have to step up early on the blueline if the Pens are to repeat as division champs, however.
5. Boston. The Bruins have quietly built a solid squad on Causeway Street, as was evident in their epic first-round battle with Montreal last season. The Bruins are again gritty with enough offensive punch to be competitive. Tim Thomas is one of the league's most entertaining goaltenders, and he has proved his early success was no fluke.
6. New Jersey. The Devils have a system that just suits certain players perfectly, and that is proven by the fact that so many players seem to leave and come back later in their careers. This year, Rolston will add the potential of another 30-goal scorer to an already-solid lineup. Martin Brodeur alone makes this team a perennial contender.
7. Buffalo. The Sabres struggled last season following the loss of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, and the mid-season loss of Brian Campbell did not help matters. Yet this is a deep, young, exciting team, and they seem poised for a bounce-back season.
8. Ottawa. Ray Emery was the lightning rod for Ottawa's problems last year, but that may have been overblown. In truth, the Senators rely too much on one line -- but what a line on which to rely. The defense is completely rebuilt, and time will tell how that works.
9. New York Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist is one of the game's elite netminders, but there are serious questions as to where the offense will come from. This is another team that will have to win 2-1 games, and that is a lot of pressure to put on an average defensive corps.
10. Tampa Bay. The Lightning will be exciting, led by Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, and rookie Steven Stamkos. Yet the loss of Dan Boyle could be significant. Boyle was a catalyst for the Lightning, and his injury last season was a major reason the Lightning finished last overall.
11. Carolina. The Hurricanes seem to have some of the worst injury luck in the league, and that trend has already started. They will miss Cole as well, yet there is enough offensive punch to make a playoff run. In order for that to happen, however, Cam Ward will have to find his spring 2006 form between the pipes.
12. Florida. The Panthers have a formidable blueline, but this is another team with question marks at all forward spots. If the Panthers can find some goals from an unlikely source, they are a playoff team. Looking at the roster, that might be too much to ask.
13. Toronto. The Leafs are in true rebuilding mode, something that has not been said for many years. A little short term pain will lead to long term gain in the Mecca of hockey. Toronto is not as bad as some pundits say, but the playoffs are a stretch.
14. Atlanta. Once you get past the top line, the Thrashers struggle to score goals. Mathieu Schneider adds some experience on the back end, but the Thrashers could be a step behind in a high-flying Southeast Division.
15. New York Islanders. The franchise goalie is coming off two surgeries, only two of the top five goal scorers return, and they did not make a big splash in the free-agent market. It could be a long year on the Island.
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.
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