October may be known for it’s World Series Baseball, and March isknow for it’s NCAA Basketball. But from April to June there is only one thing it’s known for, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And thanks to the ‘New NHL’ it is becoming more exciting and alot harder just to get in.
Consider this, in the East right now there is only 2-3 games left, yet there is 4 teams seperated from 6th to 9th by a mere 3 points. Out of those 4 only 2 will get to the big dance. Also the possibility of Hockey’s two best markets, Toronto (ughh) and Montreal not even being there. In the West the race for positions is just as bad. The Top 7 teams are seperated by 10 points, and with one win a team could jump from 5th to 7th!
When the NHL returned they wanted a league that would create rivialries and have 30 teams at the begining of the years who feel that they have a chance to go all the way. And with the Oilers and Hurricanes going form the Stanley Cup final to not even making the playoffs, this shows that one year your team can be good (ex. Philly 101 pts last year) and then utterly horrible the next (ex. Philly 54 pts this year). Yet at the start of the 2007/08 season once again Flyer fans will feel they will be playoff contenders with a new goaltender.
For the first time in my short life I am going to say “Gary Bettman you have helped out this league!” Well he atleast has made it more competitive. No longer do we see the Red Wings reloading right at the tread deadline or the Leafs making the playoffs just because of there huge sallary. Instead we see an expansion team like the Thrashers leading there divison and a 19 Year Old running away with the Art Ross trophy.
So as we get closer to the most wonderful time of the year, it’s good to know that fans of 16 teams will all feel they have a chance at hockey supremacy this April while the other 14 they will probably just get there shot next year.
For DSH -Korbyn Lofgren
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Comment by sliding miter saw — September 30, 2007 @ 1:24 pm