Can The NHL Survive Life Without Sidney Crosby

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

I will write on the record immediately and state right
here that I am not one of the more knowledgeable hockey
fans, and yet I like and follow the sport. Here however
my opinion is more league based than X's and O's based,
so bear with me if you will as I try to look at this.

Sidney Crosby, without a doubt one of the most recognizable
names in sports, at least on the North American level, and
the NHL as far as major sports are concerned needs all the
attention it can get. I recently did a piece here on how
they were getting it right and that the Winter Classic event
was a perfect example of that. The thing is, Sidney Crosby
is one of two huge names in their league, Alex Ovechkin is
the other, and though I can hear die hard fans disagreeing
with me right now, and spitting out names I've either never
heard of before, or don't agree with, that's why I say two.
I am more of a casual fan than a die hard, if I know you then
you're famous, if I don't you're not. That's what separates
a Star from a SUPER Star. The Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby
rivalry was growing into the NBA version of Larry Bird vs
Magic Johnson rivalry for the NHL, but now that has taken a
hit, no pun intended. Sidney Crosby has not played since
December the 5th 2011, and there doesn't seem to be any sign
that he is coming back in the near future. I am no doctor
of course, but my point is that he was out for 11 months
before that, and as careful as they were with him then, if
that wasn't enough time, what is? Is this the end of the
line for a bright start than may have burned out to quickly.

The Penguins are not a terrible team without him, as a matter
a fact they are over five hundred at 21-17-4, and tied for the
final playoff spot in the Eastern conference. That is however
a problem for a team who in the past has had financial problems
and has been on the verge of folding and bankruptcy. Yes they
are not a terrible team without him, but the reason they wound
up with him is because they were, and then drafted 1st to get
him in the 2005 NHL Draft. Drafts are meant to help teams in
these types of ways, not always to save them from bankruptcy,
but to help make them good again, and in this case he may have
helped with both. He also helped the league regain some of its
popularity in the lower North American, where the $Money$ is.
make no mistake about it. Ovechkin has helped with that cause
as well, but how much fun would Bird vs _________ have been?
And Ovechkin is Russian, so having a North American vs the
"evil" Russian counterpart didn't hurt either.

All that being said, can the league survive if Crosby doesn't
return? I think so, but just imagine the NHL with no Gretzky
in it's recent history or the NBA without that Bird v Johnson
rivalry, or the Michael Jordan years. Would they still be here?
Yes Would they have had that same type of success? Probably not.
NHL fans would like to believe it isn't as big a deal as I am
making it out to be, but keep in mind that in the US baseball
was once KING, and now it's football. You need every edge you
can get, and Sidney Crosby is an edge the NHL and the Penguins
hope they won't have to live without too much longer

NHL Scores BIG With Rangers Flyers Winter Classic

It's pretty rare that I write about hockey, but make no
mistake about it, I am a hockey fan. As a matter of
fact I am a New York Rangers fan. A Rangers fan that
clearly remembers the night that the chant 1940 was no
longer relevant to the opposition. That being said,
as much as I love the Rangers, I'm not as well read on
the game as I wish I was. Just don't let that fool you
into thinking that I don't enjoy the game.

This year the NHL Winter Classic comes to NY, well sort
of. Realistically it involves New York, but takes place
in Philadelphia, and how could anyone ask for a better
match up than the Rangers and the Flyers to kick of the
2012 part of the NHL season? One of the original six,
and a deep seeded rivalry to boot, WOW.

The NHL often takes a backseat to the NFL, and MLB, and
in the US that is to be expected. Depending on who you
ask, it also takes a little nudge back to the NBA, and
even MLS at times, deserved or not. On this day however
in really moves to the front of the line. The Winter
Classic not only gives the NHL the attention it needs,
and rightfully deserves, but it's been done so well, that
it actually draws National, and Continental attention.
Every match up it's it's short, but successful history
just gets better, and better. Having it appear at such
historical places as Wrigley field in Chicago, and Fenway
Park in Boston only adds to its allure, and the Alumni
game is just a special added bonus.

What drove me to write about this is not just that I
think this is a great idea, but unlike Inter League
play in Baseball, no one is grumbling about it.
The NHL goes on to make the event even better and quite
more interesting by throwing in the Alumni game a couple
of days before the game itself takes place and with two
teams like the Rangers, and Flyers you get such notable
names as, Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros, Jeremy Roenick,
Rick Tocchet, and Bernie Parent(Ambassador) for the
Flyers and John Vanbiesbrouck, Ron Greschner, Brian Leetch,
Dave Maloney, Ron Duguay, Nick Fotiu, Mike Gartner, Adam
Graves..............the list goes on and on. The Rangers
were even smart enough to invite back Mike Keenan to coach.
It may be alot of fun out there, but I assure you that some
sparks will be flying as well, no matter how many senior
moments you might get.

I can't stress enough what a great event this has turned
out to be, and as a sports fan you owe it to yourself to
take a peak at the very least. This game embodies what it
felt like to be young and hit the streets to play ball
of any sort, no matter the weather, or conditions. It is
sure to bring out the kid in all of us, and might even fool
us into thinking that trying it one more time won't tear
a hamstring or groin, but don't try this at home, they are
of course paid professionals.


Tweet Don't Believe In Plays, Believe In Players - Al Davis

Sometimes You Can Go Home

The title of this story is one that may be a
bit off, but not entirely. You see, at one
time there was a team in Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada, the Jets. You know, where they love
hockey. Well in the infinite wisdom of the
NHL and ownership about twenty years ago they
moved that team to the desert, yup, the desert.
Winter sports with ICE to the desert. That
team became the Phoenix Coyotes, a team that
is easily at least 25 million dollars in debt.
Now NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has done many
good things with and for the NHL, but that was
NOT one of them. Well this week he got the chance
to right a wrong. The GlobeandMail is reporting
that the Atlanta Thrashers are moving to Canada,
and yes they are moving to Winnipeg. No word
yet on the name, but I do hope that like the
Browns of the NFL they retain their name and
once again become the Winnipeg Jets like when
the Browns left Cleveland and became the
Baltimore Ravens, but the new Cleveland team
was once again named the Browns.

It is the right thing to do here. It's Atlanta's
second failed NHL franchise (The Atlanta Flames
are now the Calgary Flames, see a trend here?),
and the fans there wont even know their gone.
So let's hope the Atlanta experiment is now over
with, and perhaps Mr. Bettman will allow the group
that wants to but the Coyotes and move them back
to Canada do that as well. One can only hope.