| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| The 4th Line Banger |
Posted - 09/23/2011 : 09:48:38
The preseason is barely upon us and the NHL and its players, coaches, GM, and owners have already provided enough fodder for what I think is a very interesting top 5 burning questions for the NHL season. Here we go
Sidney Crosby
Wow, what a whirlwind the past 4 weeks have been. This saga has taken every juke and dive of Crosby taking the puck though the neutral zone. From reports of retirement, to alien abduction, to shutting down off ice workouts, to Crosby finding Jimmy Hoffa, to press conferences that don’t say much of anything, to 5 straight days of practice (without contact mind you) at training camp. When it is going to end??? Hopefully in Edmonton on October 9th for the season opener. My bet is for a 60+ game season out of Sid, and the Art Ross (and mostly likely the Hart) out of those 60+ games. What do you think Crosby will do in the 2012 season??
Drew Doughty
What do you mean you don’t want to be in LA for the next 7 years?? You don’t like beautiful weather, beautiful people, and playing for a team with possibly the most talented player 26 or under??? I guess winning, getting rich, and living in LA is just not enough for some people. Does he sign or not?? Who’s side are you on???
Holy trades Batman!!
don’t recall a summer since the CBA ratification when as many big name players were traded. The blow up in Philly with Richards and Carter heading out of town to party else where. The Dany Heatley experiment version 4.0 is now in Minnesota (after failures in San Jose, Ottawa, and Atlanta). Burns and Havlat going to San Jose as their potential final pieces to the puzzle. There are others I am missing but I could go on all day. So many trades, so many big names, so much impact on so many teams. Some will go up, others will go down. Who will those teams be??
The Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks were far from a dominating team in the playoffs. They nearly lost a 3-0 advantage against Chicago, San Jose out-played and out-shot the Canucks in virtually every game (just didn’t outscore them), and they were the biggest Jekyll and Hyde team I have ever watched in the Boston series. The only team they really outplayed was Nashville and that could be phrased as "Ryan Kesler outplayed Nashville". After the regular season they had they could have/should have looked far better than what they did. The team made very few changes in the off-season with the exception of losing Christian Ehrhoff and a few role players. So many burning questions about Vancouver I could have done a top ten list with this team alone! How will this team fair without their true best player in Kesler for the first few months?? Can the Sedin’s actually play inspired hockey for 100ish games and not just 82??? Will Luongo be the man or will he be run out of the net by the fans, media, and some kid named Schneider?? Will Bieksa be able to play the same way he did in the playoffs for a full season?? Will Ballard find his game??? The list goes on and on.
The Edmonton Oilers
What is the opposite of head and shoulders above the competition?? Feet and ankles below??? What ever the term is, that what the Oilers have been for the past 2 years. Without discussing the potential excuses (injuries, young team, an inebriated goalie) will this team come out of the basement this season?? Can Ryan Smyth bring some leadership and work ethic to the group? Can the young talent continue to improve and show value to the team??? Will we see the Oilers management up first at draft podium in June of 2012 or will that honour go to a different team?
I’m sure there are a number of other burning questions so please feel free to post them and discuss. Welcome to the new season!!
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