There was this one time in high school when I watched a thrilling game between the Blues and Red Wings and was so excited to go to school the next day and talk about it with the hockey guys in my French class like we always did after good games. To my disappointment, they hadn't even watched it. I remember saying, " I thought you guys liked hockey??" and they said, " We do…the Flyers!" and in that moment I realized that you could love hockey, but not be a hockey fan. That there was a difference in loving the sport and loving a team.
I've always been the type to enjoy a game no matter who was playing. When people ask who I'm rooting for, my reply is always a great hockey game because for me that's the bottom line. I want to be entertained!
So, if after some self-reflection you realize that you have tunnel vision and only watch games "your" team plays in, I'm here to help expand your horizons. Here are some things to be excited about for each and every team now that the season is set to get under way.
Tuesday,
I took a look at the Atlantic Division. Yesterday,
I focused on the Central Division and today it's all about the Northeast.
Boston Bruins:
If I'm a Bruins fan, there's one thing I'm most excited for the upcoming season…Tuuuuuuuukka Time! This kid, who's no longer a kid at 25, is ready to take the starting goaltender spot and dominate. He's been lurking in the shadows, patiently waiting his turn and it's finally arrived. He has been fantastic playing in the Czech Republic the past few months which means he should be ready to roll. No need to anticipate the training camp "timing issues" that we hear about every year. I'd also be eager to see what prospect Dougie Hamilton could bring to the blueline.
Buffalo Sabres:
For the Sabres, it will be another year of scoring by committee, but that seems to be just the way they like it. They added a lot of grit to the team - a trademark of this typically blue-collar team that's been somewhat lacking the past couple years - but the real problem in Buffalo was just a bad time for most of the team to have a bad season. Hopefully the extra time off due to the lockout allowed them the opportunity to recharge the batteries and find the fire within them that drives them to find success. I'm looking at you Ryan Miller. In front of him, the only way this team succeeds is with a total team effort and a scrappy attitude.
Montreal Canadiens:
Not too much to get excited about this off-season if your a Canadiens fan with one rather large exception - drafting Alex Galchenyuk. There were a lot of questions surrounding him after missing nearly an entire season after knee surgery, but with his stellar start to the season in the OHL, fans are chomping at the bit to see what he can do for the rouge, blanc et bleu. In all, there's a lot of hope fueled by expectations in Montreal. This is a talented team with lots of room to improve from last year, especially if everything comes together as well in reality as it does in theory.
Ottawa Senators:
The boys are back in Ottawa as are higher expectations. If the idea of a healthy Spezza and Alfredsson aren't enough to get you excited, take a look at the list of young guns poised to take their game to the next level - Turris, Greening, Zibanejad, Cowen, Bishop and/or Lehner - not to mention the guys in Binghamton. For me, the most intriguing component of the Senators this season will be between the pipes as Bishop and Lehner push for playing time against Craig Anderson. They say competition among goalies is only good news for the team. If that remains true in Ottawa this season, they shouldn't have any problem with a return trip to the postseason.
Toronto Maple Leafs:
I know Leafs fans started drooling this fall when Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk tore it up on a line together during a charity game, but hopefully that's just the beginning for the changes that are in store for the Leafs this season. Obviously, replacing Brian Burke with Dave Nonis yesterday was unexpected, but on the bright side, Leafs fans will have something/someone else to complain about! In all seriousness, there are many reasons to be hopeful about this team and most of them play at Ricoh Coliseum. When your team has nothing to lose, everyone will have a chance to prove their worth and if you ask any successful athlete, they're at their best when someone else is breathing down their proverbial neck wanting to take their spot. This team can only get better.
Tomorrow, I'll take a look at the Northwest Division.
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Here's a link to my
photo album on facebook of my trip to Russia. I tweeted a lot of them, but here they are all in one place!
Julie
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