Hockey On Its' Way...

So in between watching the Rays-Red Sox game on TBS, the Mets-Braves game on SportsSouth and the Panthers-Packers game on Fox; I started reading some stories on the upcoming hockey season.

Sadly the first story I read about was about the funeral service held yesterday in the Detroit area for the ex-assistant coach of the Red Wings. Like many a hockey fan I was in shock the day that the deadly plane crash occurred. Reading the names of those that passed in that tragic accident made me think even more how fleeting life can be. I can't pretend that I knew any of the people on that flight. I had seen several play hockey on TV or live. I had seen Brad McCrimmon play and coach. I had seen Pavol Demitra in the last Olympics. I had seen and heard of many of the other players that perished in that flight. When you read of the ages of these people it just makes you think. A few months ago, Brad McCrimmon was behind the bench and Ruslan Salei was on the ice as the Red Wings were trying to extend their conference semi-final series against the Sharks. Less than four months after, they and others passed in a tragic accident. I think there is a lesson of sorts to be learned there by us. Be thankful, be grateful and be happy.

I then read about an open practice that the returning Winnipeg Jets had yesterday afternoon at the practice facility. it's great to hear and read about a team that has relocated to hockey country. Maybe now the NHL will understand that hockey south of the Mason-Dixon line is a tough sell. After all this is the 2nd time an Atlanta franchise has had to move north of the border. I've been to Atlanta to see games in the last couple of years including games with my Habs, with the Red Wings as well as with the Maple Leafs and for all of those games plenty of seats were available and the visiting team fans easily outnumbered the Atlanta Thrashers fans. It almost seemed like the fans were more interested in the contests being run at commercial breaks and intermissions than being at a hockey game. The Thrasher ownership didn't help matters much either though. Made me think of the Brochu and Loria years with the Expos. Oh well I am sure that the Winterpeggers will love their team. They do have some decent hockey players. December 17th will be a special night. Teemu Selanne and the Ducks will be in town. Pretty damn sure that the rafters will be rocking that night. I just saw that the Jets are playing in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. About the only time that Winnipeg feels southeast is the 3-4 weeks in the middle of the summer. Rest of the time it probably feels like the Arctic tundra.

Now what about my Habs? Did they make the changes that will bring them deep into the hockey playoffs? Will the old Scott Gomez come back to the rink or will it be the older Gomez that has lost his touch? Have the Habs continued in that tradition of getting players that are quickly getting to the other side of their prime? Is the 32 yr. old Erik Cole the same player that totally took over games when he was with the Hurricanes versus the Habs a few years ago? Or will he be like the Denis Savard that we got from Chicago years ago? Is Andrei Markov going to be there for most of the season? Will the coaching staff give the ice time and freedom to the Lars Eller that showed up in the playoffs? Will the coaching staff give lots of power play time to a young gun like Yannick Webber? What about the physicality of Alexia Yemelin? Will he be given a chance to play regular minutes ahead of some of the older guys? There aren't many other intimidating players on the roster. There are tons of questions to be answered I think. The road to the Stanley Cup finals in our conference looks to be running through Boston and Philadelphia.

Less than a month til the season starts...