silly me

I often think back to the start of the 2009-2010 NHL season. I had wanted to write about the season authoritatively like I was a real sports journalist or Monday morning quarterback. Armed with the NHL Center Ice package, the internet and my own observations of the game I was ready.
Then the season started...

It really sucks to discover that love for a game doesn't always translate into ability to write about it. I always thought I had talent enough to be a writer but sadly I find that to be a dream. Sure I write stuff here, but that's mainly for me, a personal choice when needing to vent my frustration with the world and myself; none of this takes any talent at all, just the universal desire to express oneself.

Anyway the NHL season is drawing to a close and there may very well be a new Stanley Cup champ but I'm not ready to bet on it yet. The reining champion Pittsburgh Penguins is still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference but it's gonna be a tough row to hoe. Their only real competition is the Washington Capitals and that should be an explosive Conference championship series when these two juggernauts battle it out there.
The Western Conference is slightly harder to call. The Phoenix Coyotes of all teams can still win the Western conference. My beloved Red Wings won't make the finals this year but they'll be a thorn in the side of whoever gets them first and might even make it to the 2nd round. San Jose, Chicago, Vancouver and Phoenix look to step up to face the winner of the Caps/Pens series for the Stanley Cup. The problem with calling a winner here is sentimentality. I really like the young, up and coming Blackhawks but they have a lot of mettle to prove before I go calling them Stanley Cup victors. Vancouver has the magnificent Sudin twins, Mason Raymond, Pavel Dmitra etc. etc. The Canucks are playing a far more balanced game and I'm really starting to think this is their year. And poor San Jose! You almost wish they'd get into the Cup finals just because they have become like the Charlie Browns of professional hockey. Play great all year and in the playoffs fold like a pair of undies. So I'll go with Chicago and Vancouver for the conference finals.
For the cup I'd like to say it would be Washington vs. San Jose, but it's looking more and more like it'll be Pittsburgh vs. Vancouver for the cup, with Vancouver winning in six after the wear and tear of the deep playoff runs take hold of the champs and Fleury shows he's a backup goalie for sure. Ouch! Why does Marc-Andre's superstar status bug me so? He's no Luongo for sure.
Hopefully the wings trade Zetterberg for someone like Ryan Getzlaf or Zack Parise during the off season. That would make me so happy.