The NHL is back
Forget the fact that their broadcast deal is with a cable network that's sometimes tough to find.
Forget that we are only three years removed from a disastrous lockout that destroyed a season and a fan base.
Forget that it's been 14 years since Lord Stanley's cup has been hoisted at Madison Square Garden by Messier, Leetch and co.
Hockey is back.
Saturday marks the beginning of the 2008 Stanley Cup finals. In the west, we have perennial powerhouse Detroit, poised to win the cup for the eleventh time. In the east, Sid "The Kid" Crosby leads the Penguins to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals since 1992.
This series is perfect for the NHL; the established powerhouse Red Wings vs. the young superstar Crosby and the up-and-coming Penguins. It’s a match-up of two of the most popular teams. From Game 3 on, every game will be on NBC. This is hockey’s chance to shine.
This season is the culmination of a rebuilding process that has been ongoing since 2005. The die-hards never left, but the casual fan is slowly creeping back towards watching hockey, and there is no better time than the present to give hockey another chance.
Even Ranger fans had something to cheer for this season. After a solid regular season, New York beat the Devils in round one before falling to the Penguins. With a combination of a very solid veteran base and younger stars such as goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist, the Broadway Blueshirts seemed poised to make a deep run next year.
And maybe fans will forget about the lockout a little bit. Or at least forgive a little more.
-- Tim Fiorvanti
