You may not have noticed, but the National Hockey League season started Saturday with a 2-1 victory for the New York Rangers against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Like other major professional sports, the NHL allowed its season to begin overseas, as both opening series took place in Europe. The Rangers took two from the Lightning in Prague, Czech Republic, while the Pittsburgh Penguins split a two-game set with the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden. The season begins in earnest Thursday, and there are several things you should be watching for this season.
The continuation of the Crosby–Ovechkin battle for supremacy
Not much really needs to be said here, as Penguins center (and captain) Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin are the two most electrifying players in the NHL. They have many traits in common, starting with the fact that both are young: Crosby turned 21 in August, while Ovechkin turned 23 in September. Crosby was the first pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, while Ovechkin was the top pick the year before. Both began their NHL careers in the ‘05-‘06 season, in which Ovechkin edged Crosby for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year.
Ovechkin led the NHL in scoring points last season with 112 to win the Art Ross Trophy, while Crosby accomplished that feat the previous season with 120 points. Ovechkin led the league with 65 goals last year en route to winning the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL MVP, an award Crosby also won the previous year. So, as you can see, the two have traded off who wins the big awards every year and likely will continue to do so in years to come. Watch out as the two meet up face to face four times this season, starting with an Oct. 16 game in Pittsburgh.
The New York Rangers’ acquisitions
When Jaromir Jagr bid farewell to New York and hello to Russia this offseason, he left a vacancy at captain for the Rangers, which is now filled by Chris Drury. Scott Gomez was named one alternate captain, while the other “A” will be worn by free agent Markus Naslund. Moving across the country to play left wing for the “Broadway Blueshirts” after signing a two-year, $8-million contract, Naslund joins the first-line offense with Drury and Gomez, forming a prolific trio that could score plenty of goals this season.
Two-time All-Star defenseman Wade Redden also joined the Rangers as a free agent when he signed a 6-year, $39-million contract in July. Redden will team up with Michael Rozsival on the first-line defense for the Rangers and will have plenty of opportunities to contribute to the offense as well. Right winger Nikolai Zherdev could be the most underrated acquisition for the Rangers this year as he joins the second-line attack. Acquired via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he scored 26 goals and had 35 assists last season, Zherdev is playing the final year of a three-year, $7.5-million contract. Look for him to have a big breakout year.
These three moves, while overshadowed by the big pickup made by the Detroit Red Wings (see next topic), have already paid dividends for the Rangers through the first two games of the season. Naslund scored in the season opener and added an assist in the second game, while Redden tallied a goal and assist in game two. Look for the success of this new trio to continue throughout the year.
Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field — Jan. 1, 2009
The defending champion Red Wings obviously have tons of talent on their roster. Big-time players like Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom return to try to repeat what they accomplished last season and will have lots of help from a big-name newcomer. Detroit added right winger Marian Hossa as a free agent this offseason, picking him up from the team it defeated to win the Stanley Cup last year, thereby adding insult to injury for the Penguins. Hossa was the biggest move of the offseason for any NHL team, as he is a proven scorer who has averaged 37 goals per season in the three seasons since the lockout.
The Blackhawks also made some moves this offseason, as they signed defenseman Brian Campbell to an 8-year, $57.12-million deal. Campbell tied for third in points (62) among all NHL defensemen last season and will be playing with renewed passion as he reportedly spurned more lucrative offers to play for the Blackhawks. Chicago also added a solid goalie in Cristobal Huet after giving him a four-year, $22.5-million deal this offseason.
The reason I pick this game is because outdoor hockey is ridiculously fun to watch, and this will be the first hockey game on the hallowed grounds of Wrigley Field. While the ivy won’t be in full bloom on the brick walls of the stadium, the scene is sure to be spectacular when two of the Original Six do battle in the outfield of The Friendly Confines. It will be freezing cold on New Year’s Day in Chicago, but that won’t stop tens of thousands of fans from packing the bleachers to watch some great hockey.
Well, that’s all I have to say for now, as I am already well over my line limit in this column. I hope you will check out some NHL action this year, because there are plenty more storylines to watch than I had room to write about.
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