My Stanley Cup Pick

Yes!

Last night was opening night in the NHL. It's the season I wait all summer for, and it's finally here. This summer was a particularly painful wait, after the Oilers came oh-so-close to sweet victory and the Stanley Cup. It's a Game 7 I will never forget, and I'll always be thankful I got to go.

This was a particularly painful picture I had to see last night, and I could have done without it...


Sigh. Oh well. At least I get to watch the Oilers raise a banner tonight that says this:

Kind of takes the sting out a little bit.

The Oilers open up tonight against their much hated Albertian rival, the Calgary Flames. THAT should be a barn burner. The Flames look to be improved, but in my mind, so do the Oilers.

Of course, the Oilers received a great deal of negative press over the summer following the Stanley Cup Finals when stud blueliner Chris Pronger wanted out of Edmonton. He was subsequently traded to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for Joffrey Lupul, Ladislav Smid and some draft picks. The team also added Petr Sykora this summer and made some key signings, most notably extending Ales Hemsky's contract by a whopping six years. Snagging Sykora on a one-year deal may be the under-the-radar signing of the summer. He could really help the younger guys shine. We'll see.

Ideally, the Oilers would be opening the regular season deeper on defense, but it's a work in progress. It's not like they have nothing on the back end, just a lot of inexperience. I think GM Kevin Lowe and Head Coach MacT want to see how things pan out and how the youngsters are coming along. The great part about this team is that if some deals need to be made for veteran defenseman, the Oilers are extremely deep up front and they've got plenty of cap space. In fact, spread across four lines and in the minors, the Oilers are the deepest team in the NHL at forward, and that's not just my opinion.

Anyway, on to the predictions, but a few long-term ones first. Years from now, I invite anyone to check back to see how right or wrong I was.

- Ladislav Smid is going to be a franchise defenseman in this league.

- Ales Hemsky is the best player in the NHL that you've never heard of, and the question isn't will he lead the Oilers to the Stanley Cup, it's when. This kid is only 23 years old, and he just signed on for six more years and wants to stay and play in Edmonton, unlike bitch boy Pronger.

- Joffrey Lupul is in for a breakout season and a great career with the Oilers, and he just signed a three-year contract with Edmonton. Yes!

As for this season...

In the east, it could be any one of six teams (just like the west), but I like Buffalo - they're hungry and deep, and they've got talent in goal. The Rangers are a few years away; the Flyers merely tinkered with the team instead of making needed wholesale changes (Injuries to goalie Antero Niittymaki and the uncertainty of Peter Forsberg don't help); the Devils still have arguably the best goaltender in the world (or at least the NHL) in Brodeur, but the team is wilting around him; and I believe defending champion Carolina will take a bit of a fall this year, but still be extremely competitive. My darkhorse candidate for the east: Tampa Bay.

In the west, my heart says my Oilers, but my head says Anaheim, if the Ducks can stay healthy, so I'll go with Edmonton. A few caveats, though. The Oilers will have to make a significant deal by January or February to get some help on the blueline - I love the youth on defense, but it's not ready to carry this team all the way to glory yet.

As for the Ducks, I think they will probably be the team to beat if they stay healthy, and if they settle on one goaltender. Neither Jean-Sebastien Giguere nor Ilya Bryzgalov will be happy playing second fiddle to the other. What's more, in a goalie hungry league, the Ducks could reap a bounty from a team desperate for help between the pipes if they move one of these guys. Barring injury to one of their goalies, if one emerges as clearly better than the other, the Ducks will make a deal before the deadline.

My darkhorse candidate out west: Vancouver. The team made lots of important changes in the offseason, most notably getting rid of cancer (and I don't mean his horoscope) Todd Bertuzzi, acquiring goalie Roberto Luongo in return. If they stay hungry, healthy and focused, watch out.

So, there you have it - my Stanley Cup pick:

Vs

Buffalo against the Oilers for the Stanley Cup. Edmonton will get it right this time and win it. Besides, the Sabres sport new uniforms this season, and the fans really hate them. I happen to like the new look, but teams wearing new uniforms never win championships. I don't have facts to back that up, but it's just a feeling. I'll have to look it up.

So, I have to pick the Sabres out of the east. I'd love for it to be Philly, because 1. it would be cool to see the local team do well, 2. I could ride the subway to the Stanley Cup Finals, and 3. It would be a trifecta of finals between the Oilers/Flyers ('85 and '87 were the other years, Edmonton taking both).

Hey, at least Buffalo's within driving distance. I smell another road trip and an Oilers championship season. Stranger things have happened - they were picked to not make the playoffs last year, they made it as the 8th seed after their 81st game, and they knocked off three teams on the road to make it to the finals. Talk about a long road.

Says here that The Oilers will build on last year's experience and learn how to win. After all, they did the same thing in '84 after losing the Cup Finals in '83, but to be fair, this team ain't the 80s Oilers, either. However, I think (hope!) Edmonton builds on what it did last year.

Go Oil!

One final slapshot to the mouth

Talk about a shitty week. First I travel all the way to Raleigh to watch the Oilers lose game 7 (But it was still a sensational, memorable time that I'll always cherish and never forget). After the game I find out my grandmother has had a stroke. I rush home Tuesday and go up to see my grandmother midday on Wednesday and she dies early Friday morning. I'm still dealing with her loss and will be for a long time. I didn't love my grandmother any more than I did my other grandmothers, but I had a special bond with her, and in many ways I was a little too shocked to really break down and sob like I felt doing inside. Anyway, I was with my family all weekend and come home late yesterday evening.

This morning, just to get my mind off of my grandmom and my grief, I go to an Oilers fan Website, OilFans.com, and I read that the Oilers best player, Chris Pronger, wants out of Edmonton. Greeeeat.

I'm not equating sports with my Nan's death. Far from it. Sports is trivial on a good day and family means everything. But this was another chink in the armor today. Unreal. Often, I watch sports for a bit of an escape from everyday life; when your team does well, it lifts you up, and when they lose, you're just a bit down. That's the tradeoff. The older I get, I realize that you have to truly cherish a championship when your favorite team(s) wins one, because it's never a given that it will happen in any given year, or ever.

I know, I know, I promised no more hockey, but I had to vent about Pronger wanting out. This is going to be very difficult for the Oilers to overcome. No way Edmonton even gets to the second round in the just-concluded playoffs with no #44. Now, he'll be gone.



It sure looked like Pronger was stoked to be an Oiler (and a successful one here after scoring a goal in the playoffs, above). He had signed a four-year deal, had begun to build a house in Edmonton, and it looked like the Oilers were building something pretty good, too; coming one win away from a Stanley Cup.



As it turned out, Prongers return to Edmonton after game 7 (above) was hello... and goodbye. To be honest, this makes me resent the game 7 loss all the more and just deepens my disappointment. The Oilers were THIS close. And now they feel so far away, and the offseason has just started.



This guy, #47, defenseman Marc Andre Bergeron, will always be the guy that lost us the Cup. He pushed a Carolina player into Conn Smythe candidate Dwayne Roloson in game 1 of the series vs. Carolina, ruining our Cup chances. Yes, the Oilers came back and tied the series, but the odds were against us. I think even the most ardent of Edmonton haters would agree that the Oilers could have won at least one more game with Roloson in net. Nice job, Bergeron. The only way he vindicates himself? By lifting the Stanley Cup next year during a parade route through Edmonton. And those odds look a helluva lot longer now. Now, I'm not taking away from Carolina's Cup - they earned it and won it fair and square, no *. Injuries are part of the game, but injuring your own player is a bad idea, especially when it's your best player, and your starting goalie, no less.

Oiler GM Kevin Lowe certainly has his work cut out for him. He did a masterful job putting the Oilers together to make a highly improbable Cup run. Now he has to parlay arguably the best defenseman in the league into another very good defenseman, and perhaps some goaltending help. If anyone can do it and get value, no question it's him. Get goin', KLowe. We want the Cup.

The last hockey dispatch!

What a ride it's been. Congratulations to the Carolina Hurricanes - you have one amazing hockey team. I'm so proud to be an Oilers fan - it was an experience I'll never forget, and I'm so happy that I got to go to Carolina for game 7. I won't bore you with commentary or my thoughts on game 7 - I've polluted this blog with enough of that! Just a few memorable pictures. ...

I got Don Cherry, THE most famous hockey personality in Canada, to take a picture with me, AND sign my jersey!

The autograph!

The practice puck that I caught during the game day skate.

Oilers fans are the best. Look at these guys!

I'm sure Jaws is happy the playoffs are over. He's usually an unwilling fanimal. Okay, always.

With a few tweaks and key signings, the Oilers could take this thing next year. One thing's for sure, going into the summer - I can't wait for next season to begin!

Seventh heaven, here we come!

What's Martin Scorsese have to do with hockey? Read on. ...

Look at this bullshit! Some stupid magazine went to press last week with this headline. "The Oilers were down 2-0 in the series, and things were looking great for the Hurricanes. It was my call," was the lame explanation of the magazine's editor in chief. Let's hope the magazine has to eat its words - all 50,000 copies of this magazine. Of course, copies made their way into the Oilers dressing room, but when you get this deep in the playoffs and this close to winning the cup, you'd better not need extra motivation to win.

After Saturday's 4-0 drubbing of the Hurricanes, the Oilers have a chance to truly stand alone in modern NHL history as the first and only team since the '42 Maple Leafs to come back from 3-1 to win the Cup. Blah blah blah - I've blogged about all the rest.

Before the game, I just have to single out #8 on the Canes, Matt Cullen. When an Oiler player, and I think it was Jarret Stoll, lost his glove on the way to the bench Saturday night, Cullen took a whack at his bare hand during Saturday night's game. That's Bush League, and a player like that doesn't deserve to win the Stanley Cup. But, there's a thing called karma. Maybe it'll bite him, maybe it won't. Either way, Cullen is a pussy.

Speaking of deserving to win the Cup, one more thought on that. In my view, no one deserves to win the Cup - you earn it. Okay, I'll admit, players in this series who have been in the league a long time with no ring to show for it deserve to be a part of a winner, but a Cup isn't awarded, it's earned. For instance, Martin Scorsese deserves to win a Best Picture Oscar, but it hasn't happened yet. (Dances With Wolves over Goodfellas, anyone? What a laughable travesty.)

So enough with the "So and So deserves to win a Cup" stuff. And before I finish on that thought, I have to take a good-natured ribbing at my Flyer buds - they are rooting for the Canes because three former Flyers are on the club - Brind'Amour (still the ugliest player in hockey), Justin Williams and Mark Recchi. How does it feel, boys, to be reduced to rooting for former Flyers on another team because "Clarkie" wasn't smart enough to keep them? Just had to have a little fun there. And don't come back at me with a karma quote about pokin' fun - even if the Oilers lose, I'm already soooo proud to be a fan of the team for all they've already accomplished - they're already winners and heroes in my book.

So, which captain gets the glass slipper on Monday? Of course, it's the captain of the Oilers, Jason Smith. I boasted before game 6 (Vandra is my witness!) - "No way the Oilers let a visiting team win the Cup on home ice." I was right. My next prediction...

The Oilers have hit their stride, and they will hang a 6th, white championship banner at Rexall Place on opening night of the 2006-2007 NHL season. Oilers take the Cup tomorrow night, 4-2.

I still believe, and tomorrow... Validation.

Sweet Caroline-Aah! Still got the receipt for that Colt 45, Caniacs?

A Category 5 disappointment blew through Raleigh tonight, soaking the area with heavy tears of disappointment. Who's responsible? Hurricane Pisani, of the previously counted-out Edmonton Oilers. Zoom in and look at the faces of some of these victims. Priceless.

What a game. Win or lose for my Oilers, I really enjoyed watching it. Great stuff. Of course, I liked the end result a whole lot better. I knew when Chris Pronger scored 18 seconds into the first period and the Oilers scored with a little over a dozen seconds left in the first period that I was in for a wild night.

Kind of lost in all of the excitement of the win is the stellar play of Oiler replacement Goalie Jussi Markkanen. He played well in game 2, but in games 3, 4 and 5, he's been just about stellar. He's keeping them in games and making just about every clutch save. And when he's a bit off, Canes shooters have been just a bit off, too, clangin' posts or just missing the net. Hey, I'll take it. Jussi is playing like he's got nothing to lose, and really he doesn't; no one counted on him giving the Oilers a chance to win games, and right now, that's all he's doing.

I love the fact that the Stanley Cup Finals, and the feeling I get from the fact the Oilers are in it, is going to last through Saturday, at minimum. It's such an amazing experience and so much fun to watch.

Before I go to sleep with a big smile on my face, a few pictures from tonight's game. ...



Am I the only one who gets disturbed by men dressing up as women for sporting events? This picture is, uh, a little unsightly. It reminds me of those stupid asses who used to dress up for Redskins games (and a few of the losers who still do. Nevermind the fact that it was de rigeur about 20 years ago).

Um, yea Redskins fans, you look, uh, cool. Anyway, back to some snaps from game 5 Tuesday night. ...

In what turned out to be a preview of things to come, Fernando Pisani celebrated a first period goal. He'd have much more to celebrate a few hours later.

Fast forward to overtime. It starts with an Oilers onslaught, and that's just the way it ended. Edmonton came out to start the OT with lots of jump, outshooting the Hurricanes 7-0, but it all could have come crashing down about three minutes in, when Oilers D Steve Staios went off for tripping. Giving the lethal Canes powerplay a chance to win the Stanley Cup was about the last thing I wanted to see. But, then fate stepped in, or should I say Fernando Pisani did. A quick turnover found Fernando headed toward a one-on-one duel with Canes G Cam Ward.

Ward lost. Sweet shot, and sweet shot, too. Love this picture.

Oh, and for you history buffs? Your are looking at a picture of the first short-handed, overtime game-winning goal in Stanley Cup history.

Pack your bags, boys - we're headed back to the great white north! Ya heard?!?

Anyone who has visited this blog knows how much I love goal cam shots, especially when it's of an Edmonton opponent's goalie fishing the puck out of his own net.

Righteous!

I'll bet the boys are sleeping even better than I am tonight. But, there's lots of work ahead in order to get a chance to sip from the Cup.

Two sensational Canes players make their way off the ice; Eric Staal (above) and Cam Ward (below). Lots of hockey left to play, and both will play important roles for the Canes.

Ward (above right) is a strong candidate for the Conn Smythe trophy, but hopes for that trophy may be a bit dimmed after tonight's performance. Of course, no player on either team is worried about the MVP - they are all striving for the Cup.

...And then, elation. How hilarious is this picture, from a bar in Edmonton?

A message to all Hurricanes players and their "Caniac" fans...

And I found this on a fan Web site tonight...

Okay, okay, just kidding. Just a little good-natured fun. I can't wait for Saturday, and I still believe.

GO OILERS!

Crossing my fingers

Well, tonight's the night - game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Oilers clearly are a team that's reeling. Take a look at the "smile" of Edmonton Head Coach Craig MacTavish, and that tells you all you need to know.

I was just telling Vandra today - these playoffs have been so much fun, I just hope the Oilers can extend it for at least one more game, because I don't want it to end. If the Oilers can win this one and kick it back to Edmonton, anything can happen in this series. One thing's for sure - if the Oilers don't get their offense going, it's over tonight. I hope MacT makes some lineup changes - Georges Laraque needs to sit - get a fireplug out there on the 4th line. Considering all of the postgame press conferences that I watched, I think the team is loose and taking it one game at a time.

The Oilers have played pressure hockey for the better part of the last three months, and they were one of the best road teams in the NHL during the regular season. They've been counted out more times than a Hulk Hogan opponent, so I think they have a shot.

The man below will make a big difference in the series tonight. It's all up to you, big Chris!

Go Oilers! I still believe, but I'm a nervous wreck!

Gettin' Cup Crazee in Manayunk

This past Sunday was the annual Philadelphia bike race, which runs through parts of the city and Manayunk. My inflatable Stanley Cup arrived in the mail too late to make the trip to Raleigh with me, but not too late to parade it through the crowd on the heels of the Oilers 2-1 victory on Saturday night. Okay, these pics are not exactly worthy of the photo below...



...but we had fun with our cup nonetheless. Here are some of the better photos...



Vandra was Cup crazy, no doubt!



Chip (center) flanked by Skonedawg (left) and Monica (right) takes a "sip" from the Cup. He's the only one from Philly who will be doing that anytime soon. :o)

Erin seems to be diggin' the Cup.



This is one disturbing picture, which means that of course we had to get it.

I was feelin' it a little more than the cops were!

Jhanna takes Stanley for a ride.

Mike uses Stanley as a coffee table. We may not be able to sip out of this particular Stanley, but it can hold its beer better than Mike Mc!

Jayme with the Cup along the race route; we were standing on The Wall in Manayunk.

Just a good photo op.

A very inebriated Heather attempts to choke Stanley. Bad Heather! Bad Heather!

Another picture of yours truly with Stanley.

Some stranger insisted on a picture, and who was I to say no?

Vandra gets the stranger pick of the day with Stanley. This one is great!

Yea Skonedawg! I love this picture - hilarious.

More strangers wanted their picture with Stanley, and I was only too happy to comply.

This is the best picture to wrap up with. I knew there was something about this woman I love... she's Cup Crazee, too!