October 14, 2008
91 reasons why I couldn't wait for the NHL to start its 91st season
Sorry, make that 92, when Mike Modano brings Willa Ford to the game. Paul Ladewski explains.

[Chicago, IL] -- 91. Frequent flashbacks of the Philadelphia Flyers being swept in the 1969, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1984 and 1997 playoffs, blowing the sixth and final game of the 1980 Stanley Finals in overtime (God, I love Bob Nystrom), choking in Game 7 of the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals (you da man, Grant Fuhr!) and any other on-ice event that inflicted excrutiating mental pain and left Grand Canyon-deep emotional scars on the team and its fans. (Honest, I'm usually not this kind.)

90. There's nobody named Chad Johnson.

89. Because of the salary cap, the Nashville Predators have a chance.

88. I want to find out if the Blue Jackets can make the playoffs for the first time ever, because Rick Nash is too good to be forgotten.

87. Memories of Boston Garden.

86. I want to find out whether the Blackhawks can play the game as well as they market it . . .

85. And if they prove to be successful, then I want to find out if Patrick Kane can pull off the utterly impossible -- actually grow a playoff beard.

84. Because of the salary cap, the Calgary Flames have a chance.

83. I want to see Sidney Crosby on the ice or even on camera as often as possible, because no 21-year-old is supposed to be this talented, this poised, this mature, this soon.

82. I want to find out whether Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are destined to become the next Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier or the next Marcel Dionne and Mike Gartner.

81. Hockey Night in Canada telecasts, even if a perfectly good theme song was put on ice for no apparent reason.

80. There's nobody named Terrell Owens.

79. Because of the salary cap, the Columbus Blue Jackets have a chance.

78. I want to see the deep-thinkers push hard for a three-point victory in regulation play, because the game would be a whole lot better with it.

77. Memories of the Montreal Forum.

76. I want to find out whether Jose Theodore will more of an impact on his new team (Capitals) or his old one (Avalanche).

75. The sight of the Blackhawks crest especially on the white unies, because there's no better ones in the league.

74. Because of the salary cap, the Edmonton Oilers have a chance.

73. Memories of marvelous Marv Albert (". . . Kick save and a beauty!")

72. I want to find out whether Marian Hossa made a brilliant career move to sign a one-year contract with the Red Wings or received some lousy advice.

71. The voice of Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange on radio, even if the Hall of Famer should be on television with sidekick Paul Steigerwald still.

70. There's nobody named Phil Mickelson.

69. Because of the salary cap, the New Jersey Devils have a chance.

68. I want to hear Lyndon Slewidge sing the The Stars Spangled Banner and O Canada before Senators home games.

67. Memories of Chicago Stadium.

66. The sight of Mario Lemieux at Penguins games.

65. I want to find out whether a Miracle on Figueroa Street can actually happen, because Kings play-by-play guy Bob Miller deserves to be part of a Stanley Cup champion at least once in his career, don't you think?

64. Because of the salary cap, the Ottawa Senators have a chance.

63. I want to find out whether new d-men Dan Boyle and Rob Blake are enough to put the Sharks over the top finally.

62. The reaction of Wild head coach Jacques Lemaire after his team allows two goals or 20 shots, whichever comes first.

61. The reaction of Flames head coach Mike Keenan after his goaltender allows a bad goal.

60. As far as I know, there's nobody named Steinbrenner.

59. Because of the salary cap, the Buffalo Sabres have a chance.

58. The sight of Barry Melrose behind the bench. (Hey, that means he's not on television, right?)

57. Memories of The Met in Minneapolis.

56. I want to find out whether the Canadiens will win the Stanley Cup in their centennial season, because something tells me the hockey gods would have it no other way . . .

55. And whether Toronto can survive 42 years without one.

54. Because of the salary cap, the Colorado Avalanche have a chance.

53. I want to find out whether Sergei Gonchar is overrated or underrated once and for all.

52. Memories of the late, great Dan Kelly ("Ohhh, and Big Robinson gave him a rough ride . . .!")

51. The voice of Blue broadcaster John Kelly, because he sounds (set ital) exactly (end ital) like his father sometimes.

50. There's nobody named Adam (Pacman) Jones.

49. Because of the salary cap, the San Jose Sharks have a chance.

48. Flashbacks of the time that me and a buddy paid 10 bucks each to watch the Blackhawks and California Golden Seals on closed-circuit televison -- and enjoyed every stinkin' penny of it.

47. Memories of Maple Leaf Gardens.

46. I want to find out whether Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur can play as well in the next 35 years as he did the last 35 . . .

45. And whether Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist can become the next Martin Brodeur.

44. Because of the salary cap, the Tampa Bay Lightning have a chance.

43. The sight of Don Cherry on television . . .

42. Especially when Ron MacLean talks next to him.

41. Memories of the Hartford Whalers.

40. There's nobody named Roger Clemens.

39. Because of the salary cap, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance.

38. The voice of Brett Hull, because any general manager who admits "The Dallas Stars have gotten too vanilla" is good for the league.

37. Memories of the Detroit Olympia.

36. I want to find out what Alexander Ovechkin achieves first -- 50 passes or 50 goals.

35. I want to find out what Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund needed more -- a change of locations or a change of careers.

34. Because of the salary cap, the Carolina Hurricanes have a chance.

33. The sight of Gretzky behind the bench, even if The Great One would be good for a half-dozen power-play goals per season still.

32. The Winter Classic. (Pssst, league honchos, shouldn't this be an annual New Year's Day event?)

31. The sight of Sean Avery on the ice, because what would hockey be without at least one idiot, er, villain?

30. There's nobody named Allen Iverson.

29. Because of the salary cap, the Florida Panthers have a chance.

28. I want to find out whether the Red Wings can repeat with Chris Osgood or Ty Conklin between the pipes.

27. Memories of St. Louis Arena.

26. Flashbacks of Bobby Orr and the Big, Bad Bruins. (C'mon, has it really been 36 years since the B's last won the Stanley Cup?)

25. Almost any thought of Orr on ice -- period.

24. Because of the salary cap, the Phoenix Coyotes have a chance.

23. Memories of the late, great Foster Hewitt high in the gondola.

22. The sight of Mike Bossy at Islanders games.

21. The sight of Stan Mikita at Blackhawks games.

20. There's nobody named Rafael Palmeiro.

19. Because of the salary cap, the Minnesota Wild have a chance.

18. I want to find out whether Matthew Lombardi and Peter Mueller will emerge as a 30-plus-goal scorers like some predict of them.

17. Memories of the original Madison Square Garden.

16. Conversations with almost any NHL player, because unlike most other sports, they act like they owe you and not the other way around.

15. I want to found out what will hurt Rick DiPietro most -- his bum hip, his achy knees or his (fill in blank) defensemen.

14. Because of the salary cap, the St. Louis Blues have a chance. (OK, I lied -- the Blues don't have a chance, but give them some time.)

13. Memories of the late, great Lloyd Pettit, the best hockey fight announcer there ever was and will be.

12. I want to find out whether Roberto Luongo still wants to be the Canucks captain in March.

11. Team radio broadcasts on the Internet -- and would you believe on the comp even?

10. There's nobody named Barry Bonds. (Thank you, Jesus!)

9a. The sight of Bobby Hull at Blackhawks games.

9. The sight of Gordie Howe at any game.

7. Memories of The Aud in Buffalo.

6. I want to find out if this Steven Stamkos kid deserved to be the first pick of the last draft.

5. The commentary of Ducks television analyst Brian Hayward, even if he is way to smart to be stuck in a broadcast booth.

4. The sight of Jean Beliveau at Canadiens games.

3. I want to be able to say Fedor Tyutin, Henrik Zetterberg and Marek Zidlicky at least once every week.

2. Because of the salary cap, the New York Rangers are not the New York Ranger$.

1. Hey, look, you can tell virtually every player without a police blotter!

Paul Ladewski, a Columnist with TheFourthPeriod.com, covering the NHL.