The Real NHL Season Starts Today!

Yes folks, don't be fooled, the previous 82 games were just the preseason.

The NHL playoffs are where championship teams are born. It is not only a test of the most talented, best scoring, best defensive, and yes sometimes even luckiest teams, players and coaches out there; but it is a test for survival.

This year the odds on favorites by many, from bookies to sports experts, pick the Washington Capitals to win the cup. They have, perhaps the most talented group of offensive scorers assembled and finish as top record and point holders for the previous 82 games.

They even won the Presidents Award.

So the bookies have the Caps as favorites to win.
The Caps finish the 82 game season with the best record and the most points.

They are a gimme for the cup right?

WRONG!

First of all, anybody who knows me, I never bet on the favorite person, team or horse to win a race. And the playoffs are just that, a race.

Secondly, if you believe the stats, only 7 of the last 23 President Award winners have gone on to win the cup.

So, in a way, the Caps are the underdogs, so that means I can bet on them to win. Except I rarely bet and most likely will not for the playoffs.

But I can route for them to win it all!










Lets Go Caps!

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Star Gazing...

"Crosby is so far ahead of Ovechkin right now Ovie would need a telescope to see him."

"Crosby has won the Stanley Cup (by going through Ovechkin), the Olympics (again, by going through Ovehckin) and the World Championships."

"I don't believe Crosby ever won a world championship, though he did win a world juniors title. But Ovechkin was part of the Gold-medal winning Russian squad in 2008. So, instead of 3-0, we're now talking about 2-1. Of course, if we're just measuring world titles, Caps winger Jason Chimera seems to have won one in '07."

"Ovie behaved wretchedly during the Games when he shoved the camera of some woman...Ovechkin...is bordering on out of control."

These are just some of the quotes and topics and blog posts literally FLYING around DC since the Olympics.

I actually have to say I like all this a lot! Ovie behaving the way he did with fans and their cameras is totally irresponsible but everything else is great!

Why, because this just adds to the rivalry. Fuel for the fire. Even more hype for the upcoming playoffs and championship run.

I think it will, hopefully, play into the Caps favor and become a real motivational revenge factor.

Three of the soviet Olympic team members are on the Caps. All three have been around for all the losses to Crosby and what ever team he is on.

And let me just say here, they are both all stars. "Beasts" as I have heard that term used a bit too often lately. Of course each, being one player, do not make a championship team. They help of course, but it takes all the pieces fitting together to make a championship team.

Watching Olympic Hockey was really great this year and I totally enjoyed it, even though the USA team lost in OT.

And now, I can't wait for the playoffs to start. To watch Ovie, Semin, and Varlamov take on you know who and, hopefully, wipe them off the 2010 NHL map!

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