“You can’t just go out and buy a World Series ring. Well, maybe if Darryl Strawberry runs out of coke.”-Jimmy Kimmel
So, the serm’ has to admit having a deep affection for pucks. In fact, I’m a total puckhead. Some of my friends may also claim that I’m something that rhymes with puckhead, but that has nothing to do with hockey and everything to do with annoying bravado and compulsions.
Still, hockey has developed into a full-on fascination for the serm’. What’s better is that there’s considerable drama in the league this year because the big-spending Red Wings and Avalanche have had enough injuries to keep smaller market squads close in the standings.
The final stretch of the season should be a tear in the Eastern Conference, where the difference between the top seed and fifth is only a couple games. While cellar-dwellers like the Capitals are far out of contention, they have hit a couple hot streaks recently and could cause trouble for the front-runners.
Still, all this drama and excitement reinforces how bad it will be next season when a catastrophic lock-out over player salaries and caps will keep teams off the ice. There is no hope an agreement will be reached in time to salvage next season, and when the collective bargaining agreement expires in June two seasons may be lost to labor struggles.
The existence of the league is in question as TV money has dried up amidst the NASCAR boom, and players are contemplating returning to Europe in the lockout. The NHL should take a whiff of their smelling salts and find an agreement, because while I’m hooked on pucks, there’s not enough addicts to keep them skating on their selfish, bickering glorified ponds.
