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Season's greetings
Storylines to follow throughout the NHL's 85th season
Posted: Thursday October 04, 2001 5:27 PM
Updated: Monday October 08, 2001 10:36 AM
I spent the start of the NHL season in the Air Canada Centre. Before the opening
faceoff the crowd stood and listened to the U.S. national anthem, a song that,
before Sept. 11, 2001, would never have been sung before a matchup in Toronto of
two Canadian teams.
Then the game began and Wade Redden scored a power play goal for the
Senators, and the Leafs' new sniper, Alexander Mogilny, scored one as
well. A few hours later, Ottawa had won 5-4. The hometown crowd shuffled off,
disappointed but unbowed, and the season was underway. Those were some of the
first markings on the 2001-02 NHL slate. There will be many things to keep an
eye on in the coming months, such as:
Dominik Hasek's groin: The Red Wings have a Stanley Cup,
not to mention a $60 million payroll, riding on a few delicate sinews.
Whither Lindros, whither Forsberg? Guess these guys, who
were traded for one another nearly a decade ago, are destined to be linked
forever. Now we're wondering how long Eric will hold up and how long Peter will
stay out. Will they be on the ice together when the Rangers and Avalanche meet
in Colorado on Jan.
3?
The scoring race: Jagr versus Lemieux.
Who is the most dangerous of
all?
Sabres goalie Martin Biron. Hasek not only stopped a lot of
pucks, but he also filled the Sabres with the confidence to play above their
heads. Biron has to inspire this team early so that it doesn't
sag.
The league mandate that referees crack down on diving. It's
the toughest penalty to call and could lead to some zebras getting
ulcers.
Wayne Gretzky's patience. If the Coyotes struggle, and it
sure looks like they will, the Great One will get mighty restless in his owner's
seat. Prediction: He won't make a comeback but he will take the ice for
practices by
Christmastime.
The Olympic factor. The way coaches prepare for, and
recover from, the Olympic break could have deep effect on the playoff race and
the postseason itself. Good teams and older teams -- in other words, those that
have a lot of Olympians -- stand to feel the impact most.
Islanders goalie Chris Osgood. He was beleaguered in
Detroit where he gave up some costly goals. Now, at 28, he has a chance to lead
a young Islanders team that has some potential. Before the season's out, Osgood,
who in the mid-1990s studied as a young backup under Mike Vernon, will
likely be asked to help groom New York's precocious netminder Rick DiPietro.
Paul Kariya. Please keep an eye on him; because very few
people, even in Anaheim, will be paying
attention.
The Sedin twins in Vancouver. As rookies last season they
cycled the puck brilliantly and played with intelligence above their years. Now,
can this cherubic duo light the lamp? The Canucks need them to produce more than
the 29 goals they combined for last season.
Atlanta's Patrik Stefan. For all the talk of young Ilya
Kovalchuk's offensive potential, could this be the year that his Thrashers
teammate stays healthy and asserts himself? Stefan was the No. 1 pick three
years ago and has adjusted slowly to the
NHL.
Joe Thornton. The Bruins have done a splendid job nurturing
him. At 21 he's already their best center. Now he could be on the verge of an
MVP-type
season.
Pat Burns. How long before this fiery, currently unemployed
coach returns to the
NHL?
Mike Keenan. How long before this fiery, currently
unemployed coach returns to the
NHL?
Greg Gilbert. Can Calgary's rookie coach squeeze a
competitive team out of a thin
roster?
Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille. They've aged another year,
but both remain incomparable puck hounds. The bet here is that they score 75
goals between
them.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Kostya Kennedy covers the NHL and is a
regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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