No Red Lights: Hockey

After a hiatus from blogging, we're back! And ready for action from what is lining up to be an exciting and interesting year. The perrenial favorites are back with the Red Wings, Penguins and Caps in the hunt for Stanley's hardware but their goaltending situation's have their doubts. The salary-cap disbanded Cup champions will also be an interesting storyline. Their team core returns but many of the supporting role players were moved to make salary cap room. So we'll breakdown the big goalie changes and what you should look for.

The biggest surprise (for me) in the offseason was exit of Nabakov to Russia. Sure, I get it. He's closer to home, wasn't going to be picked up by San Jose and he's getting towards his twilight years in the league. But really San Jose?!? Really?!? You pick up two unproven goalies (sorry Niemi, you had a hot streak in the playoffs but the Blackhawks would have beat Leighton no matter who they had in net). Nabakov was one of the most consistent goalies in the regular season for the last 5 years; i'd at least wait for the next star to come around and go after him. I just don't have that kind of faith in Niemi (but please prove me wrong).

Following this trickle effect, Chicago bagged one of my favorites: Turco. The guy has been winning games in Dallas without much offensive or defensive help. He is the best stick-handling goalie out there (he invented or at least popularized the "over-the-top" method of shooting). He is still a world class goalie, and i'm excited to see what he'll do in a new scene and in a energized environment.

We'll cover the Red Wings and Caps next as their young goalies begin the onslaught of NHL slapshots and media crazes.