THE BEANPOT: A SPORTS TREASURE

For two Mondays every February, fans in the college hockey hotbed of the northeast focus all of their attention on the TD Banknorth Garden. Home to the NHL's Boston Bruins, the Garden plays host to one of the most cherished annual events in the hockey world: the Beanpot. For 57 years now, the Beanpot has brought Boston's four college hockey teams--BC, BU, Northeastern, and Harvard--together to determine bragging rights and bring pride and glory back to their respective student bodies and fan bases. Quite simply, the Beanpot is one of the greatest events in all of sports because it blends the historical significance of some of college hockey's most prestigious programs with the civic pride that comes from having all four teams call the same city home. Add it all up and you get one of hockey's most entertaining spectacles each and every year.

One obvious reason for the tournament's annual success is the fact that all four schools are only a couple of miles apart. According to Jack Parker, Boston University's head coach for the past 36 seasons, "the fact that it's the same four schools makes all the difference in the world." The close proximity of the universities means fans of one school almost always know fans from another, which raises the stakes for the players out on the ice. Winning is that much sweeter when you defeat your primary rivals, and just as important to the victory of one team is the defeat of the other three.

The history of the four teams also adds a layer of rich tradition to the annual February showdown. Three teams--BC, BU, and Harvard--have all been crowned NCAA Champions, with Boston College taking last year's crown. In fact, BU has won four national titles, BC three, and Harvard one back in 1989. Northeastern, the one Beanpot school that has never had the honor of winning a national championship, is by far the school with the least amount of success. But each year, the Huskies get a shot at their more successful older brothers on Boston's biggest stage. When NU's Tim Judy scored in double overtime to move a struggling Northeastern squad past Harvard (a top-10 team at the time) in 2005's tournament, it was the defining moment of his four years in college hockey. Said Judy "that was by far the biggest goal I've scored in my career. On that stage, in this environment, it was unbelievable." Northeastern appears to have as good a chance as anyone to win the 2009 event, as they are one of the top teams in Hockey East this season, and are currently ranked third in the nation.

The pageantry, passion, history, and emotion of the Beanpot continue to go unmatched. From the first Monday in February--when the first round is played--to the next week's final, all eyes in Boston will be firmly focused on the action at the TD Banknorth Garden. When finally the captain of one of these four programs will get to lift the Beanpot over his head, his program will be the talk of the town. At least until next February, when we'll do it all over again.

5 PLAYERS WHO MAY BE SWITCHING UNIFORMS

Thankfully, now that the All-Star game is done with, we can get back to the real games left on the schedule. And, as the season progresses, we come closer and closer to the March 1 trade deadline. The more we inch towards that fateful date, the more rumors swirl and fans become frenzied. While there is still more than a month remaining until the deadline, here are five big name players who may be switching uniforms at some point in the near future.

Vincent Lecavalier- Tampa Bay Lightning
Lecavalier, who just signed a contract extension (it begins after the season) to stay in Tampa Bay for the next 11 seasons, is certainly the hottest rumor right now. The Vinny to Montreal deal supposedly includes Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, and Josh Gorges headed back to the Lighting. Nobody really knows if this is at all accurate, but the rumors surrounding Tampa's captain certainly won't die.

Marian Gaborik- Minnesota Wild
Gaborik's injury history may hurt his value. The fact that he is hurt now will probably decrease the chances he is dealt, depending on how he plays when he returns. But the one reason Gaborik may be traded is the fact that the Wild haven't been able to sign him to an extension, and he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. If Minnesota wants to get anything in return, their only option is to deal their star player.

Jason Spezza- Ottawa Senators
The Sens terrible season makes them candidates to unload some of their higher priced veterans. Spezza, who has 18 goals on the season, could be the odd man out. The Sens could get some key pieces in return, and would clear cap space, as Spezza is making upwards of $5 million this season.

Jay Bouwmeester-Florida Panthers
Bouwmeester keeps rejecting Florida's attempts at signing him long term. If that trend continues, the Panthers will have to unload their talented defenseman. Bouwmeester is young (25), he's good (26 points), and he's very well paid ($4,875,000). Whoever does deal for the Panther will want to sign him long term, so a team with cap space will be his most likely destination.

The Phoenix Coyotes--All of Them
The Coyotes financial troubles are pretty well known, and there is certainly a chance they could be forced to unload a ton of salary. Despite the standings--Phoenix currently sits in fifth in the Western Conference--high priced players like Olli Jokinen and Derek Morris could be on the way out. Maybe the headline should have read The Phoenix Coyotes--All of Them (Except Ed Jovanovski) because at $6.5 million per season for another two years, I don't think anybody will be willing to take on Jovanovski's monster contract.

It will be interesting to see what teams decide to do at the deadline. Trading any of these players could deplete rosters severely, yet open cap space for the future. At the same time any of these players could turn pretenders into contenders. Let the trading begin!

THE TOP 5 ALL-STAR GAMES IN NHL HISTORY

The NHL All-Star game has seen all kinds of crazy changes throughout the years. The Campbell and Wales gave way to North America and the World, which eventually changed to the East vs. West format that is still used today. With the 2009 game set to get under way in just a couple hours, let's look back at the five best All-Star Games in NHL history.

5. 1998- General Motors Place (Vancouver, BC) North America 8 World 7
The first North America vs. The World game was very closely contested. The World team led 3-0 just four minutes in, but the North Americans battled back to tie it at three after one period, marking the largest comeback in All-Star game history. While the North Americans eventually won 8-7, Anaheim's Teemu Selanne netted a hat-trick and was the first losing player to be named MVP since Grant Fuhr in 1986.

4. 2003- Office Depot Center (Sunrise, FL) West 6 East 5 (OT-SO)
Dany Heatley's four goals helped the East stay tied with the West through 60 minutes. Both Patrick Lalime and Marty Turco made some spectacular saves in overtime, and the score remained tied. A shootout ensued with the West winning easily. Heatley (who else?) was the only Eastern Conference player to score in the shootout, with four players scoring on the other side to give the West the win.

3. 1986- Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, CT) Wales 4 Campbell 3 (OT)
Wayne Gretzky tied the game at two with under three minutes remaining; but just 19 seconds later the Flyers Brian Propp scored to give the Wales Conference a 3-2 lead. With Mike Gartner in the penalty box, the Jets Dale Hawerchuk beat Bob Froese with 43 ticks to go to send the game into overtime. Brian Trottier took a feed from teammate Mike Bossy and won the game for the Wales Conference just 3:05 into the extra session.

2. 1988- St. Louis Arena (St. Louis, MO) Wales 6 Campbell 5 (OT)
This one was all about number 66. Mario Lemieux lit the lamp three times, and added three more assists for an All-Star game record six points, including the game winner in overtime. Montreal's Mats Naslund broke a record of his own with five assists for the Wales Conference. Super Mario beat Mike Vernon of Calgary just 1:08 into OT for the win.

1. 1996- Fleet Center (Boston, MA) East 5 West 4
The top spot goes to 1996, otherwise known as "the Ray Bourque All-Star game." The entire weekend was basically a celebration of hockey in Boston, complete with Bobby Orr on hand as the East's honorary captain. Winnipeg's Teemu Selanne knotted the score at four with under four minutes to go, but hometown hero Ray Bourque beat Felix Potvin with :38 left to win the game for the East, 5-4. Bourque took home the MVP award in front of the Boston fans.

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Having already predicted the SuperSkills and the end of season awards, let's round out the picks with the post-season standings and playoff results. The crystal ball tells me...

WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. San Jose Sharks (Pacific Division Champ)
2. Detroit Red Wings (Central Division Champ)
3. Calgary Flames (Northwest Division Champ)
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. Edmonton Oilers
7. Phoenix Coyotes
8. Anaheim Ducks

Conference Quarter Finals
Sharks OVER Ducks
Red Wings OVER Coyotes
Flames OVER Oilers
Blackhawks OVER Canucks

Conference Semi Finals
Blackhawks OVER Sharks
Red Wings OVER Flames

Conference Finals
Red Wings OVER Blackhawks

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Boston Bruins (Northeast Division Champ)
2. Washington Capitals (Southeast Division Champ)
3. New Jersey Devils (Atlantic Division Champ)
4. Montreal Canadiens
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. New York Rangers
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
8. Buffalo Sabres

Conference Quarter Finals
Bruins OVER Sabres
Capitals OVER Penguins
Rangers OVER Devils
Canadiens OVER Flyers

Conference Semi Finals
Bruins OVER Canadiens
Capitals OVER Rangers

Conference Finals
Capitals OVER Bruins

STANLEY CUP FINALS
Detroit Redwings OVER Washington Capitals

NHL SUPER SKILLS PREDICTIONS

Here are my picks for all of tonight's events. The festivities kick off at 7:00 on Versus. All of the contestants will be listed under the event, with the winner in italics.

NHL Fastest Skater
Zach Parise (NJ)
Brian Campbell (CHI)
Jeff Carter (PHI)
Jay Bouwmeester (FLA)
Mason Raymond (VAN)
Andrew Cogliano (EDM)

Fan Fave Breakaway Challenge
Patrick Kane (CHI)
Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)
Martin St. Louis (TB)
Alexei Kovalev (MTL)
Steven Stamkos (TB)
Alexander Ovechkin (WAS)

Accuracy Shooting
Jonathan Toews (CHI)
Ilya Kovalchuk (ATL)
Mike Modano (DAL)
Jarome Iginla (CGY)
Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
Dany Heatley (OTT)
Marc Savard (BOS)
Tomas Kaberle (TOR)

Hardest Shot
Zdeno Chara (BOS)
Sheldon Souray (EDM)
Mark Streit (NYI)
Shea Weber (NSH)
Mike Komisarek (MTL)
Vincent Lecavalier (TB)

Elimination Shootout
Since there are 36 shooters taking part in this event against Tim Thomas, Henrik Ludqvist, Niklas Backstrom, and JS Giguere, I won't list them all here. But I do believe the winner of this event will be: Zach Parise

And finally....

NHL YoungStars Game
Sophomores defeat Rookies
Game MVP: Devin Setoguchi (SJ)

Of course, none of these events really mean anything, save for the $18,000 one lucky charity will receive after the winner of the hardest shot comptetition is determined. But its a fun event for the league to showcase some of the superstar talent, and provides a nice break for the players in the middle of the season.

WHY THE GAME NEEDS FIGHTING

Last night, 20-year-old Garrett Klotz of the Philadelphia Phantoms had a seizure after a particularly long and bloody fight against a member of the Manchester Monarchs. This, plus the untimely death of Don Sanderson, who hit his head on the ice after a fight, and the argument about whether fighting really belongs in hockey is wide open for discussion.

Despite these horrible situations, fighting should remain legal. Believe it or not, fighting actually keeps the players more safe out on the ice, and taking that away would make for more cheap shots and probably more serious injuries. When the Dallas Stars visited the Boston Bruins on November 1, Dallas agitators Steve Ott and Sean Avery (especially Ott though) took cheap shot after cheap shot on Bruins players. He went after the knee of Stephane Yelle, and then backed into Milan Lucic's knees, clearly trying to hurt either one of them. So how did Boston respond? Well, Ott refused to fight, so enforcer Shawn Thornton fought Kris Barch. Andrew Ference fought Avery. In fact, just about all the Bruins were ready to drop the gloves to defend their teammates. And they did it all legally. Had fighting been outlawed in the game, the only way for them to reply to Ott's antics would be to go after him illegally. Maybe they would have hit him low, like he did to them. Maybe a shot after the whistle. Who knows? But what we do know is that fighting let the players police themselves and nobody got hurt.

Taking fights out of the game would lead to more Ulf Samuelsson-Cam Neely situations. And I don't think anybody wants that.

MID-SEASON AWARD PREDICTIONS

With the All-Star break finally here, let's take a quick look forward and predict some NHL awards. Here are most of the league's real awards, plus some other special ones. Here goes...

Hart Trophy (League MVP)
1. Alexander Ovechkin- Washington Capitals
2. Evgeni Malkin- Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Marc Savard- Boston Bruins

Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
1. Steve Mason- Columbus Blue Jackets
2. Kris Versteeg- Chicago Blackhawks
3. Blake Wheeler- Boston Bruins

Norris Trophy (Best Defenceman)
1. Zdeno Chara- Boston Bruins
2. Mike Green- Washington Capitals
3. Shea Weber- Nashville Predators

Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
1. Tim Thomas- Boston Bruins
2. Steve Mason- Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Niklas Backstrom- Minnesota Wild

Art Ross Trophy (Most Regular Season Points)
1. Evgeni Malkin- Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Alexander Ovechkin- Washington Capitals
3. Sidney Crosby- Pittsburgh Penguins

Jack Adams Award (Coach of the Year)
1. Claude Julien- Boston Bruins
2. Todd McLellan- San Jose Sharks
3. Bruce Boudreau- Washington Capitals

Biggest Surprise (Player)
1. Steve Mason- Columbus Blue Jackets
2. David Krejci- Boston Bruins
3. Loui Eriksson- Dallas Stars

Biggest Disappointment (Player)
1. Jonathan Cheechoo- San Jose Sharks
2. Wade Redden- New York Rangers
3. Craig Rivet- Buffalo Sabres

Biggest Surprise (Team)
1. Boston Bruins
2. Phoenix Coyotes
3. New Jersey Devils

Biggest Disappointment (Team)
1. Ottawa Senators
2. Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Anaheim Ducks

GM of the Year
1. Peter Chiarelli- Boston Bruins
2. Doug Wilson- San Jose Sharks
3. Lou Lamoriello- New Jersey Devils

There ya have it. Some real, some not. All (probably) wrong. More predictions, including those for the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals, will be posted a little later on.

THE 5 WORST ALTERNATE JERSEYS IN THE NHL

We've already looked at the five best alternate designs, now let's go over the five worst.

5. Ottawa Senators

My main problems with this one are the sleeves and the sides. Too many stripes and color changes going every which way. There is simply too much going on, and the piping on the shoulders looks ridiculous. I actually don't mind the slant of the writing, but the rest ruins a logo with potential.




4. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pens have been black, gold, and (I guess) white for so long that anything else just doesn't work. The ugly light blue, coupled with the yellow of the normal logo in the center clashes badly, and the black lines at the base of the sleeves look strange.




3. Phoenix Coyotes

I actually like the Coyotes normal jerseys, but these are just plain weird. The leaping coyote is such a far cry from what we've seen in Phoenix over the years (which is not always a bad thing). The striping on the sides doesn't look quite right, and the slanted coloring on the sleeves is strange.
Close, but no cigar.



2. Dallas Stars
Boring. Boring. Boring. It's white, it's straightforward, and it's bland. No piping on the bottom makes it look even more empty.







1. Atlanta Thrashers

What were they thinking? The color scheme is weird, has no relation whatsoever to their normal jerseys, and the writing is too high and too thin. Ugh.

THE TOP 5 ALTERNATE JERSEYS IN THE NHL

The NHL's decision to create new alternate jerseys for some of it's teams was certainly an interesting one. Teams change jersey designs so often, it seems like every couple of weeks a new logo appears. By creating these new third jerseys the NHL has put a stop to teams unveiling new designs so often, and have in turn created some fantastic looking jerseys, and some of the most hideous uniforms you will ever see. Here are the five best looking alternates, with the five worst coming later on.

5. Boston Bruins
Thankfully, the B's decided to abandon the mustard yellow jerseys and get back to the black alternates. I love the walking bear logo, which appears to be a more modernized version of the team's old logo.






4. San Jose Sharks
The Sharks decided not to completely overhaul the "shark biting hockey stick" logo that they have used ever since the team's creation, but slight tweaks make their new alternate a keeper. The draw string up top give the jersey an old-timey feel, and the teal arm stripes look pretty sweet. I also like the interlocking SJ on the shoulders.




3. Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are essentially just going back to their hay day with these new jerseys. While Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Grant Fuhr may not be walking through that door, Edmonton is trying to bring back some of the magic from those teams. I especially like the orange coloring at the bottom of the sleeves.




2. Chicago Blackhawks
These jerseys, that the 'Hawks unveiled at the Winter Classic, are pretty awesome looking. They actually use a combination of two different jerseys from the past, combining them into these beauties. I really like the circle with team name surrounding the main logo.





1. Buffalo Sabres
I've always been a big fan of the Sabres old jerseys. The black uniforms with the buffalo's head are pretty stupid looking, and the jerseys they've worn for the past two seasons just can't compare. I'm glad they are going back to their original look with these alternates. If only the Sabres would wear them every game...

GET WELL PAT BURNS

Former Bruins, Devils, Canadiens, and Maple Leafs head coach Pat Burns is fighting his third bout with cancer in the past six years. Burns, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2003, and liver cancer in 2005, learned in May, 2008 that the disease has returned in his lungs. I think I can speak for most hockey fans when I say that I sincerely hope Burns beats this thing once again.

As a Bruins fan, I loved the way Burns liked to mix it up with opposing coaches. His argument with Capitals coach Ron Wilson after the team's--goalies included--brawled during a game in Boston in 1998 was certainly memorable. He always said what was on his mind without being afraid of the consequences, and was a hell of a coach as well. Burns won three Jack Adams awards as the NHL coach of the year for three different teams, and won a Cup with New Jersey back in 2003.

Burns, who's career record stands at 501-350-161, has been doing some scouting for the Devils but was hoping to get back into coaching before he was diagnosed. Hopefully he'll be able to make a triumphant return to the bench at some point soon.

TOP 5 GOALIE MASKS OF ALL-TIME

In recent years, NHL goalies have taken mask art to a whole new level. Gone are the days of the single colored helmet; now goaltenders, even backups, have crazy designs painted on their masks, often with a theme pertaining to their team, location, or birth place. Here are my five favorite goalie masks of all-time.

5. Jaroslav Halak- Montreal Canadiens
This one has it all. A scary demon covering most of the top, with former Montreal great Patrick Roy hoisting the Stanley Cup to the side. A sweet looking mask with a reference to the Canadiens' past, plus the flag of his native Slovakia put Halak onto the list.
4. Stephane Fiset- Quebec Nordiques
The wall of ice design worn by former Quebec Nordiques goalie Stephane Fiset looks awesome. It's menacing, yet fitting for the netminder of a team that's name literally means "people from the north." Just like the mask shows, Fiset was a wall in net for Quebec.
3. Antero Nittymaki- Philadelphia Flyers
The gangster design on Nittymaki's mask comes from his original nickname, Nitty. When head coach Ken Hitchcock called him Frank, after gangster Frank Nitti, a front man in Al Capone's mob, the idea came together. The bullet holes make for a really nice design.
2. Vesa Toskala- Toronto Maple Leafs
Toskala's skull design is pretty bad-ass. I especially like the black background and the glowing blue eyes, which fit in perfectly with the rest of Toronto's color scheme. Toskala had a similar mask during his time in San Jose but with eyes befitting of the Sharks jerseys.
1. Gerry Cheevers- Boston Bruins
Former B's goaltender Gerry Cheevers takes the top spot for his famous "stitched" design. After Cheevers was hit in the face during a practice, the head trainer jokingly drew a stitch mark on his mask. Each time he was hit from then on garnered a new stitch mark, and the rest is history. I also really like Steve Shields' tribute to Cheevers during his stint with the Bruins.

WHAT A GAME!

As a Bruins fan I was disappointed. But as a hockey fan I was thrilled. My first chance to see this season's B's team in person had everything: scoring, fighting, and one of the most unbelievable finishes of the season. It all happened this afternoon at TD Banknorth Garden, where the St. Louis Blues beat Boston 5-4 in a shootout.

St. Louis led 2-1 heading into the third period, and had possession of the puck for much of the final frame. David Backes hooked Michael Ryder to the ground with Boston already on the power play, giving the Bruins a 48-second two-man advantage in the final five minutes. Just 20 ticks later and Ryder wristed a feed from David Krejci over Chris Mason's shoulder to tie the game at two.

Still up a man, the Bruins took a 3-2 lead just 19 seconds later when PJ Axelsson blasted a slapper by Mason. Then 1:20 later, captain Zdeno Chara beat the Blues goalie five-hole, 4-2 Bruins.

With just 2:48 left, Stephane Yelle was called for tripping. Mason was pulled for an extra attacker, and the Blues wasted little time in six on four. David Perron netted a tip-in pulling St. Louis back within a goal with 1:20 remaining. Mason again went to the bench for the extra skater, but all looked lost for St. Louis as Bruins forward Blake Wheeler stormed towards the empty net in the final minute. Wheeler's snapper trickled just wide, and the Blues mounted a final rush in the last five seconds of the game. Perron's blast from just past the face-off dot ricocheted off Tim Thomas' left arm and straight up in the air. David Backes batted the puck out of mid air past and past Thomas as the buzzer began to sound, tying the game at four.

After a lengthy review--making sure the puck went in before 0:00 was on the clock, and to see if he had made contact with the puck higher than the crossbar--the goal was upheld. According to ESPN's Game Report though, "The puck was slightly above the cross bar when Backes hit it, the video showed" which should have nullified the tying score. It was so close though, that leaving it as it was called on the ice was probably the right move.

Former Bruin Brad Boyes beat Thomas between the pads to end the game, giving the Blues the 2-0 shootout win, and a 5-4 victory in the game. Plus, based on their play, the Bruins didn't really have any business winning this one, leaving Boston head coach Claude Julien to remark, "we got what we deserved."

Despite the loss, it was an awesome game between the top team in the east and the cellar dwellers of the west. Zdeno Chara and Brad Winchester got into it throughout the afternoon, and a few scrums in front of the nets livened up the action and created chippiness between the two teams. Five goals were scored in the last five minutes of regulation, and the final thirty seconds alone was worth the price of admission.

A tremendous play capped off a tremendous afternoon. Hopefully the Bruins will learn from their defensive lapses in the final minute and come back stronger after the all-star break.

WERE LAST NIGHT'S GAMES CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEWS?

With the NFL playing it's Conference Championship games today, I can't help but wonder about the NHL playoffs coming up in a couple of months; especially with the one versus two matchups taking place in both the west and east last night. But are Boston, Washington, and San Jose, Detroit going to still be the top seeds once the post-season finally does roll around? There is no way to know for sure. What we do know though, is that all four of these clubs will be in the playoffs, and all appear poised to make a run towards Lord Stanley's Cup.

Despite a 2-1 loss in D.C. last night, the Boston Bruins remain the top overall seed in the Eastern Conference. At 33-8-4, Boston is in the driver's seat and seems ready to claim home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The team's 70 points are nine ahead of the second place Capitals, and the B's have played one fewer game than Washington. They lead the Canadiens (4th in the East) by 10 points in the Northeast Division.

Washington too, seems set for the playoffs. They are 29-14-3 and sit 12 points up on Florida in the weak Southeast. Their second win over the Bruins this season shouldn't come as too big a shock. The Caps are 19-3-1 inside the Verizon Center this year, making it the toughest place to play in the Eastern Conference (Boston is 17-3-1 at home).

Out west, San Jose held serve on home ice, defeating the defending Cup Champion Red Wings last night, 6-5. The Sharks and Detroit are clearly the two best teams in the west (sorry Blackhawks), and last night's game proved that they are seemingly interchangeable in going for that number one seed. The Wings sit three points back of the Sharks, but those three points could turn out to be huge. Should these two teams meet in the Western Conference Finals, San Jose would really benefit from playing games one and two (and potentially game seven) in the Shark Tank. San Jose's 21-1-2 record on home ice is the best in the NHL.

While it is certainly too early to be saying last night's games were Conference Final Previews, that really wouldn't be a surprise. Either way, I'm looking forward to April, when we will learn the final standings, and let one through eight battle it out in the quest for the Stanley Cup.

WILL THE ISLANDERS MOVE TO KC?

The recent announcement that the New York Islanders will take on the Los Angeles Kings in a preseason game in Kansas City certainly makes it seem like the Islanders are looking for a way out of New York. It's no secret that the team is struggling both on and off the ice, making a deal for the new arena that owner Charles Wang wants all the more unlikely.

Furthering the speculation, of course, is the fact that Kansas City has been looking for an NHL team for some time. The city made a big push for the Pittsburgh Penguins to make the move when the club was struggling to receive funding for a new rink of their own in 2007. KC opened the Sprint Center that same year, a $276 million NHL ready arena in downtown Kansas City. The city previously tried to lure the Nashville Predators out west as well, but the Preds ownership group elected to sign a new lease to remain in the Sommet Center instead.

New Yorkers certainly won't be broken up if the Islanders do pack up and leave town. The Isles rank dead last in attendance per game, drawing an average of 13, 566 a night. Part of the reason for that may be fact that the team is 12-28-4 and are last in the Eastern Conference. It may have something to do with the team's current arena as well. The Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened in 1972 and has the smallest capacity in the NHL. The deteriorating building is considered obsolete compared to more modern hockey arenas and hasn't held up well throughout the years.

If Wang doesn't get the funding for a new arena, it's looking more and more likely that the team will pack up and leave town. By the time next September rolls around, the Isles preseason game against LA may be the team's first exhibition game in it's new permanent home.

FRANCHISE ICONS...EASTERN CONFERENCE

Yesterday we posted the franchise icons for all 15 Western Conference teams. Now it's time for our picks for the face of each Eastern Conference franchise. Just a reminder, our criteria include Stanley Cups, total stats with that team, and the importance of each player to his respective organization.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Washington Capitals- Peter Bondra
There is no doubt in my mind that one day Alexander Ovechkin will be the Caps all-time leader in just about every major statistical category. Until then, Bondra will be known as the face Washington's club. With the most points in franchise history, the five time all-star and two time scoring champ tops the team's list.

Atlanta Thrashers- Ilya Kovalchuk
Not much to say for this one.

Carolina Hurricanes- Ron Francis
Francis played 1186 games for the Hurricanes/Whalers. His 1175 points dwarf everyone else on the list (Kevin Dineen is second with 544) and he was one of the top centerman in the NHL for many many years.

Florida Panthers- Scott Mellanby
A tough choice between him and Olli Jokinen, Mellanby gets the nod because he led Florida to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1995-96.

Tampa Bay Lightning- Vincent Lecavalier
Vinnie is tops in the franchise's record book in games played, goals, assists, points, power play goals, even strength goals, and game winning goals. And he was the captain of the 2003-04 Cup winning team.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

New York Rangers- Mark Messier
While many players put up better numbers for the blueshirts, none had the impact of Messier. Who can forget his guarantee before game six of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils? He backed it up with a hat trick and led the Rangers to their first title in 54 years.

New York Islanders- Mike Bossy
The first player to score 50 goals in 50 games since Rocket Richard, Bossy is the franchise's all-time scoring leader and won four straight Cups on Long Island.

New Jersey Devils- Martin Brodeur
He has played 14 seasons in New Jersey (so far) and won three Stanley Cups. Brodeur has won the Vezina Trophy four times, the Jennings four times, and his 544 wins put him second in NHL history.

Pittsburgh Penguins- Mario Lemieux
No debate here. Lemieux was one of the best players to ever lace 'em up and won back to back cups in 1991 and '92. His career stats are simply remarkable.

Philadelphia Flyers- Bobby Clarke
The longtime captain of the Broad Street Bullies is the franchise's all-time leader in games played, assists, and points. He accumulated 1,453 penalty minutes in his career, and was a plus-546 in his 15 seasons in Philadelphia.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Ottawa Senators- Daniel Alfredsson
Alfredsson has played for the Sens since the club's second year of existence (1995). He tops the franchise in pretty much every major category, and has captained Ottawa for the last decade or so.

Buffalo Sabres- Gilbert Perreault
The first overall pick by Buffalo in 1970, Perreault spent 17 seasons in western New York, and leads the organization in goals, assists, points, and games played.

Toronto Maple Leafs- Mats Sundin
Sundin narrowly edged out Darryl Sittler (even though he never had a 10 point game) because he has more goals, assists, points, power play goals, shorthanded goals, and game winners. That, and he was a plus-99 in his 981 games as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

Montreal Canadiens-Guy Lafleur
While it was difficult to go against Jean Beliveau or Rocket Richard, Lafleur is number one for the Habs. First in assists, points, and game winning goals, Lafleur won five Cups in Montreal, plus two Hart Trophies and was named to six all-star games during his time with the Canadiens.

Boston Bruins- Bobby Orr
It was so hard to pick against Ray Bourque, one of my all-time favorites, but Orr is the logical choice here. Despite retiring early because of recurring injury problems, Orr won eight Norris trophies, three Hart trophies, and two Conn Smythe trophies as the playoff MVP. Widely regarded as the greatest player of all-time, Orr's series winning overtime goal against St. Louis in 1970 is one of the most famous images in the history of the NHL.

FRANCHISE ICONS...WESTERN CONFERENCE

I recently heard an interesting argument about who was a better player: Ray Bourque or Bobby Orr. With that in mind, I think it's time to take a look at the most iconic players of each franchise currently in the NHL. The criteria includes championships won, total stats (with that team), and the importance of that player to the franchise in general. Without further adieu, here are the most iconic players of each NHL team in the Western Conference. The East will be posted later on.

PACIFIC DIVISION

San Jose Sharks- Patrick Marleau
Marleau, the Sharks captain, leads the franchise in games played (838), goals (261), assists (326), points (587), power play goals (79), and game winning goals (49). He has played his entire 11-year career in San Jose.

Phoenix Coyotes- Keith Tkachuk
The Coyotes--then known as the Winnipeg Jets--selected Tkachuk with the 19th overall pick of the 1990 draft, and were rewarded with 10 solid years of play. Tkachuk is in the top 10 in franchise history in goals, assists, goals per game, points per game, power play goals, even strength goals, shorthanded goals, and game winning goals.

Los Angeles Kings- Marcel Dionne
Dionne narrowly edges Wayne Gretzky and Luc Robbitaille to top the list because he finished his career in Los Angeles as a plus-106, neither of the other two are even in the top 10.

Dallas Stars- Mike Modano
There's really no other choice here. Modano has played all 1,362 of his career NHL games with the franchise, and is undoubtedly one of the two or three greatest American born players to ever lace up skates.

Anaheim Ducks- Teemu Selanne
Selanne nearly topped the list for the Phoenix Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets, but Anaheim is where he belongs. Selanne has the most goals, assists, and points in franchise history, and won the Cup with the Ducks in 2007.

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Vancouver Canucks- Trevor Linden
Linden played over 300 games more than Stan Smyl, second on the franchise's all-time list. He played in Vancouver from 1988-89 through 1997-98, and again from 2001-02 to 2007-08, and led them to the Stanley Cup finals in 1994.

Minnesota Wild- Marian Gaborik
Because there is nobody else.

Edmonton Oilers- Wayne Gretzky
The Great One scored 583 goals with Edmonton, the most in franchise history. Number 99 won four Stanley Cups in five years as a member of the Oilers between 1983 and 1987.

Colorado Avalanche- Joe Sakic
The 15th pick of the 1987 Draft, Sakic has played all 20 of his NHL seasons for the Avs/Nordiques and has 625 career goals. He won two rings--1995 and 2000--as well.

Calgary Flames- Al MacInnis
MacInnis gets the nod over Jarome Iginla primarily because he was a member of the 1988 Stanley Cup winning squad. He beats out Theo Fleury because he had over 100 more helpers than the scrappy forward, and his 822 points (2nd in franchise history behind Fleury's 830) are incredibly impressive for a defenseman. MacInnis was a plus-241 in 803 games for the Flames.

CENTRAL DIVISION

St. Louis Blues- Brett Hull
Hull played 10 years in St. Louis and his 527 goals are leaps and bounds ahead of Bernie Federko's 352 for most in franchise history. He is also the franchise leader in game winning goals with 70.

Nashville Predators- Tomas Vokoun
The only goalie on the list, Vokoun really only makes the cut because the Preds are such a young franchise with no history whatsoever. He nearly doubled Mike Dunham's win total (161 to 81), and has the best goals against average (2.21) and save percentage (.913), and the most shutouts (21) in franchise history.

Detroit Red Wings- Gordie Howe
Howe played with the Wings from the time he was 18 until he was 42. He is the franchise's all-time leader in points, won four Stanley Cups in Detroit, and was a six time Hart Trophy winner as the league's MVP.

Columbus Blue Jackets- Rick Nash
Nash is the all-time leader in goals with 171. He's the face of the franchise, and there isn't really anyone else that could be the best player in Blue Jackets history.

Chicago Blackhawks- Stan Mikita
Mikita narrowly edges Bobby Hull for the top spot because he finished his career with more games played, many more assists (926 to Hull's 549), more points (1467 to 1153), more power play goals (127 to 119), and more game winning goals (67 to 65). Each man one won Stanley Cup with the franchise, in 1960. Mikita and Hull are 1a and 1b, but I'm giving top billing to Stan the Man.