Stanley Cup Hangover

IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS A STANLEY CUP HANGOVER?
DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO…
4 OF THE LAST 8 CUP FINALISTS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS THE FOLLOWING SEASON…
AND NO CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO REPEAT SINCE THE WINGS DID IT IN 97-98…
KEEP IN MIND…THAT WAS BEFORE THE SALARY CAP…
NEVERTHELESS…YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THE OTTAWA SENATORS DROPPED NEW JERSEY 4-2 TO OPEN THE SEASON WITH A PERFECT RECORD OF 4 AND O…
HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THE SEASON THE SENATORS WERE ABLE TO GET DAN HEATLEY SIGNED TO A 6 YEAR CONTRACT…
SO FAR…HEATLEY HAS REPAID THE SENATORS WITH 4 GOALS IN 4 GAMES…
IN FACT THE BIG LINE OF…HEATLEY…SPEZZA AND ALFREDSON OWN 3 OF THE TOP 4 SPOTS IN NHL SCORING…
THAT INCLUDES ALFREDSON’S LEAGUE LEADING 8 POINTS…
THE DUCKS ARE A DIFFERENT STORY…
THEIR TWO WEEK ROAD TRIP FROM LONDON TO ANAHEIM CERTAINLY HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL…
ANAHEIM HAS JUST ONE VICTORY IN ITS FIRST 5 GAMES…
TOMORROW NIGHT THE DUCKS WILL PLAY THEIR FIRST HOME GAME OF THE SEASON…BOSTON IS IN TOWN…
IT WILL BE THEIR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THE BANNER THEY EARNED LAST SPRING…
HOWEVER THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE SAME TEAM…
MISSING ARE: …SCOTT NEIDERMAYER…TEEMU SELANNE…AND DUSTIN PENNER…
THE INJURY LIST INCLUDES MATHIEU SCHNEIDER…SAMUEL PAHLSSON AND J.S. GIGUERE…
THIS SEASON COREY PERRY AND RYAN GETZLAF ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME FIRST LINE PLAYERS AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SHOWN FLASHES OF IT…
THAT’S ALL THEY’VE SHOWN…
THE DUCKS WERE ALSO COUNTING ON BOBBY RYAN TO MAKE THE TEAM…
RYAN WAS THE SECOND PLAYER TAKEN OVER ALL IN 2005 ENTRY…RIGHT BEHIND SIDNEY CROSBY…
AFTER 4 GAMES RYAN HAD JUST ONE POINT AND HAS BEEN SENT TO THE MINORS…
PRINTED ON THE DUCKS DRESSING ROOM WALL IS THE TEAM MOTTO…WHICH READS…
“NO COMPLAINTS…NO EXCUSES”…
LAST SEASON IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE…
HOWEVER BEFORE THIS SEASON IS OVER THE DUCKS MAY BE FORCED TO RETHINK