Rivalries

IS ONE PLAYOFF MEETING ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY CREATE A RIVALRY???
NOT IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE…
BUT IN TODAYS NHL TRADITION DOES NOT PLAY MUCH OF A ROLE…
THANKS TO THE SALARY CAP AND FREE AGENCY NO TEAM CAN STAY ON TOP FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME…
AND YOU NEED “TIME” TO BUILD A RIVALRY…
FROM 1995 UNTIL 2002…DALLAS…DETROIT AND COLORADO…CREATED THE BEST RIVALRIES IN HOCKEY AS THEY WENT TO 8 STRAIGHT CUP FINALS…
TONIGHT THE STARS ARE IN TOWN…
IT WILL BE THEIR FIRST VISIT TO VANCOUVER SINCE LOSING GAME 7 IN THE FIRST ROUND OF LAST SEASONS PLAYOFFS…
3 OF THOSE GAMES WENT INTO OVERTIME…
IT WAS NOT EXCITING HOCKEY…BUT FOR MARTY TURCO OF THE STARS IT WAS A BITTER DISSAPPOINTMENT…
HE PLAYED SOME OF THE BEST HOCKEY OF HIS CAREER…GIVING UP A TOTAL OF JUST 11 GOALS…
THE SERIES WAS NOT DECIDED UNTIL TREVOR LINDEN SCORED AT THE 7 MINUTE MARK OF THE THIRD PERIOD OF GAME 7…
SO IS ALL THAT ENOUGH TO NOW CALL THIS A RIVALRY…NOT REALLY…
HOWEVER THE CANUCKS DO HAVE 3 TEAMS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A LIGITIMATE RIVAL…
1) ANAHEIM…NOT ONLY DID THE DUCKS KNOCK THE CANUCKS OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS LAST SPRING…
BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF FAMILIAR FACES…BRIAN BURKE…TODD BERTUZZI AND BRAD MAY…
2) CALGARY…THE CANUCKS HAVE MET THE FLAMES 6 TIMES IN THE PLAYOFFS…THAT’S MORE THAN ANY OTHER TEAM…AND THERE’S ALSO MIKE KEENAN…
3) MINNESOTA…THE WILD BEAT THE CANUCKS IN A 7 GAME SERIES IN 2003…BUT THIS SEASON THERE WAS SOME FUEL ADDED TO THIS FIRE WHEN MATTIAS OHLUND GAVE MIKKO KOIVO A TWO HANDER…
OHLUND GOT 4 GAMES AND KOIVO IS STILL NOT BACK IN THE LINE UP…
DEREK BOOGAARD MAY STILL PLAY A ROLE…
PERHAPS THE BEST RIVALRY IN THE NHL BELONGS TO ANAHEIM AND EDMONTON…
TWO YEARS AGO THE OILERS BEAT THE DUCKS IN THE WESTERN FINAL…
CHRIS PRONGER IS NOW IN ANAHEIM…DUSTIN PENNER IS NOW IN EDMONTON…AND BURKE IS FIGHTING WITH KEVIN LOWE…
YEAH…IT’S A LONG WAY FROM SAY…THE RED SOX AND THE YANKEES…OR THE PACKERS AND THE COWBOYS…
BUT THIS IS THE NHL!!!
WHO KNOWS…IF THE LEAGUE HAD GREAT RIVALRIES…MAYBE WE’D STOP TALKING ABOUT CHRIS SIMON…