CHECK OUT "THROUGH THE FIVE HOLE"

Since I was writing primarily about the Bruins and the NHL for awhile, I decided it was time to start a blog entirely devoted to the sport. Check out "Through the Five Hole" for all your hockey needs. Of course, we will continue to post on here as well, and remember to listen to Saturday Morning Sports, noon to one every Saturday on 1550am WNTN, and WNTN.com.

MIDSEASON ROUNDUP

I know I know. Another hockey post? Well I promise, we'll switch it up soon! But for now, with the NHL's All-Star festivities coming up, and the season already past the midway point (41 games), let's look at where we are in the various award races. Keep in mind, these are only our predictions, feel free to disagree.

Hart Trophy (MVP): Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
The former first overall pick is quickly becoming the face of the league, and has the Caps battling it out for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Other Candidates: Evgeni Malkin, Joe Thornton

Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets
Mason has come out of nowhere to emerge as a serious candidate for the Vezina Trophy as the League's top goalie. As a rookie, his stellar play is all the more impressive. Other Candidates: Blake Wheeler, Kris Versteeg

Norris Trophy (Top Defenseman): Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins
The Captain of the best team in the Eastern Conference (and for now the NHL), Chara is the heart and soul of the League's top rated defense. Other Candidates: Mike Green, Nicklas Lidstrom

Vezina Trophy (Top Goalie): Tim Thomas, Boston Bruins
18-4-3 with a 2.04 goals against average, Thomas has (literally) stood on his head for this team. His play is one of the main reasons why they are in such good position. Other Candidates: Steve Mason, Nicklas Backstrom

Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward): Mike Richards, Philadelphia Flyers
Richards is near the top of the league in blocked shots and takeaways. His play on the penalty kill has been tremendous for Philly as well. Other Candidates: Pavel Datsyuk

Adams Award (Coach of the Year): Claude Julien, Boston Bruins
That's right, another Boston award. Deal with it! Nobody expected this from the B's this season, after finishing eighth in the Conference a year ago. Boston is 32-7-4 through 43 games this year. Other Candidates: Todd McLellan

TOUGH BREAK FOR BRUINS

Just as everything was coming together for the Bruins, their top scorer gets shelved. Phil Kessel, Boston's 21-year-old superstar was placed on IR today with mono, and will miss anywhere from two weeks to a month. Kessel, who was one of the biggest All-Star snubs of the season, has had a breakout campaign so far this year, netting 24 goals and 17 assists for the East leading Bruins.

The timing of the sickness is the main issue for Claude Julien's club. The B's five games leading into the All-Star break include a showdown with arch rival Montreal, and a trip to the Nation's Capital to see Alexander Ovechkin and the red hot Washington Capitals. The Caps had won 12 of their last 13 games, including a 3-1 victory over Boston, before losing two straight. The Habs have won seven of their last eight, and four in a row overall.

It's fairly amazing that Boston has been able to sustain it's early season pace, given the absence of some big time players. Patrice Bergeron, who missed 72 games (plus seven playoff games) a year ago, has been out since December 20 after suffering another concussion. And Marco Sturm, a 27 goal scorer last season, has barely played this year, and will almost certainly miss the rest of this season.

So far, the Bruins have been able to plug in pieces and still get the job done. But with an extended absence from Kessel, who knows what will happen? B's fans shouldn't worry too much though. As long as Savard, Krejci, and especially Ryder continue to light the lamp (the B's are 14-0 in games when Ryder scores a goal), they will remain the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

CHIARELLI DESERVES CREDIT FOR MUCH OF B'S SUCCESS

Peter Chiarelli has a plan. That was all we heard when the Bruins hired Ottawa's Assistant GM to become their new General Manager in May, 2006. After a tough 2007 season, the B's improved drastically under new head coach Claude Julien a year ago. And now, less than two years since the hiring of Chiarelli, Boston has one of the best teams in all of hockey. After the club's 5-1 thrashing of Carolina earlier today at TD Banknorth Garden, the Bruins improved to 31-7-4, good for 66 points and a 12 point lead over the rival Canadiens in the Northeast Division. Much of the credit for the leaps and bounds this franchise has made in the past couple of years should go to their third year GM.

Since taking over for Mike O'Connell, Chiarelli has built a team ripe with young talent. Phil Kessel, the team's leading scorer, is only 21 and already one of the top forwards in all of hockey. Matt Hunwick, 22, Milan Lucic, 21, and David Krejci, 22, are all young talents coming into their own this season as well. Throw in free agent singing Blake Wheeler, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, and the Bruins are stocked with cheap young players that bring fun and energy to the rink every night.

Additionally, Chiarelli has signed some big name free agents to bolster the roster and provide veteran leadership. 6'9 defenseman Zdeno Chara signed a five year, $37.5 million contract in July, 2006, and has been an All-Star selection each of the past two seasons. The heart and soul of Boston's league leading defensive unit, Chara has averaged well over 20 minutes per game in each season with the club. Chiarelli signed Marc Savard that same offseason, and "Savvy" has been a whiz in the offensive end during his stint in Black and Gold. Savard, who makes $5.5 million annually, has 38 assists so far this season, good for second in the entire NHL in that category.

Chiarelli has also made some key trades to improve the team as well. The GM was harshly criticized for trading fan favorite Brad Boyes to St. Louis for puck moving defenseman Dennis Wideman, but that trade has largely worked out for Boston. The offensive minded Wideman has been tremendous for the Bruins with 27 points (third most among Eastern Conference defenseman), and is a plus-24, trailing only teammates Savard (plus-28) and Wheeler (plus-25) on the season.

Other Chiarelli pickups include Aaron Ward, Andrew Ference, Chuck Kobasew, and Stephane Yelle, with each playing key supporting roles in the Bruins' current run to the top of the standings. Only time will tell how far this team can go, but they certainly have the depth to make a run. Call-ups Byron Bitz, Martins Karsums, Martin St. Pierre, and Vladimir Sobotka have all made appearances with the big club in 2008-09, and all have held their own while wearing the Spoked-B. Regular season wins may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but Chiarelli's boys appear to be in it for the long haul. A master plan indeed.

HOW IS PHIL KESSEL NOT AN ALL-STAR?

Really? There are actually 12 better forwards in the Eastern Conference right now than Phil Kessel? I can understand Boston's 21-year-old forward not starting for the East squad, but missing the team entirely? Come on.

Kessel currently ranks fourth in the conference with 24 goals, only three behind the triumvirate of Ovechkin, Carter, and Vanek, all All-Stars themselves. He had a stretch of 18 consecutive games with at least one point earlier this season, and is currently a plus-17, good for seventh best in the league, despite playing only 16:46 per night, ranking him 68th among Eastern Conference forwards.

Compare Kessel's numbers to those of Carolina centerman Eric Staal (who did make the team), for example:

Kessel: 24 goals, 17 assists, 41 points, 143 shots, 16:46 average time on ice
Staal: 18 goals, 14 assists, 32 points, 176 shots, 21:20 average time on ice

Of course, the B's leading goal scorer was left off because the fans voted Alexei Kovalev into the game as a starter for the East. Nevermind the fact that his 11 goals have him tied for 48th in the conference, or that his 31 points put him in 32nd. The voting for All-Star starters is a lot like the race for class president in middle school. It's all about who is more popular, and unfortunately for Kessel, Kovalev won that battle.

There are plenty of other snubs and ridiculous selections for this year's game, but Kessel, along with Caps defenseman Mike Green, appear to be the biggest mistakes. Oh well, there will be plenty of other Bruins to root for on All-Star weekend. Tim Thomas, Marc Savard, and Zdeno Chara will be representing the East in the game, and Milan Lucic and Blake Wheeler will be facing off in the Young Stars Game.

MY NHL ALL-STAR PICKS

The NHL All-Star starting lineups are out and, once again, the fans got it wrong. Of the six starters (including the goalie) representing the Eastern Conference, four are representing Montreal, and the other two are Pittsburgh Penguins. While fan voting for starters does leave something to be desired, here are my picks for the reserves for both the East and West rosters.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards (9):
Alexander Ovechkin, Capitals
Marc Savard, Bruins
Zach Parise, Devils
Phil Kessel, Bruins
Thomas Vanek, Sabres
Jeff Carter, Flyers
Simon Gagne, Flyers
Nicklas Backstrom, Capitals
David Krejci, Bruins

Defenseman (4):
Zdeno Chara, Bruins
Mike Green, Capitals
Mark Streit, Islanders
Dennis Wideman, Bruins

Goalies (2):
Tim Thomas, Bruins
Henrik Lundqvist, Rangers

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Forwards (9):
Jarome Iginla, Flames
Joe Thornton, Sharks
Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings
Rick Nash, Blue Jackets
Loui Eriksson, Stars
Marian Hossa, Red Wings
Brad Boyes, Blues
Patrick Marleau, Sharks
Daniel Sedin, Canucks

Defenseman (4):
Dan Boyle, Sharks
Brian Rafalski, Red Wings
Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings
Duncan Keith, Blackhawks

Goalies (2):
Evgeni Nabokov, Sharks
Nicklas Backstrom, Wild

In case you're wondering about some deserving players not on my list, keep in mind that these are only reserves. The starters, as voted by the fans, are as follows:

LW: Evgeni Malin, Penguins
C: Sidney Crosby, Penguins
RW: Alexei Kovalev, Canadiens
D: Andrei Markov, Canadiens
D: Mike Komisarek, Canadiens
G: Carrie Price, Canadiens

LW: Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks
C: Jonathan Toews, Blackhawks
RW: Patrick Kane, Blackhawks
D: Brian Campbell, Blackhawks
D: Scott Niedermayer, Ducks
G: JS Giguere, Ducks

NHL DROPS THE BALL AGAIN

As has been recounted many times (on this blog and others), the NHL has no clue what it's doing in setting precedent for suspensions. Randy Jones gets two games for nearly decapitating Patrice Bergeron, yet Sean Avery gets an "indefinite" suspension for his "sloppy seconds" comments and then isn't invited back to the team afterwards?

Well, the NHL is essentially now saying it's OK to do whatever the hell you want...as long as you are a star player. That's the only possible explanation for the Sidney Crosby/Boris Valabik tilt from a Pens-Thrashers game in Atlanta earlier this month. Crosby was clearly the third man into this fight, and took two big swings (with gloves on) at Valabik, striking him both times below the belt. His penalty? Two minutes for roughing. No fine. No suspension. Nothing.

Say this was the other way around, and Valabik had been the one cheap shotting Sid the Kid down south. You don't think NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell would have been all over it? Or say it was Alexander Ovechkin who made the sloppy seconds remarks. Would he have been suspended at all? This is just another ridiculous precedent being set by the NHL.

Crosby should probably watch out next time Pittsburgh and Atlanta meet. And the Thrashers should also probably be weary of suspensions from the head honchos upstairs. Unless of course Ilya Kovalchuk is the one taking the cheap shots.

A TEAM THAT'S (GASP!) BETTER THAN THE BRUINS?

The Bruins hot start has shocked many in the world of hockey. It's been another team, however, the seems to be pushing hockey slowly back into sports fans' collective consciousness: the San Jose Sharks. The Pacific Division leading Sharks are actually off to the best start in NHL history, with 53 points in 31 games, surpassing the 1929-30 Bruins for most points (52) in a team's first 30 games.

The Sharks raw numbers are staggering. They are 25-3-3, and lead the (more) talented Western Conference by eight points, and the Pacific division by 15. Through 31 games this year, San Jose has scored 110 goals, most in the NHL. On average, the Sharks score the second most goals per game in the league (3.55), and allow the third fewest (2.32).

Most impressively, though, is the fact that the team is only 15th in home attendance. Now, why would that be impressive? Because even without that advantage, the Sharks are so damn good at home. Inside "The Shark Tank", they are 16-0-2, and have potted 68 out of their 110 goals.

Here are three reasons the Sharks have had this kind of success so far, and will continue to dominate the NHL in 2008-09.

EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTES
Much like the Bruins, the Sharks seem to have the right mix of developing youngsters, and veteran stars who show them how to play the game "the right way." Devin Setoguchi, San Jose's 21-year-old right wing is an emerging superstar, and has taken off playing on a line with former Bruin Joe Thornton and captain Patrick Marleau. Setoguchi has 16 goals and 17 assists (33 points) in 31 games, compared to last year when the rookie appeared in 44 games and scored 11 goals with 6 helpers (17 points) for San Jose.

Starting goaltender Evgeni Nabokov has struggled with injuries at times in his career, so the stellar play of backup Brian Boucher has been a tremendous boost as well. Boucher is 8-1-1 in 10 starts this season, with a goals against average of 1.88, and two shutouts to boot. Should Nabokov go down for an extended period of time, Boucher has proved that he can hold down the fort until the starter comes back.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Sharks penalty killing unit has been solid, and their play with the man advantage has been huge. Ryane Clowe, who scored a career high 16 goals for the Sharks in 2006-07, already has eight power play goals so far this season, good for third in the league. As a team, San Jose is also third in the league in power play goals with 34 , and second in the NHL in short handed goals, having tallied seven shorties so far this season. Special team success, of course, comes from puck possession, and the Sharks face-off percentage is up to 52.8%, trailing only Detroit and Nashville in that category.

DEPTH
San Jose, like most teams, has struggled with injuries at times this season. Jeremy Roenick is now out three weeks with a shoulder injury, but that shouldn't hinder the Sharks approach much at all. Torrey Mitchell, a breakout rookie one year ago, fractured his leg in the preseason and hasn't played a game yet. Young bucks like Riley Armstrong and Tom Cavanaugh have filled in when necessary and San Jose hasn't lost a beat. Of course, the team's every day lineup is plenty strong, with Thornton, Marleau, Jonathan Cheechoo, and Joe Pavelski up front, and Rob Blake, Dan Boyle, Marc-Edouard Vlasic (pickles!), and Christian Erhoff on defense, so it will take a lot more than one injury to slow this team down.

The Sharks dominance is an extraordinary story, and hopefully they will continue to put hockey back in the spotlight, at least for a little while. Of course, San Jose is a team that has struggled in the playoffs before, so they will need to buck that trend to truly make this season a success. Through 31 games though, they are off to a start nobody could have possibly imagined.

A HILARIOUS NHL FEUD

Barry Melrose, former (and future) ESPN hockey analyst and ex-coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning is in a hilarious feud with team owner Len Barrie. Melrose, hired in June to serve as head coach of the club, was fired just 16 games into the season and replaced by assistant coach Rick Tocchet. A war of words of this quality is rarely seen on today's sports scene, but this one has all the makings of fight that just won't go away.

One major point of contention is the play of rookie Steven Stamkos. Stamkos, the first overall pick in last year's NHL draft, has struggled in his first season of professional hockey, with just three goals and nine assists through 28 games. Melrose contends that Stamkos, who has no minor league experience, is not ready for the NHL yet and needs some seasoning in the AHL before coming up to the big club. The owner, however, disagrees. "He didn't want Steven on this team from day one, and it was evident how he played him," Barrie said, according to the St. Petersburg Times. "Everyone knows this kid is a star player."

When exactly did it become the decision of the owner who plays and for how many minutes? While it's true, Melrose is certainly not the most experienced coach in the league, he's the guy YOU HIRED. He's the one running practice every day, he's the one spending all the time with the players, and it should be HIS DECISION who plays in the games. Based on Stamkos' numbers so far this season, it appears Melrose is absolutely right. The kid just isn't ready for the NHL yet.

In a great Q and A session with John Buccigross (friend of the show), Melrose responded to Bucci's question "Have you been rooting for the Lightning to lose?" exactly how I've always wanted an ex-coach to respond to a question like that. "Yes. I hope they never win another game. I think when people say that they don't care, they are lying to you. One of the reasons ESPN wanted me back on the air is to tell the truth, and yeah, I hope they never win another game." Finally, someone not thinking ahead to another job, but responding to a question in the here and now.

As for owner Len Barrie, is it really a surprise that Tampa Bay is an NHL worst 6-14-8 (20 points)? You hired a coach, then fired him after 16 games because he wasn't doing it in the way you would have. Why don't you give coaching a try? The more I read into this great feud, the more I agree with the mullet: Len Barrie is the problem.

CAN THE BRUINS KEEP IT UP?

The Bruins debuted new third jerseys yesterday in their post-Thanksgiving thrashing of the New York Islanders. Five third period goals propelled Boston to another victory, giving the team 10 wins in it's last 12 games. At 15-4-4, the B's are six points ahead of Montreal for the lead in the Northeast division (34 points to 28), and trail only the New York Rangers, by two points, in the Eastern Conference.

Bruins fans are pleased, to say the least. But this hot start, coupled with the team's struggles in recent seasons, beg the question: can they keep it up?

While there is no doubt Tim Thomas will cool off a little bit at some point, there is no reason why the Bruins can't continue to win, and make a serious run at Lord Stanley's Cup in 2009. This year's club has something that Bruins teams of the recent past have not had: Multiple scoring threats. Last year, Boston went on long scoring droughts, unable to put the puck in the net with any consistency. Thats not the case anymore. Through 23 games this season, the Bruins have scored 79 goals, good for third in the NHL. Marc Savard's 30 points put him in a tie for the second most in the league, and his 22 assists are also the second most in the entire NHL. All this comes with Patrice Bergeron still working his way back from a terrible concussion that cost him almost all of last season, and without Chuck Kobasew and Marco Sturm for long stretches because of injury. The emergence of Phil Kessel has been huge, as has the strong play of rookie forward Blake Wheeler, who has seven goals and four assists and is a plus 10 so far this year.

Defensively, the B's are just as strong, if not stronger. Zdeno Chara, the team's captain, is a force to be reckoned with in his own end, as is Dennis Wideman, who came to Boston in a trade with the St. Louis Blues (for Brad Boyes) two seasons ago. While Andrew Ferrence recovers from a broken leg, rookie Matt Hunwick has stepped in and done a great for Boston. The black and gold have allowed just 50 goals on the season, and only a measly 2.17 goals per game. Minnesota (2.14) is the only club that gives up fewer goals per game than the Bruins.

And of course, there is Milan Lucic, who's emergence this season has been nothing short of amazing. The twenty year old winger does whatever the team needs. He fights--his bout with Mike Komisarek of the Canadiens cost the Montreal defenseman a month with a shoulder injury--and he lights the lamp as well. In last week's 3-2 Bruins win over the Canadiens, Montreal tough guy Georges Laracque shadowed Lucic the entire game, and the Bruins' winger was getting booed and jeered throughout the game (because of his KO of Komisarek). Yet when the B's trailed 1-0 in the second, Lucic was there to tip in a great pass from Phil Kessel to tie the game at one. Oh yeah, and through 23 games he leads the league in hits as well.

All of this, plus the incredible play of goalie Tim Thomas, has put the Bruins in position to get a high seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this April. Tonight's game against defending Cup Champion Detroit should be a good measuring stick to see how far along the Bruins truly are. A win would be huge for the confidence of this young team. While it's still very early in the season, the Bruins are certainly on the right track to reclaim some of the glory of the Big Bad Bruins.

THOMAS SNUB ANOTHER ERROR FOR THE NHL

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was spectacular in 2007, leading a team with low expectations to the playoffs and nearly shocking the rival Canadiens in the first round. The netminder's tremendous play earned him a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star roster last February, the journey man's first ever All-Star appearance.

This season, Thomas has been even better, helping the Bruins get off to their hottest start in quite some time. The team currently sits in first place in the Northeast division with a record of 10-3-4 (24 points), and has a two point lead over highly touted Montreal. Thomas is 6-2-3 on the year, with a goals against average of 1.76 (first in the NHL) and a save percentage of .945 (also first in the NHL).

But alas, when the NHL's All-Star Ballot came out a few weeks ago, Thomas' name wasn't on it. The Eastern Conference goalies include Martin Brodeur, who is out 3-4 months with an elbow injury, Vesa Toskala, who's .878 save percentage puts him 40th in the NHL, and Rick DiPietro, who has played a grand total of three games this season, with a record of 0-2. Now I understand that Thomas has split time with Manny Fernandez this year, but Tomas Vokoun is on the ballot, despite splitting time with backup Craig Anderson (Vokoun and Thomas have each played 11 games) for the 6-9-1 last place Panthers.

This is a ridiculous snub by the NHL, a league that, let's face it, is pretty screwed up. It is by far the least popular of the four major sports, has too many teams, and is run unbelievably poorly. Ticket prices are too high and the talent pool is watered down (again, because there are too many teams). Fans were turned off by the lockout, and the NHL still hasn't truly recovered.

The League apparantly decided that Tim Thomas, who plays for a historically significant team (compared to the Atlanta Thrashers, for example) that is exceeding all expectations due in large part to his stellar play, is not one of the ten best goalies in the Eastern Conference. The NHL is missing a golden opportunity to spotlight a blue-collar, hard working player, someone the few fans the League actually does have might be able to relate to.

Of course, it doesn't really matter to Thomas. All that matters to him is keeping the puck out of the net, and keeping the Black and Gold on top of the standings.

Q AND A WITH JOHN BUCCIGROSS OF ESPN

Winner winner chicken dinner! John Buccigross, Sports Center anchor and hockey writer for ESPN.com answered some Saturday Morning Sports hockey questions (via email). Here are his responses.

Saturday Morning Sports: Phil Kessel now has seven goals on the young season. Do you think we are finally seeing the Kessel people were expecting after he was picked 5th by the Bruins in the 2006 draft?
John Buccigross: No doubt. He is an explosive, agile skater. World Class. Also, he has a great release. Some players are great skaters like Radek Dvorak. Some have great releases like Michael Ryder. Kessell has both.

SMS: Tim Thomas has looked very sharp recently. Do you think he has finally beaten out Manny Fernandez for the number one goalie job?
JB: Tim Thomas is the heart and soul of the Bruins. His personality rubs off the rest of the team. Goalies like that are such a bonus.

SMS: Would you consider Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane to be in the same class as someone like a Crosby or an Ovechkin?
JB: No I would not.

SMS: What do you think is the best division in the NHL?
JB: The Atlantic Division is the best Division.

SMS: Do you think the fireworks in Boston's 5-1 win over Dallas will bring the Bruins closer together as a team?
JB: The Bruins were already close as a team. That's why they made the playoffs last year despite giving up more goals than they scored. I'm not sure what the reason is for this, but they clearly play for each other.

SMS: The NHL is the least popular of the four major sports here in the United States. What do you think they can do to put more butts in the seats?
JB: Charge less for tickets and make the nets bigger.
*Editor's note: I couldn't agree more. The Bruins haven't won a playoff series since 1999, yet their average ticket price is $56.

SMS: If you were starting a team and could have either Bobby Orr or Ray Bourque in their prime, who would you take?
JB: I refuse to answer that question. God Bless You.

BRUINS MIX IT UP WITH STARS IN 5-1 WIN

Last night, the Boston Bruins defeated the Dallas Stars 5-1 in one of the hardest hitting games of the season. Dallas center Steve Ott tried to hip-check Boston's Stephane Yelle at the knees midway through the second period, and the fireworks started from there.

Andrew Ferrence had a huge hit on Ott at center ice, and the game started to get feisty. In the third period, Ferrence fought Stars instigator Sean Avery and then Shawn Thornton beat down Krys Barch. When things didn't go Dallas' way they started cheap shotting the Bruins, further amping things up on the ice. With the game well out of reach for the Stars in the third, Avery boarded Bruins centerman Marc Savard from behind, starting an all out brawl between the two teams.

This is a great sign for the Bruins. Not only did they put the puck in the net, something they struggled to do a year ago, they also proved that they aren't afraid to get physical when teams go after them. When Savard was hit from behind in the third, three other Bruins players instantly grabbed Avery and began pounding away on him. Players who are not known for their physicality, like Phil Kessel, even mixed it up with the Stars. Furthermore, they showed a willingness to defend their own players, something that should benefit the team's chemistry all season long.

All in all, seven players were handed game misconducts and ejected, and the team's combined for 146 penalty minutes. Tim Thomas was tremendous again for the B's, as he stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced. If the Bruins continue their physical play, and keep putting points on the board, there is no limit to what they can accomplish this season.

FOR SOME NHL TEAMS IT IS TIME TO GO

In a recent issue of Forbes Magazine, writer Tom Van Riper lists the Top 10 Sports Franchises Most Likely To Move. I can't help but think he is way off base in putting some of these teams on the list. For one, I don't think the people of Buffalo will allow their beloved Bills to call any other city home. I also don't think the San Francisco 49'ers will go anywhere either, not with the history that they have. The Raiders are the Bay Area franchise most likely to go, if one of them is to pack up.

Three NHL teams do crack the list, and here is where I do agree with Van Riper. The Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, and New York Islanders are all listed, and I think at least one of them will pack up soon enough. The Coyotes, who moved to the southwest from Winnipeg in 1996, have struggled to draw fans and win games, despite having Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, as it's coach. It is a team with no rich tradition, and no true fan base, in need of a fresh start.

The Nashville Predators have been a joke since they were added as an expansion team in 1998. The franchise is valued at $143 million, dead last in the NHL. In the past three years, they have drawn an average of under 15,000 fans per game, and are in the nation's 39th largest market. The Preds have no reason to stay in Tennessee. In it's 10 years in the league, Nashville has made the playoffs a respectable four times, but have never really come close to winning a series. Putting this team in a better market will only help the sport.

And finally, we come to the New York Islanders, the only really big market team on this list. The problem is the Isles share a market with the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, two far more popular teams than them. They play in an outdated arena-the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum opened in 1972- and won't be getting a new rink any time soon. The franchise's value has dropped from 12th in the NHL three years ago ($160 million) to 25th this season ($149 million). Despite playing in the league's largest market, the Islanders rank dead last in per-game attendance in 2008. A move would benefit them just as much as anyone else.

But where would these teams go you ask? There is only one logical answer: Canada. Canada is the true home of hockey, and its a disgrace that the NHL only has six teams north of the border. There is absolutely no reason why cities in the southern United States, where hockey doesn't mean a thing, have teams but places like Winnipeg, Hamilton, and Quebec do not. The people there would watch and even go to the games (unbelievable!), yet the NHL continually ignores them because there are fewer people that live there than a big American city with no roots to the game. The NHL truly is the laughing stock of professional sports in the United States. The only way it will be able to turn its fortunes around is a move back into the great white north.

BRUINS START GIVES REASON FOR OPTIMISM

The 2007-08 season ended just how we all expected it to: with a loss in the playoffs to Montreal. But there was reason for hope as the Bruins skated off the ice dejectedly, after losing 5-0 to their arch-rivals in the seventh and deciding game of the first round last April 21. Claude Julien's team had actually exceeded expectation just by reaching the post season, without nearly staging a dramatic upset against the best team in the Eastern Conference.

So there was reason for cautious optimism as the black and gold laced 'em up for the first time in the 2008-09 season last week. Through their first five games, Boston is a solid 2-1-2 with six points heading into action against the Sabres tonight in western New York. The Bruins have already won in two places they usually struggle, Ottawa and Colorado, and have at least one point in four of their five games despite playing all but one away from TD Banknorth Garden.

The biggest bright spot in the early going has to be the play of young winger Phil Kessel. Drafted 5th overall by Boston in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Kessel had a disappointing '07 campaign, which culminated with Julien benching him for games two, three, and four against the Canadiens. Kessel has scored five goals in the B's five games thus far, including two in Ottawa last Saturday night. Kessel, who has been flying high to start the year, seems less hesitant to dig in the corners, and has back checked masterfully thus far. If the Bruins are going to make the playoffs for a second straight year, Kessel is going to have to continue his tremendous offensive work.

Patrice Bergeron's return is another significant storyline for the Bruins in '08. Bergeron, who missed 72 games a year ago with post-concussion syndrome after a vicious cheap shot from Flyers defenseman Randy Jones, is one of the team's best scoring threats, an area the B's struggled mightily in last season. Bergeron, who netted 31 goals in 2005 and another 22 in 2006, is one of the Bruins top offensive weapons to go along with Kessel, Marco Sturm, and center Marc Savard, who's five goals this season put him tied for fourth in the NHL (along with Kessel).

The Bruins face Buffalo tonight, then come home for Toronto and Atlanta before embarking on a road trip to western Canada next week. If the black and gold can keep putting the puck in the net, there is no reason to think they won't be playing into April and beyond once again.