Too Many Meny on the Site: Hockey is Back After Never Leaving

The NHL announced that hockey is Back! One problem with that is that hockey never left, the NHL did.

The NHL left, hockey played on.

Okay so hockey never really left, just the NHL on it’s getting close to semi annual hiatus; maybe this time someone in the NHL higher ups has learned something from the lockouts so that they won’t happen again.

Hockey Returns to Joe Louis Arena only it’s not the Red Wings.

Now that hockey is back the league and teams will be looking for ways to keep gaining new fans and to also gain back those that they dismissed with the lockout. Jason Kirk took the time to do the work for the Nashville Predators with his piece over at Predlines by taking a look at Three Ways The Predators Can Seize This Nashville Moment.

As we all know the US Juniors team won the GOLD MEDAL in Ufa, Russia (Sweden took Silver while the host took Bronze and Canada… well Canada cried which was glorified by their talking head Grapes ).

Now that USA Hockey’s development program is gaining success the question is Why do we send millions to USA Hockey?

The 2013 season is going to be a crap shoot to try and predict with so many players out of shape and not in ready to play form; however, we still have some 2013 Central Division Predictions for you.

Taking a look at Team Heartthrob (have you seen the Cosmo version of a Hockey Hotties list? No? Good. It was pointless; however, the Canes by far have the best looking team in the NHL). Anyway! Stephanni Phillips takes a look at what the Carolina Hurricanes have in store this season.

The Northwest Division should be the easiest of them all having the Canucks and Wild with their now one line two goalies, and half a top defense pain leading the pack.

Further west the prodigal son has retuned. Scott Niedermayer.

It was announced Friday that Niedermayer would return to the Anaheim Ducks as an assistant coach; looks like he is as comfortable with retirement as Nicklas Lidstrom.

With the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom it brings many questions about the Detroit Red Wings defense and how will the Dynamic Duo of Howard and Gustavsson hold up; and how will the new CBA will effect the Red Wings.

Speaking of The Monster – he came to the Red Wings after his contract was up in Toronto and though Brian Burke’s contract isn’t up in the GTA his time as GM is. Tony Notarianni takes a look as to how the timing is not as strange as it may have seemed at first.

With Burke out as GM what are the chances Morgan Rielly makes the Leafs?

Burke out in Toronto may be a key piece in what happens next with the NHL. The new CBA has rules with it to allow for a salary dump, and of course there are the Roberto Luongo rumors tied to his firing with the Leafs. Leave it to Toronto to be the ones to start what could be a butterfly effect throughout the NHL – and hockey history; but could the San Jose Sharks benefit from the Maple Leafs shakeup?