I suppose that doing something 3 years in a row can officially be called a tradition, but this one almost died in its tracks before it really got started. Of course I wanted to go, but for a multitude of reasons, it seemed as though my newly born streak of attending Buffalo Bills Home Openers was going to come to an early end. Things have a way of working out though don't they?

First I rescheduled my trip home to Western NY from late October to mid September in order to catch a few of my younger brother's soccer games during his senior year of High School. Then, no less than 4 people contacted me with extra tickets to the game. I had to turn them down as spending money to go to the game wasn't in my budgeted plans and I had intentions of sitting around my parent's house to watch the game with my dad. But, when something is supposed to be, there's just no fighting it. Thursday afternoon I get a text message, asking me yet again if I wanted to go to the Bills game on Sunday. This time, I read the magic words though... Free! Destiny said I was going to keep my streak alive and who was I to fight it?

I had met my buddy from college earlier in the week to grab lunch and catch up while I was in town, so he knew I was around, and thankfully, when his dad turned up with some spare tickets, he was quick to let me know about it. In addition, another of our good friends from college was planning on going to the game as well, so we could all ride up together. We piled into my friend's car Sunday morning and made the hour and a half trip north to Ralph Wilson Stadium, with my streak alive and kicking.

Now, as I've mentioned, I've been to the Bills' Home Opener each of the last two years, which might not sound like a big deal, but considering I've been living in North Carolina since 2006, I consider it something of an accomplishment. Oddly enough, I had only made it to a handful of games over the course of the years before I moved, but some combination of absence making the heart grow fonder as well as growing up and actually making some money for myself had made the trip something to look forward to each year. Each of the last two seasons has seen a typical Western New York day in terms of weather, temperatures in the 50s and a gray, rainy atmosphere. This year had a different feel to it though. First off, this was the first time I'd been to a non 1pm start, so instead of being up at the crack of dawn and filing into the parking lot at 7am, it was closer to noon when we arrived at the stadium. On top of that, there was plenty of sun and temperatures in the mid 70s, something that doesn't really resemble the start of autumn in that part of the world too often.

After parking in somebody's front yard down the road from the stadium (and for those unfamiliar, it's really quite the standard practice), we began our walk towards our destination. There was definitely something in the air as everybody we came across seemed in high spirits. Forget the fact that the economy has been down for a year plus now, particularly in this area of the country where it hasn't been particularly strong in a very long time to begin with... it was football season once again. Now don't get me wrong, it was no surprise to see people out tailgating and enjoying themselves at The Ralph. I've been to games in all sorts of weather, from the aforementioned rainy days, to near blizzard like conditions, and even blustery sub zero days, and the people always show up. This day felt different to me though. People in t-shirts and shorts, playing catch with a football or enjoying a nice game of cornhole (not nearly as disgusting as it might sound), enjoying some adult beverages. I really can't imagine many things more enjoyable.

One of the great things about Buffalo Bills football in Western New York is the role it plays as a great uniter. Nearly everybody in the area pays attention to the Bills at some level, and it's highly likely that you're going to run into people that you know while attending a game. I went with friends I had made in college, but we tailgated with one of my best friends from high school... who happened to be there with somebody else I went to college with. Additionally, there were plenty of people I had become acquainted with after my college days had passed, and even people I had befriended here in North Carolina at the game. Regrettably, I didn't get a chance to visit with everybody I would have liked to, but that always seems to be the case, and there will of course be other games in the future. The point being, people from all walks of life come together and unite over their common love of something they all grew up with.

As my luck would have it, our tickets for the game were in the Jim Kelly Club section of the stadium. Some place I surely had never been before, as the tickets aren't exactly cheap, but again, thanks to the generosity of others I had a chance to enjoy it on this Sunday. Now the Kelly Club has a full bar and concession areas, as well as numerous TVs and tables to enjoy before the game (or in some cases, which I can't comprehend in the least, during the game), and by its nature, draws a slightly more affluent crowd. The interesting part of this to me however was the fact that while these people have had more money than the common fan, they didn't act all that differently. Most of them were still fueled by alcohol and plenty boisterous and loud throughout the course of the game. At the end of the day, they were all still fans, just like everybody else in the stadium. Now, compare this to some of the other stadiums and sporting events I've attended up and down the East Coast and you could see what an interesting experience it became for me. I've seen places where the prime seats are filled up with people simply there for a social outing, not really caring at all about the game going on right in front of them. This is something that drives me nuts, knowing how many truly passionate fans are out there, unable to attend games due to high ticket prices. You don't really find much of that at The Ralph however.

Leaving the stadium is always another interesting chance for social observation. The outcome of the game completely effects the actions of the mass majority of people leaving, and it's something that is very noticeable. Leaving after a win like this is a fun time, people are laughing and goofing around in a care free manner. Your chances of a car stopping to let you out of your parking spot are increased infinitely as well. Should the Bills suffer yet another soul crushing loss, things are often not so pretty. It's both kind of sad and amazing simultaneously to see how much the results of a football game can have on an entire community.

At any rate, my career record while attending Bills game is now up to 7-3 (somebody should buy me season tickets!) and will next be put to the test in Charlotte in late October. I'm looking forward to the game because I know there will be plenty of Bills fans in attendance, but it's just not the same as going to Ralph Wilson Stadium, especially for the first home game of the year, when all our hopes and dreams aren't yet smashed. A beautiful, warm, sunny September day in Orchard Park, NY with another season of Bills football on the horizon... Where Else Would You Rather Be?

With NHL free agency getting started on July 1^st, we’re going to take a quick look around the league to see who is available and who the best option is.

Continuing on with our free agent rankings, today we’ll take a look at the defensemen that are available. The list is a little bit longer so I tried to rank the top 15 available defensemen as opposed to the top 10 goalies that are hitting the market.

Defensemen are a lot harder to rank because every team wants something different. I could rank them based on offensive performance, but then I’m ignoring some of the better “defensive defensemen”. So keep that in mind when reading below whom I think are top 15 available on July 1^st.

1. Jay Bouwmeester (Florida) – It’s hard to argue that Bouwmeester isn’t the top d-man available on July 1^st. Websites and blogs went crazy around the trade deadline with tons of scenarios of where he could be traded to. Florida decided to hang on to him at the time in hopes of making the playoffs, but they fell just short and Jay-Bo is as good as gone. Former Florida GM Jacques Martin must have known this and took off to coach the Montreal Canadiens this upcoming season.

He played in all 82 games for Florida last season racking up 42 points in the process. He has six years of NHL experience playing in all 82 games in five of those six seasons and he is only 25 years old. I suppose based on those facts one could say he is definitely worthy of the big payday, but I’d be hesitant to throw the bank at him. We saw how that worked out for Chicago last off-season and I’m willing to bet they would love a way out of Brian Campbell’s enormous contract.

If Florida is smart (highly doubtful), they will trade his rights before July 1^st so they at least get something for him. Word is the Flyers are doing everything in their power to acquire his rights. In a recent Palm Beach Post article, it was said that “Bouwmeester, who is building a house in Edmonton, has made it known he wants to play somewhere hockey is taken more seriously than in South Florida."

2. Rob Blake (San Jose) – Rob Blake has consistently been one of the better defensemen in the league, but at age 39 he is running out of time. He tallied his best season last year with San Jose since his 2005-06 campaign with Colorado. He finished the regular season by playing in 73 games, tallying 45 points and finishing +15.

Blake made a cool five million last season so that is enough to scare off most teams. I’d say his best bet would be to stay in San Jose for another season or two before hanging up the skates. I could see San Jose signing him back since they were very successful during the regular season before choking it all way in the first round. The tandem of Blake and Boyle is something I’d want to hang on to if I were a GM. Then again, San Jose might go in a completely different direction after their most recent playoff debacle.

3. Mathieu Schneider (Montreal) – Schneider came to Montreal before the trade deadline and made an immediate impact with the Habs before getting injured and missing the rest of the season. In 44 games with the Thrashers last season he had 15 points and was a -10. In the following 23 games with Montreal, he had 17 points and finished -2. Schneider is no spring chicken but I think he would be a valuable asset to a team looking for help on the power play this upcoming year. Anything more than a one year deal might be a bit much though. I would have zero issues with my team signing him, assuming it was a reasonable short-term deal.

4. Steve Montador (Boston) – Like Schneider, Montador was a trade deadline acquisition except he went to Boston. He is a perfect example of what I wrote about before starting the rankings in terms of point production alone. This guy isn’t going to light up any scoreboards, but I would LOVE to have him on my team. He has that “Don’t Take Crap from Anyone” attitude that I love in a blue liner (when he isn’t playing my team). With him only being 29, I’d jump for joy if my team signed the guy to at least a three year deal. In fact, please excuse me while I write a letter to the GM.

5. Rob Scuderi (Pittsburgh) – Rob Scuderi is another type of defenseman I would love to see playing in Buffalo. He has shown he is durable by playing in 78, 71 and 81 regular season games in the past three seasons for Pittsburgh. This past season was his best in term of plus/minus finishing +23. The previous two seasons he was a +3 which is still good overall. Scuderi is only 30 years old and will no doubt be looking for a raise after only making $750,000 this past season. If Pittsburgh can’t bring him back, look for them to trade his rights like they did for Ryan Malone last off-season.

6. Mattias Ohlund (Vancouver) – Ohlund hits the market after spending his entire career with Vancouver. He has been a very consistent defenseman in the points department finishing with 30, 35, 20, 28, 36, 29, 34, 33, 31, 24 and 25 respectively. He made $3.5 million this past season for the Canucks and a contract similar to that is to be expected. He is only 32 so whichever team locks him down can do it with a solid three or four year deal and expect the same point production he has given in the past. I’m not sure if Vancouver will bring him back, only because of the fact that they need to deal with the Sedin twins and I would assume that they are the top priority.

7. Jaroslav Spacek (Buffalo) – I’ve been a fan of Spacek for most of his tenure in Buffalo, then again, it’s nice to see a defenseman actually score once in a while. He has said publicly that he doesn’t want to go somewhere new and start over again, but he would need to take a pay cut to stay in Buffalo and I just can’t see him doing that. This past season was his best with Buffalo playing in 80 games and finishing with 45 points. Like I said, I would like to see him back with the Sabres but it would need to be for less than the $3.3 million he made in his last deal.

8. Marc-Andre Bergeron (Minnesota) – Bergeron made approx. $1.7 million this past season in Minnesota and he produced accordingly. He had 32 points and was a +5 in 72 regular season games. At the age of 28, he is still a little raw in the experience department but some team will be calling for his services. I could see him getting a little bit of a pay increase but he shouldn’t get any more than $2.5 million per season.

9. Nick Boynton (Florida) – Lucky for Florida, they have two defenseman in the top 10 (and a goalie in the top 10 as well). Boynton is only 30 years old with seven years of NHL experience. He has had some durability issues in the past playing in 54, 59, 79 and 68 games in the past four seasons. This past season was his best statistically as he finished with 21 points and was +7. If Florida loses Jay-Bo on July 1^st (they will), they should look to sign Boynton so not all is lost.

10. Adrian Aucoin (Calgary) – Some might ask what my criteria is for coming up with these rankings and to be honest, there are several factors that go into it. For instance, last season Aucoin played in 81 games and finished with 34 points which is much better than Nick Boynton who is listed above. However, Aucoin also made $4 million last season (Boynton made approx. $2.95) and Aucoin is five years older. So if I were playing GM I might value Boynton a little bit more because he is younger and would help my cap situation slightly. Aucoin has also only played 70+ regular season games seven times in 15 seasons which is also something that might concern me.

11. Paul Mara (NY Rangers) – I’ve seen quite a few Rangers games and Mara isn’t exactly someone who strikes fear in me when he is on the ice. In fact, his play has dropped off dramatically since tallying 47 points in 2005-06 with Phoenix (23, 17 and 21). He has a career plus/minus of -95 which isn’t exactly a bargaining chip when going to the table this summer with league GM’s. However, his salary was only $1.95 million which isn’t much considering some of the other deals that will be flying around. If the Rangers are still trying to keep their fantasy team together, he’ll most likely be back with the Rangers next season.

12. Derek Morris (NY Rangers) – Morris was a trade deadline acquisition that basically had no impact for the Rangers as they choked in yet another post-season appearance. Kudos to the Rangers for giving it the old college try though. He was fairly productive in terms of points after only getting 12 points in 57 games with Phoenix, finishing with another eight in 18 for the Rangers. (I guess it makes a difference when you’re playing on a real NHL team). Regardless, his contract is a hefty $3.95 million and if he is looking to make anything around that, I’d rather he go to another team than mine because that money would be better off going to someone else.

13. Hal Gill (Pittsburgh) – Hal Gill hasn’t been the most durable defenseman for Pittsburgh, but has been one of the better ones. He only had 10 points in 62 games this season, but finished +11 which in my book is a pretty decent number. Before his injury plagued season a year ago, He finished two campaigns in Toronto scoring 20 points in both and finishing in the positives in both. He is a sound defenseman who hasn’t finished worse than -4 since the 1998-99 season. With a price tag of $2.1 million, I wouldn’t mind seeing him suit up for my team.

14. Jordan Leopold (Calgary) – In yet another trade deadline acquisition, Leopold was sent to Calgary to help them finally win the Stanley Cup. Obviously the Flames failed in that bid and Leopold didn’t really produce the way he was expected. In 64 games with Colorado he racked up 20 points, but was a - 10. In the following 19 games in Calgary, he only had four points and was a -5. He only made $1.5 million, but I don’t see anything in him that can’t be found in the AHL. If my team signed him I would just shrug my shoulders and sigh a little bit. In fact, if Buffalo made any play for Leopold I would have to wonder what exactly he brings to the table that Nathan Paetsch can’t already.

15. Karlis Scrastins (Florida) – Rounding out the top 15 is yet another Florida Panther. Scrastins played in 80 games last season racking up 18 points and finished +9. While those numbers are decent, they are somewhat misleading. Before last season, the last time he played in 70+ games was in 2005-06 with Colorado. Before last season, the last time he finished with a +1 or better was in 2003-04 with Colorado. So as you can see, he might be a decent pickup at the right price, but most GM’s might be leery of signing him to anything major or long-term. I can see Florida bringing him back as well to help hide the fact that they royally screwed up the Jay-Bo situation.

As a transplanted fan, it's become a necessity for me to journey to opposing team's buildings in order to see my favorite team play. It's an odd feeling the first time, but after 3 years I've become rather used to it and I've begun to notice some interesting traits in opposing fans. In the past week I've had the fortune of attending NHL games in both the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. as well as the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina to see my beloved Buffalo Sabres take the ice. The differences between the two arenas and fan bases are rather interesting from my perspective.

Now, it's only fair to mention that I live right outside of Raleigh and have been to multiple games since moving here, so I've seen a whole lot more of the Hurricanes "faithful" as compared to those in D.C. The Verizon Center was an interesting place, located right downtown, so you're essentially forced to take the Metro in to the game, and there is a stop conveniently located right below the arena. The arena itself was fairly nice, but I'm one of those people that believe sports venues should be for sports and not try to be anything more than that. This building obviously was not geared for people like me. With full bars, restaurants, and some attempt at art on the walls, it was definitely more focused on aesthetics than what I'm used to. I suppose some of those modern amenities might be required to attract people to games in a city with so much to do.

As for the game itself, as usual, a great number of Buffalo fans made themselves present and were vocal as is always the case. Capitals fans represented themselves nicely as well however, getting loud and staying loud at key times throughout a back and forth game. The game was an exciting one, eventually heading to overtime tied at 4 each. The Sabres would end up pulling out the win in the extra period as Jason Pominville scored the game winner. It made for a Happy Birthday for myself and was a good start to a fun weekend in the nation's capital. Despite the thousands of Sabres fans in attendance and the fact that the Capitals had lost, there was almost no negative interaction between the fans that I noticed. If only this could be the case everywhere. After all, it is just a game, and regardless of your fanhood, there is no need to get ugly with others based on the result of a sporting event.

Now Carolina Hurricanes games on the other hand, that's a very different story. Again, my opinion is surely a bit slanted since I've witnessed this for 6 games over the course of 3 years, but so called "Caniacs" have proven themselves to me as aggravating to say the least. Now of course, this doesn't apply to the entire fan base, there are plenty of very good, cordial fans, and some that could be even called die hards. This seems to be the exception more than the rule to me however. The story of this so called rivalry goes back to a time shortly before I moved to the area. The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs saw the Sabres face the Canes in the Eastern Conference Finals, a season which most Sabres fans finally thought was their year to win the Cup. Due to that fact, an extra large contingency of Buffalo fans made the trip down to Raleigh for one of the games in that series. Hurricanes fans will tell you that the Sabres fans were some of the most obnoxious, trouble causing folks on the face of the planet, while Buffalo fans of course say they were just being their usual passionate selves, something Carolina fans were not accustomed to. Again, I wasn't there, so I can't fairly assess what happened, but I'm sure it's a bit of both.

At any rate, Sabres fans had gained a reputation as the "worst" in the league in the area and have been hated ever since. I think beyond the alleged incidents during the playoffs in '06, it's more about the fact that every single time the Sabres play in Raleigh, there are several thousand Sabres fans in attendance, and we are in fact, a very vocal group. Folks in Buffalo have little to do beyond follow their sports teams with a feverish passion, which is clear when you look at the general lack of success both the Sabres and Bills have had, but their continued ability to sell out games on a regular basis. This area happens to be home to a great many Western New York transplants such as myself, and collectively, we rarely pass up an opportunity to see our favorite teams in person. Simply put, Hurricanes fans don't know what to do when 5 or 6 thousand Buffalo fans show up on their home turf and tend to make more noise than they do. This results in an obvious vitriol towards the Sabres faithful at every turn.

The larger problem is that the "Caniacs" in general are still rather clueless when it comes to hockey. Again, I'll reiterate that I'm not talking about every single fan, but certainly the majority of them. Granted, a certain amount of "homerism" is quite expected at any sporting event, but I've never seen anything close to the level of what goes on at the RBC Center on a regular basis. Despite their team being in this state for 11 seasons now, Hurricanes fans still don't seem to have a grasp for the rulebook. Any call against their team is obviously incorrect and somehow every hit made by the opposition deserves a penalty. Sure, I disagree with the officials from time to time, but I also have they ability to understand the game and realize when my team did something illegal, or when the other team made a nice clean hit on somebody. At the game I attended last night, I heard such gems as "stop using your hands, this isn't volleyball" when anybody that has watched the sport in the least would realize that short of closing your hand over a loose puck or purposefully passing the puck to a teammate via your hand is rather legal.

Just over midway through the game, the penalties were Buffalo - 0, Carolina - 1, and at the time the Sabres were up 4-0. The Hurricanes basically stopped skating and started taking bad penalties, yet in the fan's eyes, this was obviously a conspiracy. Even calls that don't require any real judgement (too many men on the ice, delay of game for firing the puck over the glass in their own end) drew chants of "Ref you suck!". This is annoying enough on it's own, but it doesn't even come close to ending there. I've never seen a fan base spend so much time concerning itself with the opposing fans rather than cheering on their own team. I always hear far more "Go Home Buffalo" chants in response to the Sabres' fans yelling "Let's Go Buffalo" and plenty of people yelling negative remarks about the Sabres rather than simply focusing on their own team and trying to encourage them. Now it's been a long time since I've been to a home game in Buffalo, but I don't recall the fans there acting this way, and that was only reinforced while in D.C. Caps fans cheered on their team, they didn't bother focusing on the opponents. Another shining example of the brilliance of the Hurricanes' fans came when down 1-0, they started heckling the Buffalo goaltender with "Miller... Miller... Miller... YOU SUCK!) chants. Generally these are reserved for times when a goalie has given up several goals and your team is easily in the lead. Did I mention that the Sabres were up 5-0 and chased Carolina's staring goaltender Cam Ward from the net in the middle of the 2nd period?

Furthermore, "Caniacs" in general are extremely fair weather, bandwagon fans... and at times they can't even get that right. Going into last night, Carolina had one 12 straight home games, and 9 straight overall. It was also fan appreciation night and their final home game of the regular season. The puck dropped at 7pm and there were still tickets available as of 5pm. Attendance was listed at 18,513, 98.8% of capacity, but I can assure you there were far more empty seats than that. This was the hottest team in the league over the past month, storming into the playoffs, and they can't even fill their arena for their last home game. This boggles my mind completely. Don't forget that a good 4 or 5 thousand of those people last night were Sabres fans too. Still it beats two years ago when craigslist was flooded with tickets at the end of the season for dirt cheap because the team was going to miss out on the playoffs, just a year after winning the Stanley Cup. And before you dismiss my opinion as biased, check out this page, which documents the changes in attendance from the first half of this season to the 2nd. Clearly the Hurricanes attendance boosted significantly late in the season when they went on a run. Now of course, winning breeds fans, that's obvious. However, look at traditionally hockey cities and there is little to no change, because they are close or at capacity all year long.

I realize this article has turned into a Canes bashing fest, but I feel the point needs to be made. I eternally hear how bad Sabres fans are (I swear they thing we eat babies) and how much trouble we cause. Even friends of my wife will say to me upon meeting me that they're surprised at what a nice, normal person I am considering I'm a Sabres fan, and how they refuse to attend games against Buffalo because they fear for their safety. Yet, I've been verbally assaulted (a certain amount of trash talk is expected of course), had things thrown at me, etc. when I've attended games at the RBC Center, and generally speaking have seen a lot more Hurricanes fans starting trouble than Sabres fans.

Now, getting back to the main point of this article, attending a game at an opposing team's venue can be a very interesting experience and lets you gain a unique perspective. This completely depends on the situation, location, etc. however. I journeyed to Jacksonville last year to see the Buffalo Bills play the Jaguars and had a good time, tailgating amongst fellow Bills fans and getting to see Buffalo win. Jaguars fans are a very sad sight however, as I easily obtained tickets below face value and several sections of the stadium were completely tarped off, so as to avoid blackout rules. Keep in mind this was a team expected to be bound for the playoffs at the start of the season and this was Week 2. At any rate, those of you from a rabid fan base, don't take for granted what you have, many teams can't muster half as good of a following regardless of their success. If you get the chance to hit the road and see your team on enemy turf, go for it, but make sure you observe everything around you. It will likely make you that much more happy to be part of a serious group of fans that are truly devoted to their team.

As Terrell Owens name dominated headlines again late this week after being released by the Dallas Cowboys, the big question was where would he land. Multiple sources are now reporting that Owens has agreed to a one year deal worth $6.5 million with the Buffalo Bills.

As a Buffalo Bills fan, I've been pondering the possibility but never at all expected the Bills to actually have a chance at landing Owens. From my perspective, this is a relatively small gamble for Buffalo. A one year contract doesn't give Owens much time to pull his usual disruptive antics, and he generally is on good behavior early on. He already knows he'll be auditioning for another contract in the offseason, so the incentive is there to perform well and be on good behavior. There is absolutely no denying the guy has skill and is a huge instant upgrade to the Buffalo offense.

With Lee Evans, one of the better deep threats in the game, on one side, and Owens on the other, teams won't be able to double cover both. This finally gives QB Trent Edwards the weapons he needs to move the ball down the field. If the Bills add a solid pass catching tight end, likely through the draft, this offense can finally move towards productivity. It would of course help if RB Marshawn Lynch is on the field, though a possible suspension looms after weapons charges were plead guilty to in California earlier this week.

Obviously there will be a lot of people on both sides of the fence in regards to this signing, but for one, I'm quite alright with it. The Bills haven't made the playoffs this decade and haven't really shown their fans that they have much in the way of dedication to winning football games. This improves that relationship greatly in my eyes. Owens might crash and burn in Buffalo, a small media market where all the eyes in the world won't always be on him, but then again, that might be just what he needs. At any rate, the risk is relatively low, and the potential reward is worth it. Congrats to Ralph Wilson and the Buffalo organization, I'm finally excited for a Bills season to start again.

1. San Jose Sharks: The Sharks came out the gates smoking this season and haven’t stopped yet. San Jose has historically done well in the regular season, but often times fallen short in the playoffs, so time will tell if this Sharks team is for real or not.

2. Boston Bruins: Boston has hands down been the class of the Eastern Conference this season. After sneaking into the playoffs last season with the 8th seed, they gave the top seeded Canadiens all they could handle. For most Bruins fans, that was a sign of things to come this season. If Boston can keep on their game for the second half of the season, look for them to hold down the top spot and challenge for the Presidents Trophy.

3. Detroit Red Wings: Detroit is nipping at San Jose for the top spot in the West. After winning the Stanley Cup last season, all they did during the off-season was dramatically improve by signing Marian Hossa. They also replaced Dominik Hasek with Ty Conklin, who has rewarded them with five shut-outs so far and his second consecutive Winter Classic victory.

4. Washington Capitals: The Capitals have built on their post-season experience last season and have a strangle hold on the SouthEast division so far this season. They have gotten good contributions by several players, including Alex Ovechkin and new goalie Jose Theodore, and now they look to continue rising up the standings in the East. No matter what teams try to do, they can’t seem to stop Alex Ovechkin, as he continues to prove himself as the best player in the league right now.

5. New Jersey Devils: The Devils have surprised many fans by doing as well as they have considering they are missing the cornerstone of the franchise, Martin Brodeur. The Devils are neck and neck with the Rangers and Flyers in the division, but if they can get Brodeur back in time for the playoff race other teams in the East need to be on the lookout. Signing Brendan Shanahan in the middle of the season won’t hurt their chances either.

6. Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens were most experts pick as the top team in the East, but they have fallen well behind Boston in that race. Still, with half a season to go, anything can happen. They will need to get quite a bit of help in the second half if they plan on winning the NorthEast division, and we’re not talking about the type of help they received in loading up for the All-Star game.

7. Calgary Flames: The Flames are always in the discussion of teams out West due to the consistent play from goaltender Miika Kiprusoff. If he can withstand the usual heavy workload during the stretch run, I look for Calgary to make some noise in April.

8. New York Rangers: Like said above, the Rangers are in a tight division race and could easily fall out of the playoff race altogether if they go on any kind of extended losing streak during the second half. However, if they can get strong goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist, they should be able to make it into the playoffs. Now whether they make it past the second round this year or not is still to be determined.

9. Chicago Blackhawks: The Blackhawks have been a great story so far this season. After years and years of losing, they seem to have turned it around. They made a risky move this season by firing their coach extremely early into the season, but that doesn’t seem to have affected them very much. Much of their success will come down to how well young stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews play.

10. Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres started out hot, cooled down, and have since heated right back up once the calendar hit 2009. Since New Years the Sabres have been much better and goalie Ryan Miller looks like he is on top of his game. It will be interesting to see how the Sabres do down the stretch because they have plenty of teams nipping at them in the standings.

11. Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers have rebounded from a slow start and look back in form so far this season. They will most likely improve even more when they get forward Danny Briere back from injury. However, they will need to clear some cap space in order to make that move, so it will be interesting to see how the front office handles that situation. Much of the Flyers success during the second half will hinge on how well their goaltenders perform and if they get hot at the right time again.

12. Phoenix Coyotes: The Coyotes are doing well so far this season, despite facing bankruptcy and other issues off the ice. They have been a much better team at home than on the road, so they might not last long if they squeak into the playoffs. Then again, once the playoffs start, anything can happen.

13. Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks are hanging around out West but haven’t been very consistent so far this season. They have been pretty average at home and on the road this year. They will need to step up their game down the stretch to continue their post-season streak or they will be watching from home this year.

14. Minnesota Wild: The Wild have gotten very good goaltending from Niklas Backstrom. It shows in the standings as their goal differential is much better than the other teams they are surrounded with in the standings. If the Wild sneak into the post-season, they could cause some trouble for the higher ranked teams, much like Edmonton did a few years ago.

15. Florida Panthers: Florida has done very well so far this season, considering most experts didn’t even have them getting near the playoffs. The play from Florida has been good enough so far this season to have Pittsburgh looking in from the outside at the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but there is still plenty of time for Florida to take control or fall apart. If they slip up and fall out of the race, look for them to deal star defenseman Jay Bouwmeester before the trade deadline.