The Top 20 NHL Games To Watch in 2010

Who will President Obama host at the White House with the Stanley Cup in 2010? That will be determined by a few short weeks of exciting playoffs. But how we get to those playoffs is where a lot of drama has yet to unfold.

As the 2009 calendar year comes to a close, let's take a look forward at the 2010 portion of the NHL season and highlight some of the top games and dates to watch as we get ready for those playoffs.

Jan. 1: Winter Classic at Fenway Park

An easy starting point for any preview of a calendar year is the first day of the year. And this year the NHL will continue their growing tradition of playing a game outdoors by visiting Fenway Park in Boston, where the Bruins will host the Philadelphia Flyers in this year's Winter Classic.

Last year's game at Wrigley Field was amazing, and the fact that it was between two great rivals in the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings only added to the unique history of the day. The Bruins and Flyers at Fenway should be a great event to watch (or attend)!

Jan. 16: Tavares vs. Myers

A game this early in the calendar year could go a long way in determining who walks away with the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Young New York Islanders C John Tavares and Buffalo Sabres D Tyler Myers will both play this Saturday in a marquee game that will showcase a great young offensive player against a strong young defenseman.

Jan. 19: How the West Was Won?

These two Pacific powers could battle the rest of the season for the top spot in their division, but they won't do it head-to-head.

The Kings and Sharks play three times in the first three weeks of January, and then won't face each other again the rest of the way. This year has a quirky schedule, but the final game of the year between these two teams who are fighting for the top spot in their division is in mid-January, and that could make for a lot of scoreboard watching in California.

Jan. 26: Early Positioning

This is another game that could shape up to mean a lot in the futures of two good teams, and the last time the Coyotes face the Red Wings is before the Super Bowl.

Phoenix and Detroit could be two teams fighting for a playoff spot in April, and their final head-to-head game is on Jan. 26. It's hard to say a game carries weight with over two months of season still remaining, but this game could play a major role in the Western Conference in April.

Feb. 7: Super Game

On Super Bowl Sunday, if you're not feeling the football groove, the NHL puts two of the top young superstars in the game on the ice on national television.

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins visit Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals in a game that should be worthy of primetime...and I'm not referring to Deion Sanders.

Feb. 16: Bad Blood

The USA plays Canada in the Olympics.

Find a bar, or buy a television, because this could be a great game!

Feb. 28: Men's Gold Medal Game

I'm not going to put it on the line for which countries (cough, Canada, cough, US) will be playing for the gold, but the NHL is sending their best players to Vancouver for the tournament.

Not only is this game important to those playing in it, but the final horn sounding will either relieve general managers all over the league or make some work their phones furiously to replace an Olympic injury.

Mar. 1: Healthy Wings?

In the first game for the entire NHL the day after the conclusion of the Olympics, the Detroit Red Wings might be at full strength for the first time in months.

Johan Franzen is aiming for the Olympics as his deadline to be ready to compete, so this might be our first look at a healthy Red Wings team.

Mar. 2: Implosion Central?

On Mar. 2, the Carolina Hurricanes play at the Toronto Maple Leafs the day before the NHL trade deadline.

Will this be the last time either of these teams skates together as they're currently put together, or will the two rosters be dramatically changed already? This might be one of the few times you're checking the scratch list for a game involving a last place team.

Mar. 2-3: Buffalo's Nightmare

Buffalo comes back from the Olympics with the worst schedule in the NHL. Ryan Miller should be the starting goaltender for the USA's team in Vancouver, and the Sabres restart their season in Pittsburgh and then home against Washington on consecutive nights.

Ouch!

Mar. 14: Capital Defense?

On Mar. 14, the Washington Capitals play the Chicago Blackhawks for the only time in the 2009-10 season, in Chicago.

This could be a marquee matchup of one of the best offenses in the East against one of the best defenses in the West. The Hawks might be healthy by this point as well, hopefully getting center Dave Bolland back from back surgery by then. Could this be a preview of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals?

Mar. 17: The Kid vs. The Great

Twice in five days, the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the New Jersey Devils (Mar. 12 and 17) in battles between two teams fighting for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

The two won't see each other again during the regular season.

Again, a quirky schedule has two teams watching the scoreboard for a month, competing against each other while playing other teams on the ice.

Apr. 2: Finals Preview?

This will be the only regular season matchup between two powerhouses, as the Chicago Blackhawks visit the New Jersey Devils to bring a crazy couple of weeks in the NHL.

Can Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews, and company compete against Martin Brodeur? And will they face each other again, at the end of the season?

Apr. 6: How the East Was Won?

I know this is the second time I'm highlighting a game between the Penguins and Capitals, but this is with less than 10 days remaining in the regular season and could determine the top seed in the East.

Apr. 8: Northeastern Supremacy

This game might very well determine who wins the Northeast Division, as the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres faceoff.

Apr. 10: North by Northwest

Another late-season matchup with heavy playoff implications, the Calgary Flames travel to Vancouver to play the Canucks.

The winner of this game could be the top seed in the West, and the loser could fall to fourth or even fifth.

Apr. 11: 50 on his mind

Marian Gaborik might be chasing 50 goals by the end of the season, and might even be past it by this time, when the Rangers travel to visit Chris Pronger and the Flyers in Philadelphia.

The oft-injured forward has been a great surprise in New York this season so far, and if he can stay healthy, could be pushing for elite scoring numbers.

Apr. 11: Playoff Implications

The Los Angeles Kings travel to Colorado to play an Avalanche team they may be fighting for home ice in the playoffs. If these two teams are playing then like they are now, they might be facing each other in the first round of the playoffs less than a week later.

Apr. 11: An Original Closer

On the final day of the season, two Original Six teams battle with potentially a great deal on the line.

The Chicago Blackhawks host the Detroit Red Wings in one of the few games the two great teams will play fully healthy this year. The Red Wings might be fighting to stay in the playoffs, and the Blackhawks might be playing for the top overall seed in the West.

Like the LA-Colorado game the same day, this might be a game that previews a first round playoff matchup as well—a series that would pair the two Conference Finalists from last year.

The Chase Is On!

Who raises the banner in 2010? Many of these games will determine who's in the playoffs, but it isn't until the postseason that beards, and hopes, begin to grow for real.