The A-Z Of The NHL

With the NHL season less than two weeks away, I thought it would be fun to create an A-Z list for the league. In this, I will associate each letter of the alphabet with a topic that corresponds with the NHL.

Let's get it started.

A - Assists

Goals are great, but coaches love a guy that can help his teammates find the back of the net. Quick one-touch passes and saucer passes are great to watch. Occasionally, we also see the no-look pass which is usually replayed on the TSN Top 10.

B - Brodeur, Martin

The New Jersey Devils need to consider changing their name or making room for Brodeur in there. Without him, the team definitely would have missed out on the playoffs a number of times.

Guys like Scott Stevens and Scott Niedermayer aren't in front of him anymore, but he's up to the challenge. At 36 years-of-age, still the best goalie in the NHL without a doubt.

C - Crosby, Sidney

Love him or hate him, he's one of the two faces of the NHL. Attitude may be questioned on him at times, but there's no denying the tremendous talent he possesses. You put George Parros and Andrew Peters (two of the lowest scorers I could think of at the top of my head) on his line, and they'll produce with Sid the Kid.

D - Detroit Red Wings

Every season they win the President's Trophy—or at least come close. Puck possession, great scouting and some of the biggest names in the game, have contributed to their success.

After another Stanley Cup win last season, they picked up Marian Hossa in the summer. How do they get away with this?

E - End to end

It's one of the NHLs greatest improvements since the lockout. More opportunities are created on both sides of the ice and a counterattack can occur in the blink of an eye. Back and forth action without a whistle for several minutes is breathtaking.

F - Fights

Not all players can be born goal scorers. Many depend on their fists to make a living in the league and know what their roles are. Fighting clearly belongs in the game. Just because a guy gets knocked out every now and then, doesn't mean it should be cut out completely.

G - Goal

I could have easily put this together with Alexander Ovechkin, but I feel it deserves its own letter. Goals come and go nowadays in the game, with plenty of high scoring matches.

Probably, the stat most people look at when choosing players for fantasy hockey.

H - Hat-trick

They might have to start coming up with names for four-goal games by an individual player. Last season, Ovechkin notched four on two occasions and Marian Gaborik even lit the lamp five times in one game.

Still, the hats only hit the ice after three goals. One of the greatest traditions in the NHL.

I - Injuries

Unfortunately, more injuries come with today's games. I lost count of how many Philadelphia players alone, took out players from an opposing team with a cheap shot. Also, a player can get hurt pretty badly on accident or without someone nailing him from behind.

Richard Zednik's neck injury is a frightening example of the freak injuries that can take place.

J - Jump

Defenders jump into the rush on the offense more than ever before. Dion Phaneuf and Mike Green were great examples of this last year. Whether it's on the powerplay or during even strength, a defender can come up unnoticed and fire the puck past the goaltender.

K - Kovalchuk, Ilya

If there was no Ovechkin, you'd be looking at the best sniper in the NHL. Kovalchuk has never scored less than 29 goals in his six year career. He's a great skater and packs a powerful shot.

There's a reason a penalty killer usually tries to stay right on him during a powerplay. If he gets that one-timer off from the point, chances are it's hitting the back of the net.

L - Lidstrom, Nicklas

Truly, the whole package on defense. Most offensive defensemen aren't too great in their own zone. Not Lidstrom. He's got a great passing ability, unmatchable defensive instincts, and a shot that always seems to get through the crowd.

The Red Wings have made the postseason every year since he joined them in 1991-1992.

M - MVP

Whether it's in the season or playoffs, this trophy goes to the most dominating player. It's usually a guy that can hurt you in more ways than one. Goals, assists, hits and plus-minus are all taken into consideration.

N - Nash, Rick

Maybe it's him being on the cover of NHL 2K9. Perhaps it's the unreal goal he scored against the Phoenix Coyotes last season. Those facts aside, I've always had tremendous respect for Rick Nash.

He's spent his entire career on a less than stellar Columbus Blue Jackets team, and has still been able to put up great numbers. If he gets some better talents playing with him, he could easily make the top ten in point totals consistently.

O - Ovechkin, Alexander

Who else would it be for the letter O? Perhaps the greatest player to ever play in the NHL. Only time will tell, but he is certainly the people's player. Whether it's scoring goals aplenty, throwing big hits, or slamming his body against the glass in celebration, the fans love to watch Ovechkin play.

If anyone will break Wayne Gretzky's goal scoring record, it'll most likely be Alexander the Great.

P - Playoffs

It's mentioned every year: once the playoffs start, it's a whole new atmosphere on the ice. The Montreal Canadiens finishing first in the Eastern Conference last year, before being dominated by the Flyers in the second round of the postseason, shows you that.

This is when the veterans come into play greatly, and help the younger guys cope with the pressure.

Q - Quick

Quickness is basically what the game has gained most from the post-lockout rules. With the red line gone, it allows players to get sprung on a breakaway before you know it. Sticks can also put the puck in the net much faster or break before you get a shot off.

Speed has taken its toll on the NHL in a number of ways.

R - Rocket Richard

Goals have to be considered the toughest to come by for a player. The Rocket Richard trophy has been given to some of the finest forwards in the game today. Ilya Kovalchuk, Jarome Iginla, Vincent Lecavalier, and Alexander Ovechkin have all won this cherished trophy.

S - Shootouts

We've heard enough about Mats Sundin doing nothing this summer. If I do another one of these at the end of the season, it may be Steve Stamkos for the letter S. For now though, it's shootouts.

A new way for players to display their breakaway talents. What I like about it is that the weaker teams have a chance of earning an extra point through the shootouts. It's a big boost for them and certainly makes the game more exciting.

T - Timing

Timing is everything. From the moment you send a pass to a teammate that's stepping out of the penalty box, to lining up a hit along the boards. You have a split second to make your move, and if it's not timed to perfection, the play is most likely dead.

U - Unselfish

If you've got your game going above and beyond the norm, why not help a teammate who's struggling? A great example of this is when two players go in on an empty net with the puck and one hands it off to the other. Whether it's to complete a hat-trick or get them out of a slump, it's a great show of unselfishness.

V - Victory

Johnny Drama's famous quote from the hit TV show, Entourage. Money shouldn't be the most important concern to any hockey player. It should be about winning and getting to drink out of the Stanley Cup.

Marian Hossa showed that by signing with Detroit for less money. Best of luck to him this season.

W - Will to win

In order to achieve victory, you have to have unbelievable heart. Guys that dive in front of a 100 km/h shot, are doing what it takes to achieve a win. It's plays like that, where you only care about winning, that brings you to the ultimate glory.

X - E(x)tra Time

X is always a tough one. Extra time (or overtime) is where the fans are at the edge of their seats. One shot can end the game at any second, and in the playoffs, it's truly exciting stuff.

Seeing games go to triple overtime in the postseason is just unreal.

Y - Youth

With the likes of Ovechkin and Crosby, players are constantly entering the league before they hit 20 years-of-age. Young guys are captaining most of the teams in the NHL today.

Vincent Lecavalier, Sidney Crosby, and Jonathan Toews (entering his first season as Chicago Blackhawks captain) are all leading their squads at such young ages.

Z - Zetterberg, Henrik

Can you believe he was drafted 210th overall in the 1999 Entry Draft, and Patrik Stefan was the No.1 pick. Both careers have gone in opposite directions to say the least. Zetterberg is coming off career bests in the season (43g, 49a), and postseason (13g, 14a).

He was named the Playoff MVP and should lead the Red Wings offensively with Pavel Datsyuk for years to come.