Parity in The NHL, Has It Finally Arrived?

Top to bottom, the NHL is getting tighter each season.

This season appears to magnify this reality more than most.

With prolific teams being beaten regularly by rebuilding teams, it is clear that the talent pool in the NHL seems to be spread out across all of the teams.

Modern coaching techniques and tools have added more weapons for teams with less talent but more commitment.

Yes there still are teams like Detroit out there, but even Detroit has to be playing at the top of their game to be ready for even the basement dwellers in the NHL.

The days of select teams running rough shot over the rest of the league may be fading into the past.

It appears the winners of tomorrow are going to be about balancing budgets and keeping everybody focused on the job at hand. Talent alone will not win a cup—as witnessed by year after year of Ranger squads, not to mention the Ottawa Senators.

Other old hockey stereotypes such as "European players aren't physical" and "only a Canadian captain can win the cup" are all completely falsified now.

All in all, it should prove to be wonderfully beneficial for hockey fans looking for excitement. With more teams with legitimate shots at making the playoffs, fans will be  encouraged to stay on top of games and standings more now than ever before.

I'm not a fan of Gary Bettman, mostly for his blatant pro-Americanization of the NHL, however, I have to admit, it is certainly nice to see wider competition and less super-team dominance.

It's still early this season, but the mood this year feels different from any other, especially for rebuilding clubs. Thanks to the talent pool being spread thin, any team that loses one or two significant players on their roster can count on being seriously challenged to retain their position in the standings for any amount of time, without those valuables resources.

It's gonna be all about youngsters from now on, and I think that is fantastic.

More youngsters means faster hockey and more new energy.

Can't complain about that!