2010/11 a great year for hockey?

After a year that saw several teams start in Europe, a year that saw this year’s star keeper start behind a young but inform pretender, and saw Ovechkin and Crosby both undergo maybe their hardest season’s to date; we finally come to an end with the cup being hoisted to possibly its highest height by Boston’s captain Zdeno Chara.

It’s fair to say although most years people give Boston an outside chance for a decent post season ru, in most years not many would have picked them to win the cup, but win it they did. This year’s stand out team for the regular season Vancouver, we’re pipped at the post by team effort anda  hard playing style from the boys in black and gold.

Thomas set a new record for save percentages and goals against this year and didn’t look to let that change throughout the playoffs either. He’s almost nailed on to be remembered as the player that very nearly never was, that should inspire players around the world that it’s not too late to break the best league in the world.

Vancouver picked up this year’s Presidents’ Trophy with ease and were everyones’ tip to win the cup, but alas couldn’t sustain their high quality right to the finish line. It’s fair to say with the set up there that they will already be a tip to go far again next year. And many in the city will hope they can take it one step further and learn from their playoff mistakes, like Boston proved they could this year after an embarrassing exit last time around.

Let’s have a further recap as to what this year brought with it:-

Repeat Offenders – A little over two years ago both Chara and Thomas picked up individual trophies for being amongst the best players for their positions winning the Norris and Vezina Trophy respectively. This year looks set to be a repeat of that formula after a top year for the both of them which resulted in the Stanley Cup coming back to Bean Town for the first time in over 30 years.

Big Man, Big Loss – Perhaps the saddest moment of all this year was the loss of Derek “Boogy Man” Boogaard in May. The big man was a hard hitting, team mate protecting beast and with a reputation as one of Hockey’s real nice guys outside of the game. Filling his spot again will be almost impossible for the New York Rangers.  Boogaard a naturally tough left wing had a career that on points alone didn’t read well, but ask any player that played with him and you’d get the picture as to why he was rarely left out of a line. He’ll be sadly missed by the hockey world, perhaps most of all by the fans of Minnesota who got five great seasons from him before his short stint with New York.

Atlanta who? – To cap off what was a predictably poor season for the Thrashers their fans now seem certain to find themselves on the verge of losing their Hockey team. True North Sports brought out the rights to them late May and of the $170m buy out, around $60m was put up to relocate. Whilst the decision is far from final until the papers are signed it seems the company based in Winnipeg Canada are keen to move the team into the great north and maybe even completely rebrand them.

Is a return of the once great Winnipeg Jets back on the cards? Comments have been made by those that count such as the ‘well loved’ commissioner (Gary Bettman) of the NHL’s statement earlier this week. “We mourn the loss of Atlanta, but we celebrate our return to Winnipeg, and we are excited about our future there”.

Finally…

Grown up kid or Are you kidding me? – This year’s NHL awards will decide which player from the NHL will be the face of the EA Sports NHL 2012 game. The last two years have seen players of the Chicago Blackhawks take the cover, but fans will no doubt have their personal favourites to feature this year around. Personally I’d love to see Timmy Thomas, but that’s a view of a Bruins fan, despite being a grown up, when the seasons finished it’s as best I can do to try repeat their success via the format of video game.

Lastly congratulations to all Bruins Fans, Players, Staff etc. always nice when a hockey mad state wins the cup!

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