Silver Nuggets: The Year of the Rookie

The last time we had a lockout (yes we are reduced to these stories now), an incredible thing happened. Alex Ovechkin had been drafted by the Capitals, but had been unable to play his rookie season straight away because there was no season. When the entire season was wiped out, there was a draft the next year in which the Pittsburgh Penguins got the chance to select some dude named Sidney Crosby. When the league started back up again, NHL fans had the opportunity to see two of the biggest modern day stars have their rookie seasons at the same time, forever tying a link between the two of them for comparison purposes. This did wonders for the league in terms of advertisement, they had two new superstars starting in what felt like a fresh, new league.

The league was rejuvenated by a new set of rules that opened up the offensive side of the game and two emerging superstars in US markets. Without that same luxury this time, will the NHL see the type of resurgence it did after the last lockout?

Oh, what's is that you say? Gary has horseshoes up his behind and the planets are aligning for him?

A Russian scoring phenom gets drafted first overall but cannot play his rookie year. Ovechkin or... Yakupov?

An all around dominant centre from Cole Harbour NS who gets drafted first overall at the end of a lockout. Crosby or.... Nathan MacKinnon?

It may not be the same, but there exists the potential for an incredible influx of youth into the NHL all at the same time if there is a lockout, and seeing as that is what saved the owners last time, I see it saving their greedy asses game again.

Links

Sens News:

• What do Chris Phillips and Dany Heatley have in common other than a reduced role? They are both suing Stacey McAlpine for lots of money in deals they got screwed in. [SensExtra]
• John Chabot preparing to help NHLers work out ITEOAL. [SensExtra]
• Nichols with some Thursday morning news. [6thSens]
• Hilarious/awesome poll over at WTYKY about search engine queries that lead people to their site. Get over there and check it out. [WTYKY]

NHL News: