Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - The Christmas trees are gone, the gifts returned and those New Year's resolutions are going well, for now. That means it's January, which traditionally marks the halfway point of the National Hockey League season.
Unlike the preseason, when pundits across North America make their predictions and outlooks, this is a time when we can use our hindsight to look back on the hockey we've seen thus far.
The Eastern Conference, as expected, is up for grabs, while the West, to much surprise, is as well. Super Mario is coasting toward his seventh Art Ross Trophy, while a newer generation of snipers -- Markus Naslund, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik and Ilya Kovalchuk -- are firing at will for the goal-scoring title.
That's just a sample of what went on in the first 40+ games, and here is a look at some of the individuals who have stood out above the rest.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Markus Naslund, Vancouver - The Swedish sniper leads the NHL with 30 goals at press time, but that only begins to tell the story of why he is the MVP of the first half. Naslund, who has evolved from star to superstar the last three years, is the motor of the best line in the league right now, and that potent unit, which also includes Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison, is all the Canucks have in terms of scoring depth. Yet the club, which Naslund also captains, has ridden the trio's back and stayed right in the thick of the race atop the Western Conference with traditional powers like Detroit and Dallas.
TOP GOALTENDER
Marty Turco, Dallas - During Ed Belfour's final two years with the Stars, many in Big D were calling for him to be replaced by a former fifth-round pick from the University of Michigan. Well, we're seeing why now, as Turco, in his third season, leads the NHL with a 1.76 goals-against average and is tied for the top spot with five shutouts. Unlike Roman Turek and Manny Fernandez, two former Belfour understudies, Turco received his chance with the Stars, and he has taken the ball and run with it. The 27-year-old is slated to become a restricted free agent in July, and will surely receive a hefty raise from the $850,000 he currently makes.
TOP ROOKIE
Tyler Arnason, Chicago - This year's rookie crop is not nearly as plentiful as the Class of 2001-02, which claimed the likes of Dany Heatley, Kovalchuk, Kristian Huselius and Erik Cole. The 02-03 newcomers are led by Chicago center Tyler Arnason, who paces the pack with 11 goals and 22 points. Arnason, who showed the ability to produce at the collegiate and American League levels, has emerged as the Hawks' No. 2 centerman behind captain Alexei Zhamnov.
TOP DEFENSEMAN TOP DEFENSEMAN
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit - The best in the business, and until someone emphatically knocks him off his perch, he'll stay there. The two-time defending Norris Trophy winner is tied for third in the league among rearguards with 31 points (9g, 22a) and sits fourth with a plus-16 rating. There are obviously other worthy candidates to stop Lidstrom's string of Norris domination, but who else would you want out there with a minute left in a scoreless game?
BEST COACHING JOB
Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota - I thought about picking Florida Panthers' coach Mike Keenan for molding such a young squad into a playoff contender, but Lemaire has taken a club two years removed from expansion and put it in position to challenge the conference. Although they've struggled a bit of late, the defense-minded Wild remain within striking distance of the Vancouver Canucks in the Northwest Division. Lemaire, despite the new obstruction standards, has kept Minny in the top 10 of goals-against, but also has the club playing some semblance of consistent offense. And remember, although the Wild are led by a budding superstar in Gaborik and have made some nice veteran acquisitions, they are still in the toddler phase of being a franchise.
BEST PART OF THE FIRST HALF
Minnesota Wild - The success of Lemaire and his troops is the exception rather than the rule, but it's nice to see a club that has been built from the ground up succeed so rapidly. And the veteran additions the Wild have made -- the Andrew Brunettes and Cliff Ronnings -- were barely mentioned the past two offseasons, yet have made tremendous impacts. Let's just say the New York Rangers, who have made it tradition to spend money poorly, would love to have both players on their roster right now.
To truly see just how successful Minnesota has been, take a look at the other expansion teams of the past five years. Nashville, Atlanta and Columbus have combined for 60 losses already this campaign, and the last two squads have fired their coaches in the past month. And the Predators' Barry Trotz might not be too far behind.
WORST PART OF THE FIRST HALF
Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres - With the labor battle of 2004 looming, the last thing the NHL needed was a club in financial peril. How 'bout two of them?
We all know the story of the Sabres, how owner John Rigas and his two sons were indicted on fraud charges following the collapse of Adelphia Communications. The league has been supervising operations of the club ever since, and a hopeful sale to a group led by Buffalo businessman Mark Hamister continues to sputter along. If, however, the kinks of the transaction don't get worked out, the Sabres could find themselves out of Buffalo or nonexistent altogether.
Buffalo's financial woes, and the team's inability to upgrade over the summer, has had a direct impact on the on-ice product, as the Sabres are battling the Thrashers to avoid the NHL basement. On the other hand, the Sens have been one of the premier teams of the first half and top the Eastern Conference at press time.
But when word spread that 2003 began with the team missing payroll on New Year's Day, alarms went off everywhere and many wondered if the club could survive the near future. Ottawa is roughly $350 million in debt, and filed for bankruptcy protection on Thursday.
So, here we have two teams that, as of right now, don't have the means to operate at the minimum financial level in the NHL. This tells me two things: 1. Salaries have obviously become far too bloated for a 30-team league to exist in its current locations. 2. That a 30-team league will surely dwindle to a reduced number if a lengthy work stoppage ensues in '04.
