Rankings/List

Philadelphia Flyers center Mike Richards deserved the Frank J. Selke Award, which is awarded to the forward that excels in the defensive aspects of the game.

He deserved it, but he didn't get it.

Instead, the Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk was awarded the award for the second straight year and became the sixth Wing to win the trophy.

The voting was the closest it has been since its inception in 1978. It was 945-942 in favor of Datsyuk, despite the fact that Richards had more first-place votes.

The 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs undoubtedly will go down as one of the most exciting, drama-filled post-seasons in recent memory.

The big names, big games, and fantastic story-lines that came out of every single series were a treat to watch. From the first drop of the puck, to Sidney Crosby lifting the Cup in victory, the fans were certainly given their money's-worth.

And then some.

Here now, is a look back at the most memorable, the most exciting, and the most jaw-dropping moments from the playoffs this season, good and bad.

I consider myself a student of the game of hockey. I learn something new about it every day whether it be through the hockey history books I read, the websites I go to, or the discussions that I have with other people.

I like to think that I am very knowledgeable about the game and I have decided to put my knowledge to the test. Over the course of the next month or two, I am going to rank the top 100 players in hockey history.

It will be very challenging and a lot of research will be done in order to get the best rankings possible.

Welcome to my mock draft. In the next 10 slides you'll find out who I believe will be the top overall selection and also who may go where in this 2009 NHL Draft. I'll try and take team needs into consideration, but for the most part, it's more of a ranking of the top 10 prospects. So let's get started...

Every year in the NHL we see a handful of young forwards have their breakout seasons.

Some expected, some unexpected.

Last year we saw forwards like David Krejci of the Boston Bruins, Joe Pavelski of the San Jose Sharks, Bryan Little of the Atlanta Thrashers and many others have their breakout years.

When I project which players I choose to have breakout seasons I base it on four things.

The first thing I look at is the players overall potential in skill.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings will play the ultimate lose-or-go-home game seven on Friday night in Hockeytown USA. It marks the 15th time that a Final has gone the distance since the NHL switched to the seven-game format in 1939.

The Stanley Cup Final is always an intense and exciting series, but when the two teams are close enough, and the series is pushed to the brink, the seventh game is bound to stick in fan's memories forever.

The one game that no matter who you cheer for, who you want to win, or what you had planned the night of the game; you simply cannot miss it.

Chris Osgood throws his fatigued arms in the air as Johan Franzen enthusiastically clenches Henrik Zetterberg.

Mike Babcock throws himself into the arms of his assistant coaches.

Nicklas Lidstrom skates to receive the coveted prize and becomes the first European trained captain to win the Stanley Cup.

The other end of the ice shows faces that express disappointment. Unlike the Detroit Red Wings, the Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t receive that extra surge of energy that comes with winning.

5-0. 

Saturday night's debacle in Detroit was no more than a game lost for the Penguins.

Whether it 5-0, 4-3, or 5-4 in overtime, the only result that mattered Saturday night was the loss that made tonight's Game Six a must-win for the Penguins.

Does it really matter how the loss occurred?  The score? No.

The only thing that matters—seeing how it happened last year—is that the Red Wings can again win the Stanley Cup on the Pittsburgh's home ice. 

Do you ever wonder just how talented our athletes today are? Sure, they are fast, athletic, agile, and strong... but can they act?

With the NBA Finals getting into full swing and the Stanley Cup winding down, I wondered what would happen if some of the players tried to fill certain roles in sports movies.

Obviously, they would have to try something close to type. I don't expect them to go out and start winning Oscars on their first try.

They can't all be Shaq.

The Top arenas in the NHL. I look for not only the building itself and how it looks and feels, but the atmosphere inside and out. Please remember, this is just my opinion. This is not to put down any other city or fan base. I’m not here to pick on anybody, but merely to help you guys pass some of the dog days of August (otherwise knows as the dead days of hockey) to help spark some conversation. I’ll try to be a bit less geographically challenged on this list.