The NHL In Remembrance: Thinking Back to Better Days

Remember the time when your hockey news wasn’t filled with exhausting talks of collective bargaining, labour disputes and the ongoing battle between NHL owners and the NHLPA.

Remember the time when hearing names like Gary Betman, Bill Daly and Donald Fehr would barely be enough to keep your attention.

Remember the time when CBA expiration, work stoppage and lockout were words that never entered your mind.

Remember the time when 40-year-old Martin Brodeur returned to the form that made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer while leading the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Remember when 22-year-old Steven Stamkos became just the 20th player in league history to score 60 goals in a single season.

Remember when fellow 22-year-old Erik Karlsson won the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenceman, joining Bobby Orr and Denis Potvin as the only players to win the award under the age of 23.

Remember being able to see Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, arguably the two best hockey players in the wolrd, play on the same team and often on the same ice as linemates.

Remember witnessing the emergence of superstar talents such as Claude Giroux, John Tavares, Jordan Eberle and Tyler Seguin.

Remember enjoying (or not) the off-ice musings of New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella and Boston Bruins netminder Tim Thomas.

Remember the turnaround season of the St. Louis Blues who became a Stanley Cup contender after the arrival of head coach Ken Hitchcock.

Remember the goaltending saga in Vancouver with Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider.

Remember laughing at some of the lighter moments in the NHL, particularly Logan Couture this year and Phil Kessel the year before, being selected last in the All-Star Game Fantasy Draft.

Remember the surprising run through the Western Conference playoffs by the Phoenix Coyotes.

Remember those same Coyotes being a part of an unbelievable duel with the Chicago Blackhawks when the first five games of their first-round series were forced to go to overtime.

Remember the awe-inspiring, head-shaking, epic first-round series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Remember anticipating a new season with exciting storylines such as Eric and Jordan Staal uniting in Carolina, Rick Nash debuting on broadway, and the potential of the young Edmonton Oilers and their slew of first-overall talent.

Remember when we saw the Los Angeles Kings skating around with the biggest prize in hockey, The Stanley Cup, just 83 days ago.

Boy, I sure miss those days.