We Have Tonight...

There's an article spinning around in my head right now. It's about how the 2013 season was a gift for Red Wings fans and how we should appreciate the progress this young team has made. The article talks about how few NHL teams are actually able to re-tool on the fly and theorizes that in a normal 82 game season the Wings would probably have been the 4th seed in the Western Conference. I discuss the wonderful breakout seasons of Gustav Nyquist, Damien Brunner and Joakim Andersson. The article goes on to state that Ericsson has finally grown up and Jimmy Howard is realizing his own massive potential. Of course it's not all gum drops and lollipops; the piece also discusses the need to replace or upgrade guys like Kyle Quincey, Todd Bertuzzi and Carlo Colaiacovo. Finally the article expresses my hopes that Danny Dekeyser heals up fine and that Brenden Smith works on his positioning and defensive awareness over the summer.

To tell you the truth the article would be pretty easy to to write now; so easy in fact that I've almost started it several times already. That's how the big boys do it ya know; they start multiple pieces early so that no matter how the games work out they have something ready to go instantly. There are literally thousands of professional writers all over the world right now preparing articles on the aftermath of the Red Wings surprising season. If I want to stay competitive I should probably join them in doing so; strike while the iron is hot and all that.

There's only one problem, one nagging issue that's holding me back; if I wrote the article now it would really suck when I had to come back and update it after the Stanley Cup Finals wouldn't it? I believe. I believe in the greatest game 7 team in the history of the NHL. I believe in the smartest coach I have ever seen behind the bench. I believe in the young guys, the old guys and the guys who won't even be Red Wings next season. I believe in Jimmy Howard. Most of all I believe in the Hockey Gods who have no doubt watched this series in great rage at the officiating. I believe. Screw tomorrow folks, we have tonight and that's enough to keep the dream alive. Let's go Red Wings.

- Sportsball Chic