Redneck Hockey Seizes Stanley Cup in Wild Final

Injuries to the top new additions on both teams, the first ever penalty shot goal, and the first ever short handed goal in overtime made the 2006 Stanley Cups anything but predictable. After a year off due to the lockout the league re-invented itself by making all the teams competitive and opening up the game. This final was a battle between two smaller markets- a struggling US market and the smallest Canadian city to still possess a NHL team. The Stanley Cup Finals returned with a thunderous ovation with an exciting game on the ice and excitement off the ice.

The Edmonton Oilers were the poster child for the plight of a small market team that adored hockey but couldn't keep its star players. With a new salary cap and a solid core of young players the Oilers were expected to be competitive but few predicted that the Oilers would be a Stanley Cup Finalist in the first year under the salary cap. The new competitive NHL allowed the Oilers to keep their team together and even allowed them to acquire superstars like Pronger and Peca to challenge for the Cup. But, the Oilers makeover didn't stop there and over the season they added Roloson, Spacek, and Samsonov to fill weaknesses and laid the groundwork to conqueor the NHL's Western Conference.

The Edmonton Oilers showed how the new NHL should be played. It should be played with a high tempo offensive hockey and the teams that have the edge aren't the big spenders. Good drafting and wise free agent and trade acquistions are the new formula to winning. The NHL is less predictable and no team will be loaded with star players on their fourth lines anymore. The new NHL allows role players the chance to decide the fate of who wins or loses the Stanley Cup. Players like Fernando Pisani have the opportunity to step up and win key games for their team. With fewer stacked rosters coaches will gamble and put their faith in journeyman and rookie players to win.

The Carolina Hurricanes were the perfect opponent for the Edmonton Oilers. They featured the Oilers former franchise player (Doug Weight) and the league's most underrated future star. (Eric Staal) Under the old NHL Staal would have struggled with a struggling market and nobody would have heard of his achievements. But with parity in place a team like Carolina that wasn't considered a playoff contender can challenge for the Stanley Cup with breakout seasons from young stars like Staal and Ward.

Fans in America's south still don't understand hockey. But a fast skating game that rewards talented offensive players- it is much easier to sell to NASCAR country. The NHL must make sure its strong northern markets are secure and expand the game into the south by showing the passion of cities like Edmonton for hockey.

Stanley Cup 2006 will be remembered more for just being the first Cup Final in 2 years. The Oilers and Canes top new acquistions (Roloson and Weight) both were injured in the final but both battled up and found a way to win. In the end Carolina blocked more shots and Cam Ward outplayed Markennen to secure the first ever Stanley Cup for the Carolina Hurricanes.