The blue and white mass known as Leafs Nation silently filed out of the Air Canada Centre on opening night after their beloved Maple Leafs suffered their first loss at the hands of arch rivals, the Ottawa Senators.

I know, I know, many of you may be thinking: ?yeah, what else is new??– However, the Maple Leafs? loss Wednesday night will go down in history as it was the first NHL regular season game to be decided by a shootout.

Welcome to the new NHL where skills beat size, the tempo is upbeat, goal scoring is on the rise and there are no more tie games.

All 30 teams saw action Wednesday and it is safe to say the NHL achieved their objective to come back better than ever after last season?s lockout.

With 15 games on the schedule, there was an abundance of excitement as new-look teams stepped on the ice. Fans were given a glace at the free agent signings made during the off-season as many star players made their debuts for their new NHL club.

Stats collected by the NHL reported that the average attendance on opening night was 98% capacity in the 15 rinks hosting games. Very impressive, especially considering teams like the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche and New York Rangers (classified as larger market teams attendance-wise) all began their season on the road.

Watching the first few games so far, the ambience feels more like mid-March with the playoffs fast approaching. The excitement is back, not just with the fans, but with the players as well. As each game is played, the players are becoming comfortable with not only the rules, but also with the way the referees will be calling the games. There is passion and relentlessness largely made possible by allowing all teams a chance to be competitive. Under this new system, lead changes are frequent as are 5-on-3 power plays and come from behind victories.

The new rule changes implemented by the League this summer were also on display and for the most part are being embraced by the fans. There were lingering doubts about the removal of the centre red line and the crackdown on obstruction when the League announced the changes; however the new rules have vastly improved the on-ice product.

Creativity is the keyword to success nowadays. Crafty plays, nifty passes, calculated decision making on the ice and strategic moves by the coaching staff and general managers will be what makes or breaks a hockey club.
As every hockey analyst has already made their Stanley Cup predictions for this season, Ottawa, Philly and Calgary seem to be early favourites. But, as the Tampa Bay Lighting raised their Stanley Cup banner Wednesday to the tune of ?We Are the Champions,? that was a reminder that anything is possible come playoff time.

My advice: keep your eyes on the little guys and enjoy the hockey because it?s the best it has ever been.






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