By Joseph Durie
The 2009-10 NHL season is underway with games taking place from Finland to Sweden and across North America.
For the past three seasons the NHL has played games to begin its season in Europe, aiming to help expand the league's presence across the world, and to showcase the top European players in their homelands.
Stanley Cup finalists the Detroit Red Wings, with their large Swedish group of players, opened the season with two games in Sweden against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues however spoiled the Swedish homecoming by winning both games.
The Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers kicked off their seasons in Finland by splitting the two games.
Perhaps the NZRU should look at how the American sports display their sports to new markets. Instead of taking the grand prize like the Super Bowl or the NBA Finals or the Stanley Cup Finals, the leagues play games from the regular season. Whereas the NZRU decided to play the biggest card they could with an All Blacks test against Australia. Would it not make more sense to have a Super 14 match of the Crusaders against NSW to begin with? Rather then giving up your greatest asset straight away?
2009 Number one draft-pick John Tavares, who scored 215 goals in his junior career, scored his first NHL goal in his first game against defending champs the Penguins.
Tavares who has the weight of the once great New York Islanders franchise on his shoulders, made it through his first week without looking not out of his depth.
Washington and Philadelphia were involved in the game of the first week, in a 6-5 overtime win to the Flyers.
Two-time MVP Alex Ovechkin scored two goals and leads the league with 5 goals after the first week. However, Mike Richards scored a hat-trick and Daniel Briere scored in OT for the win.
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