What to Expect From the NHL in Its Return

The lockout is over and the hockey season officially starts on Saturday night. So let's go over what you should expect from the shortened hockey season, especially early on.

Injuries: Two weeks of training camp and no exhibition games spells out a shit ton of injuries. These guys beat the hell out of each other on a nightly basis so add that to a short camp and a condensed schedule and it's inevitable.

Sloppy Play: Especially for teams who have added new pieces expect a lot of sloppy play early on. Guys need time to learn to play together and for some teams the season may just be too short before it's figured out.

Surprise Playoff Teams: This season more than any other season there will definitely be some surprise playoff teams. Teams who have been playing together for a while have a huge advantage and those teams who fade out at the end of the year won't be fading anymore. Why? because they're only playing 48 games.

Angry Fans: Everyone thinks there will be a hockey "craze" once the season starts up again. Many fans who were interested last season have lost that interest because of the lockout. Plus fans are so angry that there was a work stoppage. Expect a lot of arenas to have a lot of empty seats.

So that's what I have right now. My first hockey post of the short season. It all begins Saturday, let's see if I'm right.