FanNation

The Call of the Hall

By Sarah Kwak, SI.com 

Before we begin to anoint the NHL’s future -- starting promptly at 7:15 p.m. on Friday with the selection of Steve Stamkos as the first pick of the 2008 draft -- it’s imperative to celebrate the league’s past. And in the case of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s newest class, announced this afternoon, this means remembering yet again the 2004-05 lockout.

The 17-member selection committee deliberated over a very familiar list -- namely those they snubbed last year since there were no new players eligible for this year’s class, thanks to the one-season interruption of play -- and ultimately chose a pair of forwards with plenty of achievements to their long careers: Igor Larionov (above) and Glenn Anderson.

Three-time Stanley Cup winner Larionov, who centered the Russian Five for the Detroit Red Wings during the 1990s, was a no-brainer to receive the honor this year after he failed to make the cut for the Class of 2007, one that included Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens. The two-time Olympic gold medalist with the 1984 and ’88 Soviet teams, certainly has the numbers to back up his case: 644 points in 921 games during a fantastic 16-year NHL career. His induction will be another step toward recognizing the internationality of the league.

Larionov becomes just the fifth Russian to be enshrined in Toronto, joining former teammate Slava Fetisov, the Red Wings defenseman who was inducted in 2001. It isn't Larionov’s first Hall of Fame nod, though. The forward was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Hall of Fame earlier this year, in a class that included NHL superstar Mario Lemieux and the first three women (Geraldine Heaney and Angela James of Canada and Cammi Granato of Team USA).

Also earning a place in the Hall is Anderson, the former Edmonton Oiler who won six Stanley Cups, collected 1,099 points from 1980 to ’96 and went overlooked every year since 1999. Five players from the dynastic Oilers team -- Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, and Paul Coffey  -- had already been inducted in the past.

"I guess the big question I don't have to answer anymore is 'why aren't you in?'" Anderson said in a conference call.

Along with Larionov and Anderson, the late Ed Chynoweth, the long-time president of the WHL and CHL, and former linesman Ray Scapinello also will be enshrined. 

Among those who were eligible this year who didn't make the cut are fellow Russian Pavel Bure, whose 437 goals are more impressive given that his career was often dampened by injury, and forwards Adam Oates and Doug Gilmour. These players will likely have to wait quite awhile before they’re given much thought again. The Class of 2009 will be stacked with Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille. It would come as no surprise if they were getting fitted for rings already.

What do you think of the committee's taps for Toronto? 

SPOILER ALERT! The awards went to...

By Sarah Kwak, SI.com

Did the NHL (oops!) inadvertently advertise its Hart Trophy winner by selling the Alex Ovechkin T-Shirts on its site days too early? Yes. Probably. But the NHL tried to explain it away like this: "In an effort to offer our fans the merchandise they want in a timely manner following an event such as the NHL Awards, our licensees prepare product for all possible outcomes," spokesman Frank Brown said in a statement.

Wings win the Cup their way

By Allan Muir, SI.com

Give 'em credit. The Red Wings know how to keep things interesting.

After blowing their first chance to finish off the never-say-die Pittsburgh Penguins in the waning seconds of Game 5, the Wings almost gave away Wednesday's Game 6 in even more dramatic fashion. Marian Hossa's desperation-backhand bid got by Chris Osgood's outstretched glove, but slid harmlessly through the crease as time expired, leaving intact Detroit's 3-2 win and allowing the Wings to celebrate their 2008 Stanley Cup championship.

Three Stars -- June 4

1. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings: If any voters were on the fence coming into this game as to who most deserved the Conn Smythe, Zetterberg made it easy for them with a brilliant two-way effort. He set up the opening tally with a nifty pass to Brian Rafalski, helped kill a 1:26 five-on-three chance less than three minutes later and authored the Cup-clinching goal early in the third, before helping the Wings lock down the championship.

2. Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings: This was a classic example of the kind of leadership Lidstrom provides as Detroit's captain. He played more than 28 minutes, primarily against Sidney Crosby's line, and was instrumental in limiting Pittsburgh's most dangerous weapon to just two harmless shots with their season on the line.

Rate This: NHL makes TV strides

By Sarah Kwak, SI.com

For all the talk about the NHL making monster strides on the ratings landscape, which is true to a certain extent, let's just consider that Monday night's 3 OT thriller was still beaten out in the 8 p.m., 9 p.m., and 10 p.m. slots by reruns of Bones, House and CSI: Miami, respectively. The 4.3 overnight rating and 8 share was the best a Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 has seen since 2002, but that's a little like bragging about being the thinnest kid at fat camp. 

Still, relatively speaking, the NHL has seen some pretty encouraging numbers this postseason. Versus, the NHL's subterranean cable partner, has seen some considerable success with its playoff coverage; Game 2 of the Final garnered the highest rating the network has ever seen, meaning that over 2.5 million people, in fact, found Versus and tuned into the 3-0 Detroit win. But for a network that features bass fishing and cage fighting as its normal TV fare, the niche network still isn't pulling in the same kind of numbers that, say, ESPN would. 

On NBC, the NHL is seeing some impressive stats. Saturday's Game 4, won by Detroit 2-1, also took prime time, the first time an NHL broadcast has won a night since June 9, 2001. It earned a 2.3/5 national rating and among adults 18-34 and the key adult-male demographics, it was the highest-rated program of the night. The ratings surge, which everyone at the NHL is giddy to point out, is proving that a dream match-up with marketable stars in marketable regions may just be enough to lift the NHL back to its pre-lockout status.  

Even though Game 5 didn't beat primetime reruns, it did get hockey back into the conversation. More than one person reached out to me to say, at the very least, "I heard last night's game was great." Even if they don't watch, they're talking about it, which may be good news for tonight's Game 6. Although it'll be up against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays taking on the Boston Red Sox, the second do-or-die game for Pittsburgh has got people expecting another fantastic match and talking about a potential Game 7 in Detroit for Saturday. 

Some interesting figures we saw from Monday night's game in the breakdown by market. 

MONDAY'S TOP 10 MARKETS: