Heartbroken

I woke up this Wednesday morning feeling positive that the Habs had won to force a game 7 that I would be listening to late Thursday night. As I bounded up the steps to the internet cafe, I was nervous, but still confident.

And then I opened TSN.ca and saw what had happened. It felt like I’d been punched in the stomach. Another season ended too soon; another long summer ahead.

In the end, the pivotal moment was losing Koivu. Enough ink has been spilled on this already, but it’s the truth. The leadership he provides is irreplaceable and I hope to hell that he recovers soon from this. That guy is worth his weight in gold and is my favourite player of all time.

I realized this morning that I care more about the Habs than Team Canada. The joy I get from their victories surpasses any other sports team by a country mile. The trade-off is that their losses hurt. A lot. But I wouldn’t lessen my adoration for ‘les boys’ for anything.

I’m heartbroken this morning, along with the rest of Hab-land. I really didn’t think it would end like this. But I am already excited for next season. The promise shown by our young guys like Chris Higgins, Thomas Plekanec and Alexander Perezhogin bodes well for the future. I hope Gainey re-signs Huet and picks up a power forward. Or Brad Richards.

In other hockey matters, I am once again amazed by Steve Yzerman. That guy is the epitome of class and grit. In 2002 he led Detroit to a Cup win on one leg and this year he played phenomenal hockey through brutal back pain. If he’s played his last game, it’s a huge loss for hockey, as he is one of the game’s greatest ambassadors.

Today I’m going to end with the mating call of the Leafs fan: "Next year".