Since we have last spoken the San Jose Sharks continue to be dominant (still no losses in regulation at home, along with the Washington Capitals).  San Jose has had many great seasons over the last 5 or so years but have not been able to cash in during the playoffs.  So it is never to early to start thinking playoffs.  Does this current Sharks team have what it takes to break the hex that has seemed to get them in the second round of the playoffs over and over.  They will have some stiff competition in the west, many teams are starting to step it up in the Western Conference.  Since my last column in addition to San Jose the Red Wings, Blackhawks, and Canucks have all been on fire.  Although San Jose has been dominant I still would not say they have proven themselves entirely as THE team in the West.  They have quite a few of their wins against mediocre eastern conference teams and have beaten the Kings and Predators two times a piece.  They have a total of 12 more games against the Ducks, Red Wings, Canucks, and Blackhawks we shall see how they hold up against stiffer competition. 

Over in the East the Bruins have been on fire.  Definately the surprise team of the year thus far in my book (not sure I may have said that about the Sabres a few weeks ago but they have been awful ever since).  I had the Bruins making the playoffs this season in the 7 or 8 spot but so far they lead the once mighty northeast division (all of the other teams in that division have  cooled off significantly but two weeks ago that was the best division in the NHL) and will probably take the conference lead from the Rangers over the next week as they begin to catch the Rangers in games played.  Having said that there are a few teams that will probably be able to catch the Rangers once they begin catching up in games played.  Two of those teams are the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins who have been on fire over the past two weeks.  They both got off to mediocre starts but have begun playing up to expectations as of late and have climbed toward the top of the conference.

So, my topic for discussion this week is one that has had me doing a lot of thinking.  Can and will Toronto host a second NHL team in the coming years.   Well the New York metro area has three teams, and the L.A. area has two teams.  Those aren't exactly huge hockey cities.  New York supports their football and baseball teams way more than hockey, and LA just in general is not sports crazy except for when the Lakers are in the finals.  So if these cities can have multiple teams of coarse Toronto should right???

Well here is my question though, who in Leafs nation is going to abandon their beloved team and be a die hard supporter of a new team?  I am sure at first the city will be excited to have a new team and Leafs fans will support them (especially the ones who cannot get affordable tickets to the Leafs) but believe me it won't take long for these two teams to begin hating eachother and fans will have to pick sides. 

Now the Ottawa Senators have successfully developed a fan base of individuals that at one time may have been a Leafs or Habs fans but they have geography helping them out there.  If you are a hockey fan in Kingston Ontario (which some say is the birth place of hockey) you are about a three hour drive from both Montreal and Toronto, but only about an hour to an hour and a half from Ottawa.  So it make sense for many in eastern Ontario to support the Sens, but to put another team in downtown Toronto, or even just outside the city the Leafs are still right there.  I would love to see Toronto get another hockey team, and the fans deserve it, but I think it will be interesting to see who supports them and how they will co-exist with the leafs.

Anybody in the Toronto area reading???  Enlighten us please!!  Until next time hockey fans.