And a very difficult task that will be, in the current era of the National Hockey League. Ever since the '05 lockout, four different teams have failed to carve their names on the Stanley Cup twice in a row. The Hurricanes couldn't do it, nor could the Ducks. Not even the continuously dominant Detroit Red Wings could beat out the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, and the Penguins then found themselves eliminated this year by the surprising Montreal Canadiens in the second round. And starting today, at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

The Hawks had the fourth best record in their division, and ninth best in the conference in the preseason. Now, that might seem pretty poor for a Stanley Cup Champion, but you've gotta remember that preseason is just a time to get your team in shape, and almost never do you have all of your best players on the ice in the same game. Plus, you might add that one of the favorites to snatch the Cup out of Chicago, the Detroit Red Wings, are the only team in the Central Division that finished with a lower record than the Hawks.

Anyhow, you can expect the usual fast paced playing style of the Hawks, but this year, made even faster with the addition of Marty Turco, whose ability to handle the puck will force the opposition to never be able to let down their guard, even when the puck is in the Hawks' zone.

In addition, the official start of hockey season begins in half an hour, when the Hurricanes play the Wild in Helsinki on Versus.