Sidney Crosbys return gives us an opportunity for something that doesnt happen very often in the NHL any more, a chance, or maybe the hope, for something magical to occur. Todays NHL doesnt lend itself well to making magic. Its not like the 1980s and 1990s, when Wayne Gretzkys and Mario Lemieuxs domination of the game was at a level that todays young followers of the NHL might not even be able to grasp. It truly was a time when "you had to be there" to fully appreciate it. To feel it. The numbers simply do not do it justice. Todays game is terrific. There is so much to like about it. Its hard. Every game is so important. The playoff races literally start the first day of the season, each point means that much.There are no soft touches. There are no elite teams. The difference between the best teams in the league and everyone else is, on many nights, negligible. Goals are hard to come. And while there are plenty of high-scoring stars in our game today -- the Sedin twins in Vancouver, Anaheims Corey Perry last season, Phil Kessel in Toronto so far this season -- the brightness of their star, and their productivity, comes and goes. And the separation between one or the other is more often than not minimal. Sustaining anything in the game today is a chore. Ask Alexander Ovechkin, who has gone from being the games most awe-inspiring and dynamic presence two or three years ago to just some guy whos on pace for his second straight 32-goal season. Whether todays seemingly fleeting superstardom is a function of the game now or its because the players simply arent as other-wordly as Gretzky and Lemieux, its tough to say. But whatever the case, its difficult, if not impossible now, for any one player to truly dominate, to transcend the game the way Gretzky and/or Lemieux did. But if theres one who might, whos at least got a shot, its likely Crosby. When last he left us -- in early January of this year -- the Penguins captain was shredding the NHL. At the time of his concussion, he was on pace for 64 goals and 132 points. He was coming off a season before in which he had re-invented himself from playmaker to goal-scorer with a league-leading 51 goals and, of course, scoring the Golden Goal to give Canada the Olympic gold medal in Vancouver. Never mind that he was probably only average throughout most of the Olympics or that in the playoffs of 2010 he was no more effective in breaking through against the Montreal Canadiens in the second round than Ovechkin and the Capitals were in the first round. Hes still arguably the NHLs best player and the face of the game and he is our best hope at providing that special something that qualifies as magic. Maybe thats expecting too much from a player who hasnt played an NHL game since Jan. 5. There is so much about concussions we dont know. Will he still be the same player? What happens if hes hit hard or takes a shot to the head? But being that special player in the game carries with it the burden of unreal expectations and Pittsburgh hockey fans have been spoiled, not once but twice, in somewhat similar circumstances. The truly special players in our game find a way, against all odds, to do something extraordinary when the spotlight is squarely on them. Or, in the case of Pittsburgh Penguin owner Mario Lemieux, something spectacular. Twice. On Dec. 27, 2000, Lemieux came out of more than three years of retirement, to score one goal and two assists -- the first assist coming 33 seconds into his first shift -- in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He went on to score 76 points in only 43 games that season. And he played another five full seasons on top of that. Perhaps even more remarkable was Lemieuxs stirring comeback in 1993. In early January of that year, Lemieux was diagnosed with cancer. He knew he would have to take a couple of months off for radiation treatment. At the time he stopped playing, Lemieux led the league with 39 goals and 104 points. At that point, he had a 29-point lead on Buffalos Pat LaFontaine. On the day of Lemieuxs final radiation treatment, March 2, the Penguins were playing in Philadelphia that night. Lemieux flew into Philly and when he took to the ice -- getting that rare standing ovation for a visiting player in the Spectrum -- he was 12 points behind LaFontaine in the scoring race. No one thought it possible Lemieux could come back to claim the Art Ross Trophy. But Lemieux scored one goal and one assist that night and that was special, but what he proceeded to do after that was the magic. In one of the most remarkable performances in the history of the NHL, Super Mario went on a tear that had to be seen to be believed. It took him less than a month, 26 days and just 12 games to be exact, to hunt down LaFontaine and regain the NHL scoring lead. Lemieux scored an incredible 18 goals and 35 points in those first dozen games back, almost a three-point-per-game average. And he wasnt finished. In the final eight games of the season, he scored 13 goals and 21 points, including a five-goal effort at Madison Square Garden, where he received -- get this -- a standing ovation from New York Ranger fans. In the 20 games he played -- after losing the first two, Pittsburgh went on to win 17 in a row -- Lemieux had 30 goals and 56 points. And it wasnt as if LaFontaine rolled over either -- the Sabre had 11 goals and 32 points in 21 games. Now thats @#$%^&* magic. No one expects Crosby to throw up Lemieux type numbers -- its a different time and place, to be sure -- but is it possible in the Penguins 21st game of the season for No. 87 to start making himself a factor in the NHL scoring race? The politically correct answer is we only hope Crosby shows no ill effects from the concussion, that hes able to take a hit and keep on playing and maybe he needs to shake off some rust...but lets dare to dream a little bit here. Torontos Kessel leads the NHL with 29 points in 21 games. If he were to produce at the same pace and not miss a game, Kessel is destined for a 113-point season. Crosby would need 114 points in 62 games to eclipse him, or 1.84 points per game. In the 41 games Crosby played last season, he recorded 1.61 points per game, so the task is daunting, to say the least. But who says Crosby has to win the scoring title? Merely making a play for it would be something special, too. The top five pointgetters in the NHL have at least a 24-point lead on Crosby right now. If they produce at the same rate for the balance of the season, top five status would be 98 points. In order for Crosby to break into the top five, he would need 99 points, or 1.60 points per game, just a shade under what he had in 41 games last season. So is it possible? Hell, yeah. Therell be some in Pittsburgh today, the older guys who have been around awhile, who will see the excitement and buzz and media throng for Crosby and think back to the Lemieux comeback(s). In tone and feel, today is probably a lot more like Lemieuxs second comeback, the one from retirement, because its a home game for Pittsburgh and the word came down fairly quickly that Crosby was coming back. It wasnt a huge surprise, like Lemieuxs unexpected return from retirement, but its still big news by any standard. The Penguins themselves only found out at 2 p.m. yesterday that Crosby was playing tonight and they made the announcement of his return at 3 p.m. And now its all anybody is talking about. But in hockey terms, Lemieuxs comeback from cancer in 1993 is probably more similar to Crosby comeback circumstances of today. That isnt to say cancer is the same as a concussion or vice versa. Crosby hasnt played a game in more than 10 months spanning two season, Lemieuxs absence was only two months within one season. But Mario came back without the benefit of really training or practising at all and Crosby has been practising at the highest-tempo possible almost since the end of training camp. For each game ticket in Pittsburgh this season, a different Penguin player appears on each one. Every veteran player on the team appears at least once but for stalwarts such as Crosby, Evgeny Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang, Jordan Staal and Brooks Orpik, theres more than one game with their image on the ticket. The tickets were printed in August...and tonights ticket bears the image of , yup, you guessed it, Sidney Crosby. Magic? Its a start, and heres hoping theres more where that came from because the game could always use some. cheap jerseys from china . In seventh place in the Eastern Conference, the Impact will need to run the table in the four games left in their regular season and hope that the Houston Dynamo, who hold the fifth and final playoff spot, and the sixth-place Columbus Crew both falter down the stretch. wholesale jerseys . Mack spent the first four years of his career in Tampa Bay after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He appeared in 58 games, including four starts, with the Buccaneers over that span and recorded 89 tackles with five interceptions. http://www.cheapnfljerseysforsale... . The historians will record the seeds of doubt were sown four months before that opening 2-1 reversal on June 26th at the hands of the hosts and the then World Champion Germans with a very public feud between the governing body and a team that as a bargaining tool announced a willingness back in early February 2011 to go on strike in support of their beleaguered coach Carolina Morace. [url=http://www.cheapnfljerseysforsale.us.com/]Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . The Goldeyes took a 3-1 lead into the eighth inning, only to watch the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks storm back for a 5-3 win before 4,811 fans. wholesale jerseys china . Players screamed and celebrated, bouncing around the grass with unabashed joy.TRENTON – In the drop of a hat at 6:30 in the morning of Wednesday, October 5th, David Steckel was on a plane to Toronto, hours away from his first practice with the Leafs. Trades arent nearly as simple as packing up an equipment bag, hopping on a plane and driving to a new rink. Quite often in fact, the ice emerges as a singular place of solace amongst a sea of change. Acquired from the Devils in exchange for a fourth round pick last week, the 29-year-old is now fairly accustomed to the shuffle of being moved in an instant. Believe it or not, hockey has been the easiest adjustment. "When you come to a new team right away, the thing that I took comfort in was going in the rink everyday," Steckel told TSN Radio 1050, "hanging out with the guys, having the ability just to go out there, play hockey, pretty much not worry about anything until that second when you step off the ice and then youre running through everything in your head, like What about the movers, what about your family?" A family man, Steckel is worrying about much more than himself. Earlier this summer, he and his wife Didi welcomed their first child, Harper, into the world. Steckel is hopeful the pair will arrive in the city this weekend. "Just trying to Skype with them as much as I can," he said, "but thats not working out too well either – its tough." While they are certainly atop the priority list, his wife and newborn daughter are just a pair of the many tasks to be addressed – all in a matter of days. Reid Mitchell, the Leafs director of hockey and scouting administration, is the point man in such transitions, supporting and easing newly acquired players in their relocation to Toronto. From moving a family to locating a comfortable neighbourhood to finding a perfect home to picking out a good school to setting up a new bank account to identifying the right minor hockey program – getting traded is far from a simple matter. "Its moving your house, moving your cars," explained Steckel. "For one, coming here Harper didnt have a passport yet – shes only four months old – so Ive got to deal with that, obviously trying to get my wife in [the country] with a working VISA as myself – getting that paperwork when youre not together isnt the easiest – shutting off all the utilities back in Jersey, trying to find somebody to rent our place in Jersey because of our lease. "Its annoying kind of stuff like that, but at the same token, I think Id be twice as overwhelmed if I didnt have to do it last year at the deadline to be honest with you." Drafted in the first round by Los Angeles in 2001, Steckel never made it to the NHL with the Kings. He signed with the Capitals as an unrestricted free agent in 2005, playing in parts of six seasons with Washington before being dealt to the Devils last February – the first trade of his career. For the final months of the year, he and his wife stayed in a local hotel, before finding a home to lease in Jersey shortly after the season concluded. Then just two days before the 2011-2012 season was set to begin, he was on the move again, this time to Toronto. "Its easy to try and say Dont get overwhelmed," said Steckel, "but honestly do one thing at a time, try and take care of as many things as you can in a day when you have time and if you get sick of it, thats what tomorrows for. And have a great wife. Honestly, shes been doing probably about half of the stuff that I should be doing – it makes it easier for me." Steckel has found his place quickly with the Leafs. In his debut against Montreal last Thursday, Steckel won 72% of his face-offs (18-25) in a 2-0 Leafs win. He followed that up with a 65% performance (17-26) on the draw two nights later in a 6-5 victory over Ottawa. "Hockeys fun," he concluded. "When I get on the ice I like to have a lot of fun.dddddddddddd When I dont have to think about all the crap I have to get done it makes a lot easier and more enjoyable. "Taking solace in the fact that I can come to the rink, I can skate with the guys, joke around – thats what were here to do." All in a matter of moments. -- Tim Connollys injury situation is looking less and less optimistic with each passing day. Monday marked two weeks from the date of Connollys upper-body injury, but he appears no closer to making his debut with the Leafs. The 30-year-old departed Tuesdays practice after just 15 minutes, this after a 45-minute workout on ice the day prior. "He was sore today so we back off and they do alternative recovery methods inside the trainers room," said Ron Wilson, following practice at RCAF Arena. While hes continually rode the bike to keep his conditioning at an optimal level, Connolly has yet to fully engage in contact at practice. When informally speaking with TSN Radio 1050 on Monday, Connolly said there was no update to his situation, no timeline for a return. At some point if the injury does not progress, it only makes sense that the team would consider alternative solutions. Wilson, however, denied the need for surgery. "Theres no surgery necessary," said Wilson. "Hes improving day to day." Connolly has already missed the first two games this season and looks doubtful to play on Saturday. His last game action took place against Buffalo on Sept. 23rd. -- A minor cut nearly turned very serious for Clarke MacArthur. The 26-year-old suffered a cut to his left elbow during the Leafs first preseason game against Ottawa on Sept. 19th. This past Sunday the area became infected and "blew up". Back on the ice at practice on Tuesday – after an absence on Monday – MacArthur was in better spirits. "Its okay," he said. "A little sore, but Im just trying to wash [the area] every day. Its getting better every day so thats a good thing." Dealt a two-game suspension to start the regular season, MacArthur is expected to make his season debut against Calgary on Saturday. He was forced to dump all of his upper-body equipment because of the infection. "I probably should have done that at the start of the year, but how do you know?" he chuckled. "Ive had my shoulder pads since I was 12, so theyre gone." -- Nazem Kadri continues his comeback from a left knee strain. The 20-year-old practiced with teammates again on Tuesday and while he hopes to join the Leafs on Saturday, the likely scenario is a trip to the Marlies. "Who knows really," said Kadri, of an impending assignment. "Its always up to the coaching staff, but whatever happens happens." Kadri suffered the injury on Sept. 27th during a preseason game in Ottawa. He was expected to miss 2-4 weeks, but has progressed quicker than expected. "Yeah, I guess a little bit, but Im young, I heal quick," he said. "As of right now, its getting pretty close to 100%. Honestly, I dont even think Ive been off the ice too, too long to really lose my wind too much." The Leafs would be forced to make a roster move if Kadri joined the team on Saturday. Wilson declined to reveal impending plans, but with no roster spot immediately open – and 24 with Kadri in the mix – an assignment to the Marlies for conditioning and roster breathing purposes only makes sense. -- Cody Franson is likely to make his Leafs debut very soon. Wilson indicated Tuesday the likelihood of Franson seeing action against the Flames on Saturday. "Not going to keep him on the bench long," said Wilson. "Its kind of a juggling act right now; he wants to play and show why we made a big trade like that for him. "Hes going to get the opportunity." Wilson wouldnt indicate which defenceman would come out of the lineup in his place. ' ' '