Burning Questions for the 2009-2010 NHL Season

HEDHS people, Hockey is back!

In honor of this week's pre-season kickoff, I put to you the questions burning a hole in my blocker this season. In other words here are my 30 for 30, (plus two for the KHL and Swedish Elite). Got your own? chime in!

1. Sean Avery’s first gaff: Will it be goalie or girlfriend related?
2. Can the Stars survive Crawford, or have they become the new Thucks?
3. In which game will Ray Emery shank someone?
4. Pavel Datsyuk. No question, just can’t wait to see him on ice again.
5. Will the Bruins wake from their hibernation, set the picinic basket aside and pull together a real Finals run?
6. How magnificent will it be to see Sid have to deal with Pronger all season?
7. Is Jimmy Howard ready for the show?
8. Did the Heatley-Cheechoo-Milan trade benefitted Ottawa more than the Sharks?
9. Did the LA Kings gain any experience and wisdom last season?
10. Will they allow Niedermeyer and Selanne to use their “Rascals” on the ice this year?
11. How quickly after a Detroit fan throws $1.20 on the ice at the United Center will Hossa pick it up?
12. Will Fox or ESPN pick up Phoenix’ “Coyote Ugly: the reality series” for the fall season? No coach, no wins, no money: All the drama, half the fans.
13. Will Joe Sakic continue to shovel his own drive now that he has all that free time?
14. Will Montreal make bad fashion statements again, in the name of tradition? Damn Frenchies.
15. How will Gary Bettman apologize to Nic Lidstrom for the unwarranted All-Star punishment upon learning that Nico had a torn ligament in his elbow at the time? Flowers? Edible arrangements? A Teddy bear with a sling on its arm?
16. When will Glen Sather make his first colossal mistake of the season?
17. Will Steve Mason live up to his rookie year?
18. Is Tukka Rask the coolest name in Hockey right now? Or is it the name most likely to earn the following chant/signage: “Tuuka Rask? Looks more like someone Tukka Dump!”
19. How fantastic will Darren Helm be at the, uh.... ahem, ahh., Well you can guess.
20. Will ANYONE care what happens with the Maple Leafs?
21. Who will be the worst team in Hockey this year: Leafs, Coyotes, Thrashers, Islanders, Avs, Lightning?
22. Will anyone ever buy me a Scotty Hartnell “Fro” wig?
23. How soon in the marketing season will it be before the entire NHL Fanbase starts bringing effigies of Crosby to games?
24. Will Ovie break Gretz’ record for fastest 50, and score more than 50 goals in less than 39 games?
25. What will the Wild do this year to make a faster offense work with the Trap, and will Backstop still reign as the most underrated goalie in the league?
26. Will Jiri Hudler forgo sleeping on his requisition “cot” in the Red Army Barracks, and instead sleep on piles of money?
27. How many assault charges will be levied against Patrick Roy’s kid this year? (I’m guessing 30.)
28. Can Manny Legace help Atlanta become less mediocre?
29. Will Luongo prove he’s a playoff goalie or falter?
30. Will Forsberg play for the Swedes in the Olympics, prompting obsessive, non-stop and rampant speculation that he’s coming back to the NHL?
31. Will the Canes once more ward off talks that their season is staaled by surprising us all again with a stellar playoff run?
32. Do we have to listen to another half season of “Will Sundin play or won’t he” speculation, and why does anyone care???