Helene says it’s unlikely Vanek gets moved in an article extolling his virtues during his hot streak. It still reads like sales copy, but whatever.
I was interviewed for this article and had a lot of fun with it.
BONUS - Food for thought:
1996 (The bad guys won)
1995 (The good guys lost)
2009 (We blew it)
Special shout out to 2006 as well - Stevie skating off for the last time in defeat to Edmonton was real painful.
07 sucked too, but that was basically 1996-lite in terms of narrative heartbreak.