My how we are hockey starved in Canada. TSN televised last night's World Junior Championship exhibition match between Canada and Finland, and despite the meaninglessness of the contest, the game generated a buzz. Granted, Canada looked great in drubbing a hapless Finnish club 6-0, but to keep things in perspective, Finland's weak entry will likely end up near the bottom half of the standings. In other words, let's not all get our hopes up.

Jes Golbez had a good run through of his musings on the World Junior in his blog today (nevermind that he gets Team Canada's goaltender's name wrong). One great point he does make is about the omnipresent Crosby hype. Let me be the first to say that the kid is overrated, which isn't a huge slight to him considering he's being trumpeted as the next Gretzky. In the Rimouski games I have seen on television, he has been an elite player but not a dominant one. That he is leading the CHL in scoring playing in the weak Quebec League isn't enough to win me over. Alexander Daigle anyone?

Is Crosby the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft? You bet. Will he be the best player drafted in the past five years? I'm going to say no. That said, he's got the perfect opportunity to prove me wrong over the next two weeks with Team Canada.