The salary cap has brought the Silly Season to the NHL. The free-agent comings and goings of the past two weeks have given the futures market a rolling hip-check into the boards. Most prominently, Marian Hossa has jumped from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Detroit Red Wings, making Detroit a very strong candidate at 7-2 to defend Hockeytown’s Stanley Cup title.

Pittsburgh hasn’t stood pat. The Pens fleshed out their forward situation by adding veterans Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko to the right side. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin still in their ascendancy, Pittsburgh is in the driver’s seat in the Eastern Conference and a solid value at 6-1 to win the Cup.

Making like a thief in this whole situation are the Chicago Blackhawks (22-1). After three relatively quiet seasons rebuilding under GM Dale Tallon, Chicago added defenseman Brian Campbell and goalie Cristobal Huet. The United Center is going to be hopping again this winter.