All business up front, party in the back. Perhaps no hairstyle in history has been as celebrated and as mocked as the humble mullet. Musicians like Billy Ray Cyrus and actors like David Faustino (Bud Bundy) have certainly done their part in raising mullet awareness. However, in no other facet of life is the mullet more prevalent than in the world of athletics. Legends like relief pitcher Dennis Eckersley, tennis ace Andre Agassi, and NFL linebacker Brian Bosworth (okay, maybe not so legendary) have all rocked the hairstyle in their time. However, if one sport can truly claim ownership of the mullet, it has to be hockey. In the 80s, short hair was the exception, not the rule, and most players had a magnificent mane flowing out from under the back of their helmets. The style became so popular the term “Hockey Hair” (pretty much interchangeable with “mullet”) was coined.

With so many players in the 80s and early 90s sporting this legendary hairdo, coming up with a list of the top 10 best hockey mullets was indeed a challenge. I think I’ve come up with the best of the era, but in the event I’ve overlooked some obvious candidate please feel free to point out my omission(s) in comments. Enjoy this trip down memory lane. I know I did.

10 – Wayne Gretzky

Not only is he the greatest hockey player of all time, but the man known as The Great One had a great mullet also back in the days of the high-flying Oilers. Though known as perhaps the smartest player to ever play the game, Gretzky proved he was just as dumb as many of his more cement-handed fellow NHLers when it came to personal grooming and style. Some of Gretz’s teammates like Marty McSorley tried to copy his hairdo, perhaps hoping his secret lay in his flowing locks. I wonder if that spectacular mane helped him land Janet Jones?

9 – Ron Duguay

There might be something to my theory that the mullet was instrumental in helping hockey players hook up with hot women. Wayne got Janet Jones, but Ron Duguay trumped him, meeting and eventually marrying supermodel Kim Alexis. I firmly believe that had helmets been mandatory back in his playing days Ron Duguay would have hung up his hockey stick, and pursued a different career path that would let him flaunt his God-given gift. Thankfully for the fans, such a rule was not in place, so we were treated to Duguay in his full resplendence. Really, who needs a helmet when you have all that hair to protect you?

8 – Brian Engblom

This former Montreal Canadien and Washington Capital star defenseman is a rare specimen indeed. He actually rocked a better mullet as an analyst than he ever did as a hockey player. I mean, just look at that thing. That is a work of art! Best of all is the fact that he refused to let the mullet die, wearing it proudly long after the 80s had come and gone. Whether his stand was bravery, stubbornness, or just pure naivety is up to you to decide, but I for one applaud him. I just never get tired of looking at that picture.

7 – Wendel Clark

Pound for pound I don’t believe there was a tougher man to ever play the game than Wendel Clark. Well, to be fair, you’d have to be tough to get away with a hairdo like that. Hard to believe that is a draft day picture. He must have hit puberty when he was seven years old! Wendel gets bonus points for rocking the rare, but impressive mullet mustache combo. Whatever you do, don’t get in the way of him and his Chunky!

6 – Michal Handzus

I don’t know if this falls under the traditional definition of the mullet, as it is longer up front than your typical example of the hairdo. Still, even if the “business up front” has a pretty lax dress code the massive “party going on in the back” more than makes up for it. Handzus also gets some bonus points as one of the brave souls sporting a 2000s era mullet. Must have a great respect for the history of hockey I guess.

5 – Mike Ricci

The man that topped our previous list of the Top 10 Ugly Hockey Players definitely had some help from his hair in nabbing that dubious title. It may seem like I am unfairly picking on Ricci here, but to be honest he is one of my favorite hockey players of all time, and I respect him immensely for the gritty effort he put forth on the ice each and every night. However, this list is supposed to be completely objective, and regardless of the admiration I have for him as a hockey player it would be a glaringly obvious oversight if I were to leave him off this list.

4 - Ryan Smyth

This inclusion was a no-brainer for the list of the top 10 best hockey mullets of all time. No other hockey player has worn a mullet with as much pride as the (sadly former) Captain Canada. During his playing days as an Edmonton Oiler Ryan Smyth was an enormous fan favorite. Some might claim this was because of his clutch play, his fearlessness, his skill and his unearthly determination. Sure, all that played a role, but the main reason has to be his obstinate refusal to cut his hair in the face of ridicule. Way to wear that mullet with pride, Ryan!

3 – Al Iafrate

One of the biggest characters in the sport of hockey in his day, Al Iafrate refused to let male pattern baldness dictate his hair style of choice. Undaunted when the bulk of the hair fell out of the top of his head, Iafrate kept the party going in the back, helping forge a new brand of mullet – the skullet. What really put the cherry on top of that legendary hairdo was the little island of hair he left at the front – like a little Charlie Brown squiggle. Yes, he may have had one of the hardest slapshots of all time, but his greatest achievement inarguably has to be the cultivation of that magnificent do.

2 – Barry Melrose

As good as the other entrants on the list are this battle of the mullets was really a two horse race all the way along. Though Melrose did have a brief NHL career as a player, playing 300 games in the show with the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings he really became a rock star back in the 90s as the bench boss of the Wayne Gretzky-led Los Angeles Kings. His hairdo from that era is as pure a definition of a mullet as you will ever find. When his coaching days he moved to the broadcast booth, and he certainly gives fellow former player turned broadcaster Brian Engblom a run for his money for best hockey analyst mullet.

1 – Jaromir Jagr

Sorry Barry but even you can’t compete with that. That is more than a mullet. Using the French pronunciation (Moo-lay) might get you closer to the true magnificence of Jagr’s hair. Pillowy soft the top seems to defy gravity, and no doubt there was never a shortage of women lining up to run their hands through that dark waterfall cascading down his back. Yes, it might not adhere to the classic definition like Melrose’s, but its greatness can’t be denied and makes Jagr an easy choice for the title of best hockey mullet of all time.

Okay, the other day I put together my rankings and 2009-10 NHL season predictions for the Western Conference. I managed to get that one in under the wire before the puck drop October 1st. However, I have been pretty busy watching, listening to, reading about, and basically living hockey for the past few days so I am a few days behind on getting my Eastern Conference preview up. Sorry 'bout that.

Keep in mind that these rankings don't necessarily reflect how I expect the actually standings to wind up. The NHL's silly rule that division winners are automatically ranked in the top 3 in the conference will mess with the standings. This list simply ranks the teams from best to worst (in my opinion). Without further ado, here are my NHL Eastern Conference power rankings.

 
 
Though it may come to a surprise to some to find the Capitals ranked at the top of the heap I believe this is the year that Alexander Ovechkin will really establish himself as a true leader. He has been an NHL superstar since game one of his rookie season, and no one can question his desire to win. However, I think that watching Sidney Crosby lead his team to a Stanley Cup victory last season has taught Ovechkin that it will take more than his incredible individual skill to capture hockey's ultimate prize. I think he will be a better leader both on and off the ice, and he will elevate the intensity and will to win of fellow stars like Mike Green, Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom.

The one big question for Washington is their goaltending. If Semyon Varlamov can live up to the potential that he showed in last year's playoffs this Washington team will really be a force to be reckoned with and has to be considered one of the most dangerous Stanley Cup contenders.

 
 
The team that was the "Beast of the East" last season slips to number 2 in the rankings in my mind. Not necessarily because they are any worse, just that I think Washington will improve significantly. However, the Boston Bruins had a lot of things go right last season, including an incredible year by goaltender Tim Thomas and unexpected contributions from guys like David Krejci and Blake Wheeler. If Thomas can duplicate his Vezina Trophy winning season, Zdeno Chara can continue to be a force at both ends of the ice and their young players like Milan Lucic, Krejci, and Wheeler can continue to improve the Bruins will once again be a handful for any team that matches up against them.

The loss of budding star Phil Kessel is an area of concern for Bruins fans. He led the team in goals last year with 36. However with a healthy Marco Sturm, and with Patrice Bergeron fully recovered from the devastating concussion he suffered a few years back the loss of Kessel might be insignificant.

 
 
In my mind there really isn't anything to choose between the Flyers and the team I have ranked 4th (spoiler: It's the Penguins), and the two could easily be reversed. I do believe the Flyers will be significantly improved from last year, for several reasons.

First and foremost in the acquisition of former Norris and Hart Trophy winning defenseman, Chris Pronger. Yes, Pronger is on the downslope of his impressive career, but he is still one of the league's premier rearguards, is a physical force, and plays huge minutes in all situations. Between Pronger, Kimmo Timmonen, and up and coming star Braydon Coburn the Flyers are solid on the back end.

Up front they are looking just as good. Their young stars like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter will be even better this season, and established stars like Simon Gagne and Daniel Briere will give the Flyers plenty of offensive depth that will give opposing coaches nightmares if they try to match lines.

The big question mark, as it always seems to be with the Flyers, is in goal. The off-season acquisition of Ray Emery did little to ease the minds of frustrated Flyers fans, who've been waiting since the days of Ron Hextall for the team to acquire a bona fide star goaltender. However, Emery has taken a team to the Stanley Cup Finals in the past, and he has the skill set to get the job done. His problems tend to be of the off-ice variety and it remains to be seen if he can focus on the job at hand without being a distraction for his teammates.

 
 
There is little question that the top half of the Eastern Conference standings will be a logjam, and any of the 4 teams I've listed so far could finish on top. The Pittsburgh Penguins are of course the defending Stanley Cup champions, and boast not one, but two of the game's biggest superstars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Both of these guys will be in a battle with Ovechkin for the Hart and Art Ross trophies this season.

With a supporting cast that includes Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar, Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz the Pens have plenty of firepower and should have no problem putting the puck in the net. Scoring has never really been the issue in Pittsburgh though. When they've stumbled the past few years it has always been the inability to keep the puck out of their own net that was the cause.

With his clutch performance in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last year, Marc-Andre Fleury has almost certainly banished any demons that had been haunting him since the early days of his career. He is arguably the most athletic goalie in the league, and with some structure and better positional play he has matured into one of the NHL's premier goalkeepers. As long as there is no backslide to his game this season the Pens have to be considered a strong threat to repeat as Stanley Cup champs.

 
 
With Martin Brodeur between the pipes the Devils are going to be a threat each and every night. With the most regular season wins in NHL history, Terry Sawchuk's record for career shutouts firmly in his sights, 3 Stanley Cup rings and 4 Vezina Trophies on his mantle Brodeur is making a strong case as the best goalie of all time. However, no matter how good a goalie is he needs some help and though the Devils might not be the most offensive talented teams on this list, stars like Zach Parise, Patrick Elias, Travis Zajac, and Brian Rolston the Devils should score enough goals to squeak out plenty of victories this season.

With the return of defensive guru Jacques Lemaire as their head coach the Devils should be even more adept than usual at keeping the puck out of their net. Look for Brodeur to have a stellar statistical season this year.

Nothing like leaving it to the last minute With the puck set to drop on the NHL season in less than 2 hours, I figured I should get my butt in gear and put together my 200-10 NHL season predictions. I'll break down how I expect the teams to finish in the Western Conference (I'll do the Eastern Conference tomorrow). This has become a much more difficult job in this age of parity, but I shall endeavor to do my best. At the end of the season I will revisit this post and see just how right (or wrong) I was.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
 
1st - Vancouver Canucks 

I know that many hockey pundits are predicting the San Jose Sharks or perennial Stanley Cup contenders the Detroit Red Wings to capture first place in the Western Conference. Ever the contrarian I picked the Nucks to take the honors this year. With a healthy Roberto Luongo in net and a defensive core that is the envy of the league the Canucks will be an absolute nightmare for opposing teams to score against. Up front look for the Sedin twins, fresh off signing a new long term deal to have their best season yet, and for players like Kyle Wellwood, Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler to have career years. Last, but not least, look for off-season acquisition Mikael Samuelsson to have a big impact. In limited minutes with a deep Detroit Red Wings team Samuelsson still put up respectable offensive totals. In an increased role with the Canucks he should have his best offensive season to date. With a stingy defense and an improved offense the Vancouver Canucks should have what it takes to capture the Western Conference title.

2 - San Jose Sharks 

Few teams in the league have performed as consistently in the regular season than the San Jose Sharks, and the 2009-10 season shouldn't be an exception. With the acquisition of Dany Heatley from the Ottawa Senators the Sharks now boast the most deadly one-two punch in the league. With Joe Thornton dishing him soft passes all season long Heatley should absolutely light it up this season. Look for him to eclipse the 50 goal mark for the third time in his career.

However, the Sharks have plenty of assets beyond those two superstars to challenge for tops in the conference. With Evgeni Nabokov in net, Dan Boyle and veteran Rob Blake anchoring the blue line, and a supporting cast up front that includes Patrick Marleau, Devon Setoguchi, Ryan Clowe and Joe Pavelski the Sharks have a balanced attack that should have them near the top of the league in goal scoring.

3 - Chicago Blackhawks 

Yes, there's the contrarian in me coming out again. While most in the hockey world are giving the Detroit Red Wings the Central Division title I believe it will be the Blackhawks year to finally dethrone the mighty winged wheel. With young stars like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook all moving closer to their primes, look for the Blackhawks to improve on their 104 point total of last season. The Hawks have an embarrassment of good young talent, and the only question mark surrounding this team is their goaltending. With the departure of Nikolai Khabibulin to the Edmonton Oilers, the number one guy between the pipes is Cristobal Huet. If he can live up to the promise he showed in the past as a member of the Montreal Canadiens the Hawks could be a strong contender for the Stanley Cup come this spring.

4 - Calgary Flames 

Speaking of defensive cores that are the envy of the league, the Calgary Flames have more than their fair share of stallions in their blueline stable. In the off-season they nabbed prized free agent puck-moving defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. With the addition of Bouwmeester the Flames have 3 defensemen that could arguably make Team Canada's Olympic team this February, as Bouwmeester, Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr are all getting strong consideration from Steve Yzerman et al. If Miikka Kiprusoff can return to form this year opposing teams will have a hell of a time bulging the twine this season.

Up front the Flames will once again be led by their captain, Jarome Iginla. Look for Iggy to improve upon his 35 goal total from last season. However, the big key to the Flames' offense will be Olli Jokinen. If he can live up to the huge expectations that came with him when he was traded from the Phoenix Coyotes at the deadline last season then he will take some of the pressure off Iginla and help the Flames challenge the Canucks for the Northwest division title.

5 - Detroit Red Wings 

Yes, for the first time in a long time the Detroit Red Wings could find themselves without home ice advantage when the puck drops on the 2010 NHL playoffs. Yes they still have 2 of the best two-way forwards in the league in the slickly skilled tandem of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. However, they lost some of their depth as Mikael Samuelsson signed with Vancouver, and Jiri Hudler defected to the KHL. The signing of Todd Bertuzzi will do little to offset the impact of losing Samuelsson and Hudler.

On defense perennial Norris Trophy candidate Nicklas Lidstrom is another year older, as is goaltender Chris Osgood, and fatigue could start to become a factor as the season progresses.

The greatest reason for Detroit's fall will be due to the improvement of the other teams in their division. In years past the Wings absolutely feasted on their weak sisters in the Central Division. However, with the improvement of the Blackhawks, Blues and Blue Jackets the Wings are going to work much harder for every point they get in inter-divisional match-ups this season.

6 - Anaheim Ducks 

The Anaheim Ducks came within a whiskers' breadth of taking out the Detroit Red Wings in last spring's playoffs, and the 2007 Stanley Cup champions might just be the dark horse in the Western Conference race. With a first line that boasts Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan the Ducks have one of the best lines in the league, and with their combination of skill and grit they will be all but uncontainable in the offensive zone.

The off-season acquisitions of Saku Koivu and Joffrey Lupul, and the return of the Finnish Flash Teemu Selanne will give some balance to the Ducks' attack, and with Scott Niedermayer on the back end making the first pass the Ducks will be deadly in transition.

However, the Ducks did suffer some losses in the off-season, losing both Chris Pronger and Francois Beauchemin to the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively the Ducks are significantly weakened on defense, and Niedermayer will be hard-pressed to fill the void left by those two. However, as long as goalie sensation Jonas Hiller can continue to improve the Ducks should still be able to outscore the opposition more often than not.

7 - St. Louis Blues 

With a core of young talent that rivals teams like Chicago and Washington the St. Louis Blues could play spoiler on many nights, and should make the playoffs this year with room to spare. With a group of young stars like T.J. Oshie, David Backes, Patrick Berglund, David Perron and Erik Johnson the future looks very bright indeed for a Blues team that has struggled for several seasons now. Veterans like Paul Kariya, Keith Tkachuk and Barrett Jackman will bring veteran leadership to the group, and Kariya and Tkachuk should still be regular contributors on the score sheet.

As with several other teams it will ultimately be goaltending that decides how the Blues fare this season. Chris Mason has shown flashes of brilliance in his relatively brief NHL career. If he can find his A game this year the Blues will be a team that no one will want to face come playoff time.

8 - Columbus Blue Jackets 

This was the toughest pick to make. I really like the potential of the Los Angeles Kings, but ultimately it was goaltending that gave Columbus the nod. In sophomore Steve Mason the Blue Jackets have a goalie that will be in the conversation with Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo as the NHL's best goalie for years to come. He was absolutely phenomenal in his rookie campaign and boasting a poise and a confidence belying his young age there is no reason to believe that he won't be even better this year.

Rick Nash, freshly signed to a long-term deal, should be poised to have his best offensive year to date. Firmly in his prime and challenging for a spot on Team Canada's Olympic roster Nash will be more of a handful than ever for opposing defenders.

And don't forget Ken Hitchcock. The Blue Jackets might not be blessed with an abundance of offensive talent, but their coach knows how to get the most out of his players on the defensive side of the puck. With Mason in net, look for the Jackets to win a lot of low scoring games again this season.

9 - Los Angeles Kings 

As I said above it was a tough call predicting the Kings wouldn't quite manage to squeeze into the playoffs. I'm just not sold on goaltender Jonathan Quick yet. However, if Quick can prove me wrong, and plays well consistently the Kings could surprise a lot of people in the Western Conference. With offensive stars like Anze Kopitar, Alexander Frolov, Dustin Brown and Drew Doughty the Kings should have no problem putting the puck in the net. If they can do a better job of keeping the biscuit out of their own basket they could definitely overtake the Jackets for that coveted eighth and final playoff position.

10 - Edmonton Oilers 

Beyond the acquisition of goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin the Oilers haven't done a great deal to change up the roster that missed the playoffs last year, so it is hard to imagine the Oilers making the playoffs this season. Granted, they've made a major coaching change, bringing in veteran coaches Pat Quinn and Tom Renney to guide the team, and this move might help their young players improve incrementally. However, the teams they are chasing have improving young players as well, so there is little chance of the Oilers will squeak into this year's playoffs.

11 - Nashville Predators 

It's hard to believe that a few short years ago the Predators were one of the best teams in the Western Conference and were considered by many as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. It just goes to show how fast a team can fall in this era when there is so much parity in the NHL. With a defensive core that boasts Shea Weber, Dan Hamhuis and Ryan Suter the Preds are looking okay, but up front they have more questions than answers. Players like Steve Sullivan and Jason Arnott are starting to get long in the tooth, and though guys like David Legwand, Martin Erat and J.P. Dumont are decent in support, overall they just don't have the offensive depth to challenge for a playoff spot.

The one silver lining for Nashville fans might be in goal, where Pekka Rinne seemingly came out of nowhere to scoop the number one job last season. If he can continue to improve and post as many shutouts as he did last season he will help keep Nashville in the hunt to potentially challenge for 8th spot in the conference.

12 - Dallas Stars 

This is a hard team to get a handle on, and the Dallas Stars might wind up finishing significantly higher than the 12th place spot I've allotted them. At 39 years of age Mike Modano is clearly in the twilight of his career, but with Brad Richards, Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro all in the prime of their careers there is plenty of potential there. Also up front they have young players with plenty of potential of their own. Loui Eriksson and James Neal both exceeded expectations last season, and junior sniper Jamie Benn was a standout in the pre-season.

On defense the picture is a little murkier. Defending by committee might be the motto of this group as there really isn't a bona fide top pairing among them.

Ultimately it will likely be the play of Marty Turco that decides if the Stars can bounce back this season. Turco had an off year by his standards last season with a 2.81 GAA and a woeful .898 save percentage. He'll have to be a whole lot better if the Stars want to get back to the playoffs.

13 - Minnesota Wild 

I have a feeling the next few seasons aren't going to be much fun for Minnesota Wild fans. With the departure of defensive coaching guru Jacques Lemaire the club is left with a roster that doesn't really suit the up-tempo style that new coach Todd Richards promises. New-comer Martin Havlat can be a force, but only if he can stay healthy. Strangely ironic that the Wild would finally get rid of one fragile star in Marian Gaborik only to snatch up another in Martin Havlat.

The ace in the hole for the wild is Finnish goaltending sensation Niklas Backstrom. Over the past 3 seasons Backstrom has been among the league leaders in GAA and save percentage, and has single-handedly won several games for the Wild over that stretch. He will be a lot busier with the departure of Jacques Lemaire. If he can handle the increased workload the transitional process might not be quite so painful for fans.

14 - Colorado Avalanche 

Once a perennial powerhouse the once mighty Avalanche have fallen on hard times indeed. It is little wonder that Joe Sakic decided to call it a career, as the immediate future looks pretty bleak for the Avs. Beyond the budding superstardom of Paul Stastny and the potential of the 3rd overall draft pick Matt Duschene, there is little for Avs fans to get excited about in the near future, and those who remember the glory days of Sakic, Forsberg, Blake and Roy are going to have to live on those memories for a while yet. The Avs will only avoid the basement of the Western Conference because the team that I've got pegged to finish 15th is such a mess.

15 - Phoenix Coyotes 

It is a shame for fans and players of the Phoenix Coyotes that their team is in such turmoil. The franchise has been caught in the middle of a lengthy legal battle between multiple parties for months and has seen head coach Wayne Gretzky move on in recent days. In fact the future of hockey in Arizona is very much in doubt. With all these clouds hanging over their heads it is pretty unreasonable to expect the players on the team to be able to go about business as usual at the rink without becoming more than a little distracted.

Even if everything was rosy in Phoenix on the business side this is a team that would struggle to make the playoffs. Sure they have some potential in young players like Peter Mueller, Martin Hanzal and Mikkel Boedker, but those players aren't quite there yet, and veterans like Shane Doan and Ed Jovanovski cannot shoulder the entire load by themselves.

Hopefully all the confusion surrounding the franchise will eventually be ironed out and whether they stay in Phoenix or move to another hockey market they can once again contend for a playoff spot in a few years.