The Pittsburgh Penguins have been involved in a number of big stories this season.

First, there was their long, slow start to the season that had talking heads asking questions like "what's wrong with Sidney Crosby?" and "how did this team make it to the Stanley Cup Finals last year?"

Then there was the firing of Michel Therrien, who was replaced with Dan Bylsma as the interim coach. This was seen as a mistake by everyone outside of Pittsburgh.

Then came the turnaround which saw Bylsma drop the interim tag, the Penguins making the playoffs again, and the same talking heads saying things like "these are the Pittsburgh Penguins we're used to seeing" and finally noticing Evgeni Malkin's superb play.

The entire Stanley Cup Playoffs were all about the Penguins - first they drew a matchup with their hated (by everyone, not just Penguins fans) rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. Then there was the Pens vs Caps series, which had the same drama surrounding it that a matchup between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin always has.

Before the puck even dropped against the Hurricanes, suddenly sports writers were already pencilling in a Penguins vs Red Wings Stanley Cup Final. A rematch of last year's Final, which saw the Penguins exit in six games. The series was never really that close.

On Wednesday, May 27th, the Detroit Red Wings made that vision a reality by sending home the Chicago Blackhawks. The Penguins had already sealed their place in the Finals by sweeping the Hurricanes. +1 for the sports writers.

Since the Penguins clinched their place in the Final, it's been all about them. Crosby and Malkin, the dynamic duo that reminds everyone of Gretzky and Messier. This is the beginning of a new dynasty. Did you see the Penguins touch the Prince of Wales trophy?

It's been the best story of the year for anyone that covers NHL news. A story that can harken back—and with actual, notable parallels—to the beginning of the most famous dynasty in NHL history.

But wait just a minute.

What about the Red Wings?

Indeed, the team that was thought by just about everyone to be the best team in hockey—not to mention the defending Stanley Cup Champs—hasn't seen much in the way of headlines this year. All they've done is play effectively. The only time they made news was when they played poorly down the stretch, and as it turned out, that didn't matter so much.

Yet this is the same team that beat the Penguins last year, with one notable exception: they've added Marian Hossa, one of Pittsburgh's key players from last year. In all the talk about the Penguins becoming the new Edmonton Oilers, everyone has seemingly forgotten about the Red Wings. The only time they're mentioned these days is as the equivelant to New York Islanders.

I think the Pens will take this series, but then, I'm a Pens fan. I don't know how much of it is my fandom vs how much of it is my actual feeling that they can take four from the best team in hockey. This is going to be an interesting series, folks.

Pens in 6.