Hello, my name is Scott...

Hello. My name is Scott and I am a hockey addict.

There. I said it; as if that's supposed to do anything.

The fact of the matter is I really don't want to find a cure. I only want to find other addicts who eat, breathe, sleep and talk hockey!

We've only been without hockey for a month and I'm chomping at the bit to drop the puck on next season already! This is terrible!!! I don't recall it being this bad in previous years. Maybe it's because we had a shortened season and I had to compact my hockey fix into six months instead of nine months. Maybe it's because I'm just so bummed about the Blues' early exit from the playoffs that I can't wait to get the new season started with all of its promise.

Maybe it's just because I'm a hockey addict.

I am suffering from NHL withdrawal.

I get the NHL Center Ice package on DirecTV each year so I can watch my beloved Blues. Of course, having the Center Ice package means I also occasionally watch a few other games.

Okay, more than occasionally and more than a few - all in glorious HD, the television format invented solely for hockey.

I already told you; I am a hockey addict!

I look at the schedule each day and determine which game or games I plan to watch. Games in the Eastern Time Zone generally start at either 6:00 or 6:30 Central Time, so I start with that. I may watch the entire game or I may just watch the first part of the game until another game that I want to watch starts. Blues games trump everything else. In any case, I can easily find myself watching hockey from 6:00 until I go to bed some nights.

Okay, most nights.

Well, maybe seven nights a week - but only during the season.

And the post-season.

Saturday nights are the best. I get to watch Hockey Night in Canada's pregame show at 5:30 on NHL Network, followed by the HNIC featured game. Don Cherry and Ron McLain do the always entertaining  Coach's Corner between the first and second period of the early game. That segment usually ends right at 7:00 so I can switch to a Blues game, or some other game I really want to see.

This is a very difficult time of the year for me. The Stanley Cup has already been awarded (to the vile, disgusting Blackhawks), the Draft is over and training camp won't start for weeks. Hockey coverage is very limited in US markets (which is why I keep TSN and CBCSPORTS bookmarked on my computer) and there is no hope of getting my fix anytime soon.

I need hockey.

Live games that count in the standings.

Because I am an addict.

I sure hope they never find a cure for hockey addiction.