Now that the big Madden 13 cover tournament is behind us, where Calvin Johnson saw victory, it's time for Detroit sports fans to turn their focus onto the NHL 13 cover contest currently under way. Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk easily made the top 16 in preliminary voting and was seeded No. 1 on one side of the bracket. In Round 1 he is facing T.J. Oshie of the St. Louis Blues.

Glancing at the bracket, Datsyuk should go pretty far despite a disappointing first-round exit the Red Wings experienced in the playoffs this year. New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist could possibly be a tough matchup, but I easily see Datsyuk making the championship. Not to get to ahead of myself, but I could see the Red Wings star winning the whole thing. Like the Madden tourney this is a fan-voted contest, and popularity is key. There's no Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby in sight, and Datsyuk is right up there in name recognition.

Most important of all, there's no silly curse to worry about. So breathe easy, Detroit sports fans, and vote for Datsyuk by clicking here. Let's get another Detroit athlete on a video game cover. Round 1 voting takes place May 3-10.

Get even tinier random thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921