Hey everybody I know it’s been a few weeks since I’ve put up anything new on the site but I’ve been too busy planning my trip to Anaheim. I’ll be leaving in just five days!

Next Wednesday, February 3rd I’ll fly from South Dakota to Anaheim to take in the Ducks versus Red Wings game at the Honda Center. We have over 40 people joining me for a Ducks Tweetup which will include group rate tickets, merchandise giveaways, and a tour of the arena by Ducks blogger Adam Brady. I’m pretty excited.

To remind myself of why I became a Ducks fan I wanted to post this guest blog from Princess Duck, who wrote this for me after the Ducks won on January 1. Enjoy…

Ducks fans are not the biggest or largest fan base, and have never claimed to be. As Ducks fans we know exactly where we stand. We’re in a peculiar area for hockey that many purists claim shouldn’t happen. “If ice doesn’t form naturally in your area, you shouldn’t have a hockey team” gets thrown around quite often in our faces. And while ice doesn’t grow naturally an Anaheim, it does grow naturally in the region of Southern California. You just have to raise your elevation a little bit and head upwards to our great mountains. There you will find lots of natural ice and snow, and you can see those mountains directly from the Pond. It’s still referred to as “The Pond” by many, but it’s more widely known as Honda Center, now a days. There are others who combined the two in a compromise, and they call it the Ponda.

So in short, Ducks fans understand our position but don’t let that fool you. We’re not the largest or biggest fan base, but the fans we do have are right up there with the most die-hard and loyal. Bigger fan bases have a shload (I’m paraphrasing) of bandwagon variety fans. The “win and they will come” symptom. That happened to the Ducks for a while in 2007. The games were sold out for the whole season of 2007-08 season due to the cup win. But those days are done and those bandwagon pals are likely over in L.A. right now with L.A.’s recent and baffling success. They’ll probably be leaving there soon though since L.A. has been doing a skid and are only grasping 7^th right now.

On the Ducks spectrum, we’re trying to figure out how we’re sitting in 13^th place with (so far) 7 Olympians on our squad. But while the bandwagon crowd has thinned out the die-hards are still going to support the team we love. And we still manage to get 15,000 out of 17,714 into the seats, with our poor start to this season. And those who aren’t in the seats (let’s be real, it’s a bad economy) are watching on TV. There was a study released a while back that showed 2 teams had the highest ratings in watching the NHL on TV. I believe the one team was the Islanders (don’t quote me on that) and the other team? It was Ducks. So if our die-hards can’t afford their seats, they are at home watching on TV. It was a 300% increase from last year. I believe that has to be due to the economy. I personally know a chunk of Ducks fans who did not re-new their season seats due to this reason. They simply cannot afford them. I know they’re as die-hard as you can get, but when money gets in the way you can only do so much.

I can also say that John T. Meyer will not feel out of place being a Ducks fan in South Dakota. A large chunk of Ducks fans are from out of the area. We are talking about a fan base that is literally scattered throughout the entire world. I know of a certain fan over in Seoul, South Korea who has been waking up at 8am to tune into a Ducks game from the internet feeds. When the games are at 1pm here in Southern California, he’s waking up at 5am to watch. There’s a couple in England who are big Coventry Blaze fans, they also are huge Ducks fans and have flown out for the playoff games time and time again. There is a fan in Washington who is about as hardcore as you can get. Among other areas are Hawaii, New York, Texas, Minnesota, Florida, I’ll save some time and say there’s fans in 49 states. I’m not sure about Alaska, I haven’t personally seen a fan from Alaska, I wouldn’t doubt it though. Include Canada, Europe. We had a season seat holder who LIVES in France. He flies a lot for business and got season seats for when he would be in Anaheim. He made a lot of the games too. AND HE LIVES IN FRANCE. There’s Ducks fans in Australia and Mexico. So when John T. Meyer is watching games from South Dakota, he won’t be alone. I’m sure he could find some fans in South Dakota!

Our fans have also been made fun of for being “weak” as in we don’t give the opposing teams fans too much of a hard time. It’s easy for other fans to come into our building and not be harassed. I’m not sure that’s being weak, I think that’s having some class. Ducks fans like to go with the “respect us in our building and we will respect you”. Cross those lines and there might be some trouble but for the most part, there’s never much of any trouble. Ducks fans are at the game to watch our team play, not to start trouble with opposing fans. If you were to go to San Jose, that’s different. If you are an opposing fan in their building, they will let you know it. There’s a ton of tension in that building if your not a SJ fan. It makes for an uncomfortable game watching experience, but it does feel good to win there. I have a specific memory from that place. The Ducks beat the Sharks 5 – 2 right before the playoffs last spring. A  SJ fan shouted “have fun watching us in the playoffs”. At that point in time the Ducks had not secured a playoff spot yet. A week and a half later the Ducks were facing those same Sharks in the playoffs, and I have to admit. I had a lot of fun watching the Sharks in the playoffs. The Ducks ousted them in the first round.

You see as a Ducks fan you have to bite your tongue a lot, because it’s easy for the other fans to harass you. But in the end the Ducks team helps you to have the last laugh. Other fans hate our team because our team is good. It’s a defense mechanism. At one point or another the Ducks have burned their team and it embarrasses them. We’re a team that was formed from Disney and other teams can’t let that go. The Ducks are no longer owned by Disney but you wouldn’t know that by the insults thrown out year in and year out. It stings them when our “Disney Ducks” beat their team.

I’m not going to candy coat things, I’m going to get you prepared for what you are in for as a Ducks fan. It’s not roses and lollypops. You will get a lot of flack for being a Ducks fan, but you will also get satisfaction. The team is a good team, and when they are on their game they are tough to beat. If they make the playoffs they are feared. Any hockey fan out there knows that they don’t want to see the Ducks in the playoffs. SJ thought they did but learned a harsh reality lesson last spring. And while Detroit did take us out, we took them to 7 games, and down to the last few minutes, and to ONE goal. That was a bitter pill to swallow, but the fact remains the same, we made Detroit sweat and put fear in their minds, and came just 1 goal away from going to the Western Conference Finals. This team is why it’s much easier to be a Ducks fan. We can handle the harassment from the other fan bases because we know we can get the last laugh.

Now to prepare you for this season we are currently in. It started off piss poor. Excuse my language. If it was a firecracker, it’d be a dud. Nobody can really figure out why. There’s a lot of finger pointing going on but nobody really knows why. Truth be told though, it’s just the way it is. However, as of late, they have been finally getting things turned around. They’re figuring out how to get the wins stringed together, and they are most definitely the last team I would consider OUT of the playoff race. If any team were to rally back and make a playoff spot, it’s the Ducks. Right now the Ducks are just taking on the battle of the injury bug. I think most teams are taking on the injury bug. Soon the Olympics will be here and a good chunk of our team will be playing in them for their respective countries. So far Scott Niedermeyer (who was also named Team Canada’s Captain), Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf are playing for Canada. Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are playing for Finland. Our goalie Jonas Hiller will be playing for Switzerland. Ducks Prospect Luca Sbisa will be playing for Italy. They haven’t announced American’s roster yet but that should include Bobby Ryan and I’ve heard rumblings of Ryan Whitney as well. That’s 9 Ducks in the Olympics. I fully believe that this Olympic trip will help fire them up and get them ready for the big push they need to grab themselves a playoff spot. While other teams will have many sitting around not playing games for two weeks, we have 9 of our MAIN players out there playing and hopefully winning. You could ask any NHLer … they can practice all they want during this Olympic break, but it’s not the same as getting out and playing a game.

I hope this was enough of an overview of what you are in for should you become a Ducks fan. I hope it excites you. And I hope it was a good argument as to why you will love being one. I know I pointed out negatives, but the positives I pointed out strongly outweigh the negatives.

The Washington Capitals… up until a few years ago, locals and people across the country paid little attention to this talented team on the ice. Now, they’re the most discussed team in Washington, D.C., and they get mentions during NFL coverage of Washington Redskins games. Right now, the Caps are the hottest team in the city, and one of the hottest teams in the NHL. And there are a few reasons why this team deserves the love it gets… (in no specific order, mostly)

The Horn Guy: Consider him our personal cheerleader. Throughout the games, you hear “bwah bwah bwah” and it signals an immediate “LET’S GO CAPS!” from the entire crowd. Even if you are watching the game from home, you can hear Horn Guy on the broadcast, always cheering on the Caps at every home game, without disappointment.

The Franchise: The Washington Capitals have retired four numbers, to honor Rod Langway, Yvon Labre, Mike Gartner, and Dale Hunter. The Caps even have four Hall of Famers: Mike Gartner (2001), Rod Langway (2002), Larry Murphy (2004), and Scott Stevens (2007). While there may not be a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals name on it, the team has claimed an Eastern Conference Championship in 1997-98, and Division Championships in 1988-89, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2007-08, and 2008-09. The Washington Capitals organization also works with the AHL Hershey Bears (2008-09 Calder Cup Winners) and the ECHL South Carolina Stingrays (2008-09 Kelly Cup Winners). The depth of players in the organization is unreal, and the talent keeps getting stronger. About 1/3 of the current Caps roster played in Hershey before moving up to NHL play. We believe in our organization, and have faith in our rosters, and our fans support our franchise teams.

The Leadership: Under the leadership of owner Ted Leonsis, who blogs, tweets, and even offers his email to fans (and yes, answers them too), the Capitals have seen amazing success in the past few years. Combined with the General Manager George McPhee who has an eye for talent and making the budget and an often teddy-bearish and snarky Head Coach Bruce Boudreau (who was in Slapshot, just saying), the Caps have been able to continually climb in standings year after year and clinch the Southeast Division, and progress into the post-season. They’ve also increased the depth of talent in the farm teams by spotting great talent in the draft. The management and ownership is open and honest with the fans and makes themselves available to questioning. But, what is the best part of the leadership? It’s gotta be Boudreau’s one-liners in pressers and appearances on local commercials, where his comedic genius that he never got to show in Slapshot really shines.

The Fans: Fans show up and pack out the Verizon Center to “rock the red.” It’s a sight to be seen. Our fans are from all walks of life, from the city to the suburbs, from working on Capitol Hill to protesting Capitol Hill. And since it’s D.C., the best signs and t-shirts show up, showing that fans have truly made Washington, D.C. into a hockey town. Whether it’s a no-diving sign for the Pens game, a sign endorsing Bruce Boudreau for president, or even the terrible jersey fouls that PuckDaddy loves to point out, Caps fans get creative when it comes to games, especially the teams that fans love to hate: the Philadelphia Flyers, the New York Rangers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. And the fans only lead into the next best part of being a Caps fan…

The Phonebooth: The Verizon Center, built by the late great Abe Pollin, is the most electric building in all of the NHL, and I’ve been to a few arenas (and even heard the National Anthem at the United Center). None of them compare. The energy in the Phonebooth is contagious. You’ll find yourself standing half of the game, hoarse after the game is over, and high-fiving and hugging your seatmates. (But sometimes, chances are, though, you’re a season ticket holder and you knew their names and phone numbers and they have called you before to see where you were and why you sold your tickets to whomever was in your seat one night.) In fact, last year, during the playoffs, NHL employee Mike DiLorenzo commented on Twitter during the Caps-Pens series during Game 5 in DC: The top may come off this rink if the #caps brek [sic] thru. This is insane right now. #pens  (link: http://twitter.com/NHLdilo/status/1750563164) It gets so loud in fact, you might as well just hit ignore on your phone, even during intermission, because there’s no point, you can’t hear anything on the other line.

The Wes Johnson: If you have to Google this guy, go ahead, and it’s worth every penny. Our arena announcer, Wes Johnson makes the games so incredibly exciting, and he’s a character during and after the games. The tone of his voice tells you exactly what you should know even if you don’t know what he’s saying. Wes Johnson, is in fact, the best arena announcer in all of the NHL. There’s nothing quite like hearing him announce a goal, and crediting it to various players. The Capitals would not be as exciting and as fun-filled without the voice of Wes Johnson.

The Location: The Washington Capitals are located in one of the greatest cities in the U.S.: Washington, D.C.! Outside of the Phonebooth are the country’s best museums and travel spots. Plus, whether you’re visiting or if you live in D.C., there is always something to do. The cultural aspects of the city are vast. From a plethora of food to music to the arts, even to sports, if you’re not at a hockey game, you’ve got plenty of things that can fill your time in the city. And, if that doesn’t excite you enough, you can always be on the lookout for the next spot the President will turn up, because he loves to dart in and out of the city.

Alexander the Gr8: Last, but not least, the Caps wouldn’t be the Caps without Ovi. As a Capitals fan, I learned one thing really fast, people love to hate the Washington Capitals, and specifically Alexander Ovechkin. Actually, they love to hate him because he’s so good. He’s the most talented player of the league, scoring like no other player, taking in NHL honors left and right, and one of the most physical players on the ice, and he’s a forward. He’s essentially the face of the NHL, whether Gary Bettman likes it or not, and people flock to see him play in other NHL towns. He’s a star, he’s passionate, and he’s an entertainer that brings fans to the game, regardless of Don Cherry’s distaste. Oh, and ESPN will actually give him coverage.

So, the fans of the Washington Capitals ROCK THE RED with pride, because we know, without a doubt, that our boys will consistently play great hockey and stick up for their team. But much more than that, the organization cares for the team and its fans enough to create an incredible hockey family.

Hull. Unger. Plager. Federko. Sutter. MacInnis. Berenson. These are just some of the names that represent the rich history and tradition of the St. Louis Blues. This organization is known for what most fans lovingly describe as a physical, hard working brand of hockey. Since taking the ice as part of the NHL’s 1967 expansion class, the Bluenote has captured the hearts of St. Louisans with its gritty tune, and the voices of legendary broadcasters like Dan Kelly helped spread that song to the entire Midwest and beyond listening on their AM radios on cold winter nights. Before 1967 the St. Louis Blues was only a song by W.C. Handy, but it’s now the name of an organization with a fan base as loyal as they come, gladly willing to accept new fans.

This organization did something most expansion teams in any league only dream of in its first years. In the springs of 1968, ’69 and ’70 the Note competed in the Stanley Cup Finals, lead by head coach and future Hockey Hall of Famer, Scotty Bowman. No championships came from these appearances but a love affair with fans was born. The Blues former home, the Arena, Old Barn, or the Checker Dome as it was known at various times, became known as one of the toughest places in the league to play. Standing room crowds sang “When the Saints go Marching In” celebrating goals, clapped their hands and stomped their feet, making the steep upper deck seats of the arena sometimes slightly sway.

In 42 seasons the Blues have won 7 division titles, a President’s Trophy for most points in the league during the 1999-2000 season, along with individual players and coaches earning many awards for their achievements. At the end of the 1968-1969 season, Glen Hall and Jacques Plante were co-recipients of the Vezina trophy, as the best goaltenders in the league. Brett Hull who captured Blues fans hearts and the league’s attention with his scoring prowess and personality in the late 1980s and into the 90’s earned the League MVP in the 1990-1991 season. At the end of the decade, defenseman Chris Pronger was named league MVP, and earned the Norris trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2000. But one of the accomplishments the Blues are known for even outside of hockey, is the team’s consecutive playoff appearances streak. From the 1979-1980 season to 2003- 2004 the team made the playoffs, 25 seasons in a row.

In the Arena and the Blues current home, the Scottrade Center, fans have cheered on true legends of hockey. Some like franchise scoring leader (1,073 points) Bernie Federko, player and later coach Brian Sutter, and the always honest, entertaining and supremely talented Brett Hull are synonymous with the Bluenote. While other greats like Jacques Plante, Scott Stevens, Grant Fuhr, Brendan Shanahan and even the great one himself Wayne Gretzky have had stops in St. Louis, hearing fans chant “Let’s Go Blues!” over and over again, and counting out each goal scored with the Towel Guy. But being a Blues fan is great, because we appreciate and remember every player on our team. Names like the Cavallini brothers (Gino and Paul), Geoff Courtnall, and Eric Boguniecki will live on in Blues fans conversations, and forum posts.

It’s obvious many of the clubs players have appreciated the loyalty and support fans showed them while they played, and have stayed in the St. Louis area, even after hanging their skates up. Defenseman Rick Zombo who played with the Blues in the early 90’s is now an assistant hockey coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles. Enforcer Tony Twist, a fan favorite who instilled fear in many teams around the league still resides in the area, operating Twister’s Iron Bar and Saloon. Also there’s Kelly Chase in the Blues radio booth doing color commentary, and Hall of Famer Bernie Federko on the TV side with commentary. Again Blues fans embrace our players, and don’t let go once they retire.

Part of the reason fans don’t forget players, is because the organization doesn’t either. This was just recently evident at Brett Hull’s Hall of Fame induction celebration ceremony.  He put together his all time Blues roster, and Hulls invitation along with front office efforts, allowed fans the opportunity to cheer on past players like Guy Carbonneau, Phil Housley and Curtis Joseph. Another great example is The Fourteen Fund in honor of Doug Wickenheiser, who wore number 14 as a Blue and passed away from lung and brain cancer in 1999. The fund helps support charitable efforts in and around St. Louis. Also former Blues are present in the clubs front office and staff. Hall of Fame Defenseman Al MacInnis is Vice President of Hockey Operations, former Blues goaltender Rick Wamsley is a goaltending coach with the team, and Bob Plager who skated with the team in its earliest years, and later moved behind the bench, now works in a Community Relations aspect for the team and often offers insight as an analyst on radio broadcasts.

Under the current ownership of the Dave Checketts group and leadership by club President John Davidson, the Blues are headed in a great direction on and off of the ice. Young forwards T.J. Oshie, David Perron and Patrik Berglund are all proving why they were first round picks, with their offensive creativity and tenacity. 2006 first overall draft pick Erik Johnson is back developing his wicked slap shot from the blue line, after missing the entire 2008-2009 season with a knee injury. These young players mixed with veterans Keith Tkachuk, Brad Boyes, Andy McDonald, Barret Jackman and Chris Mason last season showed why now is such a great time to be a Blues fan. This team went on a remarkable 21-7-6 run from the beginning of February through the end of the season, earning a playoff spot for the first time in the post 2004-2005 CBA/Lockout era. Last season’s run brought to light the talent this squad posses, and how bright the future for the team and fans truly is.

Being a St. Louis Blues fan takes dedication, heart, passion and patience. Lord Stanley’s Cup has yet to parade down Market Street on a warm St. Louis June day. But, that longing to see a Cup banner raised to the rafters is what keeps Blues fans going. When the Blues do win a league championship, you’ll want to be with the rest of us singing, “When the Saints go Marching In,” and trust me, oh Lord will you want to be in that number, cheering and chanting ‘Let’s Go Blues.’

- by Slyvia, aka St. Blues Chica

Why would anyone choose to become a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers?  The Flyers are a team that you will either completely fall in love with or totally hate, there just seems to be no middle ground.  Few, if any, sports franchises inspire the all-out spectrum of emotion that the Orange and Black evoke among the NHL faithful.

The reasons the Flyer fan base are so emotionally tied to the team are numerous, but there are a few that stand out:

A Rich History

The Flyers, even though born in the 1967 expansion and not a member of the Original Six NHL teams, have a history rich with championships, great moments, and all-time great players that rivals the older league franchises twice their age.  The 2 Stanley Cups; 7 trips to the Finals; the “Broad Street Bullies”; beating the Russians 5-1 to save face for the NHL in 1976; a North American sports record 35-game unbeaten streak (25-0-10) in 1980; Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Bernie Parent, Ron Hextall.

A Family Feeling

One thing that has always been prevalent is a feeling of “family” among Flyer players, as well as Philadelphia fans being a part of the teams extended family.  Along with all of the triumphs and success, the franchise has also had it’s share of tragedies.  Several players have lost their lives during their tenure in Philadelphia, and for Flyer fans it was like losing members of our own family.  Defenseman Barry Ashbee lost his battle with leukemia in the late 1970’s (The Flyers began the Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival in 1977 in Ashbee’s honor, and to this day it is one of the most successful fund-raising events in all of professional sports.)  Goaltender Pelle Lindbergh was killed in an automobile accident following a game in 1985.  Forward Yanick Dupre died from leukemia in 1997.  Promising young defenseman Dmitri Tertyshny was killed in a freak boating accident in 1999 while out with other players from Philadelphia’s minor league affiliate.  The loss of Lindbergh was especially heart-wrenching since Pelle was the reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the league’s best goaltender, and the Flyers appeared ready for another run at the Cup in 1986.  Thoughts of the memorial service held at center ice prior to their next game at the Spectrum still tugs at the heart-strings.

Blood and Guts, Heart and Soul Players

I’m not sure that any one player has embodied an entire franchise more than the way that Bobby Clarke has with his will to win has with Flyers hockey.  A smallish diabetic, Clarke gave everything he had on every shift, and his win-at-all-costs attitude carried on to teammates and other Flyer players throughout the years.  Philly captains like Dave Poulin, Rick Tocchet, and all the way up to the present with current captain Mike Richards (this years struggles notwithstanding), have all exhibited a Clarke-like ferocity in their play.  Another current player worth mentioning is forward Ian Laperierre.  In a game on Black Friday against the Buffalo Sabres, Lappy showed the hockey world the true meaning of the term “warrior”.  Playing on the penalty-killing unit in the first period, Laperierre dove down to block a point shot.  The puck came in higher than what Lappy thought it would and hit him square in the mouth.  The result?  Upwards of 100 stitches and the loss of 7 teeth.  The Wachovia Center gave Ian a well-deserved standing ovation when he came out for the third period with a full face shield attached to his helmet.  W-A-R-R-I-O-R.  This is the essence of what Flyer players give for their teammates and fans alike.

A Franchise That Truly has a “Commitment to Excellence”

Many sports franchises attest to consistently striving for the ultimate goal, but there is one philosophy that permeates this organization and it begins at the very top with Chairman and franchise founder Ed Snider.  Since it’s inception, Flyer management will do whatever it takes to bring Lord Stanley to Philadelphia.  Anything less is considered not good enough.  Just twice in their history they have been successful, consecutive seasons in 1974 and 1975.  Though they have failed to bring the Cup back to South Philly for the past 34 seasons, it has not been for a lack of trying.

Prior to the lockout of 2004-05 and the institution of the current NHL-mandated salary cap, if any high-end forwards became unrestricted free agents in an offseason, it was a foregone conclusion that whichever teams were interested in securing that players services would have to outbid Philadelphia GM Bob Clarke.

Even with the salary cap limitations, current GM Paul Holmgren continues to make whatever moves he feels necessary to return the Flyers to past glory.

After starting out this season looking like a solid Cup contender, the team has fallen on hard times over the past 5 weeks.  But there is still a prevailing feeling that Holmgren will make a trade or two that can right the ship before it is too late.  Never, ever count the Philadelphia Flyers out.

A Closing Message From Beyond – “The Fog”

Freddie “The Fog” Shero (father of Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ray Shero) coached the Flyers to 2 consecutive Stanley Cup victories in the mid-70’s.  He was known for his motivational skills and much-repeated quotes.  Just before leading his team out onto the ice for Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Finals, the clinching game against the heavily favored Boston Bruins, coach Shero said “Win today and we walk together forever”.  I will leave you with something to think about, a paraphrase of coach Shero’s famous saying…”Become a fan of the Philadelphia Flyers today and you will bleed Orange and Black forever”.

- by PhilaDAVEia from Crash the Crease and PuckDrop

Why should anyone be an Islanders fan? That’s such a tough question to answer. There’ s no easy answer and not really any reason why someone from halfway across the continent should — unless, you know, enough of the internet collective votes in such a way.

Writing this post is like trying to walk a tightrope. If I lean too much to one side and say it’s awesome, amazing and splendiforous to be an Islander fan not only would I be lying but then fans of the other 29 teams will point to a million reasons why it the Islanders suck. But that’s sports. Every year, it’s no fun to be a fan of one of the 29 fanbases in the league. Only one team wins and only one fanbase is really happy (and even then they want more, more, more).

If I lean too much to the other side, saying ‘Lord no, becoming an Islander fan would be like turning into a zombie in any Hollywood apcoalypse movie’ then I would induce untold amounts of deserved hate mail from my Islander bretheren. It’s really not that bad at all and the Islanders, for many, represent Long Island. It’s our only professional sports team and distinguishes us from the rest of the region and New York City. Despite being cliche, it does give Long Island an identity whether people like it or not.

So John, there’s not an easy answer here. If you become an Islander fan, you’re doomed to a life of 16 years — and counting — between playoff series wins. On the other hand, and I know from experience, it makes the wins taste that much sweeter. Sure the Wings have won four cups in the last two decades but as Penguins fans will tell you, there’s nothing quite like 15 years of pent up emotion boiling over.

And you know what, the Islanders will be good again. And they will be good again soon. They’re not going to win four cups in a row ever again (no one will), but they finally, FINALLY, F-I-N-A-L-L-Y appear to be turning some semblance of a corner. John Tavares is like a gift from the heavens. It really doesn’t matter how good or bad a team is at drafting, when someone with MEGA talent just falls into your lap it’s hard to screw it up. Which brings me to my next point. The Islanders screw everything up. So yeah, there’s that. But hey, give ‘em a year or two and they’ll be really fun to watch.

So tread carfully.

- Kevin Schultz of Barry Melrose Rocks and NHL Fanhouse

When I sat down to wrote this post, I started thinking of all the reasons why someone looking to pick an NHL team to root for should be a Devils fan. I soon realized it would be easier to come up with a list of reasons not to be a fan, because that would be a very short list. But in keeping with the theme of PickMyNHLTeam.com, here are my reasons why anyone should be a New Jersey Devils fan.

Let’s start with the history. Some people will argue that since the team only moved to NJ and became the Devils in 1982, there isn’t much history. I would then point them in the direction of teams who entered the league before 1982 and have not yet had their name etched on the Stanley Cup. As a matter of fact, since the Devils began play in the ‘82-’83 season, only the Edmonton Oilers (5) and the Detroit Red Wings (4) have won more cups than the 3 won by the Devils. The Devils history doesn’t only include cup wins, as they are well on their way to their 13th consecutive appearance in the playoffs, and 20th in 22 seasons. My point? Past history is nice, but jumping in while it’s happening is better.

If rooting for individual players is what you’re looking for, you have to look no further than the man that has stood in net for the last 17 seasons, and just a few nights ago added yet another record to his growing list… Martin Brodeur. The all-time leader in, well, just about every goalie statistic there is, Brodeur is the type of player you make sure you go see when he is in town. While he is at the tail end of his future hall of fame career, Zach Parise is just entering his prime and is already one of the best forwards in the entire league. You say it’s former players you enjoy hearing about? How about one of the most intimidating defenseman ever to play the game.. Scott Stevens, who is now behind the bench as an assistant.

Even something fans of most teams don’t ever think about, their play-by-play guy, is one of the reasons someone should be a Devils fan. Mike “Doc” Emrick is, without a doubt, one of the best hockey play-by-play guys there are. He is so good that most fans are actually disappointed when they learn he is not doing the game. There aren’t too many guys that make you tune in to a game just to hear them do play-by-play of your favorite team. Doc Emrick is at the top of that list.

If you really like getting into the team and following all the off-season moves, the signings, the drafting of new players…why not follow along with arguably the best GM in hockey, if not all of sports, Lou Lamoriello. The Devils have had all of their success because of the work done by Lamoriello since he joined the franchise. The late 1st/later round draft picks he has found (Scott Gomez- 1st round, 27th pick; Zach Parise – 1st, 17th; Brian Gionta – 3rd, 82nd; Patrick Elias – 2nd, 51st; Martin Brodeur – 1st, 20th) have had a direct effect on what this team has done.

Rivalries? You can argue that the Devils / Rangers rivalry is one of the best there is. It turns best friends into the worst of enemies on game day. Need more? Well, with the Flyers and Islanders both being within short driving distance of the Devils arena, a big rivalry game is always something you will always be a part of.

Speaking of the arena, did I forget to mention the brand spanking new arena the team plays in, the Prudential Center (aka “The Rock”)? Yeah, we have that too. You’ll hear fans of other teams talk about how the Devils can’t fill the arena. In all honesty, that’s all they have. But I’ve always thought quality is better than quantity. The Devils fans are some of the most knowledgeable and passionate I have ever been around. Being a part of the ever-growing group of fantastic Devils fans, who follow a team that contends for the Stanley Cup championship year in and year out, is reason enough to be a fan of the team.

Besides, Kevin Smith is a die-hard Devils fan! Beat that!

- Carlos Figueiredo of Speaking of the Devils.com

It is interesting how things work out. On the very evening that the Montreal Canadiens celebrate their 100th birthday, I am responding to an invitation to explain what it’s like to be a a fan of the oldest and most storied franchise in all of hockey.

It’s a daunting task. How do I encapsulate one hundred years of history?

Supporters of other teams may try to entice with statistics. If that’s of interest, the Canadiens are without an equal. You may be told elsewhere about division or conference championships. We only count one thing in Montreal — Stanley Cups.

The 24 banners in the rafters of the Bell Centre all commemorate Stanley Cup championships, the most difficult trophy to attain in all of sports. The Canadiens’ achievement stands alone and will be unchallenged in the foreseeable future. The rival Toronto Maple Leafs have the second most Cups with 13, just over half of the Canadiens’ number.

The Canadiens are simply one of the most successful teams in the world of sports.

The NHL Record Book is filled with numerous individual and team achievements of those wearing the bleu, blanc et rouge. The 1976-’77 Montreal Canadiens are considered, by many, the best team ever to play in the NHL. They compiled a record of 60 wins, a remarkable 8 losses, and 12 ties for 132 points.

54 Canadiens are members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, including 44 in the player category. Former Canadiens are sprinkled throughout the NHL in coaching or management positions.

While numbers can indicate a measure of success and can be quoted with pride, they cannot express the sheer emotion that envelops all passionate Habs’ fans.

Who fills the 21,273 seats in the Bell Centre for every home game?

Who lines up on a cold January morning to pack the building for an All-Star practise?

• “We might have 20 people at our practices in Philadelphia,” Eastern All-Star Jeff Carter said. “Here they have 20,000 fans, cameras, all the reporters. Actually, it was cool to be a part of it.”

Who boards buses and travels hours to wade into the unfriendly confines of the Wachovia Centre or the TD Garden?

The answer is obvious: fans of the Montreal Canadiens.

As they say in Montreal, the Canadiens are a religion. This city is fondly referred to as “the cradle of organized sport.” All hockey fans who make a visit to the Bell Centre, regardless of the team they support, report that it is an experience like no other in the league.

All of the above are compelling reasons to select the Habs as your team, but let me add one more.

As a fan of the Montreal Canadiens, you are welcomed into a community that is unmatched by any team. Devoted Habs’ fans can be found in any NHL city, and they show up by the thousands to support their team when on the road. Yes, even in Toronto.

But even more unique, Canadiens’ fans are located throughout the world. This vast and diverse network of people includes both new and life-long fans who are passionate devotees of the game of hockey, and the Canadiens. They will provide the ideal environment to help germinate the interest in the Habs as your newly adopted team.

Join us. We are Canadiens!

- Rocket from All Habs

When I was asked to write a post about why would someone be a Montreal Canadiens fan and what are some of the best things about being a Habs fan, a thousand and one things started spinning around in my head. I hope that the following information truly sums up the spirit of being a Habs fan and I do a good enough job at representing every Habs fan all over the world.

First off, one of the greatest things about the Montreal Canadiens is the history.  The Canadiens are currently celebrating their 100th anniversary.  That’s 100 years of hockey with 100 years of some of the best players in NHL history. Players like “Newsy Lalonde” who played in one of the first games the Montreal Canadiens ever played in the NHL in 1910, Guy Lafleur with 1246 goals in just 961 games, and the legendary Maurice “Rocket” Richard, the first player to ever reach 50 goals in a season and the only player to reach that feat in a 50 game season.

Not only are the players a big part of Canadiens history but so are the 24 Stanley Cups that the Canadiens have won, the most of any team in the National Hockey League.  The Canadiens’ 24 Stanley Cups are an amazing 11 more than the Toronto Maple Leafs who have the second highest amount of Stanley Cups at just 13.

If you ever have an opportunity to watch an NHL game at the Bell Centre in Montreal, DO IT!  A Montreal Canadiens game at the Bell Centre is an experience of a lifetime.  The atmosphere is powerful to say the least.  You won’t be able to hear yourself think even if you wanted to, and that’s not even during a goal or a fantastic save!  No matter where you sit whether it be the cheap seats in the whites, or down behind the bench, you’ll experience something more than just a hockey game.

These things all make the Montreal Canadiens one of the best teams to cheer for in the NHL, but the greatest part about being a Montreal Canadiens fan is the culture.  You’re not just a Montreal Canadiens fan, you’re a Montreal Canadien.  When they’re defeated, YOU are defeated and when they win, YOU win.  Being a Canadiens fan means that you share every up and and every down, and even when things aren’t looking up you continue to believe in your team.  This is the reason that I and so many other Habs fan will sit in the front of the television or in the Bell Centre 82+ times each every year and will never doubt that the Canadiens will win no matter much they may be down.  A good example of this in the game they played against the New York Rangers where the Habs came back from a 5 goal deficit. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zACGht3qfXA&feature=fvw)

Without a doubt the Montreal Canadiens are the best team in the NHL and the team that you should cheer for.  I believe.  Do you?

- Justin Robinson, YourHabs.com

As a fan of the Los Angeles Kings, we are conditioned to slow starts, rapid fall-offs and just not making the playoffs. It happens. With only one Stanely Cup Finals appearance in 43 years, it’s understandable for an LA Kings fan to expect very little. Since the lockout we’ve seen the likes of Jeremy Roenick, Brian Willsie and Yutaka Fukufuji come through the ranks. We also saw a significant regime change that resulted in three consecutive top 5 picks. To date there’s nothing to hang our hat on. Fans laugh at us, mock us and expect us fizzle out in the bottom of the Pacific Division yet again. Well, I’m here today to tell you that this is not the case anymore. Be on notice, NHL fans, the Los Angeles Kings are coming for you. With a fresh dose of confidence, here’s why:

1. Ryan Smyth – While this 33-year old former Oiler-for-life may have had his injuries and could be “past his prime”, his 26 goals and 33 assists for 59 points last season will drastically help this offensively anemic team. Why? Matt Moulson started on the top line last season and in 7 games he had 1 goal and 0 assists. So Kyle Calder took over. He scored a slightly more but still dreadful 8 goals and 19 assists for 27 points in 79 games. That’s a 31 point differential. Not to mention Ryan Smyth is loaded with character while Matt Moulson looks like Snoopy and Kyle Calder was on the Price is Right.

2. Consistent goaltending – Sure, the young and relatively unproven tandem of Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg could be a flash in the pan but I prefer them to the following netminders who have passed through the organization: Mathieu Garon, Jason LaBarbera, Dan Cloutier, Barry Brust, Yutaka Fukufuji, Sean Burke (the guy practically qualified for AARP when with the team) and Dan Taylor. If Quick or Ersberg should stumble or succumb to injury, Jonathan Bernier (who seems like he now has his head on straight) will be ready for the challenge.

3. Dean Lombardi – Regardless of the fact that he has given us three seasons of consistent losing, he is re-building the right way. Long gone are the days when you trade Jeff Tambellini and Denis Grebeshkov for Mark Parrish and Brent Sopel just to make the playoffs with no shot at winning a Stanley Cup. Dean Lombardi has ripped apart and re-built our scouting system, development programs, video development and team. After a bit of losing, I’m happy we have Drew Doughty, Thomas Hickey, Wayne Simmonds, Oscar Moller and many others. We have a strong stable of rookies who are already making an impact and many more coming up.

4. Defense – Remember Nathan Dempsey, Jeff Cowan, Mike Weaver and Olev Tverdovsky? They have now been replaced by Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Rob Scuderi, Matt Greene and Sean O’Donnell. This team was seventh in the league on the Penalty Kill last season without Rob Scuderi and, for much of the season, Jack Johnson. Think you’ll miss Kyle Quincey? Not if Jack Johnson’s strong performance at the IIHF World Championships this year holds up (7 points in 9 games). Drew Doughty lead all rookies in Average Time on Ice by a large margin (a full 2:17 over second place Luke Schenn). Will he suffer that sophomore slump? I don’t think so.

5. Kings Vision – The fine folks behind the scenes of the on-line world at the Los Angeles Kings had a bit of a makeover as well when Dean Lombardi took the helm. Gone is that wretched website that no one could use and would always crash on my Mac. Instead, they hired Heidi Androl and started covering the Kings with regular video shows on Kings Vision. Now, instead of a small blurb in the Los Angeles Times, we get ’round the clock video interviews and features that can satisfy the hunger of even the most rabid LA Kings fan (combined with episodes of Overtime by KingsCast). Kings Vision has personality and it’s engaging. The website is great and the Kings are even breaking news on Twitter. Giving this level of access to the fans is key.

6. Downtown LA – Remember when commuting to Staples Center meant gambling with your life as bullets whizzed by? Having a drink after a game meant getting a forty from the 7-11 and drinking it from a paper bag? No more as AEG has almost completed the spectacular LA Livewhich hosts a theatre, a plethora of good restaurants and, soon, a Ritz Carlton (with residences starting at a paltry $1.8 million). Downtown Los Angeles has been revitalized, despite the sluggish economy. Restaurants and bars have been opening to a great deal of fanfare. In fact, I hang out in downtown now as much as I do the rest of the city (even on non-game nights).

So, yeah, I’m (still) excited to be a Los Angeles Kings fan. I think this team is going to be a force this year. We’re not winning a Cup but we’re going to make some noise in the playoffs. And, hey, if not, there’s a lot of ways to drown my sorrows after the game.

So are you excited this year or are you going in expecting the worst? What are your 6 reasons to be a LA Kings fan this year? For that matter, what are your 6 reasons not to be?

Being a fan of the Florida Panthers has had its ups and downs, and thankfully as of late the fan base can be excited about the ups. I began following the Florida Panthers at a young age in 1993, but really didn’t become the hardcore fan I am today until they moved out of Miami and into Sunrise in 1998. A couple of years after that I bought my first season ticket and I have been a proud season ticket holder ever since.

Being a fan of the Florida Panthers has been tough over the last nine years. The team has failed to make the playoffs during all the years I have been a season ticket holder and I will be the first to admit that it has been very hard to swallow. The hardest year to grasp was the past season. The Panthers were playing their best hockey since their last trip to the playoffs in 2000, but they still managed to miss out on the post season fun by one point.

I will say that I did take a lot of positives out of that season, being a Panthers fan forces you to take the little things as positives most of the time. David Booth had a breakout year and became the “face of the franchise”. Keith Ballard displayed the art of the hip check on a nightly bases inside the BankAtlantic Center, adding a physical aspect to a Panthers system that was lacking it. Michael Frolik proved that the Florida Panthers still knew how to draft. And most importantly, when the Panthers were winning they proved that people in South Florida still cared about the team.

The 2009-2010 season started with a big high when the Panthers beat the Blackhawks in the first game of the Helsinki series, but the high disappeared just as fast as the Panthers just couldn’t win after that game. The Panthers managed to pull it together and currently sit in a tie for 8^th place with the New York Rangers. What does this mean? It means that we can expect a dog fight the rest of the year for a playoff spot. This Panthers fan believes though that this is the year for the Panthers to break their playoff curse and frustrate the top teams in the East as they did in 1996.

So the question to be answered is “what does it mean to be a Panthers fan?” For this fan it means hope. After years of bad hockey in Sunrise the Panthers seem to be finally coming around. Past draft picks are finally coming into their own, veteran players are playing the way they are suppose to, and the team finally seems to be doing most of the little things right to keep them in each game until the end. The Florida Panthers have silently built themselves a gritty, in your face team that gets on the nerves of the opposing teams, and this Panthers fan couldn’t be happier.

- Marc from Sunshine State Hockey