Hockey is the one thing most sport fans don’t know they’re missing.
The National Hockey League is an exciting and thrilling sports league, yet it often finds itself overshadowed by the more mainstream sports like football and basketball.
Hockey isn’t like any other sport. It’s fast, physical and thrilling. The game is played on ice where the players skate back and forth, chasing or handling a puck. The balance between skill and physicality makes it an unpredictable sport.
There’s an electric energy that flows through every game. The noise of the crowd, players’ bodies pounding on the boards surrounding the rink and the tense moments before a goal is scored leaves you on the edge of your seat.
The highly anticipated mid-season tournament, 4 Nations, made up of four teams, USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden, featured top players from the NHL representing their countries. It gained a lot attention with the first match up between USA and Canada.
A fight broke out in which players from both sides dropped their gloves, setting the tone for what was to be an intense and entertaining game.
This kind of intensity is why the fans, and I are drawn to the sport. Because of the toll hockey has on the body, players must be dedicated, and that passion bleeds through to the fans.
One-on-one fights in hockey are a popular staple of the sport. A good fight can settle the score, rattle the opposing team or can rally the home team and crowd in a tough game.
Fights don’t happen in every game, but don’t let that steer you away. Players still throw body checks and engage in full contact in high stake moments. Hockey is still an aggressive sport of its own. The sport brings a rough physicality with big hits at high speeds.
Across the league each team has a unique tradition that makes their franchise special to their fans. The Carolina Hurricanes and Columbus Blue Jackets have their own goal horns whenever someone from their team scores, the Hurricanes use a siren and the Blue Jackets use a cannon. Dallas Stars fans will yell “stars” during the two parts of the national anthem that say stars.
The league has been evolving over the years. What once was more about big powerful hits and slapshots is now more about skillful plays, strategy and solid goaltending.
The NHL has been trying to grow the sport with social campaigns like “Hockey is For Everyone,” providing a positive environment for players and families. They’ve also started to build rinks in areas where hockey isn’t popular and even created the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
From the excitement of winning a Stanley Cup to the agony of your team making a playoff exit, the roller coaster of emotions keeps bringing fans back for more. It’s the combination of action-packed plays, with the culture of the fan base and their high stakes rivalries that make hockey one of the best sports to watch.
Hockey is in the middle of a golden age that a lot of people are missing out on, but there’s great action and it’s fun to be part of a passionate fan base. So why not tune in, catch a game and discover what you’ve been missing?
