AHL Player Fanship

[michaelsaas]

Apologies if this is a dumb question but I have been curious if anyone knows how AHL players view their NHL affiliate teams. Do they follow them/support them during the season?
For example, if a lifelong Canucks fan is drafter by the Leafs and plays for the Marlies, do they root for the Leafs, the Canucks both? If they project to be a career AHLer would this impact it? Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this.

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[Barclay Donaldson]

Apologies if this is a dumb question but I have been curious if anyone knows how AHL players view their NHL affiliate teams. Do they follow them/support them during the season?
For example, if a lifelong Canucks fan is drafter by the Leafs and plays for the Marlies, do they root for the Leafs, the Canucks both? If they project to be a career AHLer would this impact it? Just wondering if anyone knows anything about this.

In just about every case, fan loyalties are put aside by professional players. Loyalty then changes to whoever drafted you. Some players are like Jon Tavares where it nabs at you and you want to go home, but during his long time on Long Island he didn't follow the Leafs any more than he would watch other teams in the league. There have been many French-Canadiens who don't want to play for the Habs despite being Habs fans growing up. When you play professional hockey at a level that high, you follow every team in the league because it is part of the job and your loyalty is to the organization putting money into your account.

 

[michaelsaas]

In just about every case, fan loyalties are put aside by professional players. Loyalty then changes to whoever drafted you. Some players are like Jon Tavares where it nabs at you and you want to go home, but during his long time on Long Island he didn't follow the Leafs any more than he would watch other teams in the league. There have been many French-Canadiens who don't want to play for the Habs despite being Habs fans growing up. When you play professional hockey at a level that high, you follow every team in the league because it is part of the job and your loyalty is to the organization putting money into your account.

That makes sense. Thanks!

 

[tarheelhockey]

In just about every case, fan loyalties are put aside by professional players. Loyalty then changes to whoever drafted you. Some players are like Jon Tavares where it nabs at you and you want to go home, but during his long time on Long Island he didn't follow the Leafs any more than he would watch other teams in the league. There have been many French-Canadiens who don't want to play for the Habs despite being Habs fans growing up. When you play professional hockey at a level that high, you follow every team in the league because it is part of the job and your loyalty is to the organization putting money into your account.

On that note, I find it hard to imagine ever going back to being a fan after playing in the NHL. I'm sure players have a fondness for organizations that treat them well, and many of them obviously continue to stay connected. But I have a really hard time imagining them saying something like "I'm a huge Leafs fan" after actually playing for the Leafs. It seems like it would be a one-way transformation.