Any of you fans switch teams or thinking about it?

[seabass45]

Thought about it a couple of times with the Isles, mainly because of the relocation rumors but also the random embarrassing things that would happen to the franchise. Couldn't do it, wouldn't feel the same. If they had actually relocated I probably would have kept up wherever they ended up.

 

[Kaapo Cabana]

Do whatever makes you happy.

I don't understand how anybody could just change teams, but my opinion doesn't matter.

 

[bdub24]

never.

i would quit watching hockey forever before rooting for a team not called the new jersey devils. not even exaggerating.

the fact that new jersey has its own team is *explicitly* how i became a hockey fan as a kid. the devils are a member of the family in my household, and family is irreplaceable.

I did this with NFL. The Chargers died the minute they became the Los Angeles Chargers. I quit the sport entirely.

 

[Thierry]

I have a lot of trouble with the whole "fan" concept.

I'm a hockey fan, sure. I'm a fan of certain players, sure. But a die hard fan of an organization? I don't think so.

Nowadays, teams are just corporate entities. The don't care about the fans as much (those lockouts... and one to come soon), they do what they can to make money. It just happens winning a Cup is pretty lucrative.

I don't question players/coaches desire to win a cup, and to some extend, GMs, but that's not the point of all that circus.

I live in Montreal. So I got to follow the Habs a lot. The Habs being one of the most titled and prestigious team, fans here are crazy. On a historical point of you, the Habs have their print on the Province. The result ? For too long, the organization took their fans for granted and did whatever they want.

Naturally, without even realizing it, I stopped whatching the Habs, I stopped to care. I started to watch the Blues because I loved Tkachuk, Pronger and Demitra, I don't know if I'm a "fan", though.

This year, I think I only missed two or three Habs game because their style is exciting. So I'll keep follow it as long as I'm entertained.

I know it's not a popular opinion and people will trash this post, but hey, just wanted to share my opinion, humbly.

 

[ScottishCanuck]

I think the only excuse for switching teams is if you only have a passing interest in the original team to begin with.

Or a casual fan of the game... and then you probably weren't a "fan" of the team to begin with.

 

[Justshootmore]

I don't think I would ever change, but I added a second team that I cheer for. I have been a Rangers fan from the day I started watching hockey and I still am a big fan. But after living in Raleigh for a while, I became a fan of the Hurricanes as well. Especially now, as the Rangers are in a rebuild (and I also dislike quite a few current Rangers players), I find myself watching more Canes games than Rangers games. Who would I cheer for in a Playoff Series? Clearly the Rangers. But this season for the first time I cheer against them at the Rangers vs. Canes game, simply because I think the Canes have a chance to make the playoffs, while for the Rangers I lost hope.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I was a fan of Ottawa since Alfies rookie season, but finally had enough of that embarrassingly incompetent franchise (mainly owner) at the start of this season.

I instead asked politely on the Sabres board if they'd take me in.

Sabres are doing alright and it feels good to not have to cascade vomit over Melnyk any longer.

 

[New Jersey]

I did this with NFL. The Chargers died the minute they became the Los Angeles Chargers. I quit the sport entirely.

respect

 

[Jetcetera]

Growing up as a kid I was big canucks fan but I was a fan of naslund and the sedins and Luongo, bertuzzi, Kesler. When the jets came back I switched pretty quick. I still like the canucks, they have some promising young talent but it's not the team I grew up cheering for. The moose were also their farm team so all the more reason to cheer for them. After 2011 I kinda stopped following them like I used to.

 

[FerrisRox]

I am a Mets fan and a Jets fan. Somehow after all I’ve experienced I still can not imagine myself rooting for a different team. why? **** if I know, I’m just an idiot I guess.

You're a Mets fan and Jets fan but not a Nets fan?

 

[tsujimoto74]

Being an Oil fan is truly suffering.

I don't think there is one fan base in all of sports that is more tortured than the Oilers.

Maybe the Vikings.

There are several. The Oilers had a dynasty featuring the greatest player of all time, and they get to watch McDavid now. Despite the circus of the last several years, there are still much worse teams to cheer for.

 

[Drugs Delaney]

I’ll admit that as a Panthers Fan I’ve thought about it at times.

 

[BatVader]

Yup......kinda
Not so much changed teams, but re-prioritized them.

 

[blood gin]

Never have and never will.

I could never understand an adult die hard hockey fan that would do something like that. Would signal to me that perhaps they're not a diehard if you're actually able to switch teams and root for your new team with incredible fervor. Probably reveals something about the individuals personality and character. You're married to your team. At least you should be (if you're more than a casual fan)

 

[leaffaninvancouver]

Unless my team folded I could never truly switch, I could cheer for a second team for business/networking reasons but my loyalty would always remain with the Leafs.

 

[Chimpradamus]

I was a fan of Ottawa since Alfies rookie season, but finally had enough of that embarrassingly incompetent franchise (mainly owner) at the start of this season.

I instead asked politely on the Sabres board if they'd take me in.

Sabres are doing alright and it feels good to not have to cascade vomit over Melnyk any longer.

You like underdogs, huh?

 

[Eisen]

I usually follow players, not so much teams

 

[PatrikBerglund]

You like underdogs, huh?

Buffalo will win the cup in 2022!

 

[Trocity]

I am a Sharks fan and was born and continue to live in Ontario. I became a fan because when I first started playing hockey, I wore my older brother's old practice jersey that was white with the old Sharks logo on the front, and then the NHL 2001 game had Owen Nolan on the cover, and I was like this is my team! Now that I've grown up and know more about hockey and the history of the game and am into it more than I ever was as a kid, I've wondered if I could or should switch teams(especially when the Sharks frustrate the hell out of me). But when I really think about it, even if I tried, there's no other team in the league that would frustrate me when they lose or make me feel good when they win. Even if I started to root for someone else, I'd still be checking the Sharks game score on nhl.com. There's no turning back at this point. As others have said, the team is too ingrained on my psyche.

 

[Canada4Gold]

I remember when I was 2. I was a Habs fan for about 3 minutes because my mother bought me a god damn Habs winter jacket. Then I came to my senses and have been a Leafs fan ever since. I hadn't seen a Habs game in about 2 years at that point either so I know how you're feeling.

 

[Thread The Needle]

Never have, never will.

 

[BlueDream]

As a Blues fan, I never could. Believe me, I wish I could root for someone who has experienced success. But I've been watching their games for 20 years. I've dedicated a ton of time to them, so there's no going back now. Especially since they've never won the Cup, that's just something I have to experience one day as a fan. Under no circumstances can I give up on them and their quest to one day hoist Lord Stanley. If that ever happens, it would be one of the best days of my life.

Now, I still don't blame OP for doing it. Like others have said, if you don't feel a connection to the Kings anymore and your heart desires the Canadiens, well then there's nothing you can really do about it. It is what it is.

 

[Ginormousthumbs]

I’ve been a long time Pens fan and I guess some of my friends were surprised that I wasn’t jumping on board when the VGK rolled into town.

 

[Drake1588]

Rooted for the Habs when I lived in Montreal until 1990, then I stopped watching the league for most of the 90s. I didn't watch any of their last championship season.

I started watching the Caps after I finished grad school in DC. I kept season's tickets to the Capitals for several years starting in 2000, and I've been a huge fan of the Caps since then. So I switched to follow my local team, after the Caps moved from Maryland to downtown DC. Even if I moved again, though, I think I'd continue following the Caps through the online hockey package. That wasn't available when I left Canada.