Favorite NHL Team

[Gospel of Prospal]

Hi all,

I am looking for my favorite NHL team at the moment (I'm new to Hockey), so I've decided to follow this short 56 games season in order to make my decision before the next regular season will start. So far from all 31 NHL teams It's down to my final four :

New York Islanders

Florida Panthers

Ottawa Senators

Vancouver Canucks

If you had to choose your favorite team ouf of these four teams, which team would you choose and why (based on the history of the team, it's fanbase, number of playoffs performances and other relevant considerations in your opinion)?

I love watching all these four teams play, and that's why it's hard for me at the moment to choose only one of them. Eventually, I really want to cheer for only one team through thick and thin, as all loyal fans should do.

I can't wait to read your comments and I thank you for your help,

Hockey4Life1987

Where are you from?

 

[the_fan]

I wouldn't choose Ottawa. They have an owner who will sell a star player to pay off debt

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

How can Islanders fans in good conscience sell their team to this guy, knowing that they have to listen to Butch Goring do commentary?

 

[SJSharksfan39]

I'm a Sharks fan, but I realized how much I watch Florida on NHL.TV. They've been a really fun team to watch this year.

 

[Thrasymachus]

How can Islanders fans in good conscience sell their team to this guy, knowing that they have to listen to Butch Goring do commentary?

Butchie is a national treasure along with Honky the Islander SUV, I will not hear otherwise

but in all seriousness he is miles better than when he started, he is kind of like a goofy uncle who stumbles over his words on occasion but actually does know hockey. And Brennan is a top 5 play by play announcer so they cancel eachother out

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

You're allowed to like more than 1 team. Follow 2 if you want. Heck, be a fan of all 4. Whatever you want.

Or be like a hockey commentator and root for all (soon-to-be) 32 teams, but secretly root for one (in most cases, Montreal or Toronto. In Pierre McGuire's case, whatever team Sidney Crosby and Kristofer Letang play on).

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Butchie is a national treasure along with Honky the Islander SUV, I will not hear otherwise

but in all seriousness he is miles better than when he started, he is kind of like a goofy uncle who stumbles over his words on occasion but actually does know hockey. And Brennan is a top 5 play by play announcer so they cancel eachother out

Well, he certainly beats Chico Resch. And Shannon Hogan is better eye candy than John Giannone, Dave Maloney or Deb Placey. But then again, I wouldn't know because my team plays on MSG Network, not MSG2 or MSG2+ or MSG "The Ocho"

But this guy also has to consider that the "Yes! Yes!" chant is the second dumbest chant in the NHL after "Potvin Sucks!" and the guy who originated the chant is a wrestler, who doesn't even like the chant himself and is bound to be a Kraken fan.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

No offense, I loathe these threads. Like I want to spend my time on the message board courting new members. It's like the NHL version of the bachelor.

Haha, look at this thread. Your Long Island brethren are like hockey's version of Jehovah's Witness

 

[MattMartin]

Haha, look at this thread. Your Long Island brethren are like hockey's version of Jehovah's Witness

It has been years since I started loathing these. I think it was all the Crosby fan bois telling every new poster to root for the Penguins.

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

It has been years since I started loathing these. I think it was all the Crosby fan bois telling every new poster to root for the Penguins.

Oh God, yeah. Crosby and his little minions single-handedly saved the Penguins franchise from relocating.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Haha, look at this thread. Your Long Island brethren are like hockey's version of Jehovah's Witness

Listen man, misery loves company.

I will say that OP wouldn't be making a mistake picking the rags either... I know they are having a rough season, but that just means ANOTHER high draft pick... yall are a sleeping giant IMO

 

[Thrasymachus]

It has been years since I started loathing these. I think it was all the Crosby fan bois telling every new poster to root for the Penguins.

Dude I live close to Crosby's home town. You have NO IDEA how many new pens fans sprung up overnight lol

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Listen man, misery loves company.

I will say that OP wouldn't be making a mistake picking the rags either... I know they are having a rough season, but that just means ANOTHER high draft pick... yall are a sleeping giant IMO

I keep hoping we join forces because Barzal would instantly be our best C and Barry Trotz is arguably the best coach in the NHL whereas David Quinn is arguably the worst.

 

[Pertti]

HIFK

 

[TheGreatOne11]

Ottawa my dude. Stutzle will be a beast, Chabot is great and they are going to need a loud voice in the crowd once fans are allowed back to block out the "Go Leafs Go" chants...

Coincidentally my team lol.

 

[BrockLobster]

And a cure for insomnia if that's an important factor for you.

Putting up 7 vs the mighty bruins was definitely a snoozefest...

 

[Hockey4Life1987]

Wow guys, Thank you very much for all your comments!

You certainly gave me a lot to think about

First of all, I'm a passionate fan and that's why it doesn't bother me at all to cheer for a team which is located at the bottom of the standings at the moment. Each team has it's ups and downs, good seasons and bad seasons. These four teams are the teams which I'm feeling most connected to for some reason, after watching at least two games of all 31 NHL teams games from the start of the season. I can watch these four teams play for the entire season, without missing a single game, and that's an important sign as I see it. I don't live in the U.S or Canada, or anywhere nearby, so the geographic consideration in irrelevant for me. I heard about the Senators management issues, maybe I should take this fact into consideration. I consider Ottawa to be an underdog, and although this team has a crappy season so far, I'm interested to see what the future will hold in store for Ottawa. The New York Islanders has a small fanbase? That's new for me, because this team is from New York which is such a large market! Are the Rangers more popular in New York than the Islanders? I think that small market teams should fit me just fine, so it's good to know about the Islanders small but passionate fanbase. Florida is having a great season so far, and it seems like it has a bright future for sure. It's nice to see Florida flourishing, and I've got a lot of sympathy for them. Maybe this club very first stanley cup championship is approoaching? Vancouver also seems like a very friendly team. The fact that Vancouver didn't win the Stanley cup yet is quite syrprising, because they have made it to the cup finals three times in the past and also won three division titles. so how come this team didn't win the cup yet? Well, I will keep a close eye on each of these four teams this season, it's going to be very exciting for sure

 

[lawrence]

My favorite are the Vancouver Canucks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Canucks being my hometown team, and Pittsburgh because of Crosby. I have a soft spot for Ottawa too, because their team often gets bullied by 2 certain fan bases, that also bully us, and kinda feels like, we share a common enemy. Their fan base also trash the Canucks the least out of the past 15 years so I kinda like them.

 

[Hockey4Life1987]

What about the Minnesota Wild? What do you think about them? I'm considering to follow this team also, so I'll be happy to read your comments and thoughts about Minnesota as well

 

[Terrier]

The Islanders are kryptonite to my Bruins, so you may as well take them. College hockey is a lot of fun too, may I suggest you root for Boston University.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

And a cure for insomnia if that's an important factor for you.

Yeah because scoring 7 goals on Boston last night and beating them for the third time in 3 games this season is soooooooooo boring.

 

[93LEAFS]

What team is the easiest for you to watch? Potentially travel to a game?

Most people are fans of their teams partially due to the fact it's in their local market (therefore easy TV coverage) and chance to go to a game. That combined with most family and friends also cheering for the team is why people tend to cheer for their local market.

 

[Ralph Malfredsson]

Ottawa Senators

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

Wow guys, Thank you very much for all your comments!

You certainly gave me a lot to think about

First of all, I'm a passionate fan and that's why it doesn't bother me at all to cheer for a team which is located at the bottom of the standings at the moment. Each team has it's ups and downs, good seasons and bad seasons. These four teams are the teams which I'm feeling most connected to for some reason, after watching at least two games of all 31 NHL teams games from the start of the season. I can watch these four teams play for the entire season, without missing a single game, and that's an important sign as I see it. I don't live in the U.S or Canada, or anywhere nearby, so the geographic consideration in irrelevant for me. I heard about the Senators management issues, maybe I should take this fact into consideration. I consider Ottawa to be an underdog, and although this team has a crappy season so far, I'm interested to see what the future will hold in store for Ottawa. The New York Islanders has a small fanbase? That's new for me, because this team is from New York which is such a large market! Are the Rangers more popular in New York than the Islanders? I think that small market teams should fit me just fine, so it's good to know about the Islanders small but passionate fanbase. Florida is having a great season so far, and it seems like it has a bright future for sure. It's nice to see Florida flourishing, and I've got a lot of sympathy for them. Maybe this club very first stanley cup championship is approoaching? Vancouver also seems like a very friendly team. The fact that Vancouver didn't win the Stanley cup yet is quite syrprising, because they have made it to the cup finals three times in the past and also won three division titles. so how come this team didn't win the cup yet? Well, I will keep a close eye on each of these four teams this season, it's going to be very exciting for sure

Haha, you thought the Islanders had a huge fanbase? I don't think you did a lot of research into this, have you? They're pretty much the antithesis of a big market team.

They have "New York" in their name, but they're not a typical New York team. I mean they're closer to the Sabres than the Rangers as far as marketability and fanbase and just general aura. Hell, they should probably go by "Long Island Islanders", but it just doesn't have the same ring to it. I mean when the Islanders won their Cups, they didn't march down the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan. Instead, they marched down Hempstead Turnpike.

And I'm not saying anything that Islanders fans will dispute. They relish being a small fanbase because it makes it more familial. The Islanders mean a lot to that fanbase because it's the only professional Long Island team in sports and represents them. By contrast, the Rangers have one of the most populous fanbases in the entire NHL and have their fair share of rabid, devoted fans as well, but the Rangers aren't as popular in New York City as the Islanders are in Long Island. That is to say, the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, and Knicks are all more beloved than the Rangers are. Having said that, the Rangers are, in general, more popular than the Islanders and are definitely under the microscope more than the Islanders are. The Rangers receive, by far, the most media attention of the three Tri-State teams.


And again, I'm not saying anything controversial or anything (I think) Islanders fans will object to. In fact, I know many Islanders fans hate the idea of being a "popular" team like the Rangers because they feel it'll strip away what makes the Islanders unique. Aside from the Barclays Center being a shitty place for hockey, Islanders fans hated that their LI team was taken away from them and put in Brooklyn. As crappy as the Nassau Coliseum had become, it was still their beloved barn.

 

[thedustman]

seems like the clear-cut best option from the choices. The reasons will fall into place as your love for them blossoms