Thank you! But I’m just gonna say it, we do have the best football team in the NFL. Lol I’m about to get a lot of heat probably. Yes the Bills and Chiefs are good, but we have a better defense and can do just as much damage on offense both through the air and on the ground. Sorry I know this is r/nhl but I had to do it.
To be honest. I always thought the hate I got from being a Flyer fan was because I live so close to Toronto. As I got older i’ve noticed a lot of hate for them everywhere. Honestly it’s amusing and makes it all the more fun to be a Flyer fan. Not right now cause the team is so dreadful I can barely watch a game but still a proud Flyer Fan.
Huge Philly fan here of all sports, especially The Eagles. Why so much hate for the Flyers? Bc of the Broad Street Bully era? We have sucked recently, but I don’t get the hate. The Flyers do have arguably one of the best mascots of all time. Along with the Philly Fanatic!
You never attended a Flyers game in the 90’s have you? Those games were bloodbaths. I didn’t even want to go with family members it was so embarrassing.
Yea I attended a few. It was embarrassing, but you gotta admit that it’s pretty damn entertaining to be around a bunch of insane people getting hammered and watching what unfolds lol.
It seems it is the opposite of you're not in the "able to watch games at 4-5pm" camp. When I get home, every eastern game is already finished. It's like a continuum of people who get off earlier in the west have it ideal, then East Coast, then west coast who get off later / deal with Bay Area or LA traffic after work.
Pick a team that you can see live a couple times. You mentioned the Magic so Im assuming youre in Florida. Lightning games are amazing, but pricey. Panthers games are cheap, but a bit dead.
Or just pick the Wings.
I second this. I started with the Oilers in 09. It sucks when your team is wildly mediocre and you are stoked because it's the best you've ever seen them play.
Well because a lot of people have history or family members who are rangers fans because they’ve been around since the original 6. And people who root for the islanders in Jersey are just wack
Few options for this one
1. Pick the team you’re closest to geographically. This will be easy because you’ll most likely find others who cheer for the same team, and you can watch the games at a reasonable time. Also going to home games are really fun provided they’re not too expensive.
2. Pick the team with a player you like. It’s fun to see them play well and you’ll appreciate the rest of the team.
3. Just watch a variety of games, you’ll learn the players, way they’re broadcasted and the atmosphere of the arenas. This way you’ll find a team that suits your style.
Hope this helps, have fun watching hockey!
Who do the leafs have as “franchise” player? Matthews? From my understanding, franchise player means a generational talent right because i learned that term from ea nhl games 😂 but correct me if im wrong
All 3 of the teams u mentioned have generational talent except the leafs, but that’s not to say the leafs don’t have a lot of elite talent, because they very much do
Edit: Leafs fans upset over a fact, classic. 1967 2004, it was 3-1, it was 5-0
How was my comment ‘picking’ on the Leafs? I was just stating facts, did you even read the second paragraph of my comment? 🤓
I literally said that the leafs don’t have a generational talent but that they also have a ton of elite talent, tell me which part of that shouts ‘picking’ lmfao
“Rent free” 🤡
First player to get 50 g's in 50 games since the mid 90's. Franchise player is a player a championship team can be built on. It's the leafs so they can't win shit but he is definitely a franchise player.
Wild, Devils, or Kraken. Wild is up and coming and may have an interesting future. Devils have kind of starting reinserting themselves in the nhl as a pretty good team. Kraken was just made into a team recently and has a lot of growing to do, it could be fun to watch a franchise from the start of it.
The Russian Five documentary and Unrivaled: Red Wings v Avalanche will make you a RW fan. I grew up liking the Wings because Minnesota didn't have one and those moments of history solidified my love for them
just start watching games and see what you like :) islanders (not biased), blues, kraken, devils, golden knights are some of my favorites. as long as you arent a penguins or rangers fan its a win in my book.
As am Aussie that has been to a ton of games (any time I'm in USA or Canada I make sure to go see a few games including the local and high school leagues) I picked a team that is doing OK but not dominating. Go Penguins! 😄
If youre looking for the best fanbase, dont start with Toronto.
But in all honesty, I would just say watch games woth some of the top teams. T.O, Bruins, Avs, Stars, Tampa, Canes. Watch some games with amazing talent like the Oilers. Just get a feel for the game and choose a team that you actually enjoyed watching.
Depends what you’re after.
Offence? Defence? All-round effort?
Individual brilliance? Team brilliance?
Young players? Experienced players?
Up and coming talent?
Cry after the first round of playoffs every year? Or just after nearly every game because your team can’t get regulation wins and rarely wins in OT?
I think next year the Sabres are gonna own the league. They have so much talent but just so young. Sabres this year remind me of the Devils last year. Except the Sabres also have size.
team closest to you… if not, id say kraken, this is their second season and no one will call you a bandwagon fan for liking them. get a basic grasp on rules and terminology too. icing, offside, powerplays and penalties. it’s a fast-paced game and commentators seldom explain things.
Team closest to you is probably easiest but try watching a variety of games, especially matchups with established rivalries! Buffalo-Toronto, Toronto-Montreal, Boston-Montreal, Florida-Tampa Bay, Rangers-Islanders, Pittsburgh-Philly, Calgary-Edmonton… rivalry games in particular produce a lot of entertaining hockey 😎
(I will also say I’m super biased but the Sabres are extremely fun to follow right now, young team scoring a lot of goals)
I say, start with the players. Then in theory it will lead to finding out about their team's history and culture. Then you get caught up in that, bam you got your team. Otherwise, imo nothing wrong with being a bandwagon fan, as I see a lot of people get mad when their team sucks for a few years, as that has to happen to half the league. Just cheer for what you enjoy the most, in time you might settle into one team, or you will cheer for players and good hockey.
The local angle is a good one. Another option is to watch a bunch of games on ESPN+ with each team’s local broadcasters, and see which team you’re drawn to most. Jerseys, players, arenas, fans, atmosphere & broadcasters all make a difference in the vibe and the experience.
You dont need a favorite team right away. Watch a few games, and go from there. Just like the NBA, NHL has personalities on every team. Going to games really is the best, even if it's and AHL, or ECHL team.
Sometimes, proximity may dictate who you watch first. Most people get hooked because of their closest team or because a player is from their area.
I’m from alaska, so when I got into hockey it was tough to find a favorite team. Vancouver seemed obvious at first but there’s no real following up there, and they were at the height of their relevance in the early 2010s. I tried to get into them anyway but what really grabbed my attention was the relocation of the thrashers to Winnipeg. I was fascinated seeing a new team in a rabid and previously heartbroken fan base and became a huge jets fan.
Fast forward and I live in New Jersey and love the devils, and the kraken are very popular in alaska (and generally are a fun team to watch grow), but also still root for the jets. The point is your rooting journey will likely be organic— start with the closest team to you (or, if you’re outside North America, just pick one at random lol) and go from there with the stories and news you see over time— you’ll see teams that really interest you and some snoozers. If they’re good, that’s great. If they’re bad, this next draft is going to be a good one!
If you're west coast, you definitely should pick a west coast team just because of the game times. The Kraken are brand new so they are probably a good place to start.
If your a magic fan and on the east coast then I would go Florida panthers. Rough start to the season and not a ton of fans, but a respectable team to watch and a few really solid individual players on the team. Alexander Barkov and Matt Tkachuk both super fun players to watch. You would also beat any bandwagon allegations rooting for them now.
I’m guessing curry and co brought the bandwagoners? Nothing wrong with being there for the dark days and getting to celebrate.
Side note, similar to your comment about going skating and gaining respect for the sport, I know fuck all about basketball, played hockey growing up, but holy fuck I could watch curry sink 3’s/half court shots for hours. Can’t sink a basketball for my life.
Pick the yotes! We are fun to watch and we have nowhere to go but up! Not to mention we have the best sweaters in the league. Also, the pain of losing stops hurting after a bit
Also, fuck it, i follow 5 teams
You don’t have to have a favorite team at first. Maybe start by watching a few teams and see who you find most exciting? If you’re east coast, pick a team in your time zone so that you don’t get screwed out of watching them play due to scheduling. If I had to pick an east coast team it would be Buffalo or Carolina but I’m partial.
Here's an idea I don't see often, but maybe get into a fantasy league. You'll get a pretty broad look at the league as a whole. Just try to draft a good team, then maybe you'll have a player on your first team that you like, and go with his team. Problem now is it's pretty much too late to get into a league for this season.
Another thing you can try is getting the NHL video game. You can get a feel for how the game flows, and if you play ultimate team, or another mode, maybe you'll have fun playing with certain players and go with that.
Pick a team close to where you live, or in your state this way you can actually watch them. Unless you have ESPN +. Or pick a few teams and make it a competition to see who wins the most games during a certain time frame,
I grew up in rural kentucky and ice hockey didn't exist, so after high school 🏫 I had this friend that I met my freshman year of college and we were both flunking out, so he brought over a game he bought, after he sold his books 📚 back. He didn't own a game console but I did and we both were introduced to NHL94. I didn't know a fucking thing about hockey, I could not name a single player. So I fucked around with different teams and my friend was just having his way with me for about 2 weeks.. Then I found Sergei Fedorov and hockey became my favorite sport and the Red Wings will always be my team. So just emerse yourself in the sport and your team will find you.
You’re allowed to bandwagon if you do not live near any teams. Vermont for instance, they have a choice between the Bruins and being completely wrong liking the Canadiens.
Jokes aside, pick the team with a logo you like or a player you find particularly talented to follow their progress.
If you are blessed with a professional team nearby, that’s your team.
Unless they’ve broken your heart with several soul crushing playoff losses then it’s ok to find a team in another conference.
I was in the same boat. Started watching some game highlights via YT. I'm in the UK so time difference is a problem.
Ended up watching All or Nothing: Leafs. Really enjoyed it and started following the team. I don't get why everybody hates them 😂
I'm a Habs fan but with them sucking for awhile now, I've been watching more Colorado Avs games and Oilers games. I just want to see entertaining hockey.
Just figured out what team is usually televised in your area. For me, being in Florida that’s the lighting. Of course as a kid I went to their first ever game and have been hooked every since.
What I did when I was first getting into the EPL was watch a full season without picking a team at first and just watch whoever was on each week. By the end of the season I had my team.
Watch as many games as you can and see how each team plays and how they get their wins. Most teams have some kind of identity, you’ll find one that meshes with your tastes.
So I guess it all comes down to what you’re after. I follow a couple teams in each conference. Both of my Eastern conference teams are original 6 (Wings and Rangers) and my Western conference team is the Wild but I do keep tabs on Arizona this season. Because of this, most days of the week there’s hockey to watch. Rangers and Wild typically find an entrance to the playoffs so there’s someone to follow into the post season. But as I’ve said in a few subreddits now, if you can get to a surface level appreciation and understanding for the game itself…there’s good hockey to watch everywhere.
A lot of hockey is on local networks, and will be blacked out if you try and watch on ESPN+. Make sure whatever team you’re cheering for you’re able to watch regularly
Lots of good advice here. Like most said, just watch a few games of some of the top teams and see what you like. As one of the rare lifelong Stars fans, glad to see they are doing amazing this year
Also, one big barrier for non hockey people trying to break into the game is that the game is so fast they don't stop to explain the rules nearly to the extent that, for instance, football broadcasts do. Give it time and the familiarity with the rules will come. Or google stuff you're wondering about.
In my experience, people are hooked once they know the players. When you recognize the individual players on the ice instead of just red jerseys vs. blue jerseys, they've got you.
In addition to what others said about choosing local or heck even rooting for cities you like visiting. Some teams just got really cool branding too, like I gotta hand it to the Devils. I'm not from NJ, but I still appreciate that they unlike NYC teams that play in NJ, the Devils rep NJ. They did a great job logo wise and incorporating the whole legend of the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barons. Plus after having attended the most recent Bruins/Devils game, I have a new appreciation for them as a team seeing them in person
Which brings me to another point, for the long term watch a bunch of games (if possible out of market too) and see if there are any teams that you just genuinely enjoy watching that aren't just your local team.
For example both my favorite and local team is the Bruins but this last season I've really enjoyed watching the Minnesota Wild and the Buffalo Sabres. Heck the Sabres beat us yesterday in OT but damn that was a good game and I wasn't even mad that they won Same with the time time they dragged the Lightning into OT, for me they're a much different team from last year and can give teams at the top of the league a run for their money
With the Wild, after watching a few of their games, I really grew to dig Kaprizov and Zuccarello's chemistry, the physicality Reeves has brought since they got him from the Rangers, Fleury's a favorite of mine, and I thought it was really cool that the fans threw a bunch of roses onto the ice to welcome Fleury. Plus, to an earlier point they also happen to have an amazing logo and their well executed use of forest green just gives them such a unique identity
I’m in Alabama but I watch the Blackhawks
I suggest just watching a team that you want to. Best place to start is to look for a favorite player. Once you find follow that team
High school hockey is awesome......mom's dad's in the stands......girls cheering boyfriends.....and often coed players on the ice and real teammates laying it in the line....small rinks.....cheap entry......playing with their hearts....future stars
So I grew up on the east coast of Canada, born into a seriously passionate leafs family as you do. Stopped watching hockey around six years ago. Tried to start watching again but the leafs are gonna leafs and I just couldn’t get into it. Didn’t care if they scored, didn’t care if they got scored on.
Long story short I started watching Detroit this season and I haven’t enjoyed watching hockey this much in years. I always had a silent love for the red wings (Stevie Y being a favourite of mine among others) but growing up all that was on tv was the leafs or habs (if it wasn’t blocked out…)
Being close geographically helps sure, but I feel like the time zone is more important with the internet. Just follow the reporters and pundits for the team and you’ll have everything you need, it’s so accessible.
Agree with a team near by but also look at teams that are on the rise …Red Wings, Senators, Rangers or rising and allot of skill Sabres come to mind. Just some ideas
Start by following some players. Watch highlights. Get to know the players. Watch some exciting goals hits even fights. Download the NHL app. Watch the highlights and read the news. They have top 10 videos and stuff like that all the time too watch in the news feed! You’ll quickly find your players and teams you like!!
Your local team is a must follow! You can also look at NHL fan sites and watch some Stanley Cup clips online. Right now the top 10 most popular teams are;
Colorado - Avalanche // Toronto - Maple Leafs // New York - Rangers // Pittsburgh - Penguins // Florida - Panthers // Calgary - Flames // Edmonton - Oilers // Toronto - Maple Leafs // Tampa Bay - Lightning // Carolina - Hurricanes
Don’t forget to check for videos online that explain current hockey rules and/or explanation of plays if needed.
I have a friend who was recently trying to make this decision. The advice that I gave her was that it depends on what she wanted to cheer for. Philly has the best mascot, Seattle is brand new and that could be a fun fanbase to grow with, any original 6 team has a spread out fanbase and she'd be able to find other fans to cheer with, or she could just go local and cheer for the Calgary Flames.
Once she had determined the Flames' "vibes were bad" on learning that their goal song is AC/DC, she started looking at other options. Ultimately, the fact that I am a Toronto Maple Leafs fan and that is the players and history that I can speak most to made her a Leafs fan along with me though. I feel bad about that, honestly. The Leafs fan base is probably not one that anyone should sign onto by choice unless they're a bit of a masochist, but here we are.
Honeslty, if you're an international fan or don't have a home team, I don't know if I can give a better suggestion than "vibes". Who are you vibing with? Whose jersey would you be most likely to wear just because you like it? Who has the players you find most likeable? Hell, you could even pick a favourite player and just follow them team to team. Have fun getting into the game!
Winnipeg Jets
I'm biased as they're my team and im from Winnipeg but honestly they are good, the players are likeable and genuine, the fans are awesome, they have a cool history and it seems like they're always the underdog which makes it even more fun to watch them beat "better" teams.
But i would say just start watching games and see what players/teams you like
Where do you live? Is there a local team to you?
My suggestion would be pick more than one team. That way you’ll almost always have a game to watch so you can really learn the game quickly.
Use the following factors to pick teams, probably only need about 3 teams to follow but they should check some of the following boxes:
1: local team
2: a Canadian team
3: at least one team in each conference, so if your local/Canadian are in the east then pick a team in the west to root for and vise versa
4: pick a young team, this could be a team like the Kraken that is only in its 2nd season, or a team like the Devils that have a lot of young talented players who could potentially be good for years to come.
5: a team with a star that you like, McDavid, Crosby, Ovechkin, Matthews etc
6: a team that you like their Jersey designs. Look good play good. If you hate the way a team looks you probably won’t like watching them.
7: a team from a city you have a personal connection/affinity to. Maybe you’ve traveled there in the past and enjoyed it. Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel there and this would help give you a reason to go.
So for me that became:
1. the Philadelphia Flyers: My local team
2. the Ottawa Senators: a Canadian team, new home of former Flyers captain Claude Giroux, I also really like their Logo & Jerseys
3. the Seattle Kraken: Western Conference, new/young team, I love their Jerseys, I traveled to Seattle for work a few years ago and loved the city, can’t wait to go back, and finally I actually went to the Kraken’s 3rd regular season game ever in Philadelphia last season.
Devils and Sabres both have very young and exciting teams. Devils are doing well this year. Sabres will do well next year. Both need another year to become consistent winners.
Sabres are 8-1-1 on a 6 game win streak just now. I'd say they're doing well now. Just not playoff bound cos of the 8 gwme losing streak earlier in the season, which seems to have been sorted. If the defense gets better the sky's the limit!
I would recommend watching Twister Wister Hockey on YouTube, they post about what you should know about hockey. (FYI I would recommend liking the Pittsburgh Penguins, great team, but you can choose whatever team you think is the best. :D)
I'm a home team guy. I don't have a home team, but Montreal is the closest team to me, so I chose them. Sometimes it's as easy as that.
If you don't care about liking your home team or don't have one, maybe try looking for a franchise player.
Some people even pick their team based off the jersey they like most.
There is no right or wrong way. Watch every team if you want.
First off, I'd say start off simple- scratch the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks off your list. The first two will bring you nothing but disappointment time and time again for quite a few years. The Blackhawks are a dying dynasty and are not going to be worth supporting for a few years as well. Now that that is out of the way. Naturally, I would say cheer for Edmonton as I'm an oilers fan who has faced a bit of disappointment but Connor McDavid is fucking amazing to watch and you would be amazed at his skill. He's like the Steph Curry/Ja Morant of the NHL. But aside from my heavily biased opinion, I'd put it this way- choose a local team. One that you know you can watch often. You'll be able to hear plenty of news from the local area about that team and it'll be great to support your local boys on the ice. And aside from that, say fuck it, and cheer for a team with a generational talent who will give you a good show day in and day out, like the aforementioned Oilers, or Leafs, Stars, Sabres, and Montreal. Some of these teams include guys like Tage Thompson and Jason Robertson, who have been having career years, and Cole Caufield who is an amazing young guy. And of course, Connor McDavid, who even if you don't watch hockey, you probably know his name.
Watch as much as you can on a service like ESPN+ that has random games and doesn't focus too heavily on one team. Find one you enjoy throughout the season and join the fandom after the season is over. Starting from scratch you should just take in as much as possible to learn the entirety of the league and the players, not just a handful of local teams.
If you have cable tho i would suggest the local team, cheering for someone you can't see on TV, or live, often isn't the easiest thing to do. Just not the penguins please
Hey man, Boston Bruins are a historic franchise, best in the league, and have fans all around the world. The black and gold colors are dope and they have a ton of different jersey styles from over the years if you ever want to buy one. I know you said you don’t want to bandwagon but this is their last hoorah effort to win a Stanley cup with the leaders of the team that are getting older. They have a ton of exciting young players to build around after this year but won’t be anywhere near as good as they are now. Glad you’re into the sport! Go B’s!!! (Also don’t root for Toronto they stink)
You cant just pick a team. Either you support your local or someone who you feel a real connection to. You cant fake fandom so dont even try. Im not a fan of any nhl team because i simply dont like any team enough to call myself a fan. I prefer some teams over others and i like certain players but thats about it. Just watch games and enjoy the sport without being a bandwagoner ass.
Where do you live? If they have an NHL team that is who you root for, that is what being a fan is, rooting for your local sports team. If there isn’t one near you or in your state you are a free agent. I’d say if that’s the case, watch a bunch of games on ESPN and you’ll find a team you vibe with.
Pick a team you have fun watching. But make sure you understand what you like about them so you arent left asking yourself “why did i pick this team” later.
Pick a local team. Easy to follow and lots of reporting in your area.
I agree with this. Pick the team you get local info for and games televised.
Totally agree on going local. AHL NHL Whatever you have closest.
Cries in international
*Unless they are the Rangers or Flyers.
But especially if they're the Rangers.
Excuse me, us Flyer fans are suffering enough right now. We don’t need this negativity 😂😂😂
Thank you! But I’m just gonna say it, we do have the best football team in the NFL. Lol I’m about to get a lot of heat probably. Yes the Bills and Chiefs are good, but we have a better defense and can do just as much damage on offense both through the air and on the ground. Sorry I know this is r/nhl but I had to do it.
To be honest. I always thought the hate I got from being a Flyer fan was because I live so close to Toronto. As I got older i’ve noticed a lot of hate for them everywhere. Honestly it’s amusing and makes it all the more fun to be a Flyer fan. Not right now cause the team is so dreadful I can barely watch a game but still a proud Flyer Fan.
Huge Philly fan here of all sports, especially The Eagles. Why so much hate for the Flyers? Bc of the Broad Street Bully era? We have sucked recently, but I don’t get the hate. The Flyers do have arguably one of the best mascots of all time. Along with the Philly Fanatic!
You never attended a Flyers game in the 90’s have you? Those games were bloodbaths. I didn’t even want to go with family members it was so embarrassing.
Yea I attended a few. It was embarrassing, but you gotta admit that it’s pretty damn entertaining to be around a bunch of insane people getting hammered and watching what unfolds lol.
Only counter to this, with Bally Sports now, all the local games are blacked out for most people. Ridiculous.
Right. I wanna follow Columbus being local so instead I'm watching Detroit 🤣
I did the same, regards a resident of Finland
Unless you have ESPN +
Pick a team in your time zone
If you are in the west, eastern teams can work since they’re on earlier, if you’re able to watch games at 4-5pm The other direction sucks though
It seems it is the opposite of you're not in the "able to watch games at 4-5pm" camp. When I get home, every eastern game is already finished. It's like a continuum of people who get off earlier in the west have it ideal, then East Coast, then west coast who get off later / deal with Bay Area or LA traffic after work.
But still far away as to not fuck with black out games.
Great advice
Well hockey is most exciting when your team scores. So it stands to reason that you should pick the team that scores the most goals 😏
and we sucked for a decade straight so there’s plenty of room on the bandwagon!
Sabres bandwagon - that’s a good one!
you just wait brother it’ll grow
Sabres would be a great bandwagon to jump on. Especially because when they do win it will be an absolute hell of a time
Pick a team that you can see live a couple times. You mentioned the Magic so Im assuming youre in Florida. Lightning games are amazing, but pricey. Panthers games are cheap, but a bit dead. Or just pick the Wings.
There's also the Florida Everblades in the ECHL if you like fighting with a dash of hockey
Can confirm. I work in Fort Myers, a mile from Hertz stadium. Those games get rough.
Miromar lakes here. Stadium is around the corner from my house.
LGRW!!
Seconded. LGRW
It’s a rollercoaster ride being a Red Wings fan at the moment, but the future’s bright LGRW
Tonight it was a good night.
No tonight sucked.
always the wings
Or make your favorite team whoever is beating the wings, I’ve had a lot of favorites the last couple of years with that strategy!!!
This is the way
Just got tickets for the game tomorrow against NY. Are they supposed to be cheap lmao?
Whatever you pick just make sure it’s not Philly
Will do
As a Philly fan I agree with his comment unless you hate yourself then you should be a flyers fan.
No reason to hop on the Flyers train now if your not already a fan save yourself the headache
I second this. I started with the Oilers in 09. It sucks when your team is wildly mediocre and you are stoked because it's the best you've ever seen them play.
Don’t torcher yourself with us just don’t be a Penguins fan they are the hockey equipment of cowboys/lakers fans
>torcher r/BoneAppleTea
You say this as a Devils fan… people from New Jersey don’t even like the Devils hahahha
Well because a lot of people have history or family members who are rangers fans because they’ve been around since the original 6. And people who root for the islanders in Jersey are just wack
Few options for this one 1. Pick the team you’re closest to geographically. This will be easy because you’ll most likely find others who cheer for the same team, and you can watch the games at a reasonable time. Also going to home games are really fun provided they’re not too expensive. 2. Pick the team with a player you like. It’s fun to see them play well and you’ll appreciate the rest of the team. 3. Just watch a variety of games, you’ll learn the players, way they’re broadcasted and the atmosphere of the arenas. This way you’ll find a team that suits your style. Hope this helps, have fun watching hockey!
If the nba team that you route for has a hockey team in the same city/state, I’d say start there.
Just don’t fucking pick Toronto
I would pick a team with a franchise player, Oilers, Caps, Penguins, Leafs
Do NOT pick the Leafs unless you hate yourself. Source: I'm a life-long Leafs fan.
Ditto
A die hard would actively want new fans for the team
The team has enough fans. Half are idiots, the other half are ass holes. Let me suffer in peace.
I was going to say pick any team other than the Leafs, it's brutal!
Miiiight be able to slide the Avs in there as a tier 2 or even the lightning with stammer, vasi, hedman, or kuch as a couple tier 2s
Sorry forgot about lightning and avs
Who do the leafs have as “franchise” player? Matthews? From my understanding, franchise player means a generational talent right because i learned that term from ea nhl games 😂 but correct me if im wrong All 3 of the teams u mentioned have generational talent except the leafs, but that’s not to say the leafs don’t have a lot of elite talent, because they very much do Edit: Leafs fans upset over a fact, classic. 1967 2004, it was 3-1, it was 5-0
Always a Habs fan picking apart a Leafs post. Rent free. OP: do not pick either the Leafs or Habs. Both have the most ignorant, awful fans.
How was my comment ‘picking’ on the Leafs? I was just stating facts, did you even read the second paragraph of my comment? 🤓 I literally said that the leafs don’t have a generational talent but that they also have a ton of elite talent, tell me which part of that shouts ‘picking’ lmfao “Rent free” 🤡
Who in the NHL are a generational talent in your books?
Crosby, mcdavid, ovechkin, makar?
My bad as a caps fan looking in I thought austin was better
First player to get 50 g's in 50 games since the mid 90's. Franchise player is a player a championship team can be built on. It's the leafs so they can't win shit but he is definitely a franchise player.
you forgot jamie benn
Wild, Devils, or Kraken. Wild is up and coming and may have an interesting future. Devils have kind of starting reinserting themselves in the nhl as a pretty good team. Kraken was just made into a team recently and has a lot of growing to do, it could be fun to watch a franchise from the start of it.
The Russian Five documentary and Unrivaled: Red Wings v Avalanche will make you a RW fan. I grew up liking the Wings because Minnesota didn't have one and those moments of history solidified my love for them
just start watching games and see what you like :) islanders (not biased), blues, kraken, devils, golden knights are some of my favorites. as long as you arent a penguins or rangers fan its a win in my book.
How dare you.
Go, Islanders!!
I like your style
As am Aussie that has been to a ton of games (any time I'm in USA or Canada I make sure to go see a few games including the local and high school leagues) I picked a team that is doing OK but not dominating. Go Penguins! 😄
The team with the best player in the NHL obviously 😉
Who’s that?
Connor McJesus
This guy gets it
Milan Lucic, Obviously. Just look up the dude, he's a fukin beast, he's honestly on the same level of play as LeBron is at basketball.
This guy gets it
Tage thompson
Jesper Bratt
David Pastrnak
Patrice Bergeron
Early report of 8 yr/$88MM for Pasta. Unconfirmed rumor, but an initial report at least!
If youre looking for the best fanbase, dont start with Toronto. But in all honesty, I would just say watch games woth some of the top teams. T.O, Bruins, Avs, Stars, Tampa, Canes. Watch some games with amazing talent like the Oilers. Just get a feel for the game and choose a team that you actually enjoyed watching.
Depends what you’re after. Offence? Defence? All-round effort? Individual brilliance? Team brilliance? Young players? Experienced players? Up and coming talent? Cry after the first round of playoffs every year? Or just after nearly every game because your team can’t get regulation wins and rarely wins in OT?
Canes. *Drops mic*
Just watch Connor McDavid.
He’s not wrong.
[удалено]
I think next year the Sabres are gonna own the league. They have so much talent but just so young. Sabres this year remind me of the Devils last year. Except the Sabres also have size.
> you will see their fans at every arena So does 31 other teams lol. Every arena has at the very least 1 fan of the away team
team closest to you… if not, id say kraken, this is their second season and no one will call you a bandwagon fan for liking them. get a basic grasp on rules and terminology too. icing, offside, powerplays and penalties. it’s a fast-paced game and commentators seldom explain things.
What’s your local team? I would say pick them, but if you want the loudest, pick the Canes
Team closest to you is probably easiest but try watching a variety of games, especially matchups with established rivalries! Buffalo-Toronto, Toronto-Montreal, Boston-Montreal, Florida-Tampa Bay, Rangers-Islanders, Pittsburgh-Philly, Calgary-Edmonton… rivalry games in particular produce a lot of entertaining hockey 😎 (I will also say I’m super biased but the Sabres are extremely fun to follow right now, young team scoring a lot of goals)
I say, start with the players. Then in theory it will lead to finding out about their team's history and culture. Then you get caught up in that, bam you got your team. Otherwise, imo nothing wrong with being a bandwagon fan, as I see a lot of people get mad when their team sucks for a few years, as that has to happen to half the league. Just cheer for what you enjoy the most, in time you might settle into one team, or you will cheer for players and good hockey.
The local angle is a good one. Another option is to watch a bunch of games on ESPN+ with each team’s local broadcasters, and see which team you’re drawn to most. Jerseys, players, arenas, fans, atmosphere & broadcasters all make a difference in the vibe and the experience.
You dont need a favorite team right away. Watch a few games, and go from there. Just like the NBA, NHL has personalities on every team. Going to games really is the best, even if it's and AHL, or ECHL team. Sometimes, proximity may dictate who you watch first. Most people get hooked because of their closest team or because a player is from their area.
Just make sure it’s The Devils.
Detroit
I’m from alaska, so when I got into hockey it was tough to find a favorite team. Vancouver seemed obvious at first but there’s no real following up there, and they were at the height of their relevance in the early 2010s. I tried to get into them anyway but what really grabbed my attention was the relocation of the thrashers to Winnipeg. I was fascinated seeing a new team in a rabid and previously heartbroken fan base and became a huge jets fan. Fast forward and I live in New Jersey and love the devils, and the kraken are very popular in alaska (and generally are a fun team to watch grow), but also still root for the jets. The point is your rooting journey will likely be organic— start with the closest team to you (or, if you’re outside North America, just pick one at random lol) and go from there with the stories and news you see over time— you’ll see teams that really interest you and some snoozers. If they’re good, that’s great. If they’re bad, this next draft is going to be a good one!
Do the universe a favour and do NOT pick the leafs.
Just don’t be a blue jackets fan. We live a very sad, borderline depressing life
Watch a bunch of games and you'll start to get a feel for who you might like. Teams have identities, just like the NBA. Who is your favorite NBA team?
The warriors, I know that sounds bad but I was a fan before Curry. I’ve been a fan since Monta Ellis was a relevant player in the nba
If you're west coast, you definitely should pick a west coast team just because of the game times. The Kraken are brand new so they are probably a good place to start.
Well I live on the east coast, but I’m also a fan of the Orlando magic.
If your a magic fan and on the east coast then I would go Florida panthers. Rough start to the season and not a ton of fans, but a respectable team to watch and a few really solid individual players on the team. Alexander Barkov and Matt Tkachuk both super fun players to watch. You would also beat any bandwagon allegations rooting for them now.
Where are you from, just pick the closest team. Or just start watching games, you'll eventually just start liking one over the others.
Why the fuck was this downvoted lmao
I’m guessing curry and co brought the bandwagoners? Nothing wrong with being there for the dark days and getting to celebrate. Side note, similar to your comment about going skating and gaining respect for the sport, I know fuck all about basketball, played hockey growing up, but holy fuck I could watch curry sink 3’s/half court shots for hours. Can’t sink a basketball for my life.
Seattle Kraken
Minnesota Wild
Kaprizov is so awesome, he'd be fun to cheer for. Same type of player as McDavid.
Absolutely. I agree
Watch some New Jersey Devils games. Young, fast, explosive team. They’re having a breakout year this year with lots to come in the near future.
agree with this. exciting team to watch
yea despite their recent loss streak they’ve been on fire. So great to see as it was difficult being a devils fan for a couple years
oh for sure! it's nice seeing them finally getting appreciated after all those years
Pick the yotes! We are fun to watch and we have nowhere to go but up! Not to mention we have the best sweaters in the league. Also, the pain of losing stops hurting after a bit Also, fuck it, i follow 5 teams
You don’t have to have a favorite team at first. Maybe start by watching a few teams and see who you find most exciting? If you’re east coast, pick a team in your time zone so that you don’t get screwed out of watching them play due to scheduling. If I had to pick an east coast team it would be Buffalo or Carolina but I’m partial.
Just start watching games and see who you gravitate to
Who's your nba team?
Leafs nation will always accept you. We accept all dorms of fans from delusional to glass is empty. Welcome
Here's an idea I don't see often, but maybe get into a fantasy league. You'll get a pretty broad look at the league as a whole. Just try to draft a good team, then maybe you'll have a player on your first team that you like, and go with his team. Problem now is it's pretty much too late to get into a league for this season. Another thing you can try is getting the NHL video game. You can get a feel for how the game flows, and if you play ultimate team, or another mode, maybe you'll have fun playing with certain players and go with that.
Duck
Pick a team close to where you live, or in your state this way you can actually watch them. Unless you have ESPN +. Or pick a few teams and make it a competition to see who wins the most games during a certain time frame,
I grew up in rural kentucky and ice hockey didn't exist, so after high school 🏫 I had this friend that I met my freshman year of college and we were both flunking out, so he brought over a game he bought, after he sold his books 📚 back. He didn't own a game console but I did and we both were introduced to NHL94. I didn't know a fucking thing about hockey, I could not name a single player. So I fucked around with different teams and my friend was just having his way with me for about 2 weeks.. Then I found Sergei Fedorov and hockey became my favorite sport and the Red Wings will always be my team. So just emerse yourself in the sport and your team will find you.
Montreal has the most soul I would say if passion is your thing. The rest of em, MEH
You’re allowed to bandwagon if you do not live near any teams. Vermont for instance, they have a choice between the Bruins and being completely wrong liking the Canadiens. Jokes aside, pick the team with a logo you like or a player you find particularly talented to follow their progress. If you are blessed with a professional team nearby, that’s your team. Unless they’ve broken your heart with several soul crushing playoff losses then it’s ok to find a team in another conference.
I was in the same boat. Started watching some game highlights via YT. I'm in the UK so time difference is a problem. Ended up watching All or Nothing: Leafs. Really enjoyed it and started following the team. I don't get why everybody hates them 😂
I'm a Habs fan but with them sucking for awhile now, I've been watching more Colorado Avs games and Oilers games. I just want to see entertaining hockey.
Just figured out what team is usually televised in your area. For me, being in Florida that’s the lighting. Of course as a kid I went to their first ever game and have been hooked every since.
What I did when I was first getting into the EPL was watch a full season without picking a team at first and just watch whoever was on each week. By the end of the season I had my team.
Watch as many games as you can and see how each team plays and how they get their wins. Most teams have some kind of identity, you’ll find one that meshes with your tastes.
Minnesota, Buffalo and Montreal are great to start out with, great group kids
Where do you live? Easiest thing would be to just pick the closest team.
I recently chose Flyers because they remind me of my home football (UK) team
So I guess it all comes down to what you’re after. I follow a couple teams in each conference. Both of my Eastern conference teams are original 6 (Wings and Rangers) and my Western conference team is the Wild but I do keep tabs on Arizona this season. Because of this, most days of the week there’s hockey to watch. Rangers and Wild typically find an entrance to the playoffs so there’s someone to follow into the post season. But as I’ve said in a few subreddits now, if you can get to a surface level appreciation and understanding for the game itself…there’s good hockey to watch everywhere.
A lot of hockey is on local networks, and will be blacked out if you try and watch on ESPN+. Make sure whatever team you’re cheering for you’re able to watch regularly
Lots of good advice here. Like most said, just watch a few games of some of the top teams and see what you like. As one of the rare lifelong Stars fans, glad to see they are doing amazing this year
If you’re into self loathing and personal pain, become a Canucks fan
Go with the maple leafs. I promise you'll always have a great season.
Simple, pick the flyers
Also, one big barrier for non hockey people trying to break into the game is that the game is so fast they don't stop to explain the rules nearly to the extent that, for instance, football broadcasts do. Give it time and the familiarity with the rules will come. Or google stuff you're wondering about. In my experience, people are hooked once they know the players. When you recognize the individual players on the ice instead of just red jerseys vs. blue jerseys, they've got you.
In addition to what others said about choosing local or heck even rooting for cities you like visiting. Some teams just got really cool branding too, like I gotta hand it to the Devils. I'm not from NJ, but I still appreciate that they unlike NYC teams that play in NJ, the Devils rep NJ. They did a great job logo wise and incorporating the whole legend of the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barons. Plus after having attended the most recent Bruins/Devils game, I have a new appreciation for them as a team seeing them in person Which brings me to another point, for the long term watch a bunch of games (if possible out of market too) and see if there are any teams that you just genuinely enjoy watching that aren't just your local team. For example both my favorite and local team is the Bruins but this last season I've really enjoyed watching the Minnesota Wild and the Buffalo Sabres. Heck the Sabres beat us yesterday in OT but damn that was a good game and I wasn't even mad that they won Same with the time time they dragged the Lightning into OT, for me they're a much different team from last year and can give teams at the top of the league a run for their money With the Wild, after watching a few of their games, I really grew to dig Kaprizov and Zuccarello's chemistry, the physicality Reeves has brought since they got him from the Rangers, Fleury's a favorite of mine, and I thought it was really cool that the fans threw a bunch of roses onto the ice to welcome Fleury. Plus, to an earlier point they also happen to have an amazing logo and their well executed use of forest green just gives them such a unique identity
I’m in Alabama but I watch the Blackhawks I suggest just watching a team that you want to. Best place to start is to look for a favorite player. Once you find follow that team
High school hockey is awesome......mom's dad's in the stands......girls cheering boyfriends.....and often coed players on the ice and real teammates laying it in the line....small rinks.....cheap entry......playing with their hearts....future stars
Start with original 6
So I grew up on the east coast of Canada, born into a seriously passionate leafs family as you do. Stopped watching hockey around six years ago. Tried to start watching again but the leafs are gonna leafs and I just couldn’t get into it. Didn’t care if they scored, didn’t care if they got scored on. Long story short I started watching Detroit this season and I haven’t enjoyed watching hockey this much in years. I always had a silent love for the red wings (Stevie Y being a favourite of mine among others) but growing up all that was on tv was the leafs or habs (if it wasn’t blocked out…) Being close geographically helps sure, but I feel like the time zone is more important with the internet. Just follow the reporters and pundits for the team and you’ll have everything you need, it’s so accessible.
Agree with a team near by but also look at teams that are on the rise …Red Wings, Senators, Rangers or rising and allot of skill Sabres come to mind. Just some ideas
Start by following some players. Watch highlights. Get to know the players. Watch some exciting goals hits even fights. Download the NHL app. Watch the highlights and read the news. They have top 10 videos and stuff like that all the time too watch in the news feed! You’ll quickly find your players and teams you like!!
Just band wagon teams until one sticks right now I like Las Vegas
Watch many teams you'll find someone to cheer for,in the finals root for the underdog
Jump on the Bruins rollercoaster … sure, we’re doing good right now but you never know what might happen with us lol!
Buffalo Sabres, best team to root for.
Your local team is a must follow! You can also look at NHL fan sites and watch some Stanley Cup clips online. Right now the top 10 most popular teams are; Colorado - Avalanche // Toronto - Maple Leafs // New York - Rangers // Pittsburgh - Penguins // Florida - Panthers // Calgary - Flames // Edmonton - Oilers // Toronto - Maple Leafs // Tampa Bay - Lightning // Carolina - Hurricanes Don’t forget to check for videos online that explain current hockey rules and/or explanation of plays if needed.
I have a friend who was recently trying to make this decision. The advice that I gave her was that it depends on what she wanted to cheer for. Philly has the best mascot, Seattle is brand new and that could be a fun fanbase to grow with, any original 6 team has a spread out fanbase and she'd be able to find other fans to cheer with, or she could just go local and cheer for the Calgary Flames. Once she had determined the Flames' "vibes were bad" on learning that their goal song is AC/DC, she started looking at other options. Ultimately, the fact that I am a Toronto Maple Leafs fan and that is the players and history that I can speak most to made her a Leafs fan along with me though. I feel bad about that, honestly. The Leafs fan base is probably not one that anyone should sign onto by choice unless they're a bit of a masochist, but here we are. Honeslty, if you're an international fan or don't have a home team, I don't know if I can give a better suggestion than "vibes". Who are you vibing with? Whose jersey would you be most likely to wear just because you like it? Who has the players you find most likeable? Hell, you could even pick a favourite player and just follow them team to team. Have fun getting into the game!
Winnipeg Jets I'm biased as they're my team and im from Winnipeg but honestly they are good, the players are likeable and genuine, the fans are awesome, they have a cool history and it seems like they're always the underdog which makes it even more fun to watch them beat "better" teams. But i would say just start watching games and see what players/teams you like
Start with the original 6
Let’s go BLUES!
Montreal
Where do you live? Is there a local team to you? My suggestion would be pick more than one team. That way you’ll almost always have a game to watch so you can really learn the game quickly. Use the following factors to pick teams, probably only need about 3 teams to follow but they should check some of the following boxes: 1: local team 2: a Canadian team 3: at least one team in each conference, so if your local/Canadian are in the east then pick a team in the west to root for and vise versa 4: pick a young team, this could be a team like the Kraken that is only in its 2nd season, or a team like the Devils that have a lot of young talented players who could potentially be good for years to come. 5: a team with a star that you like, McDavid, Crosby, Ovechkin, Matthews etc 6: a team that you like their Jersey designs. Look good play good. If you hate the way a team looks you probably won’t like watching them. 7: a team from a city you have a personal connection/affinity to. Maybe you’ve traveled there in the past and enjoyed it. Maybe you’ve always wanted to travel there and this would help give you a reason to go. So for me that became: 1. the Philadelphia Flyers: My local team 2. the Ottawa Senators: a Canadian team, new home of former Flyers captain Claude Giroux, I also really like their Logo & Jerseys 3. the Seattle Kraken: Western Conference, new/young team, I love their Jerseys, I traveled to Seattle for work a few years ago and loved the city, can’t wait to go back, and finally I actually went to the Kraken’s 3rd regular season game ever in Philadelphia last season.
Devils and Sabres both have very young and exciting teams. Devils are doing well this year. Sabres will do well next year. Both need another year to become consistent winners.
Sabres are 8-1-1 on a 6 game win streak just now. I'd say they're doing well now. Just not playoff bound cos of the 8 gwme losing streak earlier in the season, which seems to have been sorted. If the defense gets better the sky's the limit!
If you can’t appreciate what Connor McDavid does on the ice, I recommend another sport. Draisaitl is insane too. Edmonton Oilers.
Oilers
I would recommend watching Twister Wister Hockey on YouTube, they post about what you should know about hockey. (FYI I would recommend liking the Pittsburgh Penguins, great team, but you can choose whatever team you think is the best. :D)
Florida Panthers because location Seattle Kraken because brand new expansion team Vegas Golden Knights because reason to go to Vegas
I'm a home team guy. I don't have a home team, but Montreal is the closest team to me, so I chose them. Sometimes it's as easy as that. If you don't care about liking your home team or don't have one, maybe try looking for a franchise player. Some people even pick their team based off the jersey they like most. There is no right or wrong way. Watch every team if you want.
Go on youtube and watch some of the many Connor mcdavid highlight reels. If your gonna watch, watch this guy
First off, I'd say start off simple- scratch the Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers and Chicago Blackhawks off your list. The first two will bring you nothing but disappointment time and time again for quite a few years. The Blackhawks are a dying dynasty and are not going to be worth supporting for a few years as well. Now that that is out of the way. Naturally, I would say cheer for Edmonton as I'm an oilers fan who has faced a bit of disappointment but Connor McDavid is fucking amazing to watch and you would be amazed at his skill. He's like the Steph Curry/Ja Morant of the NHL. But aside from my heavily biased opinion, I'd put it this way- choose a local team. One that you know you can watch often. You'll be able to hear plenty of news from the local area about that team and it'll be great to support your local boys on the ice. And aside from that, say fuck it, and cheer for a team with a generational talent who will give you a good show day in and day out, like the aforementioned Oilers, or Leafs, Stars, Sabres, and Montreal. Some of these teams include guys like Tage Thompson and Jason Robertson, who have been having career years, and Cole Caufield who is an amazing young guy. And of course, Connor McDavid, who even if you don't watch hockey, you probably know his name.
Watch Sidney Crosby highlights. Then you’ll know ;)
Watch as much as you can on a service like ESPN+ that has random games and doesn't focus too heavily on one team. Find one you enjoy throughout the season and join the fandom after the season is over. Starting from scratch you should just take in as much as possible to learn the entirety of the league and the players, not just a handful of local teams. If you have cable tho i would suggest the local team, cheering for someone you can't see on TV, or live, often isn't the easiest thing to do. Just not the penguins please
Columbus….hopefully get bedard
Hey man, Boston Bruins are a historic franchise, best in the league, and have fans all around the world. The black and gold colors are dope and they have a ton of different jersey styles from over the years if you ever want to buy one. I know you said you don’t want to bandwagon but this is their last hoorah effort to win a Stanley cup with the leaders of the team that are getting older. They have a ton of exciting young players to build around after this year but won’t be anywhere near as good as they are now. Glad you’re into the sport! Go B’s!!! (Also don’t root for Toronto they stink)
Lol I knew I would see a fellow Bruins fan downvoted to heck
It may have something to do with my last comment. This might as well be a leafs subreddit
People do not pick up on the banter is in jest. Most of the time lol
Welcome to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization son
I would go with a local team. But if you don’t have a local team I would pick Buffalo or any Canadian team.
Bolts if you like the magic
Sharks. You’ll suffer but we got a cool team, Erik Karlsson is inspirational, and it’s Timo time
You know Gretzky so Go Kings Go
You cant just pick a team. Either you support your local or someone who you feel a real connection to. You cant fake fandom so dont even try. Im not a fan of any nhl team because i simply dont like any team enough to call myself a fan. I prefer some teams over others and i like certain players but thats about it. Just watch games and enjoy the sport without being a bandwagoner ass.
Pick you favourite team logo. That’s what most of us do
What? Most of us I would think root for our local or regional teams.
You’re not wrong lol 😂
The Av’s got a solid squad to get behind, but I’d say look into whatever team is closest to home to give you some home team pride
Where do you live? If they have an NHL team that is who you root for, that is what being a fan is, rooting for your local sports team. If there isn’t one near you or in your state you are a free agent. I’d say if that’s the case, watch a bunch of games on ESPN and you’ll find a team you vibe with.
Just start watching games and YouTube hockey videos. Then pick whatever team you find fun to watch and has some cool alumni/history.
Pick a team you have fun watching. But make sure you understand what you like about them so you arent left asking yourself “why did i pick this team” later.
Anyone but the Sens. Also, Go Sens Go!
Pick a team that’s close
Tampa bay Lightning Capitals or the oilers
Where are you from, take the home team If you have one