October doesn’t just mean fall weather and scarves, it also means the beginning of hockey season. Hockey, a sport popularized by our polite neighbors in the north, is a sport which we southern sunflowers don’t pay much mind to. But I’m here to change your mind, friend, because you are missing out.
So, hockey. You and your teammates skate towards the goal and shove a little black puck into the net. Simple, except for the opposing team and the goaltender blocking your way. Goalies alone are a formidable obstacle. These strange magical creatures willingly stand in a net and let pucks be pelted at them at over 100 mph.
“There’s a 6’5” monster wearing pillows standing in my way — and for some reason the dude can do full splits on skates” – James Neal of the Nashville Predators.
With a hurdle like that, you have to develop some pretty sick skills to jump it. Players utilize precise moves and incredible reflexes to bury the puck in the net, resulting in strategies unlike any seen in other sports. This brings me to my first reason you should let hockey into your life:
Athleticism/Skill
I am a godawful skater. Ice skating, roller blading, you name it; anything requiring balancing on something other than the flat of my feet spells an intimate meeting between my face and the pavement. For me, watching players skate across the ice, maneuver through defensemen, and whack a puck into a tiny hole above a guy’s head, is something akin to wizardry. Players make ridiculously cool moves to bypass their opponents, and sometimes it all happens so fast that you can only catch it in the replay.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins stickhandling past an opponent
Local
Down here in the Sunshine State, we defy all logic by not having just one ice hockey team, but two. The Florida Panthers battle it out in the BB&T center down in Sunrise, and the Tampa Bay Lightning dominate at nearby Amalie Arena. Last season, the Lightning fought their way to the Stanley Cup Finals, but fell in the final game of the season. They hope to recreate that spark again this year and take it all the way to the Cup.
Charity
Players love to give back to their fans, not just in signed souvenirs and public appearances, but also in various charitable organizations. Hockey Fights Cancer and Hockey is For Everyone are just two of the NHL’s initiatives to give back to the public. Each team also has their own specific charities, often catered specifically to the city they represent.
Kris Letang of the Pittsburgh Penguins posing for the Penguins and Paws Charity Calendar
LGBTQIA
According to a survey of 35 players from each NHL team, 34 would be accepting of an openly gay teammate. That’s 97%, and way higher than any other sports league in North America.
Also, You Can Play is an official partner of the NHL, and focuses on eradicating homophobia from team sports. Founded in 2012, the You Can Play project “works to insure the safety and inclusion of all in sports – including LGBT athletes, coaches and fans.” It does this by putting out informative videos and sponsoring events, and is supported largely by the endorsements of notable players.
NWHL History
This year, the National Women’s Hockey was established with four teams: the Buffalo Beauts, Boston Pride, New York Riveters and Connecticut Whale. This doesn’t seem all that groundbreaking, since female hockey players have been around as long as the sport, and professional female hockey players have been on the scene for a while too. So why the pomp and circumstance? Well, hockey is making history this year as female players have for the first time established teams that will be paid. That’s right, before this season, female hockey players have bought and paid for their own equipment, ice time, and media, while also maintaining other jobs to support their sport. This year, for the first time ever, these incredible women will be paid to play the sport they love, just like their male counterparts.
Learn more at the NWHL website.
A Growing Female Presence
It’s not just the ladies on the ice kicking butt and taking names, it’s the women in the stands too! The number of female fans have been increasing steadily in recent years, and support has been growing for both players and fans that were once deemed unconvential, and even unacceptable, previously.
“The number of women attending our games is higher than any other sport, the number of stories I hear about first dates at a hockey game is overwhelming–we want to be diverse, whether it’s sexual orientation or gender. For a few reasons…if a player wants to come out, he can feel comfortable doing it knowing he has support. Players are role models, sports are role models. We want to make a statement to people that your orientation doesn’t matter.” –Gary Bettman, NHL Commissioner
Fans of the Vancouver Canucks
#Bromance
Team sports create incredibly strong, intimate bonds founded on trust and cooperation. And really great hugs.
Celebration of a goal by the Chicago Blackhawks
Tyler Seguin (left) and Jamie Benn (right) during practice for the Dallas Stars
Affordability
As college students, we all know The Struggle ™ is real. Florida hockey knows that too, and tickets can get as low as ten dollars per person! Give your wallet a break and catch a game for the price of a burger and fries. You get to watch the sport without watching your bank account balance go south. Check each teams’ club sites for student discounts and sign up for their email list for additional promotions and flash sales.
Tampa Bay Lightning Tickets – Club Homepage, Stubhub
Florida Panthers Tickets – Club Homepage, Stubhub
Eye Candy
If none of that has appealed to you, if nothing about hockey has caught your eye, I don’t blame you. Before I got into hockey, it was like pulling teeth to get me interested in a sport. I will say this though, one thing I could always get into—no matter what the sport—was the beautiful, sweaty players. As a thanks for getting this far, I leave you this parting gift of goalie Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens at the end of a very long practice:
You’re welcome.
Photo credit:
NHL – (x)
Puckbuddys – (x)