My NHL Cheering Guide for 2022-23

I'll make it very clear, this really should be called "A Petty Man's Guide to Rooting in the NHL". I'm putting this entire list together from the lens of a Hurricanes fan, so you know ahead of time who is going to be in the #1 spot on my list. Most of my reasons will be petty things that have happened between the Canes and certain teams on this list, especially those at the very bottom. I want to give my thoughts on how I see these teams and why I like or dislike them. I don't want this to be too serious because most of my reasons for feeling certain ways about these teams might not be all that serious. It's supposed to be fun.

Not in This Lifetime (Probably)

These are the teams that under almost no circumstance I would root for. Even if they played each other, I'd be rooting for them to tie. 

32. Boston Bruins

As a Hurricanes fan, the years of torment brought on in the postseason by the Bruins have been a little overwhelming. This past season, the demons were exercised. They beat Boston in the first round after decimating them twice at home in the regular season and allowing just one goal in three games. The real reason I hate the Bruins is the rat himself, Brad Marchand. He's just a major pain in the side of any team he plays against and I hate when he succeeds against us. His dust-up with Trocheck during the regular season and then with DeAngelo in the postseason seemed to overshadow the action on the ice. Play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards is another reason to dislike the franchise. I don't think I'll ever like Boston and that's alright with me.

31. New York Rangers

This is something that came on hard this past season with the numerous battles between the Hurricanes and the Rangers. I went to two meetings between these two last season, once in the regular season and once in the postseason. Both times the Canes lost and both times I was annoyed by the Rangers fans. I didn't have the most pleasant experiences with the Rangers fans during those two games and it is very much because of the fact the Canes lost. It can't be denied how great they are on the ice. I really like watching Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin when they aren't playing the Canes. They battled all the way to the end of the season for the division and it was a little bit sweet to clinch it against the Rangers, but they got the last laugh and I won't forget that. 

30. Washington Capitals

As much as Capitals fans might disagree, there really is a rivalry between the Hurricanes and the Capitals. If there wasn't a rivalry then they wouldn't be playing each other in the Stadium Series in Raleigh in February. After years in the Southeast Division and even through the realignment to the Metropolitan Division, these two have been through a lot together. The Canes have the high of beating Washington in the first round in 2019, but Washington has a lot of wins over Carolina to counter them. I have nothing but respect for Alex Ovechkin and I really want him to break Gretzky's all-time goal record, but I do find him a bit annoying. He and Tom Wilson both have gotten under my skin quite a bit. I'm hoping we see some fireworks at Carter-Finley in a few months.

29. Montreal Canadiens

This is another beef that grew in the last year, mostly surrounding the offseason offer sheet signing of Jesperi Kotkaniemi for $6.1 million in exchange for a first and third-round pick. All season, Canadiens fans were quick to mention the outrageous contract as a means of trolling the Canes and their fans because they grossly overpaid him, totally ignoring the logistics behind the deal and deliberately paying him too much. It didn't help their case that they traded the first-round pick for Christian Dvorak and the team was really bad after advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021. To add fuel to the flame, Kotkaniemi scored his first goal of the season in Montreal and the Canes shut them out when they came to Raleigh. I think they'll let it go eventually, but I don't think it'll be any time soon.

28. Pittsburgh Penguins

My disdain for the Penguins is one of jealousy and wanting the success they've had for the last two decades. The Canes have spent most of the last 16 years since winning the Stanley Cup missing the playoffs and trying to get back to where they once were. The Penguins have won a couple of Stanley Cups and have a solid trio of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang that I'm hoping gets replicated in Raleigh for years to come with Aho, Svechnikov, and Slavin. I'm jealous of the Penguins and that's probably why I resent them. They've had tons of success against the Canes during these Dark Ages in the franchise's history, but the tides are starting to turn in the Canes' favor. Hopefully, the Canes are back on top of the mountain sooner rather than later. 

It's Not Me, It's You

These are teams I don't necessarily hate, but they don't really move the needle for me. It could be for any reason and doesn't have to be specific to anything they did to the Hurricanes. 

27. Chicago Blackhawks

Their scandal last offseason does play into their placement quite a bit. I am opposed to how they handled the Kyle Beech situation at every level of management and it really hurt how I looked at them all season. I almost feel like they deserved every bad thing that happened to them last season. A year later and now they are rebuilding. They might be a little higher if they hadn't traded away Alex DeBrincat in the offseason since he was about the only reason I'd sometimes turn on a Blackhawks game. Now the only thing I'm remotely interested in is what they'll decide to do with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews this season if they've moved everyone else. I guess I'll also be rooting for Petr Mrazek to have some success this season too.

26. Philadelphia Flyers

Outside of being a division opponent of the Hurricanes, I don't think there is really too much to hate about Philadelphia from my perspective. Their hiring of John Tortorella this offseason was a very weird choice and not one I'd expect them to make since I don't think they have a shot at competing this season within the division. I know most Canes fans will dislike them because now Tony DeAngelo is there and he'll remain one of the more controversial signings in team history despite a solid season in Carolina. The Flyers just don't have anything appealing going for them. Maybe our best hope is that they'll be a complete clown show and they'll provide some entertainment for the rest of the league while we worry and complain about our own teams.

25. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks are another team I don't have much hate toward from an opponent's standpoint. We only play them twice a season and it really isn't all that intense. I think my reason for placing them so low is that I'm a bit tired of seeing Trevor Zegras everywhere, which I think might also just stem from him being super talented and me being jealous. He made some spectacular plays last season and is quickly shooting up the list of most exciting players to watch, but that's just it. I don't see him in the same way that I see some of the best players in the league. He's an excellent player to promote to bring a younger audience to the spot and that's not a bad thing. I could just do without him being the poster boy for the NHL, that's all. 

24. New Jersey Devils

Another opponent in the Metropolitan Division, most of the history with the Devils is old news. These teams played a lot in the postseason in the 2000s, facing off in 24 games across four series. The Hurricanes own the Devils in the postseason, winning three series and 15 of the 24 games. They have also won all the more memorable games in their history against the Devils. The problem is that all of this took place over a decade ago. There really isn't anything between them now that makes me feel like there is any animosity between them. The only thing I could remotely think of would be Dougie Hamilton signing in New Jersey instead of Carolina, but that was justified and he was hurt when they played last year. Maybe we will get some sparks this season. 

23. New York Islanders

The Islanders and the Hurricanes have more recent encounters in the postseason, but the Canes swept them in four games and that was about it. There isn't any real bad blood between the two franchises despite being in the same division. The Islanders aren't known for making too many waves despite their amount of success in the last few seasons. They can be frustrating to play against as a solid defensive team, but the Canes are equally stingy. Unless something terrible happens when they play this year, I don't think they'll move up or down this list at all. Being division opponents is really the only thing that keeps them from moving up a category because it'll always be about keeping them below us in the standings.

You Are Teams in the NHL...That is All

These are the teams that purely exist within the NHL and I have no strong sentiment toward them in any capacity. If they were to leave the league, I wouldn't feel strongly either way.

22. San Jose Sharks

I have a lot to be thankful for because of the Sharks this offseason with San Jose sending Norris-winning defenseman Brent Burns to the Canes. In return, the Canes didn't give up a ton. One of the guys they gave up was Steven Lorentz, a fan-favorite among the Caniacs. Lorentz has an infectious smile and a work ethic that made the fans warm up to him in a short amount of time. My hope is that the Sharks fans will embrace him and treat him well. The same goes for James Reimer. In the grand scheme of things, the Sharks are a bit of a non-factor for me. I don't feel strongly enough about them to care how they do, but I also don't really hate them either. Their being on the West Coast doesn't help their case. They aren't that good, but that's not my problem. 

21. Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings have dominated the league for the better part of two decades, including beating the Canes in the Stanley Cup Final in 2002. I don't hold that win against them because that 2002 team was loaded and it was an honor to get to play them. Since they joined the Eastern Conference due to the division realignment, the Red Wings haven't accomplished anything and have been pretty boring. Last season, they made quite a jump in entertainment with a pair of exciting rookies, Mo Seider and Lucas Raymond. They also had a good offseason with some great big signings and trades. Still, I don't really care about them that much. It'll be a little bit before they make a huge push for the postseason, so for now they'll sit here.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets

As cool, and as weird, as it was for Johnny Gaudreau to sign in Columbus of all places, I still can't help but think about this from a negative lens. This just means there's one more superstar in the Metropolitan Division that we'll have to play three or four times a year. Still, the Blue Jackets haven't been known to make many waves since beating Tampa Bay in the first round in 2019. They're typically at the bottom of the division, so they aren't causing me to lose any sleep. They were the Canes' opponent for one of the most memorable games of the season on New Year's Day. The Blue Jackets jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Canes stormed back for six unanswered goals to win a wild one to start 2022. As long as they don't do anything crazy this year, they'll remain my second favorite in the division. 

19. Vegas Golden Knights

A few years ago, it's possible Vegas would've been in my Top 10. Their showmanship during their pregames is unrivaled in the league and they are an exciting team to watch on the ice. However, my opinion of them has soured a lot in the last year because of how their front office manages things and treats its players. Marc-Andre Fleury is a shining example of this. After winning the Vezina, he was shipped to Chicago for nothing and it left a sour taste in my mouth. Another good example is Evgenii Dadonov, who they couldn't trade because they didn't know he had a clause in his contract. I do have to show some appreciation for them trading Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coghlan to us for free this summer, but that's only because they're terrible at managing their salary cap.

18. Vancouver Canucks

I have nothing against the Vancouver Canucks and I was kind of hoping they'd make it to the playoffs last season. The Canucks strike me as a ragtag group of players that shouldn't be good but really are. They feature a goalie duo of Thatcher Demko and Spencer Martin that I really like and think could do big things. I'm also a fan of both Brock Boeser and JT Miller and I'm really happy the latter got paid this summer. Ultimately, it's the lack of name recognizability that hurts their ranking in my eyes. Outside of a few players, they aren't a collective group that I could get behind. They have the most interesting blend of underrated and overrated players that it's hard to figure out just where I want to put them. They're okay, I guess. 

17. Winnipeg Jets

If I'd put this list together a year or two ago, this is another team that would've finished higher. Mark Scheifele was one of my favorite non-Hurricanes to watch but in recent years, he's started to both me a little bit more. There was that unnecessary hit during the postseason in 2021 and then everything that has come out about him and Blake Wheeler and the locker room culture in Winnipeg that eventually led to Wheeler being stripped of his captaincy. All of these stories have led me to distance myself from the organization and it has placed them on this level, somewhere I didn't think they'd get to. Only time will tell if my thoughts on them will change. For all their negatives, I'm still a big fan of Connor Hellebuyck. 

16. Arizona Coyotes

It might be a weird take, but the dumpster-fire nature of the Coyotes organization right now makes them one of the most interesting franchises in the league. They're getting ready to play in a college arena for a few seasons and are squarely in the Conor Bedard sweepstakes. All of their problems have made me sympathize with them on a level I didn't think possible. Watching them play last year got painful at times, outside of those few games where they were scoring seven goals a night. It made me feel bad for Karel Vejmelka to the point where he became one of my favorite goalies in the league. This is a team on the rise in my heart. That being said, they provide nothing to the league other than two points for their opponents on most nights, rendering them a rather useless team. 

You're Not So Bad

These are teams that I might either slightly like or tolerate to a certain degree. While I wouldn't go out of my way to watch them play, I wouldn't mind turning on a game if they were playing.

15. Buffalo Sabres

I used to have a deep-seated hatred for the Sabres for some reason that I can't quite put my finger on. I found them to be a nuisance to play against and that ate at me. The Canes and Sabres played an intense seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Final in 2006 that the Canes got the better of. That hatred continued until they started to stink and, much like with Arizona above, I started to sympathize with them. They've missed the postseason for so many years now and that's something I can understand as a Canes fan. As poorly as things ended for him, I'm still rooting for Jeff Skinner and I really like watching Tage Thompson play. This team is going to be fun to watch in the next few seasons with guys like Owen Power coming in and tearing the league apart. 

14. Tampa Bay Lightning

Heavy is the head that wears the crown and that might have been what caught up to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final this season after winning in 2020 and 2021. It might've also been that they were playing a good team for the first time in their three trips. I'm admittedly salty about the series loss in the second round in 2021 in five games because the Lightning didn't seem to have a weakness. The Canes had decent success against them last season in the regular season, including scoring on Andrei Vasilevskiy twice in overtime, though only one goal actually counted. I can also admit that there is a bit of admiration for what they've accomplished in the last few years. I'm envious of their success and wish that the Canes would have a run like them here soon. 

13. Minnesota Wild

There is really only one guy on this team that I really cheer for but he makes the Wild worth watching when he hits the ice. Kirill Kaprizov is one of the best playmakers in the league with a shot that seems to put the puck in the net almost every night. I got a bit worried for him this offseason with his situation and I'm happy to see that got figured out. He's made such an impact on the league in just two years. They are also a team with some great young players that I look forward to watching more of, like Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Marc-Andre Fleury. After years of terrorizing the Canes with the Penguins, I'm so happy he's not in the division anymore and is in the west. I'm not sure what this year will bring for the Wild, so it could get interesting. 

12. St. Louis Blues

It's still amazing to me how the Blues have managed to be one of the most consistent franchises in NHL history, missing the postseason just nine times. They always seem to stay afloat no matter who the top dogs in the league are and I respect that. They are another team with young guys that are taking the league by storm, namely Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas. They have a chemistry that very few stars in the league have. The biggest thing going against them is how much fun it is to root against Jordan Binnington. He's a goalie that is known for trying to be too tough and going at guys for seemingly no reason, making it all the more satisfying when he gets what he deserves. Still, this team is only going to be more fun to watch this season and they look to continue their success in the regular season.

11. Calgary Flames

There is no denying that the Flames were an extremely fun team to watch last season. They featured three 40+ goal scorers on the same line and their goaltending was excellent almost nicely. They played in one of my favorite series of the postseason against the Stars (more on them in a second) before being outplayed by the Oilers in the second round. The Flames would easily be in my Top 5 if not for two of the decisions they made this offseason. First, they just let Johnny Gaudreau walk without much of a fight. This almost forced them to trade Matthew Tkachuk to Florida, though they did get Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar in return, both of whom are now signed long-term. Still, they just lost two 100+ point scorers from a year ago and I don't think they are better for it. 

10. Dallas Stars

Twice last season the Dallas Stars stifled the Hurricanes and I left both games feeling bitter and defeated. The work was primarily done by the trio of Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, and Joe Pavelski. Hontz alone scored five goals in the two contests, all but one of which was assisted by either of his linemates. Their meeting in late March, a 4-3 shootout victory for Dallas, was especially tough. I really didn't like them. Then the postseason began and I watched them play a magnificently goaltended series against Calgary. I wanted so badly for Jake Oettinger's performance in Game 7 to pay off, but it wasn't meant to be. This series paired with my respect for the Pavelski line has turned me into a little bit of a Stars fan for the time being. 

9. Ottawa Senators

While they might only be the third-highest-ranked Canadian team on my list, they've shot up this list with what I consider to be the best offseason in the league. Bringing in my favorite member of the Blackhawks, Alex DeBrincat, a veteran leader that I really wanted the Canes to sign, Claude Giroux, and a goalie I can support, Cam Talbot, had the Senators sneaking into the postseason in my preview. Talbot being hurt to start the year might put a damper on things, but don't sleep on Anton Forsberg. He's another goalie that seemed to play like a Vezina candidate against the Canes last season, stopping 89 of 94 in just two games. While that doesn't automatically mean success for Ottawa, it can't hurt them while they're waiting for Talbot to get back. 

I Like You But Don't Tell Anyone

These are the teams I'd watch if given the choice and the Canes were playing. While I'm not completely engrossed in their fanbase, I support them from afar.

8. Florida Panthers

Watching the Panthers play last season was awesome when they weren't playing the Canes. They were a pain to play against in the regular season. They handed the Canes their first loss last season and then beat them twice in overtime. I've long been a fan of Aleksander Barkov. There are very few players that I think are as complete as he is on both ends of the ice. He'll frustrate your stars and seems to play well with anyone. I was so happy to see them win a series last year, especially against Washington. I now like them even more now that they've added Matthew Tkachuk. He's the type of player that can help shape the franchise for years to come and I think he'll thrive with Barkov. I also look forward to seeing Spencer Knight take over the starting role in the net at some point soon. 

7. Edmonton Oilers

I know it might be easy to dislike the Oilers because of how good Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are. Seeing them carve up the league with ease can get a little repetitive and annoying, but it makes the Oilers must-see TV every time they are scheduled to play. I could watch McDavid take on five players and still score way more than I'm willing to admit. I might also like the fact that they haven't done much against the Canes in the last few meetings, though I know that could change on a dime. Mike Smith is another guy that is fun to root for. As old as he is in hockey time, he's still kicking. I'm not sure I've seen a player express as much excitement as McDavid did when he scored the overtime winner in Game 5 to eliminate Calgary. You could tell it was a relief for them to get the job done. 

6. Toronto Maple Leafs

There is no team in the league more fun to root against than the Toronto Maple Leafs. From the long Stanley Cup drought to the slightly shorter postseason series win drought, picking against and watching the Leafs fail is a fun pastime for many fans around the league. At least in the regular season, they are a special team to watch. Auston Matthews might be one of the purest goal-scorers playing right now and Mitch Marner always seems to be right in the middle of things as well. My interest in the Leafs lies more with Steve Dangle. Even if I have no clue how the Leafs played, I'll always turn to his videos, especially when they lose. There has to come a point where they win a series in the postseason and I feel like this could be their year. 

5. Los Angeles Kings

Of the five remaining teams, this is probably the one that feels the most out of left field. Since they're a west coast team, I don't get to watch them much unless they're playing the Canes. Still, I'm rooting for them. I see them as a bit of an underdog in the Pacific, especially with teams like Edmonton and Calgary being the primary focus. They made the playoffs last season and were very close to beating Edmonton in the first round, but the star power was too much for them to overcome. I think they'll be even better this season and I have them winning the division. I think Jonathan Quick deserves more love than he gets compared to the rest of the goalies in the league. They have players that are easy to root for and I want to see them succeed this season.

4. Seattle Kraken

It's probably a little weird to be fond of a franchise because of its play-by-play voice, but John Forslund was the voice of my childhood. I think he's the best in the game right now and when the Canes decided not to pay him, I was upset. No matter how bad the Kraken was at times last season, I would still turn on their games just to listen to Forslund call it for a bit of nostalgia. I think they'll be vastly improved this season and much more watchable. We'll get a full season of Matty Beniers and I'm hoping we get a lot of Shane Wright too. Once they figure out their defense and goaltending, they'll be a postseason contender. I think there was a lot of focus on their poor Expansion Draft before the season, but they'll be looking to leave that behind them. 

3. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche were my pick to win the Stanley Cup for years until last season when I picked them to fall in the Western Conference Final to Vegas. Only one of those teams made the postseason and I like to think Colorado won because I finally didn't pick them. Or it was because they were very good. The Avalanche have long been my favorite team in the Western Conference until I put this list together. I had long thought that Nathan MacKinnon was the second-best player in the league and while I think that has changed, he's still easily Top 5. I'm also a huge fan of Mikko Rantanen and Cale Maker. Winning the Stanley Cup makes them the team to beat this season, which means I want them to lose a little bit more now. 

2. Nashville Predators

The Predators are a team that I think gets under the skin of many people because of how they play and who is on their team. After signing Nino Niederreiter this offseason to go along with really liking Juuse Saros, Mikael Granlund, and Filip Forsberg, the Nashville Predators are my new favorite team in the Western Conference. Nino is the type of player that is so easy to cheer for and I hope he succeeds in a new setting, even if I wish the Canes had re-signed him. When divisions were shaken up for the 20-21 season, I got used to seeing Nashville with eight meetings in the regular season and then six in the postseason in a Canes' series win. They are an easy team to root for when Saros is between the pipes and I think they'll continue to surprise some teams out west.

My Ride or Die

There is only one team here and I've made it very clear who that team is. I will go out of my way to schedule my plans around their schedule.

1. Carolina Hurricanes

I said this at the very beginning because I wanted to leave no doubt about who my favorite team is. Since my first hockey game during the 2006 playoffs when I was 8, I was hooked. I got to watch the Hurricanes hoist the Stanley Cup before I even fully grasped the concept of what hockey was, but I was learning on the fly. I've been to a lot of Hurricanes games in my life and I don't see any team ever moving me the way that this franchise has in my now 16 years as a fan. I practically set my schedule to when they play and try to find every way to get to PNC Arena. Even during the dark days when there was no postseason hockey, my love never wavered. We've been spoiled a little bit with their play in the last four years and I hope this is the year Lord Stanley returns to Raleigh.