15 Things NHL Fans Should Be Thankful For In 2015-16
![Jamie Benn](/nhl/files/2015/11/Stars.jpg)
'Tis the season for NHL fans to be gathering around dinner tables or at the local Tim Horton's and they’ve got plenty to be thankful for. From individual ideas to game-changing rule implementations, we raise a glass to the NHL and count down the reasons for fans to be most thankful.
15. An Updated NHL App
![Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils](/nhl/files/2015/11/SenatorsDevils.jpg)
15. An Updated NHL App
![Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils](/nhl/files/2015/11/SenatorsDevils.jpg)
Last season I made the mistake of purchasing NHL Center-Ice instead of Game Center Live. This year, I’ve certainly learned my lesson. It seems the NHL learned its lesson as they’ve asked the creators of MLB.tv to help with their own app. Let me tell you, it’s worth every penny.
14. Patrick Kane
![Patrick Kane](/nhl/files/2015/11/Kane1.jpg)
14. Patrick Kane
![Patrick Kane](/nhl/files/2015/11/Kane1.jpg)
It has been a tumultuous offseason for Patrick Kane, a key member of the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Questions were made towards his character in an alleged sexual assault case. When the lack of credible evidence cleared Kane of any wrongdoing, he’s done nothing but score. Currently, he’s on 17 game point streak which ties an American record.
13. ESPN/NHL Relationship?
![Gary Bettman](/nhl/files/2015/11/Bettman.jpg)
13. ESPN/NHL Relationship?
![Gary Bettman](/nhl/files/2015/11/Bettman.jpg)
Look at that photo with the young Gary Bettman. This was last time the NHL and ESPN were a happy couple. Now, aside from folks like John Buccigross and Linda Cohn, few ESPN segments even cover the NHL, let alone correctly pronouncing the players' names. However, ESPN revealed in February that they will air the upcoming World Cup Of Hockey Tournament. This could be the dawn of a new era, maybe.
12. Top Prospects Coming From Warm(er) Climates
![Auston Matthews](/nhl/files/2015/11/Matthews.jpg)
12. Top Prospects Coming From Warm(er) Climates
![Auston Matthews](/nhl/files/2015/11/Matthews.jpg)
Would you believe that next year’s NHL Entry Draft will feature top prospect Auston Matthews, who hails from Arizona. Yes, that Arizona. When you talk to hockey guys about the development of the sport and growing the product beyond its regular borders, you only need to bring up Matthews as a prime example.
11. Social Media
![Evgeni Malkin](/nhl/files/2015/11/Malkin1.jpg)
11. Social Media
![Evgeni Malkin](/nhl/files/2015/11/Malkin1.jpg)
Social media interaction has brought fans closer to their favorite players and teams than ever before. If you’ve never followed a team or individual player you should probably get on that, as the troll level of some of these accounts has never been higher nor funnier.
10. Henrik Lundqvist
![Henrik Lundqvist](/nhl/files/2015/11/Lundqvist.jpg)
10. Henrik Lundqvist
![Henrik Lundqvist](/nhl/files/2015/11/Lundqvist.jpg)
Not only is he the eye of every hockey fan-girl, but Henrik Lundqvist has continued to open the eyes of his opponents and peers. Through 18 games played this season, Lundqvist has posted a 12-4 record while also offering up a stingy 1.94 GAA. Lundqvist rounds out his statistical measures with a .939 save percentage and two shutouts. He's a Vezina contender yet again, and it will surprise no one if he takes home the award for league's top goalie.
9. Doc Emrick
The voice of hockey, Doc Emrick is a man whom I wish would give a play-by-play of my daily life. “He shoots and his Chobani yogurt hits the post... of the trashcan!”
8. Don Cherry
The John Madden of the NHL, no hockey fan's season is complete without watching just one 'Coach’s Corner'. Here’s a compilation of Mr. Cherry’s greatest hits -- and misses.
7. NHL Gives Back
If you want to catch a case of the feels just watch this video and your heart will be as warm as that Grande Soy Latte you just got from Starbucks, or that double-double from Tim Horton's. The NHL has partnered with numerous charities and foundations to help soldiers, veterans or children with life-threatening illnesses.
6. Family
It’s no secret that hockey is a sport with deep family roots. There may be more established hockey families than perhaps any other major professional sport. Because of this, fans are sometimes treated to moments like the video above. Respected hockey analyst Ray Ferraro gets the moment of a lifetime when he gets to interview his son, Landon Ferraro.
5. Jaromir Jagr
![Jaromir Jagr](/nhl/files/2015/11/Jagr2.jpg)
5. Jaromir Jagr
![Jaromir Jagr](/nhl/files/2015/11/Jagr2.jpg)
One of my most prized possessions is a rookie card of this guy, Jaromir Jagr. An idol to many fans and players alike, Jagr has shown that his abilities transcend generations. They say that father time is undefeated, and while that may be true, Jagr has shown us that even at the age of 43, there’s no better hairstyle than the hockey mullet.
4. John Tortorella Returns To The Bench
I'm not usually at a loss for words, but whenever you throw a John Tortorella video at me, words just seem to fail me. So without that here's one such video better than that last piece of pumpkin pie. Here’s a highlight reel of Tortorella losing his mind.
3. Young Stars Redefining The League
![Tyler Seguin](/nhl/files/2015/11/TylerSeguin.jpg)
3. Young Stars Redefining The League
![Tyler Seguin](/nhl/files/2015/11/TylerSeguin.jpg)
There is so much young talent is in the NHL under the age of 25. And that doesn't even include guys like John Tavares, Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and a bevy of other young extremely talented players under the age of 30. There’s no better time to be a fan of the NHL.
2. Fighting
![Milan Lucic](/nhl/files/2015/11/Lucic1.jpg)
2. Fighting
![Milan Lucic](/nhl/files/2015/11/Lucic1.jpg)
Most of the times you can hash things out with your friends, family and co-workers, but in the NHL sometimes things can only be worked out with your fists. Whether you agree with fighting’s place in the sport or not, the fact of the matter is that it is a team building activity that gets the blood of any fan pumping.
1. 3-On-3 Overtime Rules
Probably the NHL’s greatest hit in recent memory was to adjust their overtime rules to 3-on-3. If you haven’t seen any of the heart-stopping action of a 3-on-3 overtime, then just watch this one between the Lightning and Blackhawks. If that doesn’t get you excited for the All-Star game where it will be all 3-on-3, you probably didn’t have a pulse to begin with.
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