Bartnick’s fandom on display A walk through 32 teams and Joe's connection with each

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Every couple years I like to review my hockey fandom.

Here’s my rankings of who I root for in the NHL.

It’s a very fluid poll and changes all the time except for the top and the bottom. The Penguins will always be at the very top and the Flyers at the very bottom.

The poll is very subjective. It’s based on everything from rosters, history and their announcing teams to their uniforms and their city itself.

  1. Penguins- The only professional sports team I care if they win. Born in Pittsburgh I watched them with my grandfather when they wore blue originally. I’m Pre Mario Lemieux. 5 Stanley Cups, Mario, Jagr, Sid, Geno and several more Hall of Famers have made me a fan in the true sense of the word fanatic.
  2. Kings- My mistress team. The only time I saw the Stanley Cup presented on the ice the Kings first Cup. I was at their two Cup parades. I loved Dustin Brown. I admit acquiring Pierre Luc Dubois is like a family member marrying someone you don’t like.
  3. Red Wings -My Puck Off co- host Frazer Smith’s favorite team. The Wings were my Sega Genesis team. Sergei Fedorov my favorite player who were never Penguins. Steve Yzerman, Bob Probert and Nicklas Lidstrom and Mr Gordie Howe were all Red Wings.
  4. Lightning- I never get tired of watching greatness. How do you not love Steven Stamkos. Nikita Kucherov is an assassin in every sense of the word. Defenseman Viktor Hedman , Goalie Andrei Vasilvskiy and Head Coach Jon Cooper have been the best at their positions for a decade.
  5. Ducks- The other local SoCal team. I watch a lot of their games. Ryan Getzlaf was always a man to admire. The Ducks young kids are exciting. Fun having Radko Gudas on a team I root for.
  6. Blackhawks-Huge fan of the city, logo and the recent mini dynasty. Their usual Sunday home game is appointment viewing again with Connor Bedard.
  7. Sharks- I lived in the San Francisco for years and will always have a soft spot for the boys in teal. The fanbase deserves a Cup more than almost every other fanbase.
  8. Avalanche- Cale Makar is amazing. Jimi Hendrix on defense, mind blowing. Nathan MacKinnon is and animal. I’ve liked Valerie Nichushkin since he played for Dallas. I went to a game in Denver love it.
  9. Oilers- I just want McJesus to win a Cup so we don’t have to hear about it. I’ve been a huge Leon Draisaitl fan since his first playoff run in 2017.
  10. Devils- I love Lindy Ruff. Great coach and cool guy when I met him. Jack Hughes is electric.
  11. Stars- The Stars top line is magic. Roope Hintz reminds me of a younger Malkin. Jason Robertson grew up near where I live. Joe Pavelski is an old American guy’s hero. I always liked Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin too.
  12. Rangers – The NHL is stronger when the Rangers are good. The Breadman Artemi Panarin is awesome Chris Kreider is a power play machine. Vinny Trocheck is a Pittsburgh kid. K’Andre Miller maybe even better than Adam Fox on the blueline soon. I’d love to have Jacob Trouba on my team. I think Igor Shesterkin is overrated New York hype though. Also, performing in Madison Square Garden was one of the highlights of my life.
  13. Canucks- I always want Rick Tocchet to succeed. Jim Rutherford too. JT Miller is a Pittsburgh kid. The brown, orange and yellow skate sweater is the second worst jersey in the NHL.
  14. Coyotes- I love an underdog story. Logan Cooley is phenomenal and from Pittsburgh. Any success the Coyotes have makes a lot of old guard Canadian folks upset. I love rattling holier than now Canadian media.
  15. Sabres- The city and their fans deserve a winner. I used to enjoy listening to the legendary Rick Jeanneret.
  16. Capitals- I’m a huge fan of Alex Ovechkin. I hope he breaks the record. I don’t understand why everyone including Penguins fans are not Ovi fans. Jealousy is not a good look on anybody. I also love Terrible Tommy Wilson.
  17. Canadiens- How can you not like the Bleu, blanc et rouge. The Habs ended the Flyers reign of terror in the seventies. Guy Lafleur was my first favorite player.
  18. Bruins- I love The Rat, Pasta and Charlie Mac. I had a crush on Phil Esposito as a kid and Milan Lucic as an adult. I have great friends who are Bruins fans but I don’t want announcer Jack Edwards to have any joy.
  19. Islanders- Historically they have ruined more Penguins post seasons than any other franchise. I’ve never hated them though. I blame Tom Barasso for letting in David Volek harmless shot in 1993. How could you hate Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Clark Gillies. My interaction as a kid with Billy Smith at the glass was priceless. I’m a fan of their vaunted 4th Islanders fans treatment of former captain John Tavares is excessive and asinine.
  20. Maple Leafs – I love Austin Matthews and Johnny Tavares is a class act. I wanted them to win a Cup but their fans are arrogant for no reason. Leafs fans will rub it in Kyle Dubas’s face if they win.
  21. Panthers- The Big Cats are cool. Paul Maurice is a swell guy. Sasha Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett play a brand of hockey I enjoy. I just think there’s so many fan bases I’d rather see win. Preferably all the ones that don’t throw rats on the ice.
  22. Jets- It would be fun if they were the first team to win the Cup in Canada since 1993. Captain Adam Lowry is a man of respect. Big Buff Dustin Byfuglien’s hits were hockey porn last decade.
  23. Flames- I always enjoy going to Calgary. Nothing against the Flames just no real reason to root for them especially now that is Darryl Sutter is not the coach.
  24. Predators- Nashville is a great town but Smashville is overrated. I didn’t like my experience when I saw a game there.
  25. Kraken- I always want the best for GM Ronnie Francis but the Kraken’s woke manifesto when they came into the league rubbed me the wrong way.
  26. Golden Knights- They’ve already won a Cup after only six years. I went to a Knight home game they lost to the Flyers.
  27. Blues- The Blues get kid glove treatment from the media. GM Doug Armstrong is overrated like the Arch. Armstrong is lucky Jordan Binnington caught fire. Almost every move he’s made since their 2019 Stanley Cup has been bad. Way too many retired numbers for a franchise with one Stanley Cup.
  28. Hurricanes- Rod Brind’Amour’s hard to play against teams bore me than flame out in the playoffs. Andrei Svechnikov is awesome but fragile. Enough with their stolen valor of wearing Hartford Whalers uniforms. Maybe every 10 years not 3 times a year.

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  29. Wild- The worst logo in sports now. They’re trying to run off GM Billy Guerin because he has passion. At least I don’t have to look at burned to a crisp Dean Evason’s anymore.
  30. Blue Jackets- I feel sorry for their fanbase. Not only do they live in Columbus they pack their arena. When the BJ’s finally score, they fire that awful canon. I didn’t like the Penguins getting another rival, but the BJ’s been harmless since John Totorella left.
  31. Senators- The Senators play in Canada’s capital so we have had to hear all about the franchise that can’t do anything right. The previous owner and general manager were inept. All we hear about is this is their year. It never is. I like Brady Tkachuk but I despise Claude Giroux. Poor Jacques Martin.
  32. Flyers- I never ever liked them. Penguins biggest rival and its not even close. They abused the Penguins for almost two decades when they were the Broad Street Bullies. They’re treatment of Crosby is pathetic. 1975.