Hockey

10 Reasons You Should Become a Hockey Fan

Ryane Clowe #29 of the San Jose Sharks and Kent Huskins #40 of the Anaheim Ducks fight during the preseason NHL game at Honda Center September 24, 2008 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

Forget football, baseball playoffs and the start of basketball, it's hockey season and there are a few reasons why you need to pay attention.

For the longest time hockey has sat on the backburner of American professional sports, but why? It's a fast paced, physical sport that combines expert hand/eye coordination, with agility, strength, speed and it requires the ability to ice skate like a pro. Oh, and did I mention fighting is allowed? How could you not be interested?

But, if you still need convincing as to why the national sport of Canada is worth your time, we've put together a list of 10 reasons why you need to become a hockey fan this season.

Reason #10: Hockey Players Aren't Fugitives, Liars or Steroid Addicts
Let's be totally honest. Baseball is tainted by steroid scandals and NFL players have this horrible habit of shooting people, getting shot, getting in bar fights or just getting arrested. Luckily, hockey players don't have this problem, usually. It's nice to watch a sport where the athletes have a tendency to just be nice, honest, down to earth, genuine guys.

Reason #9: The Game is Fast
Hockey is fast, but how could it not be? Skates + Fresh Ice = Speed. Aside from breaks in-between periods, and the occasional whistle blow, the game does not stop. Compare this to baseball (paint dries faster), football (40 second breaks after each play add up) or basketball (yes, it's fast, but the game stops every two seconds).

Reason #8: The Fights
What sport, other than boxing, can you watch two guys totally pummel each other and it's totally legal? If you want blood, hockey won't disappoint.

Reason #7: You Know Secretly, You've Always Wanted to Be Canadian
There's just something about the country to the north that seems so awesome. Maybe it's their friendly demeanor, their common use of the phrase "eh," or the fact that their main exports are sweet sugary sap and hockey players, but you know you love Canada. If you don't actually have it in you to become Canadian, you can still participate in their beloved sport.

Reason #6: The Players Are Badasses
Honestly, hockey players can take a hit. But unlike most sports, these hardened athletes don't just lie down and wait to be babied. They skate off the ice, get patched up and come back for more in a matter of minutes.

Reason #5: It's the Canadien's 100 Year Anniversary
You don't have to be from Montreal to celebrate the oldest team in hockey history. The Montreal Canadiens will celebrate their 100 year anniversary this season and you don't have to be Canadian to participate. Montreal hasn't won a Stanley Cup since the 1992-1993 season, and I'm betting they'll fight harder than ever before to take one home on their centennial anniversary.

Reason #4: The Hits
Sure, football has hits, but not like hockey. There's something about watching a hard hit to the boards that can be both satisfying and exhilarating.

Reason #3: The Young Talent
The NHL is full of young talent ready to make their name in hockey history. 21-year-old Sidney Crosby, 22-year-old Evgeni Malkin and 23-year-old Alexander Ovechkin have already cemented their names in NHL history. Crosby alone has broken a number of records, and at the age of 20 became the youngest person to ever be named a full team captain.

Reason #2: Awesome Goals
When you score in hockey, it's kind of a big deal. Unlike basketball where points just seem to add up, getting past a solid defense and a hot goalie is not that easy. So, when it happens, a goal is something awe-inspiring and just plain awesome.

Reason #1: The Pure Skill
Hockey requires skill like no other sport does. I've heard many people say, "Oh, if I could skate, I would be so good at hockey." This might be true, but that's the point, you can't skate, so you automatically suck. Most sports involve running, a skill that any able-bodied person possesses without even trying. But to even think about playing hockey, you have to know how to skate, and mastering that skill is a feat in itself. Add to that the skill involved in handling a small puck with a stick on a slippery sheet of ice, the quick pace of the game and the ability to take a hit, and you have a sport that requires an awesome amount of insane skill.