Bet We Can Guess Your Favorite Hockey Team In 3 Minutes Or Less
- by Chris Roberts
- – on
- in Sports
The National Hockey League (NHL), despite being fourth in popularity among the big four North American sports, continues to make ground in the United States and, of course, is already the undisputed No. 1 sport in Canada. USA Hockey registration continues to rise at the youth level and players are now being developed in warmer climate areas such as Arizona and California. It's truly becoming a popular nationwide - and global - sport. Even the league's recent expansion into Vegas has proven immensely successful as the team is somehow one of the best teams in the league in only its first year, which has significantly helped attract casual fans.
There are now 31 teams in the league and choosing a favorite as a new fan can be a difficult task, especially if you don't live in a hockey market. Obviously, if you live in New York, chances are you're going to support the Rangers, Islanders, New Jersey Devils, or even Buffalo Sabres, but what about the average fan in Idaho or North Dakota? Or what about Canadian fans in the Atlantic provinces? How do you determine your favorite team? Is it a fandom that is passed down from generation to generation or do you branch out and choose your own team based on players you like? However you do it, we bet we can guess which team you support by answering these 25 questions.
How long have you been a fan of your team?
You might not think this would make a difference in helping us predict your favorite team, but fans of historically-bad teams tend to have been fans for decades, while new fans are often attracted to winning teams. It's the same in all sports.
Has your favorite team won the Stanley Cup in the past decade?
The Stanley Cup is not only the ultimate championship in hockey, but perhaps all of sports. It's the toughest championship to win as teams have to win 16 high-intensity, physical games, whereas baseball teams only need to win 11 games; football teams as few as three; and basketball teams 16, but with far less physicality.
How many Stanley Cups have they won in their history?
Naturally, the Original 6 teams are among the league leaders in Stanley Cup wins, but 70s-era expansion teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders, among others, have been catching up. No team will ever catch the Montreal Canadiens, but the Maple Leafs and Red Wings may be within reach.
In which division is your favorite team?
It wasn't that long ago that the NHL had six divisions and we were still getting used to the new format. However, it seems the four division set up with the addition of two wild card playoff spots has been a positive for the league as playoff races have become tighter and more entertaining.
Is your favorite team based in Canada or the United States?
Simple question with an easy answer. If you're not sure of the answer, you probably aren't qualified to take an online quiz of any nature. To make it easier, there are only seven Canadian teams in the league compared to 24 American teams. It's most likely the case that, if you live in the United States, your favorite team is also based there, unless you were raised in Canada.
Which of the following NBA teams do you prefer?
This goes back to the bandwagon theory we touched on in an earlier question. Newer fans, rightfully so, choose to support winning teams - why would anyone in their right mind start following the NHL and decide to be an Arizona Coyotes fan? If you're a Golden State Warriors or Cleveland Cavaliers fan, chances are you also like a winning hockey team.
Which of the following NFL teams do you prefer?
The same logic from the previous question applies here. Believe it or not, there's an entire group of fans who happen to be Pittsburgh Penguins/Golden State Warriors/Chicago Cubs/New England Patriots fans, or something similar to that combination. Those are fans who don't live in large markets, however, as there's no way a Penguins fan living in Pittsburgh would support the Patriots.
Besides your team, who do you think will win the Stanley Cup in 2018?
If your team is on this list, don't choose them. The idea is to select a team that you think could go all the way in 2018 as it will also tell us a bit about your favorite team. For instance, if you're a Maple Leafs fan, you might think the Lightning have a shot at winning given they've played well against your team in the past.
Who do you think is the best player in the league?
The same logic applies here as in the previous question. Your choice of the best player in the league will reveal a lot about your favorite team. If you choose Connor McDavid, you're either an Oilers fan or a fan of another team who happens to be quite knowledgeable. You probably aren't a Calgary Flames fan, however. Similarly, no Capitals fan is going to say Sidney Crosby.
Who do you think is the best goaltender in the league?
Despite there being 31 teams in the NHL, there is roughly 10-12 solid, No. 1 goaltenders in the league that can be relied upon night in and night out. Even if you're the biggest fan of the Carolina Hurricanes, you're not fooling anyone - let alone yourself - if you think Cam Ward or Scott Darling are among the league's best netminders.
What is your favorite color?
While it isn't always the case, it's generally true that your favorite color is the same primary color worn by your favorite NHL team. When you were a kid, you probably chose the Montreal Canadiens not because you knew anything about the team, but because you liked the bleu, blanc et rouge color scheme.
How many of your team's games do you watch per season?
This isn't necessarily an indictment of your fandom if you admit to only watching a handful of games per season. More than anything, it gives an idea of what type of market you live in and how much you're willing to pay to watch your team play. If you live out of market, you may only see your team on national broadcast two or three times per season.
What do you think about Sidney Crosby?
This one is rather obvious. If you believe Sidney Crosby to be the best player in the league, you're likely either a Penguins fan or a fan of a Canadian team. You're definitely not a Washington Capitals fan; although, if you believe he's a crybaby undeserving of his success, you're either a Flyers or Capitals fan.
What do you think about Alex Ovechkin?
Opinions on Alex Ovechkin were split when the Russian superstar came into the league. Many loved him, while others hated his over-the-top celebrations. As a veteran, he's become embraced by most of the hockey world, but it's quite obvious he still can't succeed in the playoffs. Where do you stand on the Great 8?
Which of the following is your favorite sport?
Not that it's 100 percent accurate, but there are certain teams one would be more apt to like if hockey was his or her favorite sport. The same can be said for football, baseball, and basketball. There are different markets in which those sports reign supreme and if you're from that market chances are you also like the hockey team there.
What is your favorite hockey movie?
There are so many great hockey movies that it might be hard to pick one out of this group, but it will reveal a lot about your age and, consequently, your fandom. For instance, fans of Slap Shot are generally more apt to also be fans of an older, Original 6 team.
Which hockey chirp would you most likely call someone?
Hockey chirps are among the most unique, odd, and specific. It's not enough to call someone "insert common insult here;" instead, hockey players resort to lingo such as duster, pigeon, and pylon, all of which are basically used to describe a player with below-average skill.
What is your favorite part of the hockey season?
Fans of teams currently struggling or teams that always pick first overall *cough* Edmonton Oilers *cough* might think of the annual NHL Draft as their favorite time of the year as it's a time of hope and opportunity. Vice versa, fans of good teams might not even pay attention until the playoffs.
What are your thoughts on the general manager of your team?
The general manager of a team is responsible for making final decisions in regard to trades, drafting, and signing players. Because of that, they're either celebrated or hated depending on the success of such moves. If your team sucks, you aren't going to love the general manager.
Which of these players do you prefer?
This shouldn't be that complicated. Picking someone like Auston Matthews might not necessarily mean you're a Maple Leafs fan. It just means you prefer him to Blackhawks, Rangers, and Bruins players, which, by process of elimination, means you likely aren't a fan of either of those teams.
Which of these players do you prefer?
These four players are among the most dynamic offensive defensemen in the league and, even if you're a fan of another team, chances are you respect their ability and how they play the game. Yet, few Capitals or Flyers fan would select Letang, while many Montreal Canadiens fans would select Subban, despite the fact the team dealt him to the Nashville Predators almost two years ago.
Which of these players do you prefer?
There's a lot to like in this grouping of players. Both Johnny Gaudreau and Mitch Marner are diminutive wingers, but boy are they exciting to watch. Mika Zibanejad is an emerging young talent with the Rangers with tons of potential, and Anze Kopitar is one of the best two-way players in the game. Which style do you prefer?
Which of these players do you prefer?
Whereas the last list of defensemen included offensive-minded players, this grouping is comprised of some of the best all-around blueliners in the league, not to mention some of the best leaders; in fact, they have all either been a captain or alternate captain at some point in their careers.
Which of these players do you prefer?
Some of these questions have multiple purposes, but to be honest, the main goal of this one is to determine your thoughts on the Boston Bruins. The only way you're picking Brad Marchand here is if you're a Bruins fan or if you enjoy his pesky style of play. You're certainly not a Maple Leafs, Canadiens, or Senators fan if you pick the Halifax, Nova Scotia native.
Which of these goalies do you prefer?
While we can't include every goaltender in the league, these 10 goalies are among the best and have been for quite some time. For instance, Braden Holtby, Tuukka Rask, Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist all either have a Vezina Trophy or Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs.
