Bandwagon is a harsh phrase, however many hockey followers or of us new to the game are most likely on the lookout for a crew to root for on this 12 months’s playoffs.
Your crew might have been eradicated from playoff competition. Perhaps you’ve by no means tuned into the NHL earlier than and are selecting a crew for the primary time. Or, maybe you’re caught in some “50 First Dates” scenario, and also you’ve already been rooting for an NHL crew, however you’ve forgotten it because of a traumatic mind harm.
I gained’t fault anybody in any of these conditions.
Except you’re a Rangers or Bruins fan and also you’re going to oscillate between your big-market crew and a small-market underdog, cease studying this when you’re that particular person.
However, for everybody else, right here’s an inventory of 5 NHL groups that you could purchase low on in these Stanley Cup Playoffs. Extra established groups just like the Toronto Maple Leafs or Florida Panthers should not on right here. Bandwagoning to a crew like that may be a felony in most states and provinces.
Greatest NHL Groups for Informal Followers To Root For This Season
1. Montreal Canadiens
Sure, Montreal is a barely odd alternative for this, provided that they’re probably the most storied franchise within the historical past {of professional} hockey.
However whereas the Canadiens have gained probably the most titles in NHL historical past, this model of the crew has completed nearly nothing.
They’re stocked with electrical prospects just like the presumptive Calder Trophy winner, defenseman Lane Hutson, and Russian rookie ahead Ivan Demidov.
To present a preview of the medal of those rookies, Demidov was requested forward of the crew’s opening spherical sequence in opposition to the Capitals if fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin was his “idol” rising up, to which Demidov responded, “I like [Evgeni] Malkin significantly better than Ovi.”
Exterior of their rookies, additionally they have ahead Cole Caufield, who’s been lighting it up since coming into the league in 2021. He additionally spawned a “Caufield’s on hearth, your protection is terrified” chant from the Montreal trustworthy, which grew to become common, even amongst different NHLers, on social media.
With the shocking competitiveness of their sequence in opposition to the Capitals, mixed with the viral bench battle between the notorious Tom Wilson and Habs ahead Josh Anderson, the bandwagon is beginning to replenish, so be sure to get on earlier than it leaves the station.
2. Minnesota Wild
For those who redrafted your complete NHL based mostly solely on gamers’ names, the primary one off the board would undoubtedly be Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen — that’s a given. The second choose might be Minnesota rookie Zeev Buium.
After a storied profession taking part in faculty hockey on the College of Denver, Buium joined a Wild roster that reloaded with younger expertise in latest drafts.
That youth infusion has paid off, as Minnesota has gone from a late Wild Card clincher to tied in Spherical 1 with the Pacific Division-winning Vegas Golden Knights.
Together with the prospects, they’ve a bevvy of extra established vets, like Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zucarello, and an NHL legend taking part in in his final playoffs, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury.
Watching one final playoff run from Fleury could also be sufficient to make this crew a stable alternative for these on the lookout for a bandwagon to leap on.
3. Washington Capitals
A couple of weeks earlier than the common season ended, I mentioned that if Ovechkin might break Wayne Gretzky’s profession objective file earlier than the season was over, the Capitals would grow to be the premier informal sports activities followers’ playoff watch.
I believed the opening spherical matchup in opposition to the younger Canadiens would dim this just a little — sometimes, folks don’t like seeing a bunch of outdated guys beating up on children.
However, upon cautious consideration, I remembered that folks do like that form of factor.
Washington is that this 12 months’s ‘The Expendables’ playoff crew.
For the unacquainted, The Expendables was a 2010s motion film franchise wherein the entire motion film stars of the 80s and 90s — Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and many others. — had been jammed into one ensemble solid.
This 12 months’s Capitals crew is comparable.
Proper now, I’m envisioning a poster with the names “OVECHKIN,” “OSHIE,” and “WILSON” in large block letters. Then, on the backside of the poster, in smaller letters, it says, “AND INTRODUCING RYAN LEONARD.” And an image of all of them posed collectively holding numerous heavy weaponry and, inexplicably, additionally sporting eye black.
I’m certain a sure demographic of dads who put on Oakley sun shades and cargo shorts is now asking their wives to file the Capitals on the DVR.
4. Los Angeles Kings
Do you want harmonicas? In that case, boy, do I’ve the crew for you.
Jokes apart, the Kings are an awesome worth choose for a crew you’ll be able to bandwagon with out somebody questioning it.
Your NHL-fan associates aren’t going to allow you to get away with selecting Edmonton as your new playoff crew, however they most likely gained’t care when you select the Kings.
After a wild first-round slate, not many groups look like shoo-ins for a Stanley Cup Finals look. However, amid a loopy Western Convention, the Kings are nearly as good a choose as any. This model of LA has had its probabilities through the years, however with a possibility to go up 3-1 Sunday evening on Edmonton, 2025 stands out as the 12 months they get the Cup again.
Nonetheless, till they get previous the Oilers, they’ll seemingly not be taken significantly. If and after they do advance, you’re going to be wanting fairly good for saying “Idk there’s simply one thing concerning the Kings” in your group chats.
5. Winnipeg Jets
You possibly can solely bandwagon a primary seed when that crew has had zero franchise success. The identical goes for the latest playoff success of groups just like the Detroit Lions within the NFL, or the San Diego Padres in MLB, you’ll be able to choose them in the event that they’re good now however have all the time sucked.
The Winnipeg Jets are an awesome instance of this.
Certain, it’s type of annoying when you take into account it from the angle of a lifelong Winnipeg Jets fan.
They’re most likely in quite a lot of defensive conversations proper now, going, “Oh, okay, you met somebody from Manitoba at a summer season camp as soon as, so that you assume that makes this okay?”
Who can blame them for being upset? I don’t prefer it when a traditional rock track turns into a TikTok development — I’ve been on the Bob Seger prepare for years, the place had been you guys?
However when you simply need to say, “Wow, what a save,” below your breath at a bar whereas watching Connor Hellebuyck, then that’s high quality. Simply don’t go posting about it in your Instagram story in the event that they win the Cup.
