Sometimes we forget what hockey is all about. We’ll talk about how the Kings are in the middle of a horrible slump or how the Bruins injury problems are starting to build up. We’ll talk about how our team could do this or that to play better—but at some point, aren’t we just spending too much time convoluting what’s really important? Hockey is about having fun. It’s about sitting back and watching Hockey Night in Canada with our friends and cheering for our favorite team. It’s about coming home after a long day of work and watching a national game on Versus. Wait, never mind. Bad example.
Joy personified.
At the end of the day, hockey is entertainment. It’s supposed to keep us interested—and ultimately, its supposed to make us smile. If we don’t get excited or feel some sort of happiness, then we’re completely missing the point. After all, that’s what life’s all about, right?
Think about those moments in life when there is pure, uninhibited joy or excitement oozing out of your every pore. Stop and remember that feeling of excitement when your team scores a goal to take the lead late in the 3rd period. That smile when you realize that you’re in the middle of a perfect day and you KNOW that things can’t get any better than they are right at that moment. Think of the smile on a father’s face when he’s proud of his son. Hell, think of the smile on your face when your Dad is proud of you! I’m talking about all of these moments that we wish we could just bottle up and save for a rainy day.
It’s the reason that you feel overwhelming emotions when you look at old pictures. You can look at a picture and remember how happy you were when you were on vacation with your family. You can look at a picture of a friend and visibly SEE how happy your friend is. You can see pictures of your family and see the love between your Mom and her first Grandchild.
When I think about hockey, it’s those pure moments of emotion that keep me coming back for more. One of my best hockey moments in recent memory was when Adam Deadmarsh’s scored in overtime to eliminate the Red Wings from the playoffs. It’s not necessarily the goal that he scored that I remember—it’s the look on his face AFTER he scored. It’s that unfiltered exuberance that the entire team demonstrated when they celebrated together. It’s the feeling that was in the stands and spilling onto the ice! Theo Fleury knows what I’m talking about.
One thing that sucks about the “real world” is that there are so many things we do in life that AREN’T about our happiness. We all have to go to work. Paying bills isn’t fun. Driving traffic certainly doesn’t bring me joy. Running to Target to get toothpaste and toilet paper? Nope—still not fun. But, they’re everyday things that we all HAVE to do.
What sucks is that all of that stuff only introduces stress into our lives. We might hate our co-workers, we might hate having to wait in line for laundry detergent and we all hate the asshole in front of us that can’t drive. So when we find something that is easy and makes us smile, then why the hell don’t we grab onto it with both hands?
Can you imagine how happy you would be if you played in the NHL for a living? Don’t get me wrong: I’m sure there are everyday stresses just like any other job. You would want to make sure that you do a good job because you take pride in your job and because you want to keep your job. Just like any of us, I’m sure they want to make sure their boss is happy with their quality of work.
This guy knows how to have a good time. Yes, I'm talking about hockey...
But how often would you wake up and think, “My God, I play a kid’s game for a living?” I’m sure some players lose sight of that from time to time—but look at the players that genuinely look like they’re having a good time. THOSE are the guys that I’d want on my team. In my locker room. Representing my organization. Those are the guys that I’d depend on when my team faces a “must-win” game.
Hockey players and coaches are just like us in almost every aspect of life. Just like us, they’ll make things more complicated than they really are. We’ll hear about systems and defensive strategy. We’ll hear about how a team needs to work on their power plays or their penalty kill. I know that I’ve complained about my team’s breakouts on more than one occasion. But that’s making it so much more complicated than it should be.
For all the talk about the systematic approach to hockey, let’s look at the two most successful teams over the last couple of years. The Penguins turned their season around last year when they had a new coach that preached effort. The Red Wings have built their success on letting their young players mature into adults before throwing them into the NHL. Is it really that easy? Have mature adults playing like they care? Mix in some talent and everything else only serves to cloud the issue.
When fans are at games and their angry because their team is playing like shit—that’s the moment that they need to take a step back. None of us are happy when our team sucks. But to get angry about it? To start fights in the stands? Fuck that. I’m there to have fun and enjoy my team play. It sucks when my team loses—but I don’t let it ruin the rest of my night anymore. This is supposed to be about fun. The minute that it isn’t, I need to take a step back and reassess what the hell I’m doing.
What makes YOU happy? Are you smiling when you’re at a hockey game? Then buy more tickets. Are you smiling when you’re talking to a friend on the phone? Then call them up more. Are you overjoyed when you’re with a certain someone in the world? Then see them more often.
People will say they can’t do that stuff because of this or that—but what they mean is that they won’t. So next time your find yourself wanting something—go and do it. If you want to go to a hockey game—then go do it.
Yes, it really is that easy.
