It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and no, it’s not even close to Christmas yet. But for NHL players, winning the Stanley Cup feels like a Christmas wish come true.
As a person who’s never played hockey, and never really been able to skate very well, let alone at all, I do my best to live vicariously through the champions on the ice.
“He did what in his cup?”
Now, what better way to showcase some of the teams that made the playoffs than to compare them to the movie Cars? I need y’all to see the vision.
First, we have Strip “The King” Weathers, an established winner who was great in his prime, but his time has passed. Much like the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, both great teams claimed many titles in their prime with 24 and 13 Stanley Cup wins, respectively.
Just like The King fading in his final years, both teams are struggling to uphold their title run consistency. The Canadiens made the playoffs this year but probably won’t make it very far, and the Leafs missed the playoffs completely.
Chick Hicks was the antagonist of the first Cars movie, and who better to represent him than the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers? Self-explanatory, I consider them the antagonists of the league.
Of course, finally, Lightning McQueen, the young up-and-comer who’s ready to make a name for himself. The perfect teams to represent him are the Buffalo Sabres and the Utah Mammoth.
The Sabres are one of the youngest with an average roster age of 25.4 and had an incredible 10-game win streak this season. Utah is only in its second season in the NHL, and how could you not love Tusky?
(Storm) Surge to the top
Of course, I have to talk about the Carolina Hurricanes. How could I not? The Canes have home ice advantage through the Eastern Conference against the Ottawa Senators, and the Canes don’t have to play against the Panthers at all since the Florida boys missed the playoffs.
The Lenovo Center is my favorite rink in the NHL, not because of all the theatrics or amenities, but because of the fans and the vibes that they bring to every game.
Plus, I think this could actually be the Canes’ year. And if it is, I will never shut up about it; I can promise you that.
Schlösser is the sports editor for the Liberty Champion.