I need a hockey team to cheer for

[BRM_PTX]

I live in jawja and never really cheered for the Thrashers and now they're gone so I need a team to cheer for. Any suggestions? And why?

[Kevin W.]

Root for the Blackhawks. We have a catchy goal song that makes our rivals' ears bleed.

[CS85]

Where are you from/what colors do you like/are there any players you follow?

[Funky Bunky]

Root for Anaheim. DO IT!

We will give you free Hooters wings!

[GO2HELL]

Root for coyotes, they need fans.

[Cosmic]

Root for the Sabres. Hopefully, the team will be (figuratively) blown up over the next six months and you can start at the beginning like everyone else.

[The_Admiral]

I don't think there's a big flow chart for determining your NHL team, is there? Should be. I'll give you some only-semi-biased pros and cons for a few.

Being a Blackhawks fan will allow you to wear a really cool logo and follow a team that's going to be right in the thick of it for at least the next several years. You'll get to--no no, you'll have to--treat every mundane, one-goal outcome of a game in January as either a harbinger of an inevitable Stanley Cup or of full-out, long-lasting organizational doom, depending on who won. Hope you don't mind going through goaltenders like toilet paper!

The Bruins will also give you a cool logo and contention, but you'll have to deal with the ignominy of being a Boston sports fan who isn't from New England, which makes people want to punch you so hard.

The Predators are relatively nearby and always just good enough to make the first round, but they'll never bring anything home. Also, you can't let yourself get hurt when everyone you know goes away in the end.

So are the Hurricanes, but the Hurricanes haven't had a purpose beyond making sure the NHL has 30 teams since 2006, and I don't see when that'll change, so, uh, have fun with that. Eric Staal is there, though! For now!

The Canucks are the team you were born to love if you live in a McMansion and throw temper tantrums when things don't go your way. "I was supposed to get a blue hatchback! Mooooom!" At least they win a lot!

Penguins and Capitals would've been fine frontrunning targets a couple years ago, before Sid broke his brain and Ovechkin broke his give-a-damn-about-his-job. They both have enough talent otherwise to hang around the top, at least, but the magic is gone.

You can follow the Winnipeg Jets if you want to stick with the budding careers of Toby Enstrom, Alex Burmistrov, and Evander Kane for years to come, but they're years away from being good. You get to wear a fake Air Force logo if you do!

The Ducks are a good team to follow if you want to experience Teemu Selanne's final season, again and again and again. But seriously folks, they're a pretty solid operation and liking them will allow you to prattle on about "Sunbelt Solidarity" or something dumb like that on HFboards

no Red Wings

The Lightning are sorta maybe close but not really, and have the most talent of any teams relatively close to Atlanta. Stamkos is a treat to watch. Not sure how they're going to handle the imminent decline of Lecavalier/St. Louis, though. Uh oh.

Si tu parles français, il faut que tu soutiens les Canadiens. Actuellement, quelque pensent que ceci signifie que vous méritez entraîner l'équipe plus l'entraîneur vrai! Quelle reponsibilité!

But if I had to give a real answer, I would say the New York Islanders. Seriously. Buy low on these guys. They can't be this bad forever, and as much as people scaremonger about it, they're not going to move away, because there will always be more allure in owning a New York team than there will a Kansas City team or Seattle team or whatever. They'll have their breakout year down the road, finally win #5, and it will be glorious, and you will be part of it. It'll be like the Blackhawks or Penguins of a few years ago. So there you go. The Isle.

[CS85]

The Canucks are the team you were born to love if you live in a McMansion and throw temper tantrums when things don't go your way. "I was supposed to get a blue hatchback! Mooooom!" At least they win a lot!

You've spoken ill of the fabled Canuck. You will have awoken the mighty underlings that serve the untouchable rink/stick logo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHWP7tF7oho

[RamblinGamblinTiger]

Where in Ga are you? You could do Nashville/Carolina/Tampa.

There's minor league teams in Gwinnett (ECHL), Columbus (SPHL), and Augusta (SPHL). ECHL is like AA minor league, the SPHL is closer to the beer league hockey (teams that do guaranteed fight nights, etc)

I'm personally done with the NHL because of the whole situation here in Atlanta.

[HedleyLamarr]

The Predators are relatively nearby and always just good enough to make the first round, but they'll never bring anything home. Also, you can't let yourself get hurt when everyone you know goes away in the end.

Kovalchuk, Hossa, Savard, Heatley....

Thrasher fans are well-versed in watching all their most-talented players go away once their contracts are waning.

[henburg]

Root for Nashville! The fanbase here is great and the owners really seem to be taking the team in a great direction. We have great young talent in Craig Smith, Colin Wilson and Ryan Ellis along with a very talented goalie, Pekka Rinne. Plus, the new rumor from various local radio stations is that Shea Weber and Ryan Suter want to stay because they believe that we can bring home a Stanley Cup. The organization and players have also expressed interest in getting a big-name forward to help our playoff efforts.

BTW, we also have a kickass goal song and a great fan section, Cellblock 303, who does chants throughout the game. Overall, Bridgestone Arena is an awesome and unique atmosphere for hockey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia-SweHzM20&feature=related

[BrySmalls]

This may help you on your fandom quest, even if it is slightly dated:

[BigEd76]

Root for Nashville! The fanbase here is great and the owners really seem to be taking the team in a great direction. We have great young talent in Craig Smith, Colin Wilson and Ryan Ellis along with a very talented goalie, Pekka Rinne. Plus, the new rumor from various local radio stations is that Shea Weber and Ryan Suter want to stay because they believe that we can bring home a Stanley Cup. The organization and players have also expressed interest in getting a big-name forward to help our playoff efforts.

BTW, we also have a kickass goal song and a great fan section, Cellblock 303, who does chants throughout the game. Overall, Bridgestone Arena is an awesome and unique atmosphere for hockey.

There's also an occasional appearance by Carrie Underwood, so that helps...

[BRM_PTX]

Where are you from/what colors do you like/are there any players you follow?

Northwest Georgia/red, green, blue/ No because I'm just getting into it. I need a team with badass players and a history.

edit: I guess history isn't that important as I'll be WATCHING history so I don't really care that much. I've heard fine points for Nashville, Chicago, and New York. I would pick Phoenix for the whole western theme they have going on there but I heard they might move away soon and I don't think I'd wanna waste my time with that. Speaking of that any idea where they'd move. And I'll NEVER root for any team in Florida.

[charger77]

I need a team with badass players and a history.

Problem solved:

[infrared41]

I need a team with badass players and a history.

Problem solved:

Corrected.

[GriffinM6]

Where are you from/what colors do you like/are there any players you follow?

Northwest Georgia/red, green, blue/ No because I'm just getting into it. I need a team with badass players and a history.

I'm guessing you live around Rome or Dade county. I would definitely root for the Predators. A lot more people in Nashville go/went to hockey games than the Thrashers. If you want to though, I encourage you to go for the Penguins. They've been a great team the past 5 years, and even though they have Crosby out, Evgeni Malkin is outstanding, and Kris Letang, Kris Kunitz, and Marc-Andre Fleury are also great players.

[BRM_PTX]

Where are you from/what colors do you like/are there any players you follow?

Northwest Georgia/red, green, blue/ No because I'm just getting into it. I need a team with badass players and a history.

I'm guessing you live around Rome or Dade county. I would definitely root for the Predators. A lot more people in Nashville go/went to hockey games than the Thrashers. If you want to though, I encourage you to go for the Penguins. They've been a great team the past 5 years, and even though they have Crosby out, Evgeni Malkin is outstanding, and Kris Letang, Kris Kunitz, and Marc-Andre Fleury are also great players.

Bingo. I'm leaning towards the Predators but I need to know if they have a realistic shot of ever winning the Stanley Cup?

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Where are you from/what colors do you like/are there any players you follow?

Northwest Georgia/red, green, blue/ No because I'm just getting into it. I need a team with badass players and a history.

I'm guessing you live around Rome or Dade county. I would definitely root for the Predators. A lot more people in Nashville go/went to hockey games than the Thrashers. If you want to though, I encourage you to go for the Penguins. They've been a great team the past 5 years, and even though they have Crosby out, Evgeni Malkin is outstanding, and Kris Letang, Kris Kunitz, and Marc-Andre Fleury are also great players.

Bingo. I'm leaning towards the Predators but I need to know if they have a realistic shot of ever winning the Stanley Cup?

No. So jump on the Islander bandwagon.

[wildwing64]

Become a Ducks fan and you'll only ever need to buy one of their jerseys. They have a nice third with some cool logos, while the home and roads are quite dull compared to the rest of the NHL unless minimalism is your thing.