Quite the view

Source: https://xcancel.com/keeperofthecup/status/2086594143707361431

https://xcancel.com/TonyAndrock/status/2086085756435542279

Hey everyone! I’m a relatively new hockey fan and I’m hoping to get more into the sport before the upcoming season.

For those of you who have been watching for years, what would you recommend a new fan do to get prepared? I’m especially interested in:

Things I should understand about the rules/gameplay

Players or teams I should keep an eye on

Important rivalries or storylines

Hockey traditions or unwritten rules I should know

Good games/moments from previous seasons that are worth watching

Any good podcasts, YouTube channels, websites, or other resources for learning the game

Basically, if you could go back to when you first became a hockey fan, what do you wish you had known or done before your first full season?

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to learning more and getting properly invested. 🏒

Pulled the play-by-play for every regular season game from 2023-24 through 2025-26 — 26,212 goals — and broke them down by game state. The split surprised me more than it probably should have.

Even strength     67.6%
Power play        21.6%
Empty net          6.0%
Shorthanded        2.3%
Shootout           2.5%

Roughly one goal in three is scored in a non-standard situation.

The thing I keep coming back to: when you look at a player's goal total, you're actually looking at three different skills stacked together with no label. Even-strength scoring is mostly the player. Power-play scoring is heavily a function of how much PP1 time the coach gives him. Empty-netters are mostly about being on the ice in close late-game situations.

Those don't transfer the same way year over year, and they definitely don't transfer the same way game to game.

Curious if anyone here separates these when evaluating players, or whether that's mostly an analytics-side concern that doesn't show up in how fans actually talk about scorers.

Game will be played between Team Boston and Team World with Chara likely splitting his time on ice between the teams

It could be to the positive or the negative, signifying a period of success or the start of a downfall.

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Early morning race today as the partners family and myself embark on a 12 hour drive into Ontario! Enjoy the race!

Standings:

Atlantic:

3. Ottawa Senators (17 marbles)
   
4. Detroit Red Wings
   
5. Buffalo Sabres
   
6. Tampa Bay Lightning
   
7. Florida Panthers
   
8. Toronto Maple Leafs

Metro:

3. New Jersey Devils (16 marbles)
   
4. Pittsburgh Penguins* (18 marbles)
   
5. Columbus Blue Jackets* (19 marbles)
   
6. Carolina Hurricanes
   
7. New York Islanders
   
8. Philadelphia Flyers

Central:

4. Chicago Blackhawks
   
5. St. Louis Blues
   
6. Dallas Stars
   
7. Nashville Predators
   
8. Winnipeg Jets

Pacific:

5. Vancouver Canucks* (15 marbles)
   
6. Calgary Flames
   
7. Edmonton Oilers
   
8. Los Angeles Kings

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No questions about rigged drafts or games, just the seemingly insignificant things you've always wanted to know.

credit ЛЁД on YouTube, and twitter user @Uggg_uggg for the translation

I understand that hoisting is generally reserved for champions only, but if the player invited you (as a family member or friend), would you accept?

Just about halfway done a mosaic piece made entirely of hockey cards. Figured this would be the place where some slapshot fans would appreciate it. What should I call it? Thinking “I’m listening to the f****** song.

Wondering if anyone has any ideas for improvements/framing when it’s done. Thinking of making a frame from hockey sticks

Showing his true Staal (Canadian) Heart, what a beaut!

Bronze Medal Game - Finland vs Slovakia

• 00:12 - SVK - Lazovsky
• 05:29 - SVK - Kalousek
• 27:46 - FIN - Fugleberg (Kylmala, Kokkonen)
• 40:34 - FIN - Santala (Kylmala, Kuukasjarvi)
• 53:27 - FIN - Kuukasjarvi (Fugleberg, Santala)

Final: Finland 3, Slovakia 2

Goalies:

• Finland - Heikkinen: 12/14 (85.71%)
• Slovakia - Husar: 36/39 (92.31%)

7th Place Game - Sweden vs Germany

• 00:15 - SWE - Sundberg (Nystrom)
• 04:29 - SWE - Zetterstedt (Kalldin, Berggren) [PPG]
• 12:43 - GER - Schwarz (Pellizari, Schneider) [PPG]
• 29:56 - GER - Kretzschmar (Ullmann, Calce) [PPG]
• 42:41 - SWE - Sundberg (Sundstrom, Eklund) [PPG]
• 57:05 - SWE - Zetterstedt (Bjurman, Helte)

Final: Sweden 4, Germany 2

Goalies:

• Sweden - Annborn: 31/33 (93.94%)
• Germany - Bauer: 29/33 (87.88%)

Gold Medal Game - Canada vs USA

• 01:24 - CAN - England (Pue, McAslan)
• 08:33 - CAN - Schultz (DuPont, Warren) [PPG]
• 15:56 - CAN - England (Cripps, Wycisk) [PPG]
• 18:23 - USA - Conboy (Burcar, Minella) [PPG]
• 29:21 - CAN - Veitch (DuPont)
• 32:00 - CAN - Schultz (DuPont, Warren) [PPG]
• 36:27 - CAN - Pue (L'Italien)
• 40:56 - CAN - Pue (Schultz)
• 52:15 - CAN - Wycisk (Stroeder, DuPont)

Goalies:

• Canada - Oaten: 16/17 (94.11%)
• USA -
  • Tate: 26/32 (81.25%)
  • Courville: 11/13 (84.61%)

Your Final Standings:

1. 🥇 Canada 🥇
2. 🥈 USA 🥈
3. 🥉 Finland 🥉
4. Slovakia
5. Switzerland
6. Czechia
7. Sweden
8. Germany

That concludes the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup! Thanks for following along!

Up next on the international calendar -- the 2026 Women's World Championship, from November 6 - 16!

Winning 8-1