NHL's One-Month Countdown: Last-Minute Entries on a Hockey Fan's "To-Do List"

While the Boston Bruins haven’t yet gotten the taste of champagne sipped from Lord Stanley’s Cup out of their mouths, the 29 other teams in the league are preparing to make their own run at hockey’s hardware.  One month remains before the start of the 2011-12 season, and fans are undoubtedly gearing up for a new campaign. 

However, in all the excitement of the new year, some fans may have overlooked the most important duties of the NHL fan before the first puck drops.

Here is a simple checklist to make sure you are completely prepared for 2011-12.

Offer your own ideas, opinions and to-do lists in the comments section.

Pick Up a New Jersey

Hockey jerseys don’t come cheap, but there is no feeling quite like that of donning a new player and color scheme right before the first game of the year. 

Whether you’re celebrating a new acquisition, jumping on board with a new jersey design or feeling confident that a player’s long-term deal makes a jersey a more sound investment, having a fresh set of threads is a must before the season begins.

I’ll go first: Cherry Hill, NJ native Bobby Ryan is a hometown hero for myself and other South Jersey fans, but with the Flyers participating in the Winter Classic, I’m going to have to pass on Ryan for one more year and get a special James van Riemsdyk jersey.

Review the Possible New NHL Rules

While drastic changes are unlikely, the NHL has shown its progressive side by demonstrating openness to the idea of rule changes by testing them in controlled offseason environments (see Yahoo! Sports’s assessment of the potential changes here).  Many rule changes were proposed this year, and it’s possible that one or two may be adopted in the coming season, including curved glass along the boards to prevent injuries like the one Max Pacioretty suffered in the video here.

Don’t get hopeful that we’ll see 3-on-3 overtime or the elimination of icing on the penalty kill anytime soon, but minor adjustments like changes to the design of the net and the elimination of the trapezoid rule could make this season a little different than last year.

I’ll go first: I generally agree with Yahoo!’s assessment, but I would argue about their rejection of the hybrid icing rule.  Too many unnecessary injuries and safer icing rules in international leagues mean the NHL will eventually get on board with this rule.

Predict Where the Coyotes Will Play Next Year

Rarely are the Coyotes the focus of the NHL, but this year, Phoenix’s future will be a topic of conversation all season long.  The chances of the team staying in Arizona seem to be getting closer and closer to nil, but where does the franchise go?

Any good NHL fan will have his or her prediction ready for discussion at any moment during the year, be it Kansas City, Quebec City or Sin City.  Probably not Vegas, though.

I’ll go first: Bureaucracy and politics will play a big role in relocation, but my gut is saying that the NHL will give a lot of thought to the Seattle/Portland area.

Figure out the Toughest Division in Hockey

No division will be a breeze this year, but which is the toughest?  Is it the division with the highest number of competitive teams?  Is it the division that has two stellar teams?  Is it the one with the most travel?

Outsmart your friends by bringing up the Southeast Division, which has traditionally been extremely easy.  Washington and Tampa are real threats, the Hurricanes will be in the race all year and Florida actually improved its roster.  Plus, all four of these teams have to travel all the way to Winnipeg instead of Atlanta this year.

I’ll go first: I’m going to go with the division that will have the most playoff teams: the Pacific.  I see the Sharks, Ducks and Kings all competing for the Cup, and the Stars and Coyotes are about as close to “contenders” as “pretenders” can be.  Even the best team in the Pacific will suffer because of where they play.

Start Following Some of Hockey's Greatest Characters on Twitter

Anyone who bothers to watch postgame interviews could tell you that hockey players are quiet, mild-mannered and, unfortunately, rarely as interesting as some of the personalities fans see in other sports.  There’s nothing wrong with being polite, and many fans are proud of the absence of egos in the sport, but a little pizazz never hurt anyone.

It turns out that the Twitter-verse is an outlet to see the true unique colors of many players, and certain NHLers have gained notoriety not for scoring ridiculous goals but for trending ridiculous topics. 

I’ll go first: Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) and Phil Kessel (@81PhilKessel) are must-follows, but I’ve made it a point to add the Flyers’ new franchise goalie Ilya Bryzgalov as well.  Bryz is…well, he’s slowly learning how to use Twitter.  Let’s leave it at that.

Figure out the One Missing Piece Your Team Needs

It’s not too early to think about the trade deadline, as every potential competitor still needs a few tweaks to the roster in order to look like the favorite.  Give the old lineup a glance and determine what position holds the biggest question mark so you can start scouting other players before the deadline.

The season may be a long one, but today’s concerns are tomorrow’s weaknesses, so any good fan will have a Rolodex of potential solutions on hand to ensure that no team can take down the hometown heroes in a best-of-seven.

I’ll go first: For my Flyers, a veteran goal scorer is a must.  The price may be high, but I’ve got my sights set on someone like potential UFA Shane Doan or Colorado’s Milan Hejduk.

Buy NHL 12

I’m not getting paid to promote the game (though, I’m willing to accept compensation, EA Sports…), but the NHL series is a must-have for any hockey fan who likes gaming, even casually.  The series has won many awards and is widely considered the best series of sports games you can buy. 

It wouldn’t shock me if the game helped to turn people otherwise uninterested in hockey into fans.

Aside from its amazing GM features, online community and realistic gameplay, my favorite part of the game comes after my Flyers have lost in real life, when I can go online and find someone willing to play the same matchup, and I can play the game the way it SHOULD have been played.

I’m gunning for your job, Peter Laviolette.

I’ll go first: I’ve already reserved the game, and I’m getting my last-minute NHL 11 action in while I wait.

Point out All the Flaws in Your Division Rival's Roster

Being a hockey fan isn’t simply about talking up your team, it’s also about putting down your rival.  Who would want to follow an NHL where Leafs fans looked at Montreal’s roster and said, “Damn, they’re good,” and Blackhawks fans wishfully thought about how great their team would be if they could just snag the Sedin twins?  Rivalries are the lifeblood of the sport.

Before the season begins, sneak a peek at your most hated team’s lineup to find the weak point, and whenever an opponent exploits that weakness during the season, you can tell your friends that you called it.

I’ll go first: The Penguins better pray that Crosby comes back, because a team that young and inexperienced on offense is going nowhere.  On top of that, Martin Brodeur is getting old and the Rangers have yet again overpaid for a forward who will under-perform.  I welcome anti-Flyers sentiment in the comments section.

Pick the Most Unlikely Hart Trophy Winner You Can

Hockey’s MVP award can be a bit of an enigma, sometimes going to the obvious candidate, and sometimes going to Corey Perry.  The fact is that judging the player “most valuable to his team” leaves a lot of room for interpretation, and it can be fun to put your money on someone unexpected. 

So this year, instead of picking Stamkos, Crosby or Ovechkin, get a little creative and go with the most likely unlikely candidate that comes to mind.

I’ll go first: Goalies don’t always get a ton of love in MVP talks, but I’m going to think outside the box and inside the crease and declare that Pekka Rinne captures the award this season.

Make Your Stanley Cup Predictions (with Your Team Winning, of Course)

Good hockey fans make their championship predictions long before their team takes the ice, and the greatest fans pick the same team every season: the hometown team. 

Whether you have your team winning the President’s Trophy and never looking back, or sliding into the playoffs on the last day of the season and making a miracle run at the Cup, the most important thing is that you know your guys are getting their names on the Cup next summer.

After all, why watch hockey if you don’t believe your team can win?

I’ll go first: Behind Giroux, Pronger and Bryzgalov, the Flyers storm through the playoffs and face off against the Los Angeles Kings in the Finals.  Hollywood ends the year empty-handed after a seven-game series capped off with a game-winner scored by James van Riemsdyk.  In overtime.  I mean, triple overtime.

Sensationalist?  Yes.  Exciting?  Definitely.

One month remains.  Happy Hockey, everyone.