Getting into hockey

I know there's a big hockey community here. So with the Blackhawks finally coming to television now, beginning tonight, I'd like to give the sport a shot. I was a fairly big fan back in high school about a decade ago, but the lockout and the Hawks' ineptitude kind of took me away from the game. Now, I'm lost.

I don't know who the good players and good teams are. It's overwhelming.

Hockey people, how about a crash course and some suggestions for someone trying to learn the NHL? When I was young, I learned all this stuff from hockey cards. Maybe a fantasy league's the way to go.

 

Here's a good place to start gaining knowledge about current players/teams:

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/47506/

 

Chicago has some good young players. You'll enjoy.

 

Mark Messier is really good.

 

The Whalers are gonna win the Adams Division this year.

 

The Flyers are better this year. That's all I got.

 

Was Pat Verbeek gentle when he took your virginity?

 

Not if the Nordiques have anything to say about it.

 

Coincidentally, former Whaler Ron Francis and Mark Messier will be inducted into the Hockey Hall Of Fame tomorrow.

Enjoy watching Chicago. They have a lot of young talent and they're playing an exciting brand of hockey.

 

Greatest nickname in sports history: The Little Ball Of Hate.

 

Remember that Jonathan Toews name is pronouced "Taves".

I remember getting into hockey about 8 years ago when it first started getting shown in England -- I remember a five overtime Flyers-Penguins game that ended after the sun had come up at about 7:30 in the morning.

I found the gamer from that one: http://espn.go.com/nhl/2000/20000504/recap/phipit.html

I even went to a few live British League games.

My first live NHL game was in 2000, and the speed of the game up close and the skills of some of the players up close are just amazing.

 

Kane had an awesome-looking goal earlier. I think. It looked sweet to me, the novice.