Kingston’s NHL Home Team

For fans of Canada’s game, tomorrow is a big day as the puck drops on the 2013 NHL playoffs. It’s been a strange season for fans and players alike, largely due to the prolonged lockout that delayed the start of the season by three long months. When the collective bargaining dust finally settled, I, like so many other hockey fans felt tremendously disappointed by the self-serving greed demonstrated by players and owners. Left out in the cold, I’ve been slow to come back as a fan, neglecting my former rituals of spending evenings with the familiar faces of Hockey Night in Canada, and even shying away from highlight reels, team standings and hockey pools. Truthfully, I’m still bitter, but now that tickets to the post season have been punched and excitement builds, its hard not to get caught up and root, root, root for the home team. But just who is the home team for a city such as the Limestone City?

Kingston is a funny place for hockey fans, chiefly because Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa are all close enough for us to call them them the home team. While not equidistant from the Limestone City, they’re all conveniently located just down the road and therefore well in reach for those looking to take in live NHL action.  Personally, I can’t count the number of late night drives I’ve made back to Kingston after catching a game in one of these three cities. While some might be quick to claim that the Leafs are Kingston’s home team, vehicles driving around this city paint a different story thanks to the colourful flags flown by the Canuck, Canadien and Bruin faithful. They proudly suggest that Kingston, a city with deep roots in Canada’s game, is truly divided when it comes to NHL allegiances. With that in mind, this week’s poll question asks:

 Loading ...

With Toronto punching their ticket to the post-season for the first time in nine years, faithful fans of the Buds finally have something to cheer about in May.  Save for Ottawa and Montreal matched up against one another, the remaining Canadian teams will face off against American clubs in the first round.  Therefore there’s a good chance we’ll get to see some of our Canadian teams in the second round and beyond.  Loyalties and unrealistic expectations aside, just who do you think will hoist the Cup in 2013?

Thanks to clydeorama for the photo associated with this week’s poll.