A few of my favorite things

All of our teams have gotten a few games under their belts. You win some, you lose some. Here's what I like best about this part of the hockey season:

• Everyone starts with a clean slate (and some of us needed it more than others). All previous seasons are filed away as a ”closed case.” Hopefully, your management staff made some moves over the summer to improve where it was needed, and your team started gelling during the pre-season.
• Getting to see new faces! Whether they’re only new to you or a rookie, new players can change the path a team takes like nothing else. Maybe you’re seeing more new faces, or maybe not. Either way, have fun learning more about those new guys…they could be your team’s major contributor for the season.
• The smell of the ice, for the first time of the season, at a game. For me, an ice rink smells like a perfect, crisp winter day when the snow is fresh and undisturbed. It’s a pick-me-up every time. It’s the smell of “home.”

So good luck to all the teams and fans! (Even if you’re from one of my Atlantic Division rivals.) Have fun and guys - keep the big hits, shots and saves coming.