#bruins goalie love forever

[parttimesarah]

🐻🖤STOP BEING SO CUTE!!💛🐻

[whatissideways]

I'm going to be dramatic about the Bruins for a moment: Ullmark, Lauko, DeBrusk, Grzelcyk; you can win the cup without them... won't it feel hollow, though? Marchy will conquer Mt Doom for Bergy, and Zadarov is respecting the Big Z legacy... but.... maybe I'll feel the heartbeat again when the team gets together on the ice.

Personally, I'm sure Swayman will take a plane, train, ferry, mountaineering guide and a Sherpa to share a cup day with Ully (he'll even have packed cinnamon rolls).

[unch4rted-territ0ry]

I haven't been keeping up to date with the trades and stuff bevause I know I'll cry if I do

[barzyhughes]

the bestest duo

[annieqattheperipheral]

you have to read this in full!!

i gotchu from behind the $wall:

The day Luke Prokop shook the hockey world by coming out, he needed to get away.

And stop looking at his constantly buzzing phone.

It was July 21, 2021, and the right-shot defenseman had just become the first openly gay hockey player under an NHL contract. The Nashville Predators’ No. 73 pick in the 2020 draft was just 19 years old and hadn’t even turned pro yet. He didn’t know how it would impact his future. His nerves were fried.

But one text message was impossible to ignore. He didn’t recognize the number but certainly knew the name.

“Hey, it’s Auston Matthews. I wanted to congratulate you. I look forward to sharing the ice with you someday.”

Prokop was blown away. The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar wasn’t the most famous person to reach out — that honor goes to Elton John — but the fact that so many NHLers, including one of the league’s best and most powerful players, were offering support meant a lot.

Now 21, Prokop still hasn’t taken the NHL ice, but on Wednesday he took a step forward, being recalled by the Predators’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. He could become the first openly gay player to appear in an AHL game Friday night for the Admirals in Rockford.

As difficult as the decision to come out was, Prokop told The Athletic in an extended conversation recently that he’s been mentally and physically freed by it. He doesn’t have to hide. He can be himself, on and off the ice. Heck, he can even date.

“It’s been massive,” he said.

Teammates and fans have welcomed him in his journey toward the NHL so far, from Calgary, Edmonton and Seattle of the junior WHL to, most recently, Atlanta of the ECHL. They treated him like he was any other player.

Not that there’s not room to grow. Prokop figured more players would come out after he did. They haven’t, not that he would rush anyone’s decision on that. He’s also been disappointed by the developments over the past few years with the NHL’s inclusion efforts, including the Pride tape “debacle.”

He can only control his own actions, though, and doesn’t regret his decision.

“I’d like to think I’m a realistic person,” Prokop said. “I know hockey is not going to be forever. As much as (when I came out) I would have loved to keep playing, I was OK with not playing any more if it didn’t work out — just being able to live my life the way I wanted, to be myself.

“But now, I don’t want to stop playing. It was definitely nerve-wracking. You never know what the reaction is going to be inside hockey, outside hockey, because no one has done it before. We kind of went out on a limb and hoped for the best. It’s been way more positive than we thought it’d be. You’re going to have some keyboard warriors, which there were a few, but I was expecting more.

“I did not expect the amount of support I got from NHL players. That was really cool.”

- - - - - - -

The Matthews text and Elton John phone call the morning after were memorable, with the gay rock legend welcoming him to the community and offering his email address if Prokop ever needed anything.

Prokop found even more comfort in a moment that came a few days later — the first time he played hockey since his announcement. It was a four-on-four league in Edmonton at Meadows Rec Center, a place where pros and NHLers competed and kept in shape during the offseason.

Prokop was on a team with Colton and Kirby Dach. The other team had Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart and the Boston Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk. During warmups, Prokop found himself near mid-ice. The first guy to approach him was DeBrusk. The two had met previously through mutual friends. DeBrusk tapped Prokop’s shin pads with his stick.

“Congrats,” he told him. “I’m really happy for you. If you need anything, let me know.”

“I didn’t know what the reaction would be,” Prokop said. “So that meant a lot.”

Prokop was returning that year to the Calgary Hitmen (WHL), the junior team he had played for the previous four seasons. But there had been a lot of turnover on the roster and, of course, a lot had changed for Prokop. So he decided to address the team in its first meeting in training camp.

“Everyone knows what I did last summer,” he told his team. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. There might be a lot of media asking you for an interview. If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do them. If you have any questions for me, come ask me. I’m an open book. I just don’t want you guys to feel uncomfortable.”

In that dressing room, Prokop had heard plenty of the uncomfortable language that’s not uncommon for any locker room. He even admitted using it. He didn’t want to out himself. He wanted to act straight, be “one of the guys.”

“I heard it, but it wasn’t all the time,” he said. “I also took it from the perspective that these guys don’t know any better. It’s hockey language. It’s how guys talk. They don’t mean it in a harmful way. They use the word ‘gay’ as a filler at the end of a sentence to make something stupid. ‘Well, that’s so gay.’ I wasn’t comfortable with it, but I used it myself. I didn’t want to seem like I was out of the mix.

“Some guys texted me (after I came out), ‘F—, sorry if I said anything to offend you when we played.’ I’d just say, ‘Guys, you had no idea.’ The lesson is you don’t know what everyone is going through. The words you say do matter. Make sure you think before you speak. It’s a silly rule you learn in kindergarten. It applies to life when you’re 22 or 35 and never goes away.

“The way hockey is going with the language, guys are naturally changing their language. I’ve heard a change in language on every team I’ve been on.”

Prokop said that season was the best of his career, both from a production standpoint and a personal one. He was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings early in the season and had 10 goals and 33 points in 55 games for them, helping them win the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup and advance to the Memorial Cup.

Luke Prokop won the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Oil Kings in 2022. (Courtesy of Oilers Entertainment Group)

Luke Pierce, then an assistant coach for Edmonton and now the head coach, said the staff and management had discussions with the leadership group before acquiring Prokop — making sure they were comfortable with it, feeling out whether their room could handle the attention. Pierce said he asked one of the captains, Blues prospect Jake Neighbours, for his perspective. Neighbours had known Prokop since they were 10 or 11, growing up playing in spring tournaments together. He told Pierce and the staff there would be “zero issue” and he’d be a great addition.

Neighbours said nothing really changed, that Prokop “fit right in” to the team. Pierce at first wondered if players would have any issue with rooming assignments on the road, but nobody blinked. Pierce noted that Prokop would joke about situations and even opened up about his boyfriend coming to visit.

“He put everybody at ease,” Pierce said. “I often tell people, if the outside world could see how the group of men interacted, it would be just a tremendous inspiration on how we should treat everybody.”

Pierce and Prokop pointed out how this generation is more comfortable and equipped to handle LGBTQ+ inclusion issues. Everyone seems to know someone, be friends with someone, or be related to someone in the community.

“I just don’t think guys really care anymore,” Prokop said. “They might be nervous as they have this stereotype version of what a gay guy might look like, sound like, act like. Like me, coming to a team, they think I’ll act a certain way, look a certain way, but they’ll realize three minutes into talking to me that I’m not that.

“Hockey is part of me. It’s who I am. Guys totally forget (about me being gay) when I’m at the rink. They’re not afraid to ask questions. But other than that, it never really comes up. That’s how I wanted it to be. I wanted them to know, but we can all go out and play. I never wanted to be a distraction.”

- - - - - - -

The NHL’s decisions around Pride jerseys and stick tape weren’t a distraction, Prokop said, but he has gotten frustrated about it.

He understood the issue over wearing sweaters during warmups — “jerseys weren’t really their choice” — but lamented that the fact the focus was on the handful of players who refused to wear them and not all the others who did. The NHL’s initial banning of Pride stick tape, then its reversal, was a whole other topic.

“To take away choices from players was really confusing,” Prokop said. “Some of them don’t really care. For some, it was near and dear to their heart. To take it away was mind-boggling. From the players’ side, the support was there. Zach Hyman talked about it, Travis Dermott. I like what they did. They didn’t make a big deal about it before — they just did it. Let fans see the rest, and it’ll take care of itself. There’s a massive amount of support from players in the NHL.”

What do the Pride tape and sweaters mean for someone in the LGBTQ+ community?

Prokop didn’t recall noticing them growing up going to Oilers games. He never got to see someone who was gay using Pride tape on the TV screen. He had to deal with it himself — “jump over those barriers without any help.” But Prokop continued pursuing his hockey career whereas “a lot of people don’t feel comfortable pursuing their career without that exposure, without feeling like they’re being seen.”

“I think with the Pride tape stuff, they were trying to show support for their older fans,” Prokop said of the NHL. “The fans that have been watching hockey for 40-50 years. That’s not how you grow the game. You want to get the younger generation, put these guys in the best situation to promote the game. Sometimes I don’t think the NHL does that the correct way. The Pride tape is one example.”

Prokop has been part of two Pride nights since he came out, one with the Edmonton Oil Kings and another with Seattle. The Oil Kings staff approached him after not having that event on their promotional calendar. They planned it in two weeks and it was a big hit, with around 8,000 fans in attendance.

“Some guys told me it was the most impactful game they’d been in during their career,” Prokop said. “They said they didn’t realize how many Queer fans they had. I don’t think they realize how much my community watches hockey, plays hockey and cares about hockey.

The Seattle Pride night was fan-driven, which made it unique. Thunderbirds fans noticed that other rival teams had a special night for Pride and made a push for their own, making bracelets and T-shirts. Prokop told teammates they didn’t have to wear the stick tape — he knows how superstitious hockey players are. They all wore some, for him.

“I always look at the perspective, the other side of Pride nights — why do you have them if no one on the team is gay?” Prokop said. “The point is that it’s for the fans. For me, it means a lot to play in them to show my community and be a representative on the ice.”

While education is important, Prokop said any real change in the NHL when it comes to inclusion will start with other players coming out. He’s not putting any timeline or pressure on that. He didn’t have one. But that’s when players in the league will see a different perspective, get more comfortable with it.

“Otherwise, it’s always going to be a story,” Prokop said. “I also can see why guys don’t want to come out. Especially in the NHL. They’ve been very successful, so why change? I kind of saw that from the perspective when the whole Pride jersey story came out. My phone was blowing up. I don’t think guys want to have to deal with that. There was a responsibility for me to talk about these topics. I don’t think guys want to do that. I can see it from that side, why they don’t want to come out.

“I don’t think anything is going to change unless someone else does. Someone else will step up. It’s only a matter of time. I thought there’d maybe be two, three of us by now. But it hasn’t happened. But I know there’s going to be someone else soon. It’s math. There’s what, 700 players in the league? There’s definitely a few more.”

- - - - - - -

While there have been some derogatory comments coming from the stands on a few occasions, Prokop has been encouraged there have been none from opposing players.

“Zero,” he said.

Most of the feedback he’s received, even on social media, has been positive. And it’s not just the comments like Matthews’ that stick with him. Two high schoolers in Seattle, Kaitlin and Jo, reached out to him over Instagram. They are part of the LGBTQ+ community and were struggling.

“Like everyone, they just wanted someone to talk to,” Prokop said.

Part of Prokop’s pregame routine is usually to hang by the bench and listen to music. On many occasions, Kaitlin and Jo would come by and the three of them would just chat for 10, 12 minutes. They’re the fans that Prokop saw every game above the tunnel on his way to the dressing room. They’ve stayed in touch. Prokop even did a Zoom meeting with their high school class last month. “They have a special place in my heart,” he said.

When, and if, Prokop makes his NHL debut, he says he’ll have a special secret plan for them.

Whether Prokop lives his NHL dream remains to be seen. He’s praised the Predators for their support from the first time he did a group video call with the staff. Former NHLer Mark Borowiecki, now a development coach, has been someone Prokop has leaned on often, not only for on-ice advice but for help getting through things mentally.

Scott Nichol, the Predators’ assistant GM, likes Prokop’s potential.

“Big right-shot defensemen that can skate, move the puck. They don’t grow on trees,” he said. “He just needs to polish up his game in some areas in the defensive zone. He’s got the tools. He’s got the skating ability. It’s just patience and embrace the process.”

Prokop is grateful for his support group, from his parents, Al and Nicole, to his brother, Josh, and sister, Alanna. He’s kept in touch with Heather Lefebvre, who is a specialist in hockey engagement and alumni relations with the Oilers Entertainment Group. They talk almost every day. What sticks out to Lefebvre is how young Prokop was when he came out (19), and while he wears this “trailblazer” cap, he’s still standing alone.

“I think this generation is more ready for it than past generations, for sure,” Lefebvre said. “It says a lot to me that nobody else has come out in the year and a half since he has. He’s the only openly gay player under NHL contract, but he’s not the only gay player under NHL contract.

“That’s where I think we have work to do. Is it great that he’s been accepted and can do his thing? Yes. But he looks at the positives, which makes me really happy for him. But that doesn’t mean there’s no negative.”

Prokop takes the positives in his off-ice life, too. He lives with Alanna in the offseason back home in Edmonton. He’s found teammates to share in his hobbies, like golf (he plays 40 to 50 rounds a year). He loves to read, from biographies to sci-fi. He watches basketball more than hockey and has more than 25 jerseys. He cooks. He got into puzzles during the pandemic and is bullish about doing them on his own.

Prokop also feels comfortable getting out there on the dating scene and not having to hide it from teammates.

“Obviously, the lifestyle of a hockey player is tough for some people,” he said. “I’m trying to find the right person to connect with. I’m a softie, a romantic guy. I love love. I’m always on the lookout for that right person to spend the rest of my life with.”

Prokop doesn’t see the label of being the first openly gay player under NHL contract as a weight. It’s more of a responsibility. He has a platform and wants to use it. He’s realistic, “dreaming about winning the community service award more than the Norris Trophy.”

Making the AHL jump or someday the NHL jump won’t define him.

“One of my main goals when I came out is that if I could have an impact on one person outside of my family and friends in my lifetime, I’ve done my job,” he said. “I think I’ve done that and more. And I want to continue to do that.”

[readingbythestreetlights]

hockey and thoughts

once and a while i just sit here and think about how much i miss fleury on the penguins, and how draisaitl probably misses tkachuk when they play the flames while my boy matthew is thriving in florida, and how kane and toews are gonna split apart any day now and i want toews to be the captain forever, and how stromer and davo don’t talk but dylan pretty much had a revenge night for connor’s 500th game, and how the 2015 draft class exists and i always manage to forget sebastian aho was a part of it, and how mathew barzal will always be my one and only because i claimed him oh so long ago and even though there are players i like better there’s something nostalgic that wells up in me when i think of him.

i want sidney crosby to never go because he has been my hockey role model for as long as i can remember, and i want geno, tanger, and him to stay on the pens with access to some special fountain of youth potion.

i think about how mcdavid hasn’t gotten a cup yet and that probably isn’t right, but it preserves crosby’s domination for just a little while, and i think about how sid and ovi have been a handful of career points apart this whole season, and both are nearing 1,500 total and that’s so amazing i adore them.

i don’t really want crosby, malkin, stamkos, ovechkin, tavares, kane, toews, and others to go just yet, but shea weber recently retired and carey price is dunzo but i love him, and i want the flyers to succeed and do at least somewhat good because a good ol’ pennsylvania guns-blazing matchup is all i need before crosby retires.

i tend to think about giroux going to the panthers to win a cup, only to be handed off like he isn’t one of the greatest talents/vets in the league.

i really, really miss him on the flyers, and somehow i’m supposed to deal with nolan patrick having left, too? but hartsy (cahtah haht) is still here and t.k. and haysey, so we’re all good.

because philly finally has a good goalie and i love him and man i love jarry but he’s just not able to stay healthy and i hate him for it.

i want to see pasta succeed even more, and i really don’t mind mcavoy and i’ve got a lot of respect for bergeron, but i really hate the bruins and marchand but one day i’ll miss him i’m certain.

clayton keller is a god among men and he’s adorable, much like sasha barkov.

for some reason i’ve got a soft spot for ghost bear.

clayton keller is wonderful and nick suzuki, cole caulfied, and all the young dallas guys are too!

there’s a bright future ahead for those kids.

kaner scored a hatty against the leafs tonight. the hawks won.

and lastly, i really, really recommend and love watching the one roundtable interview of lundqvist, crosby, and tazer. 

[munch4march]

i’m so bad at responding to these but today i shall do it because i think i need it

hockey tag game 🏒

tagged by ml @fvcking-damage ilysm

rules: list your

✨️ no°1 team?

boston bruins baby

💌 your favorite goalie?

j. sway 4lyfe

🔟what would be your jersey number?

i wear 36 and will forever stand by the fact it's goated

👯🏻‍♂️what team would you love to play for?

boston bruins baby

❤️‍🔥who is your favorite player currently?

brad marchand today, brad marchand tomorrow, brad marchand forever

👀a trade that hurt you emotionally?

hallsy and fliggy to ch*cago bc what the fuck even was that. did you think twice? did you think once? did you think about thinking?

🌈 what is your experience on hockeyblr so far?

aw i owe it everything. met some of my best friends on here and could not be more grateful for the fact. i love you guys so much

and then tag some mutuals you'd like to know these about ☺️🏒🖤

no presh tags:

@the-goon-tm @swaymarks @thebluejayawe @mr-iskender @prettypinkmcavoy @krugstrash @ghostgeno @earth-to-sway @frederics-roofing-co

[tangerisms]

hiii I'm charlie (*・ω・)ﾉ

im a queer latino artist from south florida who has unfortunately been afflicted with hockey special interest

my tags : my art | my edits | my gifs | yapping

main teams : penguins | panthers | wild

( more tierlist info under the cut)

soulbonded :

panthers : my home team , my soulmate , my horrible terrible wives. I love them an unreasonable amount and want to stack them all in a pile and cuddle them

penguins : my day one team , my beloved cringefail flightless birds . I learned about hockey one day and got sucked into the whirlpool that is the pittsburgh penguins . send help .

some blorbos :

wild : my favorite weird gays . originally my west coast playoff team bc they had Flower , I unfortunately fell in love with their antics and general unhinged silliness . they may be a misery team but they're MY misery team .

avalanche : originally endeared because of sid/nate antics , unfortunately fell in love with erik johnson and gabe landeskog . and cale makar . and alexandar georgiev . please take care of dewey for me

red wings : u guys got alex lyon from the cats so I obviously had to follow him . also the russian five make me insane . I heart u sergei fedorov.

hurricanes : originally in the "you irritate me" tier , they have since been bumped up because of pyotr kochetkov , andrei svechnikov , and seth jarvis . and ... guh ... jake guentzel . sob.

kraken : many former pens but also a handful of unrelated sillies . I love u brian dumolin and kailer yamamoto . I love you turbo . I love you goalie tandem . etc etc . I hate you vince dunn .

canucks : very silly vibes , glad 2 have seen them go so far in the playoffs . I have velcroed myself to quinn hughes , thatcher demko , and conor garland

following for my friends :

sharks : I have two besties who are sharks fans and I feel really bad for you guys . u deserve better n I hope you get get well soon

stars : also besties with stars fan , u guys have some sillies like robo and seguin . I miss you joe pavelski :( vibes are fun and silly though

devils : this ones a little vaguer , I dont really follow but I'll listen along to what friends have to yap about them . interesting vibes

indifferent :

I really don't have much to say about these teams except I heart you juuse saaros , I miss you carey price , and I hope the ducks go back to teal and purple colors

you irritate me but you have silly guys :

bruins : this is self explanatory , however goalies . and sometimes marchand . and obviously patrice bergeron . I will admit there are fun vibes you just annoy me sometimes sorry

rangers : I hate you trouba I dislike you rempe and I have personal beef with the fans who were acting like dicks in amerant . mika and shesty you will forever have my heart though . and henrik . duh

throwing you off a cliff :

vegas : horrible vibes all around , I will forever hold a grudge for taking Flower and the finals last year . I donnot like you at all . this excludes robin lehner . love you panda

lightning : no good vibes from me . also rivalry . tampa as a whole gives me unsettling vibes I hate visting there

KYS :

rest in piss :

bl*ckh*wks : literally die I hate this team and franchise so much . I don't care about anything or anyone in here , this is a strongly anti hawks blog . fuck this team and franchise

oilers: I used to like these guys , even had some respect for them. however fuck hiring bowman , fuck evander kane , fuck corey perry, and fuck everyone in their dipshit team

coyotes : im so sorry babygirl you deserved better . I'll miss you so much kachina jerseys .

[hauntedppgpaints]

tagged by @captainbradmarchand, thank you beloved <3

hockey tag game 🏒

rules: list your:

✨️ no°1 team?: oughhg.... probably the flyers. but it's a three-way tie honestly. flyers/penguins/bruins

💌 your favorite goalie?: marc-andre fleury 🌸🌸🌸

🔟what would be your jersey number?: 3!

👯🏻‍♂️what team would you love to play for?: flyers OR coyotes. my love for the kachina knows no bounds.

❤️‍🔥who is your favorite player currently?: right now? travis dermott

👀a trade that hurt you emotionally?: CLOD GIROO./..... FOREVER ORANGE.//...

🌈 what is your experience on hockeyblr so far?: beloved mutuals. lots of lovely sobbing in my poetry post tags. memes.

and then tag some mutuals you'd like to know these about ☺️🏒🖤

@hard4softthings / @captainbradmarchand / @sirjaybobovka / @tkachukitup

[brxdyking]

that was shit. it was a shit loss in a shit first round. its a devastating upset. but you still cant deny that this team was something incredibly special. a record setting 64 wins. a goalie duo u cant help but love, even if you’re a bruins hater. one of the last seasons with bergeron, an incredible captain every step of the way. its a special team, its a special locker room, and this season will forever be one of my favorites to be a fan. no one wants an ending besides the stanley cup, but this season was still an incredible one. see you all for 2023-24

[whatissideways]

Goalie GoPro: Swayman Extended Cut from Fenway Park

Have some evidence to love Sway, or love Sway more (loving Sway is inevitable)....

[unch4rted-territ0ry]

I had a shower thought-

What if(fanfic idea), because of the Ullmark trade, Ully and Sway go long distance? As in long distance relationship? Phones calls and video calls and shit, and sending each other gifts and stuff.

(I'm I trying to make anything happen to keep them together in my little mind)

[rymurrsneckbeard]

SO last year I made a list of teams I want to win the Cup (I think, I can't seem to find the goddamn post now) and it seems like a fun thing to do again!

'Please god no, kill me instead' category

Tampa Bay Lightning (ENOUGH. You won enough. Go away.)

Edmonton Oilers (I love watching Connor McDavid suffer.)

Boston Bruins (You won the one Cup you were allowed to win the year Andy got it. Fuck off otherwise.)

'...ew' category

New York Islanders (You don't belong there ANYWAY with all your fuckin' loser point OT losses, also both your goalie and coach are domestic abusers so get the fuck out of here)

Dallas Stars (I have somewhat rational hate for Jamie Benn. Just an intensely dislikeable team)

Washington Capitals (I'm a Pens fan, come on. Also you don't belong here either. Go back to Russia already, Ovi.)

Vegas Golden Knights (Fuck them and their LTIR cap cheating bullshit. Small bright spot is I love William Karlsson SO MUCH)

Carolina Hurricanes (I love Jake and I love Svech but otherwise...nah. I'm good.)

meh

LA Kings (Other than PLD they really don't have any players I really love but I also don't dislike them, other than the bullshit that went down with Quick at the deadline last year whiiiiich...)

New York Rangers (I don't love the Rangers but I DO love Alex Wennberg and I also love that I have friends who would be very very happy about it and I'd be happy for them. Also Jonathan Quick getting his FOURTH ring would make me so goddamn happy.)

oooh okay

Nashville Predators (I have nothing against the Preds, plus they have players I LOVE like O'Reilly, LSchenn, and ESPECIALLY Jason Zucker. Also Juuse Saros is a delight.)

Colorado Avalanche (Look I will always and forever want Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen to win things. But they also have a few players I really really don't like so I can't ENTIRELY cheer for them to win it all.)

yessss

Toronto Maple Leafs (I mean. Morgan. Willy. Mitch. Auston. But then they have Keefe who can go fuck himself. And Reaves/Bertuzzi/Domi can also all go fuck themselves. But I love the first four enough that I can ignore the others.)

Florida Panthers (I need Matthew to win a Cup. And Aaron Ekblad. And Sam Bennett. I just need someone to throw Cousins into the fucking ocean please.)

PLEASE WIN

Vancouver Canucks (I want Brock Boeser to have ALL the good things. He deserves everything good and shiny. Also Petey?! And Lindy!? Also my newfound love/lust for JT Miller!? And Conor Garland is SO LOVABLE. Like I just enjoy them overall. The ONLY negative is fucking Desmith.)

Winnipeg Jets (I wanna see Adam Lowry win a Cup. And I fucking LOVE Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan. There's just really no one on this team I genuinely hate. I don't LOVE Scheifele but he's whatever.)

SO there we go. Ranked as best I can place them, lol.

[brockachu]

all my favorite have already had their moment at eurovision, so this is my contribution for your thread about nhl captains: some small things i know about the bruins. (my knowledge covers only as far as zdeno chara, so earlier implications fall flat into the deep sea of my ignorance).

ok, so to talk about patrice bergeron we must first talk about zdeno chara, the former captain. chara signed with the team in 2006 and he did only because the bruins agreed to name him captain BEFORE he'd even played a game for the franchise. (crazy) what always strikes me is the reasons he requested to be named captain: he wanted to change The Culture from day 1; at various points through the years, he has spoken about how hard it was to go to north america as a foreigner, how difficult it was to integrate and the fact that sometimes being a rookie and also a foreigner added to the general un-welcoming atmosphere. when he became captain of the bruins he instituted a policy of zero hazing for the rookies, nothing like rookie dinners that would make the newcomers feel 'separate' from the main team, anything of the sort. now, idk (and idk if anybody knows) how much of this was effectively implemented, but i think a lot; even the fact the he came right out to SAY these things feels important to me. chara's general vibe: team dad, and not because everybody looks like a child standing next to him.

fun fact about chara: he has a bondage frame on his bed

patrice bergeron is basically a creature of chara, handpicked and prepared for the role in the chara years (he was already in boston when chara arrived there, but he had played only one full season with the bruins and he admitted he didn't speak a lot of english by that point, so it was kinda difficult to deal with people). patrice is A GENTLEMAN (sometimes a bitch, when you rile him up, but). UNIVERSALLY BELOVED. CALLED 'PERFECT HUMAN BEING' ON THE REGULAR BY EVERYONE. and his good looks are the least appealing of his traits. by the end of chara's tenure, he'd been de facto co-captain for a few years; he's steady, reliable, (wonderful), has a calm presence to him and you can see how everybody naturally gravitates around his presence; he's one who leads by example. the vibes that chara instilled in that locker room are bergy's vibes. once again, bergy's the team resident dad.

when chara was gone in 2020, weeks before the bruins even made a decision on his successor, he had this to say:

“Absolutely, no question— Patrice is going to be the next captain of the Boston Bruins. [...] I think everybody knows that. He’s absolutely the right person to have as the captain. [...] He’s going to be an unbelievable captain and leader.”

we are aggressively not talking about the future - bergy's contract is up this summer and has ventilated the possibility of retirement because of a few nagging health issues. everybody is ignoring this, hiding their heads under the sand, but if the bruins lose their game 7, tonight could also mark the end of bergy's career forever.

charlie mcavoy is going to be their next captain, this much is certain. he's a little on the young side for the general taste, but he IS the future. he has shown he might be ready. and boston (it is my impression) kinda loves having someone who is a bonafide stallion a Great Defenceman as their captain, it's just the vibe.

[we can all admit that the bruins are complete assholes during the playoffs and hate on them, it's fine. sports are just... like that. don't hate bergy too much, though.]



ah the day has come that i, a horrible lil canucklehead, actually learn a thing about the bruins besides ‘hehe funny cranky stabby goalie’. thank you for telling me the bruins captain narrative! i do actually respect bergeron & chara before him, i just also refused to learn about them before and i still will not be going out of my way to learn anymore than this bc some things are simply not for my fucked up lil charcuterie board. but i will store narratives in the noggin with the other captain narratives :)

i do remember reading about the no hazing policy (and seeing the bondage bed) which is v cool of zdeno. good on him! i hope bruins fans can come to peace with whatever happens next with bergeron. and bless charlie mac that funky chipmunk cheeked dude, i do admittedly find him endearing 😂

[mattgrzelcyks]

top five of those 'dumb boys who go fast' you like so much;)

oh no molly oh no you've done it now this accidentally ended up being very long

1. david pastrnak (pasta, carby boy, #1 forever in my heart amen)

he's just so good he's SO GOOD AT HOCKEY MOLLY i love him dearly. he once complained that he had to do media because he missed dancing to Aqua's barbie girl in the locker room. he is one of the first three picks for the 2022 czech ice hockey team!!! so talented!! he also has incredible fashion. he's also going to be one of the bruins' rotating As (alternate captains) this year i'm so proud!!

2. patrice bergeron (bergy, saint patrice, o captain my captain)

in a totally unironic way i would lay down my life for this man. he's so god damn good at hockey, and he's the bruins captain and HE'S SUCH A GOOD MAN. does a lot of charity work?? incredible centre?? absolutely unquestioned that he would be the next captain of the bruins when they yeeted chara. also, while pasta was the First Hockey Player i loved (thank you eddie) i did not agree to watch a game until eddie sent me THIS PICTURE. for their outdoor game last season he picked the theme of the 90s, and that is a WORKING WALKMAN.

second photo because he's straight up the most handsome man in the world i will not be taking criticisms or questions about this. his profile is getting me through life.

3. matt grzelcyk (grizzy, my actual girlfriend)

tiny small defensemen also very good excellent work he's only like 5'9 that is tiny. i am having to hold myself back here because i once gave my mother a one hour long lecture on matty grzelcyk and how he's a BOSTON BOY BORN AND RAISED AND HIS DAD AND BROTHER WORK AT TD GARDEN AND HE LEARNT TO SKATE ON BRUINS ICE AND NOW HE IS A BRUIN.

4. jeremy swayman (swaybae, baby sway, sways, baby goalie)

ONLY HIS ROOKIE SEASON THIS YEAR AND ALREADY HE HAS TWO SHUTOUT GAMES? THE TALENT? THE TALENT? he's incredible and he's only gonna get BETTER i cannot wait to see it. he's also a complete fucking weirdo. once said "i'm not a weird goalie" and then said he LOVES shootouts (for context: no one loves shootouts). he also stretches before games like this. sweet boy 10/10 excellent smile.

5. brad marchand (rat king!!!, RAT KING!!!, marchy)

marchy ideally would have been higher but obviously i must prioritise by girlfriend and my actual son. absolutely fucking INSANELY good at hockey and doesn't get enough credit for it because he's a pest. he's a good boy now!

unironically one of the most handsome bruins

i could literally list at least another 5 more if you wanted

ASK ME TOP FIVE ANYTHING

[rosesvioletshardy]

because i’m back here are my thoughts on the games i didn’t lb for the time i’ve missed i watched some of the games and was following the others through twitter for the rest

03/26

bos/nyi: matinees (derogatory), bruins still suck and all 3 goals were from minnesota men

sens/cats: i don’t go here at all but panthers still suck and would rather kms than be a fan idc if g is there and would rather be a sens fan

flames/oilers: still hate the oilers, mike smith still sucks, johnny i fucking love you hope they re-sign you soon king you keep this team alive, marky i’m sorry you don’t have good defense sometimes and didn’t deserve to get scored on at all also flames own the oilers and the refs sucked the entire game and were oilers fans (nurse was literally holding down mang the last minute of the play and refs didn’t notice, gave matty the penalty when smith punched him in the head while he was in a headlock too and were blind to multiple others that shouldve been oilers penalties)

canes/blues: still love the canes and hate md13 & tda77 thank god for kk and that 7-2 W especially on brady and svech’s birthdays

03/27

nyi/tbl: matinees (derogatory), still hate tampa and they don’t deserve any respect at all, a bunch of missed calls,

phi/nsh: watched it after work, i hate roman josi with a burning passion, they always win then i don’t watch + joel is monicaphobic because he always scores when i don’t watch, also stop losing leads challenge and help your goalie out ffs

avs/min: watched some of it and finished listening at work. inconsistent reffing and were so many no call on the the wild but that’s not shocking they always favor them. truly can’t stand the wild idc if tyson is there, i can’t stand them. it was fully refs vs avs that entire game but good job for nate for standing up for mikko, otherwise fuck the wild they don’t deserve any rights at all

leafs/p*nthers: don’t go here but i hate the panthers and them losing makes me happy

3/28

canes/c*ps: truly one of their best games. fuck everyone on the caps especially tjo77, ao8, and tw43 as well as le20 for the hit on kk. svech noted goon™️, freddie is still hot. and capitals still suck, tw43 acts like a child, and i will never respect them or anyone on that team ever

3/29

isles/cbj: i hope ilya is okay, they actually played decent shocking.

flyers/w*ld: FUCK THE W*LD, as you can tell i still hate the wild and they don’t deserve any happiness, idc if he’s on the team, flyers are still falling apart. happy bday sanny :), i hope the wild don’t have any happiness and choke in playoffs. truly hated the bias towards the w*ld like ???? m*f is on my shitlist, baby flyer noah deserves everything, ref’s were 100% w*ld fans. thank you to bee for drawing a penalty for the frosty goal tho :)

avs/flames: i don’t like it when my teams play against each other. both teams actually played really well. tho i’m still not gonna lb when 2 of them play against each other. refs stop making soft ass calls challenge no wonder no one respects the refs

canes/t*mpa: i still hate tampa and they deserve absolutely no respect, i’m sorry it was national broadcast bc we all know they’re going to be biased towards t🤢l, and they still don’t deserve any rights, canes i’m sorry

3/31

isles/cbj: KEEP ZACH/MAT/OLIVER TOGETHER BAROLD! also find it funny both aho’s in the nhl scored at the same time. that old dudes opinion doesn’t matter at that one point in the 1st period like shut up already glad the mute button exists. (i know i’m talking about isles game but still — but avs will get past 1st & 2nd round just be mad they’re one of the best teams and panthers suck i hope they have no happiness). wasn’t shocking they gave up the lead they’re the isles of course. OLIVER MY BELOVED IM SO HAPPY YOU GOT A GOAL IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER 💞💕❤️‍🔥💘💖 PLUS PALMS GOT A GOAL AND IT FINALLY COUNTED

canes/habs: (insert the aho comment above here too). they played really went especially after playing the lightning so there’s. but habs are last in the league so it wasn’t shocking to see the canes win this game but FREDDIE SHUTOUT

avs/sharks: i’m begging the avs to actually score in the first period again im bored but it’s so nice to have nate back NEWY MY BELOVED also sharks were ugly for challenging it like it was clean and no interference y’all are stupid. DILF GOAL HELMS MY BELOVED i love it when helms scores he deserves it MIKKO MY BELOVED !!! NAZ AND EJ 2 POINT NIGHT !! BURKY MY SWEET BOY

flames/kings: upset haven’t had a marky shutout in a while :( BUT JOHNNY MY BELOVED SAID HES NOT GONNA LET THE KINGS GET ONE. YOU LET ERIK GUDBRANSON SCORE ON YOU ??? FOLD THE FRANCHISE. KINGS ARE STILL UGLY AND FLAMES ARE STILL FIRST IN PACIFIC

h*wks/p*thers: i hate both teams but panthers can choke more and again wish hell upon them and they don’t deserve any happiness and also gudas can fuck right off no wonder i hated him but i hate him even more now on that team they can all fuck off

pens/w*ld: y’all know i hate the pens because i’m a flyers fan BUT THE WILD FINALLY LOST AND THE PENS DID THAT FOR ME

4/01

nyi/nyr: (completely forgot to do it during the game so i did it after) MAT BARZAL 300th POINT AND A GOAL ??? I LOVE THAT ! 2 DILF GOALS ??? THEY DID THAT FOR ME ! ALSO ANDERS ??? FIGHTING ??? HELLO ???? how does this team beat the rangers but lose to a team like montreal i’ll never understand

4/02

avs/pit: nate vs his bestie </3. nate and geno talking about who sid loves more. darcy kuemper my beloved i’m sorry your team stresses you out and you and frankie both save their asses every game <3. MIKKO MY BELOVED !!! NEWY IS MICD ! the wrong nova scotian scored gross. SINNER BOY MY BELOVED. we got burky curling again. refs hate the avs but what else is new. CONTENT KING MY BELOVED <3. HELMS IS INNOCENT ITS HIS 800th GAME FREE HIM!! avs vs getting an en goal . AVS WIN IN REG MY BELOVED

canes/w*ld: didn’t watch much of the game because i was watching flyers but i still hate minnesota and they don’t deserve any right at all. FREDDIE MY BELOVED <333 m*f still sucks and i hate him wish he was still with the h*wks and suffering gross ugly game i don’t care about tyson anymore so his tag is blocked btw. WHICHEVER WILDS PLAYER MADE TURBO BLEED , IM IN YOUR WALLS 🔪 NO SHUTOUT FOR MAF IKTR TURBO MY BELOVED <333 it’s still fuck the wild i could care less for them and hope they have a first round exit

flyers/l*fs: it’s still fuck the leafs and fuck am34 and everyone on that team. toronto still sucks and i wish them no happiness. idk how some people find am34 attractive. finally yandle gets benched ive been saying it since they acquired him and he should’ve stayed whatever team he came from. BABY FLYERS FIRST NHL GAME <3333 LET ZACK FIGHT 🔪 CARTER THOSE SAVES HOLY SHIT ! KEVIN MY BELOVED !! leafs you suck x2! DRAKES DAD MY BELOVED !!! YOU LET FUCKING 6 HEAD SCORE ??? FUCK OFF

flames/blues: this team vs giving marky another shutout. um if im honest i stopped watch after the first period because i got hella depressed like usual and also logged off twitter but i was still getting notifs so RITCHIE ????JOHNNY MY BELOVED NOAH MY BELOVED DUBEY MY BELOVED blues i still hate you and you suck