NHL still gave us plenty to be thankful for in a year unlike any other

There was still a lot to be thankful for in the NHL in a year that we will never forget.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It is officially Turkey Day and, as is custom every single year, today is also the day to reflect on what we are most thankful for. For us here at Puck Prose, that is getting to cover the NHL every single day.

It is honestly one of the best jobs in the world and, despite the 2019-20 season transpiring into one of the strangest years we have ever seen, the best game in the world still gave us a lot to be thankful for.

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Of course, we’ll preface this article with the fact that 2020 has been a bitterly tough year for everyone and Thanksgiving this year will look different for so many people for so many reasons. We of course are thinking about everyone throughout America today.

However, this is a hockey website and, as such, we will focus on the best sport on the planet and what we are thankful for in that regard this year.

I mean, the 2019-20 season started out in a blaze of glory as we remained captivated by Alex Ovechkin‘s race to beat The Great One’s record, we were treated to a new wave of stud rookies headlined by 2019 No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko, the second overall selection.

We wondered if the juggernaut Tampa Bay Lightning could recover from their crushing First Round sweep to the Columbus Blue Jackets the year before, while Leon Draisaitl continued to prove that Connor McDavid isn’t the only star in Edmonton.

Speaking of which, the true heir to The Great One continued to do mind-boggling things that simply defied gravity, Sidney Crosby continued to do Sidney Crosby things and the Buffalo Sabres, well they continued to do Buffalo Sabres things too.

We had goals, a boatload in-fact, stellar goaltending, a rookie defenseman battle for the ages between Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, and a race for the postseason that was as captivating as ever.

There was no shortage of drama at the Trade Deadline as the Vegas Golden Knights continued to flex their notable muscles by going all out to acquire elite goaltender Robin Lehner from the Chicago Blackhawks, making their intentions clear despite being a third-year Expansion team.

Then, COVID-19 struck.

Before any of us had a chance to really grasp what was going on, the global Pandemic brought the 2019-20 NHL season to a shuddering halt and we wondered if that was it.

It certainly seemed like it at some point but, thanks to a tremendous effort and enormous sacrifice from all involved, we got to see some postseason hockey in 2019-20.

And it was simply wonderful.

The two Bubble Cities in Edmonton and Toronto were executed to perfection and, despite the eerie absence of no fans, we were treated to some outstanding and highly compelling hockey.

Crosby and company were stunned by Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Islanders looked like a well-oiled machine similar to those historic dynasty teams in the 80’s, and there were shocks galore.

After a plethora of twists and turns, there were two teams left standing in the Dallas Stars and the Tampa Bay Lightning, with all the pressure firmly on the Lightning who have been the bridesmaid for so long, but never the bride.

Tampa Bay Lightning with the Stanley Cup. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

However, that all changed as Tampa, having obviously learned from the tough lesson dished out the year prior, showed some grit and determination to finally get the job done and lift the greatest prize in all of sports.

It was a strange and crazy postseason that delivered many a memorable moment, and we may have to get used to our new normal during the 2020-21 season.

But, for today, we are thankful for the NHL, we are thankful for the fact that we got to see a Stanley Cup Champion crowned in 2019-20 despite all the adversity and the many obstacles that the league faced along the way.

We are thankful for the new wave of fresh, young talent currently taking the league and the game by storm, we are thankful for veterans like Alex Ovechkin who continues to entertain and dazzle, and we are thankful for the fact that the Seattle franchise did the right thing by going with the Kraken as their nickname and their brand.

And, most importantly, we are thankful to you, our loyal readers and followers who have stuck by us during a very strange and tough year and, for that, we are incredibly thankful.

So, on behalf of all of us here at Puck Prose, we wish you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving and let’s hope that we all have a 2020-21 NHL season to look forward to and be thankful for soon.

Next. The entire NHL should be grateful for Gritty. dark

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.

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