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Ray Ratto

Cason Wallace #22, Isaiah Hartenstein #55, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2, Chet Holmgren #7, and Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate during the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 23, 2025.

Are The Thunder Too Good?

Lauren Theisen

Logan Cooley #92 of the Utah Mammoth celebrate a hat trick with the Utah Mammoth bench during the third period against the Vegas Golden Knights at Delta Center

The Hats Were Not Enough For Logan Cooley

Barry Petchesky

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - NOVEMBER 22: Dakota Mermis #36 of the Toronto Maple Leafs fights Florian Xhekaj #63 of the Montréal Canadiens during the third period at Bell Centre on November 22, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Reuben Polansky-Shapiro/NHLI via Getty Images)

You’re Either An Arber Xhekaj Or A Simona Xhekaj

Anaheim Ducks Wild Wing celebrates after their victory

Truly The Most Random Men Scored For The Ducks Last Night

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 19: Devin Cooley #1 of the Calgary Flames stands during the singing of 'O Canada' prior to an NHL game on November 19, 2025 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images)

World’s Most Normal Goalie: “Nothing Matters, Nobody Cares, We’re All Gonna Die”

Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals skates before playing against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Capital One Arena on November 17, 2025 in Washington, DC.

When Will Alex Ovechkin Stop Scoring?

San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf (51) beats Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson (32) for the game-winning goal

The Sharks Smell Blood

Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers carries the puck in the offensive zone

Connor McDavid Broke The Blue Jackets

A general view of the Enterprise Center during a game between the St. Louis Blues and the Edmonton Oilers

How To Watch Hockey

EDMONTON, CANADA - OCTOBER 23: Evan Bouchard #2 of the Edmonton Oilers in action during the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Rogers Place on October 23, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Evan Bouchard’s Making It Messy Out There

DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 23: Gavin Brindley #54 of the Colorado Avalanche fights for the puck against Charles-Alexis Legault #62 of the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period at Ball Arena on October 23, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The NHL Has A Uniform Problem

The Montreal Canadiens celebrate on ice after a win in overtime against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on October 22, 2025 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

More Like The Calgary Wet Logs

ELMONT, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 21: Matthew Schaefer #48 of the New York Islanders looks on against the San Jose Sharks at UBS Arena on October 21, 2025 in Elmont, New York.

Get Excited About The Islanders’ Fearless Teen

This Is Not Ideal Goalie Positioning

Posters of Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov and a tear-out centerfold of "Defector Hockey Monthly 2025 season preview"

Who’s Hot And Who’s Not? A 2025–26 NHL Preview

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 17: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates with the puck in the third period of Game Six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on June 17, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McDavid Will Be The Biggest Bargain In Sports

Kirill Kaprizov #97 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates

Minnesota Is Good Enough For Kirill Kaprizov

Dan McQuade was a founding member of Defector. He died in January 2026.

Dan McQuade

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - CIRCA 1975: Goalie Bernie Parent #1 of the Philadelphia Flyers guards the net during a game against the New York Rangers circa 1975 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Parent helped the Flyers to two Stanley Cup Championships in 1974 and 1975.

You Couldn’t Drag Bernie Parent Out Of Philadelphia

TORONTO, ON - September 17 Head Coach Craig Berube chats to the media.

The Maple Leafs Can’t Seem To Get Out Of The First Round Against Punctuation

ST. PAUL, UNITED STATES - MAY 1: the NHL Playoff game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Minnesota Wild at the Xcel Energy Center on May 1, 2025 in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. (Photo by /NHL)

Your Best Player Might Want Out. Enjoy The Season!

<a href="http://www.ddavisla.com">David Davis </a>is the author of Wheels of Courage: How Paralyzed Veterans From World War II Invented Wheelchair Sports, Fought for Disability Rights, and Inspired a Nation and Waterman: The Life and Times of Duke Kahanamoku. He lives in Los Angeles.
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David Davis

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - CIRCA 2000: Photographer Bruce Bennett photographers a battle between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the of the New York Islanders circa 1990 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images)

Shots

After 50 Years Of Shooting Hockey, Bruce Bennett Finds An Even Tougher Challenge: Birds

The Ontario Court of Justice is seen in London, Ontario on February 5, 2024 where the five hockey players accused in the World Juniors sexual assault case were schedule to appear in court today. Four NHL players have been charged over their involvement in an alleged 2018 gang rape when they were part of Canada's junior national ice hockey team, local media and lawyers for the players. (Photo by Peter POWER / AFP)

Five Players Found Not Guilty In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial

General Manager Bill Guerin of the Minnesota Wild smiles during rounds 2-7 of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft at TRIA Rink on July 24, 2021 in St. Paul, Minnesota

Bills Week

The Wild’s Offseason Has Been Pretty Tame

El Segundo, CA - May 15: Los Angeles Kings general manager Ken Holland meets with Joel Edmundson, Jordan Spence and Warren Foegele at Toyota Sports Performance Center on May 15, 2025 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Kings Did Their Free Agency Shopping At A Bin Store

SUNRISE, FL - APRIL 28: Aaron Ekblad #5 celebrates his goal with Brad Marchand #63 of the Florida Panthers against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Amerant Bank Arena on April 28, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Aaron Ekblad;Brad Marchand

NHL