CULTURE

Footer Column 2

Footer Legal

Footer Main

Nav Bar

OTHER

SPORTS

Subscribe, at any level, to play

Thanks for your interest in Defector Crosswords!

Become a subscriber today to get unlimited access

Thanks for reading!

Plans start at $8/month.

Subscribers enjoy unlimited, ad-free browsing.

Register to continue

Or click here to subscribe for unlimited, ad-free access!

Our gift to you: This year's post is unlocked. Register your email to get even more free articles.

Welcome to the 2025 Hater's Guide!

Just register your email:

This blog is free to read.

This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

Defector

Ray Ratto

Tyler Seguin #91 of the Dallas Stars is congratulated by his teammates after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in Game One of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 21, 2025.

Three Goals, Six Minutes, No Response

Lauren Theisen

Reilly Smith #19 of the Vegas Golden Knights scores a late goal against Stuart Skinner #74

Leon, No!

Barry Petchesky

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MAY 08: &lt;&gt; of Game Two of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena on May 8, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Only Takes A Second

Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates with teammates after a goal

Leon Draisaitl Makes Everything Easier

EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 27: Corey Perry #90 and Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrate an overtime goal by Leon Draisaitl #29 to win the game against the Los Angeles Kings during Game Four of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on April 27, 2025, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Kings Are Wearing Out

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Adrian Kempe #9 of the Los Angeles Kings scores a goal against Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers in the second period during Game One of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez /NHLI via Getty Images)

The Oilers Are Getting Carved Up Like A Moist And Tender Turkey

Los Angeles, CA - April 21:Kings Warren Foegele, #37, jumps out of the way of a shot by Kings Phillip Danault, #24, to score past Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner in the final seconds of the third period in Game 1 of the first-round series at Cypto.com Arena on Monday, April 21, 2025. The Kings defeated the Oilers 6-1. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

It Rocks When A Hockey Game Is Funny

VANCOUVER, CANADA - JANUARY 18: Conor Garland #8 of the Vancouver Canucks checks Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of their NHL game at Rogers Arena on January 18, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver won 3-2. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McDavid Has Three Games To Think About What He’s Done

Maitreyi Anantharaman

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is interviewed during the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center on June 23, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois.

No Retread Is Too Disgraced For The NHL

Sergei Bobrovsky makes a save on his back

Don’t Forget That The Panthers Almost Choked It All Away

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers enters the dressing room with the Stanley Cup ready to celebrate with teammates after beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Momentum Or The Moment?

<p>Heather Chen is a former Defector intern and the managing editor at the <em>Columbia Daily Spectator</em>. She loves hockey, photography, and the good ol’ state of Michigan.</p>


Heather Wei-Xi Chen

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - JUNE 21: Aleksander Barkov #16 of the Florida Panthers falls into goaltender falls into goaltender Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers during the second period of Game Six of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on June 21, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Game 7 Is For Haters, Too

The Oilers Are Astonishing

, FLORIDA - JUNE 18: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates between teammates Aleksander Barkov #16 and Gustav Forsling #42 of the Florida Panthers in Game Five of the Stanley Cup Final at the Amerant Bank Arena on June 18, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

It’s Connor McDavid’s Playoffs

This Is All Anyone Could’ve Hoped For

The NBA Finals Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and the NHL Stanley Cup are pictured in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 02, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

The Playoffs Go Tinfoil

Connor McDavid is stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky

The Charge Of The Oil Brigade

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 13: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins #93 of the Edmonton Oilers skates past Carter Verhaeghe #23 of the Florida Panthers during the first period of Game Three of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on June 13, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

Panther Sticks Are Everywhere

Evan Rodrigues celebrates after scoring a goal

The Panthers Kept The Faith

SUNRISE, FL - JUNE 08: Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a tough save in the first period during game one of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Amerant Bank Area in Sunrise, Fla. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Bob Was As Good As Goalies Get

Oliver Ekman-Larsson #91 of the Florida Panthers checks Jack Roslovic #96 of the New York Rangers into the boards

The Panthers Will Do Anything

Jake Oettinger during pregame introductions

The Stars Crashed Down To Earth

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 02: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates his first-period goal against the Dallas Stars in Game Six of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on June 2, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McDavid What In The Actual Hell

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 02: Fans cheer on the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the Western Conference Final of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars at Rogers Place on June 2, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Edmonton At The End

Wyatt Johnston scores a goal on Stuart Skinner