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

Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche smiles during warmups ahead of Round Two Game Two of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild.

The Colorado Avalanche Don’t Need Luck

Lauren Theisen

Taylor Hall #71 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal

Could This Finally Be The Hurricanes’ Year?

What The Hell Was That?

Barry Petchesky

TAMPA, FLORIDA - MAY 03: Nikita Kucherov #86 of the Tampa Bay Lightning reacts after the 2-1 defeat against the Montréal Canadiens in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena on May 03, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)

Tampa Lost An Unlosable Game

Jakub Dobes #75, Alexandre Carrier #45 and Kaiden Guhle #21 of the Montréal Canadiens celebrate after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 3, 2026.

The Canadiens Butted Their Way Into An Upset

Logan Stankoven #22 of the Carolina Hurricanes shoots the puck for a goal against goalie Dan Vladar #80 of the Philadelphia Flyers in Game One of the Second Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Hurricanes Aim To Keep It Boring

ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 30: Jackson LaCombe #2 and Leo Carlsson #91 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrate a goal scored in the first period of the game against the Edmonton Oilers in Game Six of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 30, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

Duck, Duck, Goals!

Vegas And Utah Are Murder On Early Bedtimes

TAMPA, FL - APRIL 29: Montréal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) checks Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg (78) into the boards in the third period during game five of the first round playoff series between the Montreal Canadians and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday, April 29. 2026 at Benchmark Intl Arena in Tampa, FL (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

These Canadiens Will Not Be Pushed Around

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 28: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) blocks a shot during the Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round game 5 between the Dallas Stars and the Minnesota Wild on April 28, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

They Don’t Call Him Jesper Sievestedt

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Connor Murphy #5 , Trent Frederic #10, Darnell Nurse #25 and Tristan Jarry #35 of the Edmonton Oilers fill the goal after a shot by Ryan Poehling #25 of the Anaheim Ducks trickled over the line for a goal during the overtime period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center on April 26, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Oilers, As Usual, Have Bigger Problems

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 22: Trevor Zegras #46 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates his second period power-play goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammates Christian Dvorak #22, Travis Konecny #11, Matvei Michkov #39, Cam York #8(all in the penalty box), and Jamie Drysdale #9 in Game Three of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 22, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Philadelphia’s Hottest Club Is The Penalty Box

Brandon Hagel #38 of the Tampa Bay Lightning cheers on the crowd as heads to the penalty box after a fight against the Montréal Canadiens

This Frickin’ Guy

Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes makes a save against Michael Amadio

Can’t Miss That

EDMONTON, CANADA - APRIL 20: Kasperi Kapanen #42 of the Edmonton Oilers scores a first-period goal against Lukas Dostal #1 of the Anaheim Ducks during Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place on April 20, 2026, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Connor McWhovid?

BUFFALO, NEW YORK - APRIL 19: Mattias Samuelsson #23 of the Buffalo Sabres celebrates his third period goal against the Boston Bruins with Jack Quinn #22 and Jason Zucker #17 in Game One of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at KeyBank Center on April 19, 2026 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Ain’t Over Till It’s Buffalover

DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 09: Nathan MacKinnon #29 of the Colorado Avalanche skates against the Calgary Flames prior to the game at Ball Arena on April 9, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Avs Have Won Nothing

OTTAWA, CANADA - OCTOBER 24: Anton Forsberg #31 of the Ottawa Senators and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen #1 of the Buffalo Sabres shake hands after a ceremonial face-off recognizing Craig Anderson after he signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on October 24, 2023 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)

It Is The Spring Of The Downtrodden

WINNIPEG, CANADA - APRIL 23: Winnipeg Jets fans cheer on their team as they get set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche in Game Two of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre on April 23, 2024, in Winnipeg, Canada. (Photo by David Lipnowski/Getty Images)

The Stanley Cup’s Got To Return To Canada Sometime, Right?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 07: Vincent Trocheck #16 of the New York Rangers celebrates after scoring the game-winning goal in the second overtime to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 07, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)

Vincent Trocheck Is Reaping

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 04: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates his over time winning goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 04, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Leafs Are Not Enough

Andrei Vasilevskiy and Aleksander Barkov shake hands after the Panthers win

There’s Nothing Special About The Lightning Anymore

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 28: Arturs Silovs #31 and Teddy Blueger #53 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrate after defeating the Nashville Predators during overtime of Game Four of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on April 28, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Arturs Silovs; Teddy Blueger