Hockey is back, and so is FanSided NHL

The 2019-20 NHL season is upon us. Let us here at FanSided NHL introduce ourselves.

Meaningful NHL games will finally be played tonight for the first time since June 12. It’s the start of a clean slate for all of the league’s 31 teams, where unknown potential breeds hope for every hockey fanbase big and small.

Much like fans at the start of a new hockey season, us here at FanSided NHL are also kicking off the year with high hopes and expectations for ourselves. As the newly minted editor for FanSided’s NHL section, I’d like to introduce you to our new look.

For starters, my name is Mary Clarke. I’ve been in the hockey scene for awhile now, having gone from cutting my teeth covering college hockey to working for SB Nation and The Athletic over the last few years. Now, I’m leading FanSided’s NHL team so we can bring you — hockey fans and curious readers — some of the best coverage around.

Hockey as we know it has some catching up to do. The sport, no matter how much we love it, does not have the same draw that football and basketball do with a national audience. While the hockey fanbase is as dedicated and as passionate as any, it still feels niche in the overall scheme of sports. The NHL has made strides to close this gap, but time and time again have held themselves back from unleashing the full potential of this sport.

Here at FanSided NHL, we plan to throw those doors wide open and show the world why hockey stands with the rest as a sport to celebrate. There is a reason why every one of you became a hockey fan and why you all stick around when the going gets tough. We at FanSided NHL are here to shine a light on what makes this sport tick and why it’s so fun night in and night out, while also giving attention to the under appreciated stories that fly under the radar.

Like all things in life, hockey is not perfect and we won’t hold back from saying so. We will cover this sport and the people around it with honesty, passion, insight, inclusivity and of course, some fun too. It may take us a bit of time to find our footing, but we are committed to an open dialogue to bring you the best place to go to celebrate your hockey fandom.

Whether you are brand new to the sport of hockey or have been following it for as long as I have been alive, there’s a place for you here at FanSided. Time to drop the puck.