It’s Labor Day weekend, which means that summer is over. What that means is that although we’re still a couple of weeks away from preseason, hockey is almost upon us. In case you don’t believe me though (I mean I can hardly believe we’re at this point either) here are some signs that hockey season is right around the corner.

  1. It’s (hockey) sweater weather – Although we had something of a mild summer here in the New York Metropolitan Area (don’t think I forgot about you Long Islanders/Northern NJ types) there were a few weeks there in July that were quite hot. Even when things weren’t scorching temperatures were still at least 80-something degrees. That seems to have tapered off as of late, with weather as low as the high 50s. All of that means it’s finally appropriate to don your favorite extra layer: your Rangers jersey.

  1. You still don’t care about the Devils – Getting the first overall pick must be nice, but even before the Travis Zajac injury they were still projected to be among the worst teams in the NHL this season. Now, with one of their key centermen going down, it adds more pressure to a totally unseasoned (but still high quality) prospect. Couple that with their still very not good defensive group and you’ve got a team that’s just kind of well, uninspiring. The Hudson River rivalry remains dormant for another year I suppose, because it’s hard to feel anything but pity with regards to our friends over in Jersey.

 

  1. It smells like Shatt in here – The biggest issue for the Rangers last year, and for the last several years if we’re being honest, was the defense. Simply put, Dan Girardi was not a suitable partner for Ryan McDonagh, stymying his potential to be the league-wide talent we all know him to be in our hearts. All of that, plus the fact that Rangers fans have been crying out for a real puck-moving defenseman since the departure of Keith Yandle, and well, we needed somebody. Enter Kevin Shattenkirk. Aside from his endearing qualities and likeability, he’s the real deal. He racks up points like he’s a forward and his defensive acumen, despite his bizarrely baseless reputation, is quite good. Him and McD on the top pair should be a treat to watch this season, and is one of the things to be most excited about in Rangerstown this upcoming season.

 

  1. You’re getting sick of baseball – It’s a decent substitute in the summer, when things slow down anyways and you want more than anything to spend time just laying on the couch watching the hours pass you by. Still, the lack of action can be something of a letdown compared to hockey, and at a certain point it just doesn’t cut it. Your heart craves excitement, the Mets’ hapless injury situation starts to get you down, and you just don’t want to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” anymore. Well your wish is (almost) granted because it’s September, and the NHL preseason starts in just about two weeks. An added bonus here is that even if you’re tired of baseball it’s the most exciting time of the season coming up right now, so you can at least be a little more entertained while you wait for Opening Night.

 

  1. You already know every Rangers’ birthday, how they spent their summer, their offseason training regimen, and so on – We’re living in the golden age of Rangers content, I won’t deny that. Still, after a certain point, learning which Rangers got married, who watches Game of Thrones, when each players’ birthday is, etc etc lacks a certain je nais se quoi that leaves you wanting more. Sure, these are all eminently likeable dudes who it’s fun to root for off the ice as well (try and tell me you weren’t excited when you found out Zucc spent his birthday with Derick Brassard) but we’re not just here to fan out over their personal lives. We want one thing: the Stanley Cup, and the only way to get there is to play lots and lots of hockey. Well folks, it’s truly almost time for that, so get excited, because hockey is right around the corner. Happy Labor Day weekend!

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