As Tampa Bay Lightning fans navigate their emotions heading into the 2017 NHL Trade Deadline, we take a look at the difference between the business and fandom sides of hockey.
The week or so heading into the NHL Trade Deadline definitely a bittersweet time for Tampa Bay Lightning fans, as well as the fans of the other 29 (soon to be 30) teams in the National Hockey League.
There is plenty of excitement when it comes to the possibility of new players making their way to the team and helping fill in some much-needed roles. At the same time, there is boundless heartache when a person’s favorite player is suddenly traded to another team and essentially out of their hockey lives.
Much like with every good story, there are multiple sides to the game of hockey. Of course, you have the side of hockey which represents a competitive game. Along with this comes the fandom side of things. Unfortunately for fans, the other side of hockey is much more complex. This is the business side.
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There is a distinct line between these two sides and there are few people in this world who dare to traverse both sides. The most obvious reason for this is being forced to set aside all the feelings and bias that come with being a fan and look at things from a rational, business, side of things. This isn’t always an easy task.
If you are a player or someone in the back office of a hockey club, you are all too familiar with the business side of things. Hockey is more than a competitive game to you; it’s your everyday job. You may not work from nine to five, but the work is definitely there, both on and off the ice.
Your teammates and support staff are like your co-workers while your Coaches, General Managers, and Hockey Operations personnel are essentially your “bosses.” From the players’ point of view, if they don’t like their job or their co-workers, it’s on them to negotiate a trade, or as a normal person would put it, a new job.
At the same time, like in the case of the Tampa Bay Lightning, if a General Manager like Steve Yzerman is left with an impossible situation heading into the NHL Trade Deadline where money simply has to be moved, it is on the General Manager to make a deal, which may send a player to a new city, a new team, and ultimately, a new home.
Unfortunately, this is just a normal part of the business. There are no real emotions involved, it is simply a matter of black and white; a series of decisions that lead to the best possible outcome for everyone involved in the situation. Fandom, on the other hand, is a much different animal.
Fandom is more than the feeling you get when you arrive at the arena on game day. True fandom is a way of life. Before you know what hit you, your favorite team has become such a huge part of your daily life, you don’t know what you would do without it.
And, it’s not all about who has the most jerseys, who comes to the game with their faces painted and their Thunder Sticks in hand, or even who has the guts to get up and shake their stuff for the in-arena camera. It’s about the rush you feel inside when the goal horn sounds. The true happiness you feel with the tesla coils crackle.
It’s about the feeling of community; everyone coming together for one common goal…to support their team.
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When you are this involved in something, and it essentially becomes a part of your everyday life, it is hard when changes come. In this specific instance, we are referring to when a player is traded to another team.
You have sat back and watched said player start at the bottom, in some cases, and watched them grow not only as a member of your favorite team or as a player, but as a person as well. These players are more than just the guys you cheer for on the ice, they are a part of your community. Suddenly, they’re gone.
There are some who would equate this to losing a family member. Others would compare it to when your best friend moves out of town. You’ll always love them, they’ll still be around, but things will never quite be the way they used to.
Most fans comprehend the business aspect of the game, but knowing how things work doesn’t necessarily make battling the sting of losing your favorite player to another team any easier.
As of right this moment, Lightning fans across the Bolts Nation are dealing with two major losses. Tampa Bay Lightning fans sat back and watched as goaltender Ben Bishop was shipped off to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Peter Budaj and Erik Cernak, and Brian Boyle was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for AHL forward Byron Froese.
Both Bishop and Boyle were huge parts of the team, on the ice, in the locker room, and more importantly, in the community. Each move can be easily explained by those on the business side, but it is going to take a while for the fandom to completely heal.
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It may take a game; it may take the remainder of the season. Heck, it may even take until the start of the next season. The important thing right now, is we do it together. If someone is upset about their favorite player leaving, be supportive; don’t just try to explain it away. They get it, but it still hurts.
At the same time, those of you caught up in the fandom of the game and the love for your favorite team, don’t bite the heads off of those who find themselves wrapped up in the nature of the beast, otherwise known as the business side of things. They are simply doing what they feel is best for the team as a whole.
There is an old saying which still stands true today. When you are the fan of the team, the logo on the front is always more important than the name and number on the back of their jerseys. Players will come and go as the years pass by; some leave a lasting impression on your heart, others just leave.
When it comes down to it, these players will always have a space in your heart as long as you hold onto the love of the game. Just don’t forget about those players who are still taking the ice every single night to defend the honor of their city and fight to win the most important award in professional sports, the Stanley Cup.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are going through some changes right now, but they are still fighting tooth and nail to dig themselves out of the hole they find themselves in and make a real push towards the postseason. In order to do this, they are going to need their Thunder behind them ready to make some noise.
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The real question left to all of you lost deep in the fandom like those of us here at Bolts By The Bay is, are you ready to Be The Thunder as the Tampa Bay Lightning fight for their rightful place in the 2016-17 postseason? We know we are! Let’s do this!