The big, brand-name teams are all gone. There are no Original Sixers left in the NHL’s final four and that’s fine. Sure, we’d love to be covering that expected long playoff run by the Bruins, but the best teams are determined on the ice.
And just because the remaining four teams — Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers — don’t come from “traditional” hockey cities doesn’t mean they don’t matter. The Stars, Knights and Canes have all developed passionate fan bases. The Panthers? Well, they’re still trying to figure out how to keep opposing fans from buying all the tickets at Florida Live Arena. But three out of four isn’t bad.
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