The Best and Worst fans of the NHL, 2009 Edition: rankings 20 thru 11

In Minnesota, the main talk is all consumed by the discussion over new (old) Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. While Brett and the media makes his decisions into its only mini-melodrama, I guess the discussion inspired me to want to change the subject and try to stir up some discussion on hockey and the NHL in particular. Why start with something mild, when you can start with something controversial and get some real discussion going. For some fans it will be uncomfortable as the the view I share might seem insulting or mean spirited. With the possible exception of the New Jersey Devils fans, it really isn't meant to be that way. If my comments anger people the way Brett Favre angered Packer fans in Wisconsin then so be it. For other fans, the comments and rankings will cause them to laugh at the fates of their hated rivals, but I assure I am not really trying to be funny. I am merely providing commentary for my selections and giving you an idea as to why I placed them where I did. If you agree with it, great, if not, I can live with that too. No matter what I highly encourage you to share your opinions (good, bad, indifferent) and let the discussion go. Although I will state right off the bat any inappropriate comments will be deleted immediately so let's keep it to the topic at hand, ok? No matter what, the fact that a discussion of fandom causes many to drop the gloves and defend their team and their fellow fans demonstrates just how passionate and energetic NHL fans are. Perhaps its something almost all sports share, but NHL fans believe they're some of the 'best' fans in the world and I happen to agree with that sentiment. They proudly wear their team's colors and come together to support their team. Yes, before everyone starts to start singing Kumbaya its more of an observation of how we're similar even though this article certainly points out how we're different. Either way, intense fans are the essence of what hockey fans are so how could it not get a little heated? Its sort of like Coaches Corner, when Don Cherry gets worked up. It shows that you care and there is nothing wrong with that. So just to reiterate the following from my first article. In an effort to improve the accuracy of my rankings I am going to utilize a more strict set of criteria for placement. Each of the league's 30 teams will be assessed on three basic criteria: 1. Attendance average for the last 3 seasons. This will entail tabulating the season average against the maximum capacity of the arena they currently play in. At least 75%-80.9% will equal 6.0, while anything below 75% capacity would equal a 5. 81%-85.9% will equal 7.0, 86%-89.9% equals 8.0. 90%-99% equals 9.0 and anything over 99% will yield a score of 10. 2. A simple Google search taking note of amount of blogs and team-related message boards listed as well as message board activity. Each component will be graded on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being outstanding or perfect and 0 being very poor. A portion of this grade will take into account the team's average finish during that span of time. In the case of online presence teams are awarded 1 point for every individual blog or team-focused message board that is out there and can receive a maximum score of 100 which would equal a 10 on the 1 to 10 scale with partial points included. For every assessment there will be an explanation for the grade. I would also like to toss out a small disclaimer. While the title of the article is the best and worst fans of the NHL it does not mean that all of the fans of any particular NHL team are bad. It just means the support for the team; one way or the other isn't as great as it may be between various teams. The team's will be listed with their total score tabulated next to it. So let's begin round 2 shall we?#20 - St. Louis Blues - 12.7Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 96.8% (17,488, 15th in the NHL) Online Presence: 3.7Last Year's rank: 18thJustification: This might seem strange but the Blues are on a resurgence. Last year, the team a mix of veterans and a number of youngsters had an outstanding 2nd half to make the playoffs only to be swept by the Vancouver Canucks in four very hard-fought games. The fans have started to fill Scottrade Center most nights and as always are a loud and boisterous group. Despite the resurgence of the team on the ice, the team creates very limited buzz in the town that features MLB superstar Albert Pujols; even the dismal St. Louis Rams garner considerably more discussion then the rising Blues. Sure, the NFL owns the United States but the Rams have been spinning their wheels for years now. The Blues online presence is amongst the league's worst, which is disappointing considering the fans seem to enjoy their hockey. General Manager Larry Pleau and Team President John Davidson have done a tremendous job of building from within while adding just a handful of key vets and Head Coach Andy Murray has the team playing a gritty game their opponents hate and perhaps over time that will inspire more of its fans to blog and discuss the team on the interweb. I would not be surprised at all if they garnered a higher ranking next season if the team continues to improve in what is becoming one of the toughest divisions in the NHL. #19 - Anaheim Ducks - 13.0Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 98.9% (16,990, 17th in the NHL) Online Presence: 4.0Last Year's ranking: 17thJustification: The Stanley Cup hangover is a bit stale but the fans in Orange County seem to be steadily fading away since the team won it all in 2006-07. When the team switched logos and embraced a rough and tumble brand of hockey Honda Center was rocking and rolling but throughout the regular season the fans are far more mild and you can see a lot of empty seats. Still, 98.9 of capacity is pretty impressive in a non-traditional hockey market yet I find it hard to believe that number really represents the amount of butts in the seats when you see their games. Online, the Ducks have a fairly limited presence considering the heavily populated metropolitan area they draw from. The Ducks have gone through some significant changes by departing with giant blueliner Chris Pronger to help restock its prospect pool and in a season that will be fan favorite Teemu Selanne's final year it will be interesting how those two situations affect who shows up this season. Anaheim had a strong finish last year, but can they follow that up or have they traded away the key piece that made that finish possible and does Scott Niedermayer have enough in the tank to do that by himself and keep the fans happy in Anaheim? #18 - Los Angeles Kings - 13.1Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 91% (16,488, 22nd in the NHL) Online Presence: 4.1Last Year's ranking: 19thJustification: It might surprise some people that the Los Angeles Kings are ahead of the cross-town rival Anaheim Ducks, but the fact of the matter is the expectations for the Kings was far lower than the Ducks yet both teams had very similar attendance figures. The Kings have been going through a long-term rebuild but during last season it was becoming obvious that this team is on the cusp of a Chicago Blackhawks-type turnaround. The team is loaded full of young talent, especially on its blueline and boasts some of the better young forwards in the game in underpromoted Anze Kopitar and well-rounded Dustin Brown. Online presence is just barely ahead of the Ducks but the chatter focuses mainly on the bright future which appears to be sooner than later. Sure there are question marks for this team, but they have lots of young kids in the prospect pool to be excited about and at times the Kings demonstrated they can be a rather stifling team to play against. They'll never come even remotely close to eclipsing the Los Angeles Lakers in popularity but a strong 2009-10 could re-establish some of the buzz that has been painfully missing since Wayne Gretzky wore the black and silver uniform. With the additions of veterans Ryan Smyth and Rob Scuderi may mean that turn around could be this year. If I was General Manger Dean Lombardi I'd be very pumped up and feel as though its the Kings time to shine in LA and I have little doubt the fans will embrace that emergence. #17 - Dallas Stars - 13.4Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 95.4% (17,680, 14th in the NHL) Online Presence: 4.4Last Year's ranking: 15thJustification: Accountability finally struck in 'Big D" as Head Coach Dave Tippett got the axe as well as the re-assignments of co-GM's Les Jackson and the incendiary Brett Hull (who should consider it a 'thank you' for his part in the Sean Avery debacle) and the team tried to perhaps reach out to fans by hiring former team star Joe Nieuwendyk to be the new General Manager. Yet will this really bring fans back to American Airlines Center? Can Marc Crawford entice fans back to watch his 'up tempo' offensive style of hockey that was more or less lost under Tippett? It has been 16 years since the Stars arrived from Minnesota so there fanbase has matured considerably but pattern of mediocrity has made the 1999 Cup win a distant memory. The 17,680 figure seems generous when you watch the games and see so many fans dressed as seats most nights. Will the fact this is the swan song for Mike Modano bring the fans out? Maybe, but I doubt it. I know I won't miss him at all. #16 - Boston Bruins - 14.0Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 97% (17,039, 16th in the NHL) Online Presence: 5.0Last Year's ranking: 22nd Justification: Last year, the Bruins surprised many with a fast start and over the course of the season they managed to hold on to have the Eastern Conferences best record. The success on the ice translated into better attendance at TD Banknorth Garden. Bruins fans relished the steady play of Vezina winner Tim Thomas as well as the punishing Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara but really got a blast watching the emergence of David Krecji, Phil Kessel and Blake Wheeler. The Milan Lucic total beatdown of Montreal's Mike Komisarek was a huge statement and its impact resonated with Boston fans as much as it could when it was trying to sneak onto the front page of the paper against any discussion of the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics. Boston has been the ultimate professional sports success story and the Bruins are a bit late in the game, but still in a traditional hockey market there is no excuse for B's not to be selling out every night. It will be a tough act to follow this season, but the Bruins have a very solid team from top to bottom returning and the Northeast Division is not as strong as it used to be so the continued success will likely see another increase in ticket sales and more butts in the seats. All of the other Boston teams have rejuvenated themselves with championships, its the Bruins' turn now. #15 - Ottawa Senators - 14.3Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 98.9% (18,172, 12th in the NHL) Online Presence: 5.3Last Year's ranking: 11thJustification: In someways the Ottawa Senators are the forgotten step-child of the league. Towards the early part of the decade the Senators were one of the dominant teams in the east but disappointing performances and dysfunction in the lockerroom from players like Ray Emery and now Dany Heatley has this team in crisis mode yet again. Its tough being the 'other' team in Ontario and the fans have done their best to keep Scotiabank Place full most nights but patience is starting to wear thin. Predictably, as a Canadian-based franchise the Senators enjoy a strong online fanbase as the team has a strong list of blogs and message boards to discuss the controversies that seem to be constantly swirling about this organization. While some may point to the traffic situation near the arena or the fact there is so much 'other' hockey around Ottawa to take fans away from Senators games, its still Canada where hockey is king it is the only NHL organization in that nation that is not playing to 100% capacity. #14 - San Jose Sharks - 14.6Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 99.9% (17,488, 15th in the NHL) Online Presence: 4.6Last Year's ranking: 13thJustification: There used to be a commercial they'd show during Sharks games where they'd ask 'random' Sharks fans what basic hockey rules like icing means where they'd appear clueless or at the very least struggling to explain it. Meanwhile they'd ask these same 'random' fans what words like nanotechnology were and they'd provide a rather matter-of-fact definition for it as a way of proving how their fanbase represent those in the technology industry. Sure, its a commercial, but to a certain portion of Sharks fans I am sure the commercial seemed rather insulting to its fairly dedicated fanbase. The HP Pavillion is known as one of the louder arenas in the league but it is puzzling that they do not have a larger online representation than they do. Its online presence is just slightly above average in an arena that boasts anti-virus software companies as one its more visible sponsors. If the San Jose Sharks finally manage to transform their regular season success to the post-season perhaps the blogosphere will erupt with new sites dedicated to the Sharks but so far it appears to be a wait-and-see approach. #13 - Detroit Red Wings - 14.0Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 98.9% (19,865, 3rd in the NHL) Online Presence: 5.0Last Year's ranking: 2ndJusifications: This might seem as though as I'm kicking a great city while its down but its nothing personal. 'Hockeytown' as Detroit has liked to call itself is really going to be challenged this year to show just how important hockey is as the city struggles under an incredible level of unemployment (over 15% in Michigan), and already it was beginning to show as the sellouts were not nearly so consistent. The fans are certainly in Detroit but when it comes to priorities taking care of one's family is going to trump the expense of shelling out big bucks for season tickets. Considering just how good Detroit has been over the last decade its online presence is rather modest; perhaps its tough to blog when the fanbase has less to argue over than teams whose winning is not nearly as consistent as the Red Wings. This season, Detroit was forced to watch as some of its free agents were taken from it as it has committed itself rather heavily to a few core players giving it precious little room to work with. Detroit lost forwards Mikael Samuelsson, Tomas Kopecky and Marian Hossa which will deprive the Red Wings of the scoring cushion they used to full advantage last year and that will likely affect the team's record. Would these hard-pressed fans accept anything less than they've been given the last 5 years? That's hard to say. The very much outdated Joe Louis Arena does not help matters much either. #12 - New York Rangers - 15.5 Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 99.8% (18,172, 12th in the NHL) Online Presence: 5.5 Last Year's ranking: 7th Justification: The Rangers will always have a distinctive advantage of being NYC's #1 team regardless of where it finishes in the standings. If you ever watch the NHL Network's "NHL Live" program New York Rangers fans are always quick to call in to offer their thoughts to the lucky guys (sometimes gals) working the show. New Yorkers are tough on their teams but they're immensely loyal and that is certainly the case for the Rangers as well. However there are signs that some of that strength is eroding slightly. The Rangers lately have basically been just good enough to get to the playoffs only to be bounced in the 1st round and the fans clearly have much higher expectations and do not have a whole lot of faith in General Manager Glen Sather. For the first time in a while the Rangers failed to average a sellout for the season and that should set off some alarm bells even though the difference is quite small. It could a prelude to a more notable drop if the team does not show some definite progress and with Sather hedging his playoff hopes on the wonky groin of the often injured Marian Gaborik it does not provide a wide margin of error. #11 - Buffalo Sabres - 15.8Pct. of Capacity in 2008-09: 99.1% (18,531, 11th in the NHL) Online Presence: 5.8Last Year's ranking: 9thJustification: In many ways, the explanation for the Sabres' ranking is rather similar to that of the New York Rangers. The Buffalo, New York area is perhaps the forgotten traditional hockey area of the United States as most only include Minnesota, Massachusetts and Michigan as these western New Yorkers love their hockey at all levels. Yet, Buffalo has always been a blue-collar town and with American industry struggling as perhaps more important the Sabres in sort of a 'standby' pattern the interest is starting to wane just a tad. The Sabres organization really has made very few changes (other than losing some of its star calibre players) the last few years; as it has had its GM (Darcy Regier) and Coach (Lindy Ruff) for the last 13 seasons. With virtually no significant free agent signees to speak of there is not much buzz surrounding the team and the fans are sick of being a mid-ling organization. A few seasons ago, the team really the city excited about hockey with a dynamic up-tempo product but without Daniel Briere and Brian Campbell this team hasn't been nearly as explosive and fans want to feel that sort of energy again soon. Online the Sabres have one of the most active fanbases of the U.S.-based teams.