In my other Overtimes during my year as Sports Editor, I used this outlet as one for writing about my own experiences with sports, or talking about particular teams I care about or something important going on in the sports world. This is my last Overtime as Sports Editor of The Fordham Ram, so I’m going to use it as a sort of call to action and tell anyone who isn’t already a hockey fan to become one sooner rather than later.

There have been few better times in history to click over to the NHL. As I write this in mid-November, the 2025-26 season is only about a month old, and there is already loads to talk about. There’s aging stars still kicking, and not simply still kicking but doing well. Alex Ovechkin, captain of the Washington Capitals, just became the first player in history to score 900 career goals. Entering their 20th season together, Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins just set the record for a trio of teammates in North American sports. Longtime Los Angeles Kings captain Anže Kopitar is on his farewell tour. There’s exciting young stars on the rise. You might’ve heard the name Macklin Celebrini, the 19-year-old San Jose Shark who has 27 points thus far this season, tied for second-most in the league. The two people right behind him with 26 points? Two 20-year-olds, Chicago’s Connor Bedard and Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson.

Of course, there are the star players in their prime. Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to be problems for anyone on the other side of the ice. In, Colorado, Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon are doing their thing as per usual. MacKinnon sits atop the points leaderboard with 33, leading the league in goals and tied for second in assists with Makar. There’s guys on new teams. Mitch Marner has 20 points thus far for the Vegas Golden Knights after leaving his boyhood team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, in a sign-and-trade deal in June. New York Rangers fans might want to skip this next sentence, but Chris Kreider has had himself a nice start for the Anaheim Ducks after being traded there in June. These are only a couple of examples.

Then there’s the rookies. I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about some astonishing play from the new guys this year. The New York Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer seems poised to become a star in the league, sooner rather than later. He’s injected some energy into a Long Island squad that needed it after a lackluster 2024-25 season, and he can skate. If you haven’t seen him out on the ice, I recommend looking up some highlights or tuning in to the next Islanders game, because Schaefer is a joy to watch. Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens recently became the third-fastest player to reach 10 assists in his career with 17 games, matching his teammate Lane Hutson. I’ve mentioned several Anaheim Ducks already, but Beckett Sennecke has also been a critical piece of Anaheim’s hot start to the year, which included a seven-game win streak in late October into November.

Part of the point of me mentioning all of these players is to show you the chaos that goes on around this league, day in and day out. It feels like every two days, there is a new guy on a hot streak, or a new team that’s gone totally hot or cold or some other crazy, unique thing that’s popping up.

Beyond the fantastic pool of players we are fortunate to watch each day, there are other reasons to start watching hockey. From a viewing standpoint, hockey is excellent both in-person and on television, but many would argue that it’s the best sport to go see live. The energy in the arenas and the pace of the game make it the perfect event to attend, even if you’re not locked in to everything going on in the hockey world. The tension that comes with a tied game as the clock runs down, or a skater going towards the net in a shootout is unmatched.

The international competition for hockey is incredibly strong. The first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off in February was an immense success: Its championship game between the United States and Canada was watched by 16.1 million viewers across North America, the most-viewed non-NFL game ever on ESPN+. And the best part? We’re about to enter the Winter Olympics this February, bringing in even more anticipation and discourse over who will be selected for each country’s team.

Hockey is very unique. It’s beautiful and artistic. I could go on for hours about the poetry of the game, but I will leave it at this: Now is one of the best times possible to start watching hockey, and it’s something that you won’t regret.