But what is it exactly that hooks you, and why? For me, it comes down to a few fundamental truths: the sport is fast and dangerous, which makes it thrilling. Its athletes are tough, resilient and, above all, passionate. And while hockey is sometimes unapologetically brutish and violent, it is a beautifully simple game that is amazingly difficult to play.

It is also, at its heart, a family game, a legacy that is passed from generation to generation, whether those generations live in Minnesota or Canada or Russia or, yes, even right here in the desert.