Dear NHL and Owners

While you sit in a meeting tomorrow, I am sitting at my computer, or at a mall, trying to find a job. Hoping I will make a break through today, that in the next few weeks, I will have a job, and a way to pay my bills.

While you squabble over billions of dollars, I am wishing for $35 dollars so I can keep my cell phone on for another month, greatly increasing my chance at finding a job.

While you sit in comfy hotel rooms, I sleep on a couch.

While you string us along, I cry because you are taking away my source of sanity in tough times.

My dream job has always been with the NHL or the Devils, but now I look at the game, and the organization, and I shake my head.

Remember us.. Remember that we are the reason you play.

We are the voice in the stands, that chant and scream for you.

Let us have that voice again.

I am reaching out to Mr. Jeremy Jacobs, as a fellow hockey lover. I am begging you, sir. Please drop the puck and let the boys play!

We are the fans, and we are the reason you have a season to begin with. Whether we are from a legendary and storied franchise like the Flyers or the Habs. Or we scream MARTY’S BETTER! at The Rock or we are all about Crosby and the Pens, we are all Hockey fans. We come alive at the games. We hear the warm up music start and something builds inside us, and in every person near us. It connects us. It makes us family for one night. And you, the Owners, are part of that. You become the source of light, love and sometimes hatred. Hatred for trading our favorite player. Love for keeping the team together. Giving is hope and light when we think our season is over.

We sit at the games, in our t-shirts and jerseys, our passion evident. We cry out when one of the players gets hit. We cheer and scream and chant when a goal is scored. We jeer over an unfair call. We are the Fans. We are Loyal. Nothing can change that. Nothing ever will. Unless you lock us out again. 

I only became a fan recently, and it was hockey that pulled me through a tough period in my life. My team means everything to me. They were my source of hope for months. I got to see them play at home, and since I am an out of state fan, walking into that game, was like walking into my second home. I knew every other person out there was just as loyal, just as crazy about that team as I am. It was one of the single best experiences in my life.

You can’t even imagine how much it would hurt, then, to see that we might not even HAVE a season.

Our players are the most under paid athletes out there. For the wear and tear on their bodies, and the early retirements because they can’t play anymore, they deserve a bit more. I won’t say give them what ever they want, just so I can walk into a game and feel that spark inside me that makes us the best pro sports fans out there, but I will say that you need to work with them. Give them something. Give them what they deserve. 

I am closing this letter, with a plea. A plea that I think every die hard fan can relate with. 

Let them play. Let us watch. Give us a Season. Without us to watch, you won’t have anything to lock out. The Players can go overseas. We can’t.

Sincerely,

A Hockey and Devils fan.