The Stanley Cup Playoffs are every hockey fans favorite time of the year. The time when you (hopefully) finally get to see your team rise above, and work for one common goal. The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in all of professional sports. To have your name on the roster for a cup win is better than how Leo felt finally winning an Oscar, and probably how the Cubs would feel if they could pull a World Series off anytime soon (it's only been since 1901, it's a rebuilding year!). Your name is engraved on the same trophy as some of the best in the game. I think fans connect with this feeling. Hockey fans connect with their cities, their teams, its players, and everything involved. So, is playoff season the best? Of course? But, is it totally detrimental to your health? I'll tell you a few reasons why.

1. The build-up to earning a playoff spot:

This always brings the first signs of playoff season being upon us. Some teams are lucky to come off a strong regular season in a first or second seed spot, but those in third seed or wild card end up fighting for their lives in the last 5-7 games of the season. For me, being a Wings fan, playoff is a part of our tradition. I have yet to live a year of my life without playoff hockey, and I'm not looking to anytime soon. Unfortunately, there's a lot more negative aspects to that than one would think. But, I'll get to that later. For the first time in years, none of the 7 Canadian teams made the playoffs this year, and as the home of the sport, they aren't too happy. Making the playoffs isn't easy, and it's truly a blessing. Based on the fact that only 16 of the 30 teams will make it to the post season at all.
2. The emotional attachment:

I can attest to this myself in several ways. Having an emotional attachment to your favorite team is one of the best and worst things about loving sports. It's great when your team is winning, playing well, and more importantly, playing the way that you want them to. But, you can't expect everything to go smoothly all the time. And you have to remember, as many times as you yell "SHOOT THE PUCK!" at a player when they come down the ice, you're just another voice in the sea of chants. And, I would hope they know to shoot the puck. They're the professionals, the ones in the game, I think they'll shoot when it's time. So, when your team loses, or gets eliminated from the playoffs, try and shake it off. Because, there's nothing to be done now. Just try and stay true to the game, and enjoy the rest of the series as they come.
3. The unpredictable nature:

This can be easily compared to the unpredictability of March Madness. Every year I fill out a bracket or 3, and every year I fail miserably. When it comes to winning the Cup, these teams are giving everything and then some. That's how you end up with San Jose in the second round over the LA Kings, and it's most definitely how you have the New York Islanders over the Florida Panthers, leading the series over Tampa Bay. No one comes in knowing what's going to happen, but I respect those who choose the underdog and end up with the only bracket choosing the number 4 seed over the number 1.

4. The underdogs drive:

Dang Islanders back at it again with the...nope. This was so unexpected and so awesome to see the number 4 Islanders overcome the Panthers in the first round. These teams strive for greatness, because that's the only way to get to the final. The Islanders haven't won a cup since their 4-consecutive winning streak ending in 1983. To see this team on the rise again is so exciting, and for the work they are putting in, it's pretty well deserved!

5. The multiple game times and game overlaps:

CNBC and NBCSN are the two main providers of the playoffs this season, and in the first few rounds, there is bound to be games that happen at the same time. I'm one of those people who likes to follow the whole tournament, so flipping back and forth from game to game isn't always fun. And of course, for people on the east coast, trying to follow the games on the west coast can turn into a pretty late night and sometimes into finding a sketchy website that streams the games because certain areas won't have access to specific games.

6. The cost of attending a playoff game:

If you want to go to more than one playoff game, I hope you have plenty of spending money, or are a season ticket holder, because the prices of good seats for a post-season game can be outrageous. It varies by city and by team, but I know it's pretty rough in Detroit, ranging from $200 to $400+ per seat. And in places like The UC in Chicago, I know tickets are even worse for their stadium. There's a pretty big price to pay being committed to playoff hockey.
7. Performance inconsistency:

Of course, these are professional athletes, but they aren't perfect. You can't expect every goalie to produce a shutout, or every offender to make every shot. Each team is working for one collective goal, and sometimes, it just doesn't happen. You have to have a team working consistently together, but they're human. They get tired, they have off days, they lose their motivation, and mess up. So, of course you want your team to kill it and sweep every team. But, you can't hate players for doing what they can. Until you see their performance is consistent, but subpar.
8. Time commitment:

These games don't come simply, and often don't end on schedule. You have to expect extra time for some fights, penalties being refuted, plays and goals being challenged, and the high possibility for overtime. Especially as the cup final gets closer, these teams are putting everything on the line. That's where things get interesting and things get heated. Take off work, and set aside your responsibilities. There's no time for that now.
9. Opponent fan bases and their opinions:

Don't be offended, everyone loves stirring things up in the post-season. Our society has a big problem with taking things personally. Realize that you talk smack on other teams, maybe on social media, or maybe just to your friends. But, there will always be someone who has something to say about your comment. This has a lot to do with the emotional attachment to teams and sports fans competitive nature. It's in our blood to compete and get mad. Just don't be crushed when people start "sassing" you about something that happened 15 years ago that unfortunately, is probably a valid point.

10. Overall stress: I stress about pretty much everything.

So, when it is the last seconds of the game and it's tied, I'm on my feet waiting for a last minute snipe, or a quick breather before the overtime madness ensues. If you're into the sport and dedicated to the outcome, prepare yourself for heart racing, anger provoking, hardcore hockey. Because it is the Cup.

Do we love playoff hockey? Naturally. But, it can be pretty tough when such a world renowned and incredible honor is on the line. A Stanley Cup victory is a blessing to the team, the organization, its' fans, and the city itself. For the next year, it is a place of honor and a team of champions. There's no feeling like raising the cup, we're just the innocent bystanders who take it all in and make something of it for ourselves.