It\u2019s Thanksgiving, which means that people from across the country will be sitting down with family and friends to have fellowship and good food. It\u2019s also a time to remind oneself of the things in life that truly matter most \u2014 gratitude, togetherness and the people who make the everyday grind a little more bearable.<\/p>\n
For hockey fans, that thankfulness often stretches beyond the dinner table and into the arena, where hope, heartbreak and highlight-reel moments make the long season feel worth it. Because when the going gets tough, and the doldrums of the campaign set in, it\u2019s always good to remember the aspects of a team that deserve to be appreciated. That\u2019s especially true in the Western Conference, where countless teams are experiencing high highs that warrant appreciation.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Nov 11, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) skates out for fans after the game against the Anaheim Ducks at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images \/ Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Ask any fan of the Colorado Avalanche<\/a> or Minnesota Wild what they\u2019re thankful for this holiday season, and they\u2019ll tell you that it\u2019s goaltending \u2014 especially in Colorado\u2019s case.<\/p>\n One year ago, the Avalanche<\/a> had some of the worst goaltending known to man. The duo of Alexandar Georgiev and Justus Annunen just wasn\u2019t cutting it, which led Colorado\u2019s front office to make drastic changes. That\u2019s when Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood entered the scene. Ever since, the netminding has been stellar, especially this season, where the pair leads the NHL in save percentage and has the team atop the league standings.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in Minnesota, rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt<\/a> has quickly made his presence felt through countless shutouts and even more impressive saves. Without Wallstedt\u2019s dominance, the Wild wouldn\u2019t be in nearly as good of shape as they are right now. That\u2019s deserving of gratitude, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n Macklin Celebrini<\/a>, Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley<\/a> and Leo Carlsson are the future of the NHL, and all four of those players reside in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n Through the first quarter or so of the season, Celebrini legitimately has a case to be the front-runner for the Hart Memorial Trophy. His prowess has helped the San Jose Sharks completely flip their fortune from a perennial bottom-dweller in the Pacific Division to a potential contender in the Western Conference. As every game passes, it becomes even more clear why he was the No. 1 overall pick in last year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n Nov 23, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) waits for play to resume against the Boston Bruins in the first period at SAP Center in San Jose. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images \/ David Gonzales-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Then there\u2019s Bedard, who everybody\u2019s seemingly known about for years at this point. Ever since his junior days with the Regina Pats, his promising future has been on display for all to see. That\u2019s finally begun to take shape this season with the Chicago Blackhawks as, just like the Sharks, the team is finally beginning to come out of its rebuild.<\/p>\n Those two were known commodities, though. It\u2019s players like Cooley and Carlsson that deserve special recognition due to their ability to uplift franchises \u2014 the Ducks<\/a> and Mammoth, respectively \u2014 that needed a little positivity. Mediocre-to-bad hockey was consistently played by the two teams for years, so having players like Cooley and Carlsson start to put an end to that is pretty special.<\/p>\n The young bucks that are going to lead the NHL into its next era are in the West, and that\u2019s something that all hockey fans west of the Mississippi River need to be thankful for.<\/p>\n Nov 22, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) moves the puck against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images \/ Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be honest \u2014 without Connor McDavid<\/a>, the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> would be completely in the dumpster. The goaltending has been terrible, the defense has been almost even worse, and pretty much everything surrounding the team is negative right now.<\/p>\n So, if we\u2019re focusing on the positives, it has to all start and end with McDavid. He\u2019s the best hockey player on the planet, and he chose to stay in Edmonton below market value because he wanted to win a championship with the team that\u2019s always believed in him. There\u2019s no need to focus on the fact that winning a Stanley Cup this year is probably unlikely; just train your mind on the fact that he\u2019s still in Alberta. Because without him, the whole operation would be toast.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n