Happy New Year, everybody! We should be getting ready to watch an outdoor Original Six battle between the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, but unfortunately we haven't seen a hockey game since June and don't know when we will see the next one.
With no news of anything going on within the game itself, we at eDraft have been writing about different things that involve hockey and its history; For example, we had one week of all-decade fantasy hockey teams.
Today's subject is goal horns. Goal horns make the NHL different from other sports because when the puck crosses the line for the home team, fans are met with a blaring air horn or siren as well as fan-oriented celebration music and sometimes a spotlight display. Goal horns have been a huge part of the hockey fan experience for several decades and continue to energize crowds today. Let's take a look at the top five horns in the league.
5. Buffalo Sabres
When the Sabres score, fans of the First Niagara Center are first met with a blaring horn and then an air raid siren, creating an intense experience within one of the best crowds in hockey. This horn sounds even better when you're watching on TV and Rick Jeanneret is screaming about the goal.
4. Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers' horn sounds a little like many others in the league (St. Louis, Columbus, Tampa Bay, Toronto, etc.), but there is one difference: it is extremely loud. The horns that the Flyers have around the stadium were taken directly off of a ship and clock in at 140 decibels. In case you didn't know, 140dB is listed as the loudest recommended exposure WITH hearing protection. I have been to a game in Philadelphia myself, and the ground literally shakes when the horn is sounding.
3. Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have one of the quieter horns in the league, but it is very unique and original. It was the horn used for the original Winnipeg Jets team before they moved to the desert, and it was also used for the AHL's Manitoba Moose. It is not as loud as Philadelphia or Buffalo, but it has a nice, crisp sound that is pleasant to the ears.
2. Calgary Flames
It is tough to explain what sounds so great about Calgary's horn, but something about it sounds terrific. It is an interesting and victorious chord, made even better by the flames that shoot out of the scoreboard that make the arena red for a second as the horn goes off.
1. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks' horn is an iconic sound, originally used in the old Chicago Stadium. It is one of the louder horns in the league, and has somewhat of a strange sound to it, as it is a major chord with a seventh added into it. The entire goal celebration cannot be beaten, with this horn and the infamous "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis playing after it.