This is a great topic, thanks!
OK...I have a soft spot for the NY Islanders.
For many reasons.
They were fantastic against the 82 Canucks in the Finals, which was maybe the first time I started to think about hockey and study the media. So, I hated them.
But I respected them, and understood their place in the game, as The Team prior to the dawning of the Eighties Oilers, that ridiculously, absurdly, mindbogglingly stacked team of future Hall of Fame talent, which kind of shadowed the accomplishments of the great Bossy, Trottier, Potvin, Smith...and Butch Goering!
Then their great fall to the joke outfit of the League, led by a Wang, but now...Brooklyn...new beginning. Interesting collection of young talent, guaranteed to add some more core talent, might gel faster than people think with the right veteran support.
So I root for those guys.
Columbus as well.