3 reasons why Canadians should still watch the NHL playoffs

For only the second time in NHL history, there will be no Canadian teams competing for the Stanley Cup.

Fear not, there are still plenty of reasons to remain affixed on the playoffs.

Here are three for your consideration.

Chase for Triple Gold

Hockey's Triple Gold Club is made up of players who have won Olympic gold, World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins became the ninth member of Canada's contingent after winning WC gold in 2015, joining Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, Eric Staal, Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer, Brendan Shanahan, Joe Sakic, and Rob Blake.

These five players have the opportunity to join the club with a Cup win this season:

Sweden also has nine members, meaning Canada can take the lead if one of these players gets their name on the Cup in 2016.

Hockey is fun, and so are the Panthers

Once the disappointment that comes from realizing one's favorite hockey team isn't all that great fades away, we remember that hockey is a game meant to be enjoyed. In 2016, it's hard to find a team that typifies this reality more than the Florida Panthers.

Roberto Luongo has long been seen as the NHL's social media gem, dropping tweets on the hockey world that are always a must-share. Jaromir Jagr's legend knows no bounds, and, at age 44, he continues to churn out zen quotes and rock a killer mullet. The Panthers also boast a plethora of young, high-end talent due to be showcased on the national stage.

And, of course, there's the rats.

But, as Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated writes, what sets this team apart is a truly unique postgame ritual that must be seen to be believed.

But no higher honor exists for the Panthers than their screwball cousin of hard hats and championship belts, postgame awards bestowed in the dressing rooms of more, well, normal clubs. Here, the treasured prize for the player of the game is a blue hoodie, adult size XL, with purple streaks of star clusters across the chest serving as the backdrop for the translucent, disembodied, floating head of actor Kevin Spacey.

Perhaps the Oscar-winning actor will make another appearance at BB&T Center this spring.

Finally, the Panthers are the most Canadian team in the playoffs with no fewer than 16 Canucks on the roster.

No ordinary Joe

If you're not into any of the above, why not root for a great Canadian player in search of his first Cup?

Among active NHL players, Joe Thornton - who has recorded 377 goals and 964 assists in 1,367 regular-season games - ranks second in career points only to Jagr.

On top of that, the San Jose Sharks center has the third-highest career points per game average (0.98) among all Canadians, behind Crosby and Steven Stamkos.

Already a surefire Hall of Famer, the Cup is a big omission from his resume. That he's not vying to be a Triple Gold member speaks to the fact he simply hasn't been available for WC action as a result of leading his teams to the playoffs most springs, up until last season that is.

And don't believe the narrative that Thornton doesn't bring it in the postseason. He ranks 13th among all NHL players in career playoff points with 100 in 132 games, and his 0.76 postseason point per game average is good for eighth among Canadian players.

And oh, what a beard.