Team Name

I'm being petty about this now. But this one can be much shorter because really, what's in a name?

Atlantic: Springfield Falcons

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This one I may be a little biased towards. Springfield has been through plenty of name changes but Falcons are actually part of the city's iconography. Growing up in the area everyone got into a tizzy because there was a nest of  Peregrine Falcons that somehow captured the heart of the city. They still have the Falcon cam on top of Monarch place. It was just one of those weird things everyone seemed to care about for a bit when I was a kid. I don't know if it was a marketing stunt for the name change or not but it was still kinda interesting. It's a name that actually reflects the city its in very well, and because I don't live near cities in other divisions, its probably the only city to get the benefit.

Runner-up - Soundtigers.. I don't know what a Soundtiger is but it sounds fierce.

North: Rochester Americans

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Canada has two NHL teams named after, well, Canadians. One of which may or may not be a slur, the other isn't even spelled right. That is why its so nice to see a team in America that does the ethnic name right. Not misspelled. Not some slur. Just Americans. For a team that is predominantly Canadian. It's a bit of a misnomer... But a misnomer done right!

Runner-up: St. Johns IceCaps. It sounds Hockey-ish.

Central: Lake Erie Monsters

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It just reminds me of how cryptozoology is a thing that exists and that they look for lake monsters. Its also an area appropriate name because Bessie is a legendary creature out there so its region specific and has that extra oomph of meaning. Plus I still don't know what the hell an Ice Hog is.

Runner-Up: Manitoba Moose. Alliteration? Check. Northern winter animal? Check. Name that can be bellowed at games? Check. Yeah, its a solid name all around.

Pacific: San Diego Gulls

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It's an odd choice. An interesting choice. While logistically I don't want to cheer for it, I just feel like its calling to me for some reason. I just don't get it. I hate seagulls. But I like the San Diego Gulls for some reason. That said, a few years ago the Wolfpack re-branded themselves as the Whale and changed it back when that failed. If any team could get away with it and go gangbusters in this post Anchorman world, its San Diego. But they don't have to because gulls works enough for me.

Runner-up: San Antonio Rampage The rest are mostly just retreads or kinda lame. Condors are on the verge of extinction. I do like Barracuda enough to call it second runner up because of, well, Jaws and the Heart song. But Rampage is first runner up, because of, you know, Archer.