Being an avid fan can’t be easy. Well, not just avid. An avid fan simply goes to all games so let me rephrase that. It can’t be easy to be a rabid, raving, crazy fan that lives his (or her) life through a hockey team.

At the same time, the passion just seems enviable. To live the team’s highs, and lows, to walk on air after a win, and then knee-deep in concrete after a loss. Instead of seasons of nature, a fan has pre-season, regular season, playoffs, and off-season. A victory parade is a true fan’s Christmas, New Year’s, and birthday all wrapped into one. Plus, fans are never alone.

I stopped having a favorite team at about 13, and by that point, I had been a fan of both Helsinki teams that played in the Elite League.

Here’s how they’re doing these days.

Did you know that “fan” is Swedish for “devil.” Maybe there’s a connection. Maybe all fans are possessed. And all Devils’ fans twice as much.