Over the last year, I’ve found myself becoming more and more jaded by writing about hockey – to the point where I truly asked myself (and others who follow hockey around me) whether the Blackhawks are done.

This is not the point of this blog. That kind of talk is talked about other places by other, I think lesser, writers. That’s the pessimistic kind of hockey, and I’m an optimistic writer.

Which is why this year we’re going to be returning to the basics. I want to be the optimist that I was at the beginning, with just a bit more knowledge, voice, and passion. Those three things have grown over the past year, and they will continue to grow.

I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know everything about hockey. I assume Wayne Gretzky is the greatest ever only because that’s been drilled into me. I don’t actually know. What I do know is that Patrick Kane is the greatest player I’ve ever seen play. That’s not homerism – well it is a little bit – I’d say it if he were on another team (in the Eastern Conference, I will never admit Jamie Benn or Tyler Seguin or Anze Kopitar are worthy of the accolades they’ve brought upon themselves, even though the unbiased me will admit it), but for me, that’s the truth.

But anyway, that’s what I want to do this year – bring it back to the basics, what this site was founded on. To bring a smile to the reader’s face by just talking positively and with knowledge of hockey.

We’re also expanding – Brightside Ink, where I’ll be writing about every other sport, as well as noting my thoughts on politics, television, film, music (our first article will be a power ranking of EDM artists) and more, will be available soon. This will still be hockey focused, however. So stay tuned.