There is a general belief that sports have the unique ability to bring people together, whether through a shared love for a team or cherished memories made with loved ones. Emotional hockey moments especially have a way of sticking with fans forever—etched in memory and, sometimes, in powerful images.

Supporting our teams fosters a sense of belonging and pride, allowing us to connect with something larger than ourselves.

We watch them with our parents, siblings, friends, and even strangers, feeling all the feels within a community that loves our teams as much as we do.

We represent the teams from where we are from or the teams we grew up watching and even join the bandwagon later in life. There is a particular emotional investment in sports that has no rival (unlike sports teams).

Hockey fandoms are one of the few social spaces where it's okay—even expected—to cry, scream, hug strangers, and completely lose yourself in a moment. Athletes become symbols, like heroes or villains, of resilience, hope, betrayal, and redemption. People emotionally invest in their stories, just as they would in movies or books. I certainly idolize an athlete or two (hey, Mat Barzal and Jessica Campbell).

A goal, a shot, or a final lap becomes a frozen moment in time; it becomes an unforgettable personal landmark in someone’s life. Sports mirror life’s struggles and triumphs, and as fans, we eat it up.

Get ready to feel all the feels because we’re going through some of the most emotionally charged hockey photos ever captured.

No Champagne Problems Here

**Brad Marchand | Eliot J. Schechter / NHLI / Getty Images**

There clearly isn’t anything like winning the Stanley Cup for hockey players. You can feel the excitement in the air. The energy is emphatic; literally and figuratively, the Panthers damaged the Stanley Cup in the initial celebrations.

There is nothing like seeing the pure joy on Marchand’s face after the momentous victory. It’s gotta feel great to be a part of this moment, especially since his surprising and emotional trade from the Boston Bruins—the team in which he played his entire 16-season career until this past March.

In an interview, he was all choked up when he told the interviewer he didn’t get to say goodbye to Boston and the dedicated Bruins fans who love him just as much as he loves them.

However, all’s well that ends well; he gets a trophy out of it. Marchand seems to be on a revenge tour, and this is just the beginning. Get ready for Brad Marchand's summer besties. For this Swiftie, winning the Stanley Cup has got to be better than revenge.

So Close, Yet So Far

As an Islanders fan (and a Mat Barzal fan), this one hits me especially hard; it still hurts. In 2022, the New York Islanders suffered a devastating loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. Making it to the Stanley Cup Final was just out of reach—a devastating blow for a franchise that hasn’t won it all since the early '80s.

It looks like Barzy’s heart just dropped out of his chest and onto the ice. He's known for throwing himself into every aspect of his game; his emotions fuel his determination, and it’s obvious that he feels very deeply, especially about his career and his team.

Cheeky Cheesin’

Look at that face! NHL legend Mark Messier is the embodiment of pure joy. It’s almost childlike, like that moment was the best in the entire world. And that moment right there? I’m sure it was one of the best of his life, and it shows.

This is one of those iconic hockey celebration photos that, whenever you see it, you end up smiling just as hard as the person in it.

The End

Can you imagine having one of the worst moments of your life captured on film? Eric Lindros can. After an Earth-shattering hit by Scott Stevens, the NHL icon developed post-concussion syndrome from getting multiple concussions over 4–5 months—this concussion being the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Although he continued to play for another couple of seasons after the initial injury, this hit is widely known as the beginning of the end of Lindros’ career. At the time, he was one of the most elite players on the ice, so much so that he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016.

Now in retirement, Lindros is a major advocate for concussion awareness and player safety, working to promote legislation like Rowan’s Law in Ontario, Canada.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

Cue the soundtrack from The Lion King because, yes, we can feel the love tonight. This is the kind of photo that makes us love hockey—the camaraderie, the passion, and the bonds with teammates that last a lifetime.

Talk about the pride in those smiles and hugs, and yes, that was a lion joke. Plus, doesn’t that group hug look like it’s heart-shaped?

Stitched and Scary

**Gerry Cheevers | Portland Press Herald / AP Photos**

Even if you don’t follow hockey, you’ve probably seen this mask. It’s that iconic. Okay, maybe it's not as famous as Jason Voorhees’ from Friday the 13th, but much cooler.

In the ’60s, during practice with the Bruins, Cheevers took a puck to the face, as goalies often do. A trainer painted stitches on his mask where he was hit. From then on, every time Cheevers stopped a puck with his face, another set of stitches was added. It became one of the most recognizable goalie masks in NHL history.

Hug Me, Brother!

**Elmer Lach and Maurice “Rocket” Richard | Roger St. Jean / La Presse Archives**

Moments like this are one of the reasons why we watch sports. In Game 5 of the 1953 Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Boston Bruins and lifted the Cup—but this photo stole the show.

Lach, Richard, and their linemate Hector “Toe” Blake formed the legendary “Punch Line.”

While this doesn’t directly relate to the photo, fun fact: Rocket Richard played alongside his younger brother Henri, known affectionately as “Pocket Rocket.” Cute, right?

The Corey Perry Curse

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Corey Perry has had one of the most heartbreaking streaks in NHL history. His teams have lost in the Stanley Cup Final five times in six years. In 2020, it was the Dallas Stars. In 2021, the Montreal Canadiens. In 2022, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Then in 2024 and 2025, after trades to the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers, heartbreak again.

Perry did win the Cup once with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, but coming so close so many times must be gut-wrenching. The “Corey Perry Curse” lives on.

Final Whistle

Which of these moments pulled at your heartstrings the most?

Hockey is more than blades on ice and pucks in nets—it's a collection of moments that define passion, pain, and perseverance. These emotional hockey photos are more than snapshots—they’re stories we carry with us.

Slapshots and Soft Spots: Emotion-Evoking Hockey Photos That Hit Hard