A couple of months ago, Mike Chen approached me about a contest he was running on his web site for the best worst player in the NHL — someone who was mediocre and who would be the best mediocre player in the game this year. I laughed at the idea but I’m playing along…

…yet it seems like hockey fans around the internet have taken that idea and run with it.

In a move that mimics Netroots activism in politics (rallying people online to achieve major goals), NHL fans on Hockey’s Future’s message board started a write-in campaign for Vancouver Canucks player Rory Fitzpatrick in an effort to mock the NHL’s All-Star voting system by skewering the results. Yeah, I just used some harsh phrasing to define the moment but you know what? I get a kick out of this and I’m all for it. I don’t just get a kick out of this, but I’m amazed that this movement has legs. Check out Calgary Puck, Something Awful, Lets Go Wings, TMLFans.ca and Canucks Central message forums. Myspace and Facebook social networks also have groups devoted to this Western Conference write-in campaign

And yes, this movement has it’s own website as well (sadly pathetic but it serves it’s purpose).

So whattaya say? Vote for Rory as your western conference write in vote!

last updated December 22, 2006 at 1:00 pm