We’ve Reached Peak Hockey Withdrawal: Here’s Which NHL Teams Have Had A “Ryan" On Their Roster The Longest

For the most part, the dead center of summer can be a bit of a sports desert. Yes, we have Major League Baseball, and this year the Olympics have been delivering the goods, but it still feels empty.

Thankfully, football returns tonight with the NFL's Hall of Fame Game, and that can mean only one thing: hockey is still like two months away, but at least it's getting closer.

I, like a lot of hockey fans, have been going through withdrawal. Sure, my trip to Da Beauty League was a nice offseason dose of puck, but I know these hockey-less months can be tough and people are finding ways to deal with it.

I knew that things were rough when I saw that one Reddit user seemed to be going through such intense hockey withdrawal that they took it upon themselves to determine which NHL clubs have had the longest streak of having at least one player in their lineup named "Ryan" — "Ryane" was also acceptable — in the entire league.

Training camps can't come soon enough…

But still, I think we're all curious about the results.

Reddit user u/SuorinGod put together a graph to show how since the NHL returned from a season-long lockout for the 2005-06 season, the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators have always had at least one player named Ryan (or Ryane) on the books.

The New York Rangers and Nashville Predators have had a "Ryan" in their respective lineups for nearly two decades. A fact you never needed to know, but will now never forget. (Image Credit: Reddit/u/SuorinGod)

Obviously, Ryan McDonagh is in a league of his own having been part of both team's streaks, which will continue this season after the Rangers inked an extension with Ryan Lindgren.

I've noticed that when we've got almost nothing to talk about in the hockey world, we start trying to find weird name stats.

Like earlier this year ahead of the Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup Final there weren't a ton of storylines to go with. So what popped early on? The Battle of the Evans.

Man, hockey season can't come soon enough…