The Snatcher

Team Name: Columbus Blue Jackets
Founded: 2000
City: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Franchise Background:
The Columbus Blue Jackets joined the National Hockey League in 2000 as part of the league’s expansion into new U.S. markets. Based in the vibrant city of Columbus, the team quickly became a symbol of pride for Ohio’s growing hockey community. Known for their passionate fan base and electric home atmosphere at Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets have steadily developed a reputation for hard work, determination, and defensive discipline. Despite being a relatively young franchise, they have made significant strides in establishing themselves as a respected competitor in the NHL.

Biggest Achievement:
The Blue Jackets’ most defining moment came during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when they shocked the hockey world by sweeping the Tampa Bay Lightning—a team that had tied the NHL record for most wins in a single season. This victory marked Columbus’s first-ever playoff series win, cementing their place in NHL history as one of the greatest underdog stories of the decade.

Famous Player:
A standout figure in franchise history is Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets’ first true superstar and longtime captain. Renowned for his scoring touch, leadership, and loyalty to the team, Nash became the face of the franchise for over a decade and remains one of the most beloved players in Columbus hockey history.

Team Name: Arizona Coyotes
Founded: 1972 (as the Winnipeg Jets; relocated and became the Arizona Coyotes in 1996)
City: Tempe, Arizona

Franchise Background:
The Arizona Coyotes have a unique and evolving legacy within the National Hockey League. Originally established in 1972 as the Winnipeg Jets, the franchise relocated to Arizona in 1996, introducing NHL hockey to the desert. Over the years, the Coyotes have become known for their commitment to growing the sport in non-traditional markets and for building a passionate, loyal fan community in the Southwest. Based in Tempe, Arizona, the team plays its home games at Mullett Arena, where a new generation of fans continues to embrace the Coyotes’ journey and competitive spirit. Despite challenges, the franchise remains dedicated to its vision of developing talent and inspiring local hockey culture across the state.

Biggest Achievement:
The Coyotes’ most successful playoff run came during the 2011–2012 NHL season, when they reached the Western Conference Finals—the deepest postseason appearance in the team’s history. That remarkable run showcased their resilience and put Arizona hockey in the national spotlight.

Famous Player:
One of the most iconic players in Coyotes history is Shane Doan, who served as the team’s long-time captain and emotional leader. Known for his loyalty, leadership, and consistent performance, Doan spent over two decades with the franchise, becoming a symbol of dedication and integrity both on and off the ice.

Type: Fungi of the genus Omphalotus (notably O. olearius, O. illudens, O. olivascens); belonging to the family Omphalotaceae, these are saprobic mushrooms that grow in clumps near decaying wood.

Needles: None—these mushrooms have smooth caps and true gills, not needles.

Lifespan: The fruiting bodies are seasonal—typically appearing from summer into fall (July–October)—though the mycelium lives longer underground breaking down wood over time.

Habitat: Found growing in dense clusters on decaying hardwood stumps, buried roots, or at the base of hardwood trees across Europe and North America.

Uses: None as a food source—it’s poisonous. However, its bioluminescent properties and luciferase enzyme have potential applications in scientific research, such as in mycoremediation, pollutant detection, and antibiotic development.

Adaptations:

• Saprotrophic lifestyle: Breaks down dead wood, aiding nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.
• Bioluminescence: The gills emit a faint greenish glow in darkness—likely an adaptation to attract insects for spore dispersal.

Ecological Role:

• Helps decompose dead wood, returning nutrients to the soil.
• The light may lure insects, which can then help spread spores.

Fun Fact:
Their glow is so legendary that old tales say luminous wood (thanks to these mushrooms) was used to mark forest paths at night, guiding travelers home.

Type: Deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus in the Amanitaceae family.
Needles: Does not have needles; features a smooth, white cap that may develop a slight yellow or pinkish hue with age.
Lifespan: Fruiting bodies appear seasonally, typically in late summer to autumn; the underground mycelium can persist for several years.
Habitat: Common in temperate regions of North America, particularly in the eastern United States; typically found in hardwood and mixed forests, often associated with oak, maple, and other hardwood trees.
Uses: Not edible; contains potent toxins that can cause fatal liver damage.
Adaptations: Produces deadly toxins, including amatoxins, which inhibit RNA polymerase II, leading to cell death and organ failure.
Ecological Role: Plays a role in decomposing organic matter and forming mycorrhizal relationships with trees, aiding in nutrient cycling.
Fun Fact: Despite its name, "destroying angel," the mushroom's appearance is deceptively innocent, making it particularly dangerous for foragers

• Wrist shot is a quick and accurate shot made by flicking the wrist to propel the puck toward the net.
• Break or hold means deciding whether to push forward on offense (break) or stay back and maintain defensive positioning (hold).
• Bad timing refers to making a move, pass, or play at the wrong moment, often resulting in a missed opportunity or turnover.

• Offensive push means a team is aggressively moving the puck and players toward the opponent’s net to create scoring chances.
• Charge or freeze refers to deciding whether to attack quickly (charge) or pause to control the puck and slow down the play (freeze).
• Danced on the blue line describes a player skillfully controlling the puck right at the blue line to keep the play onside while avoiding defenders.