Stop what you’re doing. There’s a dog wearing a hockey jersey and it just changed my outlook on family.
No, I haven’t lost my mind (yet). I’m talking about the Stanley Pup—the NHL’s charming, annual puppy-palooza where 32 rescue dogs, each repping their own team, dash, tumble, and generally embarrass the world’s most athletic humans. All these pups? Up for adoption. All these feels? Up for grabs.
When I caught the Stanley Pup returns: NHL's adorable adoption game on the news this week, it prompted a thought spiral I didn’t see coming (and neither did my snack bowl, now magnetized by dog videos): Why does watching puppies find their forever homes hit so hard? And, more importantly—what does a rink full of furry free agents have in common with our own yearning to build families?
Let’s lace up and find out, shall we?
The Adoption Game: It’s Not Just For Dogs
First, a confession: I’m a sucker for a good underdog story. The runt who gets picked last. The rescue with the questionable past and the oversized paws. The couple (or single, or throuple) who, after years of “Are we doing this right?”, finally sees two pink lines, or holds their baby, or—yes—even brings home their dream dog.
Watching the Stanley Pup, you realize that family-building is seldom a straight line. Sometimes you get drafted first round. Sometimes you wait in the wings. Sometimes you need a second chance. Sound familiar?
- Maybe you’ve tried every “get pregnant quick!” hack on the internet (spoiler: pineapple cores are not the answer).
- Maybe your journey circles through adoption forms, donor charts, or a zillion medical appointments.
- Maybe your “family” doesn’t look like anyone else’s—and you wouldn’t trade it for a single regulation puck.
The Stanley Pup is a loud, tail-wagging reminder: family is about showing up for each other, surprises, and second periods (or chances).
Why We Cheer for Every Goal—Even the Furry Kind
There’s a reason social feeds explode when these games air: They’re wholesome, inclusive, and maybe a tad chaotic. But above all, they’re hopeful. Each puppy on the ice represents:
- A story that’s unfinished.
- A home that’s yet to be found.
- A family, waiting to be built—by intention, not accident.
It’s the same electricity that hums through anyone who’s struggled to start (or grow) a family. Which brings us to an important open loop: what does hopeful chaos have to do with your own path to parenthood?
From Puppies to Parenthood: Building Families Beyond the Expected
Here’s where things get real. Whether you’re adopting, using donor sperm, trying at-home insemination, or just dreaming about what “family” means to you:
- There’s waiting.
- There’s cheering (and sometimes jeering).
- There are curveballs—sometimes literal and sometimes in the form of a little stick with a plus sign.
This is why communities like Nestful and the Stanley Pup exist—to remind us that we’re not alone, no matter how weird or winding our journey might feel.
And, as it turns out, innovation has dribbled its way onto the ice of family-building too. Take MakeAMom’s discreet, customizable insemination kits: they’re designed for real people pursuing parenthood on their own terms. Whether you need a solution for frozen sperm, low motility, or just want a process that feels yours, there’s finally a kit (and a community) for that. The BabyMaker for sensitivities? Genius-level empathy.
It’s not a slick highlight reel. It’s everyday people, problem-solving, and celebrating the scrappy victories others might miss.
Finding (and Defining) Your Team
Here’s what the Stanley Pup, and life itself, keep teaching us: Your team isn’t defined by blood, last names, or even species.
It might include: - The friend who brings you soup after a failed cycle. - The online group who cheers your every update. - The partner who tries (and fails) to assemble the nursery furniture (points for effort!). - Even, sometimes, a rescue dog in a hockey jersey, ready to claim the couch and your heart.
Every path to family—messy, magical, nontraditional—deserves its own parade.
Final Buzzer: What Kind of Family Are YOU Building?
If a zone full of zany pups can remind hardened sports fans that every journey to “home” matters, why not us, too? Maybe your path will be assisted by science. Maybe by paperwork. Maybe by fate and the world’s most patient dog trainer.
Here’s your permission slip to celebrate your definition of family—whatever it looks like. Want to go deeper? Join the comment section below, or share this with someone rooting for their own version of “home ice advantage.”
Who knows? The next “Stanley Pup” moment could be yours. 🏆🐾
So, what are you cheering for this season?