Have you heard that the Albany Devils are in the second round of the American Hockey League playoffs? Have you even heard of the Albany Devils? No?

Good news! The Devils' best-of-seven series with the Toronto Marlies doesn't begin until Wednesday, which gives you plenty of time to hop on the bandwagon.

Here are 10 reasons why you should:

10. The New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins failed to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the New York Rangers got knocked out in the first round. Sure, the Islanders are still alive, but if the Gorton's Fisherman logo didn't ruin that franchise for you, 23 years without a playoff series win probably did.

Hey, if you can't root for a team to win the Stanley Cup, might as well hope for a Calder Cup.

9. The Devils' radio announcer, Josh Heller, could do play-by-play of me emptying the dishwasher and make it sound exciting. Seriously, I've considered offering the guy a few bucks to follow me around for a day and narrate my life.

Iorizzo grabs his coffee. He starts his car, he backs down the driveway, he makes the turn AND. HE. SCORES. OH WHAT A MORNING FOR IORIZZO.

When you call the Devils' offices and get put on hold, you hear Heller's calls instead of elevator music. Can we get the man on the Time Warner Cable payroll? They could put me on hold all day if I can listen to Rod Pelley SCORE A SHORT-HANDED GOAL

(Side note: Albany has a history of exceptional play-by-play announcers. John Hennessy, who called games in the 1990s, went on to do radio for the parent club. Another former radio announcer, Owen Newkirk, currently works on Dallas Stars' broadcasts.)

8. Devils goaltender Scott Wedgewood turned his mask into an homage to the "Seinfeld" David Puddy character, an over-the-top Devils fan who painted his face when attending a game with Jerry, Kramer and Elaine. This could only be more awesome if Wedgewood cringed and muttered "Newman" every time he allowed a goal.

7. Although none of the Devils grew up in the Capital Region — and most of them hope to be moving to New Jersey at some point — lots of players have come to Albany, put down roots and become part of the community.

A few examples: Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond met his wife while playing for the Devils; the couple and their 1-year-old son now live in Clifton Park. And coach Rick Kowalsky, in his sixth year, lives in Bethlehem with his wife and three children.

6. Speaking of Kowalsky, in a sport with a history of great nicknames, he's got an all-timer: "Killer," after the former professional wrestler Killer Kowalski. (The nickname may have suited Kowalsky as a player, too. One season, while playing in the ECHL, he had 121 penalty minutes in 51 games.)

Another good one: Joseph Blandisi is known around the locker room as "Blender."

5. Watching the Devils is basically like watching NHL hockey. Fourteen of the players on the current roster played in the NHL, and for many, it wasn't just a cup of coffee. Defenseman Damon Severson spent almost all of the past two seasons with New Jersey.

These next few weeks might be our last chance to see players like Severson, Reid Boucher, Blandisi and Pavel Zacha. They've been a big part of Albany's special teams. Next year, they might be New Jersey's.

4. A Toronto Sun sports writer has proclaimed the Marlies as Canada's team. Why? They're the only team from north of the border to make the AHL playoffs, and none of the six Canadian-based NHL teams made the Stanley Cup playoffs. So there you have it: Rooting against the Devils would be un-American.

3. What the hell is a Marlie, anyway?

More Information Contact Pete Iorizzo at 518-454-5425 or email piorizzo@times union.com See More Collapse

(OK, fine, I Googled it. This explanation comes from the Wrong Side of the Red Line blog:

"In the early 1900s an athletic club was formed in downtown Toronto called the "Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club." The club was named after the Duke of Marlborough — Winston Churchill's uncle — and the club got permission to use the name and family crest in 1903.")

2. A Marlie isn't a fish.

1. Admit it: You've been looking for an excuse to dig your River Rats jersey out of the closet.

piorizzo@timesunion.com • 518-454-5425 • @peteiorizzo