Today is my last day at SB Nation, so I've got some people to thank

In case some of you haven't heard, today is my final day at SB Nation. I've accepted a job with the NHL, and after a little over a year of contributing for Blueshirt Banter, SBN College Hockey, and SB Nation's NHL hub, I'm moving on. It was an incredible stretch, one that will be difficult to put into words, but I'm going to try to do so, and there are some people I need to thank.

This all began in August 2013 when I emailed Travis Hughes on a whim because I read SB Nation, and really liked the product. Travis, for reasons unknown to me, agreed to meet me in a coffee shop in Boston. We talked hockey, writing, and about the beautiful slum we met in that is Allston. Travis thought I would be a good fit for Banter, and put in touch with Joe. But really, this whole thing starts with Travis agreeing to meet and take a chance on a college senior.

I first spoke with Joe during a football Sunday. I knew Joe and I were going to like each other because, after originally scheduling a time to speak over the phone, Joe rescheduled so it wouldn't interfere with the Giants game. We chatted for maybe 20 minutes or so, and Joe thought it would be good for me to just start out by doing morning notes. I was a bit timid, and it was a good way for me to get my feet wet, and acclimated to the site.

From there, I slowly started to contribute in other areas. When I felt comfortable enough, I started crafting longer posts on Banter. The community, from Joe, to Bryan, to Mike, to Kevin, and everyone else instantly accepting me, including the readers. Joe, Bryan and I text pretty regularly, and when I first started, I kind of thought of them as Batman and Robin. That might sound kind of silly, but those two guys instantly accepted me, and really made me feel welcome.

Then things really picked up. College hockey season started, and Travis put me in touch with Chris Dilks and Jeff Cox. Those are two other guys I really need to thank. Chris immediately accepted me at SBN College Hockey with pretty much no hesitation, and I spent more time physically working alongside Jeff than anyone else at SB Nation. And I never once doubted Jeff or Chris had my back. I owe those guys a lot.

Meanwhile, Travis started letting me write for the SB Nation NHL hub, when I really, truly felt comfortable at SB Nation. I started doing video breakdowns because I read Zach Lowe's on Grantland and thought they were the coolest thing ever. Both Travis and Joe encouraged me to write about what I wanted to, and what mattered to me. And that's what I did.

Joe ... I can't say enough about Joe. I just hope that in the 13 or so months I've contributed at Banter I helped him as much as he helped me. You don't always get to work with people that you not only like, but also appreciate the effort you put in, but Joe was both of those.

And Travis, who I've attempted through multiple texts to express my thanks for what he did for me ... again, it's hard to really articulate that as well. Like Joe, I hope I was able to help out Travis as much as he helped me out.

Over the past year, I covered outdoor hockey at Fenway Park, interviewed the late Bob Suter, traveled to the Frozen Four, and attended the first Stanley Cup games at Madison Square Garden since 1994. But more than anything, I got to do what I love, which is write about hockey, and that's thanks to people like Chris, Jeff, Travis, and Joe.

I don't really consider this a goodbye, because that feels too final. Of course, I need to thank the Banter community as well. Never once did I feel like a stranger here, and this is one of the only places I post to where I read the comments. It's about the only place I respond to the comments. And that's a testament to how good the people who keep coming to this site are.