ScottM Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/why-cant-canada-win-the-stanley-cup/?_r=0 Despite the article title, the Stanley Cup drought for Canada-based teams isn't the only topic discussed. It also deals with sizes of fan bases, a comparison of U.S. interest in hockey with that of Canada, and a proposal of what the NHL would look like if it were realigned to maximize economic impact. Some of the information is out of date since the article is two years old, but I found it fascinating nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 The article makes an excellent point when it mentions that prior to the salary cap, the weak Canadian dollar really dragged down the competitiveness of the Canadian teams, and how the salary cap came into place just as the Canadian dollar reached parity with the US dollar, effectively choking off any advantage that the teams up here would have had financially in recent years. I think the article covered all the major points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Good grief! Talk about nauseating detail (in a good way!). Seriously, this article has all the earmarks of a scientific journal article. At the same time, it does make you think that based on all the facts and all the statistics, Canada should have won at least one Cup by now. Have we in the U.S. "stolen" Canada's game and now treat them like the pesky little brother that Mom sends with us when we go out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Personally, as a Flyer fan, I hope Canada NEVER sees the Stanley Cup ever again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 Well, as a Senators fan, I'd like to see it take up permanent residence in Canada. Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Good grief! Talk about nauseating detail (in a good way!). Seriously, this article has all the earmarks of a scientific journal article. At the same time, it does make you think that based on all the facts and all the statistics, Canada should have won at least one Cup by now. Have we in the U.S. "stolen" Canada's game and now treat them like the pesky little brother that Mom sends with us when we go out? I've never had an issue with the US having more teams, given the huge population disparity and all, but I think Canada was quite under-represented in the NHL when we went down to six franchises. The only problem I have is when Gary Butthurt exhausts every possible US market (no matter how poor it is) before finally conceding that the best place to put another team is up here. In MLB, New York has two teams. In the NHL, New York has two hockey teams. Toronto should have two NHL teams, and it should have had them decades ago already during the first expansion. Quebec City should have a team. The NHL should have fought to keep the Nordiques in Quebec, and the Jets in Winnipeg. They didn't. Instead, Gary Butthurt pulled them out of there as soon as the first offer came along from an owner that wanted to relocate them. As for Canada winning a Cup, I've been of the opinion that the best players in the NHL (at any given position) haven't played on a Canadian-based team since Wayne Gretzky left Edmonton. (Or maybe when Patrick Roy left Montreal.) The Canadian teams in the NHL haven't really been impressive for decades. The Canucks had a very short lived run at or near the top of the standings. The Ottawa Senators were a legit powerhouse in 2006. Other than that, Canada's teams have sucked. We don't have the best players playing north of the border, and we sure as heck don't have the best teams. Every single year I watch a US based team filled with Canadian born star power hoist the Cup, yet none of those Canadian icon players ever play for a Canadian team. To me, that's the real travesty in the NHL. Canadian fans never get to watch the best Canadian players in anything but a road jersey, at least not since the 1980s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Every single year I watch a US based team filled with Canadian born star power hoist the Cup, yet none of those Canadian icon players ever play for a Canadian team. To me, that's the real travesty in the NHL. Canadian fans never get to watch the best Canadian players in anything but a road jersey, at least not since the 1980s. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=72046 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=72046 Yeah that's a tough one. A lot of people think Lundqvist is the best goalie in the NHL. A few years prior it would have been Luongo or Miller. The goaltending position can be quite fickle at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 @WordsOfWisdom I agree with what you're saying. It doesn't make a lot of sense. The interesting thing is that, with certain exceptions, the Canadian teams have not finished at the bottom of the standings, just in the middle. Obviously Montreal and Ottawa did pretty well last season. And the Oilers of course have been cellar dwellers for a while. So the good draft picks are going to Buffalo, Florida, and Arizona. Again, the exception is Edmonton who have really had very little improvement despite several #1 picks. It's almost like a hockey doldrums. They get decent enough players just to hold course. They don't get any better to attract top free agents, and they don't get any worse to garner top draft picks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted August 18, 2015 Author Share Posted August 18, 2015 @jammer2 @WordsOfWisdom Last season, Price was definitely the best goalie in the league. We'll have to wait and see about next year, but for now he gets the vote. @WingNut722 I think we might have seen a breakthrough for some Canadian teams last season. Everyone except for Edmonton and Toronto made the playoffs, and teams like Ottawa and Calgary did so thanks to contributions from young players, giving them a bright future. Now, I don't think Vancouver gets back in next year, but I finally like what I see happening in Edmonton. I'm far from sold on Toronto, but they did get their coach, so we'll see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 @ScottM Definitely. Vancouver is probably on their way down while Calgary is on their way up. I have absolutely no idea what will happen with Toronto. It's an absolute enigma.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 @WingNut722 I really feel Calgary is moving in the right direction. They took a decent team, abound with youthful enthusiam and added some nice parts. First, you have Johnny Gaudreau, only 21 and one of the fine up and coming offensive threats in the league.....ditto for 20 year old Monahan....and you can probably add Sam Bennett to that list this coming year...THEN, they added Frolik from the Jets for even more offense and the big cherry on top....Dougie Hamilton STOLEN from the hapless Bruins. This team is guaranteed playoffs....with all this youth, even making it out of the 1st round and giving all the kids very valuable playoff experience should be the goal for this team moving forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 This team is guaranteed playoffs.... Whoa, that's the kiss of death guarantees. I'm inclined to agree that they should be a playoff team on paper, but I think a lot of their players overachieved last year. Are their D going to continue to carry the offence like they did for large chunks last season? I do like what I've seen from Bennett. Can he stay healthy though? He plays a committed and gritty game for his size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 @ScottM Definitely. Vancouver is probably on their way down while Calgary is on their way up. I have absolutely no idea what will happen with Toronto. It's an absolute enigma.... Oh I have a pretty good idea of what will happen in Toronto this coming year!!!!!!! 30th I'm calling it Toronto's "Buffalo year". Every rebuilding team needs to go through at least one of them on the path back to respectability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Whoa, that's the kiss of death guarantees. I'm inclined to agree that they should be a playoff team on paper, but I think a lot of their players overachieved last year. Are their D going to continue to carry the offence like they did for large chunks last season? I do like what I've seen from Bennett. Can he stay healthy though? He plays a committed and gritty game for his size. Well, they will have a full year from Gio, another year for Brodie to get better, he's only 24 and has not come close to peaking....and Dougie Hamilton to add to the mix. That defense is going to much improved, and they were very good last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaskaFlyerFan Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Every single year I watch a US based team filled with Canadian born star power hoist the Cup, yet none of those Canadian icon players ever play for a Canadian team. To me, that's the real travesty in the NHL. Canadian fans never get to watch the best Canadian players in anything but a road jersey, at least not since the 1980s. I don't think of the league like that. It doesn't matter to me whether a team is US based or Canada based. It is an international league with players from many countries comprising a team.The Olympics is for country's teams with players from that country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 I don't think of the league like that. It doesn't matter to me whether a team is US based or Canada based. It is an international league with players from many countries comprising a team.The Olympics is for country's teams with players from that country. Wise words. For me, there is no boundary when it comes to hockey. Olympic Gold is where I cheer for Canada, and the WJC. It's comforting to know Canadians always play a key role in any Stanley Cup victory. I think the Flyes win was the last time a team won with only Canadians on the roster, but don't quote me on that. While the Canadian fan bases are admittedly loyal, I don't care if they suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B21 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Wise words. For me, there is no boundary when it comes to hockey. Olympic Gold is where I cheer for Canada, and the WJC. It's comforting to know Canadians always play a key role in any Stanley Cup victory. I think the Flyes win was the last time a team won with only Canadians on the roster, but don't quote me on that. While the Canadian fan bases are admittedly loyal, I don't care if they suffer. This times 10. I could care less what countries the players are from as far as the Pens go. National pride is for the Worlds, Olympics, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podein25 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Well, they will have a full year from Gio, another year for Brodie to get better, he's only 24 and has not come close to peaking....and Dougie Hamilton to add to the mix. That defense is going to much improved, and they were very good last year.That's all true. Should be a fun team to watch, that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 30th 29th FIXED Arizona will get Matthews The Leafs really don't want an American as their star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 I don't think of the league like that. It doesn't matter to me whether a team is US based or Canada based. It is an international league with players from many countries comprising a team.The Olympics is for country's teams with players from that country. I try not to, but it's so true. This is not just a happy coincidence. This is by design! The Canadian teams have been filled with russian and european players. The Leafs had every nationality represented except Canadian players during Brian Burke's time here, a policy which has changed recently. Look at Team Canada from any Olympics, World Cup, or whatever and examine where Canada's roster plays in the NHL. Crosby, Toews, Getzlaf, Perry, Doughty, Keith, Weber, Luongo, Brodeur, Sakic, Yzerman, Lemieux, Stamkos, etc..... I could run through every team Canada roster in my lifetime and other than the occasional Jarome Iginla or Carey Price I can't find a star Canadian player that actually plays on a Canadian NHL team. In many ways, it makes me feel like the NHL teams in Canada are like the CFL in football: Once players get good, they leave to play in the NFL. In the case of hockey, Canadian players leave Canada once they finish junior to play their entire professional NHL career in the United States. That would be like Derek Jeter playing his entire MLB career in the Yukon. Anyway, I think I'm done sobbing... almost... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 29th FIXED Arizona will get Matthews The Leafs really don't want an American as their star. Okay we'll accept 29th. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radoran Posted August 19, 2015 Share Posted August 19, 2015 Whoa, that's the kiss of death guarantees. Not true at all. Jeff Crater scored 60! 60, I tell you! SIXTY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Not true at all. Jeff Crater scored 60! 60, I tell you! SIXTY! I love how Flyers fans give their players (and former players) the most adorable nicknames. Crater. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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