Is hockey dying in Quebec ?

[bossram]

This argument makes me laugh. Canada is a rich country. Average families have houses, cars, computers, game consoles, phones, app subscriptions but no money for a boy to play hockey.

Yes.

When it costs tens of thousands of dollars to play AAA hockey and the median household income in Canada is ~$70,000.

Essentially no Canadian professional hockey players come from modest backgrounds anymore. Their families' are all wealthy.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Hockey has become a sport for rich kids and nepotism. The ones that make the NHL work hard of course, but so many are guys who spend every summer taking power skating and shooting classes. It’s no longer the athletic ones, it’s the one with resources. It’s why every year there are a half dozen former players kids taken in the first 2 rounds. It’s easy to advance in hockey if your parents throw $$ at specialized training.

It is "EASY" to advance if your parents throw money at sepcialized training? Maybe easy-ER, but certainly not "EASY".

 

[Daximus]

I think some of it has to do with developement in Canada being a lot more expensive and developement in other countries becoming better. There are only so many spots open in the NHL and the competition is always tough. Quebecs hayday was before a lot of Euro countries really started turning out more and more elite talent.

 

[patnyrnyg]

I am not in Quebec, but my daughter plays hockey. How is the overall participation in Quebec? Not just asking about the elite levels?

 

[abax44]

Done.

Would you like me to edit my post to remove their names?

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Yes.

When it costs tens of thousands of dollars to play AAA hockey and the median household income in Canada is ~$70,000.

Essentially no Canadian professional hockey players come from modest backgrounds anymore. Their families' are all wealthy.

We do not know the social origins of all the players, only the sons of professionals. Subban's family wasn't very wealthy and there are probably many others.

Let's admit your theory, you make hockey free, all the rich families are fleeing the sport and you don't gain anything.

Would you like me to edit my post to remove their names?

To do what ? Search their private lives ?

I gave the names to get in return the names of players more talented than JC Lipon and as I suspected I came across a liar.

 

[bossram]

We do not know the social origins of all the players, only the sons of professionals. Subban's family wasn't very wealthy and there are probably many others.

Let's admit your theory, you make hockey free, all the rich families are fleeing the sport and you don't gain anything.

Please show me where I said that. I'll wait.

And you'd think after every other person in this thread telling you you're wrong, you'd take the L.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Please show me where I said that. I'll wait.

And you'd think after every other person in this thread telling you you're wrong, you'd take the L.

I'm just saying that the cost of hockey is a false debate. In my time, my teammates were not very rich. Then when you have a passion you invest your money in it. I spent very little on video games, no drugs, no scooter, no PC, no CDs.

The real advantage is the proximity to an ice rink and the trainers. Youth from urban areas have an advantage.

Elite talents are privileged in their lives. A guy like James Scantlebury, was hosted at Lake Saint-Louis and now lives in Florida.

This is not the reason why the level has temporarily dropped. The real reason is the emergence of Europe, USA and Russia. The level is higher.

An international NHL like today in the 80s and half of the Canadian players disappear.

 

[abax44]

To do what ? Search their private lives ?

I gave the names to get in return the names of players more talented than JC Lipon and as I suspected I came across a liar.

You come across as such a d-bag.

I saw you had deleted them from your post, figured I'd offer to remove them as well. If you don't care, I don't care.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

You come across as such a d-bag.

I saw you had deleted them from your post, figured I'd offer to remove them as well. If you don't care, I don't care.

Sorry bro, i read wrong.

Yes I would like.

 

[BIG GIFS]

Hockey in Québec (or everywhere in general?) is such an expensive sport. Soccer has been growing a lot in Québec and it's the best option for kids nowadays. There's also a lot less chance that your kid suffer from concussion problem playing that sport.

 

[abax44]

Sorry bro, i read wrong.

Yes I would like.

No worries. All done.

 

[jigglysquishy]

I'm just saying that the cost of hockey is a false debate. In my time, my teammates were not very rich. Then when you have a passion you invest your money in it. I spent very little on video games, no drugs, no scooter, no PC, no CDs.

What money?

When you're in the important years of needing to drop big money into hockey (ages 10-14) you aren't even legally allowed to work in Canada. You 100% rely on your parents to pay for you. Hockey costs can exceed mortgage costs for parents.

 

[abo9]

Yanni Gourde (32), Phillip Danault (31), Jonathan Huberdeau (30), Mike Matheson (30), Anthony Mantha (29), Jonathan Drouin (29), Anthony Duclair (28), Samuel Montembeault (27), Thomas Chabot (27), Nicolas Roy (27), Mathieu Joseph (27), Jeremy Lauzon (27), Anthony Beauvillier (26), Samuel Girard (25), Pierre-Luc Dubois (25), Simon Benoit (25), Pierre-Olivier Joseph (24), Joe Veleno (24), Alexis Lafreniere (22), Devon Levi (22), Hendrix Lapierre (22), and others that I've probably missed and that are working their way through the system currently.

It may not be the greatest list compared to prior generations, but it wouldn't be far to say that nobody is coming through from Quebec these days.

I mean, it's a pretty terrible roster, even with all players at their peak (Huberdeau saves the day a bit here). And the top 2 lines are entering their 30s. The guys in the mid-20s are all serviceable but not great. And obviously, debate still up for the sub 23 group of .... Lafreniere, Lapierre and Levi.

Huberdeau - Danault- Lafreniere
Drouin - Dubois - Duclair
Beauvilier- Gourde - Veleno
M. Joseph - Roy - Lapierre

Matheson - Lauzon
Chabot - PO Joseph
Girard - Benoit

Montembeault
Levi

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Hockey in Québec (or everywhere in general?) is such an expensive sport. Soccer has been growing a lot in Québec and it's the best option for kids nowadays. There's also a lot less chance that your kid suffer from concussion problem playing that sport.

Soccer is technically more accessible. Starting hockey behind others is horrible. You have to start early but it's the sport itself that wants that.

After Soccer will face other problems. It will very quickly become a sport for thugs in the metropolises as in Europe.

 

[New User Name]

There's a number of reasons why youth hockey in Canada is declining. (especially Quebec)

Having a team in Quebec City would certainly encourage more kids to play in Quebec. Sadly, we'll never see another team there.

One that's never mentioned is former NHL players returning home after they retire and taking up coaching, which obviously brings out kids.

Now they're staying in the US and coaching there.

But of course that's only one of many factors.

 

[abo9]

I'm just saying that the cost of hockey is a false debate. In my time, my teammates were not very rich. Then when you have a passion you invest your money in it. I spent very little on video games, no drugs, no scooter, no PC, no CDs.

The real advantage is the proximity to an ice rink and the trainers. Youth from urban areas have an advantage.

Elite talents are privileged in their lives. A guy like James Scantlebury, was hosted at Lake Saint-Louis and now lives in Florida.

This is not the reason why the level has temporarily dropped. The real reason is the emergence of Europe, USA and Russia. The level is higher.

An international NHL like today in the 80s and half of the Canadian players disappear.

I mean about the bolded, Ontario still produces elite players at a crazy pace. QC hasn't produced a true elite player since Huberdeau 13 years ago.

I don't follow much of Western Canada, but they seem to be doing alright too.

Gabriel Perreault is a great prospect born in QC, but all I can find on eliteprospect is that he played on US based teams since U13

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

What money?

When you're in the important years of needing to drop big money into hockey (ages 10-14) you aren't even legally allowed to work in Canada. You 100% rely on your parents to pay for you. Hockey costs can exceed mortgage costs for parents.

Lowering costs will mean paying more taxes for you.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Lowering costs will mean paying more taxes for you.

I'm okay with that. We underfund youth sports across the board in Canada and spend on pro sports instead.

My municipality spent $200 million on a pro football stadium, but cuts corners on rink maintenance. Our WHL team is about to get a new $150 million arena, but we can't build youth sports facilities.

The priorities are completely out of whack.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

I mean about the bolded, Ontario still produces elite players at a crazy pace. QC hasn't produced a true elite player since Huberdeau 13 years ago.

I don't follow much of Western Canada, but they seem to be doing alright too.

Gabriel Perreault is a great prospect born in QC, but all I can find on eliteprospect is that he played on US based teams since U13

Lafreniere was not very long ago. Next draft was very rich. In the next few years, you have currently 4 elite prospects (Desnoyers, Guite, Joseph, Scantlebury). So the dynamic is rather positive.
Like Czechia and Slovakia, talking about dead hockey was before it had to be done. There are three regions which are making progress.

 

[viper0220]

Can't be dying if it's already dead. The people at the head of hockey Quebec care more about themselves than they do about the kids. Just ask Jocelyn Thibault.

What happened with Jocelyn Thibault?

 

[Foppberg]

Guarantee you if Alphonso Davies and Connor McDavid were walking down the street together in any given Canadian city. more times than not, it’s CMD holding the camera so passerbys can take pictures with phonzie, fewer instances of the inverse.

If you listed Quebec’s top athletes right now, I’m not sure if a hockey player breaks the top 5. It will probably be that way in other provinces before too long.

What’s Alphanso Davie

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I am not in Quebec, but my daughter plays hockey. How is the overall participation in Quebec? Not just asking about the elite levels?

Participation in rural areas is still fine , the actual city of Montreal really took a hit though , basically non existent as an option for most kids unless you have two parents with above average income and a car.


the majority of Public high schools also don't have hockey programs which is quite sad , but understandable , the sport is not viable to be played for free.

For a sport that's considered *canada's game* isn't it odd that Hockey is not pushed in high schools as extra curricular activity? But like I said I don't blame anybody. Rinks and equipment are so expensive to maintain , why even bother when kids can play soccer for basically free

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

What happened with Jocelyn Thibault?

Sorry if you don't speak French. You'll have to translate.
Basically got sick with some of the local associations who don't welcome change for the better of everyone because they want to continue to rule in their own little castles.

Jocelyn Thibault quitte prématurément Hockey Québec

« Déçu », « usé », Jocelyn Thibault quittera de façon prématurée la direction générale de Hockey Québec, en juin prochain.

www.lapresse.ca

 

[abo9]

Lafreniere was not very long ago. Next draft was very rich. In the next few years, you have currently 4 elite prospects (Desnoyers, Guite, Joseph, Scantlebury). So the dynamic is rather positive.
Like Czechia and Slovakia, talking about dead hockey was before it had to be done. There are three regions which are making progress.

Lafreniere hasn't been a "true elite player" yet, but he does still have time.

I hope a few manage to leave their mark in the coming future. QC has had a few elite prospects (Drouin comes to mind), but they haven't panned out (in a dominant way)