Is it time for a Canadian only professional hockey league?

[These Are The Days]

Lol dude the Jets could win the Cup tomorrow and every Canadian not in Winnipeg would just shit on them mercilessly. Stop with this shit already

 

[crazy8888]

30 years without a Canadian team winning, 7 Canadian teams.

It's going to be at least 210 years before every Canadian team will win a Stanley cup.

We just want something to cheer for

You make it sound like every Canadian cheers for every Canadian team. You think many Jets fans care if its the Leafs or Florida lifting the cup? Think guys in Edm would feel less sad about their season if some other Canadian team was still in the playoffs?

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

All this because we reached the conference finals twice in 30 years. "Yeah, way too much, we have to address this issue".

 

[robertocarlos]

What? The same deep pocket teams will have to keep the also rans solvent .can't just have a league if Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

The $50 million Regina Putts would rejoice all day and the city streets would be washed with Bud Light any day they beat the $200 million Toronto Ptarmigans.

Lord Stanleys family takes his cup back home to the UK. His cup, his rules

They'll melt it and use the silver value to fix their teeth. Or not.

Lol dude the Jets could win the Cup tomorrow and every Canadian not in Winnipeg would just shit on them mercilessly. Stop with this shit already

They might but the Jets are loved around the world including Finland. Well, maybe not in Finland so much as in Sweden.

 

[GrizzGreen]

dude the Jets could win the Cup

easy on the hyperbole...

 

[Faceboner]

Jesus f***ing Christ this thread, peoples feelings all upset because of Canada’s lack of Stanley cups in 30 years.

I mean don't most players take it back to their home town anyways for their week? A majority of players are still Canadian so its not like they get a lack of representation

 

[ichbinkanadier]

I've always said how much of a shame it was that the CHL isn't as big here as the NCAA is in the US. We up here have the biggest junior league in the world and we here in Canada take it for granted because we are to busy yearning for the good old days of the NHL.

The media here should be covering the Memorial Cup like March Madness

The set up doesn't help.

The round Robin doesn't generate as much excitement as a do or die game format

Perhaps a solution is to have the top 32 teams play a do or die format. I could see the championship game under that format easily generating a million viewers at least.

Nor does the timing. By the time it's played, it's the third round of the Cup finals.

 

[BigEezyE22]

That's because of bAd MaNaGeMeNt

That's because all the gUd MaNujmInT wants to live in warmer big cities with no tax like New York...

 

[Megustaelhockey]

This thread didn't let me down.

If you think Canada's pastime is hockey, think again. It's not curling either. It's saltiness.

 

[ichbinkanadier]

In this league, do all the players have to be citizens of Canada? Can naturalized citizens play? Do they have to play for their hometown team? Should the Canadian government force players into the Canadian military so the best players cannot leave to play in the NHL? Just to be safe, should the Canadian gov't just pass laws that prevent all Canadians from leaving Canada because if they do they may eventually have their own children who will be good hockey players?

Comrade Trudeau welcomes this league to the Union of Soviet Socialist Provinces

Maybe it is time for the Bears to leave the NFL and start a professional league for just the state of Illinois?

They'd still lose- to whatever team is on Rockford

 

[WarriorofTime]

The set up doesn't help.

The round Robin doesn't generate as much excitement as a do or die game format

Perhaps a solution is to have the top 32 teams play a do or die format. I could see the championship game under that format easily generating a million viewers at least.

Nor does the timing. By the time it's played, it's the third round of the Cup finals.

The worst thing about the Memorial Cup is the spot for the host team. Just stupid. You should have to earn your way in. Not have it gifted to you in advance. Like no offense but watching a team that got knocked out in the second round get to parade around as the “champions of junior hockey” because they had a well rested team playing at home is just silly.

 

[ichbinkanadier]

This thread didn't let me down.

If you think Canada's pastime is hockey, think again. It's not curling either. It's saltiness.

You're talking about a country that had a show called "Talking to Americans" just to make the people look dumb and the Csnadian viewers laugh at them.

An inferiority complex is a....well....complex thing cause at the end of the day, our attitude is us and the US against the world.

 

[ichbinkanadier]

The worst thing about the Memorial Cup is the spot for the host team. Just stupid. You should have to earn your way in. Not have it gifted to you in advance. Like no offense but watching a team that got knocked out in the second round get to parade around as the “champions of junior hockey” because they had a well rested team playing at home is just silly.

I agree. Catch 22 I guess is they want the locals to have an invested interest in the tournament. The 67s win in '99 just doesn't feel legitimate.

 

[Haatley]

Stop this conspiracy BS. Making Canadians look bad.

 

[Deplorable Lenny]

I don’t know if I’d call sitting at the kiddie table all that relevant. You think players want to play in Winnipeg or Vegas?

You literally chose the least desirable Canadian City and the most desirable US City.

Why didn't you say Toronto or Columbus? Vancouver or Minnesota? Montreal or Detroit?

I would imagine that when comparing the least desirable city in one country VS to most desirable in another that you aren't actually engaged in the conversation. You are just talking out of your ass once again.

 

[Yatzhee]

Ok, separate the Canadian players and Canadian teams from the NHL, or take the NHL name with you as well if you wish. No more Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins or Chicago Blackhawks as members of the original 6. You can call the Montreal Canadians and the Toronto Maple Leafs the original 2.

The US won't sell hockey merchandise in Canada, Canada won't sell hockey merchandise in the US. While we're at it, we here in the US would like all of our Ford and GM plants back, so why not just seal the border, stop trade and go our own ways.

 

[AndreRoy]

Maybe hockey’s just not your game, Canada. I know - let’s have a spelling contest!

 

[End on a Hinote]

This thread didn't let me down.

If you think Canada's pastime is hockey, think again. It's not curling either. It's saltiness.

Actually, it's lacrosse. True story.

The worst thing about the Memorial Cup is the spot for the host team. Just stupid. You should have to earn your way in. Not have it gifted to you in advance. Like no offense but watching a team that got knocked out in the second round get to parade around as the “champions of junior hockey” because they had a well rested team playing at home is just silly.

I hate the host team getting an automatic birth into the Memorial Cup. Unfortunately, the tournament just isn't popular enough to have it any other way. I doubt most fans are willing to jet to the other end of the country to watch their team in action so they need to have a home team.

You're talking about a country that had a show called "Talking to Americans" just to make the people look dumb and the Csnadian viewers laugh at them.

An inferiority complex is a....well....complex thing cause at the end of the day, our attitude is us and the US against the world.

Well it's not like you guys don't take your shots at us, either. And that show is over twenty years old and was a limited series. It's not like we rely on mocking Americans for our entertainment. Besides, many of the Americans interviewed knew what was going on and we just playing along, anyway.

 

[mjlee]

Mostly a lurker, but the gnashing of teeth and biblical wailing is a bit much. No, there are no Canadian team in the last four, there are no Original Six, there are no Big Market team (with the arguable exception of Dallas).

The NHL will still survive. Maybe overall viewer numbers will be down, but the viewer ratings for the final four will probably be up. Meaning new fans and demographics will tune in, some for possibly the first time, and thus growing the sport. Which, yes, Bettman and the owners see as a positive. Unlikely thought though it might be.

I also never understood the pointing of zero state taxes as the root of all evil. Even if a player takes less to play in Tampa or Florida, unless he has a NMC he can be traded months after he signs. Nullifying any possible advantage and actually losing him money because of the contract he signed. Something I'm sure the players and their agents are more than aware of.

We're not talking Hedman or Stamkos. Or Benn and Seguin, but the journeymen who often do their own little tour of the NHL being traded hither and thither.

 

[mjlee]

Something doesn't compute. The NHL is more gate driven than the other major leagues and as the OP wanted lowering ticket prices so 'ordinary' fans can attend that means less revenue. So there definitely won't be a 200,0000 cap. Another part of revenue is corporate. In another thread someone pointed out that Winnipeg's problem is that corporate has not embraced them like they have in other Canadian cities. Corporate support in places like Edmonton and Calgary are already maxed out.

It would be a league where the Leafs and the Habs rule supreme since no other team could match their corporate support. And will need to carry smaller markets. Finally there are the broadcasting rights. No one, apart from CBC will be prepared to pay much. How exactly will this league survive financially?

 

[TBF1972]

i say this because i feel with bettman calling the shots, i don't see canadian nhl teams have a chance to win..

i believe its time for canadians to create their own professional hockey league just like the CFL...

in this professional league, the salaries will be lower and the ticket prices will be affordable for families...

i say to canadians let the NHL go with its pro american business mindset...and embrace a new league that will cater to hockey crazed canadians..

i wonder where the best canadian hockey players would want to play ...

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

If we draft and keep our Canadian player sure, so USA can have their 30-40 teams with American player and the Europeen they will get in the EU UFA war between Canada and USA.

Québec
Montréal
Toronto
Ottawa
2 more team in Ontario ?
Winnipeg
Calgary
Edmonton
2 team in Saskatchewan ?
Vancouver one other team in BC

Or maybe 1 in Saskatchewan to have two division of 6 teams

Now lets see how the hockey will grow in the US and dont worry for our Crosby Mcdavid we would have enough large market to support our Country

 

[SomeDude]

30 Cupless years seems to have been the mental breaking point for a lot of Canadian fans.

 

[TBF1972]

If we draft and keep our Canadian player sure, so USA can have their 30-40 teams with American player and the Europeen they will get in the EU UFA war between Canada and USA.

Québec
Montréal
Toronto
Ottawa
2 more team in Ontario ?
Winnipeg
Calgary
Edmonton
2 team in Saskatchewan ?
Vancouver one other team in BC

Or maybe 1 in Saskatchewan to have two division of 6 teams

Now lets see how the hockey will grow in the US and dont worry for our Crosby Mcdavid we would have enough large market to support our Country

what about the canadian players, who rather play for more $ in the us league?

you don't allow them to get a passport? they get electronic chains which explode when crossing the boarder? you put their family members in prison? any other measures?

 

[BRobMint]

So basically MAGA but for Canadian hockey teams? No thanks. There’s more talent everywhere than there’s ever been. Why limit it to just one place? Us Canadian team fans have only our team’s ownerships/managements to blame. Treliving could’ve signed Tkachuk long term instead of bridging him but didn’t want to lose Michael fricken Frolik. He traded Bennett for peanuts and short changed Johnny in early contract negotiations in 2021. It’s the crappy front offices fault why the cup hasn’t gone to a Canadian team in 30 years, not Bettman.