Is it time for a Canadian only professional hockey league?

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Want some cheese with that whine?

 

[Neil Patrick Harris]

I'm as nationalist as the next guy, but if you think I want any other Canadian team winning before mine out of some sense of solidarity, you're out of your gourd.

If it ain't the Sens, I couldn't care less if a Canadian team wins it.

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

Crosby and McDavid would sign with American teams without a moment's hesitation. Crosby has played for an American team for nearly two decades.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I think they should get rid of the allstar game and instead have a series of regional tournaments in the middle of the season each with its own trophy. A canada cup, a great lakes cup, etc. Hope it is one day becomes comparable to the beanpot in NCAA hockey. All the games can be played at a regional host arena potentially.

Give the players a week long break afterward, and figure out the finances to make it work. Each regional tournament doesn't have to happen concurrently so there's no break in NHL hockey being produced.

 

[Jigger77]

As a Montrealer, I've been reading the many threads on this board about Canadian teams needing to bond together, or battle the bias against them, or have Canada's place in hockey validated... and I don't get the flag-waving. Support a team because they sit on my side of the border? Why? Each NHL team is separate business. I don't earn a commission on their success – screw em'!

Besides, there's nothing distinctly Canadian about Canadian teams. It's not like we have the Quebec Poutines or Hamilton Smoked Meats. Now those are true Canadian flavours I could root for. The day the NHL adds the Saguenay Cabanes-A-Sucre is the day I switch teams.


I wonder if there's more Canadian loyalty in small towns versus metro areas. Most bigger cities are mostly the same.

Could be for sure. But even so, in my experience this temporary allegiance is pretty superficial. It's more of a general preference rather than active cheering. When I watch the Habs in the playoffs for example I work myself up so bad my heart thumps out of my chest and my cats go into hiding for a few days. When I watch another Canadian team in the playoffs, sure I'd like to see them win, but I definitely don't get worked up either way and I don't really care if I miss a part of or even a whole game. Then in the regular season that preference returns to its normal state of mutual animosity and the natural order of hockey team allegiance is restored until the next playoffs.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

I'm as nationalist as the next guy, but if you think I want any other Canadian team winning before mine out of some sense of solidarity, you're out of your gourd.

If it ain't the Sens, I couldn't care less if a Canadian team wins it.

Crosby and McDavid would sign with American teams without a moment's hesitation. Crosby has played for an American team for nearly two decades.

Like he would have played for Montreal all his career if he was drafted by them

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?

You think the league will continue to swim in money with less talent and less competitive hockey ?

Édit you think they all crave to play in the U.S ? Personnaly i would stay away from that Country with how it become anyway

 

[Mubiki]

I would contend that in places like Montreal and Toronto, it's these types of fans that are actively contributing to the problem.

Fans in these markets are so entitled and irrational that they force bad decisions through unrealistic expectations.

GMs and coaches in these markets are under pressure to win almost immediately or lose their jobs. They are always going to feel the pressure to do something drastic. Even when they do something that 90% of the fan base agrees with, the hindsight will blind everyone and they will be angry anyway.

 

[Scomerica]

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.

'Power hungry Americans, i'll fix youuuuu'

 

[TBF1972]

You think the league will continue to swim in money with less talent and less competitive hockey ?

Édit you think they all crave to play in the U.S ? Personnaly i would stay away from that Country with how it become anyway

look i am swiss. i have nothing to do with your animosity towards the us.

but a new league won't start with a rich tv contract. i am not even sure, if the owners of the current canadian nhl teams would want to relocate their teams to a new league. much less players, who are signed to contracts for teams located in the us. same for coaches, refs and so on.

so at the start you have the cast offs, who aren't under contract and you can try to compete for the drafted and undrafted players not yet signed to contracts. so it is an uphill battle to reach the quality of play of the nhl and i doubt this league can afford to offer competitive salaries to players, coaches, refs etc. from the start. so the moneytarian motivation will lead those to sign nhl contracts. obviously you can jump the gun and allow drafting and signing of 16/17 year olds. but this might not be the smartest idea.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

look i am swiss. i have nothing to do with your animosity towards the us.

but a new league won't start with a rich tv contract. i am not even sure, if the owners of the current canadian nhl teams would want to relocate their teams to a new league. much less players, who are signed to contracts for teams located in the us. same for coaches, refs and so on.

so at the start you have the cast offs, who aren't under contract and you can try to compete for the drafted and undrafted players not yet signed to contracts. so it is an uphill battle to reach the quality of play of the nhl and i doubt this league can afford to offer competitive salaries to players, coaches, refs etc. from the start. so the moneytarian motivation will lead those to sign nhl contracts. obviously you can jump the gun and allow drafting and signing of 16/17 year olds. but this might not be the

I know it will never happen, the animosity i have, like you pointed is more way more than just hockey, and im not going to go into there. I love US market, Minnesota San Jose and to lesser the underdog like Buffalo with Hasek by exemple. It just feel like we are getting robbed more and more from our héritage

We had Gainey with bruised elbows lifting the cup and now they cry cause they dont like the all star game emplacement

Its all about the money so screw you Quebec and we Will do anything for the Coyotes because ? Money money moneyyyyy

 

[End on a Hinote]

I know it will never happen, the animosity i have, like you pointed is more way more than just hockey, and im not going to go into there. I love US market, Minnesota San Jose and to lesser the underdog like Buffalo with Hasek by exemple. It just feel like we are getting robbed more and more from our héritage

We had Gainey with bruised elbows lifting the cup and now they cry cause they dont like the all star game emplacement

Its all about the money so screw you Quebec and we Will do anything for the Coyotes because ? Money money moneyyyyy

I feel the same way but with more regards to the declining number of Canadians in the league. The days of the fiesty French-Canadian goalie, the tough farm boy from Saskatchewan and head strong Captain from BC are dwindling.

I'm not saying I hate that other nations are playing the game, it just sucks that ut comes at out expense. Especially with some hypocritical fans who think you're not a hockey fan if you don't like seeing the game grow internationally, but at the same time mock and celebrate the "demise" of Canadian hockey

 

[Praetorian Caps]

That’s sports dude. The Chicago Bears haven’t won since 1985, you don’t think Bears fans want something to cheer for?

Hail, I take it a step further; the AFC couldn't win a single Superbowl for twelve straight seasons, for most most of the 80's-90's. Did that mean The NFL had a bias against the conference at the time.

 

[EpochLink]

Hail, I take it a step further; the AFC couldn't win a single Superbowl for twelve straight seasons, for most most of the 80's-90's. Did that mean The NFL had a bias against the conference at the time.

The NFC was loaded during the 80’s and 90’s, you had the super heavyweights of the Niners, Giants, Bears, Commanders, Packers, Cowboys fighting it out each year with the Eagles, Vikings, Saints not far behind.

Then over in the AFC you had the Raiders, Broncos, Browns, Bills, Bengals slug it out on who would be in the Super Bowl. Then you’d had the Oilers, Steelers, Dolphins contend year in year out.

 

[bigd]

If you can't beat them, start your own league?

 

[ricky0034]

Are you trying to imply that hockey isn't relevant in Canada? It is insanely expensive and unaffordable for most families in Canada. Also when you have more teams in the US, it makes sense that they win more often. Especially since every single time there is a disgruntled star player on a Canadian team, he always gets traded to the US for pennies on the dollar and the team trading its star will inevitably fall into a rebuild. Always love seeing fans of big market franchises that have won multiple lotteries talking shit about Canada when almost all of their star players come from here.

I mean you have junior teams in Canada that have a higher arena capacity than a current NHL team based in the US, which is just frankly laughable.

and there's some College Hockey teams in the US that have a higher arena capacity than the Jets

 

[Bruce Granville]

Maybe Calgary and Edmonton should join forces…the Alberta All Stars?
And Ottawa and Toronto? The Ontario Oh La La‘s? No, that‘s when Toronto and Montreal start working together…

 

[Neil Patrick Harris]

Like he would have played for Montreal all his career if he was drafted by them

If the choice were between making a few hundred thousand - if that - to play for Montreal in a lesser-talented league, or millions to play for Pittsburgh in a more-talented league, you really think Crosby would pick Montreal?

Y'know Crosby could have chosen to leave the Pens and sign with any Canadian team he wanted. He didn't - because most players don't really give a damn about what country they're playing in so long as they're being paid.

 

[OldCraig71]

The Habs will win the cup in 2026-27, bookmark it if you want.

 

[Sun God Nika]

I still genuinely can't believe that there are actually Canadians who get so upset about no Canadian teams winning the Cup that they make an issue out of it every single year.

Canadian here. I cheer against Canadian teams to win the cup. If anyone gonna break the curse its going to be my Ottawa Senators

 

[tucker3434]

They could have a KHL-like league that would give the big markets the championships they want. But Canada just isn’t big enough to support an NHL-type league on their own. It would either have to be a really small league or have massive revenue sharing to get a Saskatoon to compete with a Montreal or Toronto.

 

[Kaiden Ghoul]

If the choice were between making a few hundred thousand - if that - to play for Montreal in a lesser-talented league, or millions to play for Pittsburgh in a more-talented league, you really think Crosby would pick Montreal?

Y'know Crosby could have chosen to leave the Pens and sign with any Canadian team he wanted. He didn't - because most players don't really give a damn about what country they're playing in so long as they're being paid.

If the choice were between making a few hundred thousand - if that - to play for Montreal in a lesser-talented league, or millions to play for Pittsburgh in a more-talented league, you really think Crosby would pick Montreal?

Y'know Crosby could have chosen to leave the Pens and sign with any Canadian team he wanted. He didn't - because most players don't really give a damn about what country they're playing in so long as they're being paid.

When did Montreal played in a lesser league ?

 

[canuckster19]

I don't want to see a Canadian only league, but I think it would be dishonest to assume that it wouldn't do as well as an American one.

A, Canadians don't care about the variety of teams, not in the way it's portrayed here, here it's just confirmation bias of needy Canadian fans who need to roll on their backs like a good dog.

B, Stanley Cup belongs in Canada as per the original terms of the trusteeship, not the NHL, so if there was a hypothetical split, it would stay in Canada thus giving the Canadian league immediate brand recognition.

C, TV money, ESPN gave 100 million a year, split between 25 teams, vs the Rogers deal 700 million divided by 7 teams, you could easily add 3 teams Quebec, Toronto 2 and maybe Montreal 2 and call it a 10 team league and you think somehow the league with more money to spend is the American one?

 

[Dread Clawz]

Lol yeah and you'd be watching beer league players compete. Enjoy.

 

[Three On Zero]

Great idea, now 90% of the talent won't play in the league because they will all want the bigger payday in the bigger/better league. This "Canadian" league will be filled with B tier euro players

 

[canuckster19]

All the Americans here saying the money is in the US, I guess none of you would care to explain why your TV deal on a per year/team basis is 5 times less than the Canadian one?

Think Jacobs/Wirtz and all the other dirtbags are going to continue propping up Phoenix without a little help from some Northern money?

 

[Scomerica]

All the Americans here saying the money is in the US, I guess none of you would care to explain why your TV deal on a per year/team basis is 5 times less than the Canadian one?

Think Jacobs/Wirtz and all the other dirtbags are going to continue propping up Phoenix without a little help from some Northern money?

Is it though? This Split Stanley Cup Finals? 'Inside the NHL?' What we know about the NHL's new media rights deals says: $400m per year for ESPN and $225m from Turner. Rather than the 100 you say.