Is it too hard to play in Canada?

[LeafGrief]

There is a difference between pressure affecting people and cowardice... it is mind-boggling how people think every single person should rise to the occasion under pressure.

This is being said by a bunch of people who likely took very few risks in life and lived a very normal life, calling people who worked like crazy to live their dreams cowards.

My guy I uprooted my entire life and moved across Canada twice before I was 25. I've lived in Victoria, Halifax, and Quebec City. I'm not going to read my resume to you, but I have taken plenty of risks. Until further notice, these guys weren't chasing dreams, they were chasing a paycheck.

There is a big difference between pressure affecting people and cowardice. Cowards are the one who say it's too hard. Succeeding despite the pressure is what men are made of.

Get this weak shit out of my face. Our ancestors fought in f***ing wars, dude. Is it too hard to play hockey in Canada? I'm sure it is for cowards. McDavid and Draisaitl don't seem to have a problem with it.

 

[Big Trout]

The media and fans shitshow in Toronto is a result of the team's perfomance in big games, not the other way around. It'd be the same thing in any big american markets, just maybe a bit more tame.

Canadian teams not winning a cup in 32 years is an insane outlier more than anything, considering all of them minus 2 made it to the final during that time.

 

[notbias]

My guy I uprooted my entire life and moved across Canada twice before I was 25. I've lived in Victoria, Halifax, and Quebec City. I'm not going to read my resume to you, but I have taken plenty of risks. Until further notice, these guys weren't chasing dreams, they were chasing a paycheck.

Sounds like a normal life.

There is a big difference between pressure affecting people and cowardice. Cowards are the one who say it's too hard. Succeeding despite the pressure is what men are made of.

Who said it is too hard? So far, Florida players.

Get this weak shit out of my face. Our ancestors fought in f***ing wars, dude. Is it too hard to play hockey in Canada? I'm sure it is for cowards. McDavid and Draisaitl don't seem to have a problem with it.

No one said it is too hard, just that there is pressure, and not everyone steps up to the occasion.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Florida is a very good example of someone who didn't.

Most teams get a foundation through the draft, but building strictly through the draft or getting secondary free agent signings is a lot harder.

Winnipeg is the extreme example, they need to target players without NTCs/NMCs and free agent signings likely cost a premium.

Florida drafted Barkov, Ekblad, and Lundell. They traded guys they drafted and picks for Reinhart, Tkachuk, Bennett, etc. Who on that roster actually made it to UFA and signed with Florida?

I'd also argue that UFA is the worst place to try to get talent, because it always costs a premium.

 

[Peasy]

What is this supposed to mean ? The pressure in Toronto or Vancouver is the same as it is for Manchester United or the Dallas Cowboys.

Im saying the pressure is much less for a hockey player than a player playing for one of those teams/sports.

If you dont like the pressure, then don't sign and commit to that team. Stop trying to be something youre not.

 

[LeafGrief]

Sounds like a normal life.



Who said it is too hard? So far, Florida players.



No one said it is too hard, just that there is pressure, and not everyone steps up to the occasion.

Hahhahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha the way you just changed speeds on me is hysterical. Actual laugh out loud funny. Go on bro, keep posting your posts about how it's harder to win here, how much pressure can affect people.

Not everyone who fails to step up to an occasion is a coward. And some occasions are truly too great to overcome. But we're talking about freaking hockey games. Someone who cannot rise to the occasion of winning a few playoff series in Canada is a failure, and someone who is afraid of that little pressure is a coward.

 

[kerrabria]

Is it just too hard to play and win a Stanley Cup in Canada?

In all of Canada? No.

Is the media too much?

For Toronto? Yes. For Montreal? Maybe. For the other five? Not really.

Are there too many taxes?

Not when you consider the six teams based out of California and the NYC metro.

Is it too cold?

I think weather and nightlife is overemphasized compared to in-season travel, safety, and just overall how modern and nice the city is.

Way too many no-movement clauses with Canadian teams on them?

This is definitely a challenge.

Is the salary cap too strict?

I'm not opposed to scrapping the salary cap. I'm very opposed to a Canadian carve out. The NHL is unique among the four league because nearly every market has a) things that would draw players in, and b) things that would push players away. Canadian teams have a slightly tougher time with the salary cap. They also have advantages.

What is the issue here? 32 years since the last cup win for a Canadian team.

It's different for every franchise. It's not a Canadian issue.

 

[Brookbank]

Im saying the pressure is much less for a hockey player than a player playing for one of those teams/sports.

No it isn't. It is the same. Big metro area, the top sport in the country, the pressure is the same. Whether it is rugby in New Zealand , soccer in England or hockey in Canada

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Because most of those Sunbelt teams sucked for long enough (or got lucky enough) to amass a lot of high end talent through the draft.

Florida has like 3 drafted guys contributing, everyone else was acquired by wheeling and dealing.

Dallas didnt tank for their guys either.

 

[oXo Cube]

McDavid and Draisaitl play in an absolute pressure cooker and they are practically worshipped as demigods.

This is because they actually deliver in big moments. The media is more annoying in Canada but the game is the same.

 

[Lshap]

Florida has like 3 drafted guys contributing, everyone else was acquired by wheeling and dealing.

Dallas didnt tank for their guys either.

There's nothing special about sunbelt teams other than Dallas, Florida, and Vegas happen to be recent top teams. So are Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Colorado. Meanwhile, other sunbelt teams remain at the bottom.

Everything goes in cycles. Ten years ago Chicago had just finished their reign, Pittsburgh was about to win back-to-back Cups, and Washington, St Louis and Colorado would win Cups soon after.

 

[kerrabria]

McDavid and Draisaitl play in an absolute pressure cooker and they are practically worshipped as demigods.

This is because they actually deliver in big moments. The media is more annoying in Canada but the game is the same.

McDavid and Draisaitl weren't booed off the ice or lied about in the media when they were swept by the Avalanche.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

There's nothing special about sunbelt teams other than Dallas, Florida, and Vegas happen to be recent top teams. So are Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Colorado. Meanwhile, other sunbelt teams remain at the bottom.

Everything goes in cycles. Ten years ago Chicago had just finished their reign, Pittsburgh was about to win back-to-back Cups, and Washington, St Louis and Colorado would win Cups soon after.

nothing special other than all players want to play in these markets (and not in Canada), and they all seem to sign for much better bargain contracts than those that teams in Canada or northern American cities have to pay.

But maybe its nothing.

 

[oXo Cube]

McDavid and Draisaitl weren't booed off the ice or lied about in the media when they were swept by the Avalanche.

This is probably because they combined for 13 points in those 4 games. Sort of the point I was making.

 

[justHypnos]

I think it’s just easier to build a team in a location like Florida, California, Dallas, Vegas etc than one like Columbus, Philly, Canada in general. I think it’s mostly about living conditions and QOL than anything. If I had the choice to work anywhere I would also choose a southern location rather than Toronto or Calgary. I don’t really know why you wouldn’t.

 

[shello]

how come the only good teams are in the Sun Belt then?

Sun belt teams being good is a pretty new thing, just look at 10, 15 or 20 years ago. Panthers were one of the biggest jokes in the league for ages. They hardly had any fans

 

[kerrabria]

It's just not fair, the customers that fund our business want results.

Then stop giving them money. The Toronto fan mentality is so backwards to me.
If my team sucks, isn't playing entertaining hockey, isn't making smart FO moves, etc..I'm not giving them my attention--let alone my money. This is how a lot of Sunbelt fans operate, and we're criticized.

But other markets give their team's unconditional support and waste their time, money, and energy patronizing a shit product, which doesn't incentivize accountability or changes, but then they freak out and lose their minds. Just stop caring.

This is probably because they combined for 13 points in those 4 games. Sort of the point I was making.

Fair enough

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Florida has like 3 drafted guys contributing, everyone else was acquired by wheeling and dealing.

Dallas didnt tank for their guys either.

Florida drafted in the top 3 four times in a 5 year period. And they had enough trade capital from drafting to be able to wheel and deal like they did. They didn't draft the entire roster, but the draft is still where everything started.

And the Stars didn't have to tank to get Hintz in the 2nd round, then two years later, add Heiskanen, Oettinger and Robertson. In 2019, they drafted Harley 18OA. 2021, they got Johnston with 23OA. Either their scouts are amazing, or they had some good luck.

 

[kerrabria]

Because most of those Sunbelt teams sucked for long enough (or got lucky enough) to amass a lot of high end talent through the draft.

For the Panthers, only our 1C, 3C, and 3D were lottery picks.
If you really wanted to nitpick, we also acquired Tkachuk and Jones in packages that included former lottery picks.

 

[DFC]

Edmonton looks poised for a cup in the near future.

For a loooong time, Canadian teams refused to rebuild and spent years in mediocrity. The Leafs just weren't built for the playoffs.

 

[kerrabria]

My guy I uprooted my entire life and moved across Canada twice before I was 25. I've lived in Victoria, Halifax, and Quebec City. I'm not going to read my resume to you, but I have taken plenty of risks. Until further notice, these guys weren't chasing dreams, they were chasing a paycheck.

There is a big difference between pressure affecting people and cowardice. Cowards are the one who say it's too hard. Succeeding despite the pressure is what men are made of.

Get this weak shit out of my face. Our ancestors fought in f***ing wars, dude. Is it too hard to play hockey in Canada? I'm sure it is for cowards. McDavid and Draisaitl don't seem to have a problem with it.

I could also run through the risks I've taken, adversity I've faced, tragedies, disappointments, and all that.
Still, the most difficult, demotivating thing in my life BY FAR, has always been dealing with annoying, unpleasant people who are always wrong and make my job/life more stressful than it should be.

 

[Monsieur Miz]

Too hard if you're a bitch, yeah.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

For the Panthers, only our 1C, 3C, and 3D were lottery picks.
If you really wanted to nitpick, we also acquired Tkachuk and Jones packages that included former lottery picks.

Where did you get the assets you traded for Tkachuk and Jones? Or Reinhart? Or Bennett? From what I can see, it's all guys that the Panthers drafted, plus some draft picks. If you don't get that value out of the draft in the first place, how many of those trades can still happen?

 

[kerrabria]

Where did you get the assets you traded for Tkachuk and Jones? Or Reinhart? Or Bennett? From what I can see, it's all guys that the Panthers drafted, plus some draft picks. If you don't get that value out of the draft in the first place, how many of those trades can still happen?

Did you even look at these trades before you posted?

Tkachuk was traded for:
- Weegar (1D and former 7th Rounder)
- Huberdeau (Elite Winger and former 3rd OA)
- Schwindt (Former 4th Rounder)
- First Rounder

Jones was traded for:
- Knight (Backup Goalie and former 10th OA)
- First Rounder

Reinhart was traded for:
- First Rounder

Bennett was trade for:
- Heineman (Former 2nd Rounder)
- 2nd Rounder

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I think it's a top down problem for the most part. Ownership groups in Canada run their organizations more as old boys club it would seem. Not that the rest of the league is terribly open to new ideas and fresh faces but you see it a lot more often. It feels like for most Canadian teams the hires for President of Hockey Ops, then GM, AGM and Head coach have to be more of a name brand because they are selling to fans and media that are going to be more critical so nothing can be too outside of the box. Dubas is probably one of the only outliers here and well, he was an idiot in disguise.

The other issue I see is an accountability self preservation thing. Coaches, GMs, get far too much rope when they underperform because firing them would be an indictment on the boss who hired them. There's no good reason why Shanahan should still have a job. Rutherford is a complete merchant of chaos.

Basically for the most part I think it's dumb people making dumb decisions.