Is it too hard to play in Canada?

[Jyrki]

I mean sure... but you didn't ask that. You asked if there were other statues outside of arenas in the US other than Bobby (I'm assuming Orr) and the answer is a definitive yes. Apparently there is another statue of Bobby (Hull) and of Stan Mikita in Chicago outside the United Center.

According to this list there looks to be a lot of them. So, this kind of proves my point about Toronto thinking it's so special because it has statues of some guys who never did anything. Lots of statues around and it's cool because most of these players actually won something

Anaheim Ducks	The Anaheim Duck AKA "Wild Wing"
Boston Bruins	Bobby Orr
Buffalo Sabres	The French Connection (Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, and Rick Martin), Tim Horton
Chicago Blackhawks	Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, 75th Anniversary Statue
Detroit Red Wings	Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe
Edmonton Oilers	Wayne Gretzky
Los Angeles Kings	Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, 50th Anniversary Monument (Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, Marcel Dionne, Dave Taylor, Rob Blake, Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown)
Minnesota Wild	Herb Brooks
Montreal Canadiens	Howie Morenz, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur, Maurice Richard
New Jersey Devils	Martin Brodeur, "Iceman"
Philadelphia Flyers	Ed Snider, Bernie Parent & Bobby Clarke
Pittsburgh Penguins	Mario Lemieux
St. Louis Blues	Brett Hull, Bernie Federko, Al MacInnis
Tampa Bay Lightning	Phil Esposito, Dave Andreychuk
Toronto Maple Leafs	Legends Row - Johnny Bower, Ted Kennedy, Darryl Sittler, Borje Salming, Mats Sundin, Syl Apps, George Armstrong, Turk Broda, Tim Horton, Dave Keon, Charlie Conacher, Red Kelly, Wendel Clark, Frank Mahovlich
Vancouver Canucks	Roger Neilsen, Pat Quinn

...the Flyers seriously have a statue of their late owner? lol

 

[Fatass]

My point is that no one outside of Toronto cares what they do or don't do with statues or otherwise. Immortalizing players who didn't win anything isn't a badge of honour. It's signaling that your team has been bad for 50+ years and this is the best you have to offer

Again, you’re missing the point of this thread. The question asked: is it hard to play in Canada? The answer is no. If a guy plays hard then playing in Canada (TO for example) is easy. Players who give their best are greatly appreciated. Hence the statutes for players who didn’t win a Cup but have their best as the club’s best players. Hard nosed. Softies aren’t liked the same.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

No.

Unless you're a bitch and/or don't want to be held accountable for piss poor performances.

Granted, there are pieces of shit that go too far, but from what I've gathered they're in both countries and across all sports.

 

[Johnny Concussion]

No to none of above for a retread thread.

Of the 4 teams left, there are 44 Canadians playing of potentially 98 players. Each team has more Canadians than any other country. Aside from the parade for the winning team, where there's a 75% chance that it will take place in the USA, the cup will spend more time in Canada than anywhere else this summer.

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I think it's awesome to see Finland with 13 players still in the running.

And I know everyone loves to trot out this little crumpet of information but ask any fans how it feels to have their CITY win a cup instead of a player who won it stopping by for the camera and they'll tell you its a very different feeling.

Regardless of how many times the cup will be visiting Canada it means nothing in comparison to having your team win it. So please stop dropping this nugget like it's a f***ing bombshell. No one cares, Canadians want a cup.

 

[Mr Nogatco]

Core 4 should send Tkachuk a gift basket.

Now everyone is talking about how mean the fans are instead of the absolute travesty of a game 7 those guys pulled.

This is like when a coach says something controversial or gets ejected in order to draw heat away from his players.

The NHLPA members look out for their union brothers.

 

[coolboarder]

I think it is harder to build a team in Canada, you mostly have to do it through the draft.

Some Canadian cities are much harder (Winnipeg) to build in than others.

Anyone saying taxes, weather, and the media don't contribute has no clue.

Even if there are "world class cities" in Canada, there is a US city that offers the same or more, so there isn't an attractiveness to Toronto when New York and Chicago exist, Montreal and Vancouver are probably more unique and intriguing to some than Toronto.

The only thing they have going for them is players coming home.

When players get there, it depends on the person, but yes for some, no for others.

There is definitely more media pressure and some fans are insane, not sure this should dictate the play of some players, but I am sure it is easier to play for some with no pressure.

It's also the best place to play when you are winning.



Do you mind listing your life achievements so we can see if you are qualified to discuss succeeding under pressure?

You sound like a winner, so I am assuming the list is long.

IT is very rare to see any Canadian teams purposely tank their team is due to the fan expectations for them not to tank to improve their drafting odd or even a better position. The only thing they were able to draft in top 5 is because they were bad, that bad but only known move is 2016 where they blew up and purposely tanked was the Leafs. Also it is due to fan's pressure on how they build their team, there was some disagreement on how they want their team being built or even tank and there are fans on other side don't want their team ever to tank anything for just one player. So yes, it's difficult to even draft properly.

 

[BraveCanadian]

No

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Again, you’re missing the point of this thread. The question asked: is it hard to play in Canada? The answer is no. If a guy plays hard then playing in Canada (TO for example) is easy. Players who give their best are greatly appreciated. Hence the statutes for players who didn’t win a Cup but have their best as the club’s best players. Hard nosed. Softies aren’t liked the same.

That goes for anywhere though. It’s not Canada specific

 

[JFedol]

Every player that says that shit are basically admitting they have no DAWG in them.

Or in a lesser sense, can't be 100% trusted as thee BUS DRIVER for any team.

Pressure elevates a person to their BEST ability IMO.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

IMO, just one more thing to blame on social media. Don't think it's a coincidence that in society there is a mental health crisis and an huge upswell in entitlement after the rise of social media. The insane vocal minority is seen as representative of the entire population, so Fandom (of all kind) comes under attack.

 

[alko]

Im sure, it is less pressure as it was for mesoamerican ballgame players

 

[ItWasJustified]

yes actually, it is hard to play for those teams. Plenty of great players failed there

There are instances in Italy where the football ultras go to the training ground to "talk" to the players. And were talking provincial clubs, not necessary the giants. Where ultras vandalize player cars etc. Ultras that are professional criminals that murders people. That's pressure.

Fans booing, throwing jerseys on the ice or more media than the regular NHL team while making millions of dollars every year isn't pressure.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

For the mentally weak yes it is, but again if you can't play in Canada you are mentally weak.

Said it before but pressure in hockey isn't real.

Ask a Laker, or Celtic, or Knick or Yankee, or Red Sox, or Doger, Cowboy about Pressure.

Ask any Soccer player anywhere in Europe who is afraid to f*** up because they know if they do a riot might start and they might f***ing die.

Their is no pressure in Canada, or Boston, or New York or Philadelphia etc.

Not as a hockey player anyway.

If you are a hockey and you avoid these markets you are a coward.

And just because I know it's coming, no Marner does not qualify as a coward he spent nearly a decade in Toronto he didn't avoid it.

 

[Voight]

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.

Nill was in charge of Detroits scouting when they were hitting on a lot of picks (Fischer, Dtasyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Kopecky, Hudler, Fillipula to name a few) so I think it has more to do with skill than luck.

 

[alphafox]

I think the issue with the Canadian teams is primarily that Hockey is the only thing happening sports wise in Canadian cities. NY, Chicago, Boston, LA, etc most American NHL markets the NHL is the 3rd or 4th biggest focus of sports fans and media meaning that they can take risks without getting murdered in the press and the whole city turning that into talking points for weeks and months. That makes it harder to do the right thing rather than the safe thing. I also assume that the challenges of simply getting and keeping players in Canada is also a significant factor, particularly for down the lineup guys. IF you have to overpay for everyone eventually the dollars start to run out vs teams with lower taxes and no taxes.

 

[Tryblot]

If Toronto doesn't like the pressure their fans put on the players then they need go cut their ticket prices 75%. When you charge $15-1600 for lower bowl tickets and the team plays like that - they absolutely have every right to be pissed. I'm sure the fans would have been a lot less upset had they only paid $500 for the tickets. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

What an absolute f***ing joke this situation is. Trying to blame the fans. Get the f*** out of here.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Canada seems way more attractive to me than the alternative ATM

 

[DuklaNation]

Anyone else tired of people crapping on Canada at every opportunity?

 

[shello]

No, it’s called pressure. Some people are better built for it than others

 

[BLONG7]

The owners have it tougher business wise...............they take in Cdn funds and pay out US funds at 30-40% in the exchange........
That's it............players are players, if they want to hide, so be it................makes those draft interviews very important eh........

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Nill was in charge of Detroits scouting when they were hitting on a lot of picks (Fischer, Dtasyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Kopecky, Hudler, Fillipula to name a few) so I think it has more to do with skill than luck.

Even with great scouts identifying really good prospects, there's still a certain amount of luck involved in getting really good NHL players in the late 1st or early 2nd. How many other teams could have possibly selected Hintz or Oettinger or Robertson before Dallas could get them? Those other teams not seeing the same thing is luck.

It was also luck that the IIHF U18 World Championships just happened to be in Texas during the OHL Covid shutdown. That's reportedly where Wyatt Johnston caught their eye. I can't help but wonder whether that still happens if the tournament is in Russia or Finland or North Dakota instead of a bunch of the games getting played in the Stars practice facility.

 

[bert]

I think its very different playing in Toronto than the rest of Canada and that has everything to do with the media. Torontos fanbase is so fragile that they think Sportsnet doesnt like them. When everyone else on earth see's them cheering the team on. Why? Because they're constantly sold on their team being way better than they are. Then unrealistic expectations are set on the players by a delusional fanbase. Look no further than TSN and Sportsnet. Just look at the leaf predictions before the playoffs started. Wildly unbridled confidence in a team that has been historically bad come playoff time. Its a trickle down effect and its because of the media and the fragility of the fanbase. As soon as they get an honest breakdown of their team then everyone starts complaining that Rogers hates them. Its an incredible phenomenon.

 

[bert]

Core 4 should send Tkachuk a gift basket.

Now everyone is talking about how mean the fans are instead of the absolute travesty of a game 7 those guys pulled.

This is like when a coach says something controversial or gets ejected in order to draw heat away from his players.

The NHLPA members look out for their union brothers.

Tkachuk is playing 4 D chess here. He knows if they run it back its an easy win for Florida next year. It gives them an excuse to lose and not look themselves in the mirror.

 

[Masked]

IT is very rare to see any Canadian teams purposely tank their team is due to the fan expectations for them not to tank to improve their drafting odd or even a better position.

Are you just going to forget about Edmonton winning so many draft lotteries that they changed the rules about how often a team could win?

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

I’m not the president but I can still criticize policy. I pray for the day people stop using this horrible, horrible, completely meaningless argument.

To answer the question, if hockey players can’t take the pressure of a Canadian market, they probably shouldn’t be pro athletes. Hockey is an irrelevant sport in the grand scheme of things. Canada just cares as much about hockey as the US does about baseball and football. There has never been a hockey player who has ever lived who faced more pressure than the Yankees do every year. Or the Red Sox. And then there’s European soccer, which is in an entirely different tier of pressure. Playing in toronto isn’t even in the top 10 of most intense situations in North America.

I honestly think theres a lot more situations where the media in canadian markets, especially Toronto and Montreal, create explicitly negative forms of pressure.

For the sake of argument, has there been a case in the last 20 years in the EPL or with the Sox/Yankees where a player was run out of town in the way Kessel was?