HF Habs: Quebec Hockey

[dcyhabs]

Ove

There was a time when almost every kid in Canada played hockey of some sort. Road hockey on every block, outdoor rinks every 10 blocks, kids just being kids. Indoor rinks and video games changed all that. The rich kids only wanted to play indoors and the rest left for their living rooms and TV's to play video games. The volunteers who looked after the block rinks got discouraged because hardly any kids showed up any more and those rinks disappeared. The only way to explore and develop skills is to just have fun and let your mind imagine what you can do with your body. Soon the only way to partake in any form of hockey was expensive indoor rinks and a lot could not participate because of money.

Over the last 10 years of global warming outdoor rinks have melted. It’s a lot of work for the 2-3 days a month you can get ice. There are other factors but in Montreal I couldn’t imagine trying to get backyard ice.

You still get good players but you don’t get the guys who would have played shinny 10 hours a day.

 

[CHwest]

Ove

Over the last 10 years of global warming outdoor rinks have melted. It’s a lot of work for the 2-3 days a month you can get ice. There are other factors but in Montreal I couldn’t imagine trying to get backyard ice.

You still get good players but you don’t get the guys who would have played shinny 10 hours a day.

This is true of where I live as well, but lots of parts of Canada never see a day above zero for 4 months a year. 150 miles north of me gets no chinooks and are cold all winter as well as most of Sask and Manitoba. Not sure about east of that. Just saying the elite didn't develop their skills playing organized hockey, that was done in their basements or streets or outdoor rinks.

 

[montreal]

For the first time in the history of the NHL, no QMJHL players have been drafted in the first round for two years in a row.

just saw that, have been saying the past couple years that NHL scouts clearly don't put a lot of stock into the Q outside a couple teams. Hopefully they can do something to fix the situation.