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Why NHL players don’t want to play in Canada (video)

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Canadian Finn said:
hockey, like business, has the best and brightest moving far away from Canada.

unless you can give someone incentives beyond the norm, the USA takes our best and brightest. Athletes, doctors, businessman, all professionals.

we like to make excuses why so many leaders/high earners/smartest minds to go the USA.

but it's a reality, and professional sports is no different.

Canada shines for those who are average - at best.
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Maybe deep down inside they all want to own guns!
 
Aside from stuff like the taxes, warmer weather of the southern markets + lots of the guys will end up with US spouses/girlfriends adds to the draw of preferring to stay away from Canada

Anthrax442 said:
If they think the media pressure is strong here, they should look into some soccer markets, and players still sign there.
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Hockey players are very soft when it comes to media stuff. Part of it comes from a bit of hockey culture that seems to shun big personalities as being 'anti-team'

I think a lot of us really underestimate how attractive those quite USA markets are in that respect to guys who don't want to deal with the media.
 
Ianturnedbull said:
The players need to stop reading Post-game comments on HF.

;)
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Might be that. (I bet many read here and other places.
Menzinger said:
Aside from stuff like the taxes, warmer weather of the southern markets + lots of the guys will end up with US spouses/girlfriends adds to the draw of preferring to stay away from Canada



Hockey players are very soft when it comes to media stuff. Part of it comes from a bit of hockey culture that seems to shun big personalities as being 'anti-team'

I think a lot of us really underestimate how attractive those quiet USA markets are in that respect to guys who don't want to deal with the media.
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Ianturnedbull said:
The players need to stop reading Post-game comments on HF.

;)
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If they grew up there their parents have to listen to it. Wives and girlfriends go shopping and hear it.
kids attend schools where classmates repeat what their dads said about their fathers.
 
Space umpire said:
Might be that. (I bet many read here and other places)
If they grew up there their parents have to listen to it. Wives and girlfriends go shopping and hear it.
kids attend schools where classmates repeat what their dads said about their fathers.

it’s not just the media. Wives and girlfriends hear it in public. Classmates hear their fathers yell at the TV and tell your 8 year old that they lose because his dad sucks.
If you grew up local your parents hear it too.
Having suck a rabid fan base isn’t really a good thing for guys to live their lives around.


Might be that. (I bet many read here and other places)
If they grew up there their parents have to listen to it. Wives and girlfriends go shopping and hear it.
kids attend schools where classmates repeat what their dads said about their fathers.
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You get that anywhere with any profession. A lot people are sad and gossip. This is an everywhere phenomenon.
 
Drytoast said:
I don't want to turn this into a political debate because then I'll just get banned.

Look into cost of living, housing/rental cost. Food inflation and gas. specifically. Canada is ripe with division, taxation and inflation.
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Sounds like big fun, just like everywhere else in todays mixed up muddled up shook up world cept for Barbados!
 
therealkoho said:
Sounds like big fun, just like everywhere else in todays mixed up muddled up shook up world cept for Barbados!
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No sir. While the United States housing market has inflated the Canadian housing market inflation dwarfs it. This isn't a case of "it's bad everywhere" this is a case of..."it's REALLY bad in Canada"
 
therealkoho said:
Anecdotally speaking of course!
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www.fool.com

Average house price by state

The average house price in the United States as of the fourth quarter of 2023 is $417,700. See how states compare here.
www.fool.com www.fool.com
1703440898351.png

1703440951006.png
 
If I was a player, given the choice, I would choose a team in Canada over any in the US, regardless of money/taxes. An easy no brainer decision.
 
Other people have touched on it, but as someone that lives downtown and makes a good amount of money, this is one of the worst cities in the world to be successful in. I would reduce my salary by $50k for a remote position of the same caliber so that I could move far away from here. Costs vs. Benefits is brutal in Toronto.
 
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Leafblooded said:
What's 430,300 usd in cad? I'd pay the extra hundred to live in Canada, thank you
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Interesting that you would say that. Unless for some reason you are being paid in American money by an American company to work remotely in Canada, you are losing here. You are living and working in Canada being paid in Canadian dollars most likely.

Average salary in Canada?
63k.
www.jobillico.com

The Average Canadian Salary in 2023

Job seekers, professionals and employers should be aware of the average Canadian salary in 2023 across multiple industries and job sectors.
www.jobillico.com www.jobillico.com

Average salary in the United States?
74k
www.nationwidevisas.com

Average Salary & Job Opportunities in USA | Wages in USA 2025

The average salary in USA per month or year varies widely across industries, jobs, age, experience & education, and geographical locations.
www.nationwidevisas.com www.nationwidevisas.com

So the average person makes more and their living expenses is less in the United States.
 
wintersej said:
Funny that high tax states like California or New York don’t have problems signing players. Heck my home stats of “Taxachusetts” always seems to get players in solid deals.

It’s not the taxes, guys.

Edit: sorry thought this was in main board and not team board.
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I would argue that the suggestion that players don't want to play in Canada isn't actually real.

Yes Matthew Tkachuk left but Brady stayed, so did Matthews, Hellebyuck, Schifielle, Backlund, Pettersson isn't signed yet why would he leave a 1st place, Nylander sounds like he and Leafs are on the same page.

It's not a Canada problem It's looking more like a Calgary problem, Which is odd Calgary is a great city.
 
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LEAFANFORLIFE23 said:
I would argue that the suggestion that players don't want to play in Canada isn't actually real.

Yes Matthew Tkachuk left but Brady stayed, so did Matthews, Hellebyuck, Schifielle, Backlund, Pettersson isn't signed yet why would he leave a 1st place, Nylander sounds like he and Leafs are on the same page.

It's not a Canada problem It's looking more like a Calgary problem, Which is odd Calgary is a great city.
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I do think that folks have NTC clauses that block the Canadian cities more than other places. I think it’s more about the pressure. Folks also waive their NTC for Canada, even if a team was on their list. But, I think you want to know what situation you are getting into before you say “yes” to the microscope.
 
wintersej said:
Oh boy, let me tell you about healthcare costs in the US…
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True. The highest cause for bankruptcy in the united states is health care. However the average wait time to see a specialist in Ontario is about 20 weeks versus the United States where it's 26 days.

Wait times in both countries have started to get longer as both countries have seen a steady growth in population beyond what the industry can take on. But ya. If you are planning on getting sick, sure! Come to Canada and flood it's socialized health care system which is already overburdened and causing the provinces to go broke.
 
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Drytoast said:
True. The highest cause for bankruptcy in the united states is health care. However the average wait time to see a specialist in Ontario is about 20 weeks versus the United States where it's 26 days.

Wait times in both countries have started to get longer as both countries have seen a steady growth in population beyond what the industry can take on. But ya. If you are planning on getting sick, sure! Come to Canada and flood it's socialized health care system which is already overburdened and causing the provinces to go broke.
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An underreported part of US healthcare is how often people self ration healthcare. Canadians have to wait longer. A lot of US people just don’t go until they get very sick because they can’t afford it.

And interestingly, the US pays about the same for Medicaid/Medicare (by % of GDP) as the Euro counties pay for universal healthcare. It’s also driving the US broke…but we aren’t getting as much out of it.

But these aren’t concerns for NHLers lol.
 
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wintersej said:
An underreported part of US healthcare is how often people self ration healthcare. Canadians have to wait longer. A lot of US people just don’t go until they get very sick because they can’t afford it.

And interestingly, the US pays about the same for Medicaid/Medicare (by % of GDP) as the Euro counties pay for universal healthcare. It’s also driving the US broke…but we aren’t getting as much out of it.

But these aren’t concerns for NHLers lol.
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All true. But Canada's socialized health care is over burdened and understaffed. And it's going broke. Which means at some point reality will kick in and they will either have to increase taxes or start privatizing more of it.

The current situation is untenable.
 
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wintersej said:
I do think that folks have NTC clauses that block the Canadian cities more than other places. I think it’s more about the pressure. Folks also waive their NTC for Canada, even if a team was on their list. But, I think you want to know what situation you are getting into before you say “yes” to the microscope.
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I think if you build a good team players will come.

The Leafs are arguably the most pressure packed market in the NHL, they don't have a problem attracting players because they are good, even this year when Samsonov can't give them a save if his life depended on it, they are still right there with Boston for top spot in the Atlantic with a game in hand.

Ottawa didn't have an issue attracting players when they were good either in the late 90's-mid 200's

Players don't seem to mind Edmonton although it has been a tough year for them, still though nobody has asked out.

As long as you have a good team you will attract players.
 
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LEAFANFORLIFE23 said:
I think if you build a good team players will come.

The Leafs are arguably the most pressure packed market in the NHL, they don't have a problem attracting players because they are good, even this year when Samsonov can't give them a save if his life depended on it, they are still right there with Boston for top spot in the Atlantic with a game in hand.

Ottawa didn't have an issue attracting players when they were good either in the late 90's-mid 200's

Players don't seem to mind Edmonton although it has been a tough year for them, still though nobody has asked out.

As long as you have a good team you will attract players.
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Winnipeg has turned shit around without needing a bunch of diva's in the locker room. Give me a group of solid players over one centered around a bunch of overpriced DIVA's any day.

Montreal, Columbus, Florida...you could argue Boston twice. Teams who have less raw skill then we do but of which put their work boots on and smoked us.
 
therealkoho said:
Sounds like big fun, just like everywhere else in todays mixed up muddled up shook up world cept for Barbados!
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It’s very possible they do. To brush it off because it’s your team in power doesn’t diminish the possibility or likelihood that it is any less true.
 
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