It's less about the travel and more about the complete lack of money to operate. St. John's isn't that isolated since you fly anyway in the ECHL, but the fact that there just isn't the commercial presence to be beneficial to the Maple Leafs, the way it does for smaller markets.
I know a few Canadians and when I asked them about that they had similar feelings. They seemed to be cheering for the Panthers mostly out of pure spite that their team wasn’t in it. For reference one is a Leafs fan and the other a Habs fan.
this is the appropriate answer.
and You are allowed to bandwagon any team you want, it does not have to be another canadian team. most canadian teams are bitter rivals. this isnt the fucking olympics.
It’s crazy. Do Philly fans cheer for Pittsburgh to win the Cup because they’re both from PA? Why is it only Canadians who are asked to set rivalries aside for shit like this?
I am canadian and 3/4 of "my teams" are american.
it isn't because of politics, it isn't because of location. It's because of story.
Ottawa is my canadian team because of family pressure, but my others are the Sharks, Coyotes until they died, and when they did, I started following the Panthers.
the common link is that they are all teams that joined the league right around the time I was born, and they were all looking for their first cup.
I don’t despise Pittsburgh like most Philly fans (I hate the fucking Bruins and Rangers) but I would never root for the Pens in the playoffs in any capacity.
I'm a die hard Penguins fan and I can say confidently that I wouldn't cheer for Philly even if Jim Balsillie walked into Pittsburgh, and helicopter lifted Mellon Arena off the point and brought it to Hamilton or Kansas City by force back in '07.
I'd have either been a die hard Leafs or Blues fan in that case only for the opportunity to hate.
I’m actually going through a bit of that right now. I’m in Tahoe and they keep trying to shove the fucking Golden Knights down our throats. This is Sharks territory, FUCK every single thing about that two bit desert casino town and their dumb shiny hockey team.
They’re starting an ECHL team next year that’s five minutes from my house, which is INSANE to me for this being such a tiny little town. We were all pretty stoked until they chose the name the Knight Monsters and ruined just about any local interest they could have🤦♂️
Tahoe's not what I would call a "small" town but yeah good luck to them finding a support base in a city og under 100k residents that's literally in a different market.
The town I live in is fairly central between Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philly, New York and DC (all are within 5 hours) so it's a free for all around here, but it's predominantly a Pittsburgh market here, and then you see about as much Philly as you do Buffalo.
The tough thing with minor league sports around here is that you end up crossing yourself up, because it's like oh, you live in Wilkes-Barre so the Pens are right there, but then half of that region's population is a bunch of Jersey and NYC transplants that like the Rangers and Devils anyway.
Hershey's practically Philly territory yet there they are, affiliates to the Washington Capitals because... why exactly? So it's just an unspoken agreement that none of the farm team cities make any sense, so root for whoever at that level.
Baseball has a lot of that, too. Reno’s AAA team is affiliated with the D Backs, and the A’s have been all over the place (after years of housing their AAA team in Sacramento to smashing success, until they were stolen away by the Giants).
I’m not as familiar with the dynamics of minor league hockey as I am with baseball, but they sound similar in that some teams seem to change affiliates as often as they change their socks.
Yep, it there's usually at least a change or two every year and they almost never make much sense.
The Charolotte Checkers are the Florida Panthers' affiliate even though the Hurricanes... exist, and I believe there's still a team or two without an AHL team as well.
I know Chicago was rolling without one for a while, and ironically the Chicago Wolves just kinda do whatever (they've been known at times to not even have an NHL affiliate either if I'm remembering right).
Yeah I think the Wolves were with the Hurricanes for awhile but just changed again? Or I may have that backwards. It’s a lot to unpack lol.
Thank you for the info. Kinda fascinating.
I had a good friend who is a Kings fan. He pulled this on me because “The Kings are a California team, dude!” like a week after the reverse sweep in 2014.
Notice how I said I HAD a friend.
I'm a Canadian, and I'm overjoyed that the Panthers won.
I'll cheer for even the Leafs to bring the cup back to the north, but NOT the Oilers. Fuck them.
eh, everyone here is running around acting like this was somehow a "Window is shut" year for Edmonton, it's not. Hell, the Panthers themselves are a prime example of a team that didn't win the cup the first time they got to the finals!
It’s less a window is shut year and more a this was arguably their best shot year similar to 2011 Vancouver. Between growing cap concerns and the West getting real scary it’s completely conceivable they don’t make another Finals in the McDavid era
Its not the olympics, plenty of canadians dont care, including this one.
I picked Florida after the first round, and bandwagoned them all the way to the final. Got sideways looks from friends and coworkers about it, one of them even sarcastically called me a traitor.
Im like.
A - I'm not out there simping for a country like Russia that we're more or less at war with, so dont use the word traitor to talk about sports.
B - We are on the opposite side of the country, I have no obligation to be happy for fucking Alberta.
Except the argument could be the other way around. Bettman wanted to help Edmonton, but then in the final game, he asked them to do it alone like Angels in the Outfield. Unlike the film, Edmonton couldn't pull it together.
What does that matter unless you’re rooting interest is in each individual player?
If a majority of an MLB team consists of Latin players does that delegitimize the World Series?
>Remember this argument in 2055 when a Toronto team wins something again.
I'd surrender the point but that would require Toronto to *win* anything. And let's be real here, that shit is not happening.
Because “RIP Canadian hockey” is an absolute asinine exaggeration concerning that Canada is still the (not the only one but the largest) talent factory for the sport which is often reflected in the rosters of championship winning teams. Said actual location of the team isn’t relevant unless the conservation is about Canadian teams, not Canadian hockey as a whole
Oh I know.
All I wanted to point out is that player nationality is entirely irrelevant. I just don’t like it when people bring that up because that’s such a non point.
I would disagree because it overlooks players on purpose
Yes, anyone who even briefly follows the sport know Canadians have a huge role in it, and still to this day make up the majority of players.
The mem cup final really should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes Saginaw was probably the #2 best chl team other than London, but they naturally aren't in the tournament if they're not hosting. London beat them by a combined record of 5-3 in the postseaso(4-2 series + RR game) London was a ridiculous 14-0 outside of Saginaw, they were the only team to give them a run for their money.
Champions are Champions at the end of the day, but winning a single-game crapshoot ypu practically get a bye to has far less weight then a traditional 4×4 series 16 win, month-long grind.
All because Drake proved Kendrick right. If I were the entirety of Canada, I'd be livid at the fake canadian hack
I don't think even Toronto claims him anymore.
Makes that 2019 Raptors win look like a major fluke
Amen
And Newfoundland couldn’t even finish the season without shutting down
St. John’s is too isolated to have a team in any league.
It's less about the travel and more about the complete lack of money to operate. St. John's isn't that isolated since you fly anyway in the ECHL, but the fact that there just isn't the commercial presence to be beneficial to the Maple Leafs, the way it does for smaller markets.
I’m a proud Canadian and I’m thrilled the Oilers lost. The only Canadian team I want to see win is the one I cheer for.
I know a few Canadians and when I asked them about that they had similar feelings. They seemed to be cheering for the Panthers mostly out of pure spite that their team wasn’t in it. For reference one is a Leafs fan and the other a Habs fan.
this is the appropriate answer. and You are allowed to bandwagon any team you want, it does not have to be another canadian team. most canadian teams are bitter rivals. this isnt the fucking olympics.
It’s crazy. Do Philly fans cheer for Pittsburgh to win the Cup because they’re both from PA? Why is it only Canadians who are asked to set rivalries aside for shit like this?
little brother syndrome, we are told to pick anything Canadian > American stuff
I am canadian and 3/4 of "my teams" are american. it isn't because of politics, it isn't because of location. It's because of story. Ottawa is my canadian team because of family pressure, but my others are the Sharks, Coyotes until they died, and when they did, I started following the Panthers. the common link is that they are all teams that joined the league right around the time I was born, and they were all looking for their first cup.
Every late 80s/early 90s kid’s second favorite team is the Sharks. They’re the original Charlotte Hornets Starter jacket of the NHL.
Partially true. I never cared about them until a relative lived in the area and took us to a couple games
Old 20th century culture
I don’t despise Pittsburgh like most Philly fans (I hate the fucking Bruins and Rangers) but I would never root for the Pens in the playoffs in any capacity.
I'm a die hard Penguins fan and I can say confidently that I wouldn't cheer for Philly even if Jim Balsillie walked into Pittsburgh, and helicopter lifted Mellon Arena off the point and brought it to Hamilton or Kansas City by force back in '07. I'd have either been a die hard Leafs or Blues fan in that case only for the opportunity to hate.
I’m actually going through a bit of that right now. I’m in Tahoe and they keep trying to shove the fucking Golden Knights down our throats. This is Sharks territory, FUCK every single thing about that two bit desert casino town and their dumb shiny hockey team. They’re starting an ECHL team next year that’s five minutes from my house, which is INSANE to me for this being such a tiny little town. We were all pretty stoked until they chose the name the Knight Monsters and ruined just about any local interest they could have🤦♂️
Tahoe's not what I would call a "small" town but yeah good luck to them finding a support base in a city og under 100k residents that's literally in a different market. The town I live in is fairly central between Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Philly, New York and DC (all are within 5 hours) so it's a free for all around here, but it's predominantly a Pittsburgh market here, and then you see about as much Philly as you do Buffalo. The tough thing with minor league sports around here is that you end up crossing yourself up, because it's like oh, you live in Wilkes-Barre so the Pens are right there, but then half of that region's population is a bunch of Jersey and NYC transplants that like the Rangers and Devils anyway. Hershey's practically Philly territory yet there they are, affiliates to the Washington Capitals because... why exactly? So it's just an unspoken agreement that none of the farm team cities make any sense, so root for whoever at that level.
Baseball has a lot of that, too. Reno’s AAA team is affiliated with the D Backs, and the A’s have been all over the place (after years of housing their AAA team in Sacramento to smashing success, until they were stolen away by the Giants). I’m not as familiar with the dynamics of minor league hockey as I am with baseball, but they sound similar in that some teams seem to change affiliates as often as they change their socks.
Yep, it there's usually at least a change or two every year and they almost never make much sense. The Charolotte Checkers are the Florida Panthers' affiliate even though the Hurricanes... exist, and I believe there's still a team or two without an AHL team as well. I know Chicago was rolling without one for a while, and ironically the Chicago Wolves just kinda do whatever (they've been known at times to not even have an NHL affiliate either if I'm remembering right).
Yeah I think the Wolves were with the Hurricanes for awhile but just changed again? Or I may have that backwards. It’s a lot to unpack lol. Thank you for the info. Kinda fascinating.
I had a good friend who is a Kings fan. He pulled this on me because “The Kings are a California team, dude!” like a week after the reverse sweep in 2014. Notice how I said I HAD a friend.
I'm a Canadian, and I'm overjoyed that the Panthers won. I'll cheer for even the Leafs to bring the cup back to the north, but NOT the Oilers. Fuck them.
eh, everyone here is running around acting like this was somehow a "Window is shut" year for Edmonton, it's not. Hell, the Panthers themselves are a prime example of a team that didn't win the cup the first time they got to the finals!
It’s less a window is shut year and more a this was arguably their best shot year similar to 2011 Vancouver. Between growing cap concerns and the West getting real scary it’s completely conceivable they don’t make another Finals in the McDavid era
Also the Canadian economy is about to take a massive shit when things happen next year. So another team won't make the finals for 15-20 years at least
Oilers won’t go back to the finals for years to come. Ask the Phoenix Suns after 2021.
I get your point, and you’re right, but this reads kinda funny because it’s only been three years 😂
i'm a canucks fan and couldn't be happier that the oilers lost
Update: At least Connor got the Conn Smythe?
[https://tenor.com/bdQNb.gif](https://tenor.com/bdQNb.gif)
Hockey's new home is Florida
Get fucked commies
I'm a Montreal Canadiens fan so I wanted the oilers to blow the comeback
Its not the olympics, plenty of canadians dont care, including this one. I picked Florida after the first round, and bandwagoned them all the way to the final. Got sideways looks from friends and coworkers about it, one of them even sarcastically called me a traitor. Im like. A - I'm not out there simping for a country like Russia that we're more or less at war with, so dont use the word traitor to talk about sports. B - We are on the opposite side of the country, I have no obligation to be happy for fucking Alberta.
And now we get another year of hearing “bEtTmAn RiGgEd It AgAiNsT uS!”
Except the argument could be the other way around. Bettman wanted to help Edmonton, but then in the final game, he asked them to do it alone like Angels in the Outfield. Unlike the film, Edmonton couldn't pull it together.
Must be terrific at parties
All because the Blue Jays won two World Series. The curse lives on
who cares, ill wait till im old and gray and my nuts are down to my knees for the nucks to hoist the cup before any other canadian team
Well Canada, we shall see how 2026 goes. If you guys fail in Milan oh boy things have gone downhill for sure.
Well Canada won gold at the U18s but that’s it
Look up the nationality of the players for Florida and Saginaw, are they all American?
The top guys on Florida were Swedish, Finnish, American and Russian Ekblad was Canadian tho
What does that matter unless you’re rooting interest is in each individual player? If a majority of an MLB team consists of Latin players does that delegitimize the World Series?
Remember this argument in 2055 when a Toronto team wins something again. Either the Raptors or Jays will be full of non-Canucks
Lmao. Good point.
>Remember this argument in 2055 when a Toronto team wins something again. I'd surrender the point but that would require Toronto to *win* anything. And let's be real here, that shit is not happening.
Maybe the 2055 version of Kawhi comes and flukes the Raptors into a second title
The 2055 PNHL season. Post Nuclear Hockey League
In the context of saying hockey entirely in Canada is fucked rather than just Canadian teams, I’d say it’s pretty relevant
In what way does that matter in the slightest?
Because “RIP Canadian hockey” is an absolute asinine exaggeration concerning that Canada is still the (not the only one but the largest) talent factory for the sport which is often reflected in the rosters of championship winning teams. Said actual location of the team isn’t relevant unless the conservation is about Canadian teams, not Canadian hockey as a whole
You do realize what sub you’re in right? This is the sub of extreme, intentional overreaction for the sake of it.
Yeah 90% of the posts in this sub are complete cringe
Oh I know. All I wanted to point out is that player nationality is entirely irrelevant. I just don’t like it when people bring that up because that’s such a non point.
In what context? In terms of bashing a countries hockey ability it’s entirely relevant which is what I’m getting at
I would disagree because it overlooks players on purpose Yes, anyone who even briefly follows the sport know Canadians have a huge role in it, and still to this day make up the majority of players.
The mem cup final really should be taken with a grain of salt. Yes Saginaw was probably the #2 best chl team other than London, but they naturally aren't in the tournament if they're not hosting. London beat them by a combined record of 5-3 in the postseaso(4-2 series + RR game) London was a ridiculous 14-0 outside of Saginaw, they were the only team to give them a run for their money. Champions are Champions at the end of the day, but winning a single-game crapshoot ypu practically get a bye to has far less weight then a traditional 4×4 series 16 win, month-long grind.