So, who is Canada’s team?
PLAYOFFS: With all seven Canadian clubs eliminated, fans need a team to call their own
TORONTO — Fans of the seven Canadian teams have an unspoken agreement at playoff time, to support whichever club is still alive in May and June.
Before Lord Stanley took up apparent permanent residence south of the border, that meant holding your nose if you hated the Leafs, backing the Habs if you lived outside of Quebec, a truce in the Battles of Ontario and Alberta and even showing some love for the haughty Canucks.
But what happens in a year no Canadian team has qualified, the first time in nearly five decades?
“It’s unfortunate not to have any,” said Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano. “I’m from Canada (Toronto) and I know how much hockey means here.”
It was put to Cogliano that his team might fill the bill — 15 players on the roster from Canada, plus a GM and coach. There’s a bit of our national identity in the Ducks, an industrious team that plays under the radar.
“Maybe we can gain some more fans,” Cogliano agreed. “We have a lot of guys who’ve played for Team Canada over the years and in the Olympics. Canadian people have always liked teams that work hard and compete well and we’re a team that does it. People could support us, especially in Toronto, where there are a lot of fans. Our coach, Bruce Boudreau, is someone people can relate to.”
Postmedia took a look at who could be ‘Canada’s Team’ in the coming weeks, with playoff contenders ranked by number of Canadians on the main roster as of March 31:
Florida Panthers (17)
Enough Canadians live in this part of the world to qualify it as the 11th province, even if few stay around for a Cup parade once hot weather returns.
The Cats might be the most appealing of teams across a broad stripe, a contending team built through patience and drafting. And aging snowbird Jaromir Jagr surely must qualify as an honorary Canadian.
Colorado Avalanche (16)
Coach Patrick Roy was a big part of the story in the late ’90s when the former Quebec Nordiques were in the playoffs. This time it could be 38-year-old former Flame Jarome Iginla with one last kick at the Cup.
Anaheim Ducks (15)
They have a diligent workforce, up long after most of the country has gone to bed, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf are still going strong and good Kingston boy Bob Murray is running the show.
“We’re very proud of being there every year,” Windsor-born defenceman Cam Fowler said, “and we hope that people realize that. We’ll have a lot of guys with family and friends (in Canada) rooting for them. We’d like to think that at crunch time, we’ll have a
team still there playing.”
St. Louis Blues (15)
The team with the longest drought other than the Original Six Leafs, has Paul Stastny and Alex Steen, Canadian-born sons of European stars who are applauded for playing the game ‘our’ way. Bosses Doug Armstrong and Ken Hitchcock have a history with the national program and few have done more to spread the good word about hockey than the Edmonton-born Hitchcock in 20 years of coaching in all-American markets.
New York Islanders (15)
Almost half of the Canadian contingent is from Ontario, much of it clustered around the GTA.
They also retain a significant nationwide fan base, from their upstart success and four Cups in the early ’80s.
Winning another would be a nice touch in this first season since the passing of Sudbury-born coach Al Arbour. These guys need some love, given many in their own region disowned them for moving to Brooklyn.
Los Angeles Kings (14)
The favourite team of Canadian cattle farmers, thanks to Darryl Sutter’s 3,000-acre spread in Viking, Alta. Sutter tends to win a Cup every second year, while perennial Norris candidate Drew Doughty and militant Milan Lucic will be back on the big stage.
Philadelphia Flyers (13)
Their late season charge is enhancing the bastion of Flyer support in Canada, particularly in the Prairies, where the Ron Hextall-Dave Hakstol combo is well known.
Three Canadians front Philly’s scoring — Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Schenn.
San Jose Sharks (13)
Could Joe Thornton’s long search for a Cup be at an end? Will nice guy netminder James Reimer be rewarded for years of torment in Toronto?
The chronically under-achieving Sharks at least look the part; Brent Burns wears a permanent playoff beard, resembling a mad trapper from the Northwest Territories and they actually have a player born on Canada Day, centre Chris Tierney from Keswick, Ont.
Nashville Predators (11)
Canada’s love affair with American country music could spread to the ice. Many fans might tune in just to see which Nashville star sings The Star Spangled Banner.
Dallas Stars (10)
Jamie Benn of Victoria is the defending Art Ross Trophy winner if anyone’s forgotten and continues to lead all Canadians in points. GM Jim Nill and coach Lindy Ruff are both from Alberta.
Chicago Blackhawks (10)
Canadians love winners and the Hawks are on the verge of becoming the team of the decade.
Yes, their league-leading scorer, Patrick Kane, is a Yank and the potential rookie of the year, Artemi Panarin, is Russian, but what’s not to like about captain Jonathan Toews and that dream sequence TV ad for Canadian Tire? Wouldn’t you buy a snow shovel from this man?
Pittsburgh Penguins (10)
Sidney Crosby’s presence alone should enhance their case, especially in Quebec where he played and both Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang were spawned. Phil Kessel might be a little harder to embrace.
Boston Bruins (10)
You can always find hot spots of Bruin boosters throughout Canada, even though Boston has just one Cup since the Bobby Orr era.
Granted, they’ve dashed the Great White North’s hopes twice in recent years, taking down the Canucks in the 2011 final and rallying to knock out the Leafs in a Game 7 two years later. No way they get a break in Quebec after meeting Montreal a total of 34 times in playoffs.
But St. Stevens, N.B., would get be glad to see Don Sweeney hoist the Cup as GM his first year.
Washington Capitals (10)
What Canadian purist wouldn’t cheer for the league’s most offensively charged team?
They’re a little top heavy in non-Canadian content, though at least Alex Ovechkin has struck a blow for entertaining hockey. Ovie taking the Cup to the White House to meet Donald Trump would be mustsee TV.
New York Rangers (10)
They get the Canadian media’s vote for being best city to potentially spend two months in during spring, though the low Canuck buck could shatter a few expense accounts. Great stories with two Staal brothers and Alain Vigneault chasing his first Cup as coach.
Minnesota Wild (10)
The ‘State Of Hockey’ shares a shinny identity with many Canadian small market clubs.
Yes, the Wild fired Canadian Mike Yeo as coach and replaced him with Bostonian John Torchetti, but it did get them back in the playoff hunt. Chuck Fletcher still gets a chance to join papa Cliff as a champion GM. They’re also the cleanest team in the league based on fewest penalties.
Tampa Bay Lightning: (8)
A Bolts’ Cup could be the perfect scenario for cursed Leaf fans, now officially riding a 50-year championship hex. A team wearing blue and white not only wins, but Steven Stamkos gets to cross off a huge box on his bucket list, heading into unrestricted free agency.
Detroit Red Wings (7)
Too bad the team closest to the border has the fewest hosers. Still, there are 750 Canadians in the Windsor area holding Detroit season’s tickets and the Wings have a vast following in southwestern Ontario. It would be great to see Gordie Howe’s smile one more time.