The Flyers, I guess, are now Canada's NHL team

I've never understood why people get so wound up over who "Canada's team" is in the Stanley Cup playoffs

It certainly wasn't the Montreal Canadiens -- a team that is either loved or loathed in Canada. Same with the Toronto Maple Leafs, for that matter. The rest of the Canadian teams are loved in their home cities and are, usually, treated with anything from respect to indifference elsewhere. It's all to do with how long the Habs and Leafs have been around.

But this notion of who "Canada's team" might be comes up every year, and particularly over the last 15, because a Canadian team hasn't won the Stanley Cup in that long.

Nobody ever mentions the fact most team's rosters, regardless where they play their games, are filled with Canadian players. And Swedes, and Russians, and Americans, and on and on. The NHL, with some competition from the NBA, is truly a world league and that's a positive thing. Besides which, most people cheer for a team for their own reasons, not because the team hails from a given country.

At any rate, here's the numbers on numbers of Canadians on the remaining teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs, pulled direct from their rosters as listed today on team web sites. So looks like the Flyers are Canada's team. Whatever that means. Also, we've listed the numbers of Canadians on the Canadian teams.

Philadelphia Flyers: 14 Canadians.

Pittsburgh Penguins: 11

Detroit Red Wings: 11

Dallas Stars: 11

Calgary Flames: 19

Edmonton Oilers: 18

Montreal Canadiens: 16

Ottawa Senators: 16

Vancouver Canucks: 14

Toronto Maple Leafs: 13

Isn't that interesting? The Leafs and Leafs Nation seem to think they are Canada's team, yet they feature the fewest Canadians.

But who cares, really? Just enjoy the hockey.

Comments

[Bruce Froude]

After watching the Leafs for almost 40 years, any hockey in April is good hockey.
Go Stars?