The Montreal Canadiens were the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1993. It won't be happening this year.  We see the traditional team shot. The players (in white) grin wildly as some lie on the ice and others stand behind them. All have their arms wrapped around each other. In the middle of them is the Stanley Cup, looking very regal indeed.

The Montreal Canadiens were the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1993. It won't be happening this year.
Photo Credit: CP Photo / Frank Gunn

The Stanley Cup Playoffs: Not a Canadian team to be seen

Following a generally lacklustre regular season, the National Hockey League playoffs begin this week.

Chicago defeated the Tampa Bay to win the 2015 Stanley Cup. At least the man hoisting the Cup is Canadian--Jonathan Toews of Winnipeg. We see Toews from the knees up. He wears the red hawks jersey with its famous logo and the letter C on his left shoulder. Toews has a look of ecstasy as he hoists the cup over his head.
Chicago defeated the Tampa Bay to win the 2015 Stanley Cup. At least the man hoisting the Cup is Canadian–Jonathan Toews of Winnipeg. © AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

Sixteen teams in search of the Stanley Cup.

For hockey-mad Canadians, it should be the best time of the year–something akin to October for baseball fans and January for U.S. football fans.

Alas, there is no Canadian horse in the race.

Not one of the seven Canadian NHL teams will be competing–not that easy to do since only 14 of the 30 teams in the NHL don’t get make the playoffs.

A bit of perspective: in a league that has not seen a Canadian-based team win the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, this year marks the first time since 1970 that no Canadian team has made the playoffs.

That’s 46 years.

Canadian journalist and author Bruce Dowbiggin likely knows as much about hockey and its surrounding issues as anyone in Canada.

He spoke with RCI by phone from Calgary.

Listen
Categories: Arts & Entertainment, International, Society
Tags: , , ,

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.