When Will the Stanley Cup Come Back to Canada?

It has been a long, painful 15 years. That is the length of time since a Canadian hockey franchise last hoisted the Stanley Cup. As a Canadian and a huge hockey fan, I can honestly tell you that this is a sore subject when it comes to the pride of our nation.

There are those that will argue that any Stanley Cup winning team, regardless of its geographical location, is certain to contain a healthy number of Canadian athletes on its roster. Still, that knowledge does little to salve the wound of seeing our beloved Stanley Cup spend so much time south of the border. In places like Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim the majority of people would have difficulty naming one player on their city's hockey team, while in hockey-crazed Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver fans can only watch with envy and dismay at the largely unheralded victories by the teams to the south.

Now, I am certainly not taking away anything from the teams that won those championships. They were hard earned, and well deserved. If Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver cannot bring the Stanley Cup home to Canada it is certainly not the fault of Anaheim or Tampa Bay. They certainly shouldn't have to roll over just because their fan base doesn't thirst for the cup the way we do here in Canada.

For years the low Canadian dollar gave owners and managers of Canadian franchises an excuse. With NHL salaries paid in U.S. dollars it was admittedly tough for teams to compete in a market where the dollars they were taking in at the gate were worth just 62% of the dollars they were paying out. But over the past couple of years the Canadian dollar has risen dramatically, achieving parity, and effectively eliminating the weak dollar excuse. So, how about it Canadian hockey teams? You're on a level playing field once again. Time to deliver. Yes I know there are 24 American teams compared to just 6 Canadian franchises, but those odds can be overcome. In the days of the Original Six, there were 4 American teams to just 2 Canadian teams, yet Montreal and Toronto managed to buck the odds back then, winning far more Stanley Cups between them than the 4 American teams combined.

For those Americans who think I'm making too much out of this, just imagine if the Toronto Blue Jays started winning every World Series. Baseball is your national pastime. I'm sure it would hurt the old national pride a little to see the title go to a Canadian team year after year, even if that team was predominantly made up of American born athletes. It is the same for Canadians and hockey. We want our shiny silver Stanley Cup back.

So come on Montreal, let's go Toronto, get it done Vancouver! We've been waiting for the Senators to deliver the goods for the past few years, but they can't seem to get the job done. Edmonton and Calgary both had a shot, but neither could deliver in game 7 of the finals. Our nation wants our hockey pride back. Fifteen years is long enough. Get us our Stanley Cup back!