As the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs continue to unfold, the odds of a Canadian team winning it all seem to get better and better.
In Toronto, the Maple Leafs are in a strong position against the defending Cup-champion Florida Panthers, leading their second-round series two games to one. In Winnipeg, the Jets have pushed back against the Dallas Stars, evening up their series at one game apiece. And in Edmonton, the Oilers are in firm control of their series with the Vegas Golden Knights, leading it two games to none.
For the first time in a long time, there’s a very real sense that multiple Canadian teams can get at least as far as their respective conference final – and maybe, just maybe, one of them can be the first Canadian team to win the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did so in 1993. And what a time to achieve that goal.
Indeed, given recent world events, there’s a soaring sense of national pride among Canadians. We have started to put aside our regional differences in the name of seeing Canada rewarded for our tenaciousness and resilience on the ice, and having a Canadian team win hockey’s ultimate trophy would make Canadians ecstatic. Heck, when Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, is an old hockey goalie, you can see how the stars could be lining up to make some memorable magic with the country’s favorite game.
You don’t have to take our word for it – just take a look at a recent poll that investigated the degree of national pride among Canadians. You’ll learn that a growing number of Canadians want to see a Canadian Cup-winner, and the closer we get to seeing one crowned, the more of a sense of excitement there is going to be in hockey’s homeland.
Canada is a vast country with many different people and lifestyles, but when it comes to Canada’s favorite sport, we’re clearly ready, willing and able to support whatever Canadian team gets to the Cup final.
And really, what could be better for Canada at the moment than an all-Canadian-team Cup final? It would take the Leafs winning the Eastern Conference, and either the Oilers or Jets winning the Western Conference. But as it stands, that’s not a pipe dream by any stretch. A Toronto/Winnipeg or Toronto/Edmonton final would more or less shut down the country as Canadians pick sides, but that type of matchup would be one for the ages.
When you think about it, we’re not far away from such an event coming to pass. The Maple Leafs and Oilers are six wins away from the Cup final, and the Jets are seven wins away. A lot will have to go right for the three teams to get to that point, and all three Canadian teams could still be eliminated in Round 2. But the way Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton have performed thus far, it’s far from a longshot to see two of those three teams getting to the final.
There could come a day, sooner than later, when other Canadian teams get to where the Leafs, Oilers and Jets are today. The Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are up-and-coming teams, and the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames may only need a few additions to put them back into the playoff mix. But it should shock no one that any or many of the aforementioned teams could be thriving soon.
If and when one or two of those teams do arrive in the Cup final, Canadian nationalism may not seem as vigorous and widespread as it is right now. Or who knows – maybe it’ll be just as heightened, if not more heightened than it is at the moment. But in the days and weeks immediately ahead, it seems like a perfect meeting between Canadian pride and Canadian team skill that has Canadian hockey fans so stoked.
The Cup drought in Canada could be coming to a close. And if that happens, the true north strong and free is going to be an especially exciting place to be.
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