#nhl #hockey #torontomapleleafs
In the last few years, there has been a trend with some NHL players deciding that Canada isnt an ideal destination to play hockey. (Especially the Toronto Maple Leafs). We break down why this seems to be an issue for players & how it affects them on the ice.
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49 Comments
USA… greatest country on earth 😉 (searched for US flag but there is no emoji for it. But there is a rainbow flag and transgender flag. wtf)
Players complain that California doesnt have enough hockey fans now they complain that Canada has die hard fans and a hard media. Hockey players are supposed to be resilient not cry babies. As Kim Coates said “THIS ISNT FUCKING BASEBALL”
The real issue is that we are raising a generation of soft, entitled sports stars, who love money and fame, but can't take the heat of the expectations of their fans. Much like the rest of the population, they want things easy. The truth is that the pressure has ALWAYS been like this North of the border, but players of the past had mental toughness and fortitude.
It’s an element of elitism. As an American I get the same attitude towards baseball where I do believe we should win every baseball event and that American ball players are the best. So I get it
I feel in love with hockey as a kid with our team Cincinnati Stingers .how many more teams are in the states, compared to Canada .its not even the most popular sport here .but the population is so much higher the potential for viewers is so much higher i believe that's a major reason why the growth for the game .but i think i am the only person walking around with Blue jackets apparel . i also have a Jets plate on the front of my Truck , CBJ on my car. i follow the Flames ,Jets ,Leafs, Rangers ,Bruins CBJ is our home Team .So i watch hockey every night . with out a doubt Fans and broadcasters are brutal in Canada ,cant believe how they tear them apart . if you look at the star power that's on these teams and compare that to our captain Boone Jenner's Stats its not even close . but that guy is beloved here .we are really happy with a wining season . we realize wining a cup is almost imposable ,am i right Toronto. Really hoping the Leafs win the cup this year, love watching the Leafs . knock it off Canada your acting like entitled spoiled brats .Except for Edmonton Ottawa and Montreal we don't like you
It's pretty simple. It is less lucrative to play in Canada, and the media will sewer you daily. Less pay for shittier working conditions.
Taxes don't help.
Gudas basically said he doesn’t want to be part of a circus. Clowns are offended.
WHY would anyone want to play in the US and raise kids for that matter???? USA has mass shootings almost everyday…lmao and O reilyy wants to raise his family there cause its better for them! Goodluck to every nhl player and their kids dodging bullets the rest of your life.
meanwhile Babcock was ostracized and kicked out of the league for while there bc he was harsh on his players. Sorry but fans and media pundits have said and done far worse things that Babs ever did.
Also I don't buy the whole income tax thing. Its based on where the player's resides for a during of at least 180 days of the year. This is why players like Ovechkin and Carlson don't live in D.C. Instead they chose Virginia.
It's definitely an interesting topic. I've run into players at the grocery store here in Vegas. They're very respectful and laid back. I can understand wanting to be able go to the store or grab a bite to eat and having some semblance of normalcy off the ice. I think that's one of the top reasons NHLers gravitate towards the American market. I think as fans we sometimes forget that these guys are human.
The media is a huge factor in this. I hate Canadian Sports Media. They are always hunting for controversy… and they are obnoxiously repetative. I truly blaim Sportsnet, and the like, for the undue pressure placed on the athletes, and absolutely the cause of the Riots in Vancouver, as well as many Hockey Players wanting out of Canada.
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We don't have that problem here in Montreal even in the off season they stay in Montreal they never want leave and that's a problem the price of sex workers never drops because they never leave
Hockey tickets and merchandise in Toronto is insanely expensive. Toronto Maple Leaf stars are paid extemely well, and they are set for life when they retire if they were superstars. Even those that weren't here for long but well liked, they have better endorsement deals (ie Shayne Corson). If you're paid extremely well but under perform when hardworking fans pay for their salaries; of course, they should expect some criticism. Don't blame the fans when you don't work hard enough.
canada shoul chill a little
Every Canadian team has been to the Stanley Cup Final since 1993 . . . except Winnipeg, but they've only had half as much time to do so. Maybe they will be the team to break the drought.
Lol, you would go that low and try to monetize off of this narrative. You and Johnny Hawkey are savage scavengers
Crap post. You finally did get around to mentioning taxes. But it's so much more. Maybe you don't have the guts to mention Canada BS covid policies, freezing of bank accounts and so much more. But in the end, players want to wear flip flops when they leave the rink, play golf all winter and spend their off time with girls in tank tops and shorts. If things go well, Canada will still be ok for fishing with their parents in the summer time.
Wow! Tell something new!
Pretty silly reading these comments about how American sports fans and America overall all is a better place to live. They have to believe they’re # 1 🤩 in everything, whether they are or not. I do love our American neighbours, a big Seattle Kraken fan here along with the Leafs and Canucks, but the American hubris can get unnerving after a while.
America is a nation painfully and dangerously divided.
School shootings are a monthly tragedy.
Serial killings are as common as blackflies in June.
The education system is sketchy at best, especially in red states.
Inadequate and hierarchical health care system.
A much weakened democracy since Trump and MAGA.
Crumbling infrastructure ie: bridges, airports, highways, power grids, water quality, and so on.
But for a few dollars saved in taxes let’s give our children a more unstable, intolerant environment to grow up in.
Still love you America but get off your high horse fcol.
I wouldn’t want to live in Canada either if I had the choice.
That “TheyCallMeCarl” take is brutal. Gudas is far from a star in the NHL for one. Not all NBA want to play in higher pressure markets. And he said it himself, NBA players are attentjon seekers, NHL players aren’t. NHL players want to play the sport they love and then go home to their family. They aren’t here for the social media fame or attention.
And those that do slog through the high-pressure cities will want more money to compensate their stress, which leaves less room for depth.
I really want to see the Canadian teams succeed though
Playing Hockey in Canada is like driving for Ferrari in F1 or playing for England in the World Cup, im sure there is more examples but the pressure is real and lets be honest, can be very toxic. Not everyone wants to deal with it and have it throw it off their game and i dont really blame them for that.
too much woke crap in Canada. People will put up with a lot but stack that on taxes and media that harps on even the best…yeah thats a no-go
Same thing with MLB and NBA. FA's don't want to sign here.
After hearing and then seeing how the Leafs treated Phil Kessel. Can’t blame them. I also think because of how taxes work in Canada that a player wanting to keep most of his money would rather play in Dallas than say Ottawa.
If nobody wants to play in Canada I’ll do it 💀
Why play somewhere with horrible weather terrible taxes and a fanbase that will turn on you the second you start to decline when you can go somewhere like FL which is a tax haven and has great weather year round not to mention no one gives a shit about hockey here and you don't have to deal with some insane fan base.
Gary Bettman will Not Allow Stanley to come back to Canada. Bad for the Game. He says we have many Canadian Players in the American NHL
People calling Gudas pathetic for not wanting the pressure when they themselves don’t have to face a fraction of it is itself pretty pathetic. There are things to criticize about the guy but not this.
It's cold in Canada and not in Anaheim or ft Lauderdale. This is basic science.
This has been known for a long time. I think a contributing factor is how the pandemic was handled
canada and the nhl have all but ensured that hockey will be dead in canada in 2 generations. basketball and soccer are only slightly less popular today — you know why right?
maybe if gary offset the cap to account for canadian taxes it would even the playing field, but he has no interest. america is the biggest, richest market in the world. there is no real reason to cater to canadian markets. then you add covid fallout, and shitty weather, and a vicious media… in our lifetimes the only canadian markets left will be toronto and montreal.
Two reasons:
1. Canadian teams don't win.
2. Canadian taxes will eat up too much of your salary.
Pressure is in every sport. Weather, taxes, Crazy covid lockdowns in canada while lotsa fun, freedom and partying going on in Florida, Texas etc. Canada is falling apart because of the government, inflation is insane
Such a tired topic. NHL players by and large aren't attention seekers especially when compared to other major sporting league's players. In Canada you get nothing but attention, and in most of the US the local university football, basketball or baseball teams receive more attention than the respective NHL club. Get paid roughly the same money for less attention and scrutiny. Sounds like your average NHLers dream.
I don't understand why any star player would want to play in Canada. It's far less desirable in almost every dimension. Culture, affordability, weather, healthcare, taxes the list goes on. I guess family would be something, and a passionate fan base? I don't even really consider Canadian fans that passionate, most of them are casual fans that pretend to know more about the sport than they actually do. They get caught up in the herd mindset because there isn't really much else going on here in the way of professional sports. I found the fans at the Argonauts game more passionate than any Leafs game I've been to.
I am from the us but If i was drafted by a nhl team in Canada I would play to the best of my ability
I always thought the taxes were the main reason
The organizations need better leadership to win. The US organizations have better leaders in the front office.
So it’s just a Toronto thing got it. But I do want to mention players will still go to Canadian teams if they feel they have a shot at winning. Kane resigned with Edmonton for less money then he could have gotten elsewhere. Hymann walked himself to Edmonton. Kieth wanted to play for Edmonton to be closer to his son. The twins decided to stay in Vancouver throughout their entire careers. Iginla wanted to stay in Calgary until they traded him. Carey Price stayed with Montreal his entire career. I can go on it’s not every player.
I would assume they don’t want to play in Canada because Trudeau is a communist dictator.
I think this notion that players don't want to play in Canada is misleading, yes you have some players that don't want to play in Canada, it's easier for a player to say I don't want to play in Canada because there's only 7 Canadian teams compare to 25 American teams. But I'm sure if it was they other way around and there was only 7 American team and 25 Canadian teams I'm sure many players wouldn't want to play in the US. You have a players like Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris, Tim Stutlzle, Thomas Chabot who all signed long term contract to play for a small market Canadian team
Try lowering taxes and stop all the SJW BS for one. That'll help for sure
There's a lot of reasons not to want to play in Toronto in particular. This is just another one.
People need to get out of the mindset that literally EVERY aspect of life should revolve around money. There are other things that are more important. Not to mention, Canada is a joke of a place to live.