As a long-suffering Vancouver Canucks fan, I’ve been getting used to ignoring hockey on TV this time of year. It’s been more than a decade since the Canucks put on a run for the Stanley Cup, and even a few years since they have been in the playoffs.
But something is happening this playoff season that might change the shape of the discussion of hockey in this country for years. Something so groundbreaking that we may never hear the end of it. The Toronto Maple Leafs have made it past the first round.
God help us if they actually win the Stanley Cup. The Tragically Hip wrote a song about Toronto winning the Cup, 50 Mission Cap. Look up the lyrics, interesting story. Who will write one if they win this time, The Weeknd?
As you can tell, I’m not a Leafs fan. I kind of cheer for the Montreal Canadians, only because Tsawwassen local Brendan Gallagher is on the team. Once he leaves, forget it.
The Edmonton Oilers also made it past the first round, and good for them. Edmonton is looked down upon by many players, a team they don’t want to play for because it is tough living in Edmonton in the winter versus, say, Tampa Bay or Phoenix.
I guess I’ve always had that west coast attitude about Toronto – they think they are the centre of the universe, Vancouver has so much more to offer, what’s the big deal about Toronto? But people in Toronto have a different perspective – Vancouver is about the size of one of its municipalities, and a long way away. There’s so much more opportunity there because there are so many more people there.
Regardless, it still doesn’t make you ‘Canada’s Team’. You can have that for baseball and basketball, but not hockey.
It’s a longshot, but Gary Bettman’s nightmare might come true – an all-Canadian final, Oilers vs Leafs. No US television revenue, but Canada’s epic conflict of west vs. east.
Especially if Toronto wins. We’ll never hear the end of it. Que the music.
Brad Sherwin, MBA is a long-time resident of South Delta, and has more than 30 years’ experience in marketing, public relations and business strategy. He teaches post-secondary marketing, coaches hockey goalies and is past president of Deltassist.
