Canada’s hockey model needs a rethink

The Canadian hockey business model is as old-fashioned as a landline at home. Renaud Lavoie raised awareness and revived the debate last week, in the opening segment of the show’s failure GC From TVA Sports. Excellent columnist Philip Boucher answered with force and good arguments. Great Phil is the GM of the Voltigeurs de Drummondville. It was fair game and made for good TéVé.

Renault has recorded that only Canadian players are among the top 20 scorers in the National League.

In contrast, there are 10 Americans at the time of this writing on this list.

Canada was crushed in the goal post by the United States led by Gary Bateman. As yesterday’s games approached, Matthews, Kreider, Connor, Debrenkat, Tkachuk, Goetzel, Gudru, Robertson, Terry and Thompson scored 410 goals, with an average of 40.1 goals each.

Gone are the days of our neighbors to the south digging into Sherwood and producing fewer than five real offensive talents per season. why ? Because Gary Bateman persuaded his American governors to build arenas, to introduce young people to hockey. To engage former players living across the United States.

investment

In other words, to invest money. a lot of money. With the result Auston Matthews learned calendar Targets in the Arizona desert.

Matthews drew on the best American technical personnel during his time on the U17 and U18 National Development Programs.

This program was born out of a desire to produce stars for the National League. His greatest achievement to date is the 2019 draft.

Eight U18 players were called up in the first round. Seven in the top 15, including Cole Caufield before
Canadian.

None of these players are in the top 20 goalscorers list yet, but it won’t be for long.

Will they be there at the expense of Conor MacDavid and Matt Duchenne, the only two Canadians left on the list?

Two small Canadians against nine Americans. Not too surprising for clusters. But two Canadians against three Finns? There are 5.2 million Finns compared to more than 38 million Canadians. Is it our national sport? What happens to us?

in favor of the elites

We must start by promoting elitism. Financially, it’s been that way for a long time. Hockey was no longer the sport of the poor in my youth.

It is a sport reserved for the wealthy elites.

At this point, let’s encourage the best talent in NDPs.

The U17 and last U18 team for each of the three Canadian junior leagues.

With a calendar focused on development, and therefore a maximum of 50 matches, as well as a World Junior Championships for the best of the group.

A real revolution with its bad sides. How will our small teams be able to survive if we take tomorrow’s Lecavaliers, Crosbys and Lafrenières? The answer lies in the pockets and will of the massive and loyal shareholders of these teams.