The Hockey News recently published its preseason rankings. On it, they listed Vancouver as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup. Normally, with more-talented teams around the league, it’s a shock to see anyone pick against the usual suspects, like Pittsburgh or Washington. But, Vancouver has something the others don’t.
They need a title the way people need oxygen. Here’s why.
1)Canada hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1993
Hockey is a Canadian game. The canucks(people, not the team) love it. Everything is about hockey to our neighbors up north. Heck, the version of Starbucks in that region is called Tim Horton’s. It’s named after a guy who played hockey for 24 years.
And yes, Canada is very good at hockey. So much so that people made three Olympic teams with the players available. Hockey Canada even came out and announced that its goal for the Olympics was a gold medal in every hocke competition. They went two of three.
Yet, somehow, a Canadian team hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since 1993. In the land where the game was created, they can’t find twenty good players to stick on one team so that they can bring the trophy back.
Right now, Vancouver has the best shot for Canada. If the team pulled it off, they’d be national heroes.
2) Vancouver never has had a good team (until now)
Rooting for the Canucks was, until recently, like rooting for the Cleveland Browns. They were awful. The team only had one true superstar, Pavel Bure, and he skipped town for Miami after seven years.
In fact, the only year the team made the Stanley Cup finals were 1982, where they were pounded by the Islanders dynasty in four games. And, technically, the run in 1994.
Which qualifies as one of the most depressing moment for Canadian hockey ever.
3) Vancouver has suffered enough
If you wanted the epitome of depressing try this one on for size.
After the greatest playoff run in franchise history, the Canucks made the Stanley Cup Finals. The victory for this was playing the New York Rangers, who were incredibly talented. Simply put, the Rangers had three legitimate hall of famers, and several other players who have a case. The Canucks had maybe one player who could make a case.
Oh, and the leader of the Canucks, Trevor Linden, was playing with broken ribs.
Unfortunately, the team lost in seven games.
4) Vancouver has never had a Stanley Cup
In other sports, it’s easy to pick who’s going to win the championship. For example, was anyone surprised that it was Boston and Los Angeles in the NBA title game? No, because everyone expected it to happen.
In hockey, every team has a chance. The game is so physical, that it turns into survival of the fittest on a nightly basis. Most players play with broken bones, because they want to win the Stanley Cup.
And winning the Cup is a validation of sorts, a “we made it.” Immediately, everyone is members of this elite fraternity, a collection of the best players, coaches and fans who have been a part of hockey’s greatest trophy.
Vancouver has never had that. They are the only Canadian team still in existence that hasn’t had that.
5) The pieces are in place
When a team returns the reigning MVP and his identical twin brother, that’s a great place to start.
They’ve also got the goalie who backstopped Canada to a gold medal on his down year, the guy who carried team USA offensively in the Olympics, and signed two of the best defenseman in the game while only losing a concussion-prone defenseman who didn’t contribute much last year.
If the Canucks can’t win with that, there might never be a Stanley Cup in Vancouver. Which generally isn’t a good idea when people need it so badly they destroy the town if it’s not coming.
(images from AP images)
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