Why is NHL hockey played in southern states?

Question

I would first start out by saying nice job Canes. With 16 Canadian players you have earned the cup. Second sorry for the oilers Another team full of Canadians, close but no cigar. Myself as a Canadian that has lived in the states served in your army in fact. I don't see why the NHL is expanding to these southern places. To places that don't really understand hockey Or follow the game without a blue and red streak. If your a fan of these teams answer these four questions. If you look it up on the internet your just proving my point. 1. Most cup wins and second most wins. name the teams?
2. what is the summit series and who played in it. 3. Where is the hockey hall of fame. 4. what percentage of the leauge is Canadian players? If you answer these questions I will be supprised. Also if you do answer them include where you were born. I bet it was a northern state or Canada and your a snowbird. The cup doesn't below in the south (south meaning south not civil war)

Name one NHL player that was born in NC?
Name one NHL player that was born in tampa bay?
name one NHL player that was born in LA
I could go on but I think you get the point.

some people didn't read my question and anwered it with the help of an internet site. YOU ARE PROVING MY POINT.

Answer 1

1. Most cups - The Montreal Canadiens. Second - I'd guess the Red Wings,
2. The Summit Series was played between the Soviet Union and Canada sometime in the early Seventies (1971?)
3. The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto.
4. No idea, guessing 50%.

I was born and raised in Mississippi and live in South Carolina. And as for why hockey is played in the South......

Because it is a fast paced, exciting game that has broad appeal among many sports fans, including those of us in the South. Hockey combines two great Southern sporting traditions. It has the finesse and skill of basketball and the violence of football. (You could also argue it now has the speed of NASCAR since they did away with the two line passes and other rule changes) And it's not like we stole hockey from you. To the best of my knowledge, only one Southern team (The Atlanta Flames) have ever left the USA for the greener pastures of Canada. Canada, on the other hand, and through a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, poor fan support and a weak economy, has lost the Nordiques, The Jets, and almost lost the Oilers.

The point I'm trying to make is, don't be greedy. Share. The expansion of hockey is good for the sport and can only help benefit the teams that remain in Canada. We're very proud of our Hurricanes and it was a great series. The Oilers played tremendously and almost gave us more than we could handle. Some of us may have been fair weather fans before, but success has a way, for good or for bad, of converting people. And more hockey fans, regardless of where they live, is a good thing. Right?

Answer 2

1. Most cup wins Montreal 23, second Toronto 13.
2. Summit Series 1972 (Canada 4 wins, Soviets 3 wins, 1 tie) and 1974 (Soviets 4 wins, Canda 1 win, and 3 ties). The '72 series had Canadian players from the NHL and '74 from the WHA. It lead to the Canada Cup which was played in '76, '81, 84, '87, and '91.
3. The Hockey Hall of Fame is located at the corner of Front and Yonge in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
4. Canadians made up 53.7% of the NHL in the 2005-2006 season.

I was born in Kentucky and live in South Carolina. The last 2 Stanley Cup winning teams played in the Southeast Division (Carolina and Tampa Bay)...the NHL expands to where the people (and by some extension where the money is...the ECHL is a fast growing hockey league with a number of its teams located in the south. Many southern NHL fans start by watching these local minor league games and really get into the sport...hope this answers/helps.

Answer 3

I appreciate your compliment of the 'Canes, but it was somewhat backhanded because you implied that it was ok they won because most of the team is Canadian. Well, gee, I'm glad they got your approval. Last time I checked it was the NATIONAL Hockey League, not the Canadian Hockey League. What is with Canadians and your elitist attitude thinking you somehow own the rights to hockey? Yeah, it may have started there and most hockey players are Canadian and/or from northern states. So what? People from all over the place enjoy hockey so why can't they come down here and play? What is wrong with expanding the reach of hockey and inviting more people to learn about it and enjoy it? I'm assuming all the answers to your questions have something to do with Canada. Does that mean I can't like hockey because I'm not Canadian? If that is truly what you think then I'm sorry for you.
And one more thing... the Cup belongs wherever the winning team is, be it Canada or here in the south. And this year it belongs in Raleigh. So just get over it.

Answer 4

I grew up playng hockey all my life in boston and follow it pretty closely, but I can only answer on questions and that is number 1, the candiens, I would guess Detroit is next, never heard of the summit series, but do know the Beanpot very well. The hall fame I think is in Ontario, but not sure, and I have no idea what percentage of the league is canadian, nor do I care. But to answe your question, why is there hockey down south? Because the NHL is expanding and trying to get more people into it, if I were you and if you are a TRUE hockey fan, you should be happy it is expanding instead of completely imploding like it alomost did last year with no season. By the way, Boston, Detroit, Rangers, Candiens, BLackhawks, Toronto. What percentage of those are NOT canadien. FYI.. thats the original 6.

Answer 5

Whatever you've been smoking, I want some. Alaska will most likely never get an NHL team. You say that the Alaska Aces get an instant sellout like it's some big deal. The Alaska Aces play in Sullivan Arena with a seated hockey capacity of only 6,399! The smallest NHL arena is the MTS Centre in Winnipeg (which is really considered to be too small) and it seats 15,004 which makes it more than DOUBLE the size of Sullivan Arena. Here is a list of arenas that have more than TRIPLE the seated capacity of Sullivan Arena (which would be 19,197): Tampa Bay Times Forum - Tampa Bay Lightning - 19,204 BB&T Center - Florida Panthers - 19,250 Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary Flames - 19,289 Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia Flyers - 19,537 United Center - Chicago Blackhawks - 19,717 Joe Louis Arena - Detroit Red Wings - 20,066 Bell Centre - Montreal Canadiens - 21,273 Do you still think that selling out a 6,399 seat arena is impressive to the NHL?

Answer 6

It's all about money, my friend, as well as the fact that a lot of Northerners and Canadians have moved South over the last few decades. A lot of colleges around here have growing club teams and it would not surprise me if the ACC and SEC eventually set up a Southern Collegiate Hockey Association for the members that play the game so they can get into Division 1 play. The next stage is to find high schools who are big enough to support a hockey team, as well as developing youth programs in urban and suburban areas in the South.

Answer 7

Growing up in between Charlotte and Greensboro, channel 46 broadcasted games for each cities respected teams in the ECHL every friday night. IN THE 80's. We have had hockey teams in this state for at least 30 years. I played roller hockey during the winter with my brother. I loved hockey for a long time, and find it insulting when commentators think many of us (down ther) do not understand the rules of the game.
P.S.- NC actually has a player born here about to be drafted, as also Virginia can boast players already in the big time. Cheer for the Jets, I mean Quebec Nordi, oops, ah nevermind.
Canadiens followed by red wings
HOF is in Toronto
Summit series was an outstanding series played by the USSR and Canada. (Ken Dryden goes into great detail on this series. He also revels that his wife has better hand-eye cooridination than he did. Ironically, I read this book at my local library here in non-deserving NC.) Seen the recap of this series several years ago on espn classic.
Over 90% of NHL'ers are from Canada.
For the record, I proudly have a canadiens and maple leafs jersey in my closet, purchased before the Hurricanes were even thinking of moving to Raleigh.

Answer 8

The "National" Hockey League is meant for all of us, not some conceited Canadian whose national pride goes way too far. Sports are not meant for people to become so upset about, they are for some break and enjoyment. My whole family looks forward to the games; it is a bonding think. It bonds communities together, in support for their teams. Did you know that the Hurricanes were the first professional team to win their league, in North Carolina? The people down here are celebrating something good. You should be ashamed to throw a dampener on something so happy. With all the stress of the war, the economy, the troubles in the world, the media down south finally has something good to report.

To answer your questions, Montreal and the Red Wings have the most cup wins. The Hockey Hall of Fame is in Toronto (doesn't everyone know that?) and the majority of the league is Canadian. I think you would be really bored if it was only Canadian teams in the league, that is only, what, three teams to play each other? Give me a break. You would complain about that two. Why are there only Canadian teams in the league? I can see it now.

Answer 9

I was born up north and now live in Florida, but this is not the reason I'm answering your question.
My question to you is what is wrong with attracting new fans? You are not born knowing hockey- even if you are born Candadian -you have to learn the game like anyone else.
And why harrass southerners? If it's suppose to be a Canadian game why has Canada lost two teams? (Nordiques and Jets.)
I noticed you don't mention all the Europeans playing the game now. You think because you are not Canadian you should not be playing the game? Your name wouldn't happen to be Don Cherry would it?

Answer 10

The baby boomers from the north are starting to retire to the south and they miss their hockey. In addition, many jobs are being created in the south so a lot of people from the north are moving south. All this southern migration has created a pretty big market for hockey in the southern United States.