If you're a Canadian hockey fan you've likely heard someone in the media, your cousin, uncle, or sibling say that this is the year the Stanley Cup returns to Canada. Because, if you aren't aware, a Canadian team hasn't won the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did in 1993.
Three Canadian teams are in the NHL playoffs, Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg.
— Craig Baird - Canadian History Ehx (@CraigBaird) April 12, 2023
Will one return the Stanley Cup to Canada?
It was 30 years ago when Canada last claimed the Cup.
Brian Mulroney was PM. We've had six prime ministers since then... pic.twitter.com/a4tITI23Np
Canada is hell-bent on getting the Cup back. Like Sauron before getting the one ring. We're seeking it. All our thought is bent on it.
There's a real sentiment that the Stanley Cup "belongs" in Canada. Even if the Cup does reside in the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto. Which last I checked is in fact in Canada.
Dominance Over the Sport
I get why Canadians desperately want the Cup to be won by a "home" team. We Canadians feel like this is our game and we've dominated the scene for years now.
Canada has the most gold medals in the men's event (9) and woman's event (5) at the Olympics. Our maple syrup-producing nation also has the most golds at the World Juniors championship with 20.
If you're of a certain age group you'll remember the Canada Cup, the premier best-on-best tournament of its time. The red-and-white maple leaves have dominated that tournament too with four wins.
The only thing eluding us recently has been the Stanley Cup. This year three Canadian teams are in the playoffs. The Leafs are the favorite of the trio to lift Lord Stanley's Cup at +650.
49th Parallel Failures
The playoffs have been a story of failure for years north of the 49th parallel. A Canadian side has made the playoffs 96 times since 1994, and six of them went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals. Where they - obviously - failed.
| Teams | Playoff Appearances | Finals Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Calgary Flames | 13 | 1 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 11 | 1 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 17 | 1 |
| Ottawa Senators | 16 | 1 |
| Quebec Nordiques* | 1 | 0 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 16 | 0 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 15 | 2 |
| Winnipeg Jets** | 7 | 0 |
*Quebec relocated to Colorado for the 1995-96 season.
**Winnipeg didn't have a team between the 96-97 and 10-11 seasons.
We had a good run in the early 2000s when a Canadian side featured in three straight finals from 2004 through 2007 (the 04-05 season was canceled because of the lockout).
And look Canada came really close a few times. Four of those six Cup Finals appearances were decided in a Game 7. Vancouver choked twice, once in 1994 with a 3-2 loss in Game 7 vs the Rangers and then in 2011 with an embarrassing 4-0 Game 7 loss to the Bruins.
Who Cares?
Now that I've brought you basically to the point of being foaming mad at how many times a Canadian side has missed out on winning the Cup I'm going to tell you: "Who cares?"
Maybe that gets you a bit more mad, but listen, a Canadian side doesn't need to win the Cup to prove our dominance over the sport. Just look at how many Canadian-born players are on each of the last 10 Stanley Cup-winning sides:
| Year | Stanley Cup Winner | Percentage of Canadians |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Chicago Blackhawks | 41% |
| 2014 | Los Angeles Kings | 60% |
| 2015 | Chicago Blackhawks | 48% |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 36% |
| 2017 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 33% |
| 2018 | Washington Capitals | 31% |
| 2019 | St Louis Blues | 70% |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 46% |
| 2021 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 56% |
| 2022 | Colorado Avalanche | 50% |
Outside of the Penguins in 2016 and '17, Canadians make up a majority of every championship-winning roster. So, by that merit, Canadian talent wins the cup every year.
So who cares if one of the seven Canadian-based teams wins a Cup? Does it do anything to dilute our dominance over the sport? No, it doesn't.
