Ice hockey in Canada

The popularity of ice hockey in Canada knows no bounds. Every town has arink, and every school, college, and university a team. The North American National Hockey League (NHL) was founded in 1917, and its principal prize, the Stanley Cup, was instituted in 1892 by Canadian Govenor General, Lord Stanley. Today, the league has 30 teams, six of which belong to Canadian cities; the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and the Vancouver Canucks. Although most of the players in both the US and Canada are Canadian, recent years have seen an influx of other nationalities such as Russian, American, and Swedish atheletes playing for the top teams. Renowned for its toughness, the game usually involves a skirmish or two among the players, which often means that this 60-minute game can last up to three hours. The season runs from October to April when the play-offs for the Stanley Cup begin. Hockey stars such as Wayne Gretzky are national icons. He retired in 1999 after 20 years in the game, having captured 61 NHL scoring records. Tickets to the major games can be hard to come by, and should be booked in advance. It is a good idea to contact the club’s ticket lines, or book through Ticketmaster. Minor league and college games are easier to get into, and the University of Toronto and York, Concordia in Montreal, and the University of Alberta in Edmonton all have good teams. Tickets can be bought from the local arena, or direct from the administration center, and are usually a great bargain.

Under Sport in Canada