oh Canada!

OH…CANADA!!!
AS IN…OH CANADA…NOT AGAIN!!!
IT HAS BEEN 17 YEARS…SINCE THE LAST TIME A CANADIAN TEAM WON THE STANLEY CUP…
AND THERE HAS BEEN NOTHING TO SUGGEST THAT DROUGHT IS ABOUT TO END ANY TIME SOON…
BY FRIDAY NIGHT…IT IS POSSIBLE…ALL 3 CANADAIN TEAMS COULD BE ELIMINATED…
TONIGHT BOTH VANCOUVER AND MONTREAL ARE FACING A “MUST WIN” SITUATION…
AND TOMORROW…PITTSBURGH COULD KNOCK OUT OTTAWA…
THE LAST TIME THERE WERE NO CANADIAN TEAMS IN THE SECOND ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS WAS 1996…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW LONG THAT’S BEEN…
THE JETS WERE STILL IN WINNIPEG…
THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE FOLKS OVER AT CBC…
THESE DAYS THE NETWORK SPEND $100 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR…JUST FOR THE BROADCAST RIGHTS…
AND EVERY YEAR…A BIG CHUNK OF THAT MONEY IS EXPECTED TO BE RECOVERED IN THE PLAYOFFS…
UNFORTUNATELY…NO CANADIAN TEAMS…MEANS LOW RATINGS…WHICH MEANS A LOT LESS MONEY…
AND THAT MEANS…YOU AND I…”THE CANADIAN TAX PAYERS”…GET STUCK WITH THE BILL…
NOW COMPARE THAT TO THE NBC DEAL…IN WHICH THE NHL IS GUARENTEED NO MONEY…
THE LEAGUE AND THE NETWORK SIMPLY SHARE THE REVENUE…
WHICH MEANS…IT IS MUCH MORE PROFITABLE FOR THE LEAGUE…IF AMERICAN TEAMS ADVANCE DEEP INTO THE PLAYOFFS…
JUST SOMETHING…FOR THOSE STILL LOOKING FOR A CONSPIRACY THEORY…
FORTUNATLEY THE TRUTH IS NOT SO COMPLICATED…
IT REALLY GETS DOWN TO SIMPLE MATH…
THERE ARE 24 AMERICAN TEAMS AND JUST 6 CANADAIN…
UNTIL THAT RATIO CHANGES…THE ODDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AGAINST CANADAIN TEAMS…
THERE IS ALSO THE PRESSURE TO WIN…
WASHINGTON…PITTSBURGH…CHICAGO…AND LOS ANGELES WERE VERY BAD…FOR A VERY LONG TIME…
AND THAT ALLOWED THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRAFT THE LIKES OF OVECHKIN…CROSBY…KANE AND DOUGHTY…
IN JUNE…THE EDMONTON OILERS WILL BECOME THE FIRST “CANADAIN” TEAM TO DRAFT FIRST OVER ALL…IN 14 YEARS…
BUT LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE…
AT LEAST “THIS” SUMMER…CANADIAN HOCKEY FANS WILL HAVE AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL…TO SOOTHE OUR PAIN…