LOL .. there's a few Canadians who pretend they're not interested in hockey; but even they come out of the closet during playoffs

< rant on >
Lack of Fedral support seems hard, especially to smaller cities like Winnipeg and Ottawa; on the other hand, the team owners attempts at blackmailing a city into new rinks and tax breaks is intolerable. And forget about buying a ticket in Toronto since they put in the ACC , it was hard enough when they still played in the Gardens; it's almost impossible now, corporate boxes and companies buying up bulk seating. You can't even buy scalper tickets! And if you do happen to locate one they're $400+. How many working stiffs can take their kids down to a game at those prices? And owners want tax payers to fund new arenas so they can raise prices? There may be a sucker born every minute, but they ain't all born in Canada.
We love hockey, it was played on ponds and rivers and in backyard rinks all over the country
before the NHL existed and I've no doubt it will continue to be played all over the country regardless of what happens to the NHL in Canada. I'd like to see an NHL team in every Canadian city; but not if it takes money away from housing, hospitals and basic services and puts it in the pockets of foreign owners and players. Hell, not even if it puts the money in the pockets of Cdn owners and players!
< rant off >
Jane