There’s no arguing about the fact that Canadians love their hockey, and they’re good at it. Our friends north of the border live and breath ice hockey, and many of the greatest to ever play in the NHL have come from Canada, and they’re still pouring in. We do not know if it’s the cold weather up in Canada, just the fact that hockey seems to be in their blood or maybe the lack of other sports teams (no NFL team, only one NBA team and a single MLB team) that drives the sport to extreme popularity, but there’s something in the water there, or the ice, that makes it the top sport.
Canada has a history of success when it comes to hockey. The men’s national team made 21 Olympic appearances, winning nine gold medals, including the last two Olympics in 2010 and 2014, four silver medal and two Bronze medals. The Canadian women’s team also won gold at the last two Olympics, as well as the two Olympics before that. In fact, the women’s team has won four out of five times that women’s hockey was played at the Olympics, losing only the first time the sport was played, and even then they won silver (the US won gold).
If you need more convincing, just check out an episode of How I Met Your Mother where they make fun of Robin. Yes, it’s an extreme and a comedy, but we’re pretty sure that’s how Canadians do view hockey and hockey players.
Or perhaps just take a look at the long list of Canadians who have starred in the NHL and are cemented in the sports’ record books: Sydney Crosby, Brett and Bobby Hull, Gordie How, Marty Brodeur, Bobby Orr and, arguably the greatest ever, Wayne Gretzky.
These are the greatest Canadian hockey players to play in the National Hockey League, and note that they are not ranked in any particular order:
[post_page_title]Sidney Crosby[/post_page_title]
Sid the Kid doesn’t need a big introduction or explanation for why he is on this list. In 12 seasons so far in the NHL, Crosby became the youngest captain to win the Cup, then just 21-years old. Over all, he’s won three Stanley Cup Championships, was twice the Hart Trophy recipient, Won the Art Ross Trophy and the Conn Smythe Trophy. Outside of the league he has two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014), a World Championship (2015) and a World Cup gold (2016).
