| Considering the country's love affair with | | | | thanks to high salary demands. This is also |
| the game most people would be surprised to | | | | the key issue in the 2004 dispute which has |
| learn that hockey is not the national sport | | | | resulted in no games thus far for the season. |
| of Canada. Many people in Canada eat, sleep, | | | | |
| and breathe hockey. The roots of hockey are | | | | Hockey is a very violent game, and spectators |
| in Ireland, back when it was called Hurley, | | | | love to watch the opposing team get crushed |
| but hockey is defiantly a Canadian sport. Due | | | | against the boards. Many people wonder what |
| to its infectious nature, hockey has caught | | | | this is teaching young fans and, |
| on all over the world. It became very popular | | | | unfortunately, violence is very common in the |
| throughout Canada, especially the East coast | | | | little leagues. Many leagues have adopted a |
| in the 1800s. | | | | no tolerance policy for aggressive play, and |
| | | | some have banned this type of contact all |
| In 1917 the National Hockey League (NHL) was | | | | together. The NHL however, has yet to follow |
| formed and it consisted of five original | | | | suit. |
| teams. By the end of the century there would | | | | |
| be 30 teams from all over Canada and the USA. | | | | These days' parents have become a bit too |
| People are passionate about their hockey and | | | | passionate at little league hockey games. |
| one look at some of the fans at the arenas | | | | There is an increasing number of fights |
| show that they mean business. | | | | between parents and verbal and physical abuse |
| | | | against referees and coaches. This has |
| While the US teams have dominated the hockey | | | | prompted many people to stay away from the |
| playoffs, called the Stanley Cup, in recent | | | | sport or putting their children in after |
| years, the sport still has a bigger following | | | | school hockey programs. The thought of |
| in Canada. Hockey Night in Canada is quite an | | | | knowing that the parents care more about who |
| event in many households and sports bars. | | | | wins than the kids do is frightening. |
| Several teams in Canada have fallen by the | | | | Regardless of this hockey will always be a |
| wayside in the past several years such as the | | | | popular game in North America. |
| Winnipeg Jets and the Quebec Nordiques. This | | | | |
| is an unfortunate cause of the high player | | | | Europe also enjoys much success in the world |
| salaries. | | | | of hockey. Little known places such as |
| | | | Belarus has been highlighted after the recent |
| Hockey stars are among the highest paid in | | | | world championships. Little ice hockey can be |
| any professional sport. This is partly the | | | | played anywhere you can find frozen ponds in |
| reason that many of the top players head to | | | | the winter. This is not always the case |
| teams in the US. Many Canadian teams have a | | | | though, look at the Los Angeles Kings. |
| hard time retaining their homegrown players | | | | |