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