The Vancouver Canucks, and that’s not even close. They have been waiting for their turn since they were born in 1970. When they first appeared in the final, in 1982, they had in front of them the steamroller of the Islanders of Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin. They then had Wayne Gretzky in the paws as a division rival. As if they hadn’t suffered enough against the Oilers, when they returned to the Finals in 1994, they faced Mark Messier, Kevin Lowe and Esa Tikkanen, now Rangers. They still stretched the fun to the seventh game. Return to the final in 2011, this time in a duel that can be taken on paper. But with an incommensurably battered defense, they lost again in seven. This spring of 2011 was the last time the Vancouverites saw theirs, in person, win a series, since their only successes since came in 2020. , in the centralized bubble in Edmonton. Despite all these disappointments, the Canucks continue to average more than 18,000 spectators per game, year after year. These supporters suffered like Harry and Marvin and they deserve a happier ending.
The Edmonton Oilers’ rebuilding, or rather its long agony, spanned from 2007 to 2019. There were many blunders, including the selection of Nail Yakupov first overall, the failed shortcuts of Peter Chiarelli, the inability to find a top goaltender, the failure of coach Dallas Eakins’ short experience, not much better at Anaheim in recent years, the overly expensive hiring of Milan Lucic. But since the arrival of Connor McDavid in 2015, we have felt a constant progression. The Oilers have finished in the top 12 overall for the past four seasons and have won three rounds in the past two springs. The best hockey player in the world, already 850 career points, just 139 points behind Paul Kariya and the top 100 scorers in history, at just 26 years old and in just 569 games, deserves to lift the Cup at least once, if not two or three times, to forge his legend and rise to the ranks of hockey immortals.
In all of human history, there is no recorded case of someone getting up one morning screaming, it’s decided, we’re taking our vacation in Winnipeg. It does not exist. In the same way, we don’t go to Winnipeg, we are born there and we stay there, before perhaps choosing to leave, it depends. For all these reasons, there is no one on this continent who deserves happiness like the good people of Winnipeg, who spend winters at -40°C and summers battling mosquitoes the size of balls of tennis. Give them a Cup right away.
Quebec. Because it would mean that the city had found a National League club – which the city deserves.
I am definitely voting for Ottawa. There are several advantages of a Stanley Cup final in Ottawa, first and foremost financially. For a manager, avoiding having to pay for plane tickets is priceless. Also, since no one, absolutely no one, wants to go to Kanata, hotel rooms are constantly at friendly prices. OK, part of your soul flies away in desolation in this loveless suburb, but I’m saving money. Also, can you imagine Snoop Dogg parading around in his lowrider with a Cup?
One of the most underrated, and misunderstood, members of the La Presse Sports team is Olivier de Grosbois, the division manager. His tasks and his daily work remain a mystery to me, the fact remains that he is a very pleasant business. His charisma is not the only element making him special and unique, in fact, he is the only member of the team who was not born in Quebec. Our national Olivier was actually born in Vancouver. It’s the exotic flavor of the gang. Anyway, for his homeland, I wish the Canucks could take the top honors. Not only so that he can finally savor a title, but also for his fellow citizens, the people of Vancouver, who have come so close in recent years. It will take a long time to rebuild them, but if their young prospects can play up to expectations, the sun could be shining before long in Western Canada.
Which Canadian city do you think is most deserving of winning the next Stanley Cup won in the country and why?
