Will Las Vegas Win a Cup before Vancouver?

The Las Vegas expansion draft goes today and it's a very exciting time for the fans of the new franchise. In fact, it should be an exciting time for NHL fans as well as it has been quite some time since the NHL has had an expansion draft.

For a refresher, Here, is what the results were the last time there was an expansion draft in 2000. Not many household names were taken and 17 years later, neither Columbus or Minnesota has made the Stanley Cup Final yet.

Most people believe that Las Vegas will put together a fairly competitive team. Handshake deals by other teams that will make today even more interesting.

My question is for everyone, would the Canucks fans trade their roster to Vegas and have the Canucks start from scratch?

The answer goes beyond a simple yes or no answer. 47 years for the Canucks are the Canucks are still without a Stanley Cup. With the current state tat the Canucks roster is at, that 47 year cup drought could easily climb to 50 before the Canucks get a sniff at the playoffs. 25 playoff appearances, and three Stanley Cup appearances could be argued that those numbers are above normal.

Canucks fans have had many great memories over the years but will Las Vegas win a Cup within 47 years?

As the Canucks luck has it, I wouldn't bet against it. 47 years is a long time to go without winning the Cup. However, what the Canucks have done outside of winning the is impressive and might be hard for Vegas to duplicate, that being said I will be curious to see what their franchise looks like over the first 15 years.

As for the Canucks, I'm glad the Canucks are starting to build a solid foundation with all their young guys they have started to stock pile.

The quality might not be there just yet but the amount of players is. Very intrigued to see how fast the Canucks take to get those players feet wet in the NHL.

People say Benning has an eye for drafting, lets trust he's the GM to get the Canucks back to the playoffs. With that said, I wouldn't be surprised if the Golden Knights win the Cup before the Canucks do.

Here is my Las Vegas Mock roster:

Radim Vrbata, Matt Moulson, Kris Versteeg, Joakim Nordstrom, Marcus Kruger, Mikhail Grigorenko, Sam Gagner, Riley Sheahan, Thomas Vanek, Kyle Clifford, Colin Wilson, Michael Grabner, Mikkel Boedker, Nail Yakupov, Milan Michalek, T.J. Oshie, Sami Vatanen, Adam McQuaid, Dan Hamhuis, Eric Gryba, Matt Dumba, Ben Lovejoy, Thomas Hickey, Chris Wideman, Michael Del Zotto, Jason Garrison, Luca Sbisa Al Montoya, Marc-Andre Fleury and Michael Hutchinson

Is The FIFA Calendar a Role Model for Other Sports?

Every summer, FIFA which is the govern body for soccer across the world puts fourth a major TV viewing tournament that grabs the attention of not just soccer fans but sports fans in general.

While FIFA has taken a boat load of criticism over the years, they have done something that other sports like Hockey and Basketball. For instance, over a four year cycle, FIFA has been able to spread out the four most important tournaments on the FIFA Calendar.

The four most important tournaments around the world globally are the FIFA World Cup, Euro Cup, Confederations Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup have their own summer and have made an effort to make these tournaments vocal points in the four year cycle.

In fact, with everything going on in the soccer world globally such as a 48 team 2026 World Cup and a rapidly growing women's game, FIFA has found a way to maximize their marquee events.

Firstly, the FIFA World Cup -

Held every four years basically because of how long the Qualifying process takes and the money that the host country throws at putting on a successful event. The four year gap makes the event special and a worthy wait. Around the world, non soccer fans watch even when their birth country didn't even qualify.

Hockey - Nothing really, a usually highly hyped Olympic tournament that is anything but now that NHL's aren't taking part. They tried a Hockey World Cup but that wasn't very successful as fake teams such as Team Europe and North America U23 were inserted.

Basketball - A rebranded World Cup which we don't know how will turn out as the first when will happen in 2019 in China.

Euro Cup -
A very highly anticipated event that takes place on every other even year as the World Cup does. Some people prefer this tournament over the World Cup because of the quality of soccer UEFA has. It is watched across the world.

Hockey - Nothing currently exists

Basketball- Eurobasket is big but only in Europe and only we watched if your country is taking part.

Confederations Cup -

Currently on now and it's a Icebreaker for the World Cup the following year. Each confederation has a Cup, the winner of each Cup plus the Host and previous World Cup all take part in a 8 team group stage tournament. Only really watched by the soccer faithful or if your country is participating. That being said, it is a good appetizer for what the following year holds.

Hockey - Nothing, but the Four Nations Cup does exist on the women's side.

Basketball - Nothing

FIFA Women's World Cup -
Still in it's infancy compared to the Men's World Cup, the Women's World Cup is rapidly increasing in popularity every year. In 2015, Canada hosted the first ever 24 team tournament and was a success. The event is watched fairly well across the world especially where women's sport is taking seriously.

Basketball - FIBA Women's World Cup which never got publicity and happens every four years.

Hockey - The Olympic ice Hockey Tournament is watched well but only in two countries. Canada and USA.

This illustrates how well FIFA does of showcasing their four top events. The only reasons why they aren't more soccer tournaments followed globally is because of the lack of English broadcasting.

If I were you, I would grab a beer, research this soccer stuff and find a team to cheer on. Soccer's margins for error are razor thin and its even better when your team or club is involved.

Six Years Ago Today...

I was a senior in high school, my third last day ever to be exact. Usually, the last week of high school is usually reserved for Year Books being signed, final hugs being given to classmates and the last minute thank you's to your favorite teachers.

However, my last week of high school will be remembered by hockey talk, stress and one last uncompleted wish that still hasn't been accomplished yet.

In 2011, the Vancouver Canucks had a magical Stanley Cup Final run that took the long suffering fans to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Boston Bruins 4-0 on June 15th, 2011.
I honestly can remember everything about that day. To say I was anxious would have been a major understatement. I was anxious, worried, scared, excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. It didn't feel real. As a sports fan, you dream of your favorite team winning a Championship but you just don't know when it will happen or if they will ever get close. When they do, it never seems how you would have imagined it. I think this is because I had always hoped for a Cup but never really hosting a Game 7.

That day, I remember putting my Canucks jersey on, as I am superstitious, there was a part of me that didn't want to wear it.

This day in 2011 felt weird. North American sports fans would have their eyes on Vancouver. I'm too young to remember 1994 and the Canucks Game 7 loss at Madison Square Garden but this time the Canucks were in the spot the Rangers were in.

What freaked me out most was how bullied the Canucks were getting and how Game 7's in the SCF are usually the first team to score first wins. This was not good news for Vancouver as they were offensively challenged the whole series.

I spent a couple of hours at the local Elementary school that I did a work experience in that semester. Even the little kids knew there was something big happening that day. After lunch, it was on to my final two classes. Marketing and Math but there was no way any work was getting accomplished. My Marketing teacher, was a season ticket holder and left at lunch. Leaving 5 hours for a drive that usually would take you an hour. The last two blocks we talked hockey and counted down the seconds. I'm still surprised I made it through school that day without fainting.

The feeling that I was experiencing was something I could have never predicted. Despite being the favorite, it felt like the Canucks were major underdogs. With all that said, the Canucks were one defining moment away from making history in a year that they had dominated at home.

After school I was thankful that the game was at 5. I couldn't wait any longer. The anticipation was killing me. Canucks fans have always been known as banwagoners and such and that day everyone was on board. None hockey fans were in the Canucks spirit. That day me and a few friends watched the game at Boston Pizza, not even joking but the popular family sports bar was renamed Vancouver Pizza for the entirety of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

After the Canucks went down 1-0, I knew it was lithely over. The 4-0 scoreline at the end of the game wasn't a good indicator at all as I believe the Canucks gave it their all. I was too sad to be frustrated or angry after the game. Unfortunately, what happened outside the arena after the game made me infuriated. The senseless acts of the 2011 Vancouver riots were out of control. Cars on fire and people using downtown Vancouver which was set for a party zone was briskly being turned into a garbage dumb by the second.

I'm still not even close to getting over this day six years ago. I never will. I wish I was born in a sports metropolitan area where my city had four pro sports teams. I love my other three favorite teams but the Canucks are just special.

They lost that day because their team wasn't built to withstand a brutal seven game series like the one they endured. People blame former GM Mike Gillis at the time for not acquiring a player like Rick Nash but the trade was never done neither do I think Vancouver wanted to offer Columbus' asking price.

Crucial Soccer Game for Sweden Tomorrow Against France

I'm not sure what it has come to, I picked Sweden as a 12 year old mostly on the fact that Markus Nazlund was the Vancouver Canucks best player at the time. I have grown into the Swedish National team and love watching their matches.

To me, they have underachieved in the last decade, not because they drop points against inferior competition but because they were never able to get a win against a team that has been equal or better than them.

Since the 2006 World Cup, Sweden is 4W-9T-11L in games against teams they are equal to or underdogs to in qualifiers. This is the main reason that Sweden hasn't got to the knockout round of the Euros since 2004 and haven't Qualified for the World Cup since 2006.

If Sweden is going to Qualify for Russia 2018 then they will have to change that trend as they are already 0-1-1 in games alike this qualifying cycle.

France opposes a dangerous threat and could realistically have one foot in the door to Russia if they are able to win. A draw will thicken the tension in a very competitive group where Bulgaria is trying to play the cinderella card.

Tomorrow's game will be a test for Sweden to see where they are as a national team. They need to make Friends Arena a place where no team wants to play.

Is Friends Arena Worth it?

Just outside the Swedish capital in Solna is Friends Arena. A 50,000 seat soccer stadium that whenever I watch a game on TV at Friends Arena looks out of place. Like it is too big for most events and maybe the money could have gone elsewhere.

Just like anything, sporting arenas and stadiums are an investment. Friends Arena has already hosted big name events that have brought tourism thru Sweden that might haven't came. Those events included Bruce Springsteen and ACDC concerts along with Sweden hosting the 2013 Women's Euro Cup.

Then, a more recent example was  was this years Europa League Final between Manchester United and Ajax that featured plenty of tourism from Manchester and Amsterdam.

Oh yes, we can't forget about the Sweden National team. Once upon a time, they were almost a shoe-in to the World Cup have fallen on hard times recently. They seem like the forgotten ones in UEFA. No Zlatan Ibrahimovic, nothing to talk about.

That has not been the case, silently, Sweden sits second in UEFA Group A that features France, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Belarus and Luxembourg. In 14 qualifiers, Sweden boasts a 8-3-3 record at Friends Arena which is borderline passable considering the margin for error is razor thin in international soccer.

With the Dutch struggling, the game against first place France is shaping up to be the biggest game of the weekend. France are ahead of Sweden in the standings thanks to a 2-1 win France last November. However, the two are tied in goal differential with identical 10-3 totals. Therefore, a Swedish win on Friday would mean Sweden controls their own destiny during the final four games next fall.

Fans will claim that Friends Arena was made for games like Friday. Despite that realistically being true, I believe that Soccer is meant for the outdoors and having a 50,000 seat arena isn't worth it for 1-2 times a year the Sweden National team gets above the 40,000 attendance mark.

Also, with a big fancy stadium, it eliminates the fear factor for other teams. Opposing teams have a better chance of enjoying playing their because of the updated locker rooms and bigger stadium which leads to fans being farther away from the pitch. This will lead to a less intimidating environment.

As mentioned above, Sweden is 8-3-3 in their last 14 Qualifying games, during their last 14 home qualifiers before Friends Arena they were 10-2-2. This frustration has put Sweden in jeopardy of missing the World Cup for three cycles in a row for the first time in their history.

To me, the 338 Million Dollar price is not worth it despite the increased opportunities for major sporting and concert events. This isn't just a Sweden problem, money controls sports globally and it's time we start putting money towards problems that matter like poverty and hunger that happen in less fortunate countries.

It really Doesn't Matter Who wins the Canadian Championship for Canada Soccer Success

The Canadian Championship is down to two teams. Toronto and Montreal. While the winner will potentially get a chance to represent Canada at the CONCACAF Champions League, there are higher aspirations for Canada as a soccer country. 

With the Canadian Premier League set for a kickoff date of August 2018 and a 2026 World Cup bid hanging in a balance, whoever becomes Canada's representative next year should be meaningless anyway. 

What has taken place in Canada over the last five years has been entertaining and amazing to watch. This was kickstarted by the emergence of the three Canadian MLS teams that add about two dozen Canadian soccer players across the three teams. 

More importantly, Toronto FC isn't just "another team" they actually hold the best record in the MLS in the process of avoiding defeat in 13 of their 14 games. 

On the national team's side of things, the attitude of Canadians towards their team has improved as the team is preparing for the 2017 Gold Cup. 

I really can't remember a time this team had so much young blood waiting to get their feet wet. There's day I'm still flabbergasted that it took so long but with everything set to unfold over the next year or so, it is better late than never. 

Back to the Canadian Premier League, a lot of people are going to be ignorant and say it is going to say the CPL won't work. It's a terrible league and they would lose 10-0 to the likes of Barcelona or Bayern Munich. 

While that may be true, that is not the right way to approach a soccer league or even life for that matter. UEFA has 55 countries and 54 of them have soccer leagues. Despite there being a handful of very weak leagues, there is national pride on the line when the bottom leagues has success. For instance, in Albainia, Skënderbeu Korçë attempted to become the first Albanian side ever to get to the Champions League Group Stage. You didn't hear anyone say during their run that their national league was terrible because it isn't "the best league" 

What the Albanian league has done has improved their national team over the years and last year made a surprise appearance at the Euros in France. 

This is why it is not about having the best league. There's no such thing as the best league in soccer. English Premier League is the best league top to bottom but we all know the two best teams reside in Spain. 

That's the best thing about soccer. The passion is unprecedented and the thought of changing a teams culture for the good is always there. A chance to win against all odds and in the relegation leagues, a chance to stay up when know one thought your team could. 

That's why it shouldn't matter. The MLS gets a lot of bad rap for not being as good as a top European league, but it has helped the U.S. Men's National team. Before the MLS, just qualifying for the World Cup was an accomplishment. Now, not getting to the Quarterfinals is disappointing. What changed, a successful World Cup bid in 1994 and the inception of the MLS a few years after. Almost a quarter century later, Canada seems like is on a similar path. 

Is it a Mystry, Myth or a Conspricy? Diving into the reasons Why Canada hasn't won a Cup in 24 years

The year was 1993. The Prime Minister was Brian Mulroney, gas was a jaw dropping 25 cents per liter and Disney's The Lion King was still a year a way from coming out in theatres.


In the spring of 1993, the Montreal Canadians won their 24th Stanley Cup. Almost a quarter century has past and that remains Canada's last. 23 straight times the Stanley Cup will be hoisted by an American team. Is it a flue, unluckiness or just straight the way its going to be.


Five teams have gotten to the Cup Finals. Vancouver twice and Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa only once respectively.

The law of averages would illustrate that every 30 years, a Canadian team would win the Cup seven times. Well, that is certainly not happening. Since 1987 five times. However, the Cups were only shared by three teams. Edmonton, Calgary and Montreal.

Is Canada cursed or is there some kind of conspiracy? To determine this fairly, we have to look at a few angles.

Firstly, from 1942 t0 1993, a Canadian team won the Cup 34 times. (Mostly thanks to Montreal) Therefore, to say that there is a conspiracy against the Canadian teams is wrong. At-least there is no full blown conspiracy.

Did someone mention conspiracy? Since the lockout in 2006. Canadian teams in general have not fared well in the playoffs an even in the regular season. The first time I heard the word conspiracy in regards the NHL was after the 2007 Stanley Cup Final when Anaheim defeated Ottawa in five. At first, I didn't believe it but since 2011 I believe that Commissioner Gary Betman  wants an American to win a Cup. NBCSN's ratings will go up if two American teams are in the Cup Finals and it helps grow exposure to the regions that are in a Cup which indirectly grows the game in general. This can't be said for Canadian teams as interest is already through the roof.

Secondly, lets examine unluckiness. In 23 years, five teams ventured on to the Final series however only one team had a realistic shot at winning it which was the 2011 Vancouver Canucks. The other four teams were Cinderella's playing with house money and almost just happy to be there.

More importantly, The Stanley Cup is often met with increased pressure as each round goes by. In a Canadian market, each bad play has a chance to be spotlighted in the paper the next morning. This can be hard for players to get over the top. We all know, that winning the Cup is the hardest trophy to win in sports. Everything needs to fall in place and with so much pressure on the #1 attraction in the city can be detrimental on players trying to do something special for a city.

To continue, Canadian teams  have increased travel that other teams don't. During a 82 game season, two months more in the playoffs the travel miles can add up fast. This can ware out a 20 man roster over a seven month season.

Putting this all together, Canada hasn't seen a  Cup Champion for 23 years for a variety of reasons. There is a slight conspiracy but nothing over blown that has made it completely obvious. The real reasons why a Canadian team hasn't won a Cup in 24 years is because of extra travel and increased pressure to preform well in a Canadian city.