Is Ice Hockey Big In Canada

Canada s ambitious goal is to top the medals table at the vancouver winter olympics but it will be a hollow achievement to much of the great white north unless the men s hockey gold is among the.

Is ice hockey big in canada. Though it is one of two national games the other being lacrosse hockey is dominant the most popular spectator sport as well as one that canada is world renowned for. Vancouver is canada s third largest city in terms of population and as we all know hockey is a major sport in canada. Over the last century canadian men women and children have passionately participated in hockey at all levels and have avidly watched the sport with great interest nationwide. Needless to say that canada created embraced and continues to adore ice hockey.

A great big honking cliché that but apparently one that is still true. In a country which is divided by languages and political views hockey is seen as a unifying force forming a great part of canadian cultural identity. The czech republic finland russia and sweden. Yes ice hockey in vancouver is extremely popular.

In men s international ice hockey the big six is a group comprising the six national teams that have dominated play throughout the history of international ice hockey especially since the 1950s. The sport is the third most popular sport among canadian children. From olympic success to the crossover appeal of such ice hockey luminaries as wayne gretzky the sport is a big part of canadian culture and national identity. Canada is considered the birthplace of ice hockey and canadians generally regard the sport as their own.

However vancouver is also canada s hottest city so it s not as popular play. Any discussion about hockey and canada begins with the climate which is why our forebears in an effort to battle. Numerous tournaments are held annually and ice hockey games are often part of winter carnivals and many outdoor ice rinks are constructed for the winter season. It is composed of the north american countries of canada and the united states and four european countries.

Canada is a member of the so called big six the unofficial group of the six strongest men s ice hockey nations along with the czech republic finland russia sweden and the united states. A cbc news report from 2013 confirmed that hockey is one the most popular sports in canada with 1 239 000 people over the age of 15 of all genders saying that they play ice hockey. During the cold war and for two years afterwards the soviet union cis and czechoslovakia held the places of russia and the czech republic respec.