WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY – TORONTO, 2016
From September 15th to 25th from catching a flight to catching a subway, all hockey fans globally to locally experienced Canadian spirit at what is called the center of the universe…Toronto! The first day was strictly made for the men and women that gab each player, in relation to access the “calm before the storm” Few players from Team North America took on reporters at the Molson Canadian Hockey House, such as Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau ( currently a restricted free agent) and Burnaby’s very own Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. According to reports this year’s World Cup may be the last you see of the vigorous Team North America, so hopefully you kept a close eye to the players in spotlight 23 and younger. Without qualifying to the semi-finals, the men proved that cheese does not need to age to be top quality in hockey, as 19 year old World Cup Captain Connor McDavid is the player to watch according to Wayne Gretzky back in 2015’s NHL Draft calling him the “ best prospect in 30 years”. Currently McDavid was spotted in training camp on line in Edmonton with former Vancouver Giant & Bruin Milan Lucic. Day 2 and 3 was far more hectic with all 8 teams walking the “ red” carpet to the Pepsi Live stage to speak a few words skating on World Cup ice, matching the top players in hockey. Sidney Crosby, Carey Price, Alexander Ovechkin, Jacob Markstrom and the Sedin Twins ( also known as 2011’s Brad Marchand punching bag) just to name a few. The Village could not possibly be any more full, when the men with the maple leaf playing on home ice cheering with Canada’s elite line trio Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand. To any non-believers that visited the “World Cup Today” booth, with direct confirmation from the event coordinator, the NHLPA/NHL can confirm that the cup was the real one on display and not a replica. So if you did get the chance to snap a photo with the WC, than you have been in presence of history in the making. With performers such as The Killers and Lenny Kravitz, the Pepsi Live Stage was never not lit in immense feeling and passion celebrating the sport that has been around since 1875 and the possibility of ruining relationships of skipping out date night. Wayne Gretzky spoke and answered questions mostly dedicated to the youth bringing the closing ceremonies of World Cup Fan Village on the 25th, to an end.
The sport was originally invented /organised by two nine-player teams of University students. With that being said, Welcome to the new generation of young men’s hockey players supported by the veterans to keep what is Canada’s sport alive. Congratulations to Team Canada for once again winning the World Cup. The NHL would be nothing without our Canadian players.
