LOS ANGELES — Oh how the times have changed. There is no arguing the fact that all three of California’s National Hockey League teams are ahead of all seven Canadian teams in the standings. Or that California has hosted two Stanley Cup parades (2007 and ’12) since the last time a Canadian team (Montreal in ’93) hosted one.
And you could make a strong argument today, that not a single one of Canada’s seven teams would beat the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks or L.A. Kings in a seven-game series. This, however, is a more disturbing talking point: What if it is always going to be this way? Like, from now on.
There was a time when players like Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton would have tested the free agent market for one, last big contract. But they did not, signing three-year deals in San Jose Friday for two reasons: The Sharks are a Cup contender, and living in San Jose wine country qualifies as somewhere north of awesome.
Here in Los Angeles, the Kings and Ducks players—by and large—want to stay where they are, and GMs Dean Lombardi and Bob Murray can make a pitch that none of their seven Canadian competitors can. “There are so many reasons,” Kings winger Jarret Stoll begins when asked why players enjoy California.
Stoll was born in Melville, Sask., and played four seasons under the ice cold spotlight in Edmonton. Now he’s a lifer down here, living the dream and dating like a rock star. He had FOX’s Erin Andrews on his arm at the family skate in Dodger Stadium Friday, after being engaged to Rachel Hunter earlier on his career.
Meanwhile his game has, if anything, improved, because Stoll knows that there is a long, long line of NHL players who would happily relieve him of his job with the Kings. “The hockey is No. 1 (when making a free agency decision), and it’s good here,” says Stoll, who was traded to L.A. by Edmonton in 2008 and has signed two contracts to stay with the Kings. “It’s a great place to raise a family. Our whole team lives within 5-10 minutes of each other. Where else do you get that? We all live at the beach. We walk, we bike, we skateboard… You go to the rink and do your job. You come away from it and there are so many things to do.”
The reality of the cap system is that the annual crop of unrestricted free agents is far inferior in 2014 than it was a decade ago. Teams are signing their good young players to long-term deals that keep them off the market, and older players like Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Marleau and Thornton aren’t budging from good situations the way they once did.
Playing in Calgary and Buffalo had its charm throughout Robyn Regehr’s career, but at age 33, he’s weighing different factors than he did at 23. “It’s a very nice place to end the career,” says the Kings defenceman, who spent his formative years in Rosthern, Sask. “First of all, it’s a competitive hockey team. When I came here, the team was just coming off a championship and we lost in … the Western Conference Final. Second, and it’s a close second, is it’s a very nice place to live.
“Whether you’re a family or you’re a single guy, they all really, really enjoy it. Whether it’s living down in Newport Beach playing for the Ducks, or in the South Bay playing for L.A. Or in northern California playing for San Jose.”
So how do the Winnipeg Jets compete with that? Well, drafting and development is even more important to Canadian teams that can’t offer what SoCal can. The problem is, these teams in California have out-drafted our clubs as well.
Even Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver—three beautiful, cosmopolitan cities—can not offer players the anonymity away from the rink that is annually gaining value in our smart-phone world.
When it comes to taking the kids out to McDonalds in either Calgary or Manhattan Beach, “Well, the hamburgers are the same, but you just don’t have to talk about hockey quite as much,” Regehr laughs. “But what I really love is the kids are outside, almost every day. Whether it’s at the beach, or you take them to the park, the kids are out on scooters…”
In Edmonton, coach Dallas Eakins has spoken openly about how he gets jeered while filling his car up with gas. Or his kids hear about the Oilers’ eternal losing ways at school. That’s something that doesn’t happen down here either. “People are recognizing us more and more, especially after winning,” Stoll says. “But it’s not to the point where it’s a negative thing. And even when you’re losing or not doing well, they’re behind you. I love playing here. I’m here year-round.”
Back when Montreal last hosted a Stanley Cup parade in Canada, hockey was something of a novelty act in California. But no longer. Great teams, great weather and a great ability to escape the fishbowl are drawing top players to the Golden State, and keeping them there. A scary proposition for fans of Canadian teams.