Yep. Funny can't recall what year it was, I think 2007ish but I remember hearing how a Canadian team hasn't won a cup in 13 year and I found that hard to believe at the time. Fast forward to today, it's now been 25? Wow, someone has to end that drought, preferably a team in blue and white with a maple leaf logo ha.
Good players and management follow the flow of money. Canadian teams have always had terrible owners and on top of that, we get second rate upper level managers. The smartest Canadians chase the money and flow to lower tax places or places with more earning potential/exposure etc.
There is no mystery to this. If you want to have a successful Canadian team, be prepared to spend twice or more for everything vs our American counterparts. (And believe me we are and then some).
Imagine you're a smart GM. You know you're smart but young and have a bright future, do you take option A) Cut your teeth in Edmonton or B) Anaheim?? The correct answer is essentially always go State side because you are more likely to get hired by another American team having worked in the US and there are way more US teams. Basically you come to Canada to die and if you're really good you get poached by an American team, so.