LMAO. What is "your time"? Played minor 30 years ago?I'm just saying that the cost of hockey is a false debate. In my time, my teammates were not very rich. Then when you have a passion you invest your money in it. I spent very little on video games, no drugs, no scooter, no PC, no CDs.
The real advantage is the proximity to an ice rink and the trainers. Youth from urban areas have an advantage.
Elite talents are privileged in their lives. A guy like James Scantlebury, was hosted at Lake Saint-Louis and now lives in Florida.
This is not the reason why the level has temporarily dropped. The real reason is the emergence of Europe, USA and Russia. The level is higher.
An international NHL like today in the 80s and half of the Canadian players disappear.
Obviously at the pro ranks, Europeans and Americans will crowd out Canadians. That's not what I'm saying. You're asserting that "talent is talent" and that will win out. Then what we should see among Canadian pros is that they're backgrounds are fairly diverse (given we assume talent is normally distributed). That's not what we see. Canadian pros (especially NHLers) are almost uniformly from wealthy backgrounds.
Elite minor hockey is very expensive. Thousands off the bat for league fees. $10+K for travel teams and tournaments. Thousands more for private training (everyone else is doing this, so if you're not, you're falling behind). Thousands for top line equipment. If you're making 60K, you can't afford that.
Hockey enrollment is also just declining. Because it's too expensive. And this will eventually filter it's way up in the Canadian ranks.
And I'm still waiting for you to find where I said hockey should be free and rich people banned. Still waiting on that. Find that quote where I said that my guy. Or you can take your L, that you are blatantly wrong.