WJC: Question regarding Marcus Foligno

[Stone Valley]

I know you get to choose which country you want to play for but why does he play for Canada, isn't he born in Buffalo? Just curious.

Click to read more...

 

[danishh]

he is of canadian parents and grew up in sudbury.

a better question is why his brother plays for the US.

 

[Patchey*]

I believe his mother asked him to play for canada before her death.

 

[torontosports10]

His mother, who recently died of breast cancer, asked him to play for Canada. Did it for her.

 

[Knave]

His mom wanted him to play for Canada and she died recently of cancer... so I guess he wants to honor her memory?

That's why... if I remember hearing it correctly on TSN

 

[jfb392]

His hockey development took place in Sudbury, he spent most of his life in Sudbury, and IIRC his mother told him that he knew what the correct decision would be before her death.

 

[StikTBo]

I think it's because he wants to win gold

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

 

[Hart_House_Ca]

I think it has to do with not giving the other country the "F BOMB" after you win a game. He's got a lot of class. But the main reason is that his MAMA believes that you should play for the country that taught you how to play the game of hockey. Now if the USA taught him how to play hockey, his MAMA would of told him to play for them. MaMa knows best

 

[bruinsfan46]

he is of canadian parents and grew up in sudbury.

a better question is why his brother plays for the US.

Getting into the NDTP probably had a lot to do with it, that's a hell of a program and if you're serious about going to college (which Nick may have been at a time, I'm not sure) it's a great route to go.

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

Playing for Canada is not exactly a trivial thing.

 

[TheStranger]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

It's not like she was diagnosed and then as she was dying, with her last breath, whispered in his ear..."Will you do something for me son? Play for team canada" and then exhaled, and that was the last she ever said.

You don't think it was possible, that in probably the year + she was fighting the cancer they had a discussion, she said to him that she would like him to play for team Canada if he goes to the Tournament, and he decided to honour that?

DA

 

[Epictetus]

It's not like she was diagnosed and then as she was dying, with her last breath, whispered in his ear..."Will you do something for me son? Play for team canada" and then exhaled, and that was the last she ever said.

You don't think it was possible, that in probably the year + she was fighting the cancer they had a discussion, she said to him that she would like him to play for team Canada if he goes to the Tournament, and he decided to honour that?

DA

Exactly this.

 

[paradeofwolves]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

Hah. Because Marcus and Nick would actually lie about their deceased mother for a TSN story.

 

[Knave]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

For real?

 

[CaptPantalones]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

I know the Foligno family and that did indeed happen. She wanted one of the kids to play for Canada.

Marcus was born in Buffalo while Mike was playing here.

 

[Confucius]

I call BS on that TSN story.

Seriously, his mother is diagnosed with cancer and of all things she asks her younger son to play for Canada?

I don't buy it.

It's not like she had hours to live, I'm sure it came up over the last year of her life. Nobody would makeup a story like that if it wasn't true

 

[Confucius]

By the way a lot of Canadians playing NHL have kids born in the US. Where do you think you get your players from? Some choose to play for the U S

 

[Pyke*]

It's not like she had hours to live, I'm sure it came up over the last year of her life. Nobody would makeup a story like that if it wasn't true

This.

The other thing, is people forget, this is a totally reasonable conversation to have with your parents:
"Hi (mom/dad). I'm not sure what to do. Two really great options in "X" have been given to me. If I get offers from both, what should I do?"

How is that any different than a kid asking his parents what scholarship to take or what program to enroll in? Foligno has been an elite hockey player for a while; he almost certainly had the conversation at some point, probably along the lines of "If I have the choice, where should I play?".

His mother, a Canadian, could easily have said, "You should go with your heart, but remember we're Canadians even if your dad played in Buffalo for part of his NHL career. I would really like one of you to play for Canada."

I just don't see it as that far fetched.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Every year, kids play for other nations that the ones they were born in. The USA has had several players play for them that were born in Canada. No one gets too excited about that.

 

[Other Little Mikey]

TSN clip about Marcus and his mom. http://watch.tsn.ca/clip396103#clip396103

**** cancer.

 

[TheStranger]

Every year, kids play for other nations that the ones they were born in. The USA has had several players play for them that were born in Canada. No one gets too excited about that.

That's because they are playing with the US due to the fact they're not good enough to make team Canada. The players that choose Canada over the US are much better players to be able to even have that choice.

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

That's because they are playing with the US due to the fact they're not good enough to make team Canada. The players that choose Canada over the US are much better players to be able to even have that choice.

Brett Hull says hi.

 

[TheStranger]

Brett Hull says hi.

There's always an exception to the rule. Also some cases where they've been in the US since they're like 6 months old, where why on earth WOULD they play for Canada?

Some guys just want the shot to play on that kind of stage, especially the Olympics, that will play for any country they can get a shot with, most only have an option of US or Canada.

 

[Ron Barr]

He plays for Canada because of respect.

 

[TheFinalWord]

Brett Hull says hi.

I believe Hull wanted to play for Canada but was either cut or not invited to try out for some tournament and instead went to play for the US. I think his first choice was to play for Canada.