Mike Martin
Registered User
- Nov 1, 2013
- 1,807
- 4
I can't figure out why Norway doesn't have much of a hockey tradition, there are so few Norwegians in the NHL compared to Swedes and Finns. Why does hockey talent fail to develop in Norway?
Why are Sweden and Finland superior to Norway in hockey?
- Thread starter Mike Martin
- Start date
Seems like traditions in sports is hard to break. Norway is traditionally a skiing nation, both on slopes and cross-county. Ice hockey isnt the first winter sport that pops up in a Norwegian mind.
The fact that Swedish and Finnish hockey is better developed, also put Norweigian prospects in a disadvantage from young age. The competition is too weak, so you dont get the sparring that's needed as a prospect in Norway. So if you're a promosing Norwegian prospect, it's probably a good idea to move to either Sweden/Finland or NA.
The fact that Swedish and Finnish hockey is better developed, also put Norweigian prospects in a disadvantage from young age. The competition is too weak, so you dont get the sparring that's needed as a prospect in Norway. So if you're a promosing Norwegian prospect, it's probably a good idea to move to either Sweden/Finland or NA.
Infrastructure, they got few indoor rinks (I have seen the number but do not got them now). Anyway that might be a symptom of something else, but without training facilities you can not do much. I know that hockey isn't that big in Norway, but still that in-itself is no explanation.
SocialismFTW
Registered User
How come there are no South African Hockey teams?? I just think the sport isn't as popular in Norway and they are too busy being awesome at everything else to worry about hockey.
There are, South Africa has a league and a national program that competes every year in the World Championships.
This seems to get asked a lot. The direct reason is probably Sweden and Finland have several hundred rinks and Norway only several dozen... The harder question to answer is why did Finland and Sweden over the past few decades build hundreds of rinks, and establish hundreds(?) of clubs while Norway didn't.
When you think of all the things that hockey has working against it both present day and historically it's a minor miracle it's as 'global' as it is. IMHO Sweden and Finland (or any other country) liking and being good at hockey is more baffling than Norway (or any other country) not caring about or being good at hockey.
With all that said Norway has made some nice progress in recent years. The question is can they maintain their current level and improve on it.
When you think of all the things that hockey has working against it both present day and historically it's a minor miracle it's as 'global' as it is. IMHO Sweden and Finland (or any other country) liking and being good at hockey is more baffling than Norway (or any other country) not caring about or being good at hockey.
With all that said Norway has made some nice progress in recent years. The question is can they maintain their current level and improve on it.
Two biggest influencing factors are interest and population. More interest will lead to better development of players/coaches. It's the main reason countries like Serbia and Croatia can be competitive in so many sports despite their small numbers for example ,they are sports crazy nations and it creates more internal competitive competition within the country and thus yield better quality athletes. Population is a factor why a country like the US, despite lower interest in hockey and soccer can stay competitive with countries where the sport popularity is much higher.
Norway is a very, very good skiing nation. If you only have 5 million people you can't afford to be world class in more than a select few sports, it's as simple as that.
I would say Croatia and Slovenia with their sub 5 million population would dispute that statement.
We get it, Croatia and Slovenia are the 2 greatest sports nations ever, you don't need to tell us more than once.
svartgul
Hata Löven
I lol'd before reading your reply, and lol'd again afterwards. Someone obviously got some Croatian/Bosnian heritage
@wings5. Let's see you get out of this one.
http://www.medalspercapita.com/#medals-per-capita:all-time
Enbom
Registered User
It's honestly quite odd. I mean, they got all of the possibilities to actually become real good at it; yet they continue to ignore it. I'm currently living in Oslo and everyone I talk to about it has no real explanation why hockey isn't that big. They have the money, they have lots of talent, but they do not expand the sport by creating more ice rinks, more potential training facilities etcetera. Bad call, Norway.
I think they dont wanna invest to much in something sweden is already alot better at. Unlike danmark and finland they haven't fully accepted being little brother, still kicking and screaming
QnebO
Wheel, snipe, celly
- Feb 11, 2010
- 9,763
- 644
It's not about population, Sweden is not that huge and Finland is comparable to Norway, they're almost even now that Norwegians seem to have accelerated their population increase from earlier decades.. I wonder if they've loosen their uknowwhat policy.
So it's just the interest to the sport.. But Its still surprising, you would think that Norway and Sweden would share their interests.. but instead.. they don't.
So it's just the interest to the sport.. But Its still surprising, you would think that Norway and Sweden would share their interests.. but instead.. they don't.
SirKillalot
Registered User
Norway have traditionally been an outdoor nation, and known for having people who are known for their adventures. Also known for being a skiing nation and because of how the scenery looks like, a lot of people started with skiing and skating back in the day for work-related issues, and then it went over to sports.
Another thing is always when hockey is getting media attention, there is always the "bad" stuff, like fights, suspensions and so on.
Many Norwegians just can't see the advantages in hockey, more than the negatives. Therefore, the only thing they see is how much it will cost to build all those hockey arenas.
What Norway should do is to do four things:
1. Set aside money for building infrastructure
2. Create more sports-colleges who co-operative with clubs.
3. Make those sports-colleges more privatized so that people who actually know the stuff gets to do what they know better than some desk-job politician/hopeless teacher unqualified for the job.
4. Use the money and build all the arenas, and focus on the positive sides of hockey.
If it has not been mentioned I think one reason could be that Swedish and Finnish hockey is built up from North American hockey, which is superior to them, and Norwegian and Danish is built up from Swedish and Finnish hockey. They are the third step in the chain so to say. So I see it as natural that they are behind.
And since they are the third step in the chain it puts ice hockey many years behind(Sweden and Finland) so many other sports has become more popular which ice hockey was still growing/evolving in Norway and Denmark. While in Sweden and Finland hockey became big much earlier and then competed with other sports that also became big earlier in both countries. Now ice hockey is fighting from below to "steal" interest from other sports already popular in Norway/Denmark, which is not easy!
Could this be true?
And since they are the third step in the chain it puts ice hockey many years behind(Sweden and Finland) so many other sports has become more popular which ice hockey was still growing/evolving in Norway and Denmark. While in Sweden and Finland hockey became big much earlier and then competed with other sports that also became big earlier in both countries. Now ice hockey is fighting from below to "steal" interest from other sports already popular in Norway/Denmark, which is not easy!
Could this be true?
Last edited:
A lot of ignorance when it comes to hockey in Norway. I guess the majority consider the sport to be for low income, uneducated, violent people. The media has done a good job telling people how dangeous it is and I know lots of parents won\t let their kids play the sport beacause of that. We have 44 indoor rinks and we build about one new every year. So you can figure how long it will to be a major contender in hockey. We have loads of money in this country, but the money is not spent on hockey. Instead we spend lots of money on minor sports like crosscountry skiing and ski jumping. Finland and Norway were about equal in the 60`s I belive. Finland have more than 250 rinks and the sport is huge. Well, some people decided that hockey was a sport we were going to neglect in Norway. Sad isn`t it?
I think they dont wanna invest to much in something sweden is already alot better at. Unlike danmark and finland they haven't fully accepted being little brother, still kicking and screaming
Jeeze, you will be stoned now....
It's simply not that popular. What other explanation needed?
Canada has all the works to be a powerhouse in bandy, but they suck. Simply because it is not popular.
Canada has all the works to be a powerhouse in bandy, but they suck. Simply because it is not popular.
Hockey should be popular in every country that has snow. Almost every country that is into wintersport is into hockey, and it is weird that Norway that is next to Finland and Sweden is no good at it. One reason is that olympic gold medals is important . In cross country skiing There are at least 10 events, and the more medals we get the better confidence we get When we see that we beat the swedes in the medal race. If you read the sports section in a Norwegian newspaper you will see that 70% is about skiing. So my explanation is that the media is a big part of this. They neglect hockey for the most part, and if They don,t They tend to focus on the negativitet. IT has gotten better because Mats Zucarello is doing so well in NYR, but the focus is entirely on him not on the sport itself
