Why there are only a few low profi leagues in Canada?

alko

Registered User
Oct 20, 2004
9,348
3,064
Slovakia
www.slovakhockey.sk
I think, there is only LNAH the only one pure Canadian professional league.

That is a little bit surprising, because ice-hockey is the life in Canada. Why not more?

You can argue, that there are many juniors leagues. That is true. But anyway. Isnt there any room for new league?

When you look to Slovakia. We are a very small country with something like 5 millions people. And we have a decent league with many Canadian and USA players. Also second league, that is somehow semi-professional.

Atleast in Toronto Area ( 5 millions +) there could be eventual some league. Considering also the fact, that to visit Maple Leafs is a tough and expensive experience.
 

Cyclones Rock

Registered User
Jun 12, 2008
10,482
6,370
Canada has NHL, AHL, and ECHL teams.

Quebec, Western and Ontario juniors teams.

Lower tier juniors teams.

University teams.

Amateur leagues galore.

Oh, and the LNAH.

I think that they're covered:thumbu:
 

Barclay Donaldson

Registered User
Feb 4, 2018
2,531
2,058
Tatooine
I agree with Cyclones Rock. There’s 3 major junior leagues in just about every province that are all very popular. Then junior A and B both draw support from communities. USports less so but they’re still there.

And remember that we have franchises and no promotion/relegation. That means fans tend to have a favorite NHL team and then a local team behind that. In Toronto, they only cheer the Leafs. It’s just how it is. It makes them one of the richest teams in the league since they have 5-6 million people who cheer just for them. Montreal is the same way, they have tried and failed a dozen times to put junior teams there. Vancouver has a major junior team that draws okay but it’s still Canucks crazy. It’s just the North American franchise and marketing system we have.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclones Rock

PCSPounder

Stadium Groupie
Apr 12, 2012
2,852
564
The Outskirts of Nutria Nanny
The major junior leagues hardly feel or look different than the ECHL in terms of presentation. Up until the lawsuits made those leagues start saying they're amateur, it had a feel of professionalism to it (which, naturally, college sports often do, too).
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->