Canada Day 2020

Canada Day 2020 from the Twitch.tv broadcast

Game of the Week - USA Hockey vs. Hockey Canada + Bonus Shootout

As the old hockey season finally comes to a close, so too Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic turns the page on NHL 16 as the featured game simulator. I can't wait for NHL 17 to come out and have yet another Midnight Release Party of NHL 17 via Twitch.tv and later uploaded to Youtube.

I wanted to feature Canada and USA in this last Game of the Week. I think it's an interesting story developing within each hockey national program whereas the next core group of NHL caliber superstars are all coming together in the World Cup. Does McDavid outshine and reach the Cup before USA prospects Eichel and Matthews? Has the USA program surpassed the Canadian rival in dominance?

I chose to be the Americans in this simulation against the CPU Canadians tweaked roster. We'll see here as Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic simulates USA vs Canada in the Game of the Week - international style!
But as an added bonus, here is a shorter video of the Shootout match-up between USA and Canada.
Be sure to check out my Midnight Party Release of NHL 17 on the morning of Sept. 13th seen right here on Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic!

Canada Day Cup 2015

As the tradition continues to grow, the long historical Canada Day Cup Tournament will now be played live on the website (via Twitch). I had originally planned to do this last year, but thanks to my previous misfortunes with my latest laptop, I wasn't able to broadcast it. This year however, I was able to get things done in a more entertaining way.

I also did some preliminary matches with Team Canada and Team USA prior to the tournament. It got out of hand right away and Team USA won that one. We'll see if maybe Team Canada gets some revenge on July 4.

If you're not too familiar with the series, the tournament works like this. Each year, I hold a simulated tournament with each of the 8 Canadian NHL franchises. From there, I go through a match-up with the Provincial rivalries like TOR-OTT and MON-QUE with VAN-WPG and EDM-CGY. Of course it's quite an exciting breakdown and I keep up to date with the way that the Free Agent Frenzy on opening day plays out so that the teams are all square.

This years results were seen on Twitch and then later uploaded to YouTube where you can watch on the video below.

Since I've been doing it for 13 years, it's also one of the longest running traditions here on the Confession of a Hockey Fanatic weblog. I'm hoping to spin this off into a "matchup of the week" type video series were I upload a bunch of games to youtube for your enjoyment.


So, Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers! Please party safe and responsibly.









Previous Canada Day Champions
2002: Toronto Maple Leafs
2003: Edmonton Oilers
2004: Quebec Nordiques
2005: Montreal Canadians
2006: Montreal Canadians
2007: Winnipeg Jets
2008: Calgary Flames
2009: Vancouver Canucks
2010: Toronto Maple Leafs
2011: Quebec Nordiques
2012: Edmonton Oilers
2013: Ottawa Senators
2014: Montreal Canadians
2015:

Canada Day Cup 2012

Hockey fans across the entire continent are sure blessed to have the sport we love to unite us across the border. After 10 years of covering hockey, I've come upon meeting many people around the world. So, therefore, I celebrate in a special way July 1st in support of them. It was 10 years ago today, in this annual tradition, that I take the time in my activities to simulate a hockey tournament on my Playstation 3 system. So, let me break down the history of this "prestigious" championship.

The first year I chose a format with an East-West 1 game elimination where each Canadian team started the first round against their provincial rivals. As it was my hobby, I would make sure I would be using the most up-to-date rosters.

But as the years went on, EA Sports continued to grow their hockey game franchise and adopted a more true to life scenario whereas they allow users to make their own tournament pools and schedule preliminary games to seed them. To make the tournament even, I had to include the two Canadian franchises that moved to the states, but with thanks to EA Sports, used Colorado and Phoenix in their retro Nordiques and Jets jerseys. But now that the NHL 12 includes the new Winnipeg Jets (formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers) it left me up to an interesting conundrum.

2012 Results:

So, do I use the Phoenix franchise in the tournament knowing that they have the original Jets in their lineage or do I use the team called the Winnepeg Jets. After careful thought, I decided that the new Jets were going to make their debut into this tournament simulation.

Both Eastern and Western conference pools were simulated with preliminary rounds and got to the featured 8 teams in the brackets. With it being a single KO tournament, the final game came down to another Battle of Alberta as the Edmonton Oilers faced their rivals Calgary Flames.

The first period was pretty tight. There weren't any goals until Edmonton lit the lamp twice. There was actually more physicality than goals. That's what playing in a rivalry game is like. I want to believe that a real life tournament game would look just like this. With 3 mintues left in the game, the Flames did manage to get one past Khabibulin to cut the lead in half. But Edmonton killed off the clock and got awarded the COHF Canada Day Cup (see pictured). The Oilers Taylor Hall was the MVP of the tournament coming up with 9 total tournament points.

Previous Canada Day Champions
2002: Toronto Maple Leafs
2003: Edmonton Oilers
2004: Quebec Nordiques
2005: Montreal Canadians
2006: Montreal Canadians
2007: Winnipeg Jets
2008: Calgary Flames

2009: Vancouver Canucks

2010: Toronto Maple Leafs

2011: Quebec Nordiques

Thank you for reading this part of the blog. I'm going back to read up on the free agency news.

Hockey Is Awesome Episode 1

If you were at Podcamp Pittsburgh 6 this weekend, then you got to see this video premier before it was published here on the page. But for the rest of you here that either couldn't attend or missed the lecture I gave, please enjoy my latest YouTube production. It took a fairly good amount of time to both produce and shoot the video. I couldn't have done it without the cooperation of my brother David of Hustlebot. Major thanks to him also.

It's a step forward as far as what I wanted to get accomplished with my youtube hockey channel. There's a lot of new tricks here so please tell me which ones you liked in the comments below as well as something else you may want to talk about.

So, who actually does have the better talent in hockey? Team USA is really catching up to Team Canada as far as holding their own in national championships and Olympic play? Do the USA players have to develop even more hockey superstar talent to be considered on par with Canada's program?

COHF Presents: "Can-Am Award" 2011

Harper Passes On Federal Funding for Quebec City Arena

With a new Provincial spring election looming for Canada, the Conservative PM has chosen to remain steadfast to the official federal policy to curb federal tax dollar funding on privately used sporting arenas and other venues. I am very concerned about the popularity of this decision regarding the aforementioned election. Will sports fans and NHL fans remember this at the voting polls? I haven't seen any data that they must have looked at to consider such a

So, this news does put a small hurdle in the fast-tracking of a new Quebec arena for the NHL to consider moving a team. It may be much later than the Quebec City fans are waiting for. Could the city continue to drag the issue out for a while longer while the NHL sorts it's problems out?

Of course, they put in a loop-hole that suggests tying in a University to use the land or rink. It's already been done with the football stadium.

[Via: Rogers Sportsnet]

Mario Lemieux to Receive Order of Canada

(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Mario Lemieux has done so much for so many people that he is often rewarded for it. Sometimes, I think there is nothing left for him to do or be awarded for. Last year, he was honored by Quebec and dubbed a Knight by his home province. This year, he is yet again bestowed another national honor that many select NHL and hockey personalities have earned. But what exactly is the Order of Canada? Does it come with a side of poutine?

Created in 1967 during the country's centennial year, the Order of Canada recognizes Canadians for a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.

Anyone would certainly agree that Mario, the walking legend, has embodied that very description in both his home country and his adopted home in Pittsburgh.

Even after all the accolades, honors, and titles that Mario has been given, it amazes me at just how much he takes it in stride with humility. He's a man who has been able to pull off a miracle or two and now a whole nation has been able to thank him.

[Via: Canadian Broadcasting Company CBC.ca]

Canada Day Championships 2010

I would Like to take this occasion to wish everyone who regularly visits the COHF blog a very happy and safe celebration of Canada Day!

I am stuck at work and will come back to re-edit this later on this afternoon with a tribute video and perhaps link up some other videos that I have made in prior years!

(Watch This Space Real Soon for the video blogging youtube video)

Who wins the video game simulated Canada Day Cup 2010? Who knows? Check back with us real soon!!!



Previous Canada Day Champions
2002: Toronto Maple Leafs
2003: Edmonton Oilers
2004: Quebec Nordiques
2005: Montreal Canadiens
2006: Montreal Canadiens
2007: Winnipeg Jets
2008: Calgary Flames2009: Vancouver Canucks

Crosby's Puck in Hockey Hall of Fame

As a piece of history just as coveted as Crosby's uniform, the puck that crossed the goal line to win the gold medal in this past Olympics (forever known now as "the golden puck") will soon be on display for all hockey fans to visit in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

I am happy to see that the puck is going to the Hockey Hall of Fame," Crosby said in a statement Tuesday. "I feel very lucky to have been part of that team and that game as well, and I am glad hockey fans will get the chance to share the moment by seeing things like the overtime winning puck up close."

I would like to see some statistics that breaks down fans making the trek to the Hall of Fame who came to see the Stanley Cup or the "golden puck". No word on weather or not Canadians must face east in worship of that little piece of vulcanized rubber.

[Via: CBC]

United States Fall Short of Olympic Gold

In what is sure to be talked about for very many years to come, the USA and Canada gold medal game went down to the wire. Unfortunately, the game could not end in a tie, the most diplomatic result, and they played one nail-biting OT.

Team USA was feeling confident that the All-World goalie Ryan Miller was once again standing tall in the first period keeping them at a 1-0 deficit. And by the second half of the first period, Edzo noticed that the more the Americans got the puck to the net, "Bobby Lou" Roberto Luongo was unsure of the rebound or where the puck went. Surely, the Americans would feel as they were still in this contest.

But the Americans' backs were to the wall when the second Canada goal slipped by tournament hero Ryan Miller.

"No one knew our names. People know our names now," said Chris Drury, one of two holdovers from the 2002 U.S. team that also lost to Canada in the gold-medal game.

The Herculean efforts continued to the third period where the U.S. team decided to make their final stand against a juggernaut Canada team that had 4 lines of scoring.

"Our team worked so unbelievably hard," Crosby said. "Today was really tough, especially when they got a goal late in regulation. But we came back and got it in overtime."

A few seconds later after the puck had crossed the goal line, I was okay with it. If the Canadians had to win, Crosby was 1 of 2 players I would be okay with getting that goal.

The rematch in Sochi, Russia countdown has begun.

[Via: NBC Olympics]

Canadian Women Controversial Celebration

Soon after Team Canada had successfully won the gold medal on their home ice (apparently it was important to the country to do that), the Canadian women's team had chosen to enjoy the historical moment by choking down some Canadian beers (no American or Euro imports please) and smoking on long cigars (insert phallus joke here).

But while you might hear some pundits try to defend the team's behavior, I would just like to counter with the notion that those who do defend Team Canada's ladies are doing so out of 1.) loyalty to their country or 2.) ready to take a swipe at the Team's detractors casting the naysayers as a puritanical judgmental bunch.

Congratulations to the Team Canada womens Gold medalists. They worked hard for it and won when it really mattered. But the hearty party that ensued showed just about as much class as when team Canada ripped through the ranks of other less talented teams to get to the gold medal rematch. Plus, it shows a little thoughtlessness to allow a teammate who was underage at the time.

Star-Ledger photographer Andy Mills captured 18-year-old Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both goals in the gold-medal game, drinking Molson Canadian beer. Poulin doesn't turn 19 – the legal drinking age in British Columbia – until next month. The Canadian team trains in Alberta, where the legal drinking age is 18.

With a hyper sensitive media is ready to castigate any athlete that does not behave as a role model 24/7/365, it only shows how much little progress society has made.

The IOC said it would look into the matter.

"I don't think it's a good promotion of sport values," Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director of the Olympics, told the Associated Press after learning about the celebration. "If they celebrate in the changing room, that's one thing, but not in public. We will investigate what happened."

The team made a public apology, but it seems a little hollow after the damage has been done. You can read the apology on the link below.

When I used to work for the womens ice hockey team at Penn State, I was a witness to a controversial moment that I care not to repeat here. I can remember, however, the stigmatic shame that was leveled on the team, logo, and schools character for several days later.

If teams like this can just shrug it off like no big deal, then perhaps deeper sanctions should be considered.

[Via: New Jersey Star Ledger]

Sidney Crosby is Canada's Male Athlete of the Year

Even with the depth of talent that the committee had reportedly chosen from, Sid Crosby was selected as the Canadian Male Athlete of the year for the second time. He previously won it in 2007.

"To be part of that group is always an honour," said Crosby. "I don't think I ever measure myself against anyone a whole lot. Everyone has found their own path and had their own success different ways. If anything, I think I just have a lot of respect for what people before me have done.

"I'm just trying to do a good job myself."

It wasn't too hard to give Crosby a serious consideration for the Award since he was the youngest Captain to hoist the Stanley Cup this year. After that, he was quite a leader in pushing to get the NHLPA out of the embarrassment it was in while also being an ambassador for the NHL and hockey while traveling with the Stanley Cup through his Nova Scotia hometown.

Congratulations to Sid for another award, perhaps it is a sign of more to come from this amazing superstar.

[Via: Toronto Star]

Team Canada Knows Winning

As the excitement and hype of the pending world competition coming up, you can guarantee that the blogger-verse has something to say about their respective countries. In a website of a collection of excellent hockey writers and bloggers, I read this gem of a topic to compare two dominant forces in their respective sports. While the New York Yankees enjoy being known as a legacy franchise with a rich historical tradition, Team Canada in hockey has more banners to their credit by combining both adult and junior championships.

Team Canada has won 24 IIHF titles in the 73 year history of the European Championships, more than any other national team.

I suppose that this comparison is a lot like how the Yankees purchase their championships with the depth of both talent and pocketbook. The talent pool of hockey players is deep within Canada as expected from the country that history credits with inventing the game.

The blog article, linked at the bottom of the page, supports the argument with a graphic that all 4 major sports champions. Surprisingly, the CFL has been ommited.

So with this new information, will the North American media stop bleeding-heart for the Yankees organization? It's entirely doubtful, but at least you and I know the truth.

[Via: The Hockey Writers]