Canada Day 2020

Canada Day 2020 from the Twitch.tv broadcast

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 2014

The Canada Day Cup Trophy was created at the inaugural year of this blog and continues to be the longest running blog series here at Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic. The process was simple, once a year, a hockey tournament was held using the most up-to-date roster in the EA Sports NHL series and features all the 8 existing Canadian franchises in the NHL. Of course, I had to adjust things for Colorado and Phoenix and be sure to use their throwback Quebec and Phoenix jerseys. Each team faces off against a regional provincial rival, with the exception in the case of Vancouver and Winnipeg. Depending on the time of day and how busy I was, the games were simulated via computer and the last remaning team standing was the Canada Day Cup Champion.

It's unfortunate to say that my PS3 hasn't been working quite right lately, and I am sorry to report that this year's plans for a Canada Cup has been put on hold until further notice. My plan is to record and make a youtube video out of it, but it's just not going to cooperate for this year.

Please check in next year as I am certain to make more videos on Youtube and going to make 2015 a new year to build on new ideas.

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.

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

Canada Day Championships 2009

This year, I continued to expand the COHF tradition of Canada Day Championship tournament by turning my day long celebrations into a video blog that shows my enthusiasm for celebrating July 1st.

Along with this blog 7 years in the running, one of the mainstays I have carried on is the Canada Day Cup tournament simulated through EA Sports' NHL series.

Who wins the Canada Day Cup 2008? 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 Flames

Canada Day Championships 2008

This year, I decided to expand the Canada Day Championships by turning my celebrations into a video blog that shows my enthusiasm for celebrating July 1st. Along with this blog 6 years in the running, one of the mainstays I have carried on is the Canada Day Cup tournament simulated through EA Sports NHL series.

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

Who wins the Canada Day Cup 2008? 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

Canada Day Championships 2007

This year, I decided to expand the Canada Day Championships by making it bigger with more simulated preliminary games as well as an expanded tournament round. It was going to be interesting hoping that the teams would even themselves out and other teams that struggled with a one-and-done format would be able to survive with a best of 7. Also, I decided to include new traditions to this year's games as the tournament MVP would receive the Harper trophy. (Any guess who that is named for?)

On to the preliminary rounds, it would be that with the Eastern teams in one pool with the Western teams in the other. Each team played each other once in a home/away series. When those games were simulated, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary were tied for first place in points at eight. Could it be that the strength and depth of those rosters were going to simulate another year of an Eastern team dominance? Would Montreal make it a three-peat? Koivu stood atop all players in points with 13 (6-7), but the best goaltenders were the Jets Curtis Joseph and Miikka Kiprusoff with 1.99 and 2.31 GAA respectfully.

After the teams were re-seeded for tournament play, Montreal faced Winnipeg, Toronto played Edmonton, Vancouver fought Quebec, and Calgary against Ottawa. The tournament was simulated through three rounds and instead of an eastern finals championship, the result was Winnipeg and Vancouver locking in for their first Canada Day Cup championship. I suppose it was the strength of Luongo carrying the team and a surprising Tommi Santala producing points.

What could have been more dramatic than a Game 7 in Winnipeg? Nothing. In real life, one of the most undervalued hockey markets found themselves playing for the Cup. The first period was just a feeling out round where neither team scored. The second period included more action with Joel Perrault's goal shoveled in slowly between Luongo's legs. Steve Reinprecht's hard shot sent Luongo's water bottle flying scoring for the Jets which set them in good shape for the third. There was even a penalty shot awarded to Pittsburgh native Bill Thomas as he was hooked by Brent Sopel, but Thomas failed to convert on that giant opportunity.

Finding their backs to the wall, the Canucks had to come out scoring. Despite shot after shot, "CuJo" held things down to hold on to the shutout. Drastic times called for desperate measures as the Canucks were forced to pull their goaltender. Markus Naslund took matters into his own hand as the extra attacker, sailed into Jet ice and buried the puck in the net to cut the lead down to 2-1 in the last minute However, that was all the comeback the Canucks could muster as the Jets defense just cleared the zone time and time again.

It was interesting to see the simulated Shane Doan accept the Canada Day Cup trophy in a Jet uniform. If they only had this much effort in real life. Congratulations to the Winnipeg Jets!

As for the after-tournament selections, the Harper trophy went to Quebec's Alex Tanguay who piled up 33 points (15-18). I look forward to doing this again next year with EA Sports' NHL 2008.
Previous Canada Day Champions
2002: Toronto Maple Leafs
2003: Edmonton Oilers
2004: Quebec Nordiques
2005: Montreal Canadiens
2006: Montreal Canadiens

Canada Day Championships 2006

This has become a tradition since starting my blog in 2002 where I've simulated a hockey tournament via the latest edition of EA Sports NHL video games. But the hobby is to mix around the rosters so that the teams are current, but forgiving players on the IR.

Divided into East and West pools to determine the preliminary rounds, each team played their regional rivals twice (home/away). From there, they were matched into tournament play. The teams participating in the tournament are all 6 Canadian franchises with Winnipeg and Quebec City seen with their throwback sweaters.

I'm probably the only person in America that commemorates the holiday like this. I suppose that I should take up the slack that a National Post article had talking about the reluctance to celebrate the country's history.

In an international poll of national pride, Canadians ranked sixth of 34 countries, just below Australia and just above the Philippines. The United States ranked first.

But the Vancouver Sun gave us 139 reasons to love Canada.

[RESULTS]
At the end of the round robin, Montreal almost ran the table winning 5 of their 6 games. At the bottom of the pile was Ottawa, simulated with a 2-4 record. As the prelims ended, Zednik and Iginla had posted 10 points to lead all players in the tournament. As the tournament played itself out, it was a Battle of Quebec as both the Nordiques and the Canadiens played at the Bell Center. Quebec started with a 1-0 lead but, Andres Dackel tied it up at 1 late in the first period. Quebec would not be easily intimidated by the 23 Coupe Stanley banners (+1 Coupe Fate du Canada) that hung in the rafters. The second period had newly acquired Tyler Arnason building a lead for the Nords, but Montreal doubled them up to go into the locker room with the 4-2 lead. Perhaps Theodore had his mind a certain someone. The third period saw Arnason making up for the loss of Tanguay, but with their goalie pulled, Montreal stopped a late rally to hold on to win the Canada Day Cup game 4-3.

Other notables: Saku Koivu was presented with the teams second Canada Day Cup victory. Dackell took home the #1 star from the game. Milan Hejduk became the leading scorer of the tournament with 16 points (11g-5a) and Markus Naslund came in 2nd with 14 points (8g-6a). On the goalies side, Andy Raycroft put up a 1.73 GAA for Toronto with Kiprusoff and Hasek close by with 1.99 and 2.00 GAA respectively.

Previous Canada Day Champions
2002: Toronto Maple Leafs
2003: Edmonton Oilers
2004: Quebec Nordiques
2005: Montreal Canadiens




Happy Canada Day 2006 everyone!