Quote:
Originally Posted by PepsiFree
It's not an obsession, it's a commitment to a certain culture. A lot of teams have this to a varying degree (including Calgary, who you could say had/have an unhealthy obsession with drafting western Canadian boys, and it's always mentioned when we sign someone from western Canada as if it somehow matters).
A big part of it is the media and fan base, as French Canadians sell really well in that market. Being bilingual is great for media relations. In the end I think it's great for a team to commit to a certain culture and they rarely seem to do it at the cost of team quality. Being French Canadian is an added bonus there, not a requirement.
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In fairness however, is that the western Canadian bias for Calgary started under Darryl Sutter as a means to ensure that the players he had actually wanted to be here, rather than ask for trades or bolt the first chance they could. At that time, I would say he was right for creating that preference for the Flames. Chris Drury comes to mind after all. I do think that is behind the Flames now
However, in Montreal, I am not sure that the rationale is the same. It is much more a cultural thing there, as I would assume that most players would prefer playing for an original six team with an incredible history. Not all of course, as playing in Canada - and especially in Montreal/Toronto - has its' drawbacks of course, but Montreal shouldn't have the same issue as Calgary did back in the 90's and into the early 2000's. It is their media and culture that practically forces the team to search out francophone players/coaches/GMs.