I figure a lot of it has to do with pressure. Too much pressure from the fans and media in Canada for teams to succeed. Every little thing about players, management and the teams as a whole is scrutinized all day every day. I remember reading an interview from Shane Doan a few years ago and when asked whether he'd like to play in Canada he said "I love it here, I live on a giant ranch outside of town and get to live a normal life..." Outside of the Mike Richards and Jeff Carters of the NHL I think a lot of hockey players, like most people really, thrive and would rather play out of the lime light. You know, where they can have a 5 game slump and not be torn apart by every local media outlet and fan. Or where they can go out for dinner with their spouse and not end up on the front page of the paper.
That's not to say there are not rabid fans in the US it's just they're fewer and farther in between. Canadians put the weight of the world on our hockey teams and I believe they really suffer as a result.
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