Does NHL discriminate against the French?

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by SeeBass

Perhaps genetics has something to do with out.

Years ago I always noticed that french guys were always much smaller than western farm boys. We would always tower over them at tourneys.

Or maybe hockey teams out west placed a premium on size while the Quebec teams didn't factor in size while picking their teams.

[PIMking]

Tell Quebec to quit pushing themselves away from the rest of Canada. If you want to separate than don't bitch about being treated differently.

If they think they have it bad look at Black hockey players, this is a load of CRAP!!!

Maybe the Germans need to complain about discriminate GM's on them too....

[Hack&Lube]

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Edmonton: 27
Toronto: 16
Calgary: 14
Montreal: 13
Winnipeg: 8
Vancouver: 8
Ottawa: 7
Hamilton: 3
Quebec City: 2

Anyone that has ever played hockey in Edmonton knows that their system works. Edmonton always produces some stellar minor league teams.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Anyone that has ever played hockey in Edmonton knows that their system works. Edmonton always produces some stellar minor league teams.

Nothing motivates athletic performance like desperately wanting a better life.

[Day Tripper]

The book even states that some NHL teams have instituted a total ban on French-Canadian players.

Hmm...Detroit hasn't had a French-Canadian player since the lockout. I haven't checked further yet.

EDIT: Mathieu Dandenault from the 03/04 season.

[SeeBass]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Or maybe hockey teams out west placed a premium on size while the Quebec teams didn't factor in size while picking their teams.

Or you could leave out the part where I mentioned about there being an obvious shoe size difference from the two regions that would relate to there being a size difference across the board.

But if it works for your narrative whatever.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by SeeBass

Or you could leave out the part where I mentioned about there being an obvious shoe size difference from the two regions that would relate to there being a size difference across the board.

But if it works for your narrative whatever.

Or maybe Westerners like to wear clown shoes more than Quebecers.

[SeeBass]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Or maybe Westerners like to wear clown shoes more than Quebecers.

sweat pants and good shoes

[Charcot]

One simple way to look into this would be to study the european leagues. If talented players from Quebec are being excluded from the NHL they should be over represented compared to other Canadian players (unless those leagues are also biased in the same fashion). If only talent matters (in the NHL) then you would expect the Euro leagues to have the same ratio of Francophone Quebecers to non francophone Canadian as the NHL.

It would take a bit of work. However if I was to write an honest book examining potential bias I'd do it. If was interested only in sensationalism and polarizing debate I might not.

Obviously there are potential confounding factors but it would be a good start to understanding the relative under representation of francophones in the NHL.

I have not read the book. To those have read the book was this addressed or not?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

That number for Edmonton is incredible while Quebec's is pretty pathetic.

Yeah, but while there were some very useful players (i.e.: Iginla, Langkow) there was also a lot of filler. Calgary is much the same, as was Saskatoon and Regina. The Canadian prairies seem to be a popular place to find those fringe guys.

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by mac_82

French goalies not included?

Quick breakdown of goalies around the league. I only included 2 goalies from each team, 60 total. Injured goalies (Leclaire, Leighton, etc not included).

Rest of Canada - 15
Quebec - 11
USA - 11
Finland - 7
Sweden - 6
Czech - 5
Russia - 4
Swiss - 1

I think this list clearly shows discrimination against Dutch players. Though it may have to do with those clunky wooden skates they always wear.

[Vulcan]

The Quebec league has always been weaker. After the QMJHL was formed they had to sue the Montreal Junior Canadiens to join the league as they preferred to play in the stronger OHA.

[RougeUnderoos]

Years ago, on this here very message board, there was a thread about a book written by a guy claiming discrimination against black guys in the NHL.

He used Anson Carter as an example, and how he didn't fit in Edmonton because he was black and that Edmonchukker's (hey, that's racist!!) wear "western-style" clothes and it's a real whitey community and he didn't feel welcome.

IIRC, he failed to mention that the best years of Carter's career were in Edmonton, and that he flopped around from one country-bumpkin town (New York, Washington, Boston, Los Angeles) to another after that.

The point has been made numerous times already -- guys who can succeed in the NHL will do so, despite the language they speak, the place they come from, or the colour of their skin. It's the same in any professional sport.

I know of a certain NHL team whose success depends heavily on a Finnish guy, a black guy, a French guy, a Metis* guy and a few other Scandinavians.

The GM of this particular team is widely considered to be nothing more than a dumb redneck farmer from central Alberta, but there he goes, signing all these different people.

I know that discrimination exists at some level in our society, and I haven't read Brisbois' book, but I also know that Kenesaw Mountain Landis died a long time ago.


*I think Bourque is Metis

[Vulcan]

Yeah, Bourque is Metis. I think the biggest place for hockey players to confront discrimination would be at younger ages. I know from reading that Trottier ran into a lot of discrimination in junior and I've seen it a lower age groups, but this wouldn't be a problem for Quebequois as they grow up and play in their own culture.