Beside experiences | canadian perspectives

Center Canadian Tire, Ottawa

Before coming to Canada, I didn’t know anything about Hockey. I didn’t know the rules, I didn’t know the length of a game, I didn’t know the teams and the League, I didn’t know neither the spirit nor the beauty of this sport… My only excuse being: “I’m not Canadian”. My 5 months in Canada helped me to lift the veil on this game that was unknown to me. To describe the influence of Hockey here, Canadians like to say: ” Hockey here is like soccer in Europe”. I would say it is even bigger! Male or Female, most of the people here attach a great importance to their own team. In almost every places I have been to, I found out that people had at least one Jersey of their city-team. Unlike soccer, Hockey is an expensive game: of course, the ice-field requires a lot of maintenance with specific technology, but also the equipment for each player is expensive. Assisting to an amateur game in Kitchener, my friend Dave invited me to the changing room and I was astonished to see how many protections they have. Not that it is not necessary: Hockey can be a very fast and violent game. But not anyone can afford it.

As I was in Ottawa, I had the chance to assist to a Hockey Game. My hosts of the moment invited me to the see the Senator of Ottawa playing against the Flyers of Philadelphia. What a game! Seen all those people singing the national Anthem at the beginning of the game was definitely one of the biggest cultural moment I lived here. It was beautiful. Later on, the game went over-time (3-3 in the main period) and I had the chance to assist to the shootouts. In one game, I had seen everything a Hockey game can offer, and I was happy for my friends of the Senators victory.

Step by step, traveling from city to city; I found out which were the big teams, how canadian and american teams were playing in the same league, the NHL (National Hockey League), started to recognize some of the best players ( Crosby, Giroux, Karlsson), realized that the teams were playing almost every two days!!!… and I understood why Canada was the temple of Hockey. In almost every mid-size city I’ve been to, it was nice to see all these crowds of people, friends, families, couples, in the streets going to a game in such a cheerful and happy atmosphere. Nevertheless, people can also be mad about it, particularly when two close cities play against each others: for instance the rivalry is huge between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. As it is a pretty intense game, tension is often palpable between fans.

Inside the Stadium

One thing I was surprised about watching hockey is the rule of fighting. During the game, two players or more (sometimes the whole team) can start fighting. As it is an intense sport with a lot of kicks, tension can go high fast. The referee will let the fight start and stop it when he considers it is getting too much. Talking with Canadians along the way, I found out different understanding about this rule: some say that it has to be part of the game, it is the spirit of the sport; and it broadens the psychological and tactical side of Hockey. For some others, it doesn’t really make sense: “free-violence” has no room for a sport watched by many families and children, and anyway, this doesn’t fit with the values sport want to promote.

Fight during a game

Wandering from city to city, it has become almost an habit to see children, friends from all age playing hockey outside on every little free ice rink. Most of the big places have a museum or a building dedicated to their team. Along with La crosse, Hockey is the official sport of Canada. If I would chose to settle in here, it is definitely a sport I would experience!

Amateur game in Kitchener

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