In the local media over the past month I've heard the question being asked, "With the Vancouver Canucks being the last Canadian based team in the Stanley Cup playoffs, can they be called Canada's Team?". The answer is "no". This is not Canada's team. It is my team. It is our team. It is the team of all of us who have followed it since we were old enough to care about it. I mean really care about it. Those of us who are still pissed off at Mike Keenan and Mark Messier and how Trevor was treated. Those of us who still like the Griffiths family even though they no longer own the club and Arthur lives in London, just for bringing us the team. Those of us who still cheered through the 70's when we knew we had no chance at anything, just because they were our Canucks. Where the hell was Canada then? Where was Canada through all those years of porous defence and characters/cast offs from other NHL teams? Where was Canada when our goalies were Dunc Wilson or Suitcase Smith? That's right, Canada was cheering for the Canadiens or the Leafs or the Oilers. Did any of you notice Canada cheering along side us when we were waving a white towel out the car window and cheering at the top of our lungs in 1982? Did you turn to Canada while sitting on the couch and watching Trevor push a mediocre team to the brink of the Cup in 1994 and say, "Hand me another beer, buddy. This one is going into overtime!" No. Canada was wondering what club to use on the dogleg left and thinking about how the Leafs would most likely challenge for the cup next year with all the new free agents they'd pick up. So, screw you Canada. Get your own team. This one is ours, just like all the other ones that have come before it. And when we win the Cup this year, you'll have to stay on the outside and dream about next year, just like we have for the past 40. GCG!
