Why do Canadians love hockey so much?

A couple of weeks ago, a good friend asked me why Canadians love hockey so much. I answered that Canada was where the modern game of ice hockey originated and it's been our national pastime for more than a century. Hockey has always been an integral part of Canadian culture, even today as it becomes increasingly popular around the world. But there must be more to it than simply being from a country where ice hockey is prominent - after all, there are many countries with residents who don't play or follow this sport at all. 

Canada is the birthplace of hockey and its first love: almost any Canadian can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when Canada won gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. While we don't have all the facts and figures, we do know that Canadians play hockey more than any other sport - over one million registered players as of 2003-and watch it more than any other televised sport. The NHL has been trying to capture a larger percentage of the American television audience as well as increase their fan base for years, but those efforts just haven't paid off.

There are three main reasons why Canada loves hockey so much: history, culture, and geography.

So what makes Canadians really passionate about hockey? What makes us "die hard" fans? Here are four second reasons:

1. Hockey-related injuries - Fighting - The tradition of showing support for your team and "having your back" no matter the consequences is strong in Canadian culture. For many people hockey isn't something you play as a kid and then grow out of as an adult - it's a way of life that carries on well into adulthood, especially for those who choose to play. The ability to play the sport at such a high level means sacrificing many other things, perhaps even your own health; which is why having someone backing you up (physically and emotionally) at times like these can make all the difference.
2. Origin: Hockey originated in Canada and we're one of only two countries where it's considered our national sport (the other being Finland). Canada was also home to the first organized ice hockey league; therefore it's only natural that we're the nation attending this year's event.

Canada is also home to the Golden Oldies Hockey Festival, which has been held in Vancouver since 1983, and in recent years with substantial financial support from top canadian online casino - promo codes ! This sponsor is known to be preferred by most Canadian players, and for good reason - you won't find anywhere else for the huge variety of games , the user-friendly interface, and the instant payouts!

3. The NHL: Canada has produced many of the greatest legends in modern hockey such as Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and Steve Yzerman (to name a few). Being able to see these players play live is truly an experience like no other; especially if they're playing against another team from your home country. But while there are many leagues all over the world - none of them can compare to what we have here in Canada: The National Hockey League or NHL for short. The quality and popularity you get here is unparalleled by any other league around the world.
4. Rivals: Many countries also have their own professional ice hockey league, but what separates us from other countries is that we play against one another; and it's always a big deal. The twice-yearly regular season games and the annual events such as: World Junior Hockey Championship (U20), Canada/Russia Super Series, Rendez-vous '87, etc... Canadians have been playing ice hockey against their neighbours from the south for over a century. We may not have won every match in history but when push comes to shove there aren't many countries who can beat us! We take pride in our talented athletes representing our country on the world stage!