The Challenging Game Of Hockey

Considering the country's love affair with the gameSpectators love to watch the opposing team get
most people would be surprised to learn that hockey iscrushed against the boards. Many people wonder
not the national sport of Canada. Many people inwhat this is teaching young fans. Aggressive play is
Canada eat, sleep, and breathe hockey. The roots ofnot being tolerated in many leagues whereas others
hockey are in Ireland, back when it was called Hurley,have banned this type contact all together. The NHL
but hockey is defiantly a Canadian sport. Due to itshowever, has not started anything of this kind.
infectious nature, hockey has caught on all over theThese days' parents have become a bit too
world. It became very popular throughout Canada,passionate at little league hockey games. There is an
especially the East coast in the 1800s.increasing number of fights between parents and
In 1917, a league was formed to guide the play amongverbal and physical abuse against referees and
professional hockey teams. This league, the Nationalcoaches. This has prompted many people to stay
Hockey League (NHL) originally consisted of fiveaway from the sport or putting their children in after
teams. But the numbers quickly grew and by the endschool hockey programs. The thought of knowing that
of the century there would be 30 teams from all overthe parents care more about who wins than the kids
Canada and the USA. For many fans, hockey isdo is frightening. Regardless of this hockey will always
serious business.be a popular game in North America.
While the US teams have dominated the hockeyNo matter what happens though, hockey will always
playoffs, called the Stanley Cup, in recent years, thebe a popular game in North America. Europe enjoys
sport still has a bigger following in Canada. Hockeymuch success in the hockey world as well. Recent
Night in Canada is quite an event in many householdsworld championships have highlighted little known
and sports bars. Several teams in Canada have fallenplaces such as Belarus. Anywhere you can find
by the wayside in the past several years such as thefrozen ponds in the winter are the perfect place for a
Winnipeg Jets and the Quebec Nordiques. This is anlittle ice hockey. This isn't always the case though, look
unfortunate cause of the high player salaries.at the Los Angeles Kings!
Hockey stars are able to demand high salaries forHockey remains one of the favorite games in North
their game. In part, this is what leads some of the topAmerican cities and many fans hope to enjoy hockey
players to teams in the US. Some Canadian teamsduring the 2004/2005 NHL season. But even without
find it challenging to keep their homegrown playersthe pros, there are farm teams and minor leagues
thanks to high salary demands. This is one of theteams playing hockey, so hockey fans can still get
issues in the 2004 NHL dispute that resulted a curtailedtheir hockey fix. If you are curious to see what all the
season.fuss is over, check out a game at your local hockey
Hockey is a very violent game and unfortunately,arena and you'll feel the excitement in the air - and on
violence is very common in the little leagues.the ice. No wonder hockey is so popular!