With the regular season over and with the Flames and Oilers yet again failing to qualify for playoffs, the valley’s fans of more foreign NHL teams have their time to brag as the league’s best prepare for the Wednesday night start of the post season.
“There are a few Canuckleheads around,” laughs Tammy Rodgers, who’s been a Vancouver fan since she could remember. “I would say it was a good year to be a fan, and I’m hoping this will finally be the year.”
Vancouver has a streak of finishing on top of their division and choking in the playoffs.
“They gotta' keep their heads on straight this year. Hopefully it will be another ‘94, but with the Cup this time,” says Rodgers.
With Chicago squeaking into the eighth seed in the west, Canucks fans may have been worried over the rivalry between the two teams. Chicago has made playoff appearances against Vancouver a number of times.
“I think Chicago is a different team from last year, they don’t have all the same players, and we did beat them a couple of times this year. They don’t have our number anymore,” says Rodgers.
Jason Gallant is one of few Canadiens fans in the valley, and the team’s match-up against the Bruins in the first round is fueling the fire of rivalry. Zdeno Chara’s hit on the Habs’ Max Pacioretty, causing a concussion and a league review of head shots, is just one example of bad blood between the two squads.
“It got pretty heated,” laughs Gallant, who grew up in Nova Scotia – where he says most everyone either cheered for Toronto or the Habs. “It’s been reignited over the last few years, especially with that greaseball Chara and the dirty hit.”
“They usually play Boston in the first round, it’s usually a nail biter. No one wants to be the team to lose to the heated rivals.”
Gallant says Montreal fans are some of the loudest and most visible, dawning flags and hats with the famous C and H whenever they can.
“Lately the Flames fans haven’t had much to cheer about, so I think they’re in hiding,” laughs Gallant. “We’re definitely very vocal and proud to be fans. I think a lot of reason behind that is because Toronto fans are the same way.”
The Mail’s usual go-to-spokesperson for the Habs, Marcel Augey, refused to comment, in belief that another article would jinx their Cup chances like it has in previous years.
Flames fans can’t cheer about the prospect of hoisting the Cup for the first time since 1989, but are taking pride in the fact that Darryl Sutter is out and brother Brent seems to have turned the team around in the latter half of the regular season.
“They had a shot at the playoffs, but not the Cup. They were not a very consistent team,” said Brad Blair, a lifelong Flames fan who has now turned his Stanley Cup hopes to the Buffalo Sabres.
Blair says he’s been happy with how Brent Sutter has been performing, “If they were going to fire him, they would’ve already.”
In the off season, Blair hopes Calgary gets rid of some players eating up the salary cup with a lack of deserving performances.
“Kotalik and Hagman, both at $3 million, and what do they bring? 15 goals? They’re useless,” said Blair.
Oilers fans in the valley had even more to be upset about, as they finished at the very bottom of the entire league. At least they can count on a good draft pick next season and lifted spirits after a relaxing summer of golf.
