Ice Hockey Research Paper

“There was a prejudicial feeling toward American players that the 1980 Winter Olympics helped to turn around,” adds ESPN analyst Bill Clement, a Canadian who was playing in the NHL in 1980. “Before then, the criticism of American players was that they weren't tough enough, couldn't score when they had to, and couldn't win big games for you or with you. That mentality began to change after 1980.”

Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau brought up the idea to Soviet Primer Alexi Kosygni , while he was visiting Canada . Trudeau proposed that Canada's best players would play Russia's best players in a series of friendly games (Rutley), hoping it would relieve some tension between the USA and USSR in there conflict in trying to prove that one's country should be the "super power" nation (Vancouver Island University). The Series was to only played between the Canadians and Russians nobody else because it was based on two nations facing off for the hockey supreme title (CBC Sports). It created a propaganda of Democracy vs. Communism Cold War according to hockey historians who have examine the event . ( Marsh ) After the lost to the Canadians, the USSR made Canada its sport enemy . Even to this day, Russia, has no respect towards Canada in playing them in IIHF Juniors ,IIHF Worlds or Olympics . For example, during both IIHF Gold Medal games in 2015, Canada beat Russia and after shaking with team Canada the Russians would leave the ice ,not staying for the Canadian anthem, which is a lack of respect towards Canada. To conclude , sports played a crucial role in the cold war , providing Russia a reason to hate Canada because of the fact that they've never been beaten before in hockey

The most memorable moment in hockey history came thirty-four years ago with the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The Americans defeating the dominant Soviet team at the Olympics was not only an important triumph for USA Hockey, but for the entire nation. Contrary to popular belief, the underdog win was not only the result of a miracle; it was also the result of a hard-working team led by Coach Herb Brooks. With increasingly negative views on the position of the United States in the Cold War, the Miracle on Ice and the gold medal win lifted the spirits of the nation and brought hockey into the American spotlight.

Canada has the most medals out of all 12 countries competing; Team USA has the second most with sixteen. All of the rosters of the twelve teams have at least one NHL player on its roster. However, the NHL is thinking about not letting its players play in the Olympics because it cuts into the season, and there is a risk of getting there star players injured.

(F. Hewitt, 1972). For Canadians, hockey is a way of life. "Canadian hockey is more than just a sport. It’s our national game, a part of our culture, our history, our national identity. Hockey is one thing about which we have always been able to say we are the best"(Gruneau 4). On September 1972, Canada and the Soviet Union played an eight game hockey series, 4 in Canada, and 4 in Moscow, Russia, at the height of the Cold War. Originally, the series goal was to put on a good show before

Sports in Canada has helped shape Canada’s identity, throughout the years. It was in the 1920s and 1930s that hockey became increasingly popular and played an important role in the lives of Canadians. It was easy for everyone of all ages and levels to strap on a pair of skates, grab a stick and head to frozen ponds, community rinks and top arenas where they could pursue their love of hockey. Canada at this time was starting to become known worldwide for this sport. During this era, important Canadian figures and events occurred in hockey that impacted and helped to shape Canada’s identity.

People consider the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to be one of the greatest things to happen in U.S Olympic history. Their game against the Soviets is known as "The Miracle on Ice." The world was stunned when the United States defeated the Soviets in the semi-final game of the 1980 Olympics. The Soviets hadn't been beaten in the gold medal game in years. This miracle game is still greatly known around the world and will not be forgotten by Americans any time soon.

Hockey is a popular sport in today’s society. Invented by James Crichton and several Mcgill students in Montreal, hockey is the main sport played in Canada. Many Canadian see hockey as an escape or a stress reliever. Others, however, see it as a “closed game” due to the fact that in the past it was ruled by white players. Although now people are aware of discrimination and some people are willing to eliminate it,it is still present in many sports.

When he was only 6 he was already playing as an all-star in novice hockey with 10 and 11 year old boys and by 1977 he was playing at the Junior World Cup Competition where he was made the most goals at the youngest age competing. The first NHL team he joined was the Edmonton Oilers and he led four victories with the Stanley Cup and was later traded to the Los Angeles Kings and by the early 1990’s broke Gordie Howe’s record of points and career goals. To go on, the Canadian Olympics started in 1904 and the canadian athletes have always participated in every Olympic game since its founding in 1904. The 1976 summer games and 1988 winter games were hosted in Montreal, and then in Vancouver for the 2010 winter olympics. Some of the main events in the Canadian Olympics are figure skating, track and field, and swimming, but Canada has dominated ice-hockey more than anything(“Canada”).

Hockey is seen as a unifying strength that urges Canadian identity. For Canadians, hockey is not an ordinary sport but has now become a national winter sport of Canada (National Sports of Canada Act, 1994). In the commercial, hockey was used at multiple occasions such as parents dropping their children to hockey practice or everyone gathering together to watch the game. Hockey leaves an impact on Canadians to extent where it defines them. The game has a significant affiliation with the country that the logo of the maple leaf is stamped on many of the jerseys. All in all, hockey is sport that brings many Canadians together on many occasions whether it’s the Olympics, NHL games or World Cup of

After the win people became involved in the game. "The new heights of popularity achieved by the national hockey league in the 1980 stems in part from the interest in the sport generated when the United States hockey team shocked the world by upsetting the mighty Soviets and later winning the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics" (Hockey in the 1980’s). Before 1980 there wasn’t a ton of people involved in the game like there are now. Pulling off an upset like this showed us how great of a sport hockey is. "The Olympians of 1980 also created an entire generation of young American athletes who chose to pursue hockey over other sports or set the Olympics as a priority" (Writer).

This research paper is going to discuss facts about hockey and rules of hockey and the history of hockey.

Hockey does not only consist of players shooting the puck up and down the ice. There is more to hockey than that. The most important aspect of the game is the player's mentality. Ice hockey and roller hockey player's mentalities differ slightly. In ice hockey, players are told to stay in their position. For example, a right-winger is supposed to stay along the

For more than a century, hockey historians have found that precisely tracing the sports origin is not only a difficult task but, a virtual impossibility. Therefore I can only try to deduce for myself, from the records, claims, and accounts, which are available to me, when, where, and by whom the first ice hockey was played. I’ll also discuss the early problems and obstacles that the NHL encountered. Plus I will also tell a little bit about early equipment, along with early game play and ice conditions that players encountered. Lastly, the Stanley Cup, which is the most prized and oldest sports award of the NHL. It has been won many times, by many different teams. Ice hockey is traceable to games played on fields as far back as nearly 2500

Sports have been and will continue to be an influential factor on cultures around the world. Soccer is influential in Europe, Football influences The United States and for Canada it would be hockey. It was created in Canada and continues today to be a dominating part of Canadian culture as “the sport and national identity are inextricably linked” (Brunt). You could ask almost anyone in Canada if they knew who Wayne Gretzky is or if they have ever played any form of hockey, and undoubtedly you would hear them say yes more often than no. Hockey influences all ages, from youth signing up for minor hockey, to adults taking their children to a game or even the older generations sitting in front of their television in hopes that the Toronto Maple Leafs will beat the Ottawa Senators. The examination of these cultural influences allows the argument to be made that hockey can in fact be deemed “Canada’s game” (Holman 153).Through investigation of the amount of youth that participate in minor hockey, the statistics involving the amount of professional Canadian hockey players and the success that Canada has achieved in the world of professional hockey, such as the Olympics, NHL and IIHF World Juniors, it will become evident that hockey is and will continue to be viewed as “Canada’s game”. (Holman 153)