Sunday morning, if you're a real hockey fan, you woke up to watch a tournament that is under appreciated year after year in Canada. The under 18 World Championships are something that just haven't consistently gotten a whole lot of media attention. The fact that the tournament consistently starts around the same time as the first round of the NHL playoffs doesn't exactly make it an easy sell to the typical fan of the game. It is a great tournament though, and it gives the diehard fan a chance to peak into the future of the NHL. It's also a great indication of where the national program is heading, and this year, more than any other, I'm terrified about the future of hockey in Canada.
That's right, I said terrified. That's not meant to belittle the young men who have dedicated themselves to the game and earned the right to wear the maple leaf of their chests. The young men playing for Canada put up a valiant effort in their game against Sweden this morning. There is no doubt about the heart and the courage that they showed. They even showed that typical Canadian hockey attitude that says you never ever give up, and you're never out of it. For that, those young men can't be faulted. Still, the result is cause for concern. A lot of concern.
For those that haven't been following here are the pool standings before Sunday's loss:
Now, in fairness, Canada has never done particularly well at this tournament. The fact that is conflicts with the CHL playoffs means that there are still many eligible players that aren't on Team Canada's roster. Still, there should be more than enough players available to make Canada competitive, just as it has been in the past. This year is a sign of something different.
There has to be great concern at this point, that we are pricing talent out of hockey. Hockey has never been a cheap sport to play. I can't remember a time in my involvement in the game that parents have chosen hockey for their kids because it's cheap. The fact is that hockey will always be a financial obstacle for most families. It should never be a financial impossibility though; and that's precisely what it has become.
All one has to do is consider the cost disparity between rural or small urban organizations, and large urban population centres. I grew up playing the vast majority of my minor hockey in Carleton Place, Ontario. Carleton Place is a bedroom community to Ottawa, loaded with government employees and small industry. This is what their current registration pricing looks like:
Without question, the current pricing structure creates huge access issues. Most families simply can't afford $500 for one child to play hockey. Especially when the cost of equipment, and travel enter the equation. There is one particular detail that I want to point out though. There is no pricing based on talent or potential.
Next, the pricing structure for Nepean Minor Hockey, Ottawa's largest minor hockey association:
