Are Canadian-based teams still eligible to win the Stanley Cup?
Technically, yes, though history has begun to suggest otherwise. Sixteen years have passed since the Montreal Canadiens steamrolled Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup final, forcing Canadian hockey fans to endure their longest championship drought. The previous record was seven years, which ended when the Toronto Maple Leafs interrupted World War II to beat Detroit in 1942. There have been close calls – Vancouver (1994), Calgary (2004) and Edmonton (2006) all fell in seven-game finals – but no parades. Eight U.S.-based teams have hoisted the trophy since 1993, led by the Red Wings (4 wins), the New Jersey Devils (3) and the Colorado Avalanche (2). If you equate historical coincidence with reason for hope, take this to heart: the only two players from that 1993 team still active in the NHL (Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Schneider) are playing in Montreal. Which underdog should I root for? There are plenty of choices for fans in Edmonton, Toronto and Ottawa, who a
