Posted by By Jon Gabrielle, Special to The Hockey Writers
With 15 of the 20 skaters selected for the Team Canada roster today, playing for teams from the Western Conference in the NHL…is it possible there was a slight bias from Steve Yzerman’s management team? And of the 5 Eastern Conference players, one is Chris Pronger who has just finished his first three months in the east, not exactly distinguished ones either.
Not for a minute would anyone suggest that consciously, the architect, Steve Yzerman or the rest of the selection committee would ever consider a players affiliation, conference-wise, but it is an odd coincidence.
A closer look at the Executive committee along with the coaches shows a decidely Western influence.
Besides Yzerman, the former Wing as the head of the group, he is assisted by longtime G.M. of the Oilers, Kevin Lowe as well as Detroit G.M., Ken Holland. Doug Armstrong is also an associate director, having spent 16 years in the Dallas Stars organization, five as a G.M.
This is Yzerman’s close circle of influence. All “western conference guys.”
Steve Yzerman answers questions. (photo by dave hogg/flickr)
It’s natural that these men are more familiar with “their” conference and therefore have seen these players more consistently over the years. A conference, by the way, that one could argue has been the stronger of the two for the past number of years.
The coaching staff also have a distinct western flavor with former Ducks boss, and present day Wings coach, Mike Babcock leading the group. Beside him stands 9 year Minnesota Wild coach, Jacques Lemaire along with current Blue Jacket and former Dallas Stars’ bench boss, Ken Hitchcock. Throw in Lindy Ruff and you find the Sabres coach the lone voice acutely familiar with the “other” conference.
Some notables left off Team Canada include: Marty St. Louis, Mike Fisher,Vincent Lecavalier, Steven Stamkos, Simon Gagne, Jordan Staal, Jay Bouwmeester(played entire career in Florida), Mike Green and Jeff Carter to name a few.
Yes, they all have one thing in common.
Sixteen skaters(including Pronger) that all have spent the majority of their time in the west recently, out of the twenty that don’t play goal.
That’s quite a slant.
Western conference bias? Or coincidence?
Intriguing nonetheless!
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OR it could just be that most of Canada’s talent lies in the West opposed to the East. You’re making mole hills into mountains on this one. Look at those Eastern conference players you listed with the exception of Mike Green. All of which have been very inconsistent this year. You’re lucky enough to say Eric Staal made the team with the way he has played this year.
Most of the players selected may play for Western Conference teams but were actually born and raised in Eastern Canada. If you’re looking for bias, two of the three goalies are from Montreal and all three were born in Quebec.
If you count Pronger as a WC guy, then you might want to do the same for Heatley, who spent all of his years in the East until this season. (is there anyone else? not sure.)
I kind of do think what you pointed out about Yzerman and Canada hockey people mostly working for the West teams could have influenced their decision making process.
How else do you explain 9 players from the Pacific Division (4 Sharks, 3 Ducks, 1 King, 1 Star), the division supposedly no one in the East watches due to time difference unless you are playing them??
Well, I’m happy that they got the recognition.
This piece is guilty of a more obvious bias, as I see it. You’ve conveniently excluded a number of players in your formula that would otherwise make your argument appear much less neat, or disregarded the fact that some arguments can go both ways.
For example, as was said above, it’s ridiculous to lump Pronger in with the West, unless we give Heatley back to the East. Also, three of the most questionable choices were from the East (Eric Staal, Mike Richards and Patrice Bergeron). Not to mention that the “notables” that were left off the team do have one thing in common, but only because you deliberately framed it that way. “To name a few”, as you say. Indeed, a few that really aren’t so notable but for the fact that they’re from the Eastern Conference. Weren’t Ryan Smyth, Brad Richards, and Shane Doan as distinctly absent as supposed notables Mike Fisher, Vincent Lecavalier, Simon Gagne and Jordan Staal? Phaneuf and Regehr (both of the West) weren’t expected to make the team by any means, but they are certainly as notable as some of the players on your list.
Bias? No. Coincidence? Well, let’s pose the question this way: Reflective of the fact that the West (as of this moment) likely has a stronger contingent of Canadian players? Yes. 15 of the 20 players being from the Western Conference is certainly impressive. As you’ve said, though, this couldn’t have been a conscious factor in their decision-making (i.e., which conference the player was from). Yet with a more rigorous analysis of the Canadian players available, I think their selections seem perfectly reasonable and not at all demonstrative of such supposed bias.
Grahme G….all good points. That’s why if you read the title…there’s a question mark! I just thought it was curious that so many players were from the west.
It was a question…not a statement of fact.