If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times.
The old story, told for at least 30 years now, is that European players have lots of skill but lack the heart, the grit, the determination, the commitment, of North American players. Despite a complete absence of evidence to prove this claim, North American hockey analysts repeat it ad nauseam. It is forcefully asserted in the ravings of Don Cherry or Mike Milbury – pundits whose entire brand is xenophobia and bloodlust – but manifests at all levels of hockey culture.