Out of the four major sports in America, hockey normally finds itself at the bottom in terms of popularity. Unlike Canada, hockey never captured the hearts of America the way sports like baseball, football, and basketball were able to do. There are a variety of factors to this. Whether it be not having access to local ice rinks or the equipment being so expensive, hockey just isn't a common sport for American kids to play.
However, there are a few areas of the country that go against this trend. These have become a hotbed for some of the best hockey talent in the world.