Oh Canada.
As the bitter chills of winter disappear thanks to the warmth of the spring sun, hockey fans in the Great White North are embracing the participation of five Canadian-based teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the salary cap was implemented league-wide back in 2005.
And, if the Sun’s annual NHL awards poll is any indication, there might be more reason for those same people to celebrate when the league hands out its hardware in Las Vegas come late June.
After surveying 15 hockey scribes from around the country, the results featured players from Canadian teams finishing at or tied at the top for five of the league’s most prestigious trophies -- the Hart (MVP), Norris (top defenceman), Vezina (top goalie), Calder (top rookie) and Jack Adams (top coach).