Canadians split between Habs and Oilers as playoffs begin, but most say they’ll back any Canadian cup run

As the Stanley Cup playoffs open Saturday, Canadian hockey fans are divided over which team they want to see break the country’s 33-year championship drought, though a strong majority say they will support any Canadian club if it means bringing the Cup back north of the border.With just three Canadian teams qualifying for this year’s playoffs — the Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators — new polling from the Angus Reid Institute shows a clear east-west divide in national hockey loyalties.Nearly half of hockey fans surveyed (46%) say they would prefer to see Montreal win the Stanley Cup, while 34% back Edmonton. Regional differences are stark: 55% of Western Canadians say they are supporting the Oilers, while 55% of Eastern Canadians prefer the Canadiens. The Ottawa Senators lag behind with 15% support.The question of which team represents Canada’s best hope is also closely contested. Respondents are nearly split between Montreal (31%) and Edmonton (27%) as the most likely Canadian contender to end the country’s Stanley Cup drought. The Senators trail further back, behind the Toronto Maple Leafs (8%) and Vancouver Canucks (5%), with Ottawa sitting at 4%..Despite differences in team allegiance, Canadians appear united in wanting to see a national victory. The survey found 72% of hockey fans say they would cheer for any Canadian team to win the Cup, a notable increase from 64% in 2024 and 57% in 2016.The data comes as Canada enters another playoff season without a favourite to dominate the field, extending a Stanley Cup drought that dates back to 1993.For many fans, the focus is less on rivalry and more on ending that long wait, whether it comes through Montreal’s resurgence, Edmonton’s star-driven roster, or an unlikely Ottawa run.The poll was conducted by the Angus Reid Institute.

Canadians split between Habs and Oilers as playoffs begin, but most say they’ll back any Canadian cup run

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