Who thought that the Canadians and Americans were the only ones to play ice hockey?! The BHL, British hockey league is host to teams and array of homegrown talent. My home town Sheffield has the best Hockey team in the nation and there name comes all the way from Pittsburgh, USA.
You see, both Sheffield and Pittsburgh have or used to have major steel industries and the name Pittsburgh Steelers, which of course is the name for current supper bowl winners was adopted by Sheffield ice hockey back in 1991 when the club was formed. Like i mentioned earlier, Sheffield Steelers are the current leauge champions and playoff winers and are top of the 2009 BHL.
I can appreciate that the U.S and Canada has the best hockey in the world bu England does have a league and there are many players who are brought over to England, who are not good enough for the NHL but make the BHL a very competitive league and one that is growing stronger and stronger every year. Hopefully, English ice hockey will enventually be up there with the best, but lots of investment and marketing will be needed and i cannot see this happening for a while.
GO STEELERS!
Hey, some good points made about NHL players going across the pond to help out the British League. I think it helps some of the NHL's lesser players to gain experience and return to the USA better players. Also the more experienced players who are coming to the end of their NHL career can earn a few more years pay checks and also become the 'big fish' in the small pond that is the BHL.
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