Parity is an ultra-important concept in sport. Knowing that anyone can beat anyone on any given night is a key concept in making a sports competition relevant and interesting.
The NHL has gone to great lengths over the years to ensure that all its teams have a chance. Even its expansion drafts, amateur draft and lottery are designed to meet this concept of parity.
NFL football, NBA basketball, CFL women’s hockey, MLS soccer… these are all leagues where there is some parity between teams. Of course, there’s MLB baseball, where rich teams manage to dominate poor teams on a regular basis – and that hurts the show in general – but hey…
In European soccer, many leagues have very little parity within themselves. It’s always the same three or four teams that win the domestic championships of quite a few of Europe’s big countries. But the Champions League is there to make sure that the best compete against the best in a competition where parity is always the order of the day!
How many times have we thrown stones at international women’s hockey… which is made up of two nations too strong for the others? #Canada #United States
In short, we all understand the importance of parity in a sporting competition.
But Canadian junior hockey isn’t exactly living up to that concept this year. Unfortunately…
The Voltigeurs won (in French!?) the Gilles-Courteau trophy last night… after sweeping the Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the grand final.
THEY’RE CHAMPIONS! 🏆@VoltigeursDRU | #SeriesLHJMQ pic.twitter.com/XGchJAbw22
– QMJHL (@QMJHL) May 15, 2024
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The Voltigeurs won their four games by scores of 5-0, 1-0, 6-2 and 4-3. In short, by a cumulative score of 16 to 5…
Against the Drakkar, who had won their first three series 4-0, 4-0 and 4-1!
When I hear « big league final », I expect something a little tighter than that.
The problem is, the Voltigeurs are no exception in Canadian junior hockey: the London Kinghts are currently leading their final series against the Oshawa Generals 3-0(OHL). They won their first three series 4-0, 4-0 and 4-2.
The final could be over tonight in Oshawa.
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It’s a similar story in the West(WHL): the Moose Jaw Warriors currently lead the final series 3-0 over the poor Portland Winterhawks. Here too, the series could come to an end tonight.
At the very least, it should make for a good Memorial Cup tournament! Especially since the host team, the Saginaw Spirit (Owen Beck), is the only one to have offered any opposition to the mighty Knights in the OHL.
Careful! I’m not trying to take anything away from the players, coaches and champion teams… I’m simply noting that finals that end 4-0 are not what you want to sell a sport. Or to consume it well.
Extra time
Many people were surprised last night to see Stéphane Leroux leave the description of the Voltigeurs game on RDS after only one period of play. Others didn’t even realize it, because his son Jasmin – who came to relieve Dad – is such a pro…
His rendering can also sound a lot like Stéphane’s to fans’ ears.
Of course, some sites had to write dramatic articles talking about worry, drama, incredible turnaround or some other shock adverb to draw people in for a click.
The reason for Stéphane’s sudden absence: a virus caused him to lose his voice.
After 20 minutes it’s 1-0 #Voltigeurs vs #Drakkar. # QMJHL
Sorry for the voice loss in 1st period. @jasmin_leroux comes on in relief for the rest of the game.
Lets go le jeune !
– Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) May 14, 2024
A little less spectacular and stunning than some of the headlines floating around Facebook… but that’s the truth. That’s (just) the truth.