The World's Greatest Hockey Factory

[wendelclark17]

Cool video - Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, Population 30,000 and the town has produced 26 NHL players.

[ericdaoust]

The majority of Canada is composed of parents putting tens of thousands per year trying to turn their kids into hockey stars and somehow this place has the whole thing figured out!

[Pengwin7]

Awesome video, watched it in full.
I wouldn't disagree with the title, I've noticed that city popping up in player bios/info over the last 15 years, just keep seeing it.

It was pretty enjoyable for me too... coming from Windsor, Ontario... which actually looks very similar from across the water (Detroit), Windsor is a very similar factory/industrial blue-collar town.
(Except in Windsor, we don't breed offensive skill... just goonery.)

Loved seeing Peter Forsberg in the interview, talk about a guy still rockin' an awesome flow (hair).

(I'm curious what street that is at the 45second mark where you can see some country flags incl. Canada, US...)

[Magicstew]

Going to have to see where my Swedish prospects grew up. Great video, like lots of small towns in Canada, where they have some great coaches who volunteer there time.

[2014olympicgold]

Crazy to think that it should be a city of like 13million people to produce that many NHLers. The talent level coming out of it is insane too. HOFers galore.

[bondon]

Saw this on HNIC. Stephen Brunt does a fantastic job of these features. I think this is the third or fourth one I've seen and I've loved them all.

[doulos]

Crazy stuff.

You mean dropping $35,000 to enroll your kid on an elite team is not the answer? (Real number for 4 families that just left our city to put their kids on a "better" team elsewhere. That's what it cost each FOURTEEN year old boy to simply join the team)

[2014olympicgold]

Crazy stuff.

You mean dropping $35,000 to enroll your kid on an elite team is not the answer? (Real number for 4 families that just left our city to put their kids on a "better" team elsewhere. That's what it cost each FOURTEEN year old boy to simply join the team)

Shouldn’t Pierre McGuire know their favourite meals by now if they were going to make it?

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

Incredible that they aren't just 26 pluggers, there are some legendary players from there.

[rainydrinkwater]

Maybe one day Canada can do one of these on Cole Harbour? Well, it's just Crosby and MacKinnon for now but that's some quality.

[Dutch]

Crazy stuff.

You mean dropping $35,000 to enroll your kid on an elite team is not the answer? (Real number for 4 families that just left our city to put their kids on a "better" team elsewhere. That's what it cost each FOURTEEN year old boy to simply join the team)

yes the ridiculous costs of hockey in Canada for kids is absolutely insane and simply not affordable for the majority of families. The term "sacrifices" is long gone when someone needs a second job just so a kid can play on a stupid hockey team with 6am and 11pm practices.

No thanks, I'll put my kids in something more enjoyable.

[rainydrinkwater]

yes the ridiculous costs of hockey in Canada for kids is absolutely insane and simply not affordable for the majority of families. The term "sacrifices" is long gone when someone needs a second job just so a kid can play on a stupid hockey team with 6am and 11pm practices.

No thanks, I'll put my kids in something more enjoyable.

More enjoyable for you? Or the kids? Your child's favorite sport may be hockey and you may still decide to not pay for your child to play, but in that case the outcome is more enjoyable for you but not necessarily your child.

[Dutch]

More enjoyable for you? Or the kids? Your child's favorite sport may be hockey and you may still decide to not pay for your child to play, but in that case the outcome is more enjoyable for you but not necessarily your child.

As a parent you can influence the direction your kid goes. I will put them in soccer and I am sure they will love it just as much as if they were to like hockey.

it's amazing the influence you have as a parent

[rainydrinkwater]

I guess you don't have an idea what tier one soccer costs in Canada either. A buddy of mine paid $8,000 dollars for his son to play from March to October this year. Top level, tournaments road trips and all. The other thing, sadly, is that while the soccer program in Canada is fantastic for children, the program completely dies at around the 14-15 year old level.

[Dutch]

I guess you don't have an idea what tier one soccer costs in Canada either. A buddy of mine paid $8,000 dollars for his son to play from March to October this year. Top level, tournaments road trips and all. The other thing, sadly, is that while the soccer program in Canada is fantastic for children, the program completely dies at around the 14-15 year old level.

yes that's true, but that is still far from the costs of hockey. And you are right. in the mid teens the programs die down, that's why Canada isn't a top country in the sport while they very much could be. It's a shame really.