Hockey’s Humble Culture: Part of the Problem
The NY Times has a piece today on Eric Staal and how Carolina’s not the place for him to become a superstar. Correct? Sure. Probably only half of the cities in the NHL have superstar-breeding potential (if that). Superstar not in talent, of course, but name recognition.
When it comes to the N.H.L., Tobacco Road is pretty far removed from Madison Avenue. And that suits Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal just fine, at least for now.
“It probably makes it easier,” Staal, 21, said Tuesday about the lack of a spotlight that goes with playing hockey in North Carolina. “There’s obviously attention now in the playoffs on our team and how we’re doing. But it doesn’t bother me or anything that people don’t know me as well, or know the type of player I am as much.”
...snip…
“If he was playing in New York right now, he’d be a superstar already,” said Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina’s captain. “There’s no question. He’s one of the best players in the league. And the things he’s done in the playoffs right now, if it was happening in a Ranger uniform, I’m sure he’d be all over the place.”
Brind’Amour could be right, although New York has its fair share of sports superstars already. He’d have to land in Page Six a few times before truly making a name for himself here.
Either way, Staal’s attitude is why hockey fans like hockey players. Most are not after the spotlight. If they’re on SportsCenter, that’s cool, but they’re bred into becoming team-first players. It’s great, it’s humbling, and its why they’re so well-received by the people who know of them.
The problem is that too few people know of them. Without any players wanting to grab the mic or put their face in the spotlight the NHL has an image problem which amounts to no image whatsoever. Sean Avery is being shunned. Jeremy Roenick only has so much time left in the league (if any more) and Brett Hull retired early this season. I think we just lost 80% of the quotable material from last season.
There’s a fine line between wanting to be a superstar and being a selfish player, but the NHL could use a few more selfish players (with talent), a few more grab the mic players, and if they wind up becoming “villains”, the NHL could sure use a few more of those. It’s not that they don’t have them on the ice, but they need some off the ice as well. No one turns the camera towards silence and content.
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