Canada has a long and illustrious history of presenting world-class sports teams that fans of sport the world over are duty-bound to respect, if not outwardly admire. She also happens to produce sports fans in hefty numbers.
Nearly one third of Canadians watch sport every single day, and nearly three quarters keep up with professional sports – that’s nearly 30 million fans. We can assume a good chunk of them follow their favourite Canadian sports teams closely, considering the nation is, for some, synonymous with sport.
Canada’s sporting prowess reaches long into the past, with its oldest native game, lacrosse, dating back to the 18th century. And if they didn’t give the world enough with the creation of peanut butter, we can also thank the Canadian who casually invented basketball in 1891. All in a day’s work.
Now while Canada’s official sports are ice hockey and lacrosse, the Great White North continues to produce star athletes for all of the world’s major sports. Let’s take a look at the top five sports teams in Canada; their origins, achievements, and the stand-out players of the moment, as we ride out the 2021-22 seasons.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Canadian football may not reach the lofty heights of the Super Bowl, but it does dominate a much larger playing field and, often, the sports action of the day.
The “Swaggerville” Canadian sports team earned their moniker with an outstanding defensive performance in 2011, but they’ve done a lot more than just inspire a favourable nickname.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have collectively drunk from the Grey Cup more than a few times,, having won the championship on 12 of 26 occasions. This also sets the CFL record for appearances.
Mike O’Shea is currently at the helm of this much-loved sports team in Canada, and with a star roster on the gridiron in 2022, it’s no wonder the Blue Bombers are set at Bodog odds of +250 favourites to win the CFL championship for 2022.
Quarterback Zach Collaros has been wearing blue and gold since 2019, and he’s won two consecutive Grey Cups for the team since.
Defensive weapon Adam Bighill won the award of Most Outstanding Defensive Player three times, and he’s back on the roster for another year as he just extended his contract in January of 2022.
4. Montreal Canadiens
You can go back four or five generations in Canada, and you’d soon encounter a passionate discussion about the plight of the Montreal Canadiens. The world’s oldest ice hockey team has been skidding in the rink since 1909… and for sports history buffs, that predates the 1920 founding of the NHL!
The “Habs”, as they are affectionately known, practically run the Stanley Cup after having taken home the trophy 24 times, which is the most that any team in the NHL has won.
Although the team’s odds to win the Stanley Cup these days have been steep, within four digits or more, there are still skilled players worth the faith of the fans – and it’s these stars who carry the promise of returning the Canadiens back to their former glory days of… oh, most of the last century.
Defenseman Jeff Petry is one such player on the roster, having scored 42 points over 55 games in 2021, and alternating captain Nick Suzuki, who registered 41 points in each of his first two regular seasons with the team, has something special that we expect to unfurl at the right moment.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
As part of the Atlantic Division in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs are second only to the Montreal Canadiens in number of wins for the Stanley Cup. They’ve won 13 championships since they were founded in 1917, and contributed quite a few individuals to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Even with the club’s long history and stalwart status in the NHL, Toronto haven’t exactly been regularly victorious; the Leafs also hold the record for the biggest drought in the NHL with 52 seasons running dry.
Auston Matthews, who recorded 41 goals in the 2020-21 season, was the first Maple Leafs player to win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, and Mitch Marner, the 4th overall pick and co-captain with a record of solid assists, we can be confident that Toronto’s favourite NHL team will ascend once again to the pinnacle of sporting glory in Canada.
2. Toronto Blue Jays
While the USA usually lays claim to the biggest names in baseball, our own Toronto Blue Jays alone prove that Canada isn’t far behind in the polls – or the stats.
The Blue Jays were at the peak of their career in the 1990s when they won two World Series in a row from 1992 to 1993. They also dominated the AL East from 1985 to 1993 when the team won five championships within nine seasons.
The Blue Jays have endured a rocky path since then, including a heavily disappointing year in 2004, a redeeming 2006 season, and a fourth-placed finishing in the AL East in 2021. With the team’s fresh, new players like relief pitchers Kirby Yates and Tyler Chatwood, as well as outfielder George Springer, the Blue Jays are set at +1100 Bodog odds to win the World Series in 2022.
1. Toronto Raptors
When the NBA transcended the Canadian border in 1991, the Toronto Raptors joined the league in 1995. As a member of the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division, they have a long history of ups and downs, but never failing to excite fans of Canadian sports teams.
After initially struggling due to the expansion, the Raptors found their footing and made it to the playoffs three years in a row in 2000, 2001, and 2002. They had a hot streak from 2013 to 2020 making it to the playoffs each year, even beating out the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018-19. They managed to win 53 games in a shortened 2020 season (owing to the pandemic, of course), securing the no. 2 seed.
No matter the sport you follow, Canada is sure to have a sports team that’s making waves within that league. Our sports betting site is always open for your bet slips, even a year in advance for some futures bets. Whenever your team is playing, you can always make a payday right alongside their win.
Image credit: Chensiyuan – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0