Canadians are increasingly getting on Americans’ nerves

Honestly, it's not that surprising.

The Habs are currently the only Canadian team still in the playoffs. The only team to have made it past the first round. The club alone therefore represents the hopes of Canadian hockey this year. When Montreal advances in the playoffs, the spotlight automatically follows.

Then, the more the Habs win, the more media attention they get across the border.

It ends up wearing a lot of people out.

Bruins fans have always loved to hate Montreal. The same goes for many other U.S. markets where the Canadiens remain a polarizing team because of their visibility and the constant attention they receive.

The sports rivalry between Canada and the United States adds another layer to all of this.

At last year's Four Nations Tournament, every matchup between the two countries had an electric atmosphere. You could quickly sense that it went beyond just hockey. Social media erupted after every game, and the debates sometimes took on an almost patriotic tone.

The Olympics also left their mark after Canada's loss to the United States in the final. Seeing the Americans beat Canada on the biggest stage possible fueled that rivalry even further.

In this context, the Habs have become almost the perfect symbol of Canadian hockey in the eyes of many American fans.

The logo. The Montreal market. The media coverage. The constant pressure surrounding the team. The intensity of the fans. All of this makes the Canadiens an easy target to hate when the club starts to become a Cup contender.

In the end, being the least-loved Canadian team among our neighbors to the south might not be such a bad thing.

Forgotten teams don't bother anyone.

In a nutshell

– Strange decision.

– Come on!

– One to watch.

– Lance Stroll is taking a chance.

– Sad news.