Canada is home to some historic athletes
By Mo Hussain, Sports Reporter
Whether it’s on the ice, basketball court, or on the ground, Canada has quite a rich athletic history. Here are some of the best Canadian athletes of all time:
Hayley Wickenheiser
Canada is home to the best women’s hockey player of all time. Hayley Wickenheiser has won a staggering four Olympic gold medals and one silver medal for Canada’s women’s team. Wickenheiser was also the first woman to ever register a point in a professional men’s ice hockey league. She is also team Canada’s all-time leader in points, goals, and assists.
Wayne Gretzky
Canada is also home to the best men’s hockey player of all time. Wayne Gretzky’s a hall of famer, four-time Stanley Cup champion, a nine-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner (MVP trophy in the NHL), and has led the NHL in points ten times. Gretzky also leads the NHL’s all-time list in points, goals, and assists by a long shot. It can be hard to imagine anyone coming close to breaking his records in the foreseeable future
Sidney Crosby
Who could forget where they were when Sidney Crosby scored one of the best goals in sports history? The goal itself wasn’t all that spectacular; the circumstances around the goal made it memorable. It was a game winning overtime goal that secured Canada an Olympic gold medal in Vancouver against the United States. That was a moment cemented in Canadian history, but that’s not all for “Sid the Kid.” Crosby has won three Stanley Cups, two Hart Memorial trophies (MVP trophy in the NHL), and is in the top 35 point getters in NHL history at just 33 years old.
Steve Nash
Canada has also had a big impact on basketball with the likes of Steve Nash. The 47 year old was born in Johannesburg, South Africa but was raised in Victoria, British Columbia. Nash’s basketball resume includes being a hall of famer, two-time NBA MVP, eight time all-star, led the league in assists twice, and is currently the head coach of the star studded Brooklyn Nets.
Terry Fox
Terry Fox never played in the NBA, NHL, or ran in the Olympics. However, his impact on the rest of the world supersedes being world class in any of those leagues. Fox used athletics as a platform to raise awareness on a cure for cancer. Since he began running for this cause over 40 years ago, over $800 million has been raised towards cancer research in his name.
