The Canucks are Canada's team, according to two new polls, dispelling doubts that the rest of the country cares about the West Coast warriors.
Survey results released Wednesday by Angus Reid Public Opinion show that seven out of 10 Canadians say they're rooting for the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final.
Fellow pollster Ipsos Reid came up with similar results, finding that just over 60 per cent of Canadians are hoping that the Canucks will be the first Canadian team since 1993 to win the Stanley Cup.
Those findings are a smack in the face for opinion writers who have claimed the Canucks aren't Canada's team in newspaper editorials across the country in recent weeks.
Steve Mossop, Ipsos Reid Canada West president, says there is now concrete proof that the majority of the country is behind the Vancouver team.
"It has been 18 long years since a Canadian-based NHL team has won the Stanley Cup and it looks like the country is overwhelmingly saying, ‘We want it back – now!'" Mossop said in a release.
"Knowing the majority of the country is also supporting the team, the Canucks can face off against the Bruins with much more than just a great team of players on their side."
Even fans of other Canadian teams are hopping on the Canucks bandwagon, Angus Reid found.
That poll showed that over 70 per cent of Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers fans are supporting the Canucks, as well as 83 per cent of Toronto Maple Leafs fans and a whopping 93 per cent of Ottawa Senators fans.
Nearly three-quarters of people across the country say the team is "very likely" or "moderately likely" to defeat the Boston Bruins and take home the coveted Stanley Cup.
A region-by-region breakdown by Ipsos Reid shows that support for the home team outside of B.C. is highest in the prairies at 66 per cent and lowest in Quebec at 51 per cent.
However, the Boston Bruins are also finding pockets of Canadian support, peaking in Quebec at 18 per cent and, unsurprisingly, dipping to the lowest levels in B.C. at seven per cent.
Angus Reid polled 1,006 randomly-selected Canadian adults online on Tuesday and Wednesday. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Ipsos Reid surveyed an online panel of 1,002 Canadian adults on Monday and Tuesday. The polling company claims a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
