"I think all Canadians will be rooting for the final Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs," Trudeau said Friday at a news conference in Brampton, Ontario. "We're all happy to support Ottawa right now, and even Torontonians and Montrealers can agree on this particular one."
Ottawa opens the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, SN, TVA Sports)
Five of the NHL's seven Canadian teams qualified for the playoffs, including the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, but only the Senators and Edmonton Oilers advanced past the first round. The Senators reached the conference final with a six-game win against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Second Round; however, the Oilers were eliminated by the Anaheim Ducks in seven games in the Western Conference Second Round.
After the Canadiens were eliminated by the Rangers, many of their fans began rooting for the Nashville Predators;
former Canadiens defensemanP.K. Subban
and his teammates have advanced to play the Ducks in the Western Conference Final. But even if his pro-Senators message doesn't spread, the team appreciates the prime minister's support.
