Like every professional North American sports league, the SMJHL hosts multiple bird brands. Although you could argue that the “raptors” from Colorado are also birds due to their name, their dino-centric logo disqualifies them from contention, leaving us with the Detroit Falcons and the “relatively” newcomers from Quebec City, the owl-branded Citadelle. Our aim is to see which birdie rules the rink.

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Physical Strengths


Quebec City Citadelle:  

- Owls are like the stealthy goalies of the night, guarding the net like superheroes in the shadows. They're the mastermind strategists, predicting their opponents' moves like a pro goalie reading the shooters.

- Owls are known for their 270 degree field of view. They can quickly see their entire ice with a swift head movement. The old tale is that both Wayne Gretzky and Pele had abnormally high peripheral vision, causing them to see the ice/pitch in ways others can’t. Wayne made a career out of his office behind the net, something the owls of QCC are known to emulate.

Detroit Falcons:  

- Falcons, however, are like the lightning-fast forwards, zipping across the ice with blazing speed. Their swift movements and agility make it near impossible to catch. You can see them coming, but that means diddly squat if you can’t touch them. The peregrine falcon can reach 240 mph, to put that into perspective.. If you gave Max Verstappen a straightaway runway with DRS enabled while riding a Checo slipstream, the falcon would still be 20 mph faster.


- They're the snipers. Falcons are birds of prey and known to finish their chances, almost like shooting pucks into the net like they have a laser-guided stick. Owls are great hunters in their own right, masterfully catching every movement in the night, however, hockey is played in brightly lit arenas. Habitat advantage goes to the Falcon.

Advantage: 

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Mentality


Quebec City Citadelle:  

- The ancient Greeks valued the owl, representing the Goddess of wisdom, Athena. Media has portrayed owls as bespeckled librarians and wise sages throughout various children’s shows. This is no mere folk story, owls are known to have an above-average intelligence in comparison to many other birds. The Owls are like the wise old coaches of the team, analyzing plays and guiding their teammates to victory.


- In the locker room, Owls would be likewise mentors, guiding their teammates with inspirational speeches and pre-game wisdom. They'd be the ones keeping the team focused and calm during tough times.

Detroit Falcons:  

- Where the owls represent wisdom, falcons represent bravery. Falcons are daring snipers, always ready to take the shot. They're the ones who perform jaw-dropping dekes and shoot from the craziest angles, leaving everyone in awe.

- Falcons would be dynamic leaders, leading by example with their incredible work ethic and determination. They'd be the team's motivators giving inspiring skreeches, never backing down from a challenge.

- However, where the falcon will often jump into the play, their bravery becomes recklessness as they are also prone to an odd-man rush, turnover, and dumb penalty. Although ESPN’s highlight reels and likely your fantasy teams are full of “falcons”, when playoffs come, you want an owl leading the team.


Advantage: 

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Future


- The future is bright for both of these birds. Mainly because the present is so dark with two rebuilding rosters, time will have to tell which bird comes out on top, but in the meantime, the final decision is up to YOU. Which bird is the ultimate bird in the SMJHL?

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