Olympics: Could USA be the favorite heading into PyeongChang 2018?

[JackSlater]

I somewhat agree. The Russian international team doesn't like the Canadians for sure. But that because whenever we play best-on-best Canada crushes Russia.

Russia beat Canada in the second most recent best on best game played between the two of them.

 

[Sebastian Svechnikov]

In terms of raw talent, they seem to have a bigger pool to draw from than either 2010 or 2014. I'm sure I forgot a few names, too.

Yeah, I agree with that. The US will be much deeper in 2018 (in all positions) than at any point during the last two Olympic cycles. The thing is most of their top guys coming through are 23 and under right now, so they will still be well behind Canada in 2018, whose golden generation will effectively be in their primes then.

Like I said previously, the US is probably going to be the clear cut #2 team in the world in 2022 and a stronger challenge to Canada than at any point since the mid to late 90's (or maybe ever).


C
Jack Eichel
Auston Matthews
Dylan Larkin
Joe Pavelski
Tyler Johnson
Derek Stepan


RW
Patrick Kane
Blake Wheeler
Phil Kessel
Bobby Ryan
Kyle Okposo
Kyle Palmieri


LW
Johnny Gaudreau
Max Pacioretty
Zach Parise
James van Riemsdyk
Brandon Saad
Alex Galchenyuk


LD
Ryan Suter
Ryan McDonagh
Shayne Gostisbehere
Noah Hanifin
Keith Yandle
Cam Fowler


RD
John Carlson
Justin Faulk
Kevin Shattenkirk
Seth Jones
Dustin Byfuglien
Erik Johnson


G
Cory Schneider
Jonathan Quick
John Gibson
Connor Hellebuyck
Ben Bishop
Jon Gillies

 

[Jumptheshark]

* After Canada

and Russia and Sweden

 

[Stats01]

Canada barely beat the USA the last 2 times. Add Eichel, Mathews and Larkin at center and that drastically improves the US's chance of beating Canada or Sweden.

we didn't have Tavares or McDavid in 2014 either...both can play that game.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

No but they'll be good.

 

[Nihiliste]

It's inevitable at some point that the US will challenge Canada as the favourites in hockey. Their population is 10x ours so they really just need hockey to be 1/10th as popular as it is in Canada to have the same size of talent pool. And they've improving their development pipeline all the time. There's so much quality young American talent coming that I think they will overtake Canada sometime in the 2020s.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

Population means nothing.

New Zealand has 4 million people and is the best Rugby nation.
Australia has 23 million yet is the best Cricket nation amongst other sports significant because India has 1 billion.
Netherlands has 17 million yet is consistenly challenging for the World Cup.

Canada as a country from shape to climate to people was built for the game of Hockey.

USA will never catch or have as much depth as Canada has and will have.

That's a fact.

2014 was defense 2018 is pure offense, Canada may have the best ever team it'll ever have, with Crosby's potential last Olympics with McDavid's first with the core group that's won the past 2. It has the potential to be a historic moment in the history of our game if Canada wins three straight.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

No doubt they look decent - but think they are still a step below in every position. Doesn't mean they wont have a chance or win ; but there is no way I would consider them favourites any time soon.

It would be like comparing the Blackhawks to the Islanders. They have the talent, heck they may even be able to win it - but you seriously can't have them as a favourite over the Hawks.

 

[JackSlater]

Population means nothing.

New Zealand has 4 million people and is the best Rugby nation.
Australia has 23 million yet is the best Cricket nation amongst other sports significant because India has 1 billion.
Netherlands has 17 million yet is consistenly challenging for the World Cup.

Canada as a country from shape to climate to people was built for the game of Hockey.

USA will never catch or have as much depth as Canada has and will have.

That's a fact.

2014 was defense 2018 is pure offense, Canada may have the best ever team it'll ever have, with Crosby's potential last Olympics with McDavid's first with the core group that's won the past 2. It has the potential to be a historic moment in the history of our game if Canada wins three straight.

When you say "population means nothing" you really mean "population doesn't mean everything". Of course population matters. If Canada had over 300 million people like the United States does, the amount of elite hockey players Canada would be putting out would be insane. Likewise if the United states only had 35 million people (due to proportionate losses in population in each state) then its team would be significantly worse.

 

[MardyBum]

I think 2022 will be their year.

 

[TLEH]

Population means nothing.

New Zealand has 4 million people and is the best Rugby nation.
Australia has 23 million yet is the best Cricket nation amongst other sports significant because India has 1 billion.
Netherlands has 17 million yet is consistenly challenging for the World Cup.

Canada as a country from shape to climate to people was built for the game of Hockey.

USA will never catch or have as much depth as Canada has and will have.

That's a fact.

2014 was defense 2018 is pure offense, Canada may have the best ever team it'll ever have, with Crosby's potential last Olympics with McDavid's first with the core group that's won the past 2. It has the potential to be a historic moment in the history of our game if Canada wins three straight.

this is wrong. If America picked up Hockey as a major sport that was the most popular, it would eventually be better because 300 million is just a larger number to choose from to get exceptional players rather than 35 million. At this point hockey is not a major sport in the US. Its Baseball, Basketball, Football and then a huge drop off, then hockey and soccer.

 

[Bob Barker]

we didn't have Tavares or McDavid in 2014 either...both can play that game.

Or Stamkos

 

[Xokkeu]

The answer to the OP is NO

Canada is always the favorite. Then it's just a question of if the next tier can knock them off. Sweden, Russia USA or Finland.

 

[Xokkeu]

Population means nothing.

New Zealand has 4 million people and is the best Rugby nation.
Australia has 23 million yet is the best Cricket nation amongst other sports significant because India has 1 billion.
Netherlands has 17 million yet is consistenly challenging for the World Cup.

Canada as a country from shape to climate to people was built for the game of Hockey.

USA will never catch or have as much depth as Canada has and will have.

That's a fact.

2014 was defense 2018 is pure offense, Canada may have the best ever team it'll ever have, with Crosby's potential last Olympics with McDavid's first with the core group that's won the past 2. It has the potential to be a historic moment in the history of our game if Canada wins three straight.

You do realize a future prediction can literally not be a fact?

 

[1Gold Standard]

and everybody automatically assumes that Canada is in 1st place purgatory with no room to improve and incapable of tackling some of the challenging issues like participation numbers and affordability...

There's room for the game to grow in Canada. You can improve on 1st place. If only we can get Hockey Quebec sorted out....watch out.

 

[Jablkon]

When you say "population means nothing" you really mean "population doesn't mean everything". Of course population matters. If Canada had over 300 million people like the United States does, the amount of elite hockey players Canada would be putting out would be insane. Likewise if the United states only had 35 million people (due to proportionate losses in population in each state) then its team would be significantly worse.

I think it is obvious why there are not so many people anywhere in far north. USA wouldnt be propotionally worse as their success is based on elite camps not that much on quantity imo.

 

[xxxx]

and everybody automatically assumes that Canada is in 1st place purgatory with no room to improve and incapable of tackling some of the challenging issues like participation numbers and affordability...

There's room for the game to grow in Canada. You can improve on 1st place. If only we can get Hockey Quebec sorted out....watch out.

I agree. There is always a room for improvement.

 

[Stats01]

Or Stamkos

So much talent on that team I completely forgot about him

 

[Stats01]

and everybody automatically assumes that Canada is in 1st place purgatory with no room to improve and incapable of tackling some of the challenging issues like participation numbers and affordability...

There's room for the game to grow in Canada. You can improve on 1st place. If only we can get Hockey Quebec sorted out....watch out.

I agree with this. A lot of kids can't even afford to join hockey leagues or clubs because their families just flat out can't afford the costs. If Canada is developing this much talent on a year to year basis imagine the improvement that would be made if the game became more affordable for parents. Seems like a lot of people just look at the U.S and say ohh they'll eventually overtake Canada" We don't know that and it's silly to assume. Improvements can be made even to the best of the best. This country is definitely not maximizing it's potential to have even more depth than it already has

Imagine...Hockey isn't even our #1 growing sport. Yet we're still developing a crazy amount of hockey players/talent/Nhler's.

The thing with Canada is we are just natural at the game, it's part of our culture, we grow up with it, we teach it to all our kids even though we may not be able to afford it...we're playing some sort of version of the game. Whether it be floor hockey, or ball hockey we're playing. It's in our blood, the game is part of us and I don't think any country can duplicate that no matter the population size.

To answer the question: Canada is the favourite and will always be the favourite until someone can actually beat them.

 

[bert]

6

USA seems to be producing more talent than ever before. USA cannot be listed as the favourite for the 2018 Olympics by any reasonable person though. Let the talent mature and see where things are by 2022.

The American teams from the 90's are MUCH stronger than thathat roster. Abdelkader, Foligno and Crag Smith... Those players would never get a sniff back in the day.

 

[JackSlater]

The American teams from the 90's are MUCH stronger than thathat roster. Abdelkader, Foligno and Crag Smith... Those players would never get a sniff back in the day.

Their top end talent was better in the 90s (Leetch, Chelios, Modano, Tkachuk, Roenick etc. augmented with Canadian developed Hull) but the depth is better now. Hence more talent.

 

[Cane mutiny]

I agree with this. A lot of kids can't even afford to join hockey leagues or clubs because their families just flat out can't afford the costs. If Canada is developing this much talent on a year to year basis imagine the improvement that would be made if the game became more affordable for parents. Seems like a lot of people just look at the U.S and say ohh they'll eventually overtake Canada" We don't know that and it's silly to assume. Improvements can be made even to the best of the best. This country is definitely not maximizing it's potential to have even more depth than it already has

Imagine...Hockey isn't even our #1 growing sport. Yet we're still developing a crazy amount of hockey players/talent/Nhler's.

The thing with Canada is we are just natural at the game, it's part of our culture, we grow up with it, we teach it to all our kids even though we may not be able to afford it...we're playing some sort of version of the game. Whether it be floor hockey, or ball hockey we're playing. It's in our blood, the game is part of us and I don't think any country can duplicate that no matter the population size.

To answer the question: Canada is the favourite and will always be the favourite until someone can actually beat them.

Surprise...Canada is not the only nation in the world that has kids that can't afford to play hockey. The US has ten time the number that can't afford to play. So if Canada can find a way to make it more affordable, so could other countries.
As for the rest of you're post, as hokey and overly dramatic as it is, I have to agree that hockey will never be the #1 sport here. Our youth have too many other options and our sporting tastes are too diverse for that, so our eggs will never wind up in one basket.

 

[AD1066]

The thing with Canada is we are just natural at the game, it's part of our culture, we grow up with it, we teach it to all our kids even though we may not be able to afford it...we're playing some sort of version of the game. Whether it be floor hockey, or ball hockey we're playing. It's in our blood, the game is part of us and I don't think any country can duplicate that no matter the population size.

To answer the question: Canada is the favourite and will always be the favourite until someone can actually beat them.

It's a big part of the culture, but there's nothing that makes someone from Canada inherently better at the game. It's just a function of population size and interest in the sport. And with 10x the population, the US doesn't need to match Canada's passion for the game.

Canada is absolutely the favorite right now and deservedly so. The US has a lot of work to do, but the NTDP has been doing a great job in recent years and the future is looking bright. I hope we can close the gap considerably in the next 20-30 years. Short-term though, you guys have nothing to worry about.

 

[Xokkeu]

Imagine...Hockey isn't even our #1 growing sport.

How can a sport grow when the only people who don't play it are the first generation immigrants from Nigeria or Jamaica wherever where they didn't have ice?

Then Jarome Iginla and PK Subban win gold medals.

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

In Ice Dancing, snowboarding maybe, Hockey? No.

Lol