Does this WJC change your opinion on Canada's hockey superiority?

[Sun God Nika]

I never really cared much for the world juniors a side from watching the prospects from my favourite team play.

This year instead of having joy from watching Jake Sanderson suck the life out off Canadas offence I had that feeling like my team just lost an important playoff game.

Look at all the recent NHL talent/prospects coming out of the US National Development Team could we possibly one day live in the future where Canada loses their one thing?

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[NextYear67]

No one can touch them best on best

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

You do realize Canada did not have its two best players, right?

not to mention Canada was a way better team this year they just choked.

 

[filinski77]

This is ridiculous.

This is just a single tournament, where anything can happen in a couple of games. Canada still had the deepest and most talented roster by far.

Not to mention that most years, if all eligible players played (ie. NHL players not loaned to their country), that talent gap would increase even more.

 

[93LEAFS]

Anything can happen in a single elimination tournament. Honestly, we take the top 8 countries in a best on best tournament and play best of 7 how often is Canada losing a series?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

No one can touch them best on best

It’s not 2014 anymore

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

It’s not 2014 anymore

you honestly think the USA won’t get destroyed against Crosby, Mackinnon, McDavid etc?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

you honestly think the USA won’t get destroyed against Crosby, Mackinnon, McDavid etc?

No? Because the USA can ice a team of elite stars as well even if they don’t have a McDavid or Crosby. USA has depth of talent now. And that 2014 generation of Canada’s blue line murderers row has aged out.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

No? Because the USA can ice a team of elite stars as well even if they don’t have a McDavid or Crosby. USA has depth of talent now. And that 2014 generation of Canada’s blue line murderers row has aged out.

don’t get me wrong the USA have a good team. And anything can happen in 1 game elimination.

Only two American forwards make team Canada IMO. The difference in high end talent is still huge

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

don’t get me wrong the USA have a good team. And anything can happen in 1 game elimination.

Only two American forwards make team Canada IMO. The difference in high end talent is still huge

Yea the gap in forwards is pretty huge. But ten years ago I never would have thought US defense and goaltending would surpass Canada within a decade. US is certainly rising.

 

[OKR]

Tbh Olympics is wide open now, Sweden, USA, Finland and Russia are closer to level of Canada than ever before, tho Canada will always be the favorite.

 

[Thenameless]

As a Canadian, I was more afraid of what the US did to us in the 96 World Cup of Hockey. That team was better than ours, and it beat us fair and square. I thought the advantages of the larger US population (and its corresponding greater wealth overall), spelled doom for Canada's dominance in hockey at the time.

The 98 Olympics in Nagano only further reinforced that Canada was now sliding.

Since then, Canada's gotten its mojo back. 2002, 2010, and 2014 Olympic Golds. A string of WJC's in there. Crosby and McDavid have carried the torch nicely since Gretzky and Lemieux. You're not gonna win all the time, but Canada's been pretty clearly the best overall the last two decades.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

As a Canadian, I was more afraid of what the US did to us in the 96 World Cup of Hockey. That team was better than ours, and it beat us fair and square. I thought the advantages of the larger US population (and its corresponding greater wealth overall), spelled doom for Canada's dominance in hockey at the time.

The 98 Olympics in Nagano only further reinforced that Canada was now sliding.

Since then, Canada's gotten its mojo back. 2002, 2010, and 2014 Olympic Golds. A string of WJC's in there. Crosby and McDavid have carried the torch nicely since Gretzky and Lemieux. You're not gonna win all the time, but Canada's been pretty clearly the best overall the last two decades.

USA had real down period of talent production after that World Cup

 

[Machinehead]

I thought going in that Canada is the clear #1 hockey nation but the Canadian media behaves as though they're the only team in the tournament. The landscape is such that other countries can win any given tournament.

This tournament only reinforced all three of those things.

 

[amnesiac]

Tbh Olympics is wide open now, Sweden, USA, Finland and Russia are closer to level of Canada than ever before, tho Canada will always be the favorite.

No doubt its competitive, but I wouldnt say all those teams are closer now than ever.

Canada has won the last 2 Olympics and WCH since 2010..... from 1994-98 they lost in 2 olympics (94 was amatuers), and the 96 WCH. Probably much closer then.

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

Where Canada loses their one thing?

I think we’re perfectly happy with the way our country is running.

 

[newfy]

lol.. Canada allowed 2 even strength goals the entire tournament. Anything can happen in a single elimination game though and the States won that game fair and square. Canada was the best team in that tournament though, and they were missing their captain and their MVP of last years tournament who was still eligible to play this year.

Go best of 7 against any of those teams and Canada is winning 90% of the time

 

[93LEAFS]

Yea the gap in forwards is pretty huge. But ten years ago I never would have thought US defense and goaltending would surpass Canada within a decade. US is certainly rising.

USA's big issue back then was a lack of centers. Matthews and Eichel really fixes that hole for them since the last best on best tourny. Between the emergence of Matthews and Eichel, and Modano they really lacked truly elite centers. Great wing-depth but when your center core was Pavelski, Backes, and Kesler you are obviously lacking vs most other top nations (most notably Canada and Russia).

 

[Fatass]

Nope. No change from me, but that US team sure had some elite skilled guys that our D just couldn’t match up with. Pretty much their elite guys in this class were (are currently) better than ours.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

lol.. Canada allowed 2 even strength goals the entire tournament. Anything can happen in a single elimination game though and the States won that game fair and square. Canada was the best team in that tournament though, and they were missing their captain and their MVP of last years tournament who was still eligible to play this year.

Go best of 7 against any of those teams and Canada is winning 90% of the time

I don't think it shows that Canada is "slipping" it just shows that the USA has made up a lot of ground. Canada is still pumping out crazy talent every year but look at the high end talent coming into the league the last 10 years, a large percentage is American kids.

 

[93LEAFS]

Where Canada loses their one thing?

I think we’re perfectly happy with the way our country is running.

Yeah, while I enjoy hockey and will cheer for Canada at international events, I always find the crazy patriotism or nationalism about it being "our game" a bit ridiculous. Maybe Toronto is atypical, but I know so many people who couldn't care less about the Leafs or the Canadian national team.

 

[newfy]

I don't think it shows that Canada is "slipping" it just shows that the USA has made up a lot of ground. Canada is still pumping out crazy talent every year but look at the high end talent coming into the league the last 10 years, a large percentage is American kids.

I dunno, the same thing was said when guys like Chelios and Leetch were winning a bunch of Norris trophies, Modano was centering a top 3 team in the league and Roenick was the highest rated player in video games.

Canada just consistently pumps out elite talent and even now have the best 2 players in the NHL and theyre both 25 and under

 

[Northern Avs Fan]

USA's big issue back then was a lack of centers. Matthews and Eichel really fixes that hole for them since the last best on best tourny. Between the emergence of Matthews and Eichel, and Modano they really lacked truly elite centers. Great wing-depth but when your center core was Pavelski, Backes, and Kesler you are obviously lacking vs most other top nations (most notably Canada and Russia).

Oh, I do care about the national team. I was just referring to the OP’s statement that hockey is Canada’s only thing.

 

[Skolman]

Not having their 2 best players in Lafreniere & Dach obviously matters.

Take Zegras & Kaliyev away from the US, do they still win gold? Heck, neither of those 2 players are even close to as good as Lafreniere and Dach to.

 

[93LEAFS]

Not having their 2 best players in Lafreniere & Dach obviously matters.

Take Zegras & Kaliyev away from the US, do they still win gold? Heck, neither of those 2 players are even close to as good as Lafreniere and Dach to.

USA didn't have Jack Hughes which is pretty big. To a lesser extent, they also didn't have Nick Robertson.