Revisiting: Can the US Men's Hockey Team beat Team Canada in the near future?

[Miss Korea]

This was an old topic I brought up on CDC a few months back during the summer.  A month into the season, and I'm a bit surprised to see no Canadians leading the scoresheet anywhere.  It was a safe bet to assume guys like McDavid and Makar would be the stat leaders in their respective positions.  But instead it's... Jack and Quinn Hughes.  Matthews (who can only score hat-tricks) is leading in goals - no surprise.  But some names I didn't expect to also be at the very top: Alex DeBrincat?  Frank Vatrano?  BROCK BOESER?  Half of the top 10 scoring leaders this season are American.  None are Canadian.  Other than Demko playing even better than anyone anticipated, the US goalie situation is the same as before: they're amazing.  Meanwhile our best performing Canadian is...  James Reimer .

 

Fast forward three years.  I don't know if Team Canada has what it takes to win anymore.  We obviously have greater depth in the league, where the largest slice of the pie is still Canadian.  But if you had to make an all-star roster, I think the Americans are looking better and better each year.  In three years' time, Team Canada will lose HHoF guys like Crosby, Marchand and Stamkos.  They might still be in the NHL, but it would be a very old, slow squad to bring all three on one roster.  Team USA loses Kane, Carlson and Pavelski.  Losing Kane obviously hurts, but they have tons more young talent coming up.

 

The future team USA is going to look absolutely stacked from head to toe.  Tkachuk.  Hughes.  The goalies.  Bring on the debates.

 

And don't get me started on comparing the women's rosters.  

[Jess]

I was talking about this with my brother yesterday and it does feel very close these days. The US dominates Canadians in net and honestly, for maybe the first time ever, they might have a better blueline. Can you imagine Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes? Insane. I'd have to take a closer look at the rosters, but Demko or Oettinger alone vs whatever goalie we have might be enough to swing the odds in the Americans' favour.

[Curmudgeon]

Just for fun, I compiled a list of US players who could be in the mix for the next Olympics, or World Cup.

 

USA 2026 Olympic Team

 

G: Thatcher Demko

G: Connor Hellebuyck

G: Jake Oettinger

 

F: Matthew Tkachuk

F: Jack Eichel

F: Dylan Larkin

F: Kyle Connor

F: JT Miller

F: Jake Guentzel

F: Alex DeBrincat

F: Clayton Keller

F: Brock Boeser

F: Alex Tuch

F: Conor Sheary

F: Jason Robertson

F: Jack Hughes

F: Brady Tkachuk

F: Tage Thompson

F: Trevor Zegras

 

Jacob Trouba

Quinn Hughes

Zach Werenski

Jacob Slavin

Luke Hughes

Neil Pionk

Brandon Carlo

 K’Andre Miller

 

I may have missed a couple but the US will have a very potent team.

 

Edit: I don't know why the sad-face emoji shows up. I can't seem to get rid of them.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Curmudgeon

[BarneyKook]

^ Austin Mathews

 

I have been wondering this as well.

 

but really I just want to see McDavid and MackInnon play with Crosby before he's too old.

 

Post your rosters ... lets compare teams.

Edited November 6, 2023 by BarneyKook

[Elias Pettersson]

M Tkachuk     J Hughes        DeBrincat

Robertson     Matthews       Thompson

JT Miller         Eichel              Boeser

B Tkachuk      Larkin              Tuch

Keller              Zegras             Vatrano

 

Q Hughes     Fox

Werenski      McAvoy

L Hughes     Trouba

Slavin           Pesce

K Miller         Carlo

 

 

Demko   Oettinger   Hellebuyck

 

That's one hell of a defence.  And the goaltending is all world.  Not sure McDavid and company will be able to score many goals.  Meanwhile, the Americans will light up Reimer, Kuemper and Hart.  I say the Americans take it.  It was already close in 2010, 13 years later it's even closer...

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by Elias Pettersson

[HKSR]

I'd say on paper, the Americans would win it.

 

On the ice, you can't rule out the "Canadian pride" factor.  Something about Canadians and hockey brings out the beast in the players.  I could see a lineup like this overpowering the Americans out of sheer will.  Especially those 3rd and 4th lines.

 

Bedard-McDavid-Marner

Stamkos-Mackinnon-Reinhart

O'Reilly-Point-Stone (helluva shutdown 3rd line)

Marchand-Crosby-McTavish (grind line)

 

Toews-Makar (honestly I'd still take this pair over any other defence pairing in the world -- something to be said about chemistry and familiarity)

Theodore-Dobson

Morrissey-Hamilton

 

Goaltending is atrocious though... which means we'd struggle unless our goalie also turns it up a notch wearing the maple leaf.

 

Edited November 6, 2023 by HKSR

[Miss Korea]

8 minutes ago, HKSR said:

I'd say on paper, the Americans would win it.

 

On the ice, you can't rule out the "Canadian pride" factor.  Something about Canadians and hockey brings out the beast in the players.  I could see a lineup like this overpowering the Americans out of sheer will.  Especially those 3rd and 4th lines.

 

Bedard-McDavid-Marner

Stamkos-Mackinnon-Reinhart

O'Reilly-Point-Stone (helluva shutdown 3rd line)

Marchand-Crosby-McTavish (grind line)

 

Toews-Makar (honestly I'd still take this pair over any other defence pairing in the world -- something to be said about chemistry and familiarity)

Theodore-Dobson

Morrissey-Hamilton

 

Goaltending is atrocious though... which means we'd struggle unless our goalie also turns it up a notch wearing the maple leaf.

 

 

"Canadian pride" is the dumbest argument I hear from Canadian fans.  Let's call it like it is: "Canadian arrogance".  All of that crap is just Canadian media hyping up every player we have.  I can guarantee you that Auston Matthews would have the same level of media exposure as Jason Robertson or Adam Fox if he wasn't playing in Toronto.  All of that is hype.  You don't think Americans have clutch or pride?

 

You've constructed a Team Canada built for today, not three years from now.  No chance in hell I'm taking Connor Bedard over someone like... Logan Cooley.  

[Miss Korea]

1 hour ago, Elias Pettersson said:

M Tkachuk     J Hughes        DeBrincat

Robertson     Matthews       Thompson

JT Miller         Eichel              Boeser

B Tkachuk      Larkin              Tuch

Keller              Zegras             Vatrano

 

Q Hughes     Fox

Werenski      McAvoy

L Hughes     Trouba

Slavin           Pesce

K Miller         Carlo

 

 

Demko   Oettinger   Hellebuyck

 

That's one hell of a defence.  And the goaltending is all world.  Not sure McDavid and company will be able to score many goals.  Meanwhile, the Americans will light up Reimer, Kuemper and Hart.  I say the Americans take it.  It was already close in 2010, 13 years later it's even closer...

 

Three months ago the poll was about 3:1 in favour of Team Canada.  I bet it's 1:1 now.

[Miss Korea]

1 hour ago, Curmudgeon said:

Just for fun, I compiled a list of US players who could be in the mix for the next Olympics, or World Cup.

 

USA 2026 Olympic Team

 

I may have missed a couple but the US will have a very potent team.

 

Edit: I don't know why the sad-face emoji shows up. I can't seem to get rid of them.

 

I would include veterans like Gaudreau and Kreider.  But that blueline has some interesting choices.  You've notably left out Charlie McAvoy.  I also think guys like Jones, Hanifin and Sanderson make the team ahead of some.

[Jess]

17 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

"Canadian pride" is the dumbest argument I hear from Canadian fans.  Let's call it like it is: "Canadian arrogance".  All of that crap is just Canadian media hyping up every player we have.  I can guarantee you that Auston Matthews would have the same level of media exposure as Jason Robertson or Adam Fox if he wasn't playing in Toronto.  All of that is hype.  You don't think Americans have clutch or pride?

 

You've constructed a Team Canada built for today, not three years from now.  No chance in hell I'm taking Connor Bedard over someone like... Logan Cooley.  

 

Obviously the American players have pride, but I think the poster is talking about how deeply ingrained hockey is into Canadian culture, whereas it's an afterthought in American culture. Canadian players know the whole nation is watching whereras American know that most of the nation doesn't really care about their team. Hockey remains something like the #5 or 6 sport in the US and it's by far the #1 sport in Canada.

 

I'm not sure why you're so low on Bedard. Has he had that bad a start? What makes you think he won't develop into a superstar three years from now?

[HKSR]

7 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

 

Obviously the American players have pride, but I think the poster is talking about how deeply ingrained hockey is into Canadian culture, whereas it's an afterthought in American culture. Canadian players know the whole nation is watching whereras American know that most of the nation doesn't really care about their team. Hockey remains something like the #5 or 6 sport in the US and it's by far the #1 sport in Canada.

 

I'm not sure why you're so low on Bedard. Has he had that bad a start? What makes you think he won't develop into a superstar three years from now?

 

Thank you.

 

Not sure why Canadian Pride is not an X-factor in all this.  There have been many times in the past where we've seen a 'weaker' Canadian squad absolutely dominate a tournament because they simply WANT it more than other countries.  It's just human nature where people perform at their peak when they really want something.

[Iron Fist]

Who are Canada Goalies?  Skinner? Kuemper? Levi? Hart?

[Miss Korea]

9 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

 

Obviously the American players have pride, but I think the poster is talking about how deeply ingrained hockey is into Canadian culture, whereas it's an afterthought in American culture. Canadian players know the whole nation is watching whereras American know that most of the nation doesn't really care about their team. Hockey remains something like the #5 or 6 sport in the US and it's by far the #1 sport in Canada.

 

I'm not sure why you're so low on Bedard. Has he had that bad a start? What makes you think he won't develop into a superstar three years from now?

 

I'm low on Bedard right now because he made a squad for right now.  Marchand, Crosby, Stamkos, and O'Reilly probably don't make the roster three years from now as I stated.

 

Hockey is ingrained into Canadian culture but are you going to tell me that hockey is not ingrained into those American players?  You look at the Hughes family and think, "just an afterthought"?  Of course not.  They are proud to play for their country just like our players are.  That's all it takes to win - believing in yourself and your teammates.

Just now, HKSR said:

Thank you.

 

Not sure why Canadian Pride is not an X-factor in all this.  There have been many times in the past where we've seen a 'weaker' Canadian squad absolutely dominate a tournament because they simply WANT it more than other countries.  It's just human nature where people perform at their peak when they really want something.

 

We have also seen inferior American hockey teams outperform and win medals on the big stage.  We've seen it in world juniors and we've seen it in the Olympics.  The Americans won women's gold in Pyeongchang, not Canada.  You don't think they have pride?

 

I never thought a Canadian would question an American's patriotism.

[Jess]

5 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

I'm low on Bedard right now because he made a squad for right now.  Marchand, Crosby, Stamkos, and O'Reilly probably don't make the roster three years from now as I stated.

 

Yeah, it was difficult to understand, but if you're making a team for later, then you definitely have guys that aren't Bedard, even though he might be the best rookie. He's not good enough to make team Canada now.

[HKSR]

2 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

I'm low on Bedard right now because he made a squad for right now.  Marchand, Crosby, Stamkos, and O'Reilly probably don't make the roster three years from now as I stated.

 

Hockey is ingrained into Canadian culture but are you going to tell me that hockey is not ingrained into those American players?  You look at the Hughes family and think, "just an afterthought"?  Of course not.  They are proud to play for their country just like our players are.  That's all it takes to win - believing in yourself and your teammates.

 

We have also seen inferior American hockey teams outperform and win medals on the big stage.  We've seen it in world juniors and we've seen it in the Olympics.  The Americans won women's gold in Pyeongchang, not Canada.  You don't think they have pride?

 

I never thought a Canadian would question an American's patriotism.

Agree to disagree.  I firmly believe hockey means WAY more to Canadians than Americans.  I can't think of inferior American teams (on paper) that have won championships.  I'm open to hearing your examples though.  

[wai_lai416]

USA would destroy Canada right now in a tournament.. they can match you up point for point on forward their defence is deeper than Canada and they have 3 vezina caliber goalie...

 

team canada is literally like the oilers would a better defence and skinner in net lol.. Canada prolly would not win a best on best tournament anytime soon unless they have a goalie in the horizon which they don't.. and there's not even any notable goalies up and coming in the juniors.. US and Russia are stacked with goalies

[Gnarcore]

7 hours ago, -AJ- said:

I was talking about this with my brother yesterday and it does feel very close these days. The US dominates Canadians in net and honestly, for maybe the first time ever, they might have a better blueline. Can you imagine Adam Fox and Quinn Hughes? Insane. I'd have to take a closer look at the rosters, but Demko or Oettinger alone vs whatever goalie we have might be enough to swing the odds in the Americans' favour.

Makar & Toews with built in chemistry. 

[Miss Korea]

2 hours ago, HKSR said:

Agree to disagree.  I firmly believe hockey means WAY more to Canadians than Americans.  I can't think of inferior American teams (on paper) that have won championships.  I'm open to hearing your examples though.  

 

That is such a reductive generalization that completely disregards American hockey culture, its history and its players.

 

If culture is a thing, Canada has its own rich history, but actually has no equivalent with the hockey culture of the American Northeast.  Minnesota.  Michigan.  Massachusetts and New York.  Those are hockey states through and through.  The college hockey experience is unlike anything you can get here in Canada.  I'm not saying one is better than the other.  It's just different.  Doesn’t matter if more Michigan folk prefer other sports like basketball; if they can bring 100,000 fans into a field for an outdoor college hockey game, it's time to give some respect to the culture they've built.

 

Which brings us to what USA Hockey has done to grow the sport at the grassroots level.  Holy Jesus are they good at growing talent all across the country.  It is no coincidence that top-level talents are coming from random states like Arizona, California and Texas.  The development system is far superior to ours because of the way it's structured.  It's a goalie factory down there.  The US NTDP has gotten so good it's now starting to attract more and more Canadians to take the American route over the CHL.  Do you want me to start talking about Hockey Canada?  What are they famous for other than sexual assault scandals, cover-up scandals, and embezzlement scandals?  If your kids could work or play under Hockey Canada or USA Hockey, how is it even a comparison right now?

 

That brings us to the players themselves.  Maybe as a country hockey means more to Canada but it is an insult to suggest hockey means more to the Canadian team and its players.  I can guarantee you Quinn Hughes wants to win gold just as much as any Canadian you can think of.

 

For teams, the problem with the current USA>Canada argument is that we have to go all the way back to 2014 - the last time these teams faced off with full stakes.  But even in 2010, don’t underestimate how close we were to losing.  We lost the first game against them and then had to go to OT to win the last game.  The talent of level of 2010 Team USA can't even compare with a potential 2025 Team USA.

 

But the Americans have had some big wins in the past and taken it all.  They have 5 golds in the world juniors.  They defeated us in their heralded 1980 miracle run.  And the women's team regularly beats us in the Worlds (but notably not Olympics).

 

So yeah.  The notion that Canada is somehow special compared to the United States is pure arrogance.  That arrogance has led the country and its fans to become complacent with its development, and we are seeing the Americans catch up faster than we can handle them.  Canada isn't special and they never have been.  They were just always better and more talented until recently.

[HKSR]

6 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

 

That is such a reductive generalization that completely disregards American hockey culture, its history and its players.

 

If culture is a thing, Canada has its own rich history, but actually has no equivalent with the hockey culture of the American Northeast.  Minnesota.  Michigan.  Massachusetts and New York.  Those are hockey states through and through.  The college hockey experience is unlike anything you can get here in Canada.  I'm not saying one is better than the other.  It's just different.  Doesn’t matter if more Michigan folk prefer other sports like basketball; if they can bring 100,000 fans into a field for an outdoor college hockey game, it's time to give some respect to the culture they've built.

 

Which brings us to what USA Hockey has done to grow the sport at the grassroots level.  Holy Jesus are they good at growing talent all across the country.  It is no coincidence that top-level talents are coming from random states like Arizona, California and Texas.  The development system is far superior to ours because of the way it's structured.  It's a goalie factory down there.  The US NTDP has gotten so good it's now starting to attract more and more Canadians to take the American route over the CHL.  Do you want me to start talking about Hockey Canada?  What are they famous for other than sexual assault scandals, cover-up scandals, and embezzlement scandals?  If your kids could work or play under Hockey Canada or USA Hockey, how is it even a comparison right now?

 

That brings us to the players themselves.  Maybe as a country hockey means more to Canada but it is an insult to suggest hockey means more to the Canadian team and its players.  I can guarantee you Quinn Hughes wants to win gold just as much as any Canadian you can think of.

 

For teams, the problem with the current USA>Canada argument is that we have to go all the way back to 2014 - the last time these teams faced off with full stakes.  But even in 2010, don’t underestimate how close we were to losing.  We lost the first game against them and then had to go to OT to win the last game.  The talent of level of 2010 Team USA can't even compare with a potential 2025 Team USA.

 

But the Americans have had some big wins in the past and taken it all.  They have 5 golds in the world juniors.  They defeated us in their heralded 1980 miracle run.  And the women's team regularly beats us in the Worlds (but notably not Olympics).

 

So yeah.  The notion that Canada is somehow special compared to the United States is pure arrogance.  That arrogance has led the country and its fans to become complacent with its development, and we are seeing the Americans catch up faster than we can handle them.  Canada isn't special and they never have been.  They were just always better and more talented until recently.

Again, I'm open to hearing specific examples of where an inferior American team on paper has overpowered a stronger Canadian team out of sheer will to win.

[Miss Korea]

3 hours ago, HKSR said:

Again, I'm open to hearing specific examples of where an inferior American team on paper has overpowered a stronger Canadian team out of sheer will to win.

You were being arrogant at first.  Now you're just being lazy.

 

 

It's not a rivalry if only one country wins every time.  The United States are a strong hockey nation that has always been the underdog against us and I guarantee you nothing feels better for an American hockey player than to defeat Canada.

[HKSR]

21 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

You were being arrogant at first.  Now you're just being lazy.

 

 

It's not a rivalry if only one country wins every time.  The United States are a strong hockey nation that has always been the underdog against us and I guarantee you nothing feels better for an American hockey player than to defeat Canada.

 

Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit (I wasn't gonna be mean about it, but if you're gonna call me arrogant and lazy, you better be able to take what you dish). 

 

Let me repeat it again so maybe you can understand it more clearly. 

 

I asked for you to show me an American roster than is inferior (on paper) than the Canadians and yet still overcame and won. 

 

The women's teams are almost always toe to toe on paper, and it shows in the results on the ice. 

The 1996 World Cup rosters are pretty evenly matched as well.  I don't think anyone would have said Canada was the outright favourite when Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, etc were already 35 years old. 

The recent world juniors had many predicting USA would win (or could win).  As you said, they've been producing a ton of talent the past several years.  They've been favourites or co-favourites to win the WJHC for several years, so hardly an inferior team that dug deep and won anyways.

And uhh... did you include a picture of the 2010 Olympics?  Lmao.

 

FIND ME AN EXAMPLE (OR EXAMPLES) OF WHERE A CLEARLY INFERIOR USA ROSTER FOUGHT THE ODDS AND WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP.  Whew, hopefully you can read that clearly.

 

I can provide a very clear example of Canada winning despite the odds seriously against them.  The 2006 WJHC.  Canada were not favourites at all, but they fought tooth and nail and won gold in Vancouver.  There's even an article talking about it:

https://www.tsn.ca/wjhc-history-2006-vancouver-1.155002

 

 

 

[Miss Korea]

16 minutes ago, HKSR said:

Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit (I wasn't gonna be mean about it, but if you're gonna call me arrogant and lazy, you better be able to take what you dish). 

 

Let me repeat it again so maybe you can understand it more clearly. 

 

I asked for you to show me an American roster than is inferior (on paper) than the Canadians and yet still overcame and won. 

 

The women's teams are almost always toe to toe on paper, and it shows in the results on the ice. 

The 1996 World Cup rosters are pretty evenly matched as well.  I don't think anyone would have said Canada was the outright favourite when Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, etc were already 35 years old. 

The recent world juniors had many predicting USA would win (or could win).  As you said, they've been producing a ton of talent the past several years.  They've been favourites or co-favourites to win the WJHC for several years, so hardly an inferior team that dug deep and won anyways.

And uhh... did you include a picture of the 2010 Olympics?  Lmao.

 

FIND ME AN EXAMPLE (OR EXAMPLES) OF WHERE A CLEARLY INFERIOR USA ROSTER FOUGHT THE ODDS AND WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP.  Whew, hopefully you can read that clearly.

 

I can provide a very clear example of Canada winning despite the odds seriously against them.  The 2006 WJHC.  Canada were not favourites at all, but they fought tooth and nail and won gold in Vancouver.  There's even an article talking about it:

https://www.tsn.ca/wjhc-history-2006-vancouver-1.155002

 

 

You have been suggesting this entire thread that Team Canada has something special because they have more pride and more heart than other countries and other players.  And that is the most ridiculous sports generality anyone can spew and it's a total insult to every other country and its players.  It's total BS. 

 

Are you going to tell me that Ovechkin and his Russian teams lacked pride and heart for their country?  Is that why they lose?  Or that older veterans like Ryan Kesler and Patrick Kane lacked pride and heart?  The Sedins?  Is it that hard for you to give credit to other teams when they win championship games?  Why is it only Canada that wins because they're "special"?

 

Get away from that nonsense.  If you want to talk about numbers and statistics, you're exactly right about the US Junior teams producing tons of talent.  That's why they're often considered top candidates to win the WJCs these days.  Now all those kids are starting to grow up.  The 2010 squad: Carlson, Kreider.  The 2013 squad: Jones, Trouba, Gaudreau.  The 2017 squad: McAvoy, Oettinger, Fox, Keller.  And finally the 2021 team: Sanderson, Zegras, Beniers, Boldy, Caufield.  The lists are getting longer and longer every time they win gold.  Their team is more talented than ever.  We are seeing the exact same thing in the Women's World Championships, were the Americans are now beating us out in raw talent and have started to tip the record in their favour.  Team Canada is now the slight underdog when they face off.

 

I included the 2010 US Men's team because they were indeed an inferior squad led by Jamie Langenbrunner.  They shocked us in the group stage and had us on the edge of our seats in the gold medal game.  It's a triumphant moment in Canadian hockey history but also a storied chapter in the long rivalry between us and the United States.  It's disrespectful to suggest we are somehow superior to them in some uniquely Canadian way.  Canada is either better than other teams or they are not.  It is the dream of every non-Canadian hockey player in the world to humiliate us on home soil and you know it.

[The Colt 45s]

22 hours ago, Miss Korea said:

This was an old topic I brought up on CDC a few months back during the summer.  A month into the season, and I'm a bit surprised to see no Canadians leading the scoresheet anywhere.  It was a safe bet to assume guys like McDavid and Makar would be the stat leaders in their respective positions.  But instead it's... Jack and Quinn Hughes.  Matthews (who can only score hat-tricks) is leading in goals - no surprise.  But some names I didn't expect to also be at the very top: Alex DeBrincat?  Frank Vatrano?  BROCK BOESER?  Half of the top 10 scoring leaders this season are American.  None are Canadian.  Other than Demko playing even better than anyone anticipated, the US goalie situation is the same as before: they're amazing.  Meanwhile our best performing Canadian is...  James Reimer .

 

Fast forward three years.  I don't know if Team Canada has what it takes to win anymore.  We obviously have greater depth in the league, where the largest slice of the pie is still Canadian.  But if you had to make an all-star roster, I think the Americans are looking better and better each year.  In three years' time, Team Canada will lose HHoF guys like Crosby, Marchand and Stamkos.  They might still be in the NHL, but it would be a very old, slow squad to bring all three on one roster.  Team USA loses Kane, Carlson and Pavelski.  Losing Kane obviously hurts, but they have tons more young talent coming up.

 

The future team USA is going to look absolutely stacked from head to toe.  Tkachuk.  Hughes.  The goalies.  Bring on the debates.

 

And don't get me started on comparing the women's rosters.  

Should rephrase this thread: Does the Hughes three make Team USA?

[Rekker]

Absolutely. Team Canada, for the first time in a long time, is weak in net.

[HKSR]

31 minutes ago, Miss Korea said:

 

You have been suggesting this entire thread that Team Canada has something special because they have more pride and more heart than other countries and other players.  And that is the most ridiculous sports generality anyone can spew and it's a total insult to every other country and its players.  It's total BS. 

 

Are you going to tell me that Ovechkin and his Russian teams lacked pride and heart for their country?  Is that why they lose?  Or that older veterans like Ryan Kesler and Patrick Kane lacked pride and heart?  The Sedins?  Is it that hard for you to give credit to other teams when they win championship games?  Why is it only Canada that wins because they're "special"?

 

Get away from that nonsense.  If you want to talk about numbers and statistics, you're exactly right about the US Junior teams producing tons of talent.  That's why they're often considered top candidates to win the WJCs these days.  Now all those kids are starting to grow up.  The 2010 squad: Carlson, Kreider.  The 2013 squad: Jones, Trouba, Gaudreau.  The 2017 squad: McAvoy, Oettinger, Fox, Keller.  And finally the 2021 team: Sanderson, Zegras, Beniers, Boldy, Caufield.  The lists are getting longer and longer every time they win gold.  Their team is more talented than ever.  We are seeing the exact same thing in the Women's World Championships, were the Americans are now beating us out in raw talent and have started to tip the record in their favour.  Team Canada is now the slight underdog when they face off.

 

I included the 2010 US Men's team because they were indeed an inferior squad led by Jamie Langenbrunner.  They shocked us in the group stage and had us on the edge of our seats in the gold medal game.  It's a triumphant moment in Canadian hockey history but also a storied chapter in the long rivalry between us and the United States.  It's disrespectful to suggest we are somehow superior to them in some uniquely Canadian way.  Canada is either better than other teams or they are not.  It is the dream of every non-Canadian hockey player in the world to humiliate us on home soil and you know it.

 

I've been talking about how Canada can win even when they look like they can't.  What does that have to do with teams that look like they can win and don't?  Completely the opposite of what I'm trying to say.  Again, reading comprehension. 

 

Yes, USA is producing some top tier talent, but I'd bet good money that a Canadian team with inferior talent could probably still win a championship over them.  Again, Canadian heart or pride, whatever you want to call it. 

 

Anyways, I'm gonna stop there cuz clearly your hockey knowledge is limited.  Jamie Langenbrunner led the 2010 USA squad???  Patrick Kane, Kesler, Parise, and Pavelski say hi.