Quote:
Originally Posted by Magnum PEI
Finland has less people than the Prairies. A WHL allstar team should be able to smoke them. We also seem to have a size disadvantage to Sweden and Finland now. Not sure if it's genetics or nutrition or a bit of both but it was very noticeable in the last two games.
2013 was best-on-best because of the lockout and Canada got smoked by the US in the semis. Now a guy who's eligible to play for Mexico is likely going to be drafted first OA. Things are changing, other countries are catching up and Canada seems to be treading water. I think the days of winning this thing five times in a row are over.
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The days of winning 5 in a row went out the window the minute the NHL put in a hard salary cap. Guys that would be sent back to junior are sticking in the NHL (would appear more frequently each yet) as they are on entry level contracts and provide some cheap depth.
Sure every team is now losing a few to this, but none to the extent Canada does year and year out. Each and every year now Canada is losing two tops lines that in the past would likely have been left in junior for one more season or lent to the program by their NHL team.
Canada's men's hockey team has outright dominated over the past few years. Hardly treading water. Canada wouldn't lose a single best-on-best tournament if they played series instead of one game eliminations.