[GDT] Canada vs USA - Gold Medal Game - Men’s Hockey

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

Which is what annoys me about all the 'Is America catching up to Canada in hockey?' conversations around the media leading up to the game, and now especially after.

This hasn't been new for ~20 years, but the media is now all of a sudden panicking because of the result of a game where Canada dominated.

The margins in 2010 were also razor thin, ended in OT. But we're a hockey powerhouse then and should panic now?

This game was as good as Canada has looked vs the U.S. in years.

I should caveat this is regarding the men's game. The women's game I think serious reflecting should and probably will be done about how to return as a hockey superpower.

Yup since the 1996 World Cup either team could beat the other in one game.

1996 WC:
4-3 Canada
5-2 US
5-2 US (Won Tournament)

2002 Olympics:
5-2 Canada (Gold Medal)

2004 WC:
2-1 Canada

2006 Olympics:
DNP - Both lost in Quarter Finals

2010 Olympics:
5-3 US
3-2 Canada OT (Gold Medal)

2014 Olympics:
Canada 1-0 (Semi Finals)

2016 WC:
4-2 Canada

2025 4 Nations:
3-1 US
3-2 Canada (OT - Won Tournament)

2026 Olympics
2-1 US (OT - Gold Medal)

So 12 games in recent best on best tournaments with the best NHLers - and it's 7-5 Canada with every game being pretty tight.

It's already a toss up between these two teams, the most surprising part is actually how much Canada out played the US yesterday.

But the space where US holds a big advantage in Goaltending ended up making a big difference.

1991 is the last major best on best tournament where Canada was clearly the better teams, going 3-0 in that tournament against the US, since then it's been a toss up.

[dino7c]

I was actually suprised how much better Canada was. Thought it was going to be an even game. Canada dominated...goalie steals and bad luck happen all the time in hockey.

02, 2010, 4 nations, were way closer games

[FlamesAreOne]

I blame the OP for the loss. Canada was 5-0 when I made the GDTs.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Yup since the 1996 World Cup either team could beat the other in one game.

1996 WC:
4-3 Canada
5-2 US
5-2 US (Won Tournament)

2002 Olympics:
5-2 Canada (Gold Medal)

2004 WC:
2-1 Canada

2006 Olympics:
DNP - Both lost in Quarter Finals

2010 Olympics:
5-3 US
3-2 Canada OT (Gold Medal)

2014 Olympics:
Canada 1-0 (Semi Finals)

2016 WC:
4-2 Canada

2025 4 Nations:
3-1 US
3-2 Canada (OT - Won Tournament)

2026 Olympics
2-1 US (OT - Gold Medal)

So 12 games in recent best on best tournaments with the best NHLers - and it's 7-5 Canada with every game being pretty tight.

It's already a toss up between these two teams, the most surprising part is actually how much Canada out played the US yesterday.

But the space where US holds a big advantage in Goaltending ended up making a big difference.

1991 is the last major best on best tournament where Canada was clearly the better teams, going 3-0 in that tournament against the US, since then it's been a toss up.

To be honest - the US team regressed since the Four Nations. But it does seem like 70% of the Canada forwards turn into grinders in these tournaments.

I would have really liked to see Schafer on the team though.

I do wonder if it would beneficial to have a new GM each tournament to avoid loyalty picks. Binnington was good again, but no way he'd have been on the team without the loyalty pick. Would Parekho or Doughty have been there without the loyalty?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by united

The thing that bugs me so much is the effort. Despite staring at a 3-on-1, McDavid takes one stride from this point. One! Surprised? No, not at all, because that's the player we all know he is. But it's overtime of the freaking Gold Medal game and you just published an article about how badly you want to win. Pump your legs, man. And stick at waist height too instead of on the ice and where does Werenski's pass go? Right under where his blade should be. Get a stick in the lane at least if you aren't going to skate (preferably do both). Lazy hockey. Imagine Bergeron, or Crosby, or Toews gliding straight-legged, stick at waist, here?

Yes, there are thousands of small plays in any given game and most end up irrelevant, so I understand it's hard to dwell on just one...but tough one to swallow when it's exclusively effort and commitment. Did Makar jump into an ill-advised pinch? Yes. Did MacKinnon get bullied by Werenski? Yes. Tough way to lose when your three big guns all err at once, especially when the primary cause is effort at the start of a period.

He actually got back and tried to stop the pass to the goal scorer. It seemed to have gone over his stick.

I apologize for not saying McAvi sucks.

[Camronius]

Originally Posted by dino7c

I was actually suprised how much better Canada was. Thought it was going to be an even game. Canada dominated...goalie steals and bad luck happen all the time in hockey.

02, 2010, 4 nations, were way closer games

I was surprised too - Didn't think we would dominate like we did. I think the consensus is that 95% of the time Canada wins that game as-played.

Need to keep in mind - parity is good for hockey. All other nations have made serious strides forward, consider the Czechs and Finland for example. Great tournament, time to move on.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Canada is still meaningfully better than everybody else, but international tournaments have single elimination knockout stage and hockey can be won with strong defensive structure and a great goalie. I know Canada Binnington is a different goalie than Blues Binnington, but we were a MacKinnon open net away from winning gold with the worst goalie in the NHL. Not just starter, worst goalie period lol. Don't think any other country gets past the QF with that.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Canada is still meaningfully better than everybody else, but international tournaments have single elimination knockout stage and hockey can be won with strong defensive structure and a great goalie. I know Canada Binnington is a different goalie than Blues Binnington, but we were a MacKinnon open net away from winning gold with the worst goalie in the NHL. Not just starter, worst goalie period lol. Don't think any other country gets past the QF with that.

Nah, Binnington playing like he was in this tournament was good enough for most other teams that weren't solely reliant on goaltending. If you swap in Logan Thompson, does he stop the Boldy goal? Maybe, but you could just as easily convince me that he'd have let in something else, maybe a couple of something elses, and they lose in regulation.

I certainly hope they have a better netminder available for future best on best tourneys, though. I just have no idea who that might be. I'll go out on a limb and guess it ain't gonna be Jet Greaves. Seb Cossa? Devon Levi? Carter George? Hopefully one of them pans out...

... also, Sam Ersson is the worst goalie in the NHL right now; Binner is just bottom 5.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Yeah Binnington was fine, stepped up when he was needed. But we are able to pin teams into their own half for 60-80% of the game, which makes any goalie's life easier.

[dino7c]

Honestly its hard to judge Binner...they outchanced ever team badly

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Olympics need to reinstate continuous 5 on 5 overtime, at least for medal games.

3 on 3 is an entirely different game from the one played for 60 minutes prior, and it often gets decided on some dumb ####.

Winning at 5 on 5 hockey is what all these teams trained for.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Honestly its hard to judge Binner...they outchanced ever team badly

Really hard to judge. Made some massive stops, and also couldn't come up with sone others. End of the day hellebuyck out-dueled him, but it can't be said that the loss fell on him.

[BACKCHECK!!!]

All I’m going to say about Binnington is that he was the 2nd best goalie in every game he played at the olympics.

[Erick Estrada]

McDavid, MacKinnon, and Makar are all better players than the best player on the US roster. When you have this kind of talent on your team, you shouldn't need Hasek game stealing goaltending. Goaltending was the least of Team Canada's issues in this tournament.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

I think stacking their nukes on one line is a mistake though.

I think it gets into their heads and they do too much and try to pass off chances that should be shot.

Ideally you keep with how you started the tourney, with a mcdavid centric line, a Crosby one, and a mackinnon one.

Save the stacking for the PP.

It creates a too many chefs in the kitchen situation. I'm surprised Cooper wasn't smarter than that.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

McDavid, MacKinnon, and Makar are all better players than the best player on the US roster. When you have this kind of talent on your team, you shouldn't need Hasek game stealing goaltending. Goaltending was the least of Team Canada's issues in this tournament.

I keep checking in to see if the sights have set in on the makeup of the team?

Is it time?

We all know Canada is going to face the trap and collapse on the goalie defending. What's the best way to beat those systems? I've always been told skill.

The top guys you mentioned above sure had a lot of "intangibles" and "chemstry" hires to lug around after Crosby went down.

[CliffFletcher]

Missing their #2 d-man in Morrissey was huge. With the Makar pair overplayed so much in the knockout games, it shouldn’t be surprising he bungled a play in OT.

[FlamesAddiction]

I don't think the Canadian team had any issues. They assembled a team good enough to win every game, but in the end, they were stymied by a goalie despite playing better than the other team. It sucks, but it happens.

I just hope Hellebuyck carries this momentum back to the Jets to keep them from a high lottery pick.

[PeteMoss]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I think stacking their nukes on one line is a mistake though.

I think it gets into their heads and they do too much and try to pass off chances that should be shot.

Ideally you keep with how you started the tourney, with a mcdavid centric line, a Crosby one, and a mackinnon one.

Save the stacking for the PP.

It creates a too many chefs in the kitchen situation. I'm surprised Cooper wasn't smarter than that.

I think the problem with it ended up being that you needed to go three games in a row leaning on them to play too much. If they had beat Czechia or Finland somewhat handedly you aren't having to play them 20+ minutes 3 games in a row.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Canada with Crosby probably wins that and makes all the autopsy discourse moot.

Canada in the end did assemble a gold medal roster, they just didn't plan on having key cogs go down/play hurt.