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

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by 3rd liner

I agree, they will all follow each other. Just finished the Rick Westhead 'We Breed Lions' book, he talks a lot about the psychology of a locker room and a professional team and why some awful behaviour happens. As an aside, it's a good read, especially for people with kids in hockey and it's not just about the World Junior sexual assault case. Though sexual assaults in hockey over the years are a big topic of the book. The team psychology stuff was interesting for me as well as describing why some players end up making really bad decisions as a result of coming up through the system.

Basically these guys can be sheep and won't break rank from the team for fear of their life and career being affected, even if it means participating in or staying silent on awful behaviour. Like siding with a scumbag president...

On the surface, conferencing in Trump/partying with Patel is deplorable, but you think about it in practice: these guys are doing a celebration with alcohol, it's a euphoric moment where they've achieved the pinnacle of their careers, who knows how Patel got in the room/who invited him/if he even was invited.

If I'm Joe American player in that room, it's probably unrealistic in that moment to ask anyone to act in their political interests if it goes against the grain. You probably also have a lot of Republicans in the room, too, and some agnostics/too dumb to have an opinion.

I dislike that this was part of their celebration as much as anyone, but this is still a locker room and I have very little expectations of these guys and their political wherewithal, especially in that moment.

[redmile04]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

Good for them

The American team is full of maga trumpanzees.

My god. I still feel ill. Not that we lost. but we lost to the americans.

God please give us another 4 nations or some other best on best tourney before the next olympics.

https://www.nhl.com/events/2027-28/world-cup-of-hockey

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by howard_the_duck

On the surface, conferencing in Trump/partying with Patel is deplorable, but you think about it in practice: these guys are doing a celebration with alcohol, it's a euphoric moment where they've achieved the pinnacle of their careers, who knows how Patel got in the room/who invited him/if he even was invited.

If I'm Joe American player in that room, it's probably unrealistic in that moment to ask anyone to act in their political interests if it goes against the grain. You probably also have a lot of Republicans in the room, too, and some agnostics/too dumb to have an opinion.

I dislike that this was part of their celebration as much as anyone, but this is still a locker room and I have very little expectations of these guys and their political wherewithal, especially in that moment.

Well, someone liked Patel enough to give him their gold medal to wear.

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by redmile04

https://www.nhl.com/events/2027-28/world-cup-of-hockey

God, I want to see McKenna give ratboy a black eye in this

[bluejays]

I wish the women's team accepted the invite then embarrassed him on the public stage. That would be so much more interesting than declining the invite. It would have embarrassed him a lot more.

[dino7c]

Meanwhile in Europe they are making Epstein arrests...Tkachuks new fling said no evidence of any trafficking. Trump online sharing AI videos of him playing in the gold medal game lol.

Imagine worshiping and defending these losers, Tkachuk included. You would think he was the MVP the way he talks when he is a coat tail rider. Stuart Skinner has more Conn Symthe votes and the guy did next to nothing this Olympics. Did he even play yesterday?

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It was a fantastic game between the two best teams in the world and one team was going to lose. People are going to spend days on the "what if" stuff but anything can happen in a one game show down and that's why we love sports. Let's not forget the USA left Robertson, Hutson, Caufield, etc at home so splitting hairs over who was brought and who was not is a pointless exercise.

Agree...they left those guys off and got pumped by Team Canada. Both teams scored ONE goal each 5v5 in the final. Hockey USA and Hockey Canada should be looking in the mirror, and it starts with roster selection.

Canada has to plan to face goalies and systems that will require 50shots, a high pp %, and defending the counter attack rush.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by dino7c

They built a team that would have won if Nate hit an open net from 3 feet...hard to blame anyone

If Canada had more scoring punch and scored another goal, the game wouldn't have come down to a Nate open net.

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

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

No it doesn't. If the team had more skill & scoring, the Crosby absence wouldn't have hurt as much.

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

Hence why it's important to stack the roster with the most scoring & skill available. If one or two of your top skill guys go down, you still have enough scoring to win.

Originally Posted by Monahammer

Yes, Canada has the best forwards at the tournament. Bringing different forwards lower down the lineup probably doesnt make much difference.

Disagree. See above.

Canada has the best defender, then probably the 4th best defender at the tournament. You can argue Doughty was too old to go, but really it doesn't seem likely that Canada's defense was in any material way less good than any other country. It is unlikely then that bringing better defensemen would change anything.

Huh? Am I supposed to believe that guys like Schaefer, Chychrun, Raddysh couldn't have made a difference?

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

I think Bedard and Schiefele in place of Marchand and Reinhart could have made a difference.

And Schaefer for Parayko on the back end.

My Team Canada lineup for the gold medal game would have been (Crosby & Morrisey unavailable due to injury):

Marner MacKinnon Scheifele
Celebrini McDavid Bedard
Reinhart Suzuki Stone
Hagel Geekie Wilson
Horvat

Makar Toews
Chychrun Raddysh
Theodore Shaefer
Harley

Thompson Binnington Kuemper

[minnow]

Not my line, but I liked it:
"I'd rather be a Canadian with silver than a loser with gold."

Proud of our guys and girls.

[Senator Clay Davis]

We could always believe a few roster differences and they win gold, but they got to OT of the gold medal game, a game they dominated. Nine times out of ten they play against Jets Hellebuyck and win by 4+. ####ing sucks, but perfect isn't happening no matter what roster you pick.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

We could always believe a few roster differences and they win gold, but they got to OT of the gold medal game, a game they dominated. Nine times out of ten they play against Jets Hellebuyck and win by 4+. ####ing sucks, but perfect isn't happening no matter what roster you pick.

A lot of things could have made the difference between winning gold and not. Roster differences could have been one of them.

Canada was VERY close to going out in the quarters. I bet there would be a lot more people agreeing with me if that had happened.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But thats the point. It is very difficult to believe you could materially improve the outcome for them because they got as far as they could without winning. Add Bedard and maybe they win the QF and SF more convincingly. Or maybe Bedard makes a terrible error to lose one of those games. But changing yesterday, a 9 out of 10 win that you lost, like you probably can't dominate the Americans any more than they did. Just one of those days.

[Mathgod]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But thats the point. It is very difficult to believe you could materially improve the outcome for them because they got as far as they could without winning. Add Bedard and maybe they win the QF and SF more convincingly. Or maybe Bedard makes a terrible error to lose one of those games. But changing yesterday, a 9 out of 10 win that you lost, like you probably can't dominate the Americans any more than they did. Just one of those days.

They dominated the US in terms of creating chances, but not in terms of burying chances. I feel like Canada's top guys like MacKinnon, Celebrini, Makar, McDavid were out there so much because the coaches felt like they were the only ones who looked dangerous. Thing is though, if you overplay your top guys that much, they wear out. That's why I think a balanced approach & rolling 4 lines with skilled guys would have given them a better chance and likely result in burying more of their chances.

[Rhett44]

I understand the hate for team USA for political reasons. Just as long as people understand that most NHL athletes are more right leaning than left.

And even if some do hate Trump, they are in a lose-lose situation being invited. You decline the invite and you will be the top news story tomorrow. I don't think most of those players want that attention on them.

When an entire team declines that is one thing. But do you really want to be the one player who doesn't go with maga crazies calling you a traitor.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by 3rd liner

I agree, they will all follow each other. Just finished the Rick Westhead 'We Breed Lions' book, he talks a lot about the psychology of a locker room and a professional team and why some awful behaviour happens. As an aside, it's a good read, especially for people with kids in hockey and it's not just about the World Junior sexual assault case. Though sexual assaults in hockey over the years are a big topic of the book. The team psychology stuff was interesting for me as well as describing why some players end up making really bad decisions as a result of coming up through the system.

Basically these guys can be sheep and won't break rank from the team for fear of their life and career being affected, even if it means participating in or staying silent on awful behaviour. Like siding with a scumbag president...

Sounds like a worthwhile read. I wish a certain segment of people out there would pick up a book like that for some self education and reflection.

Locker rooms like the US' seem like good examples of group polarization on a small scale. There is a perception of consequence for pushing back even when the leaders in the room go down a questionable path, so over time everybody just falls in line even if they harbor doubts/concerns.

I can totally see how that starts in minor leagues with the added pressures of not conforming or not being a "team player" hurting their potential career keeping individuals who may be conflicted ambivalent then eventually apathetic participants.

Locker room culture in hockey seems to hammer down the nails that stick out - which is why you end up with coaches like Babcock doing insane s### for years before getting called out.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I understand the hate for team USA for political reasons. Just as long as people understand that most NHL athletes are more right leaning than left.

And even if some do hate Trump, they are in a lose-lose situation being invited. You decline the invite and you will be the top news story tomorrow. I don't think most of those players want that attention on them.

When an entire team declines that is one thing. But do you really want to be the one player who doesn't go with maga crazies calling you a traitor.

Players should be proud to decline that invite.

Chances are they'd be applauded by more than half of their nation for it.

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by Beninho

The players who decide to attend the State of the Union will reveal a lot about where they stand. This goes far beyond a ceremonial handshake and visit, it is active participation in propaganda. The players who attend will be expected to offer tacit approval through their presence and applause of everything Trump says, which will almost for sure include jabs at Canadian sovereignty. I cannot remember any time in the past where any American national team was present at a State of the Union address, I don’t think it has ever happened. I could be wrong though.

It is a moment that demands a backbone. It is a moment to remember Nikita Zadorov, who jeopardized his future and exiled himself from his home country to stand on his principles. That is the weight of real morality.

By comparison, declining an invitation to this spectacle is a minor inconvenience. For a player who claims to just be 'not political,' avoiding this is the only logical choice. You cannot claim neutrality while allowing yourself to be trotted out as a Soviet-style prop for a divisive populist President. It’s actually insane that USA hockey would agree to being present at what will be a divisive and politically charged speech. I don’t think many of these players are educated enough or sober enough to realize the gravity of the decision they are making by attending. Hopefully there is a moment of clarity for some of these men and they decide to stand with their fellow women’s team and decline the invitation.

Well said Beninho.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

I understand the hate for team USA for political reasons. Just as long as people understand that most NHL athletes are more right leaning than left.

And even if some do hate Trump, they are in a lose-lose situation being invited. You decline the invite and you will be the top news story tomorrow. I don't think most of those players want that attention on them.

When an entire team declines that is one thing. But do you really want to be the one player who doesn't go with maga crazies calling you a traitor.

I mean, if they want to forever be associated with a pedophile racist dip####, then that's on them?

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent

Players should be proud to decline that invite.

Chances are they'd be applauded by more than half of their nation for it.

How many hockey players do you think are opposed to right wing view points? I am going to say the vast majority would vote Republican or Conservative if an election was held today.

Although I do think the majority of them do not care and will never take a stand either way, to try not to anger people. Which seems to have not worked in this case.

[Sofa GM]

Staples coming to Mavi’s rescue today. Cringey…..