Brandon Hagel starts a group chat

[TheGreenTBer]

Honestly could see it affecting the Leafs and I’m not only saying that because I hate them

You're making the assumption any of them seriously care in the first place

 

[Sasha Orlov]

You're making the assumption any of them seriously care in the first place

Also a really good point, thanks

 

[RedHawkDown]

They are going to overtake us someday, sadly. Even though it’s not considered a top two or three sport in the states, the sheer number of residents all but ensure that it will happen.

But for now, we can continue to enjoy being at the top and be proud of the hard fought victory. Hopefully it continues into the Olympics.

I don't think that is a given. Maybe many years from now, but in the next few years not really. Right now in recent drafts you've got Bedard, Celebrini, Fantilli, whereas the US has essentially just Smith as a top-end talent (you could argue for Perrault and Leonard). This year, you've got Schaefer/Martone/Misa and then just Hagens. Next year, you've got McKenna who is at that Bedard level as a prospect, and nobody really from the US program as of yet. Canadian hockey is still thriving. There was a run of very good talent from the US but we haven't had guys like the Hughes brothers or Matthews come through in a number of years now.

You're also going to see the children of 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants start to come up the ranks playing high-level hockey in Canada, whereas it will always be a relatively unpopular sport in the US, in large part because of weather.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

USA hockey will never overtake Canada until hockey becomes a sport Americans actually care about.

America has a massive, freakish athletic pool but 99.9% of those athletes are playing football, basketball, track and field, etc.

 

[ahmedou]

Hagel be like:

 

[Bobby9]

Whos KK?

 

[Avsfan1921]

I don't think that is a given. Maybe many years from now, but in the next few years not really. Right now in recent drafts you've got Bedard, Celebrini, Fantilli, whereas the US has essentially just Smith as a top-end talent (you could argue for Perrault and Leonard). This year, you've got Schaefer/Martone/Misa and then just Hagens. Next year, you've got McKenna who is at that Bedard level as a prospect, and nobody really from the US program as of yet. Canadian hockey is still thriving. There was a run of very good talent from the US but we haven't had guys like the Hughes brothers or Matthews come through in a number of years now.

You're also going to see the children of 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants start to come up the ranks playing high-level hockey in Canada, whereas it will always be a relatively unpopular sport in the US, in large part because of weather.

I agree that it may not be right away. But they are already close to, if not on par.

 

[RedHawkDown]

I agree that it may not be right away. But they are already close to, if not on par.

I think they have had a recent surge. But given the recent talent both countries have put out (last 3-4 years), and what the horizon is looking like over the next 2-3 years, I can see the pendulum swinging the other way again quickly.

Bedard, McKenna, Celebrini to add to McDavid/MacKinnon is no joke.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

For all the trash being talked on the US program right now, they’ve made the final in 3 of the last 5 best on best tournaments. In the last two of those, they fell short of gold by two OT goals scored by generational players. We’ve gone from Canada being a stand-alone dominant force to edging out wins by the smallest margin possible. That most certainly is a changing of the guard compared to where we were 20 years ago, of course Americans are going to talk about it.

True, but the bottom line is that a little humility goes a long way. If Russia is allowed to play in the next Olympics we should see some exceptional hockey and it's anyone's tournament.

 

[BB79]

Whos KK?

Probably Justin Bieber's alias

 

[tarheelhockey]

True, but the bottom line is that a little humility goes a long way.

Ironic

 

[elmaco]

Whos KK?

I'd guess MacK.

 

[Banjo Cat]

True, but the bottom line is that a little humility goes a long way.

Well, it's not like all our fellow Canadians are being humble, either. I mean I wouldn't fault the team with that, but that was a very close game.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

Looking forward to Florida/Tampa in the playoffs

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Well, it's not like all our fellow Canadians are being humble, either. I mean I wouldn't fault the team with that, but that was a very close game.

Oh 100%, I meant the players more-so than the fans. We've seen the worst of both countries fans in this tournament.

 

[notsocommonsense]

They are going to overtake us someday, sadly. Even though it’s not considered a top two or three sport in the states, the sheer number of residents all but ensure that it will happen.

But for now, we can continue to enjoy being at the top and be proud of the hard fought victory. Hopefully it continues into the Olympics.

I don’t necessarily disagree. I will point out that I’ve been hearing this for 30 years and counting now.

 

[Sky04]

USA hockey will never overtake Canada until hockey becomes a sport Americans actually care about.

America has a massive, freakish athletic pool but 99.9% of those athletes are playing football, basketball, track and field, etc.

You talk like Athletes don't go into the sport they'd be most successful in, this is such a dumb take lmao.

Yeah bro a 6'6 D1 basketball player would be equally good at hockey, yep.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

You talk like Athletes don't go into the sport they'd be most successful in, this is such a dumb take lmao.

Yeah bro a 6'6 D1 basketball player would be equally good at hockey, yep.

While there are instances of what you are saying happening.

There are many more in the USA where you see these freak athletes that are really good at a handful of different sports go one direction. And that direction is normally towards football, basketball, or baseball.

If hockey does ever pick up in popularity down here, (the pay would have to also because it’s very behind those leagues above), you may see these kids that are freak athletes choose a hockey over the other ones.

But I think that is really far away in the USA for the reasons I stated. These kids aren’t growing up playing/watching hockey, it’s much less of a financial burden to play those other sports listed, and pay all come into the conversation.

As it is today, you hear about professional athletes being all state in basketball, football, and baseball. If this country can ever get to flipping one of those for hockey, that’s when the USA will propel itself forward play wise.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Also, hockey is such a different animal comparative to the rest of the sports above.

You start young in hockey. Getting into various clubs, and then leagues in Canada or programs here in the states.

That shit is no joke time wise and typically is a grind year long. You can’t just waltz yourself onto a high school program and expect that’s enough.

It plays well in Canada because you guys don’t give a shit about baseball or football. It’s basically hockey all year round, soccer, or basketball. But predominately hockey. So just like we have the majority of our most athletic individuals gravitating towards football/basketball/baseball, Canada would have theirs gravitating towards hockey (first and foremost) and then soccer/basketball as a backup.

 

[WPGDEVILS]

While there are instances of what you are saying happening.

There are many more in the USA where you see these freak athletes that are really good at a handful of different sports go one direction. And that direction is normally towards football, basketball, or baseball.

If hockey does ever pick up in popularity down here, (the pay would have to also because it’s very behind those leagues above), you may see these kids that are freak athletes choose a hockey over the other ones.

But I think that is really far away in the USA for the reasons I stated. These kids aren’t growing up playing/watching hockey, it’s much less of a financial burden to play those other sports listed, and pay all come into the conversation.

As it is today, you hear about professional athletes being all state in basketball, football, and baseball. If this country can ever get to flipping one of those for hockey, that’s when the USA will propel itself forward play wise.

Is that even the case where the USA has all the best players? Other then football America does not have the best players in their own sport

Baseball the best player is from Japan

Basketball all the MVP candidates are from everywhere but the USA. Not to mention the best prospects and young player/future face of the league is from France

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Is that even the case where the USA has all the best players? Other then football America does not have the best players in there own sport

Baseball the best player is from Japan

Basketball all the MVP candidates are from everywhere but the USA. Not to mention the best prospects and young player/future face of the league is from France

I don’t understand how you got this from what I wrote but okay.

But yes, it is much easier for there to be more variance in where the best players come from in the world when the sport is that much more popular.

Just ridiculous to even bring up basketball when LeBron had been the best for like a 20 year span. But I guess that is opinionated.

I never implied the USA has all the best players. But is my opinion, that secondary sports (in this country not knocking hockey as a whole) do not see the quality of athletes that the rest of the mainline sports do.

 

[WPGDEVILS]

While there are instances of what you are saying happening.

There are many more in the USA where you see these freak athletes that are really good at a handful of different sports go one direction. And that direction is normally towards football, basketball, or baseball.

If hockey does ever pick up in popularity down here, (the pay would have to also because it’s very behind those leagues above), you may see these kids that are freak athletes choose a hockey over the other ones.

But I think that is really far away in the USA for the reasons I stated. These kids aren’t growing up playing/watching hockey, it’s much less of a financial burden to play those other sports listed, and pay all come into the conversation.

As it is today, you hear about professional athletes being all state in basketball, football, and baseball. If this country can ever get to flipping one of those for hockey, that’s when the USA will propel itself forward play wise.

I just don’t think the genetic freaks who genuinely can play any sport at a high level like Mahomes for baseball and football would translate to hockey. There’s not really a crossover.

Look at Canada and our 5th sport as some might say and we have the best player in the world and front runner for the NBA MVP.

The skills, size, and athletics don’t carry over to hockey as well as the athletes who play are very demographic based. The Deep South will probably never contribute many NHL players

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

I just don’t think the genetic freaks who genuinely can play any sport at a high level like Mahomes for baseball and football would translate to hockey. There’s not really a crossover.

Look at Canada and our 5th sport as some might say and we have the best player in the world and front runner for the NBA MVP.

The skills, size, and athletics don’t carry over to hockey as well as the athletes who play are very demographic based. The Deep South will probably never contribute many NHL players

It’s not about the color of their skin. It’s about their god given athletic ability.

A person who ends up being all state in football, basketball, and baseball at the age of 18, it’s all hypothetical but they would probably easily transfer that athletic ability over to the sport of hockey as well.

The key point there is if they started when all those other sports began at a young age. And that is where the issue arises. Hockey is not popular enough in the US for that hypothetical to come into play as of yet.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I don’t necessarily disagree. I will point out that I’ve been hearing this for 30 years and counting now.

It's been a long term trend for about that long. Not going to happen overnight.

 

[Zirakzigil]

It's been a long term trend for about that long. Not going to happen overnight.
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End of the day though you need your best athletes in the sport to create the best players. Hockey will never be #1 in the USA. That really lowers the odds of the next McDavid coming out of the USA verse Canada where hockey is #1.