Canada's Golden Era

[habsrule4eva3089]

After witnessing the end of an era with Spanish Football exiting the World Cup and their 6 year reign which included 2 Euro's and a World Cup now over, made me compare with the current situation in World Hockey with the present Canadian generation and their victories in 2 straight Olympics.

This generation of elite talent that Canada has from the 1985-87 age group might never be matched again, and if this generation for Canada were to win in Pyeongchang 2018, that would make it 4 victories out of the past 5 Olympics for the Canadians.

Now HYPOTHETICALLY if that were the case, how would this Golden Era compare to the past generation of Canadian dominance from 1920-1952 and the Soviets dominance from 1964-1992?

In which order would you rank those 3?

And for goodness sakes don't bring up any World Cup, World Championship, World Junior talk, just compare what they were able to do at the Olympics.

My ranking,

1) Soviets 1964-1992
2) Canada 2002-2018
3) Canada 1920-1952

Click to read more...

 

[Get North]

I think you nailed it right, the 1920-1952 wasn't as dominant than the Canada team as of today IMO, they didn't shut out the other team in the finals. We are seeing the best Canadian teams in the last couple of Olympics especially the one 5 months ago that shut out the 2nd best team and scored 3 goals. I think Canada will be even better in 2018 and run away with being the best hockey nation in the world.

 

[Macman]

After witnessing the end of an era with Spanish Football exiting the World Cup and their 6 year reign which included 2 Euro's and a World Cup now over, made me compare with the current situation in World Hockey with the present Canadian generation and their victories in 2 straight Olympics.

This generation of elite talent that Canada has from the 1985-87 age group might never be matched again, and if this generation for Canada were to win in Pyeongchang 2018, that would make it 4 victories out of the past 5 Olympics for the Canadians.

Now HYPOTHETICALLY if that were the case, how would this Golden Era compare to the past generation of Canadian dominance from 1920-1952 and the Soviets dominance from 1964-1992?

In which order would you rank those 3?

And for goodness sakes don't bring up any World Cup, World Championship, World Junior talk, just compare what they were able to do at the Olympics.

My ranking,

1) Soviets 1964-1992
2) Canada 2002-2018
3) Canada 1920-1952

Canada from 2002 to 2018 is the most dominant. There's more parity now than there's ever been and it's not even close, so to win three out of the last four Olympics when every country is sending their best says it all. Ranking the Soviet run as No. 1 is a joke IMO when you consider the lack of parity at the time, the fact they were always bringing their best, and the IOC ban on North America's best players. It just doesn't pass the smell test.

 

[MTLAzzurri]

Interesting how the Soviet's period of dominance was during a time when Canada and the US couldn't send their best players.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Canada from 2002 to 2018 is the most dominant. There's more parity now than there's ever been and it's not even close, so to win three out of the last four Olympics when every country is sending their best says it all. Ranking the Soviet run as No. 1 is a joke IMO when you consider the lack of parity at the time, the fact they were always bringing their best, and the IOC ban on North America's best players. It just doesn't pass the smell test.

Russia had some great run but then like you said if they aren't getting to face the best competition in the world....

Anyways I think a lot of people nailed the strong points. As a Canadian I am shocked/proud with how we won in Sochi, we typically don't do well on bigger ice.

 

[JackSlater]

After witnessing the end of an era with Spanish Football exiting the World Cup and their 6 year reign which included 2 Euro's and a World Cup now over, made me compare with the current situation in World Hockey with the present Canadian generation and their victories in 2 straight Olympics.

This generation of elite talent that Canada has from the 1985-87 age group might never be matched again, and if this generation for Canada were to win in Pyeongchang 2018, that would make it 4 victories out of the past 5 Olympics for the Canadians.

Now HYPOTHETICALLY if that were the case, how would this Golden Era compare to the past generation of Canadian dominance from 1920-1952 and the Soviets dominance from 1964-1992?

In which order would you rank those 3?

And for goodness sakes don't bring up any World Cup, World Championship, World Junior talk, just compare what they were able to do at the Olympics.

My ranking,

1) Soviets 1964-1992
2) Canada 2002-2018
3) Canada 1920-1952

This is nonsense. Canada 1920-1952 was just collections of Canadian amateurs beating up on the undeveloped opposition from other countries. To compare that to Canada now, when the best players actually participate, is ridiculous. USSR in the 1970s-1980s makes some sense, but the comparison is still not great considering the players missing from the Olympics. There is no way to make a remotely legitimate comparison between any of those three eras.

This is a good Canadian generation, and I think the 1985-1991 years are among the best the Canada has ever produced. I don't know if it matches the generation that played in the late 50s - mid 60s or the late 70s, but it's strong.

 

[Jonimaus]

I think you nailed it right, the 1920-1952 wasn't as dominant than the Canada team as of today IMO, they didn't shut out the other team in the finals. We are seeing the best Canadian teams in the last couple of Olympics especially the one 5 months ago that shut out the 2nd best team and scored 3 goals. I think Canada will be even better in 2018 and run away with being the best hockey nation in the world.

Are the Canadian teams good, or are the others just bad? Beating last olympics Sweden was not much of an accomplishment considering it's probably the worst roster we've iced in a long time for an olympics, and that is before the injury on key players.

 

[Get North]

Are the Canadian teams good, or are the others just bad? Beating last olympics Sweden was not much of an accomplishment considering it's probably the worst roster we've iced in a long time for an olympics, and that is before the injury on key players.

The Canadian team put on the best performance ever IMO. They never played from behind and shutout both Sweden and USA. Sweden was still the 2nd best team in the world or if Sweden wasn't then USA was. It's a big accomplishment when you dominate a best on best.

 

[Jonimaus]

The Canadian team put on the best performance ever IMO. They never played from behind and shutout both Sweden and USA. Sweden was still the 2nd best team in the world or if Sweden wasn't then USA was. It's a big accomplishment when you dominate a best on best.

Against that swedish team you hardly had to put on the best performance ever. This was no Forsberg, Sundin, Lidström team.

Also it's not a big accomplishment unless the other teams are good too.
I'm not saying Canada isn't the best, they are, I'm just saying dominating right now doesn't seem as "hard" as it could be.

 

[Get North]

Against that swedish team you hardly had to put on the best performance ever.

Also it's not a big accomplishment unless the other teams are good too.

I'm talking about the whole tournament, it was dominated from start to finish by Canada.

It was a best on best, doesn't matter if they were good or not I'm just pointing out that Canada had the best performances ever IMO, especially how the forecheck from the opposition got eliminated so quickly by the defense.

 

[Jonimaus]

I'm talking about the whole tournament, it was dominated from start to finish by Canada.

It was a best on best, doesn't matter if they were good or not I'm just pointing out that Canada had the best performances ever IMO, especially how the forecheck from the opposition got eliminated so quickly by the defense.

Well, you obviously don't understand what I'm trying to point out so I'll just leave it at I disagree with you.

 

[Incognito]

Umm, no. Canada from 2002 - 2018 is easily superior to the Soviets of 1964 - 1992.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

Against that swedish team you hardly had to put on the best performance ever. This was no Forsberg, Sundin, Lidström team.

Also it's not a big accomplishment unless the other teams are good too.
I'm not saying Canada isn't the best, they are, I'm just saying dominating right now doesn't seem as "hard" as it could be.

So you're saying the reason it's not a big accomplishment is because of how much better team Canada is than the other teams?

Doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Jonimaus]

So you're saying the reason it's not a big accomplishment is because of how much better team Canada is than the other teams?

Doesn't make much sense to me.

If you're expected to dominate, and dominate, it's not as much of an accomplishment as if you're expected to go even and dominate no. Is that hard to understand?

 

[Get North]

If you're expected to dominate, and dominate, it's not as much of an accomplishment as if you're expected to go even and dominate no. Is that hard to understand?

I didn't expect us to dominate, I didn't expect us to shutout the US and Sweden when in 2010 we went to overtime against the US. I expect us to win. There is a difference, the other teams are good and USA took us to overtime in 2010. This year we dominated.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

I didn't expect us to dominate, I didn't expect us to shutout the US and Sweden when in 2010 we went to overtime against the US. I expect us to win. There is a difference, the other teams are good and USA took us to overtime in 2010. This year we dominated.

Exactly; I don't think I ever expect Canada to dominate against the US, Sweden, Russia, or Finland (and in the past the Czech's). The Olympics are single game knock-outs and anything can happen in just one game.

 

[JackSlater]

Are the Canadian teams good, or are the others just bad? Beating last olympics Sweden was not much of an accomplishment considering it's probably the worst roster we've iced in a long time for an olympics, and that is before the injury on key players.

I can't wait to see many Swedish fans come in here to dispute your claim, since many defend the 1994 Olympic gold medal as a great accomplishment despite putrid opposition.

 

[1Gold Standard]

This is nonsense. Canada 1920-1952 was just collections of Canadian amateurs beating up on the undeveloped opposition from other countries. To compare that to Canada now, when the best players actually participate, is ridiculous. USSR in the 1970s-1980s makes some sense, but the comparison is still not great considering the players missing from the Olympics. There is no way to make a remotely legitimate comparison between any of those three eras.

This is a good Canadian generation, and I think the 1985-1991 years are among the best the Canada has ever produced. I don't know if it matches the generation that played in the late 50s - mid 60s or the late 70s, but it's strong.

Have to agree with you there, Jack. If I were to give any period to the Soviets, thanks to their Canada Cup win in 81, it would be 1979-84. And they rank 2nd. behind Canada 02-14. We'll see what a World Cup brings to extend our "golden era" beyond 2014.

 

[ConnorTO]

Interesting how the Soviet's period of dominance was during a time when Canada and the US couldn't send their best players.

i no

same for the champions before the american dream team

 

[JackSlater]

Have to agree with you there, Jack. If I were to give any period to the Soviets, thanks to their Canada Cup win in 81, it would be 1979-84. And they rank 2nd. behind Canada 02-14. We'll see what a World Cup brings to extend our "golden era" beyond 2014.

I'm not even trying to say anything negative about the USSR teams of that era, as they were tremendous. There just can't be a valid comparison between any of those three eras.

 

[Jonimaus]

I can't wait to see many Swedish fans come in here to dispute your claim, since many defend the 1994 Olympic gold medal as a great accomplishment despite putrid opposition.

You may have to wait a long time then. Too bad you can't.

 

[JackSlater]

You may have to wait a long time then. Too bad you can't.

I'm not particularly interested in disputing you. I agree at the very least that the Swedish team wasn't particularly strong. I just know that Swedish fans generally don't accept that reasoning when it comes to the 1994 Olympics, when the teams were of much lower quality, so it is amusing to see it come from a Swedish poster.

 

[daver]

Against that swedish team you hardly had to put on the best performance ever. This was no Forsberg, Sundin, Lidström team.

Also it's not a big accomplishment unless the other teams are good too.
I'm not saying Canada isn't the best, they are, I'm just saying dominating right now doesn't seem as "hard" as it could be.

There's no reason to think that Canada would not have had the same performance against 2006 OG teams.

 

[canuck2010]

The Soviets have won exactly 1 best on best tournament. None if you are in the minority and don't feel that Canada Cups represented best on best. The Soviets run through that period was based on playing much inferior teams and Canadian teams sponsored by car dealerships and tire companies.

 

[Yakushev72]

Canada from 2002 to 2018 is the most dominant. There's more parity now than there's ever been and it's not even close, so to win three out of the last four Olympics when every country is sending their best says it all. Ranking the Soviet run as No. 1 is a joke IMO when you consider the lack of parity at the time, the fact they were always bringing their best, and the IOC ban on North America's best players. It just doesn't pass the smell test.

I disagree. In fact, there's less parity now than has existed in the past. In the past, specifically the Soviet era, the Canadians had a competitor that was clearly their equal. Prior to 1972, Canada was believed to be in a World by itself. Then in 1972, Canada and the Soviets played an 8-game home and home series that literally ended in the last 34 seconds of the last game, with both teams tied in total goals throughout the series. The same peer equal relationship maintained all the way to 1992, which marked the death of Soviet hockey through starvation. Since 1992, Canada has gone back to being more or less in a World of its own. The remnants of the Soviet and Czechoslovak eras competed for a while, but neither was able to pay for programs at home.

It is insane to compare Canada's two year win streak in the Olympics to Spain's performance on the world scene of football. As much as we love it, hockey is a niche sport that is only played by a few countries in the northern-most regions of the globe. Thus, tiny Finland and Sweden are top-four powers. Spain was a super-team in a world overflowing with football talent and passion from one end of the globe to the other. What Canada accomplished the last two Olympics doesn't even begin to compare with what Spain has done in the World Cup and EC levels. Its only meaningful if its accomplished against tough competition, and the hockey world is empty of it outside Canada. Canadians can't wait for the World Cup because they know, with conditions that strongly favor Canada in every facet and category, its going to be a walkover and a festival for Canadian fans.