Which I think you can attribute to the fact that other countries are producing as much or better talent then they have before. The USA especially, are starting to tap into all the untouched athletes they’ve gained from the rise of hockey in non-traditional states. Making their whole program better as a whole. Naturally having more access to these athletes has allowed them to uncover players they didn’t have even 10 years ago.
The fact of the matter is, every year there is 5 teams that can win gold in any given WJC. Only 4 can make the Semi-Finals. Canada not making it every year really isn’t a big deal, countries are going to have ups and downs. They maybe lost to the Gold Medal winner, this isn’t some kind of epidemic.
As much fun as it was watching Canada steam roll teams at this event for years, it wasn’t a good product. The hockey is better than ever before and I don’t really get why people can’t just accept that. Canada isn’t entitled to a gold medal, the fact they aren’t speaks volumes more to how far the other countries programs have come, then it does the fact that Hockey Canada’s is failing.