Is USA hockey's window smaller than we think ?

[Brookbank]

Canada has prime McDavid now, Bedard, Celebrini, McKenna in 2026 and Dupont in 2027.

Who does the US have coming up ?

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[Honour Over Glory]

To me coaching makes all the difference. Cooper didn't spread the minutes in one game and adjusted and fixed it. Sullivan is entirely incapable of this even with a stacked roster.

Sullivan is the coach for the Olympics too, so I don't expect jack shit out of him there, especially with Sweden and Finland getting more depth with Euro leagues and the addition of Czechia etc.

I'd say the US isn't even worth wasting time discussing until they can figure out how to pick a proper coach.

 

[JoeSakic13]

I’m not like team USA sent out a bunch of geriatrics.

Canada has a prime McDavid and MacKinnon, but USA has the Tkachuks and Hughes who will be a key part of their roster for years. Not to mention the U.S. has won the last 2 World Juniors.

I think they’ll be just fine.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Next year is definitely this generation of Americans time, they will all be smack in the middle of their prime and 2030 you may start to see some decline. That said the Americans are producing enough talent at this point that they are never going to be bad again imo they will always be competing for Golds.

 

[Half Clapper]

I’m not like team USA sent out a bunch of geriatrics.

Canada has a prime McDavid and MacKinnon, but USA has the Tkachuks and Hughes who will be a key part of their roster for years. Not to mention the U.S. has won the last 2 World Juniors.

I think they’ll be just fine.

Hughes was invincible in that four nations tourney...

 

[BB88]

-23 Smith& Leonard were drafted high and neither of them are yet making an impact for team USA
-22 Cooley& Gauthier were drafted high end neither of them are making an impact yet

Now add all the Hughes brothers, Matthews, Tkachuks, especially Brady, McAvoy, Fox etc who are well under 30 and USA is going nowhere

Canada on the other hand had lot of players well into their 30’s on this roster or around 30. They were battle tested so to speak and USA is few years away from having that experience as well

 

[Dion TheFluff]

-23 Smith& Leonard were drafted high and neither of them are yet making an impact for team USA
-22 Cooley& Gauthier were drafted high end neither of them are making an impact yet

Now add all the Hughes brothers, Matthews, Tkachuks, especially Brady, McAvoy, Fox etc who are well under 30 and USA is going nowhere

Canada on the other hand had lot of players well into their 30’s on this roster or around 30. They were battle tested so to speak and USA is few years away from having that experience as well

States also have some excellent young goalies (Oettinger, Swayman, Wolf) where as Canada has...

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

States also have some excellent young goalies (Oettinger, Swayman, Wolf) where as Canada has...

Funny you include Wolf but don't mention Logan Thompson. Blackwood is also having quite a season.

I mean, cup winning Binnington just showed you can't discount that type of cup experience either. Hill also won a cup. Oettinger got lit up by McDavid in the WCF, so it's not like goaltending is this huge advantage.

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Series is tied 1-1 imo.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Series is tied 1-1 imo.

Cope

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Cope

I’m fine with Canada beating them when it mattered most. Still doesn’t change the fact that they both won a game.

US also won the juniors this year when Canada didn’t even metal. Future of US hockey is on point.

 

[Mathieukferland]

I would say this group needs to take advantage of having either the best or second best talent pool until 2030 and win tournaments, after that I think they’ll go back to being third or fourth best, not to say they can’t win, but it would get harder. For one reason or another the NTDP has failed to produce a real "match winner" since Hughes even if they produce a lot of good depth and their youth teams play well due to the chemistry

 

[HawksDub89]

The window is open for a long time.

There’s talent in the pipeline that hasn’t even made the roster yet. (Leonard, Smith, Hagens, Cooley, Keller)

Canada isn’t going anywhere, but the US is here to stay as far as being a contender at every tournament.

I do think the trend of Canada having more high end talent will continue. (Celebrini/Bedard/McKenna)

But I think the US has more depth on D and at goalie. And more than enough forward talent.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

US has good talent coming that will keep them competitive.

Canada has elite talent that will likely keep them as the top dog for the foreseeable future.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Canada definitely has some serious high-end talent coming through the pipeline.

But the Americans will continue to be good in the coming decade too. Lots of young talent and there are good prospects coming through.

I see some evenly contested blockbuster games coming up between these teams in 2026, 2028, and 2030.

 

[Fatass]

The best athletes in Canada want to be hockey players. That’s not the case in the US.

 

[nucks88]

The best athletes in Canada want to be hockey players. That’s not the case in the US.

This is wrong, more and more are turning to soccer and basketball because of changing demographics and cost....and we are seeing more Canadians excelling in both....maybe the US should start worrying about that?

 

[Fatass]

This is wrong, more and more are turning to soccer and basketball because of changing demographics and cost....and we are seeing more Canadians excelling in both....maybe the US should start worrying about that?

Hockey will always be king in Canada. The best athletes focus on hockey. Of course they play soccer and baseball and lacrosse and golf. They are athletes who can be good at lots of sports. But the very best focus on hockey. It’s why Canada always has the super elite players. The US super elite athletes focus on other sports first.

 

[mogs]

Series is tied 1-1 imo.

Do you say the same about the 2010 Olympics? Tournaments aren't playoff series you know.

 

[waitin425]

It's all the #1 overall picks that set us apart. There is a reason for that. 2018 would have probably been our best team ever with prime Stamkos, Tavares, McDavid, MacKinnon, Crosby, Price.

6 of the top 10 players in the world at that time.

Moving forward we need the #1 guys to hit. Bedard, Celebrini, Schaefer, McKenna, Dupont and Schultz. If those 6 all become the clear best players from their draft years....Canada is set into the 2030s

 

[Banjo Cat]

They won the last couple world juniors and this tourney was pretty close. I am sure USA will be ok. It will be interesting to see how other countries develop in the coming years.

 

[Ratsreign]

The best athletes in Canada want to be hockey players. That’s not the case in the US.

And most Canadian kids will always have an advantage in the free ice available over the vast majority of US kids.

 

[Peiskos]

I think it's definitely limited, Canada's future looks incredibly bright. Bedard, Celebrini, Schaefer, McKenna, Dupont and Schultz added to Makar, McDavid, MacKinnon.

USA hockey needs to ask some serious questions, 1996 is getting further and further away and no victory at the mens level is serious cause for concern imo. This is a real looking in the mirror moment for the US program.

 

[BigBlackCoffee1984]

I'd say both countries are just fine going forward. Let's not forget that Hockey Canada management has made some outrageously bad roster selections for the world juniors. If they clear out the staff that made those big brain moves, they'll be just fine. Canada does have to start developing goalies again though, it's a bit concerning.

 

[Ratsreign]

I would say it being Canada's national sport is the main advantage.

No doubt about that. But, a big part of it being their national sport is because their homeland is the Great White North. All can go skate outside, and play hockey all day long. What a country!!