GDT: Latvia Vs Canada | 7:30PM | Group A - Canadian Tire Centre

[NyQuil]

It's just round robin games. Which mean nothing since everybody gets into QF. So these round robin games are just a waste of time. If I was on team Canada I wouldn't have bothered. Only when there's something on the line other than bragging rights.

Well, they are supposed to be the games where a thrown-together team gels so that they can play their best hockey in the elimination games.

Clearly this is a wake up call but nothing is over yet obviously.

 

[Crosby2010]

It's just round robin games. Which mean nothing since everybody gets into QF. So these round robin games are just a waste of time. If I was on team Canada I wouldn't have bothered. Only when there's something on the line other than bragging rights.

How about ensuring you win the round robin so that you get the weakest QF match up? That's the point of these things.

 

[NyQuil]

There is plenty of competition. Finland can lose to them. Czechs can lose to them. Canada can't lose to this country. We have to be better than that. We want to be the best hockey nation on earth? Then don't lose to probably the worst team in this tournament. It is that simple. You get up for every game. And if it is 9-0 you keep trying and keep your good habits and if it ends up 14-0 then so be it. Never take your foot off the pedal. This is why Gretzky is the greatest player in NHL history and forever will be. He never took a game or a period off. He never said "Oh well, I had 4 points in the first two periods, I'll just relax now." No, he would have 6 by the end of the game. Canada got cocky.

Gretzky lost at the World Championships.

This whole “Canada can’t lose to anyone” is pretty outdated thinking

The US Junior programme is on par with ours if not better. Europeans routinely win major awards in the NHL and European led teams win the Stanley Cup.

This isn’t the 1940s anymore.

 

[Dingo]

It's just round robin games. Which mean nothing since everybody gets into QF. So these round robin games are just a waste of time. If I was on team Canada I wouldn't have bothered. Only when there's something on the line other than bragging rights.

ya, no point in trying. That's a winner mentality there. DEFINITELY don't try in practices, too, because practices have literally zero effect on standings.

You could tell the happy Canadian players were just thinking about going out and partying with all the happy Canadian fans in the building. Everyone partying, looking ecstatic, thinking about how the Gold Medal game is gonna be in a week......

 

[Knave]

ya, no point in trying. That's a winner mentality there. DEFINITELY don't try in practices, too, because practices have literally zero effect on standings.

You could tell the happy Canadian players were just thinking about going out and partying with all the happy Canadian fans in the building. Everyone partying, looking ecstatic, thinking about how the Gold Medal game is gonna be in a week......

We're too cool to try.

 

[Castle8130]

Whoever had Latvia moneyline can probably purchase the rights to Team Canada now

 

[Crosby2010]

Gretzky lost at the World Championships.

This whole “Canada can’t lose to anyone” is pretty outdated thinking

The US Junior programme is on par with ours if not better. Europeans routinely win major awards in the NHL and European led teams win the Stanley Cup.

This isn’t the 1940s anymore.

We do have the talent to win this thing every year if egos wouldn't be involved. 19 players picked in the 1st round in 2024. Russia is next with 4 and they aren't letting them play. USA follows with 3. Let's not pretend there isn't still an enormous pool of talent to pick from. This shouldn't be our best.

Gretzky won bronze at the Worlds. This is a team that is never Canada's best, nor is it ever intended to be Canada's best. The Soviets won that year in 1982. They did not lose a single game. Canada lost two games, to the Soviets and then to the Czechs. They then beat the Czechs in the medal round but lost again to the Soviets. The only games they lost to were to teams that finished gold and silver. They shockingly tied Italy in the round robin. However, they didn't lose to them. And as I said, this was not on Canadian soil with the best Canadian players. We've always had some gaffes against weak teams in the Worlds. We never send our best because they aren't available. It was still a pretty good team, and Gretzky led the tournament in scoring.

Maybe we should keep the CHL to just Canadian players and stop bringing the Europeans over here like Don Cherry said 30 years ago and was right then as well. We need Americans in there obviously because we go the U.S. College route sometimes. But why do we train other countries to beat us and not train our own?

But regardless, you can't lose to a team like this and say you are the best. There have been close calls and usually Canada pulls it off and dodges a bullet. Even last night a 3-2 win in regulation, or even overtime, and you'd be sweating a bit but you can learn from it. But at least your team has the character to eventually come around and win. This team didn't. Even in the shootout they didn't do it. Ample chances to end the game and they didn't. You can never accept this as a loss and just say "Oh well, it isn't the 1940s." Sure it isn't, but it is the 2020s and Latvia is still a lousy hockey team. You don't lose to this team. Ever. Period. Sweden fine. Finland fine. Czechs fine. Not to a relegated team do you ever do this.

 

[bobber]

Gretzky lost at the World Championships.

This whole “Canada can’t lose to anyone” is pretty outdated thinking

The US Junior programme is on par with ours if not better. Europeans routinely win major awards in the NHL and European led teams win the Stanley Cup.

This isn’t the 1940s anymore.

Very true. Lots of parity at the World Juniors now. Countries with smaller hockey programs play every game like they are in the Gold Metal game. Latvia beat Canada. This was as good as gold for them. Canada finished 5th last year with some of the same players. If the players can't score doesn't matter who is behind the bench. Canadians watching this game all thought it would be a one sided blow out. Looking at the dejected crowd they looked like someone shot their best friend. This is the team they rostered. On to the next game and hope for a better result.

 

[kevsh]

Hopefully this is a wake-up call to the Canadian team that they have to completely change their approach. So undisciplined, the dangling, not finishing, poor PP, the list goes on.

Ideally they wake up today and decide they have to take the rest of this series, and all their opponents seriously. Then they can look back a week from now and remember last night as a valuable lesson that helped propel them to the Gold.

As for Latvia, great for them. Always love to see a major upset in these tournaments knowing that for these young players that will stay with them forever. Just prefer if it's not against Canada...

 

[hockey20000]

beat germany 6 or 7-1 tomorrow and everything will be fine going into new years eve

 

[NyQuil]

beat germany 6 or 7-1 tomorrow and everything will be fine going into new years eve

Every aspect of their game is going to be under the microscope.

 

[Doublechin]

Team Canada used to build powerhouses

The target was always three elite and talent forward lines and one line that can hit and grind but still had the talent to be there

It felt like we're now at 2 top forward talented lines and two grind more lines

 

[admiralcadillac]

How on earth do you come back from this? I am trying to think historically when any nation lost such a demoralizing game and then came back to win the Gold. This is one of those situations that feels just like 2006 in the Olympics when we lost to Switzerland 2-0 and it almost wouldn't have even felt right winning the gold medal after that. This is what this feels like. We can go 5-0 the rest of the tournament, even blank the U.S., and it would still feel weird winning the gold medal. That's literally how bad this loss is. You have a bad loss to Slovakia, the Czechs, etc. You don't lose to a team with two NHL drafted players and one that you beat 10-0 a year ago. It just does wonders for your morale. I am not sure if you can skate back from this. Canada never did in 2006 and that was professionals. What's worse is we possibly lost our best defenseman because he for whatever reason couldn't see a giant goalpost right in front of him.

I had a bad feeling in the 1st period. They were sluggish, they were just sitting back and not pressuring them and they went into the 1st intermission 0-0. All of the sudden a team that assumed they would be trailing by 3-0 or 4-0 by the end of the 1st period had some life. If you told me we would score zero even strength goals in this game I would have laughed at you. PROLINE had Latvia winning this game at 31:1 odds. They didn't even have an option for Canada to win because the odds would have been non-existent. That's how bad this was.

All of the things that concerned me are coming to light now and it starts with Dave Cameron. For 13 years I can't shake off thinking about the collapse in 2011's gold medal game anytime I see his face. And this just drills it home even more. This guy should never have been within a long country mile of being behind another Team Canada bench. If the team is doing drills tomorrow until their hands bleed then Cameron better be doing them with them. What a disgrace. This team is shameful.

They beat Finland 4-0 already lol

 

[stinger94]

Gretzky lost at the World Championships.

This whole “Canada can’t lose to anyone” is pretty outdated thinking

The US Junior programme is on par with ours if not better. Europeans routinely win major awards in the NHL and European led teams win the Stanley Cup.

This isn’t the 1940s anymore.

US NTDP and by proxy their U20 roster is gonna take a pretty big hit over the next 2-3 years (talent-wise) IMO.

Have watched them play a few times now and the embarrassment of riches they’ve had the past few years is gone.

I definitely agree overall the program itself is excellent and produces high pedigree players but the talent in their current U18 is lacking honestly.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

The preamble before these awards is why we are losers

what's the preamble?

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Well that is quite embarrassing by Canada.

 

[NyQuil]

Team Canada used to build powerhouses

The target was always three elite and talent forward lines and one line that can hit and grind but still had the talent to be there

It felt like we're now at 2 top forward talented lines and two grind more lines

I’d expect that “big brain” is trending in Canada right now.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Nah, that's a losers mentality.

Come with the possibility that you might win, not with the expectation that you'll lose. I remember C. Ronaldo called out Iceland at the Euros for the same thing. They celebrated a win in a group stage game and Ronaldo said that's a losers mentality.

What are you going to say, Iceland has accomplished way more than C. Ronaldo ever has? Oh yeah, your personal attacks don't mean much.

The only loser's mentality on display is sour grapes fans like you grasping at straws to try to belittle the team that just utterly embarassed you

 

[Divine]

The only loser's mentality on display is sour grapes fans like you grasping at straws to try to belittle the team that just utterly embarassed you

When is winning in a shootout in a preliminary game while being outshot by over double utterly embarrassing the team?

Latvia won the game, sure, but the hyperbole is getting ridiculous. Latvia didn't win the Gold, and Canada didn't lose the gold after that game. Canada didn't even play their #1 goaltender who is coming off a shutout because they had to play a back to back.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Easton Cowan and the majority of this Canada team is one of the most selfishly glory seeking players I have seen.

Constantly looking off better options to take a meh shot.

 

[hockey20000]

Easton Cowan and the majority of this Canada team is one of the most selfishly glory seeking players I have seen.

Constantly looking off better options to take a meh shot.

he had a bad try in the shootout but can we cut the nonsense jesus just cause he's a leaf

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

When is winning in a shootout in a preliminary game while being outshot by over double utterly embarrassing the team?

Latvia won the game, sure, but the hyperbole is getting ridiculous. Latvia didn't win the Gold, and Canada didn't lose the gold after that game. Canada didn't even play their #1 goaltender who is coming off a shutout because they had to play a back to back.

Simply being in a shootout against that team is embarrassing. If I'm a USA or Sweden I'm not so worried about Canada, especially Canada's special teams.

 

[Divine]

Simply being in a shootout against that team is embarrassing. If I'm a USA or Sweden I'm not so worried about Canada, especially Canada's special teams.

Sure, but is Canada playing their backup goalie against those teams? I doubt it.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Simply being in a shootout against that team is embarrassing. If I'm a USA or Sweden I'm not so worried about Canada, especially Canada's special teams.

I can assure you the US and Sweden are still going to take Canada seriously. Really good way to lose to Canada if you don't. I mean Canada beat Sweden in pre tournament as well. It is obviously an awful lose but people are getting a little out of hand at the same time.

 

[57special]

Why are there Canadians happy for another country? Man, we are getting soft. At least back in the day Phil Esposito admits he could have killed one of the Soviets in 1972 just to win. No Canadian ought to be happy with what they saw. If anything I'd force them to watch the Latvians celebrate every day for the rest of the tournament to teach them a lesson. Not to be happy for them.


Who is Cameron related to with Hockey Canada? Why do we keep picking losers? He was not a good NHL player, he was not a good NHL coach. He authored the biggest choke job in WJC history. Why on earth was he invited to coach again? Did he save Bob Nicholson's child from drowning or something back in the day and he's being compensated for it? Old boys club.

You need a lesson in 1970's geopolitics if you are equating the Soviet Union with tiny little Latvia. In any event, I would argue that sports are one of the few activities that hostile nations can meet at, and possibly learn to appreciate each other a little bit.

I didn't think that Canada was that bad. Latvia played a really good game, and their goalie was flawless. Was kind of surprised at the lack of skill shown by the Canadians in the shootout, and their PP could've been better. Latvia took a couple of dumb penalties that left the door open for Canada, but Latvia was really good at clogging up the middle and clearing what few rebounds there were.

Sure, but is Canada playing their backup goalie against those teams? I doubt it.

I thought the CAN goaltender was fine. Two PP goals, and he stopped 7 SO attempts.