Olympics: Team Canada 2026

[ORRFForever]

Canada will enter the 2026 Olympics as the favourite, just as they've entered every best on best tournament in history (Canada has won 73% of them all time, no other country has won more than one).

Some of this talk of the US somehow being favourites is such a laughable notion. A country with not a single gold medal or any sort of win at the men’s level since 1996 is not a favourite. Especially coming off a tournament where their brightest players like Matthews and Eichel combined for 0 goals.

The title of favourite is bestowed upon those who earn it, with proven results as its prerequisite.

Canada will be a SLIGHT favourite but the U.S. is due and this is the best U.S. team in 30 years - they will pumping up the 30 year anniversary.

On the plus side, the U.S.'s best players are a physical mess....

Matthews skates like he's an OLD man and his shot has gone to <bleep> - and I'm a Leafs fan.

Matthew Tkachuk is hurt !

Jack Hughes just wrecked his should yet again.

Dylan Larkin got called out by a Detroit teammate because the team felt he wasn't the same after the 4 Nation's Cup.

Eichel has had terrible back issues in the past.

The way Brady throws himself around, I would not be surprised if he is next.

If those players are hurting, the edge goes to Canada with our depth - and hopefully our good health.

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With the large number of teams and the IIHF rules, a million things can happen at the Olympics.

 

[HairyKneel]

A slight favorite. Good one. Canada has clobbered the US in best on best for decades. Pull your head out.

 

[HairyKneel]

My prediction one year out: the US will not advance to the gold medal game

The Americans won one tournament on a high stick goal by a dude that grew up on the North Shore. I think Jeff Healy picked Canada's roster. Cujo in goal...... lol

 

[centipede2233]

They left it on the ice against Canada. I've never seen a team want it so bad.

Team USA went too hard in the meaningless round robin game

 

[HairyKneel]

Team USA went too hard in the meaningless round robin game

USA isn't there yet. One day .... maybe. They bark big though.

 

[Mathieukferland]

USA isn't there yet. One day .... maybe. They bark big though.

I would say the opposite, it’s the best team they’ve ever had right now. I would be concerned though from their perspective that with their best team ever they were unable to get it over the line against the the weakest Canada team I’ve seen in my lifetime

 

[JackSlater]

Team USA went too hard in the meaningless round robin game

Charlie McAvoy crying and talking about what they accomplished in Montreal before the championship game sort of implies that, yeah. I don't think that USA has a particularly good mentality at the top level (I think they felt entitled to win, at least the Tkachuks based on their actions and comments "it's like a storybook" etc.) but talent can overcome that. Still a very dangerous team, could be more dangerous with the players at their disposal though.

I would say the opposite, it’s the best team they’ve ever had right now. I would be concerned though from their perspective that with their best team ever they were unable to get it over the line against the the weakest Canada team I’ve seen in my lifetime

Yeah, there is way too much talk about USA in my opinion. It's the single biggest threat to Canada but nowhere near a situation where you'd take USA over the field or something. Even the talk of USA imminently passing Canada seems very far fetched to me. Canada is at a low point, USA is at its highest ever point, and the teams are pretty even. Canada doesn't need to reach a new level, just get back to where it has been several times (2010s, early 1990s, late 1970s, early 1960s etc.) and it would have a much better team than USA currently has. Several countries are a threat right now, it's good for competitiveness but there is a lot of hyperbole.

The main focus for Canada needs to be on getting a consistently elite goaltender (or more ideally) and having a good number of the top prospects actually hit and fulfil their potential.