It’s the first year NHL players will be competing at the Olympics since the 2014 Winter Olympics. While this will undoubtedly increase the competition and game play between all countries, the gold medal game will come down to Canada versus the United States. Team USA may be powerful, but in the end, they will once again fall to Canada.
The last time NHL players were in the Olympics, the U.S. didn’t even medal in the men's category; instead, the team lost in the bronze medal game to Finland. Although the U.S. has a lot of talent now that couldn’t compete anddidn’t get selected back in 2014, the talent won’t change the fact that they are going to lose.
Canada is the most dominant country when it comes to hockey. Hockey is known as a Canadian sport; the country holds the most Olympic medals in the sport, with 23 total, 14 of them gold. The country has also won 49 Stanley Cups since 1918, despite having only seven teams in the NHL. They are truly dominant in hockey; however, Team USA has rising stars in the NHL, and prospects competing in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.
Hockey in the U.S. is growing; there’s no doubt. There is, however, doubt about the team that Bill Guerin and his coaching staff put together for the Games.
Again, there are some heavy hitters on the roster that you 100% can’t leave out, like Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes. Hughes is a James Norris Memorial Trophy-winning defenseman, a high-scoring defender and is known for his ability to stay on the ice longer due to stamina and skill. He is the perfect mirror to Canada’s Cale Makar; however, the roster could go without Matthew Tkachuk. The Florida Panthers forward is just coming back from injury and only played 10 games this season in the NHL so far.
In no way are any of the Team USA players unworthy of seeing Olympic ice, but the team focused more on filling so-called “roles” than putting the best American players on ice. Looking at the highest-scoring American players this year, there are four out of the top 10 not on the Team USA roster. Most notably, Jason Robertson, second in points for Americans this season, was left out of the roster.
Of course, not every player within the list of top 20 for scoring can be on the roster, but Robertson's absence is a big one, not surprising considering how similar the Olympic roster is to the 4 Nations Face-Off roster last year.
At the 4 Nations game, Team USA lost in the final game against Canada. Only three players on this Olympic roster didn’t compete in the 4 Nations Face-Off last year. Not changing more of the roster after the loss to Canada could be a sign that we are in for a repeat of the game last year.
Team USA does have the advantage in goaltending once again. Unfortunately, that means nothing when you are playing against the best of the best like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.
The Olympics are best on best play, and while on all rosters, there are some serious missed opportunities; from my perspective, the United States didn’t build a roster that is strong enough to defeat Canada.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
