Here are my thoughts.
1. The tournament format is stupid. Being the top seed does not help because the bye makes that team rusty and not focused, while the US had that extra game that benefited them. Hey they won the Gold Medal.
2. In a tournament like this the top 4 tier teams (Sweden, USA, Canada, Russia) will almost never beat that same team twice in the same tournament, it's rare. For example Canada beat Russia and USA in the round robin but could not beat USA in the semis, nor could they beat the Russians in the bronze medal game. If Canada where to lose a game it should have been in the round robin. Then have a second chance at that team in the semis or medal game, it makes team Canada hungrier.
The USA beat Canada in the semis which I knew would happen because the stats have proven that and add the fact the US had a second chance at Canada made hungrier and they came through.
3. Canada is not sending all the best players to these tournaments. They have to re-look at the selection process. I would put together a more talented, skilled and more disciplined team this year because it was the bad penalties that hurt Canada. Discipline cost them.
4. Ryan Nugent Hopkins was awesome but that's it.
5. New head coach next year who will let them lose a round robin game but make the quarters because the extra game will help them rather than a bye to the semis.
1. The tournament format is stupid. Being the top seed does not help because the bye makes that team rusty and not focused, while the US had that extra game that benefited them. Hey they won the Gold Medal.
2. In a tournament like this the top 4 tier teams (Sweden, USA, Canada, Russia) will almost never beat that same team twice in the same tournament, it's rare. For example Canada beat Russia and USA in the round robin but could not beat USA in the semis, nor could they beat the Russians in the bronze medal game. If Canada where to lose a game it should have been in the round robin. Then have a second chance at that team in the semis or medal game, it makes team Canada hungrier.
The USA beat Canada in the semis which I knew would happen because the stats have proven that and add the fact the US had a second chance at Canada made hungrier and they came through.
3. Canada is not sending all the best players to these tournaments. They have to re-look at the selection process. I would put together a more talented, skilled and more disciplined team this year because it was the bad penalties that hurt Canada. Discipline cost them.
4. Ryan Nugent Hopkins was awesome but that's it.
5. New head coach next year who will let them lose a round robin game but make the quarters because the extra game will help them rather than a bye to the semis.
