US 4 Canada 1
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The bolded comment is really off. There isn't one player from the BCHL or "Academies" that is of the caliber needed for this team.
You are clearly confusing the impact the BCHL has had on the CJHL, and not the CHL. The CJHL and CHL are two very different caliber leagues within Hockey Canada. The "CJHL" are leagues that have been called Tier 2 Junior or Minor Junior at times....leagues like the AJHL in Alberta, the OJHL in Toronto and surrounding, the CCHL in Eastern Ontario", the BCHL until a few years ago. Those leagues, AJHL, the OJHL, the CCHL have all been hurt fairly badly by the BCHL and their split / "barring" from Hockey Canada. The BCHL can now sign talent from any team in the CJHL, and they have been the best feeder league to the NCAA for this level of league for a while. So the leagues like the CCHL have less players now going to the NCAA than before. The Academies have also hurt the CJHL as a feeder program to the NCAA.
The BCHL is nowhere near as good as the CHL. They are clearly above the CJHL which they were once part of before they separated from Hockey Canada.
One only needs to look at draft results to see how silly it is to claim that the BCHL is better than the CHL.
In 2024 there were 33 players picked from the CHL, before the first player was picked from the BCHL (Logan Sawyer at #78)
For 2025, 35 players from the CHL are projected as candidates for the 1st-3rd round per the Central Scouting Bureau -- none from the BCHL.
NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary players to watch list | NHL.com
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I saw a tweet yesterday that in terms of NHL first round draft picks "eligible" for this tournament, Canada was still way ahead. Now this number does include Beard and Celebrini.
Canada - 20 (maybe 23 if I remember correctly)
USA - 8 or 9
Other countries were around 4-6 if I remember correctly.
Canada still has the most talent, but other teams are putting together competitive squads with (1st, 2nd, 3rd rounders) that can make it work in short tournament.
Ultimately I don't think its a talent issue. If I rank them for this one.
1) Selection was weak.
2) Coaching was weak.
3) Players didn't play well / execute a system well. They were undisciplined.
I do think other countries have been better at executing and committing to a system in a short tournament than Canada has. Part of this is European influence, where they are often better system players..
Canada - 20 (maybe 23 if I remember correctly)
USA - 8 or 9
Other countries were around 4-6 if I remember correctly.
Canada still has the most talent, but other teams are putting together competitive squads with (1st, 2nd, 3rd rounders) that can make it work in short tournament.
Ultimately I don't think its a talent issue. If I rank them for this one.
1) Selection was weak.
2) Coaching was weak.
3) Players didn't play well / execute a system well. They were undisciplined.
I do think other countries have been better at executing and committing to a system in a short tournament than Canada has. Part of this is European influence, where they are often better system players..
Updated standings prior to the gold medal game:
3. CZE
4. SWE
5. CAN
6. SVK
7. LAT
8. SUI
9. GER
10. KAZ
2026 pools:
A: US/FIN, SWE, CAN, SUI, GER
B: US/FIN, CZE, SVK, LAT, Denmark --> moving back up to replace relegated KAZ
A= 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 B= 2, 3, 6, 7, 10
3. CZE
4. SWE
5. CAN
6. SVK
7. LAT
8. SUI
9. GER
10. KAZ
2026 pools:
A: US/FIN, SWE, CAN, SUI, GER
B: US/FIN, CZE, SVK, LAT, Denmark --> moving back up to replace relegated KAZ
A= 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 B= 2, 3, 6, 7, 10
Not having Russia in the tournament really changes the dynamic. Unfortunately lost opportunities for Canada to capitalize and rack up more golds (US doing that).
Team Canada is breathing a sigh of relief that Latvia isn't in their division next year, lol. Should be interesting with Sweden and US though.
Team Canada is breathing a sigh of relief that Latvia isn't in their division next year, lol. Should be interesting with Sweden and US though.
Becomming is correct:
Data Dump: The rise of US NHL players - Sound Of Hockey
The US hockey players continue to make up a larger and larger percentage of the NHL players in the league. Here is a deep dive on the topic.
soundofhockey.com
1: Hockey is a wealth-driven sport. More rich guys in the US.
1a: Look at the rise of 2nd generation talent in the NHL: These guys have the money, the connections, and the genetics to make it happen. More NHL-ers stay in the US, more 2nd gen talent will come out of the US.
2: The HockeyUSA development system is better.
3: Pro teams are invested in development: Southern US teams run their minor hockey programs, make it cheap, and give you access to pro level development right from the get-go.
4: NCAA hockey is way ahead of the CHL.
5 years. Those lines are going to cross.
Statistics prove you wrong. The US is ranked 6th in men's hockey; Canada remains Number 1. The US does not dominate hockey; they got lucky.
Exactly. Canada is ranked first in men's hockey by the IIHF; the US is ranked 6th. https://www.iihf.com/en/worldranking
Also, I couldn't find the article, but I remember an analyst a few years back pointing out that when you look at the Top 50 points leaders in the NHL by birthplace, the Americans were punching far below their weight. They have the largest pool of players after Canada, but few of those players are proving to be superstars.
I mean, Mike Modano is probably the greatest US player of all time. At best, Modano would have been on a third line on a Canadian Olympic team.
As to point 4, I imagine that there are older and more physically mature players in the college ranks.
There are no 16 year-olds playing NCAA.
