"We thrive under pressure" Canada remains the big brother when it comes to hockey

BOSTON, Massachusetts – On a Thursday evening in mid-February, the title for hockey supremacy was up for grabs. Canada has held that mantle for, well, forever. And they retained it, even if it was by the skin of their teeth.

Team USA took Canada all the way to overtime despite losing Matthew Tkachuk early in the game. Despite not having Quinn Hughes or Charlie McAvoy. Sure, Canada was missing players as well, but not quite to that level.

Despite that, it was as close a game as you could ever ask for on a massive stage.

But, before this all began, no one really knew whether the 4 Nations Face Off was going to be more gimmick than gladiator. That is, no one but the players themselves.

“I was thinking to myself laying in bed the night before the (first) game,” Brandon Hagel told reporters. 'If this is going to be like an all-star type of thing then I'm going to be so out of place because I'm putting my head through a wall tomorrow.' That was my mentality."

We can thank those players for playing with an intensity seldom seen in professional sport. We can thank the geo-political situation for amplifying it to millions of people who don’t normally consume hockey content. We can thank the NHL for finally giving the people a best-on-best.

But now that’s it’s over. What does it mean for Canada?

Canada’s population stands at 40 million people. Give or take. The United States of America is home to around 350 million. Nearly nine times larger. And yet, when it comes to youth hockey players, each nation produces around half a million kids playing the game each year.

So while the US theoretically has a much larger pool to draw from, the actual figures have these two countries similarly matched.

The same could be said of the teams here at the 4 Nations Face Off. These two teams could have played 100 straight games and it might have ended up 50-50. A true coin toss. Instead of playing 100 times, they played each other twice and split the series.

It just seems like Canada, at the very highest level, has the aura needed to find a way.

“The good thing about Team Canada and the pressure on this team is that we thrive under pressure.” Drew Doughty stated. “And we delivered.’’

But there is no doubt that the hockey world has caught up to Canada. Once a heavy favourite in every international competition, now they're one of a few that could end up on top. The Americans, especially, have closed the gap; if there even is a gap left.

American stars are starting to win major NHL awards such as the Hart, Norris, and Vezina trophies. Team USA has won the last two U20 World Junior Championships while Team Canada has failed to get out of the quarter finals in back-to-back years. 

Even in defeat, the impact was made on the American population. While we likely won't see an entire generation of players born from this like we saw after USA shocked the world and won gold at the 1980 Olympics, inspiration has been made. And the grass-roots growth is shifting America's favour. 

In order for Canada to maintain it's lofty spot at the top, the infusion of young talent needs to continue. Which is why it is so imperative for the junior national team to sort itself out. 

Hockey Canada recently announced that they would be hiring a full-time general manager for the Program of Excellence, which includes overseeing the World Junior team. They will also be hiring a full-time vice president of hockey operations. 

These are positive steps, and something the national team could consider as well. They wouldn’t be the first country to do so. This year, Sweden was led by Josef Boumedienne. His entire job this year was to focus on creating and running Sweden’s 4 Nation’s team. Ditto for Jere Lehtinen and Finland

But for now, celebrations and pride can reign supreme. In the shadows of a geo-political firestorm, the Canadians found a way to win the final game. They won it for each other, but also for the entire nation.

“I just hope Canada is proud, because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian,’’ head coach Jon Cooper began. “Did we need a win? Not only our team, but Canada needed a win. The players (put) that on their shoulders and they took it seriously. This one was different. This wasn’t a win for themselves. This was a win for 40-plus million people, and the guys knew it, and they delivered.”

Only 349 days until the 2026 Olympics. We can’t wait.