Like so much hockey equipment in this country, the jokes about hockey summits are well-worn. Canada loses at hockey; we’ve all seen it, more than once. In a way, losses should make the victories more rewarding, because the game isn’t easy, so the wins should feel earned.
The losses feel earned too, though, and some more than others. On Thursday night in Ottawa, Canada’s world junior team lost 4-3 to Czechia and was eliminated from the world junior hockey championship . It was the first time Canada had failed to advance past quarterfinals of the tournament in back-to-back years, and the first time Canada finished out of the top four in consecutive years since 1981.
Which did result in a summit, back then, which resulted in The Program of Excellence. Which, broadly, worked. In Hockey Canada terms, this is a minor disaster.
This wasn’t a big Russian rink in Ufa; this wasn’t a Finnish barn in Malmo or Helsinki. This was a home game. Canada cares about this tournament the most, so that’s where the money is.
It’s been an advantage, pressure and all. Canada has played 14 tournaments either at home, or in a U.S.
border town, since the golden year of 2005. In those tournaments Canada won seven golds, four silver, and one bronze; the lone exception was 2019 in Vancouver, when Canada lost in overtime to Finland in the quarters. Even if you discard the five straight golds from 2005-2009, Canada almost always reaches the semis, on this side of the Atlantic.
After after exiti.
