The Olympic hockey landscape was shaken up this year with the controversial announcement that NHL players would be unable to participate. This had an effect on some nations a little more than others, with Canada certainly falling under one of the most impacted nations. All of a sudden, Canada was having to craft a team out of players playing overseas, young NHL hopefuls, and former NHLers.
Expectations came in all shapes and sizes. Some believed that Russia and their strong class of KHLers had become favourites, others believed that Canada was still the dominant hockey nation. As the tournament unfolded it became clear that Canada wasnβt far and ahead of the pack, and a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Germany in the semifinals forced Canada to refocus their hopes on salvaging a bronze medal.
On Saturday, Canada did just that, as they held on to win an exciting 6-4 contest over the Czech Republic.
While some remained disappointed that Canada was not able to play in the gold medal match, most breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated the Canadian contingent for their bronze medal accomplishment.
