As evidence for my claim in THE HUMBLE LIE that Canadian humility could be more reputation than truth if we continue celebrating self-celebrating in schools and Olympic coverage, I would like to provide me as an example. You see, although I do not believe in beating one’s own’s chest, I will now get close to it by over-cheering for the success of my own country’s hockey dominance at the 2014 Olympics and, in fact, the majority of best-on-best men’s and women’s hockey tournaments. (My commentary regarding boasting in my previous post was all just a segue to my joy in this regard.) Canada is the best at hockey, and has been for a long time as demonstrated by the following results.
MEN’S BEST ON BEST ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS*:
*Olympic Hockey Tournaments prior to 1998 were not “best on best” entanglements because the NHL (in which a majority of the world’s top players have long made their living) did not yet lend its workers to the Olympics every four years.
1976 Canada Cup
1. Canada
2. Czechoslovakia
3. Soviet Union
4. Sweden
1981 Canada Cup
1. Soviet Union
2. Canada
3. Czechoslovakia
4. USA
1984 Canada Cup
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Soviet Union
4. USA
1987 Canada Cup
1. Canada
2. Soviet Union
3. Sweden
4. Czechoslovakia
1991 Canada Cup
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
1996 World Cup
1. USA**
2. Canada
3. Sweden
4. Russia
**This was a controversial victory. Canadian born and raised star Brett Hull (son of retired Canadian star Bobby Hull) played for the USA because he hadn’t (yet) been good enough to make the 1986 Canadian World Championship team. Since he officially had dual citizenship because his mother was American, he thereafter played for the USA (even when he subsequently became a superstar and was good enough to play for his home country), and he refused to ever again try for Canada since they were so mean not to select him when he was starting his career. (Brett Hull’s picture is now included in most dictionaries next to the word “petty.”) Canada was up 2-1 in the championship game when Mr. Hull scored a goal that was patently illegal because his stick was at shoulder height when he touched the puck. (One’s stick cannot be above four feet to score a goal; based on Hull’s height with skates on, his head had to be approximately 2 feet long for the goal to be legal. We know Hull has a big head, but that seemed too large even for him.) Strangely, however, the goal was allowed. Later, another dual-citizenship born-and-raised Canadian, playing for the USA, Adam Deadmarsh, scored a game-breaking goal on a clearly offside play. Pundit/ranter Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada has suggested that then Boston Bruins’ GM (and former coach of Canada’s team in the 1972 Summit Series) Harry Sinden persuaded the officials to allow the Hull goal to stand because he thought it would improve American interest in hockey. I have no idea if that accusation’s true, but something strange was afoot (“askate”?).
1998 Olympics
1. Czech Republic
2. Russia
3. Finland
4. Canada***
***For the first time in history, Canada did not make the championship game. It should be noted, however, that Canada was eliminated in the semi-finals in a game that was tied 1-1 after one overtime period, and which Canada was dominating (in terms of scoring chances). The epic match was stopped by international rules and decided on a shootout (which is akin to deciding a basketball game via a free throw shooting contest, or a baseball game via a bowling contest between pitchers to see who can throw the most strikes).
2002 Olympics
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Russia
4. Belarus
2004 World Cup
1. Canada
2. Finland
3. Czech Republic
4. USA
2006 Olympics****
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Czech Republic
4. Russia
****I have no excuse for our absence on the podium for this one. As my sister Tarrin said at the time, it seems we forgot to pack a goal scorer for this tournament. If only Team GM Wayne Gretzky (who had brilliantly sired the previous two championships, and had played for Canada’s best from 1981 through 1998) had decided to select then rookie scoring star, Sidney Crosby, we might have faired better. (Indeed, Crosby has led Canada to victory in the three subsequent best on best battles.) Oh, look at that, I had an excuse, after all.
2010 Olympics
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Slovakia
2014 Olympics
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Finland
4. USA
SETHBLOGS UPDATE: Since this post, we’ve also had a 2016 World Cup of Hockey, also won by our Canadians.
2016 World Cup
1. Canada
2. Europe
3. Sweden
4. Russia
OVERALL IN 13 MEN’S BEST ON BEST TOURNAMENTS: (Giving 4 points for 1st, 3 points for second, 2 points for 3rd, 1 point for 4th).
1. Canada (9 x 1st, 2 x 2nd, 1 x 4th): 43 points
2. Soviet Union/Russia (1 x 1st, 2 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 3 x 4th): 19 points
3. Sweden (1 x 1st, 2 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 2 x 4th): 18 points
4. USA (1 x 1st, 3 x 2nd, 4 x 4th): 17 points
5. Finland (2 x 2nd, 4 x 3rd): 14 points
5. Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic (1 x 1st, 1 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 1 x 4th): 14 points
7. Czechoslovakia/Slovakia (1 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 2 x 4th): 7 points
8. Europe (1 x 2nd): 3 points
9. Belarus (1 x 4th): 1 point
WOMEN’S BEST ON BEST ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS:
1990 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
1992 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
1994 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. China
1997 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. China
1998 Olympics*****
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. China
*****After four straight Canadian World Championship victories, the Americans took the first ever Olympics in which women competed for ice hockey gold. It was a stick-breaker.
1999 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
2000 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
2001 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Russia
4. Finland
2002 Olympics
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Finland
2004 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
2005 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Sweden
4. Finland
2006 Olympics
1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. USA******
4. Finland
******This was the first time in history that the championship game was not played between Canada and the USA. I might have felt bad for the Americans if I wasn’t so glad to have a less scary gold medal game to watch.
2007 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Sweden
4. Finland
2008 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Switzerland
2009 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Sweden
2010 Olympics
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Finland
4. Sweden
2011 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Russia
2012 World Championship
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Switzerland
4. Finland
2013 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Russia
4. Finland
2014 Olympics
1. Canada
2. USA
3. Switzerland
4. Sweden
SETHBLOGS UPDATE: Since this post, we’ve had several more World Championships, and one more Olympics. Strangely, USA has won all five in a row, but 3 of them were in OT, so feel free to count them as ties.
2015 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Russia
2016 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Russia
4. Finland
2017 World Championship
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Germany
2018 Olympics
1. USA
2. Canada
3. Finland
4. Olympic Athletes from Russia
2019 World Championship
1. USA
2. Finland
3. Canada
4. Russia
OVERALL IN 25 WOMEN’S BEST ON BEST TOURNAMENTS: (Giving 4 points for 1st, 3 points for second, 2 points for 3rd, 1 point for 4th).
1. Canada (14 x 1st, 10 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd): 88 points
2. USA (11 x 1st, 13 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd): 85 points
3. Finland (1 x 2nd, 13 x 3rd, 9 x 4th): 38 points
4. Sweden (1 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd, 7 x 4th): 16 points
5. Russia (5 x 3rd, 4 x 4th): 14 points
6. Switzerland (2 x 3rd, 1 x 4th): 5 points
7. China (3 x 4th): 3 points
8. Germany (1 x4th): 1 point
AND DOUBLE OVERALL MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BEST ON BEST TOURNAMENTS COMBINED: (Again giving 4 points for 1st, 3 points for second, 2 points for 3rd, 1 point for 4th).
1. Canada (23 x 1st, 12 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 1 x 4th): 131 points
2. USA (12 x 1st, 16 x 2nd, 1 x 3rd, 4 x 4th): 102 points
I hope no one disagrees that Canada is to hockey what Brazil is to soccer/football.
Wrong. I think that as a dual citizen, Brett Hull had the right to choose whichever team he wanted. I completely understand why, after being turned down by the Canadian team for the World Championship because of his inferior skills (which was of course perfectly justifiable on Canada’s part – they did what was best for the team), he joined the American team so that he would have the opportunity to compete in this important tournament (he also needed to do what was best for him and his career). I agree with you, however, that his decision to then stay on with the American team based solely on the fact that Canada had once rejected him was petty. He made Canada’s professional (and completely reasonable) decision personal, exposing his own unprofessional attitude and inflated ego for all to see. But it was his reason for staying on the American team that was flawed, not the act itself. It seems like you are being a little unreasonable by insisting that a superstar with dual citizenship play only for your team:p
Wrong back atcha, Natalie! 🙂
Yes, I agree that Hull had a right to play for whichever team he wanted (legally), and if this had been Olympic figure skating where athletes only got a tiny chance at glory, I would be more sympathetic of his defection to a country that had little to do with his formation as a hockey player, but in this case, this was one of hundreds of opportunities he had to gain the attention he needed to start his career. Nevertheless, perhaps at the time, he had thought that this was his best chance (although I doubt it: knowing Mr. Hull as I do, I suspect he was merely relishing the chance to compete against the country that “snubbed” his greatness). My objection here, then, is more about two issues: (1) American hockey’s tendency to help themselves to Canadian players for its program who aren’t yet good enough to make Canada: if we’re going to have world championships etc to see who creates the best hockey players, then I think the intention is defeated if we say that players can choose to play for the country that didn’t form them if it’s good for their careers (he’s hurting the career of the American-raised American whom he replaced), and (2) as you acknowledge, Brett Hull’s irrational claim that he stayed with USA out of loyalty to them for believing in him. Of course they believed in him: at the time, their roster wasn’t nearly as good as Canada’s, so they didn’t ask him to join their side because of a kindhearted concern for his welfare, but instead because they thought he would help them win.
(I always think it’s arrogant when athletes praise teams for believing in them – at the expense of other athletes. For every athlete a team believes in, they have to cut thousands of others: so it’s just a matter of them picking the players they estimate will do the best job – nothing more generous than that.)
When I have time, perhaps in another life, I shall list the multiple achievements of our artists, musicians, and scientists. They are often better known and respected around the world by any number of hockey players or games won.
Well put, TomD. Officially (per our discussion regarding another post) I agree with you that our society might be better off with a little more live science experiment coverage in place of pre-season hockey broadcasts. But, in practice, I have grown up cheering for hockey Canada and so their games are as influential on my psyche as opera may be on yours.
I think I agree with the rabble on the Hull situation. I’d have had less respect for him if he defected back the Canadian team. Either wait until you’re good enough to join the team you desire, or stick with who brought you to the dance in the first place.
I can see the appeal of being a superstar on a less deep team and not getting overshawdowed by bigger talents too (just another benefit in this particular cawe).
And the ‘snubbing’ factor was just icing on the cake. I do emphathize with the sentiment though, while agreeing that it’s irrational. I know I’ve felt it, and it’s hard not to make it personal.
Thank you, Tarrin.
The rabble welcomes you. Unfortunately, the rabble babble. I agree that Hull’s first strange behaviour was joining the USA team (whose country had nothing to do with his development) in the first place. And, while, yes, I suppose it would be strange to switch back to his home nation, I say continuing a path of giving inaccurate credit for one’s acheivements is worse than rectifying the falsehood.