When Canada’s team lost its opening game of the World Junior hockey tournament in the Maritimes, initial reactions across the country were a kind of shock and awe. This failure seemed a horrific faux pas, an enormous letdown that tarnished Canada’s view of itself as a shining example for the world.
OK, I jest. If watching our boys win is pleasing, it hardly represents the satisfaction of a critical need. Sorry. However much fun hockey is, it’s not that important. It’s more likely that distracting ourselves with such fabulist concerns as ice hockey may relieve some of the real pressure and concern we should be feeling about more pressing issues.
Can we compete to do better? I’m not sure whether or not anyone behind the CCPI has considered doing a playoff tournament, best of seven—sudden death playoff, but as it stands, Canada is so far behind you have to wonder what kind of team we’re running! By CCPI standards, not a good one.