USA Hockey can prove it’s closed gap on Canada at 4 Nations

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The U.S. has made strides the past two decades at the IIHF World Junior Championship, winning gold six times (2004, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2024) but hasn’t won a best-on-best tournament since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, when it upset Canada in the final.

The U.S.’s best result since then was a silver medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, when it lost to Canada in the gold medal game. Since then, Canada won gold at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and 2004 and 2016 World Cups of Hockey. The U.S. lost all three of its games and was eliminated in the round robin at the 2016 World Cup.

Eichel, who played for Team North America, a collection of 23-and-under players from the U.S. and Canada, in the 2016 World Cup, is among a generation of U.S.-born NHL stars that has been waiting for this opportunity to represent their country in a best-on-best format.

“Like Jack said, that gap has been closed over the past few years with the talent NTDP is producing,” New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “But every roster is loaded with players. It’s going to be when that time comes bring your A game and try to win a gold medal.”

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