Should Team Canada simply concede Olympic gold now in women's hockey?

There was no podium at Rogers Place on Saturday night, but there might as well have been.

The way the Rivalry Series went between Team Canada and Team USA in the leadup to Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, we don’t need to wait to see what happens.

The U.S. skated to an easy 4-1 decision to wrap up the four-game series. And on the heels of a 10-4 drubbing in Edmonton on Wednesday, that gave the Americans a clean sweep of the exhibition series by a combined score of 24-7.

It was Team Canada’s last action ahead of the world stage in February. And if that’s what we can expect to see, they might as well hand out the hardware in the gold-medal game right now.

Fear not. The Canadians are all but assured the silver medal. Heck, one of either Finland, Czechia or maybe even Sweden, if they get that far, might just give them a run for their money in a game or two along the way.

But make no mistake, this sport has been dominated by the two North American powerhouses. And no one else is even close.

And the recent evidence suggests the Canadians can be tossed in with the rest, as well.

After what we’ve just witnessed, the U.S. stands alone at the top of women’s hockey.

It happened fast. Canada comes into the Olympics as the reigning champions, but there is no slight edge to the Americans here. Even if a handful of Canada’s core roster wasn’t present for the Rivalry Series, you’re trying to tell me the rest of the best in hockey’s home country couldn’t avoid coughing up double digits in points? On home turf, no less?

Talk about a disaster.

WHAT THEY SAID

Just for the fun of it, let’s hear what Team Canada had to say when it was all done:

“The players have always been really good and attentive; I’ve never felt like they’re not trying to do their best or grasp the concepts,” said head coach Troy Ryan, who also bosses the bench for the Toronto Sceptres of the Professional Women’s Hockey League. “One of the messages they gave was, whether it’s the PWHL or college, at times they can sometimes get away with bad habits or details.

“The group encouraged everyone not to take the easy road for the next little bit, hopefully never, so it feels like second nature when they get to the Olympics. That message comes from me, but it’s stronger when it comes from themselves, and that was loud and clear in the dressing room.”

If the bad habits aren’t all out of their system at this point, I’d hate to see how the Canadian women’s squad presents themselves to the world the next time they meet the U.S. for real.

But maybe that’s shortsighted. Perhaps the Americans have just become that good, and there is nothing Canada nor the rest of the world can even do about it this cycle — which doesn’t bode well for the next four years to follow, if the Americans continue their upward trajectory in this scenario.

THE OTHER OPTION

The other option is Team Canada finds another gear at the Games, and this lopsided Rivalry Series goes down as the Canadians playing possum while the Americans head in with more than a little false confidence.

“It’s different, the Rivalry Series and the Olympics. These four games are part of the process and we have to keep building and things don’t come easy,” said Montreal’s Marie-Philip Poulin, who plays for the Montreal Victoire. “We have to put our head down, go to work and be ready to go. We’ll go back to our own teams and we have to hold each other accountable — both individually and collectively, connect virtually with meetings.

“We can’t get down over these four games. It’s hard to see the positives right now, but we have to take a step back, see where we’re at and how we can improve. It won’t be easy, it will be competitive, but we will focus on ourselves and go from there.”

At the same time, nothing’s been finalized, roster-wise, just yet. The small print at the bottom of the Team Canada posters might as well include: Canada’s management team and coaching staff will continue to evaluate players during the PWHL and collegiate seasons before naming Canada’s Women’s Olympic Team in January.

G-MAN’S TAKE: Team Canada’s efforts weren’t all for not.

Brianne Jenner, of Oakville, Ont., treated fans in Edmonton to her 50th international goal Saturday, becoming the 13th player in national women’s hockey history to reach the mark.

And while Team Canada will hit pool play like a tidal wave, it might just be the small victories the Canadians have to chase when it comes to going for gold against the U.S. in Italy.

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On X: @GerryModdejonge

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