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Message: [QUOTE="jncuse, post: 5679751, member: 1969"] Gives me something to analyze, so as to not think how we could not pull it off. - Over the next 8-12 years, it should stay fairly even. The US has great talent from the 2015-2020 drafts (better than Canada), but since 2022 it is going through a relatively weak draft period (while Canada is crushing the draft). Canada might be a tad ahead on paper, due to developing elite forward depth, but the D and goalies are significant concerns. They need to take care of those and by 2034 they probably will - by 2030?. They will have the same concerns in 2030 unless Schaeffer is a 25+ minute stud in international play by then, - From 2015-2019, I'd say the US had more more top line talent draftec than it ever did, and more than Canada. Eichel, Hughes (2), Tkachuk (2), Matthews and more. Lots of top 5 talent. - But from 2022-2026 US draft classes have been weaker than that above period in both elite talent and the amount drafted. And Canada has really being banging out elite talent the last 3 drafts (Bedard, Celebrini, Schaeffer... and perhaps the first pick in the next 2 drafts as well in Mckenna and Dupont). - For 2030 all those US guys drafted from 2015-2020 will still be in their prime. And their doing better in those age groups than Canada will help them... but there will some young elite talent coming in from Canada. - By 2034, US weaker performance in recent drafts compared to Canada will hurt them as your current core ages out. - 2038 who knows? - From Canada's side there are two factors: 1) Can we find an elite international goalie - where are the Roy, Brodeur, Luongo and Price who took care of things for 25 years. 2) As "elite" as our top end forwards are, our defence is not at that level. Right now I like the US Olympic D compared to the Canadian team by a good amount, and that US D core is still going to be mostly in their prime in 2030. If I'm looking at the US, I have happily already penciled in Hughes, McAvoy, Werenski, Sanderson Faber for my 2030 team. If I'm looking at Canada, I have happily penciled in Makar and Schaeffer for my 2030 team. So basically 1 defenceman off the 2026 team. If you look at the rest of our D I'm not sure many are top end guys in 2030 - Doughty, Morrissey, Parayko, Toews will all be over 35. Others in Sanheim, Harley are maybe's but nowhere near like the US D I have noted abvoe. For Canada it will be essential that Schaeffer becomes the star we expect, and that Dupont (the projected 2027 top pick), and Vearhoff (projected top 4 this year) also hit. I think this is one area we need some upgrades in as well, and it might be coming. [/QUOTE]

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