Team Canada makes big change of plans ahead of gold medal game vs USA

Doug Armstrong is playing with journalists’ nerves this morning after promising that Team Canada’s closed practice on February 11 would be a one-time decision.

We can all agree that a GM’s word is only worth so much in the heat of the moment.

Armstrong has just confirmed that practices for the final will be held behind closed doors.

There is an obvious sense of nervousness among the representatives of the Maple Leaf as the decisive games approach.

Meanwhile, our neighbors to the South are doing exactly the opposite. The Americans have been operating in a completely open manner since the start of the tournament without worrying about the rest.

Let’s be honest, this media secrecy draws more attention than anything else. It puts enormous pressure on the Canadian players, who now have to deliver the goods.

If Canada does not bring home the gold, Armstrong is going to take heavy criticism. The Americans’ transparency seems to be a sign of absolute confidence in their abilities.

American confidence versus Canadian secrecy

The contrast between the two global hockey powers is striking. We’ll see on Sunday whether Canadian paranoia ends up paying off on the ice.

Team Canada’s staff appears to fear that spies are tracking every zone exit. Yet modern systems are rarely a secret to high-level coaches.

Montreal fans are wondering whether this approach is a bit archaic. We like to see our favorites preparing instead of having the door slammed in our faces.

We just hope this is not a sign of internal panic. The battle for gold promises to be epic, regardless of how many closed practices Armstrong holds.