MILAN — Hayley Scamurra is 31 years previous. She is now a two-time Olympian and has gained six world championship medals (three gold, three silver). And she or he’s not afraid to say it: The 2026 U.S. ladies’s Olympic hockey workforce is one of the best workforce she’s ever performed on.
“Oh yeah,” Scamurra stated. “100%.”
As first-time Olympian Taylor Heise walked via the interview line, with a brand new gold medal round her neck, she too could not cease gushing about her workforce’s expertise.
“I did not need to be the primary one to say it. Somebody stated it earlier than me, so thank goodness,” Heise stated. “However I simply suppose we cemented ourselves as among the best U.S. groups in historical past.”
“I did not need to put extra stress on us by saying we’re one of the best hockey workforce on this planet,” captain Hilary Knight stated. “however I really felt that at each step.”
Meghan Duggan is a Hockey Corridor of Famer and captained the final U.S. workforce to win a gold medal. She has much more perspective.
“That is probably the most dominant workforce I’ve ever seen,” Duggan stated. “In all my years watching and taking part in, I’ve by no means seen a workforce like that.”
The query now — after the U.S. ladies’s workforce dominated its 2026 Olympics with a 7-0 file, successful gold whereas outscoring groups 33-2 — is not only how particular it’s, but when it would go on a dynastic run?
“We’re assured,” stated Caroline Harvey, named the MVP of the match. “We’ll return and tear it up.”
The remainder of the world have not caught as much as the US or Canada. The North American powers have gained each gold and silver medal since ladies’s hockey was launched on the Olympics in 1998. They’ve additionally gained each gold and silver at every of the 24 IIHF World Championships outdoors one silver medal for host Finland in 2019.
Early on, the ice was tilted towards the Canadians. Canada gained every of the primary eight world championships — together with the primary three from 1990 to 1994 by a mixed rating of 19-5.
Issues evened out over time into one of many fiercest rivalries in sports activities. Getting into Milan, Canada held the all-time edge in wins (25-23) however scored solely two extra targets than the U.S. (135-133), in line with the AP.
“In the event you have a look at the depth charts of each groups, who’s even within the pipeline to return? The U.S. has the Harveys, the [Abbey] Murphys, the [Laila] Edwards — these ladies are going to play in a pair totally different Olympics,” Duggan stated. “And should you have a look at them now, they’re already among the greatest gamers on this planet.”
The 2 heroes of the thrilling 2-1 extra time win over Canada have been veterans: Hilary Knight, 36, who introduced Milan could be her fifth and last Olympics, and defenseman Megan Keller, 29.
But it surely was the youthful gamers who stole the headlines, if solely as a result of it looks like they’re simply getting began.
Edwards, Harvey, Tessa Janecke and Murphy — all 23 and underneath — are as a consequence of enter the PWHL draft this spring, probably the most spectacular and loaded class the skilled ladies’s sport has seen.
Harvey was so spectacular all match, Matthew Tkachuk in contrast her to Bobby Orr. “Loopy,” stated Harvey, who coincidentally wears the identical No. 4.
Hannah Bilka (PWHL Seattle) is 24 and led the workforce with 4 targets. Taylor Heise is the reigning PWHL playoff MVP and is simply 25. Goalie Aerin Frankel, 26, set the Olympic file for many shutouts (three) in a match.
What made the U.S. workforce so particular was its depth and dynamism. Ten gamers registered a minimum of 5 factors within the Olympics — six greater than any nation.
Canada will discover a approach to reload, however it’ll take time and work. Administration opted to convey a veteran roster with gamers it was snug with. It returned 16 gamers who helped the squad win gold in Beijing however left dwelling a few of its ascending expertise — which has grow to be a subject of dialogue after Canada regarded slower in opposition to the US.
“Coming into this [gold medal] sport, I feel everybody was like wow, U.S. has the sting, and it is not simply going to be a coin toss,” Duggan stated. That is a fairly seismic shift — and one the U.S. workforce is hoping they’ll preserve tilting.”
It might be silly to foretell the U.S. ladies’s hockey workforce may very well be as dominant because the U.S. ladies’s basketball workforce — which has gained eight consecutive Olympic gold medals and 10 of the previous 12 FIBA World Championships. That is as a result of, as Canada confirmed within the gold medal sport, it has an excessive amount of historical past and delight as a program. And naturally, expertise. It’ll preserve the rivalry alive.
Proper now, although, it is the US because the gold normal.
“It is the pace, it is the talent, the hockey sense, the connectivity, the depth, the mixture of the youth. That is what makes them probably the most dominant workforce,” Duggan stated. “And also you marvel: Nicely, is that simply the pure development of sport? Know-how and coaching advances? However this is not one of the best Canadian workforce we have ever seen. So there goes that argument.”
Coach John Wroblewski stated what made this group distinctive was it focus and need.
“The depth stage is one thing I’ve by no means seen,” Wroblewski stated. “We as a employees needed to regulate nearly all of the plans that we had. If we had 40 minutes deliberate, they have been demanding an hour and a half. Video classes you can inform they needed extra. It was like Neo within the ‘Matrix.’ They have been simply dialed. They usually needed extra data and extra motivation.”
So complacency does not seem to be a difficulty.
“With this younger expertise, we have simply had unbelievable leaders,” Edwards stated. “The way forward for USA Hockey is in actually good arms.”
