North America, Everyone’s Favourite Hockey Team

North America went into the tournament knowing that they'd have to beat at least two of Russia, Finland or Sweden to move on to the semi-finals. It was an extremely tough task ahead of such an inexperienced team, but here they are, sitting with all the momentum heading into game two.

Their victory on Sunday, paired with a strong pre-tournament showing, brought fans together from not only the continent, but from around the world. They were underdogs from the beginning, and many people thought they had no chance.

And then they blew Finland out of the water.

No matter who you were cheering for, it's hard to not watch replays of Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel all making smart decisions before finally getting the first goal. It wasn't pretty, but it's a play that likely couldn't have been done by many other line combinations. Even though they didn't stick together, it was a rare glimpse into what should be three of the finest players to grace our generation, and it's happening so early in their careers.

The NHL knew exactly what they were doing by putting this team together. They knew fans would flock to see this team in action. There's a good chance those three players wouldn't have made their respective nations otherwise. Would Switzerland bring in a better draw against Finland, or would the next crop of hockey legends have a bit better pull?

North America. No question. It's better financially and as far as pure hockey spectacles go. It's hard to ignore the speed, the talent and the overall explosiveness this team has. They mesmerize you, truly.

Think about all the young kids that are seeing the sport in person or on TV for the first time and thinking about how great it is watching the next generation of superstars. It's like the kids who grew up watching Wayne Gretzky, Teemu Selanne and Martin Brodeur, or even Sidney Crosby in recent years. Now, a new generation is witnessing some of the best hockey we've seen in a very long time.

For once, a kid and their Mom or Dad can come to a game and wear different nation's uniforms and it wouldn't be weird. If you're Canadian, you're from North America. If you're from the States, you're from North America. It's truly a unique feel.

If you get a chance, take a look in the crowd. What do you see? There’s a good chance you’ll see more #34, #97 and #15 jerseys in the crowd than #87 or #8. The team truly has caught on, whether it be because of their onslaught against Europe in the World Cup or the players themselves. This is a team that most people wrote off right away, and now they’re on top of the hockey world.

Matthews himself called North America's first game a special moment. It was, and we could be seeing history by the end of the month. What if North America actually pulls off the title? Would it be a travesty, or a great moment for hockey? If North America goes out and beats Canada, would people actually be upset that some of the NHL's top players today got beaten by the stars of tomorrow?

Of course, two losses to finish the round robin could put this whole dream to rest. But, really, it just seems like a lot of fun right now. It’s a team built up of players who want to prove to Hockey Canada and USA Hockey that they are the future. They want to prove to the world that they’ll be the stars of the next World Cup. They are the future of the sport, and they’re just kicking all the veterans around.

We’ve never seen anything quite like it.

For years, there has been a major media focus on how youth has taken such a powerful mark over experience. But we’ve never seen a team that’s so young and talented at the same time make such an impact both on and off the ice.

This feels like a team we'll be telling our grandchildren about in 30 years. This is a special team, and we're all along for the ride.

And to think, most of us hated the idea in the first place.

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