Ahead of the 4 Nations championship final against Team USA, head coach Jon Cooper discussed the meaning of this game, the politically-charged environment around it, and the decision to re-insert Seth Jarvis into the lineup.
What went into the decision to reinsert Seth Jarvis into the lineup in place of Travis Konecny?
Cooper: The same reason why it was reversed last game. It’s needs and wants. We built this team to win. Everybody is going to have to chip in in their own way. Some chip-in in some games, some chip-in in others, and some chip-in in all of them. They have all been a big part of why we are sitting here. That is ultimately it.
There has been a backdrop of political energy behind this tournament. There was a little more this morning with President Trump reaching out to the U.S. team. Do you sense any of that in the room among the players? A lot of Canadians feel frustrated right now. Is there any motivation added to this group? Do you think it has anything to do with it?
Cooper: I don’t. Other than the fact that with the talk of the 51st state, somebody was saying, “Wow, we’d have a hell of a hockey team!”
Let’s be honest. You’d never get what is going to be contested tonight.
On the political side of things, we feel for everybody on our side of things, but for us to come in here and be in that room, it is going to be more about us winning that game than sitting and debating what the game means. We have to go out, represent our country, and make them proud.
For us, if we accomplish that, we accomplish what we want to, which is to make Canadians proud.
What were you missing in the loss to the U.S. when you didn’t have Cale Makar? What does he bring to the team in the championship final?
Cooper: Let’s be honest. There are a handful of defensemen who you would call the best in the world, and he is in that handful. He is a unique talent.
Just like you look at some of the other players up front, whether it is the Matthews or the McDavids, Cale is a generational talent. Any time you can plug that into your lineup, you are pretty happy.
Team Canada had a hell of a home-ice advantage in the first meeting. Tonight, the script is flipped, with the U.S. being the home team. What is your psychological assessment of what it means for the rematch?
Cooper: Again, with being in Canada and being able to play in front of our fans in Montreal, it is hard to replicate what happened. It is a hockey experience I will never forget, just being able to walk around and see how happy everyone was about the sport.
Can that be replicated here? I am not sure. You hope it will be, but there were probably more Canadians in the stands in Montreal… How do I say this properly? There are probably going to be more Canadians here than there were Americans in Montreal if that makes any sense.
In that regard, it will be highly contested on the ice, and there might be chants going on in the stands, but we are here to celebrate the sport. We can sit here and talk politics all we want. This is a different avenue. We are here to celebrate this game.
After this game, for all of the little girls and boys out there who are inspired by the players who play this game and how they compete, if they go and become hockey players, that is the real win — not who wins on the ice.
Some of Seth Jarvis’ friends had their flights canceled and drove 30 hours to this game. How much does that speak to the meaning of this game?
Cooper: You are proud to be a Canadian and proud to be of the same heritage as the guys coming down. We have the same passion. It shows how much this sport and these players mean to them.
Wow, it is one thing to do it in June. In February, it is a tough one.
There are 14 Stanley Cup winners in the Canadian room. How much does that seep into the vibe that has emanated from your players in the last 24 hours?
Cooper: There is no question. You can’t put a price tag on experience. You can write the driver’s test when you are 16, but it doesn’t mean you get behind the wheel and drive.
That is the experience of being there. I have lived it myself. I look back at the times you lost or didn’t get quite there. What could you have changed? How could you have controlled your breathing, or how could you have controlled your mentality? Bottle all of that stuff for the next time this happens.
Tonight, it is happening. You reach back on that experience to help you hopefully get through these moments.
This has the potential to be one of the best hockey games ever and one of the most watched hockey games ever. What has already been gained for the sport of hockey?
Cooper: This right here, and the fact that everybody is talking about it. People outside of the arena who normally don’t discuss our sport are speaking about it at the water cooler. I am sure there are going to be watch parties not only in our country but in the United States as well. People in Europe are going to tune into this game. And they should. It is richly deserved.
It is richly deserved because you are watching two teams with a ton of passion for playing this sport. That is what the sport is. That is why people say the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win. It is two months of that. That is why, when you are fortunate enough to lift the Stanley Cup, you know how hard it was to get there.
For this game tonight, it is richly deserving because of the passion the players have put forth and how much pride each player has in their country.
If you really want to get amped up, the Canadian and American para hockey teams are playing at one o’clock today. That is going to set the stage for us tonight.
