Team USA faces tougher-than-expected path to the final after Canada clinches top seed

Canada’s dominant 10–2 victory over France yesterday wasn’t just a statement win, it was a necessity to secure the most favorable path possible.

Let’s be honest, that scoreline saved Jon Cooper’s squad heading into the elimination round.

Why? Goal differential played a crucial role in the final standings, pushing Canada to the top seed and leaving the Americans with the second seed.

On paper, finishing second looks excellent, but in reality, it’s a poisoned gift.

The United States now finds itself in an extremely precarious position: they will most likely have to face Sweden as early as the quarterfinals.

Sweden had a difficult preliminary round, finishing lower than expected, which sets up this heavyweight clash far too early in the tournament.

The Americans will face the winner of the qualification game between Sweden and Latvia, and let’s be real, the Swedes should make quick work of the Latvians.

This is the worst possible draw for a team that was aiming for gold without too many major obstacles before the semifinals.

Sweden remains a global powerhouse loaded with elite talent, and in a win-or-go-home game, everyone starts from scratch—especially considering the United States is already dealing with a few minor injuries (including Auston Matthews’).

He will play, but he doesn’t appear to be at 100 percent.

If Canada had taken its foot off the gas against France, it could have been Nick Suzuki and company stuck in this situation, facing Sweden in the quarterfinals.

Instead, the Canadians benefit from a theoretically clearer path, while their neighbors to the south risk an early exit against a team that may have underperformed but remains dangerous.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Sweden pull off the upset and send Team USA home empty-handed.

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