Canada hockey coach bashes Olympic hockey format after losing gold medal

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23 February 2026 at 00:40

The hockey world raved about Sunday’s dramatic 2026 Winter Olympics gold medal game, but Canada head coach Jon Cooper had a completely different response after its conclusion.

Sunday’s gold medal game offered hockey fans an all-time moment with the Americans knocking off Canada. However, Cooper’s first reaction after the Canada loss was about the overtime format needing an overhaul.

The Canada hockey coach was quick to knock the 3-on-3 extra period format, and even stated that there’s a “reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup final.”

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Jon Cooper on the 3-on-3 OT:

"You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore. There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play — it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it's not in the Stanley Cup final or playoffs"
— Michael Traikos (@Michael_Traikos) February 22, 2026

While Cooper certainly has an argument to be made about the NHL playoff format differing from the Olympics, fans around the world were quick to praise the fast-paced nature throughout the tournament.

In fact, both the U.S. and Canada were recipients of overtime wins during the Milan Cortina Games. However, it’s clear that it’ll take the Canada hockey coach and his team to recover from the devastating defeat.

“You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey anymore,” Cooper said following the gold medal game loss. “There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play — it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup final or playoffs”

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Jon Cooper of Canada looks on during the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the 2026 Winter Olympics. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

The American win proved to be a historic moment for Team USA after ending a 46-year Olympic gold medal drought in men’s hockey. The last time the U.S. won the top prize at the Winter Olympics came all the way back in 1980 at the Lake Placid Games.

Meanwhile, Canada has failed to capture the gold medal in their last three Olympic men’s hockey events.