Rusty Weiss
Canadian assistant captain Nathan MacKinnon stirred controversy after Team USA‘s overtime triumph over Canada in the men’s hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, implying that his squad was superior despite the defeat.
That’s what we in the business call “sour grapes.”
MacKinnon made the remarks following America’s dramatic 2-1 overtime victory.
“You be the judge of who was the better team today,” he said, according to the Canadian Press.
The scoreboard and the gold medals around their necks seem to imply that the United States was the better team.
MacKinnon, though, was highlighting Canada’s puck control and its 42-28 shots-on-goal advantage over the Americans. On that, he may have a point. For significant stretches of the second period, it felt like the US was on its heels.
But games aren’t won on stats, my man. And there are other aspects of the game that lead to victory. The most obvious being goaltending, in which Team USA dominated behind Connor Hellebuyck’s epic performance.
Another aspect that defines a winner is how a team capitalizes on its opportunities. On that front, Canada failed miserably. And that includes MacKinnon, as you’ll see a bit later.
Nathan MacKinnon will let us decide who the better team was today… pic.twitter.com/PtVm4F9aQv
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 22, 2026
MacKinnon’s “Better Team” Comments Ignite Backlash After USA Gold Medal Win
Social media erupted with users piling on MacKinnon for his perceived excuse-making, lambasting him for downplaying Team USA’s win while claiming Canada was better.
One fan called the Colorado Avalanche center a “whiner” and suggested Team Canada can hang a banner reflecting their accomplishments that reads, instead of “Gold Medal Winners,” “Dominated Most of the Game.”
Ha whiner Canada Men's Hockey Nate MacKinnon who missed scoring on near-empty net. We say Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! USA 🇺🇸 Olympic Gold medalist Men's AND Women's hockeyhttps://t.co/WW8vSg4dJD pic.twitter.com/cH0Oo2Zgih
— John Tharp (@JohnPTharp) February 22, 2026
Another was a little gentler with the Canadian star, but still chastised him for the comments.
“Nate is a great Champion. Hate to see sour grapes like this from him. Goaltending is part of the game,” they wrote. “#TeamUSA was the better team today.”
Indeed, they were.
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“What @TeamCanada fails to understand is grit and determination wins in close games,” one fan said. “Will tell you Canada had their chances but @TeamUSA wanted it more in the moment.”
The proper move for MacKinnon is to congratulate his opponent and move on. Suggesting his team was “ackshually” the better team is classless. And dumb. Especially when you take into account MacKinnon’s role in his team’s loss. MacKinnon’s on-ice errors further fueled the narrative that his team let the gold slip away through self-inflicted wounds.
In a critical third-period sequence with 10:50 remaining and the score tied 1-1, he beat the U.S. goaltender but whiffed on a wide-open net, missing what would have been a go-ahead goal for Canada.
Nate MacKinnon came to play today
— Kevin Moen (@RealKevinMoen) February 22, 2026
0 goals on a wide open net 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SzJK2LRQYh
Compounding the miscues, during overtime, MacKinnon didn’t foresee a collision with American defenseman Zach Werenski, creating an opening for Jack Hughes to net the decisive tally.
Perhaps if he comes through in the clutch on either of those plays, Canada would be able to truly say they were the better team.