Those are all good questions, and as I tend to do for almost every World Junior tournament, I had predicted this team would win gold and thought it had a roster that could roll over opponents like we’re accustomed to. But that was wrong, and that’s on me for misevaluating the team.

Losing in the quarterfinal for the second year in a row, Canada's brass opened itself up to criticism with a host of baffling decisions.

Canada was buzzing. The ice was tilted. A dramatic comeback victory felt inevitable. A team previously unable to click offensively appeared to have finally unlocked some cohesion. Then the group's other issue — penalties — bubbled to the surface one final time at the world junior hockey championship.