From Scott Livingston, on our Captains Canada, Sid and Pou:

There will be no outrage from me.

No second-guessing.

No dissecting line changes or overtime decisions.

What I witnessed over these Olympic hockey tournaments was something far more important.

In 30+ years in high-performance sport, I have watched women’s hockey — and women’s sport in general — rise from the margins to the main stage. What we are seeing now would have been unimaginable a generation ago.

And one moment crystallized that truth for me.

When Mikaël Kingsbury earned his 100th World Cup victory in January, the congratulatory video he received came from two captains: Sidney Crosby and Marie-Philippe Poulin.

Two leaders.

Two equals.

One country.

Thirty years ago, that symbolism would have been rare. Today, it feels right. Captains’ Canada. Side by side. We’ve come a long way.

The second perspective?

Silver is not failure.

Both finals were decided in overtime. Three-on-three. Razor-thin margins between glory and heartbreak. That’s the nature of elite sport. It demands everything — and often gives nothing back but the knowledge that you dared greatly.

Gold is celebrated.

Silver is scrutinized.

But both require excellence beyond comprehension.

We, the audience, were the real winners.

We witnessed perhaps the finest men’s and women’s hockey ever played. Two weeks of speed, skill, courage, sacrifice — sometimes rewarded with a medal, often not — but extraordinary regardless.

Our captains and their teams gave us effort worthy of the Maple Leaf. Red. Black. Worn with pride.

Silver is not a consolation. It is proof of belonging on the highest stage in the world.

Thank you to every athlete who represented Team Canada / Équipe Canada.

What an exhibition of excellence.