Team Canada lost a tough game to Team USA in the Olympic gold medal match, with the game going into overtime, and not many hockey fans were happy about the 3v3 setup.
This year, the Olympics decided to use new overtime rules after the 3v3 format became very popular in the NHL. While it works well during the regular season, fans don’t want to see it in important elimination games.
Canada’s coach and several hockey experts criticized the choice to use 3v3 overtime in the Gold Medal match.
Jon Cooper, Canada’s coach, was quick to voice his disapproval of the Olympic decision for the 3v3 overtime right after the game. He pointed out that taking four players off the ice really changes the nature of hockey.
Cooper is spot on, and many fans of hockey share his viewpoint.
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
When the game goes to 3 on 3 overtime, it becomes much less predictable. With so much space on the ice, fast breakaways happen often, which you wouldn’t see during a typical 5v5 game. Canada lost because of one of those quick breakaways early in overtime.
It was surprising that the Olympics decided to let 20 minutes run for a 3v3 overtime game – no game would last that long under those conditions. If they were okay with a 20-minute overtime, why not just let teams play with their full lineups?
Especially in a do-or-die match with the Gold Medal at stake, the randomness of 3v3 overtime distracted from real hockey. It’s good for the NHL during regular games because it speeds things up, but it’s just too different to fairly decide playoff outcomes.
Many NHL fans, commentators, and players supported Cooper’s view. One player who spoke out against it was former Oiler Evander Kane.
UPDATE: Evander Kane took down his post that criticized the Olympic rules, but his message was clear.
Hopefully, the Olympics will learn from this experience and change the rules back to 5v5 overtime for the tournament in 2030.
The NHL should also pay attention to how unpopular this has been and shouldn’t try to use it in the playoffs.
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