Canadian athletes brought home 24 medals from Turin, Italy. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)

Canada can make a legitimate claim to being a Winter Olympic powerhouse, thanks to breakout performances by its athletes at the 2006 Torino Games.

It's a boast the country has been waiting to make for close to two decades.

In 1988, Canada held high hopes heading into the Calgary Games, only to suffer the utter embarrassment of failing to win a single gold medal – a rarity for a host nation. When the Canadian Olympic Committee announced a goal of 25 medals for this year's Torino Games, more than a few observers scoffed, remembering the country's disastrous showing on home soil 18 years ago.

Though Canadian athletes didn't quite meet that lofty objective, they exceeded the expectations of many by leaving Italy with a best-ever 24 medals, the third most of any country.

And it could have been more, if only:

• Short-track speed skater Eric Bedard had not been denied by .004 seconds in the men's 500.
• Skier Kelly VanderBeek had not finished .03 seconds behind the bronze medallist in the women's super-G.
• Francois Bourque had not missed the podium by .76 seconds in the men's giant slalom.
• Pierre Lueders had not lost out on a medal by .09 seconds in four-man bobsleigh.
• Canada's men's hockey team had won even a bronze medal.

Canada's Italian renaissance was truly amazing, as curlers, skaters, skiers and, yes, hockey players did their country proud with 16 days of brilliant performances.

Jennifer Heil got the ball rolling when she won Canada's first medal of the Games – a gold – in women's moguls, solidifying her reputation as the world's best in her sport.

While the women's hockey team proved it still ruled the rink, Canada's female speed skaters showed they now own the oval. Cindy Klassen became the star of the Torino Games, winning a Canadian-record five medals, including a gold in the 1,500 metres.

"To see Cindy Klassen win five medals, she was definitely the woman of the Games," International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said.

Other highlights included Brad Gushue winning Canada's first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's curling, cross-country skiers Beckie Scott and Sara Renner earning a silver in the women's team sprint, and Chandra Crawford's shocking gold-medal victory in the women's individual sprint.

With Turin now in the rear-view mirror, Canadian athletes are already setting their sights on Vancouver, and if this year is any indication, you can expect Canada's Olympic team to top the medal standings in 2010 and exorcise the memories of Calgary for good.

RUNNERS-UP
Edmonton Oilers
Why they could've won: Few gave Edmonton, the Western Conference's eighth seed, much chance of winning a single game in the playoffs. That mattered little to the Oilers, who defied the odds when they upset the NHL's best club, Detroit Red Wings, in the first round, and then went on to beat San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Mighty Ducks before coming within a game of being the first Canadian to win the Stanley Cup in 13 years.

Why they didn't: Yes, the Oilers captivated the nation with their Cinderella-like run through the playoffs, but the cold hard truth is they failed to win the Stanley Cup. It would be hard to justify picking Edmonton ahead of Canadian teams that won their respective league crowns – the Grey Cup (the B.C. Lions), an Olympic gold medal (the women's hockey team) or a world championship (men's junior hockey side).

The B.C. Lions' impressive season culminated with a Grey Cup title. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

B.C. Lions
Why they could've won: B.C. was the best team in the CFL in 2006, posting a league-best 13-5 record during the regular season before beating Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup. The Lions also dominated the year-end awards – B.C. players won five of the six honours up for grabs, including Geroy Simon who was named the league's MVP – and placed a league-leading seven players on the CFL's all-star team.

Why they didn't: True, the Lions were the best football team in the land, but the 2006 season will be remembered as one of the most unmemorable campaigns in a long time. The Alouettes started the season 6-0 before dropping their next seven straight, the Edmonton Eskimos stumbled to a 7-11 record to miss the playoffs for the first time in 35 years, and the Toronto Argos, Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers failed to impress.

Colleen Sostrorics, left, Hayley Wickenheiser and Gillian Apps celebrate a Torino gold medal. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Canadian women's hockey team
Why they could've won: Hayley Wickenheiser and her teammates succeeded where the men failed in Italy by capturing the second consecutive Olympic gold medal. The Canadian women dominated the competition, winning all five of their games by outscoring their opponents 46-2. Team Canada also topped the field in the Four Nations Cup, defeating the U.S. in the final to win the prestigious tournament for the third straight year.

Why they didn't: Team Canada didn't exactly shock the world by winning gold in Italy. Women's international hockey isn't known for its depth – before this year's gold-medal game, Canada and the U.S. met in the finals of every major tournament in the last 15 years –and upsets are incredibly rare. Just ask the Americans. Let's face it, we expect the Canadian women to win gold every time they take to the ice.

Canadian junior men's hockey team
Why they could've won: Team Canada brought home the gold for the second consecutive year by going undefeated and outscoring their opponents 25-6. In 2005, the Canadian team was full of world junior championship veterans and players available due to the NHL lockout. By contrast, this year's team featured a roster of newcomers who came together to shut down the likes of Evgeni Malkin's Russians, and Phil Kessel's American squad.

Why they didn't: Sure, the U.S. and Finland provided Canada with stiff competition in the first round, but the Canadians also faced off against lightweights Norway and Finland. Canada also had a decided advantage over every other team because the tournament was in Vancouver. One can't help but think the Canadians would have had a harder time of it without the home-ice advantage.