It’s difficult to compare eras because the game has changed so much. The US has been closing the gap on Canada for the last two decades though. More Americans are not only being drafted, but taken at the top of their draft class.
The strength of this US team was in goal and on the backend. A case can be made that Makar is the single most talented defensemen in the world, but the best defensive unit was clearly the Americans. They also had the best goaltender in the world and he showed why.
What stands out most for me is what Jack Hughes said in his post-game interview when he talked about the brotherhood of the team. American teams were talented in the past but seemed disjointed. See 1998 in Nagano. These guys played with each other and for each other.
Best ever? Quite possibly. All I know for certain is they will inspire a new generation of Americans to play the game and American hockey will continue to grow because of them.