The phrase ‘keep politics out of sport’ won’t be heard in the NHL after such a backdrop caused a boost to the league like never before.
Canada beat the USA 3-2 in the final of the inaugural 4-Nations Face-Off on Thursday night, and NHL executives will still be in shock from the viewing figures and financial results.
Although Nielsen TV figures for the final are yet to be registered, a mammoth increase on the World Cup of hockey has already been shown with 563 per cent more viewers than the last tournament in 2016.
Among the reasons are that the game’s best players haven’t faced off for their countries since then, with the NHL making the bizarre PR disaster of a decision to block stars from the winter Olympics in 2018 and 2022.
However, it’s undeniable that the politics have contributed to the unprecedented attention around this event, with US president Donald Trump arguing for Canada to become the 51st state and backing down on a decision to impose heavy tariffs on their neighbours.
The timing of his interventions couldn’t have been better for the league, with Canadians booing the US national anthem throughout, causing enough tension that fans on both sides of the border couldn’t resist but to tune in.
Summing up the mood, Canada forward and 2024 NHL MVP Nathan MacKinnon said: “A lot of stuff going on with Canada and the USA right now, and us playing against each other was kind of a perfect storm for our sport.
“It was much more popular than even we would have imagined. It was getting so much attention from our whole continent.”
The tournament began with a round-robin stage as the US and Canada also faced Sweden and Finland, gaining the most points to book a final confrontation against each other.
In that phase the US won 3-1 Montreal in a game full of fights, making it clear that the players knew what was at stake, dropping the gloves three times in the opening nine seconds.
But that win will be forgotten after Canada struck back in the final, winning 3-2 in overtime through Connor McDavid.
Before the match Trump phoned into the US locker room for a pep talk with the players, and left a motivational message on social media, writing: “On toward victory tonight against Canada … will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important Fifty First State.
But post-match departing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had the last laugh, posting: “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.”
Throughout the earlier rounds, players and coaches from both sides had tried to duck out of commenting on the boos – and therefore the politics – with Canada head coach Jon Cooper going the closest.
When asked if it was being talked about in the locker room, he initially joked: “Other than the talk of the 51st state and then somebody saying, ‘Wow, we’d have one hell of a hockey team…’”
But he then added: “Let’s be honest, you’d never get what’s going to be contested tonight. The political side of things, we feel [that] for everybody on our side of things.”
Adding to MacKinnon’s earlier message post-match, fellow forward Mark Stone said: “We wanted this one.
“You’ve got 40 million Canadians, sitting at home, and you feel the energy. Anytime you have the chance to play for our country, or the flag on our chest, it’s a special, special feeling. … It brings us together. And just glad we got to get this one.”
Matchwinner McDavid tentatively added: “Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us.
“I know it’s just a quick tournament, and it’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see.”
The tournament also worked as a perfect prelude to NHL players returning to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and it won’t be just the politics that make it a must-watch inside and outside of North America, but the fact the two nations have never been closer on ice.
“I think I’d say it’s a pretty even playing field in my opinion,” Team USA captain Auston Matthews said later. “It could have gone either way.”
Defenseman Zach Werenski added: “We’ve proved tonight and to everyone that we’re right there with Canada, It’s anyone’s game.
“Ultimately, it was them that won it, but I feel like for us we should be excited in here. This group’s going to be around a long time together. We expect to win now.”
