It was 12:45 am NL Standard Time (give or take). Knowing full well that I had to get up and be on the ice in less than 4 hours, I started brushing my teeth – getting ready for bed while waiting for Overtime between Canada and the USA at the 4 Nations Challenge to start. When your alarm goes off at 4:40 am just about every day, you’re watching most sporting events with one eye open after any given second period.
But there was no way I could have went to bed and fallen asleep last night. My heart rate was just too high.
When Connor McDavid took a beautiful pass from Mitch Marner (who I have been heavily critical of over the years), turned his toes towards the net like Coach Nick talks about in SniperSkills classes all the time, and ripped a snapper over the shoulder of the American goaltender (I need AI to spell Helly’s name correctly), I literally sprung off the couch and started pumping my fists in the air. I swore a couple of times, inserting a scattered F bomb between the words “lets” and “go”. Lets keep in mind that the 4 Nations Challenge is an exhibition series – games that count towards no standings whatsoever. It wasn’t the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, or any IIHF-sanctioned event.
The Four Nations Challenge Final Just Hit Different. Here’s why I believe this tournament had such a profound impact on tens of thousand of people on both sides of the border.
Reason 1 – Escalating Tensions Between the US and Canada
Since Donald Trump was declared the 47th President of the United States, tensions between the United States and Canada have gone from not being on the burner at all, to a heavy boil. Trump’s tariffs, aggressive promotion of Canada being a future US State, and border/fentanyl crackdown that will likely impact my tax dollars have been front and centre on just about every media outlet – analog or digital – so far in 2025.
I chatted about this with a lady at the grocery store a couple weeks back. To me, Trump is a guy who puts America first and asks questions later. Trump is a man who – outside of his antics with women which I do not condone whatsoever – I’d vote for because of his steadfast reputation as a shrewd negotiator and successful businessperson. The US has debt issues, and players like Elon Musk and Donald Trump will try and run the country like a business. Find-evaluate-eliminate expenses. But to the woman at the grocery store – who represents a large portion of the Canadian general public – Donald Trump is an arrogant pr*ck who rocks a hair piece. Her words, not mine!
I’d be willing to bet that the vast majority of Canadians do not want to be American. The majority of Canadians are proud to be Canadian, and the players who laced ’em up for Team Canada wore that collective pride on their sleeves at the 4 Nations Challenge. A loss to the Americans last night would have been another metaphorical bend at the knee for the wealthier, more powerful, more populous country to the South. One step closer to losing who we are. One step towards becoming the 51st United State. But for now, the Great White North secured its border.
If you’re into underlying meanings behind things, Canada’s win last night felt like Rocky Balboa defeating Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. A movie where two fighters represented two nations at odds (go back and listen to the soundtrack of Rocky IV, the song ‘Burning Heart’ especially). The smaller in stature but passionate Balboa defeating the more physically imposing figure on the other side of the ring. If Connor McDavid had have ended with Rocky’s speech from that movie, I wouldn’t have batted an eye.
Reason 2 – The First ‘Best-on-Best’ in a Decade
The last time we saw Connor McDavid playing against the best players internationally, it was 2016 and he was playing for “Team North America” at the World Cup of Hockey. Canada won that event too, for those of you scoring at home.
If Gary Bettman is remembered for 3 things, it will be his steadfast efforts to grow the game in US non-traditional hockey markets (Phoenix/Arizona/Arizona State Coyotes ring a bell), killing cool concepts via overuse (outdoor games) and his inability to be like Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson (be a people’s champion). Bettman always found a way to starve the fans of what they really wanted, which was clearly more best-on-best hockey. Recent Winter Olympics have been without NHL players (find out why here). No World Cups of Hockey. Nadda.
Since Sochi in 2014, hockey has become a more international game. USA Hockey has more minor hockey registrations than Canada. People play hockey in China now (article here). European nations – especially on the female side of the game – have shrunk the gap between the top nations of the sport and the rest of the world. The CHL and NCAA are not enemies any more. Sh*t’s changed.
In other words – absence makes the heart grow fonder. If I’m a Canadian U18 hockey player sitting in an American prep school locker room, I want to be able to say ‘Canada is still the best at hockey’ and have some proof to back it up. Because sh*t’s changed since Canada last won a best-on-best tournament in 2016. If I’m a casual hockey fan, I want to see Austin Matthews going head to head vs McDavid or a Tkachuk brother try and get body position in the net front against big Victor Hedman. If I’m a goalie guy or girl, I want to see how Canada’s goaltending (or perceived lack thereof, which I’m hoping was dismissed after the 4 Nations) stacks up vs the other countries on the grandest stage.
Reason 3 – The Round Robin
I made a comment on TikTok on game day about who I felt would win the 4 Nations Cup Final (thankfully the comment aged well). I said that Canada would win because Makar was back, and the US gave Canada a lot of ‘bulletin board material’ after they acted like they won the tournament last Saturday night.
The round robin match between the US and Canada was yet another epic chapter between these two combatants. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen 3 fights in the first 9 seconds of a hockey game (felt like my junior hockey playing days). People who were at the Centre Bell last Saturday night all said that the roof practically came off the building when the puck dropped and the gloves were tossed to the side. It was a start to a hockey game that comes around – in this day and age with fight restrictions in junior leagues and such – once in a blue moon.
But (most) loved it. Because it threw accelerant on an already steaming tea kettle.
Afterwards, the war of words between the Americans and Canadians – with the ‘group chat’ comments of Hagel and the back-and-forth between Panthers team mates – continued to push fans into a climax. In a world where outcomes are supposedly ‘fixed’ and internet leaks ruin suspense, not one person knew for sure what was going to happen after the opening puck-drop on Thursday night. Was there going to be a line brawl? Was someone going to jump McDavid? Would we see Tkachuk-Hagel round 2? Would someone take a run at someone and the benches clear? No one knew. I assumed there wouldn’t be a fight in the game because of its magnitude, but the way these two countries had been verbally jousting, there was no way to tell.
On the round, the 4 Nations Challenge was a huge win for the NHL, and the game of hockey in general. I guarantee that there are Southern Americans who had never seen a person skate with a puck on their stick on National TV before watched these games and connected with the game. The tournament connected my family; I watched 2 games of hockey with my dad for the first time in years (he was quite upset at the no Tom Wilson on Team Canada). Everyone – regardless of country – is circling 2026 on their calendars in anticipation for the Winter Olympics next year. Because the 4 Nations Challenge Final just hit different.
Until Next Time
AP
If you Liked This, You Might Like..
Ryan Reaves Hit on Darnell Nurse – A Hot Take (video) – – – https://youtu.be/Ett5h2Lx-9M?si=DxVKVhrggVl_sAKS
Is There a Better Job in Hockey than.. This Position? (Article) – – – https://vhghockey.ca/is-there-a-better-job-than-this-hockey-position/