4 Nations Shatters Expectations as Canada Wins the Championship
A Thrilling Overtime Victory for Connor McDavid’s Memorable Goal
Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off by beating the United States for the championship in an overtime thriller capped off by Connor McDavid’s memorable goal that will be on highlight reels for decades to come.
A Win-Win for the NHL, Its Players, and the Sport of Hockey
In the grand scheme of things, the NHL, its players, and the sport of hockey all came out as winners.
A One-Off Tournament that Exceeded Expectations
The 4 Nations was a one-off tournament with no past and no future, a trimmed-down version of a World Cup of Hockey staged because the best players in the world waited so long for something of its kind. With tens of millions watching across North America, it exceeded all expectations, with play on the ice better resembling a Stanley Cup Final or the Olympics than the All-Star Weekend festivities it replaced.
Players Took it Seriously
“It was much more popular than even we would have imagined — it was getting so much attention from our whole continent,” 4 Nations MVP Nathan MacKinnon said. “The 4 Nations caught on fire. I’m sure everyone didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously, questions about it being an All-Star Game, things like that. Obviously, people didn’t really know the players’ mindsets coming in, and rightfully so. You never really know. But guys took this very seriously when you represent your country.”
A New Generation of Players
Given that a generation of players from McDavid and MacKinnon to Americans Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel never got a chance to represent their countries in so-called best-on-best play as professionals, it was clear in their minds they were taking it seriously. For many fans, it took seeing the opening game — Sidney Crosby’s no-look pass to MacKinnon for a goal 56 seconds in and the frantic pace at which Canada and Sweden were skating up and down the rink — to believe this was going to be worth watching.
A Huge Success
Then people watched. With U.S. ratings numbers for the final still pending, Sportsnet reported 10.7 million people across Canada watched Thursday night — over a quarter of the country’s total population — after the six round-robin games averaged 4.6 million viewers in North America and 10.1 million tuned in to the first U.S.-Canada game.
Social Media Reactions
In a series of social media posts, former NFL player J.J. Watt raved, “It’s just incredible how much of a home run 4 Nations has been for the NHL and hockey in general” and said friends who had never watched the sport before were reaching out asking about plans to watch and what to eat during it.
The Future of the Sport
The next chance they will get is a year away at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, the return of the players to that stage after the NHL skipped in 2018 and pulled out at the eleventh hour in 2022 because of pandemic-related scheduling problems.
Conclusion
The 4 Nations Face-Off has set the stage for a thrilling future of international hockey competitions, with the 2026 Olympics and subsequent tournaments on the horizon. As Commissioner Gary Bettman noted, the level of play and the result have set the stage perfectly for the Americans to again challenge Canadian hockey superiority, with the Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Slovaks, Germans, and maybe even the Russians also in the mix for Olympic gold.
FAQs
* What was the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The 4 Nations Face-Off was a one-off international ice hockey tournament featuring Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States.
* How did the tournament perform?
The tournament exceeded all expectations, with tens of millions watching across North America and play on the ice resembling a Stanley Cup Final or the Olympics.
* Who won the 4 Nations Face-Off?
Canada won the championship by beating the United States in an overtime thriller capped off by Connor McDavid’s memorable goal.
* When will the next international ice hockey tournament be held?
The next international ice hockey tournament will be held at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, the return of the players to that stage after the NHL skipped in 2018 and pulled out at the eleventh hour in 2022 because of pandemic-related scheduling problems.
