By Blake Metiva
Rivalries, geopolitical struggles, and three fights in nine seconds. For the first time in a long time, the National Hockey League has positive PR for finally doing something other leagues haven’t: innovating the all-star game.
There was nothing more welcome than a change to the game. Players didn’t care about the event anymore, most notably Alexander Ovechkin skipping in 2020 and Nikita Kucherov showing no effort in the skills competition at the 2024 edition.
The NHL announced Feb. 2, 2024 that there would be no 2025 All-Star Game; instead, they’d be hosting what was dubbed the “4 Nations Faceoff.” The four nations featured would be Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States, and all players selected would come from the NHL’s player base.
“We think this is a great stage for the best on the best, in the best sport,” said league commissioner Gary Bettman during the announcement.
The 4 Nations is everything other All-Star games aren’t. There’s been passion on the face of players, bodies put on the line, effort emanating on each shift. The games have been nothing short of tantalizing with three ending with a one goal difference and two decided in overtime.
No game showcased the “best on best” more than Canada vs the U.S. As the NBA was having its players do another wasted skills competition, the NHL had fans on the edge of their seats. During the national anthems, the U.S. anthem was booed loudly in Montreal’s Centre Bell—no doubt due to politics outside of the game. Within a second of the opening faceoff two fights broke out at center ice; eight seconds later there was another in the Canada zone. That made it clear: this wasn’t just an exhibition.
The United States came away with a 3-1 victory over the Canadians, and gave temporary bragging rights to the Stars and Stripes. The final will be a rematch of the sport’s greatest rivalry, with even more bragging rights on the line.
As a cynic hockey fan that doesn’t give him his due: congratulations Gary, you finally got it right. The players care, the fans are energized and the game has been exposed to millions as a result of the tournament.
