On Feb. 22, The 4 Nations Face-Off, an international hockey tournament featuring teams from Canada, Sweden, Finland and the United States, had one of its biggest games.
16.1 million viewers tuned in to watch the second-most-watched ice hockey game in history, second only to Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The broadcast reached one in four Canadians on Sportsnet platforms and rose above every U.S. cable telecast, with the exception of NHL, college football and election broadcasts.
The game, played in Boston at TD Garden, ended with Canada winning 3-2 against the US, with a goal by Edmonton Oilers player Connor McDavid winning the match for Canada.
The coach for Team Canada, Jon Cooper, reflected on the event, saying, “nothing’s done more for hockey in a decade than what this tournament’s done.”
Tensions were high between the two teams, with more than a decade’s worth of tension between the U.S. and Canada. The increasing pressures by President Donald Trump’s tariff threats, as well as the multiple claims he made about wishing Canada to be America’s 51st state, brought the heat to one of the most hyped-up hockey games in over a decade.
At a round-robin match in Montreal, when the two teams faced off, many Canadian fans booed the American anthem out of frustration surrounding the current events regarding the bordering countries. This was shortly followed by three fights breaking out within only nine seconds of the start of the match.
It seemed to many of the team members and fans that winning the championship was about more than just bragging. Team Canada wanted more than ever to represent their country in light of Trump’s aggravating statements.
“Canadians are so pumped to win this game,” said Mark Goggins, who brought his son from Michigan to the game. Goggins had painted his face in red and white and posed with fans. He described the surge in Canadian patriotism after Trump’s remarks.
“Because we can’t beat Trump, right? It’s the only thing we can beat them at — hockey … It’s so big for Canadians. It’s more than a game.”
Even people who do not usually watch the sport are talking about the game. JJ Watt, a former American football defensive end, was surprised by how much audience the game had stirred up: “It’s just incredible how much of a home run 4 Nations has been for the NHL and hockey in general. Friends who never watched a hockey game in their lives, reaching out asking what the plan is for tonight’s game, what food we’re ordering, etc. Definition of growing the game.”
The NHL announced The All-Star Weekend, which was put on break in favor of this year’s Face-Off, is what is in store for 2026. The tournament will take place at the New York Islanders’ UBS Arena in February 2026 and will “serve as a bon voyage event ahead of the Winter Olympics in Italy.”