We’re now less than 10 days away from the 2025 4-Nations Faceoff.
It’s the closest thing we’re getting to best-on-best international ice hockey since the 2016 World Cup.
USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland.
You’ll notice that there is No Russia, no Czech Republic, no Slovakia.
Not even putting the country back together again for a Team Czechoslovakia.
So obviously there’s a bit of…political tension between the United States and Canada right now.
So much so that the typically kind-hearted and gentle-souled Canadian people are booing the Star Spangled Banner before games.
We even have broadcasters working tariff jokes into the broadcasts in Canada.
Now sports are usually a great way to get away from politics.
To put all the issues of the world aside and just enjoy a game for a couple of hours.
But to be perfectly honest, a little political animosity always makes international hockey a little bit spicier.
It’s half the reason why the Miracle on Ice was so special.
And from there, it’s only human nature for the players feed off that energy.
Sometimes that energy is positive.
And you’ll notice the speed and skill in the game start to dial up.
But sometimes that energy is chaotic, and maybe even a little on the side of malicious.
And I think that’s what we’re going to see on display in the Bell Centre next Saturday.
The energy of the crowd will have a huge role in determining the energy on the ice.
We’re talking 1996 World Cup levels of chaos.
Auston Matthews, American, captain of a Canadian team.
Brady Tkachuk, American, captain of a Canadian team.
Quinn Hughes, American, captain of a Canadian team.
I know these guys don’t actually give a shit about the politics involved.
I know these guys all have an NHL season to focus on once this “tournament” wraps up.
Especially if it ends up being USA vs Canada again in the final game.
