4 Nations Face-Off Delivered What it Promised

Does This Mean the End of the All-Star Game?

Like pretty much every other hockey fan, I was excited about the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament that the NHL held instead of its usual NHL All-Star Game Weekend.

I watched as many games live as I could, and even recorded games that conflicted with my night classes so I could watch them on “tape delay” when I got home that night. (I took extra care to NOT go on social media while on break from class, on my commute home, or while I was watching a game that was about over by the time I started watching it. No spoilers for this guy.) 

So exciting was the tournament that even non-hockey fans were talking about it. Everyone was abuzz about the U.S. vs. Canada round robin game that exploded with three fights in the first nine seconds, capped off by a 3-1 win by the U.S. And nobody was talking about what LeBron James did at the NBA All-Star Game the next day. 

Of course, there was also Finland beating Sweden 4-3 in overtime – with Patrick Laine of Finland proclaiming afterwards, “We’re the big brother now.” Finland also pushed its game against Canada to overtime. While Canada ultimately won that game, it proved that Finland has outgrown its status as an underdog. 

And the Championship game could not have been any better – well, if you are from Canada, anyway. As an American hockey fan, I really wanted to see the U.S. beat Canada for the first time since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Regardless, it does not get much closer than a 3-2 overtime win, does it? Had Canada won 10-0, that would not have been as meaningful of a game for either side. Winning only means something if you beat a worthy adversary. 

The 4 Nations Face-Off promised to deliver entertaining, meaningful, passionate hockey – and it did. Representing their country really brings out the best in the players – more so than playing for the Campbell Conference or Eastern Conference or the Scotiabank/Mastercard Metropolitan Division or whatever. 

Sure, some players got injured, which obviously is not good for the NHL season itself, but risk of injury wouldn’t stop most NHLers. 

When given the opportunity to play for their country, players jump at the chance. Bobby Orr pretty much wrecked his knees playing in the 1976 Canada Cup. He was the tournament MVP, then practically ineffective in parts of two seasons with the Black Hawks afterward. Orr also said winning that tournament was a bigger accomplishment than winning the Stanley Cup. 

Either of those two 4 Nations Face-Off games between the U.S. and Canada – heck, even the Finland-Sweden game – was way more entertaining than the NHL’s usual All-Star Game. I love All-Star Games because we get to see all of the game’s best players together at the same time. I like the Skills Competition and don’t think I will ever tire of the Fantasy Draft whenever they do one. 

Yet, I will admit that the All-Star Games can be a bit…boring. Players only give 2/3 effort because no one wants to put it on the line for a meaningless game. And there are stars like Alex Ovechkin who now try to get out of being in All-Star Games. Had Russia been in the 4 Nations Face-Off, you can bet Ovie would have been there. Heck, he would have driven the team bus to Montreal. 

Fans have also criticized the Skills Competition for being too gimmicky. I think the Skills Competition is best when it sticks to the basics: fastest skater, hardest shot, and so forth. But I also didn’t mind when it got a bit goofy with the offbeat skill challenges when All-Star Weekend was held in Las Vegas in 2022. (Shooting the glowing red pucks onto the floating targets was an especially fun event.)

So, will an international competition replace the All-Star Game? Probably not every year. Next season, the NHL will go on break to allow its players to participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics and forgo the All-Star Game. The 4 Nations Face-Off will probably be back in 2028, and NHLers will again participate in the Olympics in 2030. 

But I can’t realistically see the 4 Nations Face-Off being held during the three out of four non-Olympic years. That would water down the tournament a bit. 

I still think an All-Star Game has its place in the league. Maybe the NHL should just hold an All-Star Game in odd-numbered years. Better yet, make the All-Star an outdoor game that replaces the Winter Classic, and then skip the All-Star Game in even-numbered years for the Olympics or a 4 Nations – or hopefully a 5 or 6 Nations – Face-Off tournament. 

What do you think? Leave a comment, or hit me up on social media, and let me know what you thought of the 4 Nations Face-Off and if a short international tournament should replace the All-Star Game every year. 

Note: This article is an updated version of an editorial that originally appeared in Volume 3 – Issue 9 of the Puck Junk Newsletter. For stories like these, plus news and updates about hockey cards and collectibles, subscribe to the newsletter here.

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