Just over a week ago, nobody knew for sure what the 4 Nations Face-Off was going to be like. Would it resemble an All-Star game? Would players care? Would the competition level be at least the same as an NHL regular season game?
It’s safe to say that all of those questions were answered early on.
The 4 Nations Face-Off instead gave us everything a fan could ask for, and then some. It started with the opening game between Canada and Sweden that put every Canadian on the edge of their seat and forced overtime that ended when Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal on a pass from none other than Sidney Crosby. Then Finland upset Sweden in surprising fashion, earning the big brother nod at least until the Olympics next year.
But nothing even <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/6-takeaways-canada-usa-thriller-mayhem-montreal-guentzel-larkin-elevate">compares to Saturday night</a> at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Canada vs. USA was all anyone could talk about leading up to it and it was the talk of the night, even with NBA All-Star Saturday taking place. Rogers Sports &amp; Media released the ratings of the Canada vs. USA round-robin game on Saturday. There were 4.7 million average viewers across Sportsnet while reaching upwards of 9.35 million Canadians during the broadcast whether it be on Sportsnet or Sportsnet +. Team Canada then handled their <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/6-takeaways-canada-finland-mcdavid-different-level-crosby-rescue">business against Finland</a> on Monday, setting up a rematch vs. USA for Thursday night in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
As NFL Network’s Rich Eisen said during his show, Saturday night was “must-see television” and he will be watching Thursday night. There’s no question how much this tournament has already done for the game of hockey and what Thursday night will mean to the players. As Team Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper said, “Nothing’s done more for hockey in a decade.”
He’s right. The question is, how do we go back to the NHL regular season and top that?
Simply, you don’t. Unless a Canadian team wins the Stanley Cup and even then, only a Toronto Maple Leafs championship could top what the 4 Nations has done. Even if we’ve peaked at 4 Nations there are still many captivating storylines waiting for these star players when they return home to their club teams.
Upcoming events to watch out for:
Playoff Race: With under 30 games to go for each team, we’ve never seen a playoff race in the Eastern Conference as close as it is right now with teams like the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings trying to make their first appearances in a long time. The Atlantic Division specifically will be one to keep tabs on as the year wraps up.
NHL Trade Deadline: This season has also been filled with some of the biggest trades we’ve seen in the last decade, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/how-mikko-rantanen-trade-whats-next-mitch-marner">including Mikko Rantanen</a> heading to Carolina and everything that has happened in Vancouver with J.T. Miller finally landing with the New York Rangers. But as we approach the NHL trade deadline on March 7, there could be many others on the move, making for an entertaining time in the NHL.
Ovi’s Goal Chase: Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, something nobody thought would be broken, that was until Alexander Ovechkin entered the league. He currently sits with 879 goals, 16 away from beating the all-time record with 894. A record most thought would take him until the 2026-27 season to break is on pace to be broken this year.
Stanley Cup Playoffs: Finally, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Can this be the year that Connor McDavid wins his first cup after coming so close last year, losing in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers? Could the Toronto Maple Leafs, with new head coach Craig Berube, find a way to the promised land?
At the end of the day the game of hockey is in a better place because of the 4 Nations Face-Off, and only time will tell if the rest of the NHL season can live up to what this week-in-a-half delivered.
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff Live</a> is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff YouTube channel</a> and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Just over a week ago, nobody knew for sure what the 4 Nations Face-Off was going to be like. Would it resemble an All-Star game? Would players care? Would the competition level be at least the same as an NHL regular season game?
It’s safe to say that all of those questions were answered early on.
The 4 Nations Face-Off instead gave us everything a fan could ask for, and then some. It started with the opening game between Canada and Sweden that put every Canadian on the edge of their seat and forced overtime that ended when Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal on a pass from none other than Sidney Crosby. Then Finland upset Sweden in surprising fashion, earning the big brother nod at least until the Olympics next year.
But nothing even <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/6-takeaways-canada-usa-thriller-mayhem-montreal-guentzel-larkin-elevate">compares to Saturday night</a> at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Canada vs. USA was all anyone could talk about leading up to it and it was the talk of the night, even with NBA All-Star Saturday taking place. Rogers Sports &amp; Media released the ratings of the Canada vs. USA round-robin game on Saturday. There were 4.7 million average viewers across Sportsnet while reaching upwards of 9.35 million Canadians during the broadcast whether it be on Sportsnet or Sportsnet +. Team Canada then handled their <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/6-takeaways-canada-finland-mcdavid-different-level-crosby-rescue">business against Finland</a> on Monday, setting up a rematch vs. USA for Thursday night in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
As NFL Network’s Rich Eisen said during his show, Saturday night was “must-see television” and he will be watching Thursday night. There’s no question how much this tournament has already done for the game of hockey and what Thursday night will mean to the players. As Team Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper said, “Nothing’s done more for hockey in a decade.”
He’s right. The question is, how do we go back to the NHL regular season and top that?
Simply, you don’t. Unless a Canadian team wins the Stanley Cup and even then, only a Toronto Maple Leafs championship could top what the 4 Nations has done. Even if we’ve peaked at 4 Nations there are still many captivating storylines waiting for these star players when they return home to their club teams.
Upcoming events to watch out for:
Playoff Race: With under 30 games to go for each team, we’ve never seen a playoff race in the Eastern Conference as close as it is right now with teams like the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings trying to make their first appearances in a long time. The Atlantic Division specifically will be one to keep tabs on as the year wraps up.
NHL Trade Deadline: This season has also been filled with some of the biggest trades we’ve seen in the last decade, <a href="https://theleafsnation.com/news/how-mikko-rantanen-trade-whats-next-mitch-marner">including Mikko Rantanen</a> heading to Carolina and everything that has happened in Vancouver with J.T. Miller finally landing with the New York Rangers. But as we approach the NHL trade deadline on March 7, there could be many others on the move, making for an entertaining time in the NHL.
Ovi’s Goal Chase: Wayne Gretzky’s goal record, something nobody thought would be broken, that was until Alexander Ovechkin entered the league. He currently sits with 879 goals, 16 away from beating the all-time record with 894. A record most thought would take him until the 2026-27 season to break is on pace to be broken this year.
Stanley Cup Playoffs: Finally, the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Can this be the year that Connor McDavid wins his first cup after coming so close last year, losing in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers? Could the Toronto Maple Leafs, with new head coach Craig Berube, find a way to the promised land?
At the end of the day the game of hockey is in a better place because of the 4 Nations Face-Off, and only time will tell if the rest of the NHL season can live up to what this week-in-a-half delivered.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-138774" src="https://publish.canucksarmy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2099/08/Article-727x404-1.png" alt="" width="728" height="405" /></a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff Live</a> is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@daily_faceoff">Daily Faceoff YouTube channel</a> and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!

Can the rest of the NHL season top the 4 Nations Face-Off?

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