Last Night, Canada Defeated The USA In A Thrilling 3-2 Overtime Final, Which May Have Pushed The NHL To A Whole New Level!
The NHL got it right. The NHL has been getting it right for a while with some of its marketing schemes and events. Thanks to an agreement between the league and the players’ association, the NHL debuted its 4 Nations Face Off Event. It may turn out to be a one-and-done event for the league moving forward. Its lasting legacy, however, could have some serious positive results for the league.
Being an American citizen, I am disappointed that the US once again came up short against their rivals from the north. We all know the last time the two countries met in a best-of-country event finals where the US won was in 1996. Most experts thought Thursday’s final in Boston was the American’s best chance to recapture gold. But sadly, it was not meant to be.
The league created this event as a precursor to next year’s much more significant event. That’s when the league will again participate in the Winter Olympics, which it has not done in a while. Of course, the Olympics will not be limited to just four countries. Hopefully, we will have other NHL stars from countries like Russia and Czechia going for the gold next year. It will be a more realistic view of which country in the whole world truly is the best.
There are so many reasons why the 4 Nations event was a big success for the league. Almost every game between the US, Canada, Sweden, and Finland was highly competitive. Even though the US beat Finland 6-1 in their opener, the game was 2-1 after two periods. All other games were close, some even going into overtime.
Another main reason the event was a success was that all the games were televised here in the States, either in the early afternoon or prime time. This allowed the league to market its stars to as many eyes as possible. This, of course, is thanks to its partnership with ESPN and TNT. Sadly, the time difference will be the one drawback to the Olympics next year. Games will be held in Milan Cortina, Italy, so the time difference means most games might be played at times unsuitable for USA viewership.
Nevertheless, the league could showcase its stars at a time when the other winter sport, the NBA, was having severe difficulty in some areas. There has been a lot of criticism lately about how the NBA stars participate in their All-Star game. For many years, the league has been chastised about how its stars sometimes show a lack of interest in playing. Simply put, the NBA may show signs of problems in North America. Basketball will always be extremely popular in Asia and parts of Europe.
That being said, everyone in the media always calls the NHL the fourth major sport—sometimes even the fifth. However, the success of 4 Nations drew excellent ratings for its games here in the States, not only for die-hard fans but also for curious first-timers. If the NBA is seriously having some issues promoting its brand right now, the NHL needs to strike while the iron is hot.
The core NBA audience nowadays is between 15-40-year-old males. Most older fans like myself have lost total interest in the NBA. There are many reasons for this, but I won’t get on my soapbox to discuss them now. If the NHL can capitalize on this latest event and market the league better to attract those 15-40-year-olds, it can make a serious dent in popularity here in America. Let’s face it: hockey will always be the top dog in Canada. With so much competition for eyeballs here in the USA, it’s harder to make serious inroads to help add new fans.
The 4 Nations Face-Off was a step in the right direction in capturing those new fans. The finals were not only discussed on sports platforms, but most major news outlets also discussed it. This never happens during a regular mid-season in the NHL. For a time when the league introduced its Winter Classic, it also produced a significant buzz. However, the bloom is off the rise with the league’s New Year’s Day outdoor event. It is time for another way to bring in those new fans.
Beginning with the Olympics next year, the league plans on playing a best-on-best country event every two years. In 2028, with the reintroduction of the World Cup of Hockey, the NHL will have its stars playing in significant competitions regularly. This will help the game grow. The future looks so bright for the league in many ways.
As mentioned in a prior column, the NHL implemented new wrinkles during the 4 Nations event. The addition of ten-minute overtime and teams getting three points for a regulation win are two rules I hope they continue to use starting next season. The shootout, in most fans’ eyes, has lost a lot of buzz.
Fear not, Team USA fans. Yes, we are all hurting now, losing again to Canada. The US team has nothing to be ashamed of at all. We will find out in the coming days that many players were playing hurt. Matthew Tkachuk, a key member of Team USA, could not even play the last three periods last night due to injury. His loss was a significant factor down the stretch.
Overall, the US and Canada are very evenly matched. The US beat Canada 3-1 last week, and this time, they fell in overtime, where they had few chances even to win the game. Thanks to some great goaltending from Jordan Binnington of the Blues, Canada was able to prevail. With Connor McDavid scoring the winning goal, Canada can still claim to be the big brother to the USA.
Hockey has a very bright future. The games were all top-notch, with fans on their feet. It may be difficult for some fans and players to actually resume the 24-25 NHL season, but that is, in fact, what they will do. Starting this weekend, the stretch drive to make the playoffs will continue.
There is much more excitement left this year. With so many teams still in contention for the playoffs, the push toward the March 7th trade deadline should be interesting. There will undoubtedly be many more twists and turns to the season.
The 4 Nations Face-Off may be only a one-and-done tournament, as we may never see it again. It left its mark. Moving forward, the NHL will have a chance to grow the brand. It must strike now while the iron is hot. Will it ever be a powerhouse like the NFL or Major League Baseball, no it won’t. But for fans of the sport, and hopefully, many new fans moving forward, the league got it right. Kudos to Gary Bettman and the NHLPA for giving hockey fans a real treat during the dog days of February
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