In hockey, reaching the NHL represents the pinnacle of a player’s journey and the holy grail of achievements. However, Every so often, an elite group of hockey players is selected to play for their country, and the stakes of obtaining bragging rights as the strongest hockey nation on Earth could not be higher. A deep and rich history of tournaments has exemplified the magnitude of importance and pride that the few selected hockey players apply to this mission.
The tournaments have been sporadic regarding when and where they occurred and the format in which they were played. Once there was the 1972 Hockey Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union. In the heart of the Cold War, a carefully selected team of NHL stars took on and defeated a very disciplined and skilled Soviet hockey team in an 8-game shocker.
Game 3, held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, ended in a 4-4 tie which later forced an 8th hockey game to be played in Moscow. That hockey game’s heroics, particularly Paul Henderson’s iconic game-winner in the final minute of the 3rd period, is deeply ingrained in Canadian history and a source of national pride.
The 1980 Lake Placid Olympics put USA hockey on the map. NHL hockey players were not permitted to play in that tournament, but that did not diminish the magnitude and glory of the final result. In fact, The Miracle On Ice was declared by Sports Illustrated as the greatest sporting moment of the 20th Century.
That US hockey team was coached by legendary University of Minnesota coach Herb Brooks. Comprised entirely of college players, the Americans out-grinded the Soviets and their iconic goaltender Vladislav Tretiak to take the gold medal. This Olympic victory, again in the heart of the Cold War and on US soil, was another installment in the fabled vault of hockey history.
The Canada Cup
The next notable clash of nations on the ice was the 1987 Canada Cup. Despite being played only on Canadian Soil, that tournament saw an all-star cast of players on the Canadian roster, led by arguably the 2 best hockey players of all time, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. That tournament featured 6 nations, all of which were allowed to carry professional players.
Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union did not yet allow their players in the NHL at the time, so the tournament definitely offered hockey fans a showcase of the best hockey players in the world, going at it in a round-robin format, with the final ultimately being a thrilling 2-1 series win over the Soviets, who still carried many of the same players that were defeated by the US in 1980.
There have been several International hockey tournaments since then. The 1990s featured the World Cup of Hockey. A star cast of American hockey players such as Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, Mike Modano, and Brett Hull, who was a dual Canadian/American citizen, fought hard to win supremacy and bragging rights as the best in the world when they took out Canada 2 games to 1 in the final series.
Canada would find abundant redemption as their carefully selected band of NHL superstars would take gold in the ‘04 and later the ‘16 World Cups and the Olympic Gold in 3 of the 5 tournaments where NHL hockey players were permitted to play and represent their country.
It goes without saying that International hockey tournaments carry a very proud and storied history despite a vast variance in structure and format. The 4 Nations Face-Off will involve 4 stacked teams of NHL stars donning the hockey jersey of their home country. Canada, led by Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, will strive to rise to the top of the round-robin tournament and emerge victorious in the final.
Standing in their way will be an American team that might just be their strongest roster ever assembled. Toronto Maple Leafs Sniper Auston Matthews will have a supporting cast that includes the Tkachuk brothers (Matthew of the Florida Panthers and Brady of the Ottawa Senators) as well as the likes of Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes and the Rangers’ Adam Fox manning the blueline.
The nations of Finland and Sweden will both bring their most talented team to the tourney. Sweden will hope to put New Jersey Devil star Jesper Bratt and perennial Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman in a position to take on and defeat the other 3 all-star teams appearing in this hockey showdown.
Finland will bring its typical, experienced speedsters, such as Carolina’s Sebastian Aho and highly skilled NHL champion Alexander Barkov, to the party. This rivalry never seems to disappoint, and the clash of these 2 Scandinavian hockey superpowers will have a viewership of hockey fans extending well beyond North America and Europe.
The anticipation of this International hockey tournament will definitely be missing the flavor of intensity that only a matchup between Russia and Canada or the US can offer. Alex Ovechkin is perhaps the most recognizable superstar in hockey at the moment, given his pursuit of the all-time goal-scoring record. Unfortunately, as evidenced by various contests throughout hockey history, the game is not exempt from conflicting politics.
There will be an undeniable feeling that something is missing from this tournament. Seeing the best taking on the best is what we, as fans, are ultimately craving. We will miss Ovechkin, Kucherov, Panarin, and others who are forced to sit this out because of their country of origin. Still, the 4 Nations Faceoff is fixing to be a nice treat for hockey fans. It is a showcase of (some of) the best, playing for what can mainly be described as bragging rights.
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