4 Nations Face-Off: Growing the Game, Keeping Promises, Frustrating Some Clubs

Written by pcciotta

The 4 Nations Face-Off has exceeded virtually everyone’s expectations over the last week. What many had originally called a “glorified all-star game” or “meaningless tournament” has quickly become one of the most popular hockey events in the last decade. With the championship game between the United States and Canada set for tonight, let’s take a deeper look at the NHL’s soft launch back into international competition.

Growing the Game

On Saturday night, the United States and Canada set an “astonishing record” for viewership. According to the New York Post, “’[t]he United States’ showdown with Canada on Saturday in the 4 Nations Face-Off drew an astonishing 10.1 million viewers in the US and Canada [HD1] .”^[1] That figure combines ratings from Sportsnet, CITY, SN+, TVA Sports and ABC.^[2] “Saturday’s rivalry showdown between the North American neighbors was a 203 percent increase from viewership numbers seen during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey when the US and Canada played.” ^[3]

The matchup between the United States and Canada was “the most-viewed non-Stanley Cup Final hockey broadcast since 2019.” ^[4]

Even more impressive is the fact that the Saturday night clash had the sports world putting the NHL ahead of the NBA in entertainment value and viewership. The NBA All-Star game ran concurrently with the 4 Nations Face-Off, but “wasn’t received as well as the NHL.”^[5] In fact, “the viewership of the [NBA] All-Stars went down by 36% compared to last year.” NBA All-Star Saturday “fell in the ratings, averaging 3.4 million viewers, the least watched iteration of the event.”^[6] Kevin Durant had this to say about the 4 Nations Face-Off: “Hockey is right there and they play with that aggression that u may like, they also rarely get traded or go to new teams in free agency so the loyalty aspect is there.”

Keeping Promises

The popularity of the 4 Nations Face-Off is a promise kept by the NHL. In 2020, the NHL ratified a new CBA that “set in stone that NHL players would return to Olympic competition at the 2022 Beijing Games and the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.”^[7] The players had been asking for a return to “best on best” hockey for years and made that desire clear when negotiating in 2020. “The NHLPA made sure the new CBA contained the express language about Olympic participation that was absent from the previous CBA.”^[8]

Section 16.5(a) of the 2020 CBA provides the following: “League scheduled off-days or breaks (e.g., All-Star break, Holidays, Olympics) shall count as a day off for purposes of this subsection.”^[9]

Section 24.10 directly discusses a return to the Olympics: “Notwithstanding the foregoing, the NHL and the NHLPA commit to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, subject to terms acceptable to each of the NHL, NHLPA, and IIHF.”^[10]

The 4 Nations Face-Off is the NHL’s way of reintroducing itself to international hockey and following through on its 2020 promises. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called the 4 Nations Face-Off “a sampler.”^[11] Both the NHL and NHLPA “are committed to sending NHL players to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, meaning hockey will return to a cadence of best-on best international competition every two years.”^[12]

Frustrating Clubs

The high intensity competition of “best on best” hockey does not come with risk, especially for the players respective clubs. Injuries have plagued the tournament, leaving many teams holding their breath.

Charlie McAvoy, Team USA star and Boston Bruin, has been labeled “week-to-week” after suffering an injury to the AC joint in his right shoulder.^[13] McAvoy played through his injury in the game against Canada on Saturday night but “developed an infection in his right shoulder that required him to be transported to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday night.”^[14]

The Bruins issued a statement on McAvoy, directly pointing the finger at the care he received from Team USA. “Charlie McAvoy sustained an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint in Team USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off game against Finland on February 13. He underwent treatment, which was administered by Team USA’s medical staff.”^[15] Elliot Friedman from Sportsnet commented on the statement, saying, “I think the people who are the angriest is the team, the Bruins . . . If you read their statement today, they make it very clear that they are unhappy with how this all went down, that they don’t feel that their player was given the proper treatment.”^[16]

The Bruins have history with the Minnesota Wild medical team, the staff being used by Team USA in the 4 Nations, “stemming from a disagreement over the health of Patrick Maroon after Boston acquired him from the Wild at last year’s trade deadline.”^[17] It will certainly be worth keeping tabs on whether the bruins seek any recourse regarding the care (or lack thereof) towards McAvoy.

McAvoy was not the only significant injury from the tournament. In the first game, Canada defenseman Shea Theodore sustained an upper-body injury that has him out “week-to-week.”

Looking Ahead

Both the positives and negatives coming out of the 4 Nations Face-Off are sure to impact the upcoming CBA negotiations. One thing is certain. Everyone wants growth. NHLPA executive director, Marty Walsh, has said so directly: “We’re working well together . . . It’s business and we’re growing the game of hockey, getting more fans to watch hockey.”^[18]The NHL accomplished the goal of growing the game with the 4 Nations, setting records in viewership.

It will be interesting to see whether medical treatment of players at international events becomes a topic of discussion in future negotiations. Charlie McAvoy’s situation puts a number of questions at the forefront. What control can clubs exercise over a player’s treatment if they are injured in future Olympics or World Cup events? Should Team USA have to inform the pro club before proceeding with any treatment? What will those relationships look like in the future? After last CBA’s “Jack Eichel” dilemma, it is likely that players will pay close attention to the outcomes of both McAvoy and the Bruins. The extent to which players and clubs disagree over the issue is yet to be seen.

^[1] https://nypost.com/2025/02/18/sports/canada-us-game-sees-record-viewership-for-4-nations-showdown/

^[2] Id.

^[3] Id.

^[4] https://frontofficesports.com/nhl-4-nations-face-off-steals-the-spotlight-from-nba-all-star-weekend/

^[5] https://www.essentiallysports.com/us-sports-news-nhl-news-upset-kevin-durants-statement-on-nba-confirmed-by-america-as-nhl-creates-record-with-four-nations-face-off/

^[6] https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/nba-all-star-ratings-plummet-13/

^[7] https://globalsportmatters.com/business/2023/05/31/power-potential-global-hockey-tournament-nhl/

^[8] https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/law/academics/sportslaw/commentary/mslj_blog/2021/thereturnofnhlplayerstotheolympics.html

^[9] Id.

^[10] Id.

^[11] https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/43816383/world-cup-hockey-return-2028-held-alternating-olympic-cycles

^[12] Id.