I write this as a disappointed yet extremely appreciative hockey fan. Disappointed that team USA couldn’t find a way to win the Four Nations Faceoff, but extremely grateful for the show they, Sweden, Finland and the Champions Canada put on. What we just witnessed over the last week was a truly remarkable sporting event no one saw coming several months ago. Sure we were excited for best on best hockey to return, but did we really expect this?

No one, not even the events organizers in the NHL and players union, could have possibly expected this kind of intensity to be on full display game in and game out. Multiple overtime games, fights, guys playing through injury, and game seven levels of passion mixed to make this tournament special. The players took an exhibition designed to entertain the passionate hockey fan, and turned it into an attention grabbing event for people all over the world, something they deserve immense credit for. The cross section of generational talent linking up for highlight reel plays will be a lasting memory for us all.

Plays like that along with the other memorable moments from the tournament are better marketing than the NHL could have dreamt of. For too long talking heads have spun their wheels about “hockeys popularity” or lack there of. “How can we grow the game and show more flash?” I have long contended that the answer to growing the game was the game itself. I believe no North American professional sports league delivers a better nightly product than the NHL does, and that is what we as fans of any sport should want. A product that we can consistently watch and be entertained by no matter who is playing. Unique personalities and roster intrigue are fun to have, but they were never meant to be the centerpiece, and nor should they be. I don’t watch Connor McDavid for his wit and charm (he isn’t bursting with either), I watch him because he does stuff like this.

I don’t say any of that to sit here and attack my fellow fans for loving another sport for whatever reasons they have over hockey. In a world lacking nuance and a “to each is own” mentality, we can all enjoy different things for our own reasons. Yes I know the tournament went up against the NBA All Star weekend and dominated it in the ratings. But first off let’s be honest, most All Star events, the NHL’s included, are dreadful. Does the NBA have a “caring issue” or at the least the feel of one that is hurting its ability to succeed as a sport? Yes it certainly does, but in the end must we make everything a debate? Particularly one where the two events in question were polar opposite in style and approached by the players in question accordingly.

The noise around this event went much deeper than just debating the merits of exhibition games. The tournament was beset from the beginning with more of our worlds exhausting and never ending political conversation, something that could have derailed it. But as another credit to its players and coaches, they asked for the focus to be on the games, and to be on the spirit of what international sports means to people everywhere.

No amount of sideshow derailed the on ice product. Whether it was politicians, PK Subban or First Take, the event was simply defined by its players. Hopefully along the way hockey and the NHL gained new fans, ones that follow for more than just the occasional exciting tilt. This brief tournament was a reminder of how special this game can be, and it leaves many of us wishing there was another USA vs Canada game tomorrow. So let’s be thankful we witnessed this event, and get excited for plenty more like it, there will be Olympic hockey next year and another Four Nations in 2028! Now back to our regularly scheduled NHL stretch run programming.

On Twitter you can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon!