Even though Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime during the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the real winner was the NHL for how successful the tournament was.
After the major success of the 4 Nations Face-Off, fans are wondering whether the tournament will become a yearly tradition or a one-and-done event. In this edition of NHL Recap, we will discuss the future of the 4 Nations Face-Off and international hockey in general.Ā
THE SUCCESS OF THE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF
The 4 Nations Face-Off hoped to draw in more viewers than ever before, and that is exactly what it did. The championship game between Team Canada and Team USA broke viewing records on multiple levels, including being ESPNās most-watched hockey game of all time. The game drew around 16 million viewers in North America alone; the USA averaged around 9.3 million viewers while Canada averaged around 5.7 million viewers. Ā
Also contributing to the tournamentās incredible success was the first matchup between Canada and the United StatesĀ during the Round Robin portion of the tournament, which went viral on social media for its electric start. The clip of the first nineĀ seconds of the game, which included three different fights, went viral and got the attention of social media users everywhere, regardless of prior interest in hockey. Americans everywhere began sharing their support of Team USA and encouraged others to support them as well. The tournament brought hockey to a whole new audience, which is exactly what the league intended for it to do. Ā
INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY AND THE NHL
While it may seem obvious that the league would keep the 4 Nations Face-Off for years to come after its extreme success, that might not be the case.
The NHL has already announced that 2026 will be the return of the All-Star Weekend, which will take place at UBS Arena, the home of the New York Islanders. What sets this All-Star Weekend apart from ones in years past is that this one will serve as the opening act to the 2026 Winter Olympics (taking place in Milan and Cortina dāAmpezzo, Italy), where NHL players will be allowed to compete for their countries for the first time since 2014. NHL players will also be allowed to compete in the 2030 Winter Olympics, taking place in the French Alps.
The league has also said that the World Cup of Hockey will return in 2028, which has not been played since 2016. While specific outlines have yet to be set for the 2028 iteration of the tournament, we can expect it to be played every four years and include representation from several countries. Think of the World Cup of Hockey as a modified version of the 4 Nations Face-Off, but with at least eight teams instead of four.
The NHL seems very hopeful in its plan for a major international tournament happening every two years, rotating between the Winter Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey, but what will happen in the years between these events? The league has not really said yet. The fact that 2026 will be an Olympic year and host an All-Star Weekend makes me believe that NHL All-Star games may be back for a while as a yearly occurrence. Ā
THE FUTURE OF THE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF
Is it possible for the 4 Nations Face-Off to return at some point in the future? Sure.
Do I honestly think it will happen? No.
The 4 Nations Face-Off provided a much-needed boost to the NHL, but I do not believe it was ever intended to be a permanent fixture in the leagueās schedule. Instead, it served as the perfect segway back into international hockey, which the league has been looking forward to for a while. YetĀ even though the 4 Nations Face-Off may not return as we know it, I think certain elements of it will remain for years to come. The NHL knows how successful the tournament was and will hopefully use its takeaways to improve future international tournaments. Ā
