Dan Patrick believes the NHL All-Star game is trending upward as it introduces the 4 Nations Face-Off for the first time. The longtime radio host fully supports hockey’s latest initiative, where the best players from the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland will compete throughout the week. After Canada secured a win against Finland in overtime on Wednesday night, Patrick praised the competitive spirit displayed by the players.
“I loved it. I thought it was wonderful,” Patrick said Thursday on his show. “I thought there was true excitement for what is deemed their All-Star Weekend. … I thought it was fun.”
“I thought there was true excitement for what is deemed their All-Star Weekend.”
DP believes the NBA could learn something from the #4Nations Tournament to improve NBA All-Star Weekend. pic.twitter.com/c9GUAz4yV2
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) February 13, 2025
The NHL All-Star game has never been a huge television draw, so the league is not overly concerned about viewership declines like the NBA. This innovation was inspired by the NHL’s strong recent commitment to international hockey. The league will release players to participate in the Winter Olympics again next winter and will host the World Cup of Hockey in 2028 and 2032.
Comparisons are naturally drawn to the NBA, especially since their seasons overlap and the NBA has a large international player base. As the NBA seeks to revitalize its All-Star game, Patrick suggests looking to the NHL for inspiration. “You got that it meant something. I don’t know if it’s going to mean something to (Jokić) or Giannis, whoever … are they going to be excited? How important is this to them?” he queried.
There are now enough foreign-born NBA players to form a competitive team, but commissioner Adam Silver has indicated that international players might not want to be distinguished from American players. Unlike the NHL, there may not be enough players from individual countries to create multiple teams.
Despite this, Patrick highlighted that the 4 Nations Face-Off instilled a clear sense of purpose among the participating players, which was evident in their performances. “Anything that you’re watching, you want to know, why am I getting invested if you’re not?” said Patrick. “Well, they were invested, and so was I … it exceeded expectations because they played hard.” Meanwhile, the NBA will experiment this weekend in San Francisco with a pickup-style mini-tournament, which has garnered almost universal criticism from the sports media.
