Shortly after scoring the winning goal that secured Canada a 3-2 overtime victory over the United States in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, Connor McDavid discussed the tournament’s significance for the players and the evolution of the game. In an interview with ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, he was asked about the most fulfilling aspect of the win. “Just to see the reaction,” he shared. “To know what it means to us. I know it’s just a quick tournament. It’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see. Everybody battled so hard all week. It was special…it’s best on best. It’s four great countries going at it. Here in Boston, we faced an incredible American team and found a way to secure the win. It wasn’t necessarily the prettiest, but we did it.”
After detailing how he overcame his feelings about a subpar performance to score the decisive goal, Kaplan inquired about how non-hockey fans might perceive the tournament. “There are many people watching who might not necessarily be hockey fans,” she noted. “What do you hope they learned about our sport?” McDavid replied, “I hope they love it. It’s a great game. It’s a great sport. I hope we put on a good show these last few days and gained some fans. Ultimately, you can’t ask for a better show than that.”
Connor McDavid: “It’s a great game. It’s a great sport. And I hope we put on a good show these last couple days and gained some fans. Ultimately, you can’t ask for a better show than that.” pic.twitter.com/t3lk4lYy5w
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 21, 2025
It would be hard to argue with McDavid, as the 4 Nations Face-Off received near-universal praise. Before the final even began, its importance to the players was palpable. Huge audiences tuned in, indicated by massive numbers of viewers watching. While the specific viewership numbers for the final are still unknown, they are expected to be substantial.
The ultimate impact of this on hockey’s growth remains to be seen, but the sport certainly showcased its best side through this event.
