A significant part of the stakes for Thursday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the U.S. stemmed from pregame media comments, including political remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance regarding tariffs and threatened annexation. This led to some strong trolling from Canadian politicians and players following Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory.
This political backdrop was fueled by months of discourse regarding Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico (currently delayed until March) and his claims of making Canada “the 51st state.” Both Vance and Trump reiterated this sentiment pregame, with Trump even calling the U.S. team, which prompted backlash from figures like Akim Aliu, who criticized ESPN’s P.K. Subban for not challenging Trump’s comments, and anthem singer Chantal Kreviazuk.
Following Canada’s victory, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared notable social media posts in both French and English:
Vous ne pouvez pas prendre notre pays — et vous ne pouvez pas prendre notre sport.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 21, 2025
You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 21, 2025
Trudeau further quoted Canadian hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser, referencing her famous line after defeating the U.S. at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics: “The Americans had our flag on the floor in their dressing room, and now I want to know if they want us to sign it.”
What she said. pic.twitter.com/T12sP9FVsL
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 21, 2025
There remains debate over whether a Canadian flag was on the floor in 2002, as both USA Hockey and Hockey Canada released a joint statement denying it post-factum. Nevertheless, Wickenheiser’s quote continues to circulate in Canadian discourse, especially surrounding U.S. rivalries. Trudeau’s sharing of this sentiment on X following Canada’s win highlights its relevance.
Aside from the political comments, numerous media statements emerged from players on both sides leading up to the match. U.S. players Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, and J.T. Miller caused a stir by revealing their plan for three fights in nine seconds during their round-robin clash, organized over a group chat. Canadian forward Brandon Hagel countered with, “We don’t have any group chats going on,” emphasizing their focus on the sport rather than the media presence. Matthew Tkachuk replied, “Maybe their team doesn’t like each other then if they don’t have group chats.”
This was part of Tkachuk’s pregame remarks, where he described the game as the biggest he’s played (noteworthy considering his recent Stanley Cup win). After the game, Canadian forward Brad Marchand, recognized for his previous trolling, responded sharply to the Tkachuks:
Brad Marchand on Tkachuk brothers: “Sometimes when you shoot your mouth off in the media, it bites you.”
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) February 21, 2025
Adding to the playful tension, the Canadian locker room celebrated their victory by blasting Nickelback’s “Burn It To The Ground,” which drew connections to a historical incident that Trump referenced to Trudeau in 2018:
Never forget. https://t.co/1qL07kwcaA pic.twitter.com/LvLjzlu9gd
— Jason P. (@JasonPYYC) February 21, 2025
A tribute to the War of 1812, clearly https://t.co/MvKhQIvGLC
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) February 21, 2025
This isn’t the first instance of robust trash talk in Canada-U.S. sporting events, as seen in women’s hockey, women’s soccer, among others. However, this rivalry showcased intense banter and increased enthusiasm for the game and the tournament, promising even more intensity when these teams are likely to meet in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
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