Canada trounced the US in a hockey game that became highly political

The political tensions between Canada and the United States spilled over into what was meant to be a fun hockey tournament. How did the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off become a politicized event? Let’s look at what happened on and off the ice. 

As the tournament’s name suggests, the 4 Nations Face-Off is an international hockey that features professional National Hockey League (NHL) players from the four biggest hockey nations: Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. 

Unfortunately, this fun tournament was captured by the broader political issues currently plaguing the North American continent. Donald Trump’s threats against Canada and its sovereignty easily transferred to the sports world long before the tournament began. 

Trump’s initial threats to levy a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods imported to the United States, and his jokes about making Canada the 51st state, saw Canadians respond in an unusually passive-aggressive way, they began booing the US national anthem. 

From basketball matches to hockey games, Canadians were booing the Star Spangled Banner in retaliation against Trump’s slights as early as February 2nd according to BBC News. This politicization of sports carried over into the 4 Nations Face-Off. 

Booing happened from both sides when Canada and the United States met for the first time in the 4 Nations Face-Off according to Fox News. It was a game laden with fights and one the Canadian team ultimately lost 3-1, setting the stage for an epic rematch. 

Both Canada and the US team made it to the championship game of the tournament, and it was in the lead-up to that game that things took a turn for the worse. The game was brought to the attention of Donald Trump when he was invited to attend by the General Manager of the US team and former hockey star Bill Guerin. 

Trump said he wouldn’t be able to attend the final game of the 4 Nations Face-Off in an unhinged message that spurred on the US team to bring home a victory while also denigrating Canadian sovereignty and taking an all-too-familiar dig at Justin Trudeau. 

“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

“I will be speaking before the Governors tonight in D.C., and will sadly, therefore, be unable to attend. But we will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome. Good luck to everybody, and have a GREAT game tonight. So exciting! “ Trump continued. 

Trump’s Truth Social rant turned what was thought would be an already very politically charged 4 Nations Face-Off championship game into an event that became a battle of political significance for many Canadians, and their team didn’t disappoint. 

Team Canada beat the Americans in overtime 3-2, prompting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to write on social media: "You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.” a statement that revealed how significant the game was for Canadians looking for an outlet to voice their frustrations with the current US administration.  

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