Montreal Canadiens

Is 4 Nations Face-Off Final Now Too Much About Politics?

With the booing of the national anthems and the President rallying the players based on Canada vs. U.S., is this 4 Nations Final too political?

by
Old Prof
February 20, 2025

Before the Final tonight, I want to expand our hockey talk to focus on the recent Team Canada vs. Team USA game in Montreal. It got ugly and fast. The Montreal fans booed (and heartily) the United States national anthem. Then the crowd went wild and lustily sang, “O Canada.” Ironically, this happened in Montreal, Quebec, where separatist narratives have been part of the culture for decades. Now, as the final game of the tournament is a rematch between Team Canada and Team USA, and it takes place in Boston, has the 4 Nations Face-Off turned into politics on the ice?

Even Team USA’s GM Bill Guerin has discussed Canada vs. the U.S. politically. President Donald Trump called Team USA on Thursday morning to wish them luck, sprinkling in his “51st state” rhetoric. Guerin has been heavily criticized for using politics to motivate the players and rile up the fans, then walking back his comments, saying, “We’re here to play hockey. This is not a political forum. This is a hockey tournament.”

As for the booing, it might just be typical rivalry stuff. Then again, it might be something more significant.

Second, could the political tension between Canada and the U.S. (because of the moves by U.S. President Donald Trump to slap 25% tariffs on Canadian products) be overshadowing the game, or adding to it?

The Tariff Drama: Why Are Fans So Upset?

Here’s where a simple hockey game gets interesting. Tension between the two countries has been building, primarily due to President Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. He’s also commented off-hand about Canada becoming the “51st state.” That didn’t sit well with Canadians, and they responded.

Is it any wonder that Canadians are getting frustrated? Could the booing be their way of pushing back? It seems like the political climate has affected how the fans react. Those feelings spilled over into the arena during the singing of the national anthems. It should be expected that American fans will boo tonight.

While it could be a lack of international games motivating the players, it’s hard to ignore the idea that players aren’t riled up. To say the tension has impacted the game would be fair.

Were the Fights a Result of the Booing?

As the game started last Saturday, right off the bat, it went downhill fast. There were three fights right after the puck dropped. Brandon Hagel vs. Matthew Tkachuk. Sam Bennett vs. Brady Tkachuk. Colton Parayko vs. J.T. Miller. Is it just a coincidence? Probably not.

I’m betting that the emotional energy from the crowd, charged by political frustration, spread to the players. These fights were intense—almost like the bad blood between the two countries was boiling over. This seemed like more than a rivalry on the ice.

Fans who got into the action — especially non-hockey fans who saw this kind of action and figured this is typical of hockey games — might be disappointed when it doesn’t happen again, but the game should be intense. It’s for all the marbles.

Hockey has always been a place for rivalry, but international competitions usually focus on the game. The sport has been dragged into a political mess right now. The booing and fights are all part of a bigger picture of political division, and that’s not good for the game or the fans.

Could This Ruin or Help Future International Games?

It’s hard to say how much fun the competition will remain if this animosity keeps up. These hockey games should be entertaining and bring people together. But this booing national anthems is too much extra baggage, and it’s starting to feel more like a stage for political drama than a sport.

The question is, will this tension ruin these kinds of games in the future? Let’s hope not, but this competition has been more fun than I ever anticipated. It would be sad to see it be gone because of political tension.