Andrew Noel, Editor

For the first time in nine years, the world’s best hockey players are wearing national team jerseys and competing against other nations to see who the world’s best hockey country is.

The tournament, known as the 4 Nations Face-Off, puts the best players from Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden against one another in order to decide a world champion of hockey.

In the eyes of fans and players, something like this is long overdue. Not since 2014 have NHL players competed in the Olympics, and not since 2016 has there been an international men’s hockey tournament with NHL players participating.

After seeing the success of soccer’s World Cup, and baseball’s World Baseball Classic, NHL players have been practically begging for competitive national team competition to return. The NHL heard the players’ calls and responded with the 4 Nations Face-Off.

The Four Nations Face-Off hits two birds with one stone. Players and fans get the international hockey that they wanted, and the NHL can do away with, at least for this year, its all-star festivities. Which, after the NFL and NBA have failed to flatter fans with their all-star weekends, is probably a wise move.

A main criticism of the all-star games is that the players do not care, and make a mockery of the sports that they play. There was some concern among fans that the 4 Nations Face-Off would fail to satisfy the competitive edge that fans have been asking for. The events of last Saturday’s U.S.-Canada showdown in Montreal put those fears to rest. 

With the world’s biggest hockey rivalry being played for the first time in a decade, some people expected a bloodbath, and that’s exactly what they got. In the first nine seconds of the game, three fights broke out (which never happens). There was no pushing and shoving, only punches – these were real fights, with many of the players showing as much emotion as they ever have. It took nine seconds for any fears of this tournament being an exhibition to be put to bed, and it took nine seconds for the NHL to realize this tournament should not be a one-off event.

The NHL announced that its players will participate in next year’s Milan Olympics for the first time in 12 years. In years where there are no Olympics, there will be a hockey World Cup. While the format of the World Cup is yet to be determined, one thing is for sure– international hockey is finally back, and it is here to stay.