While the NBA and NFL struggle to inject excitement into their all-star events, the NHL seems to have cracked the code. The recently concluded 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal proved that national pride and real competition can transform a stale concept into must-watch entertainment.
Saturday’s USA vs. Canada clash was nothing short of electric. The crowd was wild, three fights broke out in the first nine seconds, and the intensity never let up. Team USA took a 3-1 win in one of the most thrilling, high-energy games in recent history—despite it being just a prelude to the final in Boston.
The numbers speak for themselves. ABC averaged 4.4 million viewers in the U.S., the most for any non-Stanley Cup Final game since 2019. Players themselves couldn’t get enough, calling it one of the best experiences of their careers.
“I thought it was an unbelievable celebration of hockey,” said U.S. coach Mike Sullivan.
Unlike the NBA’s lackluster All-Star Weekend—where even stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted, “You cannot force anybody to play hard”—the NHL found a way to make its event matter. The 4 Nations Face-Off pits hockey powerhouses USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland against each other, creating a mini-Olympics vibe. With the NHL now committed to sending players to the 2026 Olympics and launching a new World Cup of Hockey, international competition is breathing new life into the league.
Could the NBA take a page from the NHL’s playbook? A USA vs. The World All-Star format could inject some much-needed fire into the event. But matching the raw intensity of hockey’s national rivalries won’t be easy.
One thing’s for sure—the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off is here to stay, and it’s only going to get bigger. The question now is: Will other leagues follow suit, or keep letting their all-star games fade into irrelevance?
