The crowds in the NHL’s rambunctious All-Star weekend are usually impressive, but this season’s 4 Nations exhibition tournament was record-breaking. From arena’s shaking due to the sheer volume to astounding profits, the exhibition games were an unquestionable success. At one point, the final game garnered over 10 million viewers. Can we expect to see a return of the 4 Nations games during the All-Star weekend?
4 Nations Replace This Year’s All-Star Weekend
The All-Star Games Weekend has been held in most seasons for many years, periodically taking a hiatus to host another NHL tournament or competition. The All-Star games have been an NHL annual event for roughly sixty years. The All-Star events are a mixture of skills competitions and games to determine the best players in the NHL. However, this year’s All-Star Weekend events were replaced with the new international nations games to commemorate the league’s highly anticipated return to the Olympic Winter Games in 2026.
The 4 Nations Faceoff international exhibition tournament, which was comprised of the best players from four nations, took over social media. Finland, Sweden, Canada, and the United States of America all took part in the world’s pre-Olympic best-in-the-world hockey games. These players were hand-picked by the greatest minds in the NHL. Players like future Hockey Hall of Famers Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid took to the ice to support Canada in this world competition.
Record Crowds, Viewers, and Profits
Tickets for seating in the 4 Nations Final (the lowest price) were a whopping $720, with premium seating reaching upwards of $5,000, and the TD Garden arena in Boston, MA, was filled to the brim. When asked about the predictions for the revenue generated by the 4 Nations Faceoff Games, the NHL refused to give details, but they did claim that they expected the profits to be four to five times higher than the regular All-Star Games. While the league is, presumably, still counting the earnings, we can predict it was well over the projected numbers.
The tournament final between the USA and Canada was the most-watched hockey game in the United States, with over 10 million viewers tuning in at the peak. During the games, announcers and fans noted the shaking of the building as the crowds erupted in cheers and boos. The atmosphere behind the 4 Nations Faceoff was one of national pride and felt similar to the wild excitement of the Olympics in past years. An atmosphere where the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs can come together under their nation’s flag was a joyous affair. Being a new fan favorite, will the NHL bring the 4 Nations Faceoff back?
