Puck politics

By Harbour Heather

If you’ve been waiting for a gateway drug into ice hockey or simply live for sporting drama, tomorrow promises to be a cracker.

It might even be the most politically-charged sports match up of the year, and we’re in February.

Canada versus USA in ice hockey, played in Montreal’s Bell Centre, one of the most storied venues in the game. Quebecers rarely even like their fellow Canadians, so the reception for the Americans is likely to be as frosty as the blizzards they’ve had recently (more on that soon).

Why is this game so hotly anticipated? Let me count the ways…

• It’s been forever

It’s been nine years since international hockey saw best-on-best play.

Why?

Hockey is a league-led sport. International play exists, but the for the most part, the best players in the game have watched on TV.  For the last few Olympic cycles, the NHL has said “we’d rather not” to the IIHF and the IOC – you can explore the history of that decision on another of my hockey rants here.

But! There’s a new CBA due in the middle of the next year, and the NHL, keen to keep the players onside, has granted them next year’s Winter Olympics and just announced in the last few days that the World Cup of Hockey will make a return in between the next Olympic cycles.

With that as the backdrop, this Four Nations Face Off tournament is a product dreamed up by the NHL to satisfy players and fans, who are both itching for some best-on-best, and both increasingly bored by the All Star Game, which usually takes place at this time. The tournament also features Sweden and Finland – notably (and rightfully) not Russia – giving the chance for many of the leading names in the game to line up against each other.

• Sibling rivalry

Think of it like Australia versus New Zealand. Big brother versus little brother. Closest rival. Similar to the way rugby is in the fabric of New Zealand, Canadians are pretty much born with skates on. They invented hockey, they perfected it first, and it’s their national game. The rivalry is boosted by the fact that the Stanley Cup hasn’t been north of the border in over 20 years, and that the Americans are pretty good at it too – they recently won the World Juniors (where Canada finished fourth), and that the USA team in this tournament is boasting some players who dominate the NHL.

For the first time, Connor McDavid is playing for Canada alongside Sydney Crosby (god bless those goalies). Auston Matthews is leading perhaps the best USA team in recent memory, with next gen star Jack Hughes, the intimidating Tkachuk brothers, and a goalie line up that makes Canada envious.

No matter the sport, USA v Canada will always be a banger. But given the fact the best players haven’t had a chance to face off against each other in this generation of hockey players, there’s extra pride on the line.

There’s guaranteed to be big plays, big hits, and big emotions.

• Diplomatic drama

Back to the heat of the Bell Centre. I can verify, it is a LOUD building. Throw all that anticipation for seeing a stacked Canadian side take on a stacked American side, and people are already on the edge of their seats.

Now throw trade tariffs, talk of making Canada the 51^st state of America, and the President calling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Governor”, and you’ll have a deeply parochial crowd frothing at the mouth.

There’s absolutely no way you’re keeping politics out of sport on this one.

Since Trump announced tariffs on Canada, fans at Canadian NHL games have booed the American national anthem. They’ve screamed “the true north, strong and free” in their own anthem. The American anthem has even been booed state-side.

Tomorrow’s match up will be the biggest cross-border sporting fixture since the cross-border freeze began. Hits will be cheered, and if anyone drops the gloves, the roof might just explode off the building.

There’s no doubt that players will have been emphatically implored by their team’s media manager to wheel out the party line about how “anthems should be respected, we’ve just got to focus on the game.” In Friday’s post-game media, the Tkachuk brothers silently bounced the question back and forth before Brady gave his older brother a nudge that all but screamed “Dude, I have to play in Canada (he’s an Ottawa Senator)… I ain’t taking this one.” Fitting that Matthew spoke (briefly) to it considering he proudly posted a suite of images smiling next to Trump as his Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers spent their day at the White House (like many sporting champions are invited to do). Posting it just one week ago, fully aware of the diplomatic temperature across the sport at the moment… full, conscious heel move at best.

Hockey is on a bit of a heater at the moment in North America. Revenues are high, attendance and broadcast numbers are continuing to grow, and engagement on digital platforms is snowballing. The NHL is likely licking its lips as it heads into tomorrow’s game – but hoping everyone comes out alive / without diplomatic travels sanctions imposed on them.

Best versus best. Neighbour versus neighbour. “Freedom” versus, well, actual freedom.

I know I’m biased, but it’s going to be a doozey.

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