Canada, U.S. ready for 4 Nations final with political tensions high off the ice

Canada's Connor McDavid (97) skates on his way to scoring against the United States during first period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey action in Montreal, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

BOSTON — Jon Cooper is a hockey coach. He’s also aware of the world outside the rink.

Relations between Canada and the United States are as frosty as they’ve been in a long time.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said repeatedly America’s northern neighbour and close ally should become its “51st state.” There have been tariff threats. Canada said it would respond in kind if the hammer fell.

Political rhetoric has been ratcheted up on both sides of the border. Tensions are high.

It’s against that backdrop Canada and the U.S. will play Thursday’s final of the 4 Nations Face-Off — the biggest men’s international hockey game between the rivals since the 2010 Olympic final.

Both teams are downplaying what’s happening away from the rink. It’s also impossible to ignore.

“When you’re in the position we’re in to make a country proud, to make a country be able to stick its chest out a little bit farther, it’s rewarding, and we understand that,” Cooper, Canada’s head coach, said Wednesday. “But before that puck drops, I don’t think anybody will be thinking anything outside of this hockey game, other than winning.

“These guys, they’re just all in it for each other, and knowing that there’s an outcome we want. But there’s a process we have to go through to get that outcome.”

That outcome is something Canadian captain Sidney Crosby and his teammates are desperate to achieve.

“We’re a pretty hockey-proud country,” said the Pittsburgh Penguins captain, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, including in 2010 when he scored the overtime clincher against the U.S. “People have a lot of pride and hopefully we’re a team that’s represented that well to this point.

“Hopefully we can go out there and find a way to win it for them.”

The U.S. beat Canada 3-1 on Saturday in Montreal in the preliminary round following a chaotic start that included three fights in the first nine seconds.

That was preceded by loud boos from many fans at the Bell Centre for the American national anthem — continuing a trend of jeers for “The Star-Spangled Banner” at NHL and NBA arenas across the country in recent weeks in apparent response to Trump — before a stirring rendition of “O Canada” from the crowd.

Canadian defenceman Cale Makar, who missed that one with an illness before returning for Monday’s 5-3 victory over Finland, acknowledged the final is about more than the game for some.

“For sure,” said the Colorado Avalanche blueliner. “It’s definitely not something that in this room we’re worried about. We try just to keep it to hockey.”

U.S. forward Dylan Larkin said any bad blood is more about NHL players taking part in a high-level international competition for the first time since the 2016 World Cup. The league missed the last two Olympics, but is poised to return to sports' brightest spotlight in 12 months.

“We’ve all grown up playing against Canadians, playing against Canada at minor hockey tournaments, going over the border,” he said. “That rivalry starts from a young age. As an American, you learn to not like playing against Canadians.

“I’m sure every guy in Canada will say the same about Americans.”

U.S. general manager Bill Guerin, meanwhile, stated earlier this week he would welcome a visit from Trump at Thursday’s game. Speaking on Fox News, the former NHLer credited the president for the heightened intensity in the teams' first meeting.

Canadian superstar Connor McDavid steered clear of political questions ahead of the final at TD Garden.

“I’m excited to play in a big game on the biggest stage with a group that has come together really, really quickly,” said the Edmonton Oilers captain.

U.S. and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had a similar response.

“We’re just focused on playing,” he said. “All this stuff going on outside of it, I don’t really have too much.”

Cooper said Canadian players and coaches know what Thursday represents. That chatter also hasn’t entered the country’s locker room.

The task at hand is too great to worry about anything else — at least for now.

“If we pull this off,” Cooper said, “we’ll know what this will have meant for everybody at home.

“We’re very cognizant that.”

No Hughes

There was talk Quinn Hughes would join the U.S. setup to be on standby after fellow defenceman Charlie McAvoy was ruled out for the final, but the Canucks captain was again on the ice at practice Wednesday in Vancouver.

Hughes would have only been allowed to suit up if the Americans dropped below six healthy blueliners.

Matthews fine

The star centre missed Monday’s meaningless 2-1 loss to Sweden with an undisclosed injury. He said the issue was “new” and not related to the upper-body ailment that cost him 10 games earlier in the NHL schedule.

“There’s no way that I was missing this game,” Matthews said of Thursday. “I’ll be ready to go.”

U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan added he expects both Matthew and Brady Tkachuk to be in the lineup. Matthew sat out Monday’s game, while Brady left with an injury and didn’t take part in Wednesday’s practice.

Clapping back

Canadian forward Brandon Hagel, who fought Matthew Tkachuk off Saturday’s opening faceoff, made light of the Americans planning the fisticuffs beforehand via text message.

The elder Tkachuk brother responded Wednesday.

“Maybe their team doesn’t like each other if they don’t have group chats,” Matthew quipped. “Our team does not care about anything that they say.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 19, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press