So Close, Yet So Canadian: Team USA and Rangers stars add more history to international hockey

Another International Trophy for Canada

This triumph cements another chapter in Canada's international dominance over the United States. They have won five of the last six best-on-best tournaments, adding the 4 Nations Face-off trophy to a collection that includes Olympic golds in 2002, 2010 and 2014 before winning the 2016 World Cup.

The USA was built to win this tournament, and they nearly captured the throne from their northern neighbors. They gave a nod to the World Juniors boys winning consecutive titles, by making "Free Bird" their goal song. They played the right way, they played for each other, and they captured the imagination of American hockey fans in a way few teams have. They nearly created a poetic moment, winning the tournemant in memory of Johnny Gaudreau, who the fans recognized with "Johnny Hockey" chants, while 1980 Gold Medalist and honorary American captain Mike Eruzione walked out onto the ice wearing his No. 13.

The rise of American hockey didn't happen overnight. It results from years of investment in player development, with programs like the National Team Development Program (NTDP) that produced much of team USA's roster.

Those members made their mark, but not before Nathan Mackinnon, who won this year's Four Nations MVP, opened the scoring.

The Americans found their groove when Coach Sullivan put Brady and Matthew Tkachuk alongside Matthews. That USNTDP alumni trio was a nightmare for Canada's defense. First, a screaming Brady Tkachuk knocked one in with a knuckler.

Then Jake Sanderson cashed in on a rebound. Both Ottawa Senators put Team USA up 2-1, with Matthews assisting on both tallies.

Still, it wasn't enough. In his first of two brilliant assists, Mitch Marner pulled in two American defenders before setting up Sam Bennett, who roofed a wrister over Connor Hellebuyck, squaring the score through 40 minutes. He did the same in overtime, this time from the left boards, feeding a wide-open McDavid for the goal heard around North America. Meanwhile, Jacob Slavin was everywhere, making clutch defensive plays that saved two goals. The American showed why the league needs an award for defensive defensemen.

That's part of what made the 4 Nations Faceoff such a big deal — it gave hockey fans something they've been missing for nearly a decade. It was also the first and last of its kind for historical bragging rights. The Americans will never get their hands on that trophy, no matter how many events they win in subsequent years.

Best-on-best international hockey has been a glaring hole in the sport. Hockey fans finally got it back for the first time in nine years, and although there were injuries to stars such as Shea Theodore, Charlie McAvoy, and Matthew Tkachuk, who missed the latter half of the final for the USA, the festivities pushed on the timing of the tournament also worked in hockey's favor.

It ran opposite the NBA's woeful All-Star weekend, giving the NHL a rare moment to shine against its much bigger winter sports rival through healthy hostility. The newest fans savored the USA-Canada showdown, and even bet on it in record numbers. According to BetMGM, the 4 Nations final was the most bet-on hockey event in the sportsbook’s history. It had 2.5 times more bets than any other hockey game this season. Yet, it wasn’t just the final that got fans’ wallets involved. Five of the top seven most bet-on hockey games this year were from the 4 Nations Face-Off. Safe to say, the demand for best-on-best international hockey is very real.

Brady Tkachuk called the U.S.-Canada matchups the most significant games he'd ever played.  A Championed Brad Marchand went even further, saying U.S. vs. Canada is the best rivalry in hockey—more important than anything in the NHL. That says it all.

The Rangers' Connection to Historic International Classic:

For a Rangers fan, this tournament had plenty of ties to Broadway. Adam Fox and Chris Kreider played key roles for Team USA, and both performed well in the finals. Fox mostly helped the Americans contain Canada's superstar trio of McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon. Kreider, as always, was a net-front menace, battling for loose pucks. Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller added a snarl in the bottom six.

The Americans must wait until the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy, for another chance at
redemption. It will be a long 12-month wait filled with frustration. Next year, NHL players will return to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014. In 2028, the World Cup of Hockey will return for the first time since 2016. The plan is to rotate between the Olympics and the World Cup every two years, ensuring a steady stream of international competition.

Yet this tournament showed Team USA belongs on this stage. Sullivan should be back. They pushed Jon Cooper's Canada to the limit, and with young stars like Matthews, Jack Hughes, and the Tkachuk brothers entering their prime, their time will come. For now, Canada holds the crown and with all the political controversy surrounding the two countries, it was needed.

As an advertisement seen in Montreal before the tournament boldly stated: "Notre équipe. Notre sport." "Our team. Our game."

Previous International Play for Rangers Players

The final wasn’t just about the result, but another installment to the storied USA-Canada rivalry. It was brought to life 1980, when Team USA’s “Miracle on Ice” left Canada off the podium and stunned the hockey world. Future New York Rangers Mark Pavelich and Rob McClanahan were key players in that gold-medal run, igniting the American hockey rise. Mark Messier and Brian Leetch clashed in the 1996 World Cup final, where Leetch, alongside goaltender Mike Richter, captained Team USA to victory over Canada in 3 games . 

Fast forward to the present, and there's Rangers prospects Gabe Perrault and Drew Fortescue making headlines at the World Junior Championships with back-to-back gold medals. Their triumphs with on Canadian soil, no less were a reminder that the next generation of American talent is ready to keep the sport's greatest rivalry alive.

With three more best-on-best events lined up over the next six years, expect more debates over rosters, more heated matchups, and more fans falling in love with the game. Maybe that heavyweight belt of world hockey will change hands a few more times. One thing everyone can agree on is that we missed pinnacle international hockey, and are not only happy it's back, but is getting better.