The 4 Nations Face-Off was a game-changer. How will the NHL capitalize on it -- and what comes next for its midseason events?

Either the U.S. or Canada claims the championship of the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off midseason tournament Thursday — but the league has already won. Why it matters: The tournament has delivered everything All-Star Games across sports have come to lack: The players care,

As I begin writing this, the United States of America and Canada are tied 2-2 going into the third period of the finals of the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, the NHL’s new international tournament that replaced its regular All-Star Game.

The league took a brief hiatus to host the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, a temporary replacement of the traditional NHL All-Star Game and a preview of NHL players' return to participating in next year's 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Canada has beaten Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in an overtime thriller, 3-2, Thursday night in Boston. Connor McDavid scored the game winner to become a national hero and hockey legend. After dropping the first meeting against Team USA on Saturday in Montreal,

The result was the culmination of a midseason tournament that featured stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States — and a surprisingly political atmosphere.

Canada’s men’s hockey team defeated the USA 3-2 in overtime Thursday to capture the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off Championship as the NHL put on a show in the first edition of this midseason international tournament.