Team Canada coach Jon Cooper still can’t get over the ‘perfect storm’ of the 4 Nations Face-off | CNN
By Don Riddell, CNN
Published 7:00 AM EDT, Sun March 9, 2025
CNN
—
Jon Cooper is still marveling that one of the biggest achievements of his career became a surreal international drama: A long-awaited chance to indulge in the friendly Canada-United States hockey rivalry in the 4 Nations Face-Off was quickly overtaken by geopolitical events that supercharged the already heightened emotions.
“A sport that is supposed to unite everybody united and almost divided at the same time,” the Canadian told CNN.
In February, Canada ran into the United States team in the NHL’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. It was the first time in a decade that the two countries had met with their strongest lineups available, “best on best” as they say in hockey, and most of the players had never experienced anything like it before.
Days before the tournament got underway, President Donald Trump began referring to Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a ‘governor’ of the ‘51st state.’ Crippling 25% tariffs on cross-border imports were promised and – although hastily postponed – two longtime allies and trading partners found themselves contemplating a profoundly different future, virtually overnight.
The US National Anthem, which had always been played and applauded at NHL and NBA games on the northern side of the border, was booed in the days leading up to the game. When the puck dropped, the tension was clear.
“So, this is brand new to everyone, a decade in the making,” Cooper added. “The players are amped up, and then you have a new incoming president and a political landscape that is changing. I hate to use the term ‘perfect storm,’ but it all came together at the right time.”
By the time Canada skated against the United States in the group game in Montreal, the atmosphere was akin to a powder keg. Within nine seconds of the puck being dropped at the start of the game, no less than three fights had broken out on the ice.