The 4 Nations Face-Off was a rousing success for the NHL, and besides breaking records for viewership, it was an exciting display of skill, passion, and national pride.
Team Canada defeated Team USA in overtime in overtime after Connor McDavid played hero for the Canadians, and the red and white once again reigned supreme. But now Americans are trying to cope with the loss, and it's irked one prominent NHL analyst.
Paul Bissonnette is no stranger to sharing his thoughts on all things hockey, and the Welland, Ontario native wasn't shy about calling out American fans for how they've handled the loss.
Calling it a nothing tournament is egregious, as while it didn't have the same gravitas as the Olympics or World Juniors, it's still much more important and means more than an All-Star game.
I don't think you'll see three fights in nine seconds at the All-Star Game, heck, you'd be hard pressed to find that in the Olympics. This tournament clearly meant something to the players, and fans making excuses because they lose isn't a good look.
Also, if this was a nothing tournament, would the Finals have reached over 13 million homes? This was a matter of national pride, and showcasing the best of the best the NHL has to offer (at least out of 4 countries).
Team Finland and Team Sweden aren't crying about it being a nothing tournament. They took their lumps and went home, humbly, might I add.
However, there were a lot of fans who also appreciated the hard fought game and were very respectful as well, and those shouldn't be ignored because of a bunch of bad apples either.
The 4 Nations Face-Off could be considered a stepping stone for something much bigger in 2028, where more than four countries will be able to show off their skills for a chance at hockey dominance.
But if it so happens to be USA and Canada once again for the gold; expect Bissonnette as well as tens of millions to have their eyes glued to see what can possibly happen next.