The Toronto Maple Leafs two biggest stars, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, proved they could show up and play well in a winner-take-all game. Both showed up when it mattered the most for their respective countries in the Four Nations Final.
Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews served as team captain for Team USA, while Marner suited up for Team Canada. Each of them registered two assists in the Four Nations Final, but none was more important than Marner's assist to Connor McDavid in overtime for the game-winning and tournament-winning goal.
I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised with how well this tournament went. Before it began, I thought it would be nothing more than a glorified All-Star game. The NHL and the NHLPA deserve a standing ovation for putting on an incredible tournament.
I think the players bought into this tournament more than they bought into the All-Star game. Playing for your country means more, and you could tell by the way the players carried themselves and talked about the Four Nations tournament. So many times, fans see some of the NHL's top players back out of playing in the All-Star game for one reason or another. It was nice to see the best playing against the best.
Four Nations Tournament Had No Shortage of Storylines
Leafs forwards Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews proved that they could perform when it matters most. Matthews had two assists in the Four Nations final. His first assist helped Team USA tie the game, and his second assist helped Team USA take the lead.
Matthews almost won the game himself just before McDavid scored, and only an incredible save by Jordan Binnington prevented Matthews from being the hero.
Marner assisted on Team Canada's game-tying goal by Sam Bennett, and then the biggest assist of his career happened in overtime when he found Connor McDavid wide-open in front of the USA net for the game-winner.
With everything going on between the two countries, this game between Team USA and Team Canada was about more than just hockey. World politics were involved more than they should have been, but Canada came out on top and proved a point. Hockey is Canada's game and we're the best at it. Like him or not, Justin Trudeau's comment (“You can’t take our country, and you can’t take our game,”) after the game, was very impactful for many reasons.
I don't think fans would be against this tournament happening again, but they'll have to wait until 2027 as NHL players are eligible to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Hopefully, Team Canada will find better success in Italy than the last time the Winter Olympics were there. During the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, Team Canada didn't even earn a medal.