Although it was disappointing that the U.S. didn’t come out on top last night, the 4 Nations Face-Off itself was far from that. The tournament ended with just as much excitement as it did when it started, far exceeding the expectations of most.
There is no question that the National Hockey League redefined the All-Star break, not just for itself, but for other major sports as well. NHL All-Star viewership and ratings have been sputtering for years, which began shortly after the new millennium. Attempts to spice things up such as 3-on-3 tournaments and skills challenges were enough to garner interest, but failed to satisfy the hunger of its viewers.