NHL Commissioner predicts massive viewership for USA-Canada rematch

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman believes the upcoming U.S.-Canada rematch in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament will attract a wide audience beyond just hockey fans. Their previous matchup had over 10.1 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched NHL games outside the Stanley Cup Final in over a decade.

During an appearance on FOX Sports' Breakfast Ball on Wednesday morning, Gary Bettman praised the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament's success, highlighting how it has showcased the league's top stars and provided an early glimpse of what to expect at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

"The amount of excitement and attention that 4 Nations has gotten has been phenomenal," he said. "And I think lots and lots of people – not just hockey fans – are looking forward to seeing the rematch between Canada and the U.S. tomorrow night."
This tournament is seen as a stepping stone for future international hockey events. The NHL and NHL Players Association plan to bring back the World Cup of Hockey in 2028, alternating it with the Winter Olympics to create a regular cycle of top-level international competition.
Bettman emphasized that these efforts aim to grow hockey’s global popularity, similar to soccer. He also highlighted that players are motivated more by national pride than financial rewards.
“Our players were playing to play. Hockey players are like that – even if they’re playing shinny on a pond, they love playing the game, they love going all out. And again, this ability to now again represent their countries – and remember, the team’s are incredibly stocked with the world’s best hockey players from most countries,"Bettman continued.

The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament serves as a lead up to two of hockey’s most highly anticipated events – the return of hockey in the Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey.
"The fact of the matter is, we haven’t had best-on-best for about 10 years and there are a lot of reasons for that," Bettman said. "A lot of people were critical saying ‘This is ridiculous, no one’s gonna watch it, players aren’t going to be intense about it.’ There’s no doubt about how our players love to play the game and represent their countries.
Also Read: Team USA Injury Update: The team faces challenges ahead of 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada
The much-anticipated rematch between Team USA and Team Canada is set for Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET at TD Garden in Boston. This game will determine the champion of the 2025, 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.