It should have been about the game. Thursday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off Championship game that the two nations have been waiting for—a heavyweight bout between Team USA and Team Canada, the first true best-on-best, country-vs-country showdown since Sochi Olympics 2014. The anticipation had been electric, the stakes monumental. But as the hockey world held its breath for puck drop at TD Garden, the focus momentarily shifted from the ice to a controversy no one asked for, turned ‘political.’ One that even Matthew Tkachuk might be shaking his head at his GM for. Instead of rallying behind a cause bigger than the game itself, a storyline was ‘hijacked.’

The storm started when U.S. general manager Bill Guerin veered into political waters, stating that the team would “love” to have President Donald Trump in attendance for the championship game. “We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff. And, listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can,” Guerin said. Time and place, Mr. GM, any other time, it might have been brushed off as a standard patriotic gesture. But he had perhaps forgotten what HC Mike Sullivan’s USA had been playing for throughout the tournament – the memory of Tkachuk’s Calgary teammate, Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed on Aug. 29th.

That’s why ESPN analyst Rachel Doerrie was quick to remind him, hours before the game.

The backlash came swiftly. Doerrie took to X to call out Guerin’s remarks. “Great of Bill Guerin to lead the charge in hijacking the story of the #4Nations tournament final to a political discourse instead of what the US was originally doing: winning for the Gaudreau family. Well done, Bill. Instead of celebrating that, a bunch of right-wing chuds have made it a political pis*ing contest. Excellent leadership.” In a moment that should have centered on honoring a fallen teammate, Guerin’s words suddenly turned the conversation into something else entirely.

Tkachuk, a former Calgary Flames teammate of Gaudreau, had spoken earlier in the tournament about what it meant to play with No. 13 in mind. “Everywhere you go in that locker room, you see his jersey and that No. 13,” he said. “You get emotional because he should be here with us competing and playing for this country. We don’t take this opportunity for granted, and he’s one of the big things we’re playing for right now.” And they’ve been doing that throughout the 4 Nations, Team USA has been honoring late NHL star. Only until now.

Instead, Guerin, who should’ve known better after playing 18 seasons in the NHL and winning two Stanley Cup championships, unknowingly fueled U.S. team to draw “inspiration” from the tension.

And that’s what made the timing of Guerin’s comments so jarring. Instead of keeping the spotlight where it belonged—on the ice, on the players, on the brotherhood that had fueled Team USA through the tournament—the conversation suddenly veered into a political firestorm.

Team USA’s GM Bill Guerin should be on damage control mode

Somehow, Bill Guerin’s comments added to what was an already tense situation. He could have at least mentioned his late star, just like following their 6-1 opener against Finland on Thursday night. He said this…

“Johnny and Matthew were a big part of USA Hockey and a tremendous loss. They’re with us in spirit. I just think it was important that Guy was there. The coaches wanted him out for practice, and the players wanted him in the picture. He’s an amazing guy, we love having him around,” Guerin told Sportsnet’s Eric Engels on Tuesday. After the Americans secured a 3-1 win on Canadian soil at Montreal’s Bell Centre, the focus should have been on the players—their chemistry, their resilience, and the brotherhood that carried them through the tournament. Instead, Guerin, USA Hockey’s general manager, acknowledged that politics had seeped into the game.

“Canada-U.S. is a huge rivalry in hockey,” Guerin said. “I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in.”

With U.S.-Canada tensions rising beyond the rink—thanks to trade disputes, tariff threats from President Trump, and Canada’s vow to retaliate—Guerin suggested that his players used that as fuel. “If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I really do think the players used it as inspiration.”

One possible way to get out of it, now could be to bring the 4 Nations cup to “Johnny Hockey’s” hometown in Salem, NJ.