The 4 Nations Face-Off indeed caught a lot of attention! From fierce rivalries of nations to massive fights on the ice, it wasn’t just a tournament but a thrilling showdown that reignited the passion for international hockey, leaving fans craving more every single moment. Perhaps what remains the bigger part was the Canada vs. USA clash. With every game played between the neighbours, there was heat, fire, and an intensity that kept fans on the edge of their seats!

If such fierce competitions pushed every player to their limits and offered crazy insights to the fans and spectators, what else could? Well, Spittin’ Chiclets on X got the answers. When Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, declared that the NHL is not yet confirmed upon holding the 2026 All-Star games, the immediate concerns were—What should the NHL replace the 2026 All-Star Game with? To which the fans quickly suggested the continuation of the 4 Nations Face-Off!

But for the All-Star Game, it seems like the tournament has lost its spark for many. Probably because of the constant format changes that made the star players opt out. But, the NHL still got its winning formula to give it to its audience. Ideally, the 4 Nations Cup was the most-watched hockey event after a long time, even surpassing the viewership of the NBA All-Stars game which took a dip this year by 36% game that ran parallelly over the same weekend as the 4-Nations.

Supposedly, NBA star Kevin Durant vouched for the 4-Nations while NBA analysts considered adapting NBA games to the 4-Nations format to draw viewership. But hockey will be hockey. A regular day in the NHL is intense and passion-filled. And, with fierce rivalry between the United States and Canada, it reached new heights and ignited a different level of intensity that fans hadn’t seen in years! 

The tournament witnessed over 16 million North Americans for the finals, contributing to its overall success. Now, the NHL is faced with the challenge of creating even more grandeur to match the bar that the 4-Nations face-off has set. But with its players eagerly anticipating their return to the Olympics in 2026 and the All-Star Game approaching, it could bring in something special for the fans. But what exactly are they hoping for?

Fans crave the thrill and intensity of the 4-Nations Cup!

Fans have spoken clearly about what they expect from NHL events in the future. And their demand is straight—watching nations clash on the ice and not on the war zone! One fan said, “Why not just keep doing the 4-Nations thing. Clearly got higher ratings than any All-Star game,” highlighting the sentiment that resonated deeply within the community. Well, they are aware of what the 4-Nations could offer and the All-Star couldn’t.

And this sparked even more suggestions, with one fan writing, “4 nations should be every year.” They want it to be a staple NHL event now. While others expressed the desire to expand the tournament with their suggestion that stated, “4 Nations was good. Add two more. Do a Team Europe and a Young Stars team again.” Woah, this one looks forward to bringing in the diversity and dynamic nature of the competitions; that would generate another level of excitement!

And, the financial success? Well, it didn’t go unnoticed either, with one of them pointing out, “4 nations face-off made us so much money we can’t afford to not have it.” Reflecting that the event not only delivered a thrill to the fans, but also proved to be a lucrative option for the league. And, they didn’t just stop there but incorporated their own input, when they wrote, “Four Nations, let the fans vote a player on each team and require that the other selections be based on player records that season, not coach preferences.” Now this perspective ensures that the tournament reflected not just the popularity of players but also their overall performance on ice.

However, only time will tell what is going to be the next big event in the NHL, but whatever it may be, it will surely hit the level of excitement in the whole community!