Yesterday was indeed a historic day in the world of ice hockey. It was a face-off between Canada and the USA and at the end of the match, it was Canada that emerged as the champions of the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off. And let’s face it–it was not a game like any other. It was a high-profile match, high on emotions, and high on the ticket prices as the fans gathered at TD Garden in Boston, bracing for a battle that had turned into a heated, politically charged spectacle. Finally, it was Connor McDavid who delivered the dagger, netting the OT winner and sending Team Canada into a frenzy.

This midseason tournament had the best of talents from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the US and if Thursday night was anything to go by then the world was just given a glimpse of what to expect in the 2026 Winter Olympics Milano Cortina. NHL players are finally making their return to Olympic ice after more than a decade, and the hype is real. However, while the hockey fans and players are still rejoicing after an amazing tournament, not everybody is in high spirits. This one NHL star is taking a break from the 4 Nations celebrations to bring light to a much bigger issue that’s hidden beneath the surface and let’s just say, the hockey world needs to hear it.

In a post shared by Mike McIntyre on X, Winnipeg Jets goalie Eric Comrie didn’t sugarcoat a thing when talking about hockey’s biggest problem. After Canada’s big 4 Nations win, he was asked if the tournament could help grow the game. His answer? “I think it was unbelievable for the game of hockey.” But then he hit everyone with the hard truth: “It’s ridiculous how expensive it is, and it kind of grosses me out thinking about how hard it is for kids to play this game.” Yeah, he said it. And honestly, he’s not wrong.

Comrie didn’t hold back on how brutal the costs have become, especially for young goalies. “Goalie equipment these days, it’s ridiculous how expensive it is,” he pointed out. And that’s just the gear—never mind ice time, travel, and everything else. “I feel bad for people because it can be hard to afford,” he admitted, wishing for more programs to give kids a shot at the game. Because when families are getting priced out before their kids even lace up, how many future stars are we missing?

Still, Comrie saw the impact 4 Nations had and hoped it sparked something bigger. “I think it’s going to get so many people who never watched the game in the States to hope they can get their kids into hockey and start playing.” The excitement is there. The passion is real. Now, as he put it, “We gotta figure out how to make gear cheaper, too.” Because at the end of the day, hockey should be about the love of the game—not the size of your wallet.

But exactly how expensive are we talking? According to a 2023 report by Flo Hockey’s Jacob Messing, beginner to adult equipment can range from $337 to $3,440. If you plan on playing goalie, the pads alone can cost you anything between $170 to $2000. And let’s not forget that equipment breaks, and it’s not the only thing you need to play the game.

You’ll need to clock some decent ice time and be in a league if you want to make it big someday. Throw in a couple of tournaments in a season, and food and travel costs, and the size of the hole in your pocket can be anything from $1500 to $4500. But despite the sticker shock, hockey has been making serious waves in the U.S.

Hockey continues to succeed in the U.S.!

Ice hockey has evolved over the years from a very small sport to a sport that has a loyal following all over the United States. What was once a game that originated from Canada in the late 19th century, was adopted by America’s frostier states and college teams and amateur clubs laid the groundwork for what would become a dominant sport. Fast forward to today, and USA Hockey has complete control of all the hockey in the country from the ground level right up to the Olympics. Thus, regional districts are preserving the grassroots level, and developmental leagues are producing new talents and ensuring the further development of the sport.

College hockey is of its own kind and supplies talent to professional leagues like the NHL. Women’s hockey has also been successful with Team USA boasting more medal-winning runs at the Olympics and World Championships than you can count. And now with NHL players returning to best-on-best international tournaments, the sport is definitely riding on a high.

But for all its success, the sport isn’t without challenges. Ice time isn’t cheap, equipment is very costly, and fighting for attention from the fans with other major leagues is quite challenging. The high ticket prices for the last 4 Nations game were just a reinforcement of the fact that hockey is becoming more popular and expensive to attend. Nonetheless, with the fan base, new talents, and constant attempts to make the sport more available to the public, the future of hockey in the United States seems quite promising. The only question now is: how do we make sure everyone gets a fair shot at lacing up and hitting the ice?