The 4 Nations Face-Off has already delivered an instant classic international hockey game with the fight-filled preliminary round matchup between the United States and Canada last week in Montreal.

As the curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Pritchard was in Boston to see just how significant the impact of the 4 Nations Face-Off had on the sport, not only in North America but across the globe.

Players and fans stand for the U.S. national anthem prior to the first period of the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game between Canada and the United States in Montreal on February 15, 2025.

The 4 Nations Face-Off was a one-off, a tournament with no past and no future, a trimmed-down version of the World Cup of Hockey staged because the NHL’s best players have waited so long for ...