Fantasy Hockey News: Connor McDavid Wins Four Nations Face-Off for Team Canada, Plus Tournament Injury Updates

Admittedly, my prediction was a bit off. Team Canada beat Team USA on their home soil on Thursday night in Boston.

A fairytale ending saw the game go into overtime with the best player in the world, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, scoring the overtime winner from a beautiful dish from Toronto Maple Leaf Mitch Marner.

I predicted Team USA would not lose a game this tournament, having Team Canada come in second place. As a Canadian and hockey superfan who watched every game in the tournament, even while on a work business trip, I am thrilled with the result.

As a sports writer and analyst, I am left with feelings of confusion. At the end of the day, Canada proved once again that the sport of hockey is dominated by the great white north. It's our sport, no matter what the odds are on paper. When push came to shove, Team Canada was able to come out on top and the best players in the world made an impact and brought home the trophy.

What the Four Nations Face-Off did for Hockey

Two days into this tournament, it was evident that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman came to a stark realization that this international best on best hockey was going to be a monumental success. The players and the player's association have been asking for best on best hockey for a decade, as well as the ability to play in the Winter Olympics, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

While the commissioner and the owners have had reservations about allowing players to participate in events such as these, it was clear after the first game how impactful to the sport, and meaningful to the players and fans the Four Nations Face-Off was going to be.

As a direct result, it was agreed upon by the NHL and the players association that starting in 2028 the World Cup of Hockey would be making a return, running two years after each Winter Olympics.

The hype around this tournament vs. the regular All-Star break has been night and day - so much in fact that viewership was at an all-time high for the sport, and even beat the NBA All-Stars in viewer ratings!

I had an American NFL/NBA fan and friend reach out before the first Team Canada vs. Team USA game wishing me good luck, and explaining he was going to go back and forth between NHL and the NBA All-Stars. I was surprised, as he does not even regularly watch hockey. 

To be fair, he is a big sports guy and fantasy league player. This is the kind of guy who goes back (and he does) to his hometown every year with his childhood friend group and sets aside a whole day for his NFL fantasy draft. This includes a giant life sized draft board, barbecuing, and drinks. If he could list five NHL players, I would be shocked - yet he watched every Team USA game in the Four Nations Face-Off. That's the kind of impact and draw this tournament had on even casual fans.

By the end of the game, he admittedly explained that after the wild start, he was hooked and never changed the channel. While a small sample size at first, and considering hockey is not his sport to watch or play fantasy league in, reviewing the ratings and headlines supporting this, it is evident to me that this tournament has done more for the sport of hockey than anything else in the past decade. I will die on this hill.

Heck, even all of the staff here at FantasySP were tuning in for the championship game, and FantasySP writer Mark Morales-Smith even purchased a Team USA Jack Hughes jersey and took the day off work to watch!

My point is, be it official ratings, or small personal interactions, this tournament had everyone watching and has changed the way we will be looking at and forward to best on best hockey. It's back, baby!

Injury Report

Let's be honest here. As much as I do want international best on best hockey, the reservations of the NHL and the owners are legit. How many injuries did we have this tournament? A lot. Does that impact the season of these players' teams? Yes. Does it also impact your fantasy league? Yes.

But is it worth it..? YES!

Team USA was riddled with injuries including captain Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who missed a round robin game with an upper body injury (described as soreness), and Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers who missed the same round robin game with a lower body injury.

Of note, Tkachuk had very limited ice time during the championship game against Team Canada and is still considered out. Tkachuk is scheduled to not play in tonight's game against the Seattle Kraken as per head coach Paul Maurice.

Boston Bruin Charlie McAvoy suffered a shoulder injury and is still being hospitalized for it. It sounds like this could potentially be a long-term absence, which is a huge loss for the Bruins and your fantasy team. Look for a replacement to take you into the playoffs.

Lastly for Team USA, Vancouver Canuck Quinn Hughes is still out and will not be playing in Vancouver's game tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Team Canada also suffered significant losses due to injury or illness. Golden Knights defenders Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore did not play the full tournament. Petro pulled out prior to the tournament and should be available for the Golden Knights, but Theodore remains unavailable with no timeline on return for his hockey club. It is unclear how serious his injury is yet.

Closing Thoughts

This tournament was everything we expected, and more. The Four Nations Face-Off was a catalyst for more international best on best hockey to come, and has paved the way for more to come while backing it's validity with ratings that support the model.

These games were some of the most competitive, fast, and skilled games I have seen in my lifetime. I will cherish this tournament, and am still in awe at the passion both the players and the fans had throughout.

The first Team Canada vs. Team USA game was easily the greatest hockey game I have ever watched. It started with a game, having three fights in the first nine seconds and really set the tone for the game and the tournament as a whole moving forward. It continued to ramp up in speed and skill and never let off the gas. It also highlighted the rivalry that is still white hot between the North American and European teams, and really showed how much the players wanted to win.

The Four Nations Face-Off was compared to a game seven of the Stanley Cup in level of compete, intensity, and fan engagement - and this ladies and gentlemen, is only the beginning of what is to come.

I for one am extremely happy in the decision to bring back the World Cup, and see the NHL back in the Olympics. Outdoing the NBA in ratings proves that hockey can shine against the other major sports to an American audience. Hockey is here to stay, and leaves a hunger for another nation to try to take the crown from Canada.

Canada is the best there is, there was, and ever will be, and this win solidifies this to me and to the world.