SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks defenseman Henry Thrun was no doubt cheering on the red, white, and blue as the United States played Canada in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off at TD Garden in Boston.
But Thrun was also intently watching American defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who might have been the best player on the ice Thursday night despite Team USA’s 3-2 overtime loss to Connor McDavid and the Canadians.
“He’s big, he can skate, He’s smart, and he’s got an unbelievable stick,” the Massachusetts-born Thrun said of Slavin, who is from Denver and plays for the Carolina Hurricanes. “There’s d-men that are smart and have a good stick, but they’re not as big and can’t cover as much ice as him. He literally has every tool in the toolbox and is elite at it.”
Thrun was among the millions of North Americans and numerous Sharks players who tuned in to watch the breathtaking game, which ended with McDavid’s overtime goal. But while also turning into fans for a night, the Sharks also watched how several of the NHL’s best players went about their business in a pressure-packed environment — and knew they were seeing something special.
With some exceptions due to injury, the tournament featured most of the NHL’s best players from the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Sweden, who committed to making it as competitive and entertaining as possible.
“For them to come together as one team and play a certain way, as goal scorers had to become checkers and vice versa,” Sharks defenseman and Toronto native Jake Walman said. “It kind of opens your eyes to the selflessness of the best players in the world.”
Thursday’s game and the tournament as a whole figured to grow the sport, but the response was perhaps more significant than anyone expected.
ESPN posted on social media Friday that the 4 Nations final drew 9.3 million viewers, the cable giant’s largest-ever audience for a hockey game. 49ers players George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey posted about the final on the social media platform X.
“I saw a lot of people that I’ve never seen tweet about hockey before all of a sudden tuning in,” Walman said. “Even as a player in the NHL, I was way more excited to watch this game than any other game.”
Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky watched the event as a fan and from a coach’s perspective. He enjoyed how the Americans smothered the Canadian team during their round-robin game last Saturday and appreciated how close friend and longtime Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan led the U.S. team. Former Sharks coach David Quinn was among those on Sullivan’s staff.
“He’s one of the best communicators I’ve been around,” Warsofsky said of Sullivan. “His details, the way he sees the game. It’s incredible. He commands a room. Hell of a coach.”
The NHL resumes its regular season schedule on Saturday. The Sharks play their next game on Sunday, when they begin a seven-game road trip in Calgary. The trip lasts until March 6, the day before the NHL trade deadline.
According to a Sharks’ spokesperson, the organization’s sales team received positive feedback from season ticket holders regarding the tournament. While perhaps not solely attributable to the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Sharks said they have seen a significant rise in interest for their next home game on March 8 against the New York Islanders.
“It’s really good for the growth of the game,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said of best-on-best hockey. “It grabbed a lot of eyes around the around — Canada, the U.S., and I’m sure worldwide. We needed that.
“It’s what the NHL organized, which is good, but it’s also what the players brought. They competed hard, and that’s what hockey is all about. So, hopefully, the fans and people watching have a little bit more respect for us now. But we’re proud of all the players that competed in that tournament. They definitely put on a good show.”