A smashing success: Stars shine bright in 4 Nations as hockey takes center stage

One of the great things about sports is that it creates an environment that tests your inner being.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a perfect example of a scenario that was thought up in someone’s head and then painstakingly put into practice on the ice in Montreal and Boston over a nine-day span. The participants have full-time jobs that are pretty important, and yet they looked at this near fortnight as maybe even more significant.

It’s fascinating, really.

But by creating a mini-tournament that pitted some of the best players in the world against one another while four countries jumped on board for rooting privileges, that’s a neat little trick. And then once you manufacture that ecosystem, the beauty of sports is allowed to percolate.

Team Canada won a great game against Team USA on Thursday, 3-2, in overtime. It was a huge statement for those north of the border who take hockey very seriously. They are top dogs, and that’s important. But it also could be meaningful to a lot of the individuals there, including some key Stars personnel.

On a league-wide basis, players like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Jordan Binnington added to their legacy. Crosby has already claimed a spot as one of the greatest players of all time, but his international resume is getting downright silly. Crosby is now 48-6 in international games. Even at age 36, he was tied for the team lead in scoring with five points in four games. He is an incredible leader and the heart of Team Canada. McDavid is often called the greatest active player in the NHL, but he doesn’t yet have Crosby’s Stanley Cups or key moments in international play. On Thursday, he had the game-winning goal in overtime. That will live in the souls of Canadian kids forever, just as Crosby’s Golden Goal did back in the 2010 Olympics. And Binnington gives hope to all of the scrappy players who have been doubted every step of the way in their career.

He's the Eli Manning of the sport right now, holding onto some of the biggest hardware while critics ask, “How?”

That’s what is so fun about these moments. By creating this alternate reality, you place people in challenging scenarios, and then ask them to respond. Because they are exceptional athletes, the responses can be impressive. While we can argue about whether this is the greatest level of hockey we have seen (many believe the grind of a seven-game series in the playoffs creates even higher intensity), the bottom line is the 4 Nations Face-Off has been unique. Putting Matthew and Brady Tkachuk together on a line was incredible. Seeing good friends Nathan MacKinnon and Crosby work together for the first time was beautiful. While it was tough to really gain chemistry in a small window, the fact that the best of the best were working together was entertaining.

It certainly gets you thinking about just how much fun the Olympics will be next year.

And, of course, in this little biosphere were the vignettes of the lads in Victory Green. The three Finns acquitted themselves well. Roope Hintz was solid in his role, Mikael Granlund showed exactly why the Stars traded for him with three goals and an assist, and Esa Lindell might have been Finland’s best player. At the very least, he was their most important. In playing 27 minutes a game and holding together Suomi’s threadbare blueline, Lindell once again reminded people that he could be in the mix for the Best Defensive Defenseman of the Year trophy (whenever they get around to inventing it).

It would have been a lot more fun had Miro Heiskanen not been injured and been able to play, but it was still a very impressive showing for the Dallas contingent.

Jake Oettinger was able to get a real taste of big-time hockey. That’s huge for any goalie, and especially a 25-year-old who has designs on winning a Cup. Oettinger said the one game he played against Sweden might have been the most nervous he has ever been as a player. That’s saying something. He allowed two goals and lost 2-1, but he looked good in the process and checked off one of his bucket list items. That can only help him going forward in the playoffs.

Oettinger spent two months in the bubble with the Stars in Edmonton back in 2020, and he learned a great deal there. The guess is this was a similar learning experience.

Which brings us to Thomas Harley. The 23-year-old defenseman has had a very interesting journey. COVID allowed him to jump right into pro hockey at 18, and he also was a part of that bubble experience in Edmonton. He has gone back and forth between the NHL and the AHL, and he has managed that experience about as well as could be expected.

Maybe that’s why he was a good choice for Team Canada. After Cale Makar wasn’t available, Harley was called in as a last-second replacement. He was headed to Cabo when, instead, he diverted to Montreal and played against the Americans in maybe the most hyped game in the past 25 years. He did great. Then, after sitting out the next game, he played on Thursday against Team USA again. This time, he logged 21:56, had an assist on the opening goal and helped his team win the tournament.

In beating the Americans, Harley didn’t look out of place. He was a part of one of the most impressive lineups in history, and he will carry that for the rest of his life.

An interesting part of that experience was the fact that Pete DeBoer was the assistant coach in charge of defensemen for Canada. Harley and his head coach clearly had to do some smart work together, and that can only help the Stars going forward. Also a part of the winning team was Stars GM Jim Nill and Stars assistant coach Misha Donskov. That bonding has to be something that makes the Stars better as a team.

That’s what happens when you invent little tourneys like this. You create the possibilities, and you see what happens. For the Stars, it seems like a lot of good. For hockey, it seems like a lot of good.

It’s what sports can do.

Stay tuned…there could be even more residual impact to come.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.