Liam Guerin Reflects on Dream Nations Cup Experience

With the NHL’s impending return to the Olympic Games and the notable success of the Four Nations Face-off, international hockey is making a thrilling resurgence. Best-on-best international competition produces riveting action on the ice, but it’s also an opportunity to celebrate hockey as a global game.

Powerhouses like Canada and the United States battle for dominance on the world stage, but the game continues to expand its reach across the globe. In 2024, the Dream Nations Cup, presented by CCM, was launched to celebrate the growth of hockey in non-traditional markets.

Events like the Dream Nations Cup, an Invitational international tournament held at The Rink at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, are helping reshape hockey, giving players from underrepresented regions a chance to compete and connect through the sport.

The 2025 edition of the Dream Nations Cup recently concluded, providing players from 16 teams across two men's divisions and a women's division with the opportunity to represent their cultural heritage. One such player was Liam Guerin, who suited up for Team Central America, a group of athletes with cultural roots in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Guerin, a forward for Hamline University in St. Paul, is the son of Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager and U.S. hockey hall-of-famer Bill Guerin. The Guerins are of Irish and Nicaraguan descent, allowing Liam to showcase his heritage with pride as part of the Central American side.

Looking back on the tournament, Liam says that opportunity is something he takes great pride in.

“It’s one thing to represent your school or junior team. As players, we’re used to switching teams as we grow up, but being able to play for something that you’re born proud of is different,” Guerin said. “Your background is something that never changes.”

Along with the pride of representing his Nicaraguan roots, Guerin and Team Central America also left with a championship.

Team Central America posted a 4-1-0 record, capped by a championship win over Armenia on the men’s side of the bracket. The win marked a major step forward for Central America, who placed fifth in the tournament’s debut.

While Central America ultimately emerged victorious, every group fielded a competitive squad, resulting in a high level of play throughout the event.

That level of intensity, Liam believes, was essential to the tournament’s success.

“Everybody wanted to win. Every team brought something different, and the intensity was there through the whole event,” Guerin said. “Playing against competition like that is an honor, and it’s great to know that as a team, we’re up there, and we were able to come together and win the tournament.”

Taking home a trophy was a highlight for Guerin, who notched an assist in five games played, but the Dream Nations Cup is about more than the product on the ice. It’s an opportunity for fans and players alike to mingle with other people and share their love for the game.

Liam believes that exchange is just as crucial to the experience of the tournament as success on the ice.

“Being able to play against teams like Armenia, Egypt and South Korea, I got to meet some cool people. I got to learn a little bit about so many other people’s cultures,” Guerin said. “I got to appreciate that, but also that there are so many people who play and love hockey.”

While the 2025 Dream Nations Cup was a significant experience for Guerin and Team Central America, the event also featured several other momentous occasions.

The women’s side of the bracket proved to be history-making, with Team Egypt capturing its first championship. The Egyptian women’s squad made their debut just one year prior at the 2024 Dream Nations Cup.

Team Pakistan won their first international medal as well, with a third-place finish in the Men’s Division II bracket. Team Caribbean won the championship in that division, their first men’s medal at the Dream Nations Cup.

The historic moments and memories of the 2025 Dream Nations Cup are sure to live on for fans and players from the countries who participated.

Those memories are something that Liam Guerin reflected on as the most crucial part of his experience.

“Obviously, winning was a great moment, but even before that. Showing up to the rink, not knowing anyone, and going from there to being really close. That’s special,” Guerin said. “Watching hockey with the guys, having dinner in New York, just staying with teammates. It was unbelievable. I think I made a ton of memories that I’m going to have forever.”

As the Dream Nations Cup continues to grow, players like Guerin exemplify the power of hockey to connect people across borders, cultures and generations.

For complete results and statistics, visit dreamnationscup.com.