Hockey Fights Oppression: Two Case Studies from Canada

The 72 Summit Series and the 2025 4 Nations Faceoff

In September 1972, the best ice hockey players from Canada and the USSR met in an 8-game exhibition series. The series quickly became the story of a modest western democracy taking on a nation ruled by communism. Though these were exhibition games, the on-ice competition turned violent. Canada fared poorly through the first five games, going down three to one (with one tie). Canada stormed back to win three in a row on hostile ice in Moscow to take the series, avoiding a tie in game eight and the series when Paul Henderson scored with 34 seconds left in the third period. This was considered a victory for freedom over oppression.

In February 2025, the best ice hockey players from Canada, the USA, Finland, and Sweden met in a round-robin tournament called the “4 Nations Faceoff,” which replaced the NHL All-Star game for that year. Russia, the foremost successor of the long-dissolved USSR, had been barred from competing in the tournament due to its president’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent war that followed. The United States had seen some upheaval, too, as it now had a president who was blaming Ukraine for the war with Russia and was also making unprovoked statements about annexing Canada as a “51st State.” The tournament quickly became the story of a modest western democracy taking on a nation that had typically been considered the world’s paramount democracy but was now slipping into an absurdist authoritarian regime steered by tech oligarchs. In the Canada vs. USA round-robin match, Canadian fans booed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Though these were effectively all-star games, the on-ice competition turned violent, with three fights occurring in the first 9 seconds of the Canada-USA game. Canada fared poorly in that game, losing three to one. The Canadians stormed back to capture a must-win game against Finland and (with their earlier overtime win against Sweden) earned a spot in the championship final against the United States on hostile ice in Boston. In the final, American fans booed “Oh Canada,” and there were several near-fistfights between American and Canadian supporters. The teams ended regulation time tied at two. In overtime, after several crucial saves by Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington helped to quell the American onslaught, Connor McDavid netted a Mitch Marner pass to win the game and the tournament for Canada. This should be considered a victory for freedom over oppression. The small western democracy, which had had its sovereignty threatened, defeated a much larger western nation moving away from democracy and toward a grossly majoritarian ideology.

In 2025 as in 1972, the country on the right side of history won.