Throwing into Canada against the USA: The influence of Trump’s politics on ice hockey

“We wanted to send a message,” said Matthew Tkachuck about what had happened in the first nine seconds of the ice hockey service between Canada and the USA. And he said that it was planned for a long time, in a group chat of the US players involved: “We talked about it, so I slept like a baby before the game. I knew it would crack. “

What has happened in the first ice hockey duel of both nations for nine years in which stars of the professional league NHL participated: three cavalies, stamped by Americans, so violently that in front of the videos on the Espn sports channel and the streaming platform YouTube Notes are shown, that violence would now be seen.

The first fight right after the start of the game: Tkachuck against Brandon Hagel, who are active in the NHL for the Florida Local Rival from Tampa Bay and Miami-narrow victory for the Canadian, which is ultimately on his opponent. Immediately after the restart: Tkachuck’s brother Brady sends Sam Bennett to the ice with two right hooks. And just four game seconds later: a pack formation in which JT Miller grabs an opponent in tree size – and gets something from Colton Parayko, but does not go to the ground.

“It was the coolest thing I ever experienced on the ice,” said Miller, who demonstrated his injuries on his face like trophies. And if all of this had not happened now, then as an observer, one would probably judge as much as Miller about this high -class, intensive, tough game: “unforgettable, unique: the evil blood between the teams, but also respect. How the hall exploded: absolute madness. “

This 3: 1 of the Americans after 0-1 deficit would have been a legendary treat that might go into a second round in the final on Thursday in Boston. The intensity of the game would also have been a complaint for the 2026 Olympics in northern Italy, where all NHL professionals will be there. In addition, advertising for ice hockey, where fights and tough body checks belong and are celebrated and celebrated like Dunkings in basketball or fall back in football.

Only: The “4 Nations Face-Off”, in which Sweden and Finland still take part, finds now Instead of where there is not only on the ice between Canada and the USA. How much the Canadians had enough of the diplomatic troll in the White House after just a few weeks had already been heard clearly before the game began. During the US anthem, they booed as loudly as they later joined against Americans at Bodychecks – in both cases louder than in their lead goal by Connor McDavid.

The ice hockey duel in Montreal, scheduled long before the US election, became a valve for frustration

Canadians are basically among the friendliest beings on this planet. In 2014, when the microphone failed in front of an NHL game in Toronto while singing the US anthem, they simply smashed the rest of the song from thousands of fan flours. Now they were booing because Donald Trump A few days earlier at the Super Bowl interview had confirmed his planto want to make a state of the USA from Canada – and On his platform Truth social a card set on which Canada is already part of the USA. Before that, he had caused excitement with customs threats and testifies that Canada did not get outstanding ice hockey players in the USA, but rather drugs and criminals.

The ice hockey duel in Montreal, long before the US election, became a valve for frustration with all sporting drama; Of course, sport includes all sorts of symbolism for the relationship. The NHL, founded in Montreal in 1917, is now based in New York. Only seven of the 32 teams are located in Canada; Canadians are still angry that in the 1990s from the Canadian clubs Quebec Nordiques and Winnipeg Jets the US franchises Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes became. The reincarnation of the Jets 2011 was because the Thrashers had flown out of the hall in Atlanta.

The accusation: The Americans have the National Sports of Canadians and this league (It is called National Hockey League because all four teams from Canada came at the foundation, editor’s editor) Americanized, commercialized and exploited. One example is also the change from Wayne Gretzky in 1988 by the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, grandiose described in the documentary entitled “King’s Ransom”, ransom for the king. Since then, the Oilers have not won a title, and no Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since 1993. This season, however, the terrific Jets and the Oilers with the German Leon Draisaitl, which leads the list of goal scorer with 40 goals, have good chances.

If there are reunion in the final, various messages should be sent again on the field

There are debates about rules and tax laws; Important in a league with a salary limit. More than 42 percent of all NHL professionals are Canadians, just a quarter of Americans; What led to the joke in view of the Trump customs plans: We produce the best ice hockey goods in the world (i.e. players), the US franchises earn a lot of money with it, the league income is more than six billion dollars per season-should We collect a 25 percent export tax on Canadian ice hockey talents? A joke, of course, it also happens the other way around: JT Miller played for the Vancouver Canucks for six years until the end of January; Brady Tkachuk is even captain at the Ottawa Senators.

There is this ice hockey rivality between Canada and the USA, as there is one between Mexico and America in football. In 2026 the three nations will jointly organize the World Cup; Only so much: A replica of the trophy is not at Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, who will open the tournament, and also not in the office of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who followed the ice hockey game on Saturday in the arena. She is behind Trump in the Oval Officea gift from FIFA President Gianni Infantino for inauguration.

In ice hockey for the Canadians in the past 15 years as a sedative that they had won every duel against the United States when all NHL stars were there-until 1: 3 on Saturday. The Canadians have to win against Finland (7 p.m. CET) for the fastest possible revenge. Then there would be the final against the USA in Boston. One thing is certain: messages are likely to be sent again.