The 4 Nations Face-Off united the hockey world for the last week. There was so much entertainment, fun, and pride that fans of the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland got to come together and cheer for.
For the players of NHL teams that didn’t make their respective teams, the tournament brought another element: knowledge. In the Chicago Blackhawks‘ case, they’re a team looking to build their way back to glory, and those four teams showed how that can be done.
Blackhawks Need Competitiveness to Shine
The Blackhawks have continuously emphasized their competitiveness and effort because it has been touch and go. In some games, they look unstoppable, and other times, not so much. But in many instances, competitiveness, not talent, has been the missing link that has separated them from two points. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen is no stranger to that, which stood out to him when asked how the team can shrink the gap from the physicality and competitiveness seen in the tournament.
“Yeah, I think it’s a great point. I mean, you see even guys talk about it, you know if it’s the guys that are playing in it right now, and they’re talking about how fast the game is, and the feel of it, and the coaches. Just listening to Coop [Jon Cooper] the other day talking about it’s the best hockey he’s been part of in terms of pace and competitiveness. Right? So, I think any time you start moving the ball up higher, it’s good for the sport, in general. And I think that showcased here. And for us as a group or individuals, that’s what you’re trying to get. So we have to find a way to create an environment as often as possible, if it’s practice, and to raise the bar so we can get to that level eventually.”
Since the day Sorensen took over in December, he stressed about upping the pace. However, it remains a sore spot. The season’s silver lining is that a good chunk of the Blackhawks’ 17 wins this season have come against contending teams like the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals. When asked about that, Ryan Donato didn’t have a straight answer but said they come ready to play in those contests. If there is one thing the tournament showed, it’s that best-on-best hockey brings out the best in everyone because of the motivation to beat the top dogs. The Blackhawks are no exception.
But like Sorensen said, it’s how they can keep that element consistent.
Blackhawks “Little Things” Must Be Addressed
When it comes to players like Connor Bedard, who hopes to make Canada’s Olympic Team in 2026, he talked about the tournament and how it increases everyone’s desire to play for their countries. For him, it also was great to watch and learn. He said, “Obviously, right now, just kind of watching. You see little things, how they play, and that helps. But really just watching as a fan.”
When watching the tournament, you realize there are many “little things” that the Blackhawks lack: back check, faceoff wins, scoring, physicality, breakouts, battles, line changes, and so on. There is a notable talent gap from the 4 Nations teams to Chicago. The Blackhawks will likely never have a future team with Bedard, Nathan MacKinnon, and Connor McDavid on their roster. However, the hockey IQ also stands out as an area of need. Luckily, the Blackhawks have prioritized players with high hockey IQ in recent drafts, with Bedard, Frank Nazar, Sacha Boisvert, etc.
Related: 10 Thoughts on the Blackhawks as They Return From 4 Nations Break
Even though the 4 Nations Face-Off was an exhibition, the team’s impressions stayed with them. Sorensen was noted to have been hard on the Blackhawks during their practice before heading to Columbus. Winning habits will come in time, especially when establishing their next coaching staff, but they must start somewhere, and accountability is significant.
Overall, Bedard talked about hoping to hone in on establishing an identity, and captain Nick Foligno spoke about wanting to see consistency and finish the season strong as things to work on for the remaining 27 games. Moreover, the team is rested, having no players except Teuvo Teräväinen (Finland) in the tournament, and there also may be some things lingering from the excitement of the 4 Nations.
It brought the fandom in everyone, and it might have even been a good blueprint for what the Blackhawks need to accomplish throughout their rebuild, too.
