Team USA’s battle with Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off finale saw record viewership, according to ESPN.
Thursday’s showdown drew an average of 9.3 million viewers, the largest ever for an ESPN hockey game.
According to the Sports Business Journal, it surpassed the previous NHL record of 8.9 million viewers during the 2019 Stanley Cup, which aired on NBC.
Viewership on ESPN reached a peak audience of 10.4 million and was the most viewed non-football event since the 2024 NBA Finals.
Canada-USA NHL #4Nations Face-Off Championship delivers ESPN's largest hockey audience EVER: 9.3M viewers
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) February 21, 2025
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The 4 Nations final also set an ESPN+ record for all events outside of the NFL, the network announced.
ESPN also said the 4 Nations games broadcasted on the network averaged 4.3 million viewers, an astonishing 1079 percent increase compared to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
According to Sports Media Watch, the U.S.-Canada finale was the most watched non-Olympic hockey match on record.
The previous 4 Nations matchup between the United States and Canada also saw record numbers of viewership, drawing an average audience of 4.4 million in the United States.
That contest saw action early, with the U.S. and Canada sparring three separate times in the first nine seconds.
Thursday’s finale saw Canada ultimately defeat Team USA 3-2 with a Connor McDavid game-winning goal in overtime.
“Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us. I know it’s just a quick tournament, and it’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see,” McDavid told ESPN.
McDavid continued by expressing his thoughts about the 4 Nations Face-Off potentially expanding the NHL’s audience.
“I hope [the new fans] love it,” he added. “It’s a great game, it’s a great sport, and I hope we put on a good show these last couple days and gained some fans, ultimately. You can’t ask for a better show than that.”