Canada–USA best-of-7 series idea goes viral after Olympics

The "nhlpens" post basically says, skip the fluff and give us two weeks of pure hate-hockey between Canada and the United States.

And honestly, after the last few years, that itch makes sense.

The league already proved it can replace the usual showcase with something that actually matters.

The 4 Nations Face-Off ran February 12 to 20, 2025, and Canada beat the United States 3-2 in overtime in the final.

Here’s the original take, because it’s the whole vibe:

Now the awkward part, the NHL already locked in 2027 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena on February 5, 6 and 7.

So this idea is less “replace 2027” and more “replace the concept.”

A Canada USA series would turn that dead midseason slot into appointment viewing.

Make it best-of-seven, rotate cities, sell the rivalry, and let the players feel the weight.

Fans would be all-in, because nobody is pretending the current All-Star vibe hits like real stakes.

You’d get line matching, hard minutes, and coaches actually sweating decisions.

You’d also get injuries and politics, which is the real reason it’ll be a fight to approve.

But the NHL and NHLPA are already building toward more best-on-best, including a World Cup of Hockey in February 2028.

That’s why a “2 Nations” series is tempting, it’s simple, it’s clean, and it prints money.

The downside is obvious too: Sweden and Finland just helped make 4 Nations work, and cutting them out shrinks the tent.

Still, if you want the hardest hockey outside the playoffs, Canada vs USA over two weeks is the closest thing.

The question is whether the league wants a party in 2027, or a war.