Protean Therapy

Whether it’s geopolitics or hockey, there’s a clear “MAGA” v. “elbows up” vibe to the relationship between the USA and Canada.

In the 4 Nations Face-Off (2025), the USA played Canada twice with two outcomes:

• (3-1) USA on 15 Feb 2025
• (3-2) Canada on 20 Feb 2025

Trump had not been impressing Prime Minister Trudeau or the Canadian people with his social media messages and tariff policies. Fans, likely almost all Canadians, audibly booed the U.S. national anthem prior to the February 15th game. The Tkachuk brothers (Matthew then Brady) initiated the first two of the three fights that broke out in the first 9 seconds of the match.

President Trump appeared to relish the win as well as the fights. He followed up the first victory with another social media message…

Canada’s team regrouped. And they managed give their nation and Prime Minister the last laugh. Canada won that second and final meeting of 2025 in dramatic fashion, clinching the 4 Nations title.

Mike Myers had helped fuel an “elbows up” narrative in 2025.

The 2025 Four Nations Face-Off was characterized by an “elbows up” attitude from Canada with the first game’s three fights reflecting the political tensions between the two nations.

The slogan can be traced back to legendary hockey right winger Gordie Howe, who was nicknamed “Mr. Elbows” for his aggressive “elbows up” tactics during hockey games.

Gordie Howe is also the namesake of a bridge connecting the cities of Detroit, Michigan in the United States to Windsor, Ontario in Canada. The $6.4 billion bridge has been entirely funded by Canada and under construction since 2018 after President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau issued a joint statement looking forward to “…the expeditious completion of the Gordie Howe International Bridge…” referring to the bridge as “…a vital link between our two countries.” Which made it all the more surprising to hear of Trump’s recent rhetoric around the project and reports of potential lobbying for his administration to oppose it.

While Trump’s antagonism towards Canada does not appear to have changed since the 4 Nations Face-Off, other things have. For one, there’s a new Prime Minister in Office who delivered some weighty words during his January 20th speech in Davos, Switzerland.

A month later on the 20th of February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that some of the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada are illegal. Trump responded by declaring 10% global tariffs on the same day then 15% the day after. Then on Sunday morning, the 22nd of February, 2026 and the USA is faced off against Canada… again.

Both teams were wrapping up a grueling few weeks of play. The USA struggled for a hard-fought (2-1) win over Sweden on the 18th of February while Canada had to overcome Czechia (4-3) and Finland (2-1) on their way to the gold medal match. There were no fights in this game as the Olympic rules discourage it but it was nonetheless an intense game from the USA and Canada who seem to be playing amongst cold geopolitical winds.

Notably absent from this discussion is the former rival of both teams, Russia, who has faced various olympic bans for use of performance enhancing drugs and the invasion of Ukraine. The last time the United States men’s hockey team won a gold medal match was 47 years ago to the day at Lake Placid. Outside of Russia’s return, it may take another kind of miracle to cure the ills between these two teams and their nations.

Will the Olympic spirit help thaw an increasingly icy relationship between these two countries and teams? Or, is this game just the beginning of a budding rivalry and longer political winter between these historically close allies?

SPOILER WARNING:

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The United States won the match (2-1) with a thrilling overtime goal from Jack Hughes. The USA honored their former teammate, Johnny Gaudreau, who died in 2024.

That act of recognition, respectful post-game handshakes, and a relatively clean game may be a good omen for these neighbor-nations. Time will tell if these teams and their patriotic fans follow the better or worse impulses of their political leaders.

Sources:

Austen, I. (2026, February 10). Owner of vital U.S.-Canada bridge appeals to Trump and Lutnick. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/world/canada/bridge-owner-trump-lutnick.html