NHL analyst and broadcaster Kevin Weekes said Thursday night’s rematch between Team USA and Canada will mark the biggest event in hockey in the last 10-15 years, telling Newsmax the game will be “absolutely epic.”
Weekes also said it’s “interesting” how political the finale of the 4 Nations Face-Off has become.
Weekes, a former goalie in the National Hockey League for 11 years, joined “National Report” to talk about the game and the importance that it carries for players, coaches and fans on both sides of the border. Thursday night's contest in Boston is a rematch of Team USA’s 3-1 victory over Canada last Saturday in Montreal.
“And I think tonight … will be absolutely epic,” Weekes said, predicting that Thursday night’s game will attract 15 million TV viewers from both countries.
“It's going to showcase just how great the sport is. It's going to showcase how talented the athletes are, how skilled they are, and of course, how proud they are to represent both jerseys,” Weekes said, noting his dual citizenship to both countries. “And as mentioned, you know, a lot of us have family on both sides of the border. A lot of the players and management and coaches and fans live on either side of the border, sometimes both.
“This is going to be the biggest thing in the sport, and we're going to own the sports world tonight. But this will be the biggest thing in hockey and certainly the National Hockey League in easily the last 10 to 15 years,” he added.
Weekes also addressed President Donald Trump’s social media post about the game, in which he again alluded to Canada as the 51st state of America. Trump’s rhetoric as well as policies on tariffs and border security are also playing a role in magnifying the importance of the game, Weekes said.
“Well, I can tell you this, as somebody that's lived in both countries for 25 years, almost split down the middle and a proud dual citizen, it is interesting to see where this has gotten to at this point. However, I'm going to echo the great [Canadian businessman] Kevin O’Leary: It's not about the noise, it's about the signal,” Weekes said. “Ultimately, there has been a lot of unity. We are two great partners. We're not friends, we're not neighbors; we're family on both sides of the border.”
As for his prediction, Weekes said Team USA will beat Canada 3-2.
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Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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