The National Hockey League had no idea how things would turn out when it announced a year ago that instead of the traditional All-Star game in 2025, it would host a four-nation tournament with top NHL players playing for their home nations. They might have hoped that the United States and Canada would be the last two teams standing, playing against each other for the championship.
They might have hoped the teams would
inspire passions on the ice strong enough that three hockey fights broke out in
the first nine seconds of the first U.S. versus Canada game.
And, they might have hoped that fans would cheer
for their home nations—although I can’t imagine anyone would have imagined that
President Trump would talk about wanting to absorb Canada as the 51st U.S.
state in the weeks leading up to the tournament, with Canadians almost
uniformly rejecting the idea and tensions reaching the point that fans would
boo each other’s national anthems.
The Ritual After a Game Canada defeated the
United States three to two in overtime in the final game on Thursday, which was
either an absolute thriller or a heartbreaker, likely depending on which side
of the border you are on. After the game, however, there was a heartwarming and
inspiring ritual that I had almost forgotten about but that anyone who had
thought carefully about this tournament ahead of time probably could have
predicted: the post-game handshakes.
Unlike most other professional sports in North
America, hockey has a tradition in which, after big games and tournaments, the
winning and losing teams line up so that every player shakes the hand of every
opposing player.
Sure, some of the greetings are perfunctory.
It can take a certain kind of humility and even
bravery for the losing team to stick around on the ice and watch as the winning
team celebrates, knowing that you’ll have to line up and congratulate each
victorious player individually.
But there can also be some poignant exchanges.
I was struck by one that lasted a few seconds
last night as American forward Auston Matthews (who plays for a Canadian NHL
team, the Toronto Maple Leafs) exchanged what looked like very gracious words
with Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington (who plays for an American NHL team, the
St. Louis Blues).
A Lesson in
Sportsmanship
None of this is a knock against other sports. But
it’s funny to me that for all the football, basketball, soccer, and baseball
I’ve watched over the years, it never quite occurred to me that most other
sports don’t have this tradition.
I guess it’s inconspicuous by its absence. I was
glad to see it last night, especially after all the pre-game tensions.
And I hope that some of the likely millions of
people who aren’t truly hockey fans but who tuned in for the game last night
noticed it, too.
If you’re reading this article on Inc.com,
chances are you’re a business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur.
Maybe you’re also a hockey fan. But either way,
you’re no stranger to fierce competition.
Maybe you can even think of the business
equivalent of “three hockey fights breaking out in the first nine seconds” in
terms of cutthroat rivalries with other industry players.
However, in addition to providing pure entertainment,
one of the reasons people watch and comment on such sports is that they can
serve as metaphors for other aspects of life. No, none of us can predict the
future. But maybe it’s worth thinking ahead of time: What’s your equivalent of
the post-game handshake?
