ANALYSIS: 4 Nations tournament not perfect, but beats all-star game any day – Winnipeg [Video]

The NHL will take a 12-day break after Sunday, to allow for the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston. There has been plenty of hype and debate discussing the value of this short tournament, and there are plenty of ways to analyze what and why the tournament is happening.

First of all, remember what it is replacing. For the past 20 years, the NHL has tried to create some level of relevancy for the NHL all-star game. In my time at the NHL, we tried constantly to prod the players to be more invested in the game and the skills competition, to no avail.

Solid TV ratings and corporate sponsorship allowed the league to justify the event. But like most all-star events in any sport, it fell short. It is realistic to think that the 92 players involved in 4 Nations will bring a much higher level of competition to …