They've been booing the national anthem at hockey games too.
It's extremely disturbing to see Canadians act so...so... aggressively! Canadians are, by reputation, reasonably mild-mannered. Reportedly, it takes quite a bit to get them riled up. So what set off Canadian sports fans to make them disrespect the American national anthem?
Did Donald Trump have some Canadian icon killed? I doubt that because, frankly, can you think of a "Canadian icon" famous enough that it would matter to anyone that he was dead?
The reason Canadian fans are booing anything American, including the anthem, is because (wait for it): TARIFFS!
That's right. Donald Trump's plan to tax Canadian imports by 25% has citizens in the Great White North up in arms. Besides, anytime they get to express their extreme jealousy of America they do so with gusto.
The latest opportunity occurred at the Four Nations Hockey Tournament, which interrupted the NHL regular season schedule for a made-for-TV extravaganza designed to raise the profile of the game.
The U.S. took on Finland in what was supposed to be a very close-checking, well-played game on both sides. The game was in Montreal, where residents love annoying Americans by answering in French when you ask them a question in English.
As is the custom, both the Finnish and U.S. national anthems were played prior to the puck being dropped. There wasn't much reaction to the Finnish anthem. But once the U.S. anthem began, the Canadians expressed their displeasure at Donald Trump and the proposed tariffs in no uncertain terms.
Canadian hockey fans boo America’s National Anthem again Tonight.
— Bruce (@bruce_barrett) February 14, 2025
This needs to stop now. Disgraceful !
It shames all Canadians. #4Nations pic.twitter.com/wODP3ZEzEi
Only douche-canoes boo the national anthem of another country at a sporting event being hosted on our soil, particularly when that anthem belongs to our friends & allied neighbours.
— 𝔽𝕣𝕠𝕫𝕖𝕟𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕝𝕖 🇨🇦 (@frozen_belle) February 9, 2025
And only cowards boo at athletes who are injured American veterans.
pic.twitter.com/wnEGmq2MFT
This is it in a nutshell.
When you boo our national anthem, you’re not booing our politicians. You’re booing our land, our people, & the brave men & women that died for it over the years. You’re booing our armed forces, our public servants, our first responders. Without them, Canada doesn’t exist lil bro. https://t.co/yynh6jkS8X
— Marky’s Better (@dirtydevilfan) February 4, 2025
The angry Americans went out and totally thrashed the Finns 6-1.
Pro hockey players are, for the most part, far different than football players or baseball players. This was evidenced by the reaction of some of the players to the outrageous behavior of Canadian hockey fans.
“I didn’t like it,” American forward Matthew Tkachuk said after the game. “And that’s all I’ve got.”
The NHL brass, as expected, shrugged their shoulders and seemed to imply that the booing was justified.
“It’s unfortunate, obviously, and we wish it wasn’t the case,” NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told reporters Wednesday. “But from time to time things happen and people have strong feelings about it. Obviously, we’re aware of what’s been happening here.”
Before the Americans faced Finland on Thursday night, Bell Centre public address announcer Michel Lacroix urged fans to be respectful of the national anthems to uphold the spirit of the competition.
Still, a significant number of fans audibly booed — cameras showed Matthew Tkachuk fuming at the end of his team’s bench while it happened — before some others in the crowd attempted to drown them out with cheers.
“These guys are hockey players, and they’re here to play hockey,” said American coach Mike Sullivan. “They’re also proud Americans and it’s a privilege to represent your nation, and all of us that have the opportunity to participate and be part of this U.S. team. It means a lot to all of us. …
“We just want to play hockey. We want to compete. We want to represent our nation in the right way.”
“There’s a certain pride in being an American and a certain attitude and swagger that we can bring to the game that is reflective of the attitudes we have all learned from our older generations,” Sullivan added.
J.T. Miller, recently traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers, used the booing as any competitor would; he got motivated by it.
“I think we like it,” he said. “Not politically, but maybe just as a sense of, we know where we’re at in Canada and I think that fires us up more than anything. So it’s great.”
I would not like to play against this guy.
Note: The U.S. plays Canada on Saturday evening, and next week, the venue will shift to Boston, where the Canadian team will surely get the full Beantown treatment.
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