"Going to be intense" - Elliotte Friedman foreshadows warning over potential 4 Nations drama as Canadian fans boo US anthem

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman weighed in on Canadian hockey fans booing while the U.S. anthem was sung at Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday. In his "32 Thoughts: The Podcast," he talked about how Team USA would be received in Canada during the upcoming Four Nations Face-Off tournament.

Can you imagine what it’s going to be like in Montreal when Team USA plays there twice?" Friedman said on Monday. "They face Finland on Thursday and then Canada on Saturday. It’s going to be intense."

He also discussed the U.S. national anthem being booed during other sports events over the weekend in Vancouver and Calgary and whether it might lead to a change in policy.

"I’m wondering if, at some point, someone is going to start questioning whether we should even play the anthem before games,” Friedman said. “And if they take it a step further, especially in the U.S., I wonder if anyone will suggest stopping the practice of playing the visiting team’s anthem altogether.”

The recent incidents are a result of U.S. President Donald Trump announcing a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, which are set to start on Tuesday. The announcement sparked retaliatory restrictions and tariffs from the leaders of all three countries. Canada announced a 25% tariff on $155 billion worth of U.S. imports.

"Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25% tariffs against (Canadian) $155 billion (US $106 billion) worth of American goods," Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a press conference on Sunday.

Canucks fans boo the U.S. anthem as well on Sunday

Vancouver Canucks fans joined in on the growing protest against U.S. tariffs by booing when Agasha Mutesasira sang the U.S. anthem before the puck drop against the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday.

Red Wings coach Tod McLellan refrained from commenting on the issue and Canucks coach Rick Tocchet sidestepped as well.

"I don't know," Tocchet said after the game. "That's a good question. I don't want to go into politics now, trust me."

Detroit forward Patrick Kane, who hails from Buffalo, New York, on the Canadian border, said "It is what it is."

"I guess you can maybe understand it from this side but seems like it's a thing that's going around the league right now," Kane said, via ESPN.

Kane returned to the ice after missing five games with an upper-body injury as the Canucks lost to the Red Wings 3-2 in overtime.