During a recent NHL game between the Ottawa Senators and the Minnesota Wild at the Canadian Tire Centre, the traditional playing of both national anthems took a turn. While customary for such cross-border matchups, the end of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was met with boos from the home crowd.

This incident coincided with heightened trade tensions between the US and Canada. Earlier that day, President Trump had signed an executive order imposing additional tariffs on goods from several countries, including a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. The White House cited concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl, as the reason for this action. The tariffs on Canadian energy resources were set at a lower 10%.

Adding fuel to the fire, President Trump had previously suggested that Canada could become the "51st state," a remark made in the context of then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's concerns about the economic impact of the tariffs.

The Senators' homestand, which concluded with a decisive victory, featured games exclusively against US-based teams. This reflects the NHL's composition, with a significant majority of its teams located in the United States. Following this homestand, the Senators embarked on a road trip to face several US teams before returning home to play against a Canadian opponent, the Montreal Canadiens.

The Senators' subsequent break from gameplay was due to the 4 Nations tournament involving the USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden.