MONTREAL – Fans gathered at the Bell Centre for the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Filip Forsberg of Sweden took center stage, supported by a big-name star from the NFL—George Kittle, the tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. Kittle was seen cheering for Forsberg during the Sweden versus Finland matchup on Saturday. The two athletes have formed a friendship in recent years, primarily through their wives, Clair and Erin Alvey, who are close friends and proposed the idea for their trip to Montreal.
During the first intermission, Kittle shared his excitement about attending the event, saying, “They’re like, ‘Hey, we have a little opening in our schedule, why would you not want to go to Montreal, Canada, in February?’ Super happy that I’m here. What an amazing atmosphere.” He donned Sweden’s yellow jersey, emblazoned with Forsberg’s name and number, complemented by a hat featuring the Swedish flag along with a fun wig styled in yellow and blue.
“Fil brought everything,” Kittle said, referring to Forsberg’s thoughtful gesture of bringing him gear. “He goes, ‘You have to wear this.’ I said, ‘All right, I will do that.’” George’s enthusiasm for the experience was evident as Claire mentioned how he fully embraced the themed look with the Swedish hair. Though they also secured tickets for the highly anticipated U.S.-Canada game later that night, Kittle was eager to show his support for Forsberg and the Swedish team.
He added, “When you get to perform for your country, I think it’s a big deal and the chance to do it so close to where I can actually go see him is a very special thing. My first time ever doing something like this. I’ve never been to an Olympics or anything like that. A very unique experience, but you can just kind of tell how the love of hockey just goes through everybody.”
Kittle’s interest in hockey has increased significantly thanks to his friendship with Forsberg, reminiscent of his childhood days playing NHL video games and wanting to be a goaltender. “My cousins would pepper me with shots,” he recalled. “I couldn’t skate though.”
On the flip side, Forsberg has also taken a keen interest in the NFL, something he didn’t know much about while growing up in Sweden. Reflecting on his entry into fantasy football earlier this year, Forsberg noted he spent about 50 hours researching for his first draft and ended up reaching the finals in his inaugural season. “I love it,” he said. “I watch Red Zone on Sundays. I’m all in. And through George I got to meet a bunch of other NFL players.”
Despite Forsberg’s wish to draft Kittle in their fantasy league, he faced challenges as other players often selected him earlier than Forsberg preferred. “Guys, they know I’m coming for him, so they draft him early. All due respect, I’ve got to have a team,” Forsberg explained. “I can’t draft George in the third round. You’ve got to draft him where he’s supposed to go.”
Additionally, the tournament captured the attention of former NFL star J.J. Watt, who made a social media post praising the event, stating that the 4 Nations is one of the best ideas hockey has had in a long time, while also expressing that the only thing missing was commentary from Doc Emrick.
