4 Nations Faceoff Release First 6 Players Representing Their Country
Photo Credit: NHL.com
On February 2, 2024, the NHL and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) announced a new tournament for international play titled Four Nations Face Off. The tournament will feature best-on-best between NHL players from their respective countries. The four countries in the tournament are Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. From February 12th to the 20th, a total of seven games will be played to determine the champion. The desired locations of the tournament games will be the Bell Centre in Montreal and the TD Garden in Boston. This will be the first time since 2016 that there will be best-on-best play in hockey. In 2016, it was the World Cup of Hockey, where Canada won gold.
Each country recently announced its first six players, who will be representing their beloved countries. First, starting with Canada.
This is what hockey fans have been preaching for: the country's best on one team. Having two generational players, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, on one team is going to be quite the spectacle. The first six from Canada feature three players from Nova Scotia in Crosby: Nathan MacKinnon and Brad Marchand. The first six from Canada also feature the world's best player, Connor McDavid, and the world's best defenseman, Cale Makar, in what will be a juggernaut of a team and one of the favorites to open the tournament. Sidney Crosby himself is excited, as in a recent press conference he said, “You look at the guys who were announced today—some serious skill and some unbelievable groups of hockey players. So that's exciting for a player, and I'm sure fans will be excited to see that as well.” Sidney Crosby is no stranger to the national stage, as he scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history, the Golden Goal.
Next is the United States, which will give Canada a run for their money.
The United States has never been better, as the talent coming out of America is top-tier and right next to Canada. Having the best pure goal scorer in Auston Matthews, who put up 69 goals, and recent Stanley Cup Champion Matthew Tkachuk will bolster this team to find ways to win. Although not announced in the first six, the United States will have the reigning Vezina Trophy winner in Connor Hellebuyck. Matthews had this to say on how to win in a tournament like this. “I think in situations and tournaments like this, it’s kind of who can come together and be a team as quickly as possible.”
Next up, Finland!
Finland has some heavy talent up front in the best 200-foot player in the world, Stanley Cup Champion Aleksander Barkov. Finland was the only nation to announce a goalie in their first six, Juuse Saros, who is coming off a fresh eight-year contract extension with the Nashville Predators. Finland is going to be making noise in this tournament with 100-point scorer Mikko Rantanen and elite defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who can play big-time minutes in huge games.
Last but certainly not least, Sweden.
Led by some of the best defensemen in the world, including three-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson, two-time Stanley Cup champion and one-time Norris winner Victor Hedman, and most recently, the number one defenseman for the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers, Gustav Forsling. Sweden is going to be tough to play against. Not to mention the elite playmakers Filip Forsberg and William Nylander, who will help the powerplay unit be a difference-maker in this tournament. Sweden will not be a favorite, but with the playmakers and the talent on the blue line, don't be surprised if they shock the world.
This tournament is going to be great for the growth of hockey and for the fans who have been waiting patiently to see their country's best go at it on the biggest stage. It all begins in February of 2025.