The NHL's top players will compete in a mini-tournament, the 4 Nations Face-Off, in preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics. This star-studded event features Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland battling for supremacy.
Canada is loaded at forward for the 4 Nations Face-Off with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. As the NHL 's best players get ready for their long-awaited return to the Olympics next year, an appetizer will be served over the next nine days as Canada , the United States, Sweden and Finland compete in the new 4 Nations Face-Off.
While the NHL and NHLPA technically don't have to honour the International Ice Hockey Federation's Russia ban after deciding to run the 4 Nations without co-operation from the global governing body, that's a moral and political third rail that they wisely decided not to touch. The Czechs are simply collateral damage because a five-team tournament wouldn't really make sense.
During the round robin, teams get three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and zero points for a regulation defeat. On defence, Canada added Makar's Colorado teammate Devon Toews, Winnipeg's Josh Morrissey, St. Louis' Colton Parayko, Philly's Travis Sanheim and the Vegas duo of Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo. However, Pietrangelo pulled out due to an undisclosed "ailment" and was replaced by L.A.'s Drew Doughty.
Finland is headlined by forwards Aleksander Barkov , Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen, defencemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell and goalie Juuse Saros.Canadian stars who did not get the call include forwards Connor Bedard, Steven Stamkos, Mark Scheifele and Zach Hyman and Washington goalie Logan Thompson, who has one of the best save percentages in the NHL this season.
There's some buzz about the Americans being the "real" favourites. They have a lot of firepower up front with the likes of Matthews, the reigning NHL goals champ, and Eichel, Kyle Connor and Jack Hughes, who all rank in the top 10 in points this season. The loss of Quinn Hughes is big, but Fox is a former Norris Trophy winner, the U.S. blue-line runs deep and Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the NHL.
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