The 2025 4 Nations showdown begins on February 12 and ends on February 20, but what is the tournament and how did it come to fruition?
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the international tournament at a press conference at the 2024 NHL All-Star Game.
In the NHL’s announcement, the league said they view the 4 Nations event as a “pillar to a larger World Cup.”
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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before a game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)
Bettman said that in addition to the players competing in the 2026 Olympics, they will play in a World Cup in 2028, return to the Olympics in 2030 and then two years later have another World Cup to establish the cycle of the game. international.
Bettman called the 4 Nations Showdown an “appetizer” for what looks to be a packed international schedule for the sport of hockey in the coming years.
The tournament will be the first time since 2016 that NHL players have participated in an international tournament among the best. It was the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and there were eight teams in that tournament.
Due to the 4 Nations Face-Off, there will be no All-Star Game this season.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming tournament.
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Actor Will Arnett, left, and McDavid team captain Connor McDavid watch during the NHL All-Star Player Draft on NHL All-Star Thursday at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)
What is the format of the tournament?
The tournament is round robin and each team will play three games.
For each regulation victory, the winning team will receive three points. For each victory in overtime or penalty shootout, the team will receive two points.
For each loss in overtime or penalty shootout, the team will receive one point. For a regulation loss, the team will not receive any points.
Overtime is a 10-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death period. If overtime is scoreless, the match will be decided by a three-round penalty shootout.
The top two teams will play in a winner-take-all final.
If overtime is needed in the championship game, it will be traditional 5-on-5 hockey with consecutive 20-minute periods, the way overtime works in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman answers questions from the media before a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena. (Lucas Peltier-Image Images)
Where and when are the games played?
The tournament will be held in North America with games taking place at Montreal’s Bell Center and Boston’s TD Garden.
There are two days of practice, Feb. 10 and 11, and then the games begin.
Four games will be played at the Bell Center and three at TD Garden.
These are the games played at the Bell Centre:
- Wednesday, February 12: Canada vs. Sweden at 8 pm ET.
- Thursday, February 13: USA vs. Finland at 8 pm Eastern Time.
On Saturday, February 15, there will be a doubleheader at the Bell Centre. Finland plays Sweden at 1 p.m. ET, while Sweden will play the United States at 8 p.m. ET
TD Garden will also host a doubleheader. On Monday, February 17, Canada will play Finland at 1 pm ET, while Sweden will play the United States at 8 pm ET.
The championship game will be Thursday, February 20 at 8 pm Eastern time.
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September 21, 2016; Team North America center Connor McDavid, #97, attempts to push the puck away from Team Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman, #77, in the third period during the preliminary round of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey at Air Canada Center on September 21. , 2016. (Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports)
Who is on the list?
Each squad will be made up of 13 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalkeepers.
Team Canada
Forwards (listed alphabetically by last name):
Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
Mark Stone, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Defenses:
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Alex Pietrangelo, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Shea Theodore, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
Goalkeepers:
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
Adin Hill, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens
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Team North America forward Johnny Gaudreau, #13, and forward Auston Matthews, #34, celebrate a goal by Matthews against Team Czech Republic during the third period in a World Cup of Hockey pre-tournament game in CONSOL Energy Center on September 14. , 2016. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
united states team
Forwards:
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Jack Eichel, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
JT Miller, Vancouver Canucks
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
Defenses:
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Noah Hanifin, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Jacob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Goalkeepers:
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Team Finland
Forwards:
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Joel Armia, Montreal Canadiens
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks
Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Kaapo Kakko, Seattle Kraken
Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago Blackhawks
Defenses:
Jani Hakanpaa, the Toronto Maple Leafs
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars
Olli Maatta, Utah Hockey Club
Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Juuso Valimaki, Utah Hockey Club
Goalkeepers:
Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabers
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Team Europe forward Thomas Vanek, #26, attempts to score on Team Sweden goalkeeper Henrik Lundqvist, #30, as defenseman Mattias Ekholm, #14, and forward Carl Soderberg, #34, watch in a semifinal match in 2016 World Cup. Hockey at Air Canada Center on September 25, 2016. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Team Sweden
Forwards:
Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers
Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
Leo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
William Karlsson, Las Vegas Golden Knights
Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings
Mika Zibanejad, New York Rangers
Defenses:
Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabers
Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins
Goalkeepers:
Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils
Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators
