4 Nations Face-Off – Page 2

By NHL Public Relations

February 13, 2025

The second game of the 4 Nations Face-Off will pit a new era of USA stars – they are the only team without a player returning from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey – led by first-time national team captain Auston Matthews against a Finland team captained by Aleksander Barkov, who is one of four members of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers on the roster.

USA and Finland 411

This will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the countries in an NHL International Tournament, with the two most recent coming in the semifinals. Finland’s last victory in an NHL International Tournament was against USA in the semifinals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, with longtime Canadiens legend Saku Koivu netting the game winner.
In the 1991 Canada Cup, Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Mullen netted what would become the game-winning goal in a 7-3 semifinals victory for the United States. In both cases, Finland and USA reached the final of an NHL International Tournament for the first time.
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who lead all teams with eight players participating in the tournament, will be well represented in Thursday’s contest with Matthew Tkachuk skating for USA and Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola on Finland’s roster.
Barkov (8-14—22 in 24 GP) and Tkachuk (6-16—22 in 24 GP) were tied for the team playoff scoring lead during Florida’s run to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2024.
Prior to Tkachuk joining the Panthers, he and Barkov went head-to-head in the NHL nine times, with Tkachuk holding the edge in both points (5-7—12 in 9 GP) and team record (6-2-1). Barkov also produced at a point-per-game rate in those contests (2-7—9 in 9 GP; 3-5-1 record).
Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk will suit up together on the international stage for the first time, and also the first time on any team outside of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. They will become the 14th set of brothers to play on the same team in an NHL International Tournament and the fifth to do so with USA, joining Derian and Kevin Hatcher (1996 WCH), Aaron and Neal Broten (1984 CC), Brian and Joe Mullen (1984 CC) and Curt and Harvey Bennett (1976 CC).
The Hatcher brothers are the only siblings, from any country, to win an NHL International Tournament together.

Source: nhl.com

By NHL Public Relations

February 12, 2025

A whirlwind 4 Nations Face-Off, the NHL’s first best-on-best competition since 2016 that will pit Canada, Finland, Sweden and USA against each other in a round-robin tournament with the top two teams advancing to the final next week in Boston, opens tonight at Bell Centre in Montreal when Canada faces Sweden.

Canada and Sweden 411

Canada and Sweden have met in an NHL International Tournament nine times, starting with the 1976 Canada Cup – the NHL’s first-ever international tournament – when Bob Gainey scored twice to help Canada earn a 4-0 victory in a game that included two legendary Hall of Fame defensemen in Bobby Orr and Borje Salming.
The two countries last met in an NHL International Tournament in the semifinals of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, with Theo Fleury scoring 19:47 into the second overtime to help Canada advance to the final. Canada has an 8-1-0 record in their nine meetings to date.
Canada captain Sidney Crosby (609-1,045—1,654) has more points than any active player and is the only skater in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament who ranks among the top 10 on the NHL’s all-time points list.
Sweden’s Erik Karlsson (196-660—855) and captain Victor Hedman (164-608—772) rank second and third, respectively, in career points among active defensemen.
Three of the NHL’s top-five goal scorers this season will be in this contest: William Nylander (2nd; 33), Brayden Point (t-4th; 31) and Sam Reinhart (t-4th; 31), as well as three of the top-five point producers in 2024-25: Nathan MacKinnon (1st; 87); Connor McDavid (4th; 71) and Mitch Marner (5th; 71).
Canada head coach Jon Cooper confirmed goaltender Jordan Binnington would be the starter in the opening game (Sweden did not confirm its starter). Binnington is one of two Stanley Cup-winning goaltenders on a 4 Nations Face-Off roster, with the other his Canadian teammate Adin Hill. Binnington, who was an OHL champion (2011), Stanley Cup champion (2019) and is the winningest goaltender in Blues history, will look to claim an international championship for the first time.
A pair of second-generation NHL players will follow in their fathers’ footsteps once again Wednesday when Canada’s Sam Reinhart and Sweden’s William Nylander hit the ice in the 4 Nations Face-Off opener.
Each player’s dad played at a past NHL International Tournament: Reinhart’s father, Paul, skated for Canada at the 1981 Canada Cup, and Nylander’s father, Michael, scored the last Sweden goal vs. Canada at an NHL International Tournament during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey semifinals. The same feat will happen Thursday when brothers Brady and Matthew Tkachuk team up for USA and follow in the footsteps of their father, Keith (1996 & 2004 WCH).
Guy Gaudreau, father of the late Matthew and Johnny Gaudreau, was invited to Montreal by USA and is taking part in the event. Guy has been included in team activities including a dinner Monday alongside American hockey legends Mike Eruzione, Rob McClanahan and Mike Modano, and on the ice for practice Tuesday at Bell Centre – where Johnny scored twice while wearing a Team North America jersey during preliminary action at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Much like the Blue Jackets are this season, USA will have a stall set aside in remembrance – hear from Guy and members of the USA team in Dan Rosen’s article on NHL.com.