That is NBA All-Star weekend. This 12 months the league applied a brand new format, with the All-Stars drafted into three groups of eight gamers. They’ll face off with the winner of Friday night time’s Rising Stars Problem in a small, single-elimination match on Sunday night time.
The NHL can also be making an attempt one thing new, which kicked off this week.
As an alternative of an All-Star Recreation, the NHL and the NHLPA are holding the 4 Nations Face-Off, which runs from February 12 via February 20. This can be a round-robin match that includes 4 nationwide groups — Canada, Finland, Sweden, and america — with NHL gamers filling out the rosters.
Here’s what it’s essential know for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, the best way to watch, and the scores.
Why did the NHL implement the 4 Nations Face-Off?
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman introduced the round-robin match on the 2024 All-Star Recreation. The transfer got here following prolonged negotiations between the league and the NHLPA relating to participant participation in worldwide tournaments. NHL gamers competed between 1998 and 2014 within the Winter Olympics. Nonetheless, no deal was reached to permit gamers to play in both the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018 or the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
As a part of the settlement, gamers will have the ability to compete within the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, in addition to the 2030 Winter Video games.
“The worldwide composition of Nationwide Hockey League rosters is unparalleled, and NHL Gamers take nice delight in representing their nations,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated in a press release final 12 months.
“We’re happy that, after intense collaborative efforts with the NHL Gamers’ Affiliation and the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation, we will formally announce that NHL Gamers will take part in each the 2026 and 2030 Olympic hockey tournaments.”
As well as, the league launched the in-season 4 Nations Face-Off, to be held instead of the 2025 NHL All-Star Recreation. Between that match and subsequent 12 months’s winter video games, the NHL All-Star Recreation is on a one-year hiatus. The 2026 NHL All-Star Recreation will probably be held at UBS Area in New York, the house of the New York Islanders. Bettman stated final 12 months that the 2026 version of the All-Star Recreation will probably be a “sendoff to the Olympics,” with gamers collaborating within the Winter Video games leaving from the All-Star Recreation in New York to go to Italy.
Saying the 4 Nations Face-Off, Bettman indicated that worldwide competitors is critically necessary to the league’s gamers.
“We all know how necessary worldwide competitors is to our gamers. We all know they love and need to symbolize the nations from which they’re from,” stated Bettman final 12 months. “We expect it is a nice stage for the perfect on the perfect, in the perfect sport.”
What groups are within the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The 4 groups chosen for participation within the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off have been all ranked within the prime six by the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the game’s international governing physique, on the time the match was introduced.
Nevertheless, there may be some controversy related to the number of these 4 groups.
Canada, Finland, and america all ranked inside the prime 4, with Canada topping the rankings, Finland sitting in second, and america fourth.
Sitting third? Russia, which was banned from competing in worldwide tournaments by the IIHF for the nation’s invasion of Ukraine. Germany, ranked fifth, was additionally excluded from collaborating as a result of the nation doesn’t have sufficient NHL gamers to fill out a full nationwide roster.
That noticed Sweden, the sixth-ranked staff, earn a spot.
What’s the format for the match?
The 4 Nations Face-Off is a round-robin match, with every staff taking part in the three different groups as soon as.
The factors system for the 4 Nations Face-Off contains three factors for a win in regulation, two factors for a win in both additional time or a shootout, one level for a loss in both additional time or a shootout, and nil factors for a loss in regulation.
Following the top of round-robin play, the highest two groups will meet within the Championship Recreation, scheduled for February 20.
Throughout the round-robin portion of the match, additional time is a ten-minute, 3-on-3 sudden loss of life interval. If the rating stays tied on the finish of this ten-minute sudden loss of life, the sport proceeds to a shootout.
Within the Championship Recreation, the additional time format is a 20-minute, full-strength sudden loss of life. These will probably be successive 20-minute sudden-death durations, so if the sport stays tied after the primary, it can advance to the second and a 3rd, and nonetheless many are wanted to find out a winner.
Concerning tiebreakers, a tie-breaker between two groups will probably be determined by their head-to-head consequence.
Three-way ties will probably be decided by a number of steps, which you’ll be able to examine right here.
The place are the video games being performed?
Throughout the round-robin portion of the match, video games are being performed at two websites: The Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, and the TD Backyard in Boston, Massachusetts.
Who’re the gamers to know?
Canada
Canada is led by Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sam Reinhart, Brayden Level, and Cale Makar. Sidney Crosby was picked because the Group Captain, however may even see restricted ice time given the depth Canada brings to the desk.
Nonetheless, he had a trio of assists in Canada’s first recreation in opposition to Sweden, the third approaching Mitch Marner’s winner in additional time.
The most important query Canada might have comes between the pipes. Jordan Binnington obtained the beginning for Canada in opposition to Sweden however allowed three objectives, together with two within the third interval which noticed Sweden drive additional time.
Finland
Finland has various two-way gamers that you need to find out about, together with Aleksander Barkov — who received the Selke Trophy, given to the perfect defensive ahead within the NHL, twice — Sebastian Aho, Mikko Rantanen, and Roope Hintz.
Nevertheless, Finland is with out standout defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who underwent knee surgical procedure firstly of the month and is taken into account “month-to-month” for a return to motion.
Sweden
The Swedes may need the perfect group of defenders within the match. Gamers equivalent to Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, Gustav Forsling, Mattis Ekhold, and Jonas Brodin give Sweden great expertise and depth alongside the blue line.
In the event that they get sufficient from their forwards — led by William Nylander and Filip Forberg — Sweden might be an issue. Forcing additional time with Canada the opposite night time is an instance of what they will do on this match.
United States
What would possibly stand out for america is their depth, as this roster is perhaps the strongest top-to-bottom within the match. Between the Tkachuk brothers (Brady and Matthew), Jack Eichel, Matt Boldy, Jake Guentzel, J.T. Miller, and extra, america has expertise up entrance. Alongside the blue line coach Jake Sullivan has a Norris Trophy winner in Adam Fox, Norris Trophy contenders in Charlie McAvoy, Zach Werenski, and Jaccob Slavin, and different great choices equivalent to Brock Faber, Noah Hanifin, and Jake Sanderson.
This expertise was on full show within the staff’s 6-1 rout of Finland to open their match.
Recreation schedule and the best way to watch
Listed below are the scores for every recreation, and the best way to watch the upcoming contests.
Saturday night time’s showdown between america and Canada on the Bell Centre in Montreal is bound to be an electrical environment.
Wednesday, February 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, February 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, February 15: Finland vs. Sweden, 1:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+
Saturday, February 15: USA vs. Canada, 8:00 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+/Disney+
Monday, February 17: Canada vs. Finland, 1:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Monday, February 17: Sweden vs. USA, 8:00 p.m. ET, TNT
Thursday, February 20: Championship Recreation, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
What are the 4 Nations Face-Off Standings?
Listed below are the standings as of Friday, February 14:
4 Nations Face-Off Standings
| Group | W | Time beyond regulation Win | Time beyond regulation Loss | Loss | Factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | W | Time beyond regulation Win | Time beyond regulation Loss | Loss | Factors |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Canada | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Sweden | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Finland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
