That is NBA All-Star weekend. This 12 months the league carried out a brand new format, with the All-Stars drafted into three groups of eight gamers. They are going to face off with the winner of Friday evening’s Rising Stars Problem in a small, single-elimination match on Sunday evening.
The NHL can also be making an attempt one thing new, which kicked off this week.
As a substitute of an All-Star Recreation, the NHL and the NHLPA are holding the 4 Nations Face-Off, which runs from February 12 by means of February 20. It is a round-robin match that includes 4 nationwide groups — Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA — with NHL gamers filling out the rosters.
Here’s what you have to know for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, tips on how 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 concerning 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 be capable 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 satisfaction in representing their international locations,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman mentioned 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 are able to 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 mentioned final 12 months that the 2026 version of the All-Star Recreation will probably be a “sendoff to the Olympics,” with gamers taking part within the Winter Video games leaving from the All-Star Recreation in New York to move to Italy.
Asserting 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 wish to symbolize the international locations from which they’re from,” mentioned Bettman final 12 months. “We predict it is a nice stage for one of the best on one of the best, in one of the best sport.”
What groups are within the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The 4 groups chosen for participation within the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off had been all ranked within the high six by the Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the game’s world 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 the USA all ranked throughout the high 4, with Canada topping the rankings, Finland sitting in second, and the USA 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 taking part 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 crew, earn a spot.
What’s the format for the match?
The 4 Nations Face-Off is a round-robin match, with every crew enjoying 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 time beyond regulation or a shootout, one level for a loss in both time beyond regulation or a shootout, and 0 factors for a loss in regulation.
Following the tip of round-robin play, the highest two groups will meet within the Championship Recreation, scheduled for February 20.
In the course of the round-robin portion of the match, time beyond regulation is a ten-minute, 3-on-3 sudden demise interval. If the rating stays tied on the finish of this ten-minute sudden demise, the sport proceeds to a shootout.
Within the Championship Recreation, the time beyond regulation format is a 20-minute, full-strength sudden demise. These will probably be successive 20-minute sudden-death intervals, so if the sport stays tied after the primary, it’s going to advance to the second and a 3rd, and nevertheless many are wanted to find out a winner.
Relating to tiebreakers, a tie-breaker between two groups will probably be determined by their head-to-head end result.
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?
In the course of 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 might 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 towards Sweden, the third approaching Mitch Marner’s winner in time beyond regulation.
The most important query Canada might have comes between the pipes. Jordan Binnington obtained the beginning for Canada towards Sweden however allowed three objectives, together with two within the third interval which noticed Sweden pressure time beyond regulation.
Finland
Finland has a variety of two-way gamers that you need to find out about, together with Aleksander Barkov — who received the Selke Trophy, given to one of the best 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 at the start of the month and is taken into account “month-to-month” for a return to motion.
Sweden
The Swedes may need one of the best group of defenders within the match. Gamers reminiscent of Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, Gustav Forsling, Mattis Ekhold, and Jonas Brodin give Sweden large 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 may very well be an issue. Forcing time beyond regulation with Canada the opposite evening is an instance of what they will do on this match.
United States
What may stand out for the USA is their depth, as this roster could be 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, the USA has expertise up entrance. Alongside the blue line coach Mike Sullivan has a Norris Trophy winner in Adam Fox, Norris Trophy contenders in Charlie McAvoy, Zach Werenski, and Jaccob Slavin, and different large choices reminiscent of Brock Faber, Noah Hanifin, and Jake Sanderson.
This expertise was on full show within the crew’s 6-1 rout of Finland to open their match.
Recreation schedule and tips on how to watch
Listed here are the scores for every recreation, and tips on how to watch the upcoming contests.
Saturday evening’s showdown between the USA and Canada on the Bell Centre in Montreal is certain to be an electrical ambiance.
Wednesday, February 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, February 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, February 15: Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
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 here are the standings as of Friday, February 14:
4 Nations Face-Off Standings
| Group | W | Additional time Win | Additional time Loss | Loss | Factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group | W | Additional time Win | Additional time Loss | Loss | Factors |
| USA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Canada | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Finland | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Sweden | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
