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By Chris Amberley in NHL Hockey
Published:
The 4 Nations Face-Off gets underway Wednesday, with Canada facing Sweden in the opener. The four-team tournament, which features the best NHL players on the planet, also includes Finland and the USA.
The event is replacing the All-Star Game this year, and acting as an international tune-up for the 2026 Olympics. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 pm ET from the Bell Centre, in Montreal, with TNT providing the broadcast in the U.S, and Sportsnet handling the TV coverage in Canada.
Canada is currently a hefty -238 moneyline favorite, with Sweden coming back as a +195 underdog. The total is set at 5.5, with the juice shaded to the over. That side of the market is enticing, given the Canadians firepower, and their underwhelming defense and goaltending.
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It’s been 9 years since NHL players participated in an international tournament. The Four Nations Face-Off is a slimmed-down version of an international competition, but is poised to provide exceptional hockey. The four teams will play each other once in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the Championship Game on February 20th.
The best hockey players in the WORLD will meet on the same ice 🥶
THE 4 NATIONS FACE-OFF IS COMING ON ESPN! 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇸🇪🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/gdcSyj6yUq
The Canadians are tied with the Americans for the shortest odds to win the tournament at +160. Sweden is next +400, followed by Finland at +900. You won’t find a weakness up front on Canada, as they feature the best all-around talent in Connor McDavid, and the NHL’s top scorer Nathan MacKinnon.
There was some concern that captain Sidney Crosby might sit out, but he confirmed he’ll play on Monday. Canada’s roster also boasts Norris Trophy odds favorite Cale Makar, but after the Colorado star, the backend talent tapers off.
Cale Makar in Team Canada's colors. pic.twitter.com/wSajOGZkq2
Depth on the blueline was an issue to begin with, but it’s even more concerning after the loss of Alex Pietrangelo. The Golden Knights defensemen has a bevy of championship experience, winning a Stanley Cup with St. Louis and Vegas, and a World Junior Championship as a teenager.
Canada’s success at this tournament may hinge on its goaltending. Jordan Binnington will begin as the No. 1, which is a curious decision given his play this season. Binnington ranks 35th in goals against average, and 39th in save percentage. Aidan Hill will serve as back-up, while Logan Thompson, who holds the NHL’s third-best save percentage, was left off the roster.
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Sweden, meanwhile, has goaltending issues of its own. They’re down projected starter Jacob Markstrom, and number two Linus Ullmark. That leaves Filip Gustavsson to man the crease. The 26-year-old is enjoying a bounce back season with 22 wins so far, after finishing 2023-24 with a save percentage south of .900.
Victor Hedman headlines a defense that profiles among the tournament’s best. He, Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson should be able to generate offense, which could make up for a lackluster forward group. Sweden’s top-six is headlined by William Nylander, Jesper Pratt and Filip Forsberg, but the scoring depth on the third and fourth lines pale in comparison to the Canadians and Americans.
How would you slot the Swedes into the #4Nations lineup? 🇸🇪
Read more from @NHLdotcom ➡️ https://t.co/mUOJqW1ygk#4Nations Face-Off begins next Wednesday with Canada vs. Sweden at 8p ET on @NHL_On_TNT, @SportsonMax, @Sportsnet, and @TVASports! pic.twitter.com/astuzJTjbb
Still, there should be enough firepower to test an underwhelming Canadian backend. With so much offensive talent on Canada, it’s hard to envision this game not turning into a shootout. International hockey, featuring NHL stars, tends to lean goal heavy. In the last four Olympics the NHL took part in, the four nations competing in this event all averaged approximately four goals per game.
The 2016 World Cup of Hockey meanwhile, averaged 8 goals per contest. That was the last time NHL stars suited up for an international event, and fans should expect fireworks in their return on Wednesday.
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
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