Using tournament as showcase to earn roster spots next February
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STOCKHOLM — A return to the Olympic Games for NHL players has added a little extra spice to the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
The League is set to participate in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics for the first time since Sochi, Russia, in 2014. The 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20 was the first best-on-best tournament featuring the NHL since the World Cup of Hockey 2016.
“Between 4 Nations, this, and the Olympics coming up, I think the scenarios as far as guys’ motivation coming here is to try to earn their way onto a spot of those teams or play with guys they’re hopefully going to play with in a short period of time at the Olympics,” Canada and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “Different reasons, but I think if anything, anyone who watched the 4 Nations got pretty excited thinking about international hockey and the fact that hockey’s going to be in the Olympics again with NHL players.”
Canada won the 4 Nations when Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid scored 8:18 into overtime to defeat the United States 3-2.
The excitement generated from the 4 Nations, which also featured Sweden and Finland, is part of the reason the World Championship features exceptionally talented rosters that include Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon for Canada, David Pastrnak for Czechia, Mika Zibanejad and Filip Forsberg for Sweden, Moritz Seider and Tim Stutzle for Germany, Timo Meier and Kevin Fiala for Switzerland, and Jeremy Swayman for the United States.
“It’s a great example of why we’re getting a lot of high-end talent at this tournament, and that’s a good thing,” said Swayman, a Boston Bruins goalie who was on the U.S. roster at 4 Nations. “This is a tournament for guys to really show they’re talented on a global stage, and not everyone gets to do that. No matter what league you’re in, if you’re getting your name called it’s hard to say no.
“I’m glad guys took the opportunity to come out here and strive for a gold medal because we understand that if we do our job here it’s going to take care of the future for us. That’s something that we’re really excited about.”
The medal round at the World Championship begins May 22. Canada, the No. 1 seed in Group A, will play Denmark, the No. 4 seed in Group B. Switzerland, No. 1 in Group B, will play Austria, No. 4 in Group B. The United States, No. 2 in Group B, will face Finland, No. 3 in Group A. Host Sweden, the No. 2 seed in Group A, plays Czechia, the No. 3 seed in Group B. The semifinals are May 24 and the gold-medal game May 25.
Czechia won the 2024 tournament in Prague.
“I’m not sure what brought everybody,” said Pastrnak, a Bruins forward who scored to help Czechia defeat Switzerland 2-0 in the championship game last year. “Sweden … closer to the Olympics … all the guys from Canada probably had a great experience from the 4 Nations and felt excited about the tournament. It’s great for hockey they are here. It’s great for European fans that they get to see those players. We’re trying to build something special.”
So is MacKinnon, a Colorado Avalanche forward hoping to continue Canada’s international success that includes gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Sochi in 2014 and the World Cup of Hockey 2016.
“I’m sure there’ll be a lot of guys from this team on the Olympic team,” MacKinnon said. “Just being comfortable with them [is important]. Even the guys from the 4 Nations on this team, you just feel like you know guys and you have friends and it’s a little less awkward.
“I think it’s important. It’s always fun representing Canada.”
