4 Nations Face-Off: Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews among players to watch in inaugural round-robin tournament

The NHL regular season will take a nearly two-week long hiatus to host the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off. The round-robin tournament will run Feb. 12-20, splitting time between Boston and Montreal and featuring national teams from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Many of the NHL’s top stars will suit up for their respective countries for the first time in an international environment since the World Cup of Hockey back in 2016. Each team will compete in three games, and the top two countries will face off in the championship game.

With some of the sport’s best talent on display for the world to see, there are many players that are going to help decide the fate of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Here’s a look at some of the most impactful players that will take center stage in a long anticipated tournament of international proportions. 

Auston Matthews (United States)

It’s wasn’t a foregone conclusion that Auston Matthews would play in the 4 Nations Face-Off after dealing with injuries earlier this season. However, Matthews appears as though he’ll be a full go in the round-robin tournament, and he could be the most important piece for his home country. No NHL player has racked up more goals (160) than Matthews has over the past three NHL seasons, and he’s accomplished that feat in just 226 games. Aside from Connor McDavid, there may not be a more lethal goal scorer than Matthews, who will serve as the United States’ captain. Former San Jose Sharks star Joe Pavelski earned the nickname of “Captain America” when he was one of the league’s top stars, but it won’t be a huge surprise if we’re calling Matthews “Captain America” if he leads the United States to international glory.

Matthew Tkachuk (United States)

Over the Florida Panthers‘ last two Stanley Cup runs, Matthew Tkachuk has showcased his ability to impact the game in many different ways. Tkachuk is a talented forward with a knack for scoring goals in big spots, but also isn’t afraid to provide some physicality to the opposition. The Panthers star can lay heavy hits with the best of them and isn’t afraid to be an agitator. In fact, Tkachuk tallied 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) in each of Florida’s last two playoff runs, but also racked up 105 penalty minutes during that span. If the Americans are in need of a spark, Tkachuk could be just the type of player coach Mike Sullivan could deploy to help turn the tide at various moments during the tournament.

Quinn Hughes (United States)

Quinn Hughes will help anchor a star-studded United States blue line that also features Adam Fox, Charlie McAvoy and Zach Werenski. In terms of the NHL’s top defensemen, it’s likely a race that’s too close to call and is just a matter of preference. Hughes has developed into an elite puck mover on the back end since debuting with the Vancouver Canucks back in 2018. The American blue-liner has recorded a league-best 227 points (38 goals, 189 assists) over the past three seasons, leading all NHL defensemen over that stretch. Hughes is also on pace to shatter his career-high in goals (17) this season as he already has tallied 14 goals with 30 more games to go. He provides a strong amount of leadership, grit and offensive prowess on the American blue line, and could be one of the most essential players to the United States success in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Connor McDavid (Canada)

Perhaps Canada’s biggest edge in this tournament is that it has the best player on the planet. Connor McDavid simply plays the game of hockey at a different speed than everyone else. Since the start of the 2016-17 season, McDavid leads the NHL in assists (663) and points (1,004). The next closest point total belongs to Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl at 869. At his peak, McDavid has no peers, and that showed last postseason. During Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, McDavid broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for assists in a single postseason with 34. His 42 playoff points rank fourth all-time. That performance made McDavid just the sixth player in history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing the Stanley Cup. This will be the first time McDavid has played on the international stage since the 2018 IIHF World Championship, so fans are in for a treat.

Cale Makar (Canada)

In addition to rostering the best hockey player on this spinning rock, Canada also has a case that the best defenseman in the world patrols its blue line. Before he turned 24 years old, Cale Makar had won a Norris Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Stanley Cup. Since then, Makar has remained one of the most electrifying players in the league, and he is the rare defenseman who can take over a game. This season, Makar ranks first among defensemen in goals (19) and second in points (58). On top of that, Makar has been his usually dominant self at five-on-five with a 55.9% expected goals share. He and fellow Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews would make for a formidable pairing in this tournament.

Adin Hill (Canada)

The most glaring weakness on Canada’s roster is between the pipes. If I were to guess, Hill probably gets the first crack at tending goal, but none of the three Canadian netminders are having banner years. Hill, who backstopped the Vegas Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup in 2023, will have to get back to that level to lead the Canadians to a 4 Nations title. This season, Hill has allowed 1.76 goals above average, per Natural Stat Trick. That ranks 56th in the league, and it won’t get the job done against the best shooters in the world. Hill is on this list because he seems to be the projected starter, but we’ll see how long that leash is. Canada’s entire goaltending situation will be something to keep an eye on when the puck drops in Montreal.

Victor Hedman (Sweden)

Much like the United States, Sweden possesses an abundance of talent in its defensive core. Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman will serve as Sweden’s captain in the tournament and brings a ton of experience to the table. Hedman was an integral part of the Lightning teams that went to three consecutive Stanley Cups, including winning it all in 2020 and 2021. The 34-year-old may not be quite as elite of a defensive option as he once was, but Hedman still brings the defensive acumen necessary to shut down some of the world’s top offensive threats. Hedman isn’t afraid to get in front of the puck, as he’s racked up at least 100 blocked shots in eight of his last 11 professional seasons.

Jesper Bratt (Sweden)

New Jersey Devils star Jesper Bratt could be the top playmaker on Sweden’s roster. Bratt is in the midst of a sensational season in which he is giving teammate Jack Hughes a run for his money for the team points lead. The Devils winger has been an assist machine during the regular season, and it’s hard to imagine that not continuing while playing with talented Swedish forwards like Filip Forsberg, Adrian Kempe and Elias Pettersson. Bratt has tremendous vision on the ice, which consistently allows him to find the open option. He could be one of the more underrated players in the entire tournament.

Aleksander Barkov (Finland)

Injuries to Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa have weakened the Finnish blue line before the 4 Nations Face-Off even begins, and that means Aleksander Barkov will be leaned on even more heavily to shut down opponents’ top weapons. Luckily for Finland, Barkov happens to be one of the best in the world at doing just that. The two-time Selke Trophy winner just guided the Florida Panthers to their first Stanley Cup with his elite two-way game, and that has continued this season. Barkov’s 58.2% expected goals share at five-on-five is absurd, and he’s maintained a point-per-game pace while playing a responsible defensive game. There probably won’t be many players who get more ice time than Barkov in the entire tournament, but he’s proven he can handle that workload.

Juuse Saros (Finland)

Coming into the season, Juuse Saros would have been the slam-dunk starter for Finland in this tournament. Now, he’s probably still the go-to guy, but a poor season with the Nashville Predators has cast some doubt on his ability to lead the Finnish to a title. The usually reliable Saros has posted a .901 save percentage and 1.64 goals allowed above average, according to Natural Stat Trick. Can he shake that off? It’ll be tough when all three of his opponents can ice four dangerous forward lines. The positive side of this for Saros and Finland is that he has a history of being one of the best goalies in the NHL. From 2021-2024, Saros ranked fifth in goals saved above average (58.5) and finished in the top five of Vezina Trophy voting for three straight years. If Finland gets that version of Saros, it will be very tough to beat.