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That is NBA All-Star weekend. This yr the league carried out a brand new format, with the All-Stars drafted into three groups of eight gamers. They may face off with the winner of Friday evening’s Rising Stars Problem in a small, single-elimination match on Sunday evening.
The NHL can be making an attempt one thing new, which kicked off this week.
As an alternative of an All-Star Sport, the NHL and the NHLPA are holding the 4 Nations Face-Off, which runs from February 12 by way of 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 you have to know for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off, easy methods 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 Sport. 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 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 satisfaction in representing their international locations,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement last year.
“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 rather than the 2025 NHL All-Star Sport. Between that match and subsequent yr’s winter video games, the NHL All-Star Sport is on a one-year hiatus. The 2026 NHL All-Star Sport will likely be held at UBS Enviornment in New York, the house of the New York Islanders. Bettman said last year that the 2026 version of the All-Star Sport will likely be a “sendoff to the Olympics,” with gamers collaborating within the Winter Video games leaving from the All-Star Sport in New York to go to Italy.
Asserting the 4 Nations Face-Off, Bettman indicated that worldwide competitors is critically vital to the league’s gamers.
“We all know how vital worldwide competitors is to our gamers. We all know they love and need to symbolize the international locations from which they’re from,” said Bettman last year. “We expect this can be 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 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.
Nonetheless, there’s some controversy related to the collection of these 4 groups.
Canada, Finland, and america all ranked throughout the prime 4, with Canada topping the rankings, Finland sitting in second, and america fourth.
Sitting third? Russia, which was banned from competing in international 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 enough NHL players 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 consists of 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 Sport, scheduled for February 20.
Throughout the round-robin portion of the match, additional time 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 Sport, the additional time format is a 20-minute, full-strength sudden demise. These will likely 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 likely be determined by their head-to-head outcome.
Three-way ties will likely be decided by a number of steps, which you can read about 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 Staff 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 towards Sweden, the third approaching Mitch Marner’s winner in additional time.
The largest query Canada might have comes between the pipes. Jordan Binnington received the beginning for Canada towards Sweden however allowed three objectives, together with two within the third interval which noticed Sweden pressure additional time.
Finland
Finland has quite a lot of two-way gamers that you need to learn about, together with Aleksander Barkov — who gained the Selke Trophy, given to one of the best defensive ahead within the NHL, twice — Sebastian Aho, Mikko Rantanen, and Roope Hintz.
Nonetheless, Finland is with out standout defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who underwent knee surgical procedure initially 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 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 evening 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 Mike 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.
Sport schedule and easy methods to watch
Listed here are the scores for every recreation, and easy methods to watch the upcoming contests.
Saturday evening’s showdown between america and Canada on the Bell Centre in Montreal is certain to be an electrical environment.
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 3, Canada 1*
Monday, February 17: Canada 5, Finland 3**
Monday, February 17: Sweden 2, USA 1
Thursday, February 20: USA vs. Canada, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
*With their win over Canada america clinched a spot within the Championship Sport
**Canada’s regulation win over Finland clinched a spot within the Championship Sport
What are the 4 Nations Face-Off Standings?
Listed here are the standings as of Friday, February 14:
4 Nations Face-Off Standings
| Staff | Complete Wins | Complete Losses | Regulation Wins | Extra time Wins | Regulation Losses | Extra time Losses | Factors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staff | Complete Wins | Complete Losses | Regulation Wins | Extra time Wins | Regulation Losses | Extra time Losses | Factors |
| USA | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Canada | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Sweden | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Finland | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
