McDavid, Matthews lead initial 4 Nations Face-Off rosters
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland each announced their first six players for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Friday.
Here are the core players for each country:
Canada 🇨🇦
| Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby | F | Penguins |
| Nathan MacKinnon | F | Avalanche |
| Brad Marchand | F | Bruins |
| Connor McDavid | F | Oilers |
| Brayden Point | F | Lightning |
| Cale Makar | D | Avalanche |
United States 🇺🇸
| Player | Position | NHL team |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Eichel | F | Golden Knights |
| Auston Matthews | F | Maple Leafs |
| Matthew Tkachuk | F | Panthers |
| Adam Fox | D | Rangers |
| Quinn Hughes | D | Canucks |
| Charlie McAvoy | D | Bruins |
Sweden 🇸🇪
| Player | Position | NHL team |
|---|---|---|
| Filip Forsberg | F | Predators |
| William Nylander | F | Maple Leafs |
| Mika Zibanejad | F | Rangers |
| Gustav Forsling | D | Panthers |
| Victor Hedman | D | Lightning |
| Erik Karlsson | D | Penguins |
Finland 🇫🇮
| Player | Position | NHL team |
|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Aho | F | Hurricanes |
| Aleksander Barkov | F | Panthers |
| Mikko Rantanen | F | Avalanche |
| Miro Heiskanen | D | Stars |
| Esa Lindell | D | Stars |
| Juuse Saros | G | Predators |
The 4 Nations Face-Off was announced earlier this year and will take place in February 2025. The event was designed to launch a new international hockey calendar that will alternate between Olympic participation and full-scale World Cups starting in 2026.
The NHL hasn't participated in any international tournaments outside the annual world championships since 2016.