4 nations facial exciting stories according to nhl.com

Defense-first attitude toward Sweden

There are always questions going into a tournament, but one thing is for sure: Sweden’s defense is fantastic, arguably the best among the four countries. Let’s start with Swedish Captain Victor Hedman, who won the Stanley Cup twice, the Norris trophy once and was a six-time finalist (2016-22) for the award given to the league’s top defender. Gustav Foresting has revived his career in Florida and won the cup with Panthers in June. Mattias Ekholm went to the Stanley Cup final with Oilers. Erik Karlsson has had his health problems, but he is nonetheless a three-time Norris winner. These four are an excellent start to a deep group. That’s a good thing because Sweden’s goal situation can be in the air with field stroms out due to injury. Whoever is in the Net for Sweden, he has a very line of defense, no word games calculated in front of him. – Tracey Myers, staff author

Can Finland replace the Heiskan?

Finland leads to Montreal with a huge void and an even bigger question mark on the back end. With the Miro Heiskan from Dalla’s stars out to the tournament due to a knee injury that was maintained on January 28, I wonder not only how the Finns will keep other offenses in check, but who does to step up and lead this group. Worse, Toronto Maple Leaf’s defender Jani Hakanpaa, who was appointed the schedule in December, is also out, which means that the Finns are down to their No. 8 and No. 9 defenders to fill out the guard schedule. The good news is that the Finns have some strong defensive forward, led by the two-time Selke Trophy winner Aleksander Barkov from Florida Panthers, but who will take the leading role that the Heiskan would have played? -Bill Price, editor -in -chief

Time to deliver to Hellebuyck

Connor Hellebuyck has the season of life, good enough that the Winnipeg Jets goalkeeper is not only in the discussion for Hart Trophy as the most valuable player for his team, but no doubt it leads. Now he has to prove himself in the big moment. Win the big game. Hellebuyck hasn’t done it since Game 7 against Nashville Predators in the Western Conference 2018 second round. Since the end game that ended in a five-game loss to Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final, Hellebuyck has won nine of 28 playoffs starts with a 3.13 GAA and .905 savings percentage. He has undoubtedly been the NHL’s best goalkeeper in the regular season, but he has not come through when it counts the most. In fact, in the last two posts he is 0-8 in games 2-5. The United States may have the best list of this tournament, and Hellebuyck is the best goalkeeper here. Now it all has to come together. Become a Master. – Dan Rosen, senior author

Great atmosphere in Montreal

There have been some amazing, compelling international hockey played in Montreal for decades, and there is a good chance that 4 Nations Face-off game between Canada and the US will rank on February 15 with some of the best. Turn a coin on these two, played on the forum: Game 1 in the 1972 Historical Summit series between an NHL All-Star team representing Canada and a selected team of the Soviet Union, a fantastic 7-3 win for the visitors; And New Year’s Eve 1975 classic between the Stanley Cup-bound Canadiens and the central Red Army, a 3-3-made between two of today’s biggest club teams. Cross -border hockey has always had a special place in both Canada and the United States. National-Pride Heat will be turned, far into the last 4 Nations Face-off game played in Montreal before the tournament moves to Boston. Hydro-Quebec will not be needed for Light Bell Center that night. Fans generate all the required electricity. – Dave Stubbs, Spalstist

Can the defense keep the fort for Canada?

Defense is usually a strength for Canada at international tournaments and this tournament should be no different. There is plenty of talent at Canada Blue Line, led by Cale Makar from Colorado Avalanche, but there is not much experience with best-on-best tournaments for the group. With the exception of Devon Toews, Makar’s teammate in Colorado, who has never played on a major international tournament, most of the international experience for Shea Theodore from Vegas Golden Knights, Colton Parayko of St. Louis Blues, Josh Morrissey from Winnipeg Jets and Travis Sanheim from Philadelphia Flyers gets in the way of the World Junior and World Championship. Alex Pietrangelo played for Canada at the 2014 Olympics and the World Cup in 2016, but dropped out of 4 Nations Face-off. If Drew Doughty is called his replacement, it would help with the lack of experience that Los Angeles Kings defender has played in two Olympics (2010, 2014) and the World Cup in Hockey (2016). – Derek van Diest, staff writer

Wonder Twins Power enabled to Canada

Back in September, a development camp involving Sidney Crosby and monitoring his coach Andy O’Brien was held in Vail, Colorado. At one point, Connor McDavid from Edmonton Oilers and Nathan Mackinnon from Colorado Avalanche was on the ice and made the line together, and according to those available, it was something to see. When asked how it was, McDavid replied: “It was fast. Sometimes too fast.” Of course it was. It could be argued that these are the two fastest skaters in the sport, McDavid with his seemingly effortless acceleration, Mackinnon with the unmatched fermentation in a step where his steel blades dig in the ice like no other. These two are the last two winners of Hart Trophy as the NHL most valuable player, and three of the last four-Mackinnon last season and McDavid in 2020-21 and 2022-23. Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, they have combined for 430 points (126 goals, 304 assists), a reflection of two generation players in their careers. Now are they on the same page as teammates with Canada? On the same power play? Maybe on the same line? As a pure fan of the sport, regardless of score, regardless of team, who wouldn’t jump by the chance to see two players with as much raw talent as anyone who has ever played the game on the ice at the same time? Sign up for me. I can’t wait. – Mike Zeisberger, staff author