NHL announces rosters for 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February 2025

In just over two months, the NHL will host its first international tournament in nearly nine years, the 4 Nations Face-Off.

In 2016, both Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid were assigned to fan favorite U23 team – Team North America – at the World Cup of Hockey.

Times have changed.

Now both captains of their NHL teams, Matthews will lead Team USA while McDavid will be the centerpiece of Team Canada at the 2025 event, which takes place from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. After the initial six players for each national team were announced back in June, the full 23-player rosters for the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland were revealed on Wednesday.

There may still be some changes. Injury substitutions will be allowed up until the first match day.

Here’s a closer look at each team.

USA

With Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin at the helm and Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan at the helm, Team USA benefits from the deepest pool of talent in the nation’s history.

In addition to Matthews, a three-time NHL scoring champion who scored 69 goals last year, the U.S. roster includes two-time Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and 2024 Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes. Quinn’s brother, Jack Hughes, and Vancouver Canucks teammate JT Miller also occupy the forward line, as do Quinn’s close friend Brady Tkachuk and his younger brother, Matthew Tkachuk.

Guerin picked up two players from his Minnesota roster — forward Matt Boldy and young defenseman Brock Faber. And Sullivan will reunite with former Penguin Jake Guentzel. The 30-year-old was traded from Pittsburgh at the 2024 trade deadline and will wear the Stars and Stripes for the first time at any level.

Arguably the most notable absentee from the U.S. lineup is Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson. The 34-year-old is not only a World Juniors legend and 2014 Olympian, but he is also having a stellar year with the resurgent Washington Capitals, with 19 points in 25 games.

On paper, the Americans look like the team to beat.

Canada

When Team Canada’s (true) roster was leaked by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Chris Johnston and Darren Dreger on Tuesday, it gave the hockey-loving nation a moment to reflect on the fact that the roster isn’t necessarily Canada’s 23 best players, but rather a group that can combine elite skill with determination and tenacity to prevail in a super-short three-game round robin.

That determination is evident not only in the play of Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, who was one of the first six players named, but also from the likes of Stanley Cup champion Sam Bennett, big defensemen Travis Sanheim and Colton Parayko and Tampa Bay Lightning forwards Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel, who join top forward Brayden Point on a team coached by longtime Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

The face of Team Canada since his Golden Goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Sidney Crosby is now a senior, but still an elite forward at 37.

A lot of ink has been spilled on the Canadiens’ goaltending situation. GM Don Sweeney has picked two Stanley Cup winners in Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill, backed up by Sam Montembeault, a gold medalist at the 2023 world championship.

Overall, Canada’s squad is rich in Cup-winning experience. Eight of the 13 forwards and five of the seven defensemen have also won championships.

After serving as captain for the 2024 World Cup, Toronto Maple Leafs veteran John Tavares did not make the list. Nor did the NHL’s two youngest players this season — 18-year-old Macklin Celebrini or 19-year-old Connor Bedard.

Sweden

The Swedes are no slouches on the international stage, and their final squad represented a balance of elite goalscoring, defensive solidity and strength in goal – especially with Filip Gustavsson sitting near the top of every statistical category for goalkeepers this season.

Sweden’s young movement is led by Leo Carlsson, picked second overall in 2023, and Lucas Raymond, picked fourth overall in 2020. And while heroes Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson and Mattias Ekholm return from the 2016 World Cup squad, the defense group is supplemented with some new elements including Stanley Cup champion Gustav Forsling and Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.

Finland

With just 37 skaters from their country appearing in an NHL game this season, Finland has the smallest talent pool to choose from. But their players have traditionally punched above their weight on the international stage, and they will be led by Stanley Cup-winning captain Aleksander Barkov and his Florida Panthers teammates Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Nikko Mikkola.

Finland’s defense is led by the elite Miro Heiskanen, and the goaltending depth is solid, with Juuse Saros leading the way with another strong season despite the struggles of the Nashville Predators.