Elliotte Friedman reveals 4 Nations Face-Off drama as player gets blacklisted following roster snub

The NHL/NHLPA 4 Nations Face-Off has seen early controversy over a player’s reaction to being left off a roster. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared on the "32 Thoughts" podcast that the player’s response was so negative the team ruled out even using them as an injury replacement.

On Friday's episode, named "A Windy City Switch", while talking to cohost Kyle Bukauskas, Friedman said that,

[38:00 onwards] "I heard there was one player that, when he was told he didn't make the team, reacted so negatively that the team decided they won't even bring them as an injury replacement if it gets to that. I was, like, wow. That's pretty serious stuff."

Friedman said the team was disappointed by the reaction, which it saw as disrespectful. The decision to blacklist the player was serious but reflected the team’s stance on professionalism.

"Like, they were shocked at how, or, I don't know if shocked, they were disappointed at how negatively the player reacted," Friedman said. "That's a tough one for me. I don't know exactly what was said... I don't know if they considered it open disrespect or whatever it was, but I don't think I would cross that line."

The 4 Nations Face-Off, which will go from February 12-20, replaces the 2025 NHL All-Star Game this season. It features top players from Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland. While the rosters created excitement, some snubs have caused tension. This tournament serves as a preview for the 2026 Winter Olympics, making the stakes even higher.

Official rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off revealed

The official rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off have been released, featuring top NHL players from Canada, the U.S., Finland, and Sweden.

Team Canada includes stars like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. Goalies Jordan Binnington and Adin Hill were also selected. Some players were left off, including Connor Bedard, a top prospect. Evan Bouchard, who had a strong season, also didn't make the team.

Team Finland has key players like Sebastian Aho, Aleksander Barkov and Mikko Rantanen. Defenders Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell were chosen as well. However, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joonas Korpisalo were not picked.

Team Sweden includes veterans like Elias Pettersson, Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin. However, forward William Eklund was surprisingly left out.

Team USA features stars like Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes and Dylan Larkin. But players like Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson did not make the team.