Top 5 MVP candidates for NHL's inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off tournament

The 4 Nations Face-Off is the return of best-on-best hockey. The tournament will be held from February 12 to 20 in Montreal and Boston.

The tournament has NHL players from Canada, the U.S.A., Finland and Sweden competing in an Olympics tune-up.

Ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off, here are the top five MVP candidates to win the award.

Top 5 MVP candidates for 4 Nations Face-Off

#1, Connor McDavid

Picking the best hockey player to win the MVP award is a good place to start. The MVP award will go to the best player in the winning country and Connor McDavid will have a great shot of winning it if Canada wins.

McDavid will be a focal point of Canada's offense, and if Canada is going to win, he will need to help the team score.

#2, Matthew Tkachuk

Matthew Tkachuk will lead a solid U.S.A. team, and although Auston Matthews will be a popular MVP pick, Tkachuk has all the makings of a tournament MVP.

Tkachuk can play a physical game. He can play on a shutdown line and add offense. Tkachuk helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup last season, so he knows what is needed to win.

Tkachuk's all-around game will put him in a good spot to win MVP if the U.S.A. wins.

#3, Juuse Saros

Juuse Saros is Finland's starting goalie- Source: Imagn

Finland could finish fourth in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and goalie Juuse Saros will be a big reason why.

Saros is one of the best goalies in the NHL, but he must stand on his head for Finland to win. With the Nashville Predators this season, Saros is 11-23-6 with a 2.95 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage.

#4, William Nylander

William Nylander will be the go-to player for Sweden's offense and, if Sweden wins, has a good shot at winning MVP.

Nylander will have to score plenty if Sweden is going to win, but he has shown the ability to do that. He's having a great season with the Toronto Maple Leafs and is likely Sweden's best bet to win MVP.

#5, Cale Makar

Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the NHL and has a good shot at winning MVP if Canada wins.

Makar can help out offensively, while also playing solid defensively. He won the Conn Smythe as the MVP of the playoffs when Colorado won the Cup, so he thrives when the lights get the brightest.