The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off will be held from February 12–20, 2025, in Montreal at Bell Centre and in Boston at TD Garden. The tournament, replacing the NHL All-Star Game, features teams from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. The teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to a final game.
This tournament will be a preview of the 2026 Olympic rosters, as NHL players from these countries will compete. Team Canada’s roster includes stars like Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon. Since NHL players are returning to the Olympics, the 4 Nations Face-Off will give a good idea of how these teams might perform at Milano Cortina 2026.
What is the format for the 4 Nations Face-Off?
According to Hockey Canada, the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off will have four teams - Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the USA - playing in a round-robin tournament, followed by a one-game final. Each team will play three round-robin games. The points system will award three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime/shootout win, one for an overtime/shootout loss, and 0 for a regulation loss. The top two teams will face off in the final to decide the champion.
All games will follow NHL rules and be played on NHL-sized rinks. In the round-robin stage, overtime will be a 10-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death, followed by a three-round shootout if needed. The final will have 20-minute, 5-on-5 sudden death periods until a goal is scored. Each team will have 23 NHL players (20 skaters and three goalies) chosen by their national hockey associations. Players must have an NHL contract and be on a roster as of December 2, 2024.
What are the rules of the 4 Nations Face-Off?
According to Hockey Canada, the 4 Nations Face-Off begins with a round-robin stage, where each team plays three games. If a game is tied after regulation, there will be 10 minutes of 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime, followed by a three-round shootout if needed. The top two teams will advance to the final. If the final is tied after regulation, it will go to 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 sudden death overtime until a goal is scored.
Which teams participate in the NHL 4 Nations face-off?
According to the Olympics, the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off features four top hockey nations - Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland. These teams are combined of NHL players currently under contract for the 2024-25 season. The tournament replaces the NHL All-Star Game and will provide a possible preview of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
FAQs on What is the format for the 4 Nations Face-Off?
A. The tournament will take place from February 12 to February 20, 2025.
A. Four teams will participate: Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland.
A. The Four Nations Face-Off is a multi-nation ice hockey tournament, often featuring top ice hockey teams from four different countries.
A. The event will be hosted by Canada and the United States.
A. Teams are invited based on their rankings and performances in international ice hockey tournaments.
