Everything to know about the NHL/NHLPA 4 Nations Face-Off

In lieu of having an All-Star Game this season, the NHL and NHLPA are staging the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will run from Feb. 12 through Feb. 20. This is a round-robin tournament that will feature four national teams — Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States of America — with NHL players from those nations filling the rosters.

What’s the schedule and format for the tournament? Who is on the rosters? What are the players saying? And what does it mean for the 2026 Olympic Games?

Read on for answers to those questions and more, courtesy of Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski.

What is the format and rules of the tournament?

Each team will play three games, with the top two teams playing in a winner-take-all final. Teams will receive three points for a win in regulation, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss and zero points for a loss in regulation.

Overtime will be a 10-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death period. If the game is not decided in OT, there will be a three-round shootout. Once the tournament reaches the final game, overtime will be held in the more traditional playoff format, with 5-on-5 play in consecutive 20-minute periods. — Clark

Where are the games being held?

The 4 Nations Face-Off will be held in North America, splitting games between Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston.

Initially, the proposed format for the midseason tournament would have had the U.S. and Canada play two games in North America, while Sweden and Finland would play two games in either of those two nations. The winners of those matchups, either by points or aggregate goals, would face the second-best team from the other matchup — most likely in North America. The winners of those “semifinals” would then meet for the tournament championship, leaving open the possibility that the U.S. and Canada could meet in that final game.

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Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/42736196/nhl-2024-25-4-nations-face-tournament-schedule-players-format-olympics

Author : Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton, Greg Wyshynski

Publish date : 2024-12-03 11:28:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

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