Riding the wave of hockey’s growing success in the United States, the NHL is bringing back international best-on-best competition with the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, reigniting the thrill of global hockey rivalry for the first time since the 2016 World Cup. The tournament, which starts tonight, promises electric matchups, fierce rivalries, and a glimpse of what is to come when the league rejoins the Olympics in 2026.
This Round Robin style tournament will mean that each of the four teams — the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland — will play against every other team once, for a total of three games per team. The point system is different than what is traditionally seen from the NHL season, with the opportunity to earn three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for a loss in an overtime or shootout scenario, and zero points for a regulation loss. After all of the round robin games are played, the two teams with the most points will move on to the one-game final to determine the tournament champion. This format makes sure that each team gets the opportunity to face every nation, leaving only one true winner.
“NHL players are the best players in the world who crave competition and opportunity to measure their game against their peers,” said Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL, during the announcement of the international tournament during 2024 All-Star Weekend.
This long-awaited international contest was announced at the same time as the revelation that the NHL will return to Olympic participation in Milan in 2026. NHL players have not participated in the Winter Olympics, arguably the most diverse and large-scale hockey event, for the last two quads due to disagreements with the Olympic Committee over scheduling and player participation logistics.
Florida’s diverse melting pot of cultures and backgrounds is reflected in the NHL, making it no surprise that the Panthers boast the most players representing their countries. With a total of 7 players across the four all-star teams, key names include Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk and team captain Aleksander Barkov. For a franchise that has fought to grow its fanbase in a non-traditional hockey market, seeing so many of its stars on an international stage is a huge milestone for the Sunshine State.
While the tournament unites players under the same flag, it also turns NHL teammates into temporary rivals, and longtime opponents into unexpected allies. Florida Panthers forwards Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart, who battled against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, will now be his teammates on Team Canada.
“I think everybody that’s there is proud to represent their country,” said McDavid. “They picked a team where everybody was available, and this is the roster they went with. There’s meaning in that.
While hockey continues to rise in the United States, its participation highlights a key debate surrounding the 4 Nations Face-Off—the tournament’s limited scope when historic hockey nations like Russia, Switzerland and Czechia have been left out.
Critics argue that the exclusion of key countries undermines the legitimacy of the tournament, as some of the sport’s biggest stars—such as Sergei Bobrovsky, Nikita Kucherov and David Pastrnak—won’t have the opportunity to compete. The NHL’s decision aligns with the International Ice Hockey Federation’s ban on Russian participation in international events, a stance taken in 2022 following the escalation of the Russian-Ukraine war in 2022. Other practical concerns about roster depth played a role in limiting the field since it is just a league-run tournament, but the absence of these powerhouses leaves questions on whether the tournament can truly produce the best outcome.
As excitement mounts, the NHL and NHLPA are hoping to make an announcement of the 2028 World Cup of Hockey in some form during the 4 Nations Faceoff, which is rumored to include Russia since they intend to move forward without the involvement of the IIHF.
“It’s going to be incredible for fans and players,” said U.S. defenseman Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild about the competition. “It’s best-on-best, which hasn’t happened in a while, and that’s going to be so cool.”
The first puck of the tournament drops at 8 p.m. ET as Canada faces off against Sweden at Bell Centre in Montreal.
