The 4 Nations showdown in February will mark the first men’s hockey tournament between the best since 2016 and the first ever organized a year before the Olympic Games.
With NHL players set to return to the Olympics in 2026 for the first time since 2014, the 4-nation showdown should provide a first glimpse of the medal favorites for the Milan Cortina Games.
The 4-nation showdown features the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland – the nations that have combined to win the last six Olympic medals with NHL participation.
The 23-player NHL squads for the 4 Nations showdown – announced Dec. 4 – were chosen by the same national federations that will determine the 2026 25-player Olympic squads.
Thus, the 4 Nations Face-Off teams are essentially the first models of Olympic teams, although Sweden and Finland have regularly included some players from European leagues in their Olympic rosters.
List of matchups for the 4 Nations of the United States
Goalkeepers
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Defenders
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild (2022 Olympian)
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Jacob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Attackers
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
JT Miller, Vancouver Canucks
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy last season as the best goaltender in the NHL. … Faber, the youngest player on this list, led all skaters on the 2022 Olympic team in ice time. … Two of the three Hughes brothers made the team, with the youngest, Luke, sitting out after missing the first nine games of the season with a shoulder injury. The last set of two brothers to be on the same U.S. Olympic team were Derian and Kevin Hatcher in 1998. If all three Hughes make the Olympic team, they will be the second set of three brothers to play for an Olympic team in hockey after Anton, Marian. and Peter Stastny for Czechoslovakia in 1980. Once in history, three siblings competed on the same United States Winter Olympic team in any sport: bobsledders Curtis, Hubert and Paul Stevens in 1932, according to Olympic historian Bill Mallon. … Larkin is tied for the most world championship matches played among all Americans who did not compete in the Olympics (45, Aaron Broten). … Matthews scored 69 goals last season, the most by any player since Mario Lemieux had 69 in 1995-96. … Nelson is from Warroad, Minnesota — Hockeytown, United States — with a population of around 2,000 that has already produced at least seven Olympic hockey players (Bill, Dave, Gordon and Roger Christian; Henry Boucha; Gigi Marvin and TJ Oshie). Dave Christian, a member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, is Nelson’s uncle. Bill Christian, a member of the 1960 Olympic championship team, is Nelson’s grandfather. … The Tkachuk family could be the first to have a father and son on U.S. Olympic hockey teams in the NHL era. Keith Tkachuk participated in the first three Olympic Games with NHL players in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
List of Canada 4 Nations matches
Goalkeepers
Jordan Binnington, St. Louis Blues
Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
Sam Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens
Defenders
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
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Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche
Attackers
Sam Bennett, Florida Panthers
Anthony Cirelli, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins (2010 and 2014 Olympian)
Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Jarvis, Carolina Hurricanes
Travis Konecny, Philadelphia Flyers
Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins
Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Sam Reinhart, Florida Panthers
Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights
Crosby, who turns 38 next August, would be the third-oldest Canadian to play Olympic hockey in the NHL after Martin St. Louis (2014) and Al MacInnis (2002). He could become the second Canadian to have a 16-year Olympic career after Terry O’Malley (1964-80), according to OlyMADMen. In 2006, the last time Italy hosted the Winter Olympics, Crosby, 18, was notably left off the Canadian roster. When the Canadian team was named in December 2005, Crosby was tied for 14th in the NHL in points among Canadian skaters.
List of clashes for the 4 Nations of Sweden
Goalkeepers
Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota Wild
Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils
Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators
Defenders
Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames
Jonas Brodin, Minnesota Wild
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabers (2018 Olympian)
Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
Gustav Forsling, Florida Panthers
Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins (2014 Olympian)
Attackers
Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers
Jesper Bratt, New Jersey Devils
Léo Carlsson, Anaheim Ducks
Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
William Karlsson, Vegas Golden Knights
Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings
Elias Lindholm, Boston Bruins
Gustav Nyquist, Nashville Predators (2014 Olympian)
William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Lucas Raymond, Detroit Red Wings
Mika Zibanejad New York Rangers
Gustavsson leads the NHL this season in goals against average (2.04) and save percentage (.929) among goaltenders who have played at least 10 games. … Ullmark won the 2023 Vezina. … Dahlin is the youngest Olympic men’s hockey player in the last 40 years, playing at age 17 in PyeongChang before being the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft. .. Hedman and Erik Karlsson own a total of four Norris Trophies as the best defenseman in the NHL.
List of clashes for the 4 Nations of Finland
Goalkeepers
Kevin Lankinen, Vancouver Canucks
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Buffalo Sabers
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Defenders
Jani Hakanpaä, Toronto Maple Leafs
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars (2018 Olympian)
Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars
Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
Olli Määttä, Utah Hockey Club (2014 Olympian)
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Juuso Välimäki, Utah Hockey Club
Attackers
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
Joël Armia, Montreal Canadiens
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers (2014 Olympian)
Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks (2014 Olympian)
Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
Roope Hintz, Carolina Hurricanes
Kaapo Kakko, New York Rangers
Patrik Lainé, Montreal Canadiens
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
Teuvo Teräväinen, Chicago Blackhawks
Saros led the NHL in starts last season and he is this season as well, playing in 21 of Nashville’s 25 games. … Barkov led Florida to the Stanley Cup last season. … Barkov (18 years old in 2014) and Heiskanen (18 years old in 2018) are the two youngest Olympic men’s hockey players in Finnish history, according to OlyMADMen. Barkov, Määttä and Granlund were the three youngest Finnish players on the 2014 Olympic men’s team. … None of the members of Finland’s 2022 Olympic champion team are currently in the NHL.
2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament: which teams are qualified?
The Olympic men’s hockey field, consisting of 12 teams, is almost ready. All that remains is to decide whether Russia will be part of it.
Russia was banned from international hockey shortly after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But it has a provisional place on the Olympic field if the ban is lifted. The IIHF has not set a deadline for a final decision on Russia’s Olympic berth. If Russia remains banned, France will enter the Olympic field.
2026 Winter Olympics men’s hockey groups:
Group A: Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy
Group B: Finland, Germany, Czechia, Denmark
Group C: Russia (if suspension is lifted), USA, Slovakia, Latvia
Groups if Russia’s suspension is not lifted:
Group A: Canada, Switzerland, Czechia, France
Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy
Group C: USA, Germany, Latvia, Denmark
As the 2024-25 NHL season begins, the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament takes shape
The 2024-25 NHL season is the last full season before NHL players return to the Winter Olympics.
