MONTREAL, QUEBEC – FEBRUARY 12: Sidney Crosby #87 and Nathan MacKinnon #29 of Team Canada look on after the 4 Nations Face-Off game between Canada and Sweden at Bell Centre on February 12, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. Team Canada defeated Team Sweden in overtime 4-3. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
The NHL season is on hiatus this week as the 4 Nations Face-Off gets underway in Montreal, but what is the tournament, and who is playing?
The tournament was launched by the NHL this year as an alternative to the All-Star Game, which will not be contested in 2025 or 2026.
Four countries, the United States, Finland, Canada and Sweden, will compete for the top prize in the tournament, which will run through Feb. 20.
Here’s everything to know.
What is the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The tournament is a round-robin event featuring NHL players from four countries competing in a series of games played in Montreal and Boston.
The league created the tournament as a replacement for the NHL All-Star Game, and it is taking place in a non-Olympic year as an experiment for the league as they evaluate their options for midseason exhibition events.
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How does the tournament work?
Each team will play games against the other three nations in the tournament in a round-robin format. Canada knocked off Sweden in overtime on the opening night of the tournament Wednesday.
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The United States will take on Finland in their opener on Thursday night, with the game airing on ESPN.
Like the NHL, the tournament used a points system to determine its seeding, but unlike the NHL a three-point system will be used. A team that wins in regulation will receive three standings points, while a team that wins in overtime or a shootout will get two points.
A team that loses in overtime or a shootout will get one point, with a team losing in regulation receiving zero points.
The teams with the most points at the end of the three-game round-robin will compete in the championship game.
Who is playing in the tournament?
Canada boasts Olympic gold medalist Sidney Crosby on its roster, and also has two of the league’s biggest superstars in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
The United States is helmed by Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews, and also has forward Matthew Tkachuk and defenseman Zach Werenski on its roster.
Sweden is led by William Nylander in the forward group and Victor Hedman among the defensemen, and Finland has Carolina Hurricanes stars Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho among its forward group.
When are the rest of the games taking place?
The United States and Finland will battle on ESPN at 7 p.m. Thursday night.
After a day off, a doubleheader will be on deck for Saturday, with Finland and Sweden battling at noon Central time and the United States facing Canada at 7 p.m. Both games will air on ABC and stream on ESPN Plus, and both will take place at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
The final day of round-robin play will take place Monday, with Canada and Finland squaring off at noon and the United States facing Sweden at 7 p.m. Those games will air on TNT and TruTV, and will stream on Max.
The championship game of the tournament will take place in Boston on Thursday, Feb. 20, and will pit the teams with the most points against one another. That game will also air on ESPN.
Will there be a 4 Nations Face-Off next season?
The NHL will not hold the tournament next year, as players will participate in the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. It will mark the first time the league has allowed its players to play on the Olympic stage since they did so in Sochi in 2014.
