Just over a year from now, the NHL will pause the 2024-25 season for nine days to hold the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, a four-team round-robin tournament featuring teams from USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland.
The event will be seven games in nine days from Feb. 12-20, 2005 in two to-be-named cities, one in the United States and one in Canada.
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Competition to make each of those four teams is likely to be fierce, especially for the Americans and Canadiens who’ll have quite a few worthy players to choose from to create rosters of 20 players and three goalies.
Which Bruins are likely to be included? Have a look.
Because the event will feature just four teams, USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden, the Bruins’ considerable contingent of Czech standouts will be left out. David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha would have been locks to be included and Jakub Lauko might have had a shot as well. They’ll have to wait until 2026 and the Olympics in Italy.
Boston currently has no Finns on the roster so that leaves three teams.
Likely Bruins: Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman
Longshot possibilities: Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo
McAvoy is a lock. His contributions at both ends of the ice and his ability to play a lot of minutes make him a certain inclusion.
There are likely four goalies for three spots. If the tournament was this year, Connor Hellebuyck would be the USA’s No. 1, with Swayman and Thatcher Demko also on the roster and Jake Oettinger on the outside looking in. But goalie play can go up and down. Body of work matters, but if someone like Joseph Woll is having a dominant season next year, the pecking order could change.
For any other American Bruins to earn a spot, they’d have to have a big start to next year and maybe see injuries to players higher on the USA depth chart. That said Brandon Carlo would offer a solid defensive-minded blue-liner and Charlie Coyle is a versatile two-way forward, who could play center or wing and kill penalties.
Likely Bruins: Brad Marchand
Longshot possibilities: None for this event.
If Marchand is playing next year like he is right now, he should be a lock. He can score, he’s a willing defender and an elite penalty killer. Projections by NHL.com and SportsNet Canada each have him on their projected roster.
The only question is age. He’ll be 36 when this event takes place. There’s been nothing to show that a drop-off in his game is coming. But time catches everyone eventually. As long as he hasn’t slowed down, he’ll be included.
After him, the Bruins’ next-best Canadians are Jake DeBrusk and Morgan Geekie. Neither would be close to a spot on Team Canada right now.
Likely Bruins: Linus Ullmark, Hampus Lindholm
Longshot possibilities: Fabian Lysell
Ullmark and Jacob Markstrom will compete to be the No. 1 goalie for the Swedes giving them a tandem that’s good enough to pull upsets in this tournament.
Lindholm is a capable workhorse who can play power play and kill penalties. Barring injury both are certain to be included. Lysell isn’t even in the NHL yet, but Sweden isn’t as deep as the USA and Canada. Some combination of call-up and hot start and possible injuries to guys ahead of him could make it possible.
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