NHL announces “4 Nations Face-Off” international tournament for 2025

[garbageteam]

If they set it up properly next time it could be something like the Euro championship to the WC in soccer where both matter for countries that can participate.

Even if it was just Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czechia, Slovakia, and an 8th team, maybe even 7 and 8 rotating nations depending on Olympic success if NHLers are there or some other measure. Could be nice not having to rely on the pile of dogshit IOC for anything.

The other nations still don't have enough players.

If/when Russia returns it should be a recurring 6 team tournament, I think that would be interesting enough. The Czechs should absolutely play with a 6 team format.

If Switzerland, Slovakia and/or Germany ever manage to get 20+NHLers on a consistent basis I think a recurring 8 team tournament would be fantastic, but I don't forsee that until the 2030s at the earliest. I suppose if you add like, 4 more teams to the league in time more opportunities will exist for that.

 

[Albatros]

If they set it up properly next time it could be something like the Euro championship to the WC in soccer where both matter for countries that can participate.

Even if it was just Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czechia, Slovakia, and an 8th team, maybe even 7 and 8 rotating nations depending on Olympic success if NHLers are there or some other measure. Could be nice not having to rely on the pile of dogshit IOC for anything.

Slovakia or any 8th team will not have enough NHL players in the foreseeable future.

 

[Turin]

Probably the dumbest tournament I've ever seen. Hopefully the jerseys are cool enough to give this tournament some clout because this is a joke.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

That's a negatory on the global politics, folks. Please move forward.

 

[Deadly Dogma]

need more of this!!!!!

https://fb.watch/q2wGOZpzSZ/

I don't know how to make it work, its a clip from the 96 world cup, showing how different the game was.
Crazy game between US and Canada

 

[heksagon]

So it'll be just like the all-star game except the games will be much slower and will feature a bunch of bottom 6 players from Sweden and Findland. Sounds pretty terrible. There's no way we're going to see players go all out for a meaningless tournament (especially mid-season), therefore it's a waste of time.

I just went trough the likely rosters, and Sweden and Finland will likely ice very few true bottom 6 players, if any. Not very different from the Tom Wilsons and Boone Jenners of the world anyways.

There will be clear difference in the intensity and speed of the game, and I'd bet it's the other way around: players will try way harder than in your average All Star game.

 

[dalewood12]

Is there going to be a winners pot, like the All Star Game?

 

[93gilmour93]

This is pretty stupid. Let's have a tournament with star players but these guys don't get to come. The NHL is pretty brain dead sometimes...

 

[uncleben]

This is pretty stupid. Let's have a tournament with star players but these guys don't get to come. The NHL is pretty brain dead sometimes...

View attachment 870710View attachment 870712

Plus, no Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, or Moritz Seider. No Anze Kopitar. No Marco Rossi or Yegor Sharangovich; no Nikolaj Ehlers or Oliver Bjorkstrand. Mats Zuccarello, Juraj Slafkovsky, Simon Nemec. Roman Josi, Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier, Philipp Kurashev, Timo Meier. Lukas Dostal, Frederik Andersen, Arturs Silovs, Philipp Grubauer.

No Nathan Walker!


You've got recognizable stars, breakout players, and young guns.
Even if you have to exclude Russian players due to international sanctions, there's pretty much zero reason to not in the absolute very least have a "World" team that could compete with the rest

You're purposefully cutting out viewers and fans


/rant

 

[Fantomas]

My condolences to Czech fans for their country getting sanctioned.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

why not Russia? because of the war?

 

[joelef]

I don’t understand why hockey doesn’t loosen it eligibility rules like baseball. You could have an Italian team full of Canadians of Italian descent or.a Jamaican team full of Canadians of Jamaican descent like ok subban and would be good pr for hockey.

 

[BusQuets]

why not Russia? because of the war?

NHL would probably have no problem with Russia but then Sweden, Finland and other euro teams would boycott. This is basically Sweden and Finland over Russia.

 

[New User Name]

The winning team receives the Gary Bettman Trophy and every player gets a Gary Bettman bobble head.

 

[joelef]

Plus, no Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, or Moritz Seider. No Anze Kopitar. No Marco Rossi or Yegor Sharangovich; no Nikolaj Ehlers or Oliver Bjorkstrand. Mats Zuccarello, Juraj Slafkovsky, Simon Nemec. Roman Josi, Kevin Fiala, Nico Hischier, Philipp Kurashev, Timo Meier. Lukas Dostal, Frederik Andersen, Arturs Silovs, Philipp Grubauer.

No Nathan Walker!


You've got recognizable stars, breakout players, and young guns.
Even if you have to exclude Russian players due to international sanctions, there's pretty much zero reason to not in the absolute very least have a "World" team that could compete with the rest

You're purposefully cutting out viewers and fans


/rant

It they could loosen the eligibility rules like baseball .

 

[Albatros]

NHL would probably have no problem with Russia

Probably not morally, but the Russian hockey federation is led by individuals sanctioned by the US government and I doubt Bettman or the other lawyers really want to go there.

 

[cptjeff]

Probably not morally, but the Russian hockey federation is led by individuals sanctioned by the US government and I doubt Bettman or the other lawyers really want to go there.

The Russian Hockey Federation has also been suspended by the IIHF. While this isn't under the aegis of the IIHF, the NHL is going to want to be in line with them to maintain a unified front to protect that partnership.

 

[Flukeshot]

Has there been any indication of format? Double round Robin then 1v4, 2v3?

 

[Fantomas]

Ah, yes. Let's protect the "partnerships" led by some suits who never step on the ice. Cool, cool.

 

[JackSlater]

I couldn't care less about this tournament. Looks like a decent chance to try different line combinations and defence pairings though.

 

[uncleben]

Ah, yes. Let's protect the "partnerships" led by some suits who never step on the ice. Cool, cool.

Partnership with the IIHF is like suuuper important.
You realize that, right?

It's how we have transfer agreements with any of the European leagues - how we can have Olympic participation again, finally, and NHL players/prospects participation in World Championships and World Juniors

 

[Fantomas]

Partnership with the IIHF is like suuuper important.
You realize that, right?

It's how we have transfer agreements with any of the European leagues - how we can have Olympic participation again, finally, and NHL players/prospects participation in World Championships and World Juniors

And it's going really well. No NHL in the Olympics. World Championships that even you don't care about (be honest) and the World Juniors that's, what, in Canada like 75% of the time. Almost as if these partnerships are flipping corrupt or something.

But I'm glad you like. Genuinely happy for you.

 

[habsterr]

Need to add Russia and add a gimmick team. I know Czechoslovakia!

 

[joelef]

Again why not allow team to “ heritage “ players like baseball does?

 

[habsterr]

Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, Russia and Czechoslovakia.