4-Nations Face-Off 2025: Schedule, Teams, Format, Complete Roaster and everything else you need to know

The NHL and NHLPA are presenting the 4 Nations Face-Off, an exciting competition taking place from February 12 to February 20. Two practice sessions will take place on February 10 and 11 before the tournament.

This event will showcase four dominant national teams: Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States, with NHL stars enthusiastically representing their nations.

Whether you’re a devoted enthusiast or a newcomer to the game, this tournament guarantees fierce rivalries, national spirit, and elite hockey. Here’s all the information you require regarding the schedule, teams, format, and why this event is a must-see!

4 Nations Face-Off Format and Rules

Every team will compete in three matches, and the leading two teams will face off in a winner-takes-all championship. Teams earn three points for a victory in regulation, two points for a win in overtime or a shootout, one point for a loss in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation.

The overtime will consist of a 10-minute, 3-on-3 sudden death session. If the match isn’t concluded in overtime, a shootout of three rounds will take place. As the tournament concludes with the final game, overtime will follow a more conventional playoff structure, featuring 5-on-5 action in consecutive 20-minute intervals.

The competition will take place in a round-robin structure, with teams earning three points for a standard victory, two points for winning in overtime or a shootout, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and no points for a regulation defeat. Every team will compete in three matches, and the two teams with the highest points will move on to a single-game final.

Why are there only 4 nations in the tournament?

In a word, practicality. The NHL is putting the 4 Nations tournament together on its own and not in concert with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), whereas the league and IIHF do have a partnership that’s bringing NHL players back to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030.

For this particular tournament, there are only four countries represented because there has to be enough NHL skaters to complete each roster. That’s why Germany, for example, isn’t involved in this event. The Czech Republic and Russia do both technically have the NHL representation to craft a team, but the league will not have a Russian squad involved due to their ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The league choosing to go with Canada, the USA, Sweden and Finland means their event incorporates the largest number of NHL stars for now, and in time — if all goes well — the NHL will get more players and countries in the mix.

 4 Nations Face-Off Schedule and Venues

The 4 Nations Face-Off is set to take place in North America, with games divided between Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston. There is no semifinal stage. Rather than a worldwide event, it is taking place in two of the Original Six hockey cities. At Bell Centre, four games are conducted, featuring a rivalry doubleheader. There is a chance for the U.S. and Canada to compete in both cities for the title.

Round-Robin Games:

• Wednesday, February 12: Canada vs. Sweden at 8 p.m. ET
• Thursday, February 13: USA vs. Finland at 8 p.m. ET
• Saturday, February 15: Finland vs. Sweden at 1 p.m. ET
• Saturday, February 15: USA vs. Canada at 8 p.m. ET

Games at TD Garden:

• Monday, February 17: Canada vs. Finland at 1 p.m. ET
• Monday, February 17: Sweden vs. USA at 8 p.m. ET
• Thursday, February 20: Championship Game at 8 p.m. ET

When was the last edition of the 4 Nations Face-Off?

The competition began in 1996, was held again in 2004, and then made a comeback in 2016.

The 2016 edition featured a total of eight teams, comprising national squads from Canada, Czechia, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the USA. Additionally, there was Team Europe, consisting of players from countries like Germany, Switzerland, and Slovakia that lacked complete rosters, and the tournament also welcomed Team North America.

The lineup for Team North America showcased players under 24 years old from Canada and the United States. The 16-match tournament was finally claimed by Canada, defeating Team Europe in a best-of-three series. The 16-match tournament was finally claimed by Canada, defeating Team Europe in a best-of-three series.

4 Nations Face-Off Prize Money

A trophy is being finalized for the tournament champion, currently in the last stages of design. The present strategy is for solely the victorious team to be awarded medals, although there hasn’t been much discussion regarding that yet behind the scenes.

As of this week, it is evident that the players will receive compensation, but the specific dollar figures have yet to be established. It’s uncertain whether winning teams receive bonus funds, but that doesn’t imply there aren’t monetary motivations for ensuring this tournament succeeds. Similar to the World Cup of Hockey, this event is presented by the NHL and NHLPA.

The players will receive a share of the earnings, which will subsequently be distributed among NHLPA members. In 2016, the NY Post disclosed that players who participated in the World Cup received 70% of the revenue, while those who did not earned 30%.

4 Nations Face-Off Teams Complete Roster

The time has arrived. The officials from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States will have turned in their final lineups for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

Team Canada:

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Team Finland:

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Team Sweden:

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Team USA:

Forwards

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Image Credit: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports