<p>Well, it’s a start. </p>



<p>The world’s most passionate hockey fans and the world’s best hockey players alike have craved true best-on-best hockey since 2014, and we’ll finally get it in 2026 when NHLers return to the Winter Olympic Games. In the meantime, we’ll have to settle for next year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.</p>



<p>The mini tournament, announced during the 2024 All-Star weekend earlier this month, will pit Canada, the U.S., Sweden and Finland against each other. The event will run from Feb. 12-20, 2025, with the each team playing each other once in a round-robin, followed by a one-game final featuring the two teams with the best round-robin records.</p>



<p>It’s certainly disappointing for players from other strong hockey nations such as Czechia to not be competing, as David Pastrnak let it be known –&nbsp;but it should still be a fun look at four of the world’s top teams in best-on-best action next winter.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="153"></div>



<p>The rosters will be comprised of 20 skaters and three goalies. A year before the event begins, why not make an early projection of how each roster might look? First up is Canada, which is perennially stacked but faces stiff competition.</p>



<p>Here’s how colleague Steven Ellis and I envision the Canadian squad shaping up.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forwards-matt-larkin-s-picks">FORWARDS –&nbsp;Matt Larkin’s picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Zach Hyman</td><td>Connor McDavid</td><td>Nathan MacKinnon</td></tr><tr><td>Steven Stamkos</td><td>Brayden Point</td><td>Mitch Marner</td></tr><tr><td>Brad Marchand</td><td>Sidney Crosby</td><td>Sam Reinhart</td></tr><tr><td>Mathew Barzal</td><td>Bo Horvat</td><td>Mark Stone</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td><td>Connor Bedard</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>Every time I do a roster projection project, I plan on the hot take that Canada isn’t the most stacked team anymore. Then I stare at the forward group once I’m done, and…I laugh. <em>Oh yeah.</em> This group is ridiculous. I couldn’t resist pairing McDavid and MacKinnon just to wind the two superstars up and see what happens, but I largely use chemistry as a driving force on my lines. NHL teammates McDavid and Hyman have their rapport; same goes for Stamkos and Point and Barzal and Horvat, while buddies Crosby and Marchand have international experience as linemates. You could make a strong team just out of the cuts I made below.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="167"></div>



<p><strong>Biggest flex:</strong> I couldn’t leave Bedard off despite his small NHL sample size. He’s every bit the generational beast we thought he’d be. Who knows how much better he’ll be in a year?</p>



<p><strong>Toughest cut: </strong>The last time I did one of these, I had Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on my first line. Now he’s off the team entirely? I allowed room for some recency bias by adding Reinhart and Barzal. Reinhart has the two-way game to vibe well with Marchand and Crosby, while Barzal reminded us during the all-star weekend that his raw skills as a skater and puck wizard are never in question.</p>



<p><em>Also considered: Robert Thomas, Carter Verhaeghe, John Tavares, Jordan Kyrou, Matt Duchene, Nick Suzuki, Brandon Hagel, Travis Konecny, Ryan O’Reilly, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mark Scheifele, Sean Couturier, Macklin Celebrini, Jonathan Marchessault, Seth Jarvis</em></p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="135"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forwards-steven-ellis-picks">FORWARDS –&nbsp;Steven Ellis’ picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;Zach Hyman</td><td>&nbsp;Connor McDavid</td><td>&nbsp;Mitch Marner</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;Brayden Point</td><td>&nbsp;Nathan MacKinnon</td><td>&nbsp;Connor Bedard</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;Brad Marchand</td><td>&nbsp;Sidney Crosby</td><td>&nbsp;Sam Reinhart</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;Robert Thomas</td><td>&nbsp;Mark Scheifele</td><td>&nbsp;Mark Stone</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;Mathew Barzal</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>You could throw any of the centers with anyone and be happy with the results. Could you imagine a power-play lineup with McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, and Bedard, with Cale Makar leading the way from the point? Holy moly, man. Canada’s depth is incredible, especially in the bottom six, where players can do almost everything. USA might be great now, but I still pick Canada’s offense any day of the week.</p>



<p><strong>Biggest flex:</strong> I like Barzal as the 13th forward here. He can do a bit of EVERYTHING. We saw him during the NHL skills competition, with the Islanders star in contention to win it all heading into the final event. His speed will be especially valuable, with Canada’s coaching staff able to throw him in any situation. Players like him in the 13th forward role are crucial.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="138"></div>



<p><strong>Toughest cut:</strong> The most significant lineup decision was figuring out how to handle the depth down the middle. Do you put MacKinnon on the wing and give a chance to someone like Steven Stamkos deeper in the lineup? I wanted to include Stammer because, from a leadership perspective, he’s one of the NHL’s most respected veterans. But of all three positions, the forwards seemed to be the easiest for me to figure out.</p>



<p><em>Also considered:</em> <em>Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Steven Stamkos, Bo Horvat, Nick Suzuki, Jonathan Marchessault, Travis Konecny, John Tavares, Jordan Kyrou</em>, <em>Adam Fantilli</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defensemen-matt-larkin-s-picks">DEFENSEMEN –&nbsp;Matt Larkin’s picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Devon Toews</td><td>Cale Makar</td></tr><tr><td>MacKenzie Weegar</td><td>Noah Dobson</td></tr><tr><td>Darnell Nurse</td><td>Evan Bouchard</td></tr><tr><td>Josh Morrissey</td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>This was a tough group to narrow down. The top two pairs felt easy enough to me, but there were so many permutations to fill out the final three. Do you go young and dynamic and bring in someone like Thomas Harley? Do you roll with a Stanley Cup-winning veteran duo of Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo? In the end, I went with the mobility and smarts of Bouchard and Morrissey while ensuring the team had some snarl with Nurse.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="174"></div>



<p><strong>Biggest flex: </strong>I acknowledge that I passed some more skilled guys with the Nurse pick. But I looked at the group without him and worried it would be too easy to play against.</p>



<p><strong>Toughest cut: </strong>Aaron Ekblad made the team the last time I projected Canada for best on best, but the breakout seasons of fellow right shots Dobson and Bouchard pushed Ekblad out of the picture.</p>



<p><em>Also considered: Aaron Ekblad, Morgan Rielly, Shea Theodore, Thomas Harley, Vince Dunn, Travis Sanheim, Alex Pietrangelo, Dougie Hamilton, Owen Power</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defensemen-steven-ellis-picks">DEFENSEMEN –&nbsp;Steven Ellis’ Picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>&nbsp;Devon&nbsp;Toews</td><td>&nbsp;Cale Makar</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;MacKenzie Weegar</td><td>&nbsp;Alex Pietrangelo</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;Josh Morrissey</td><td>&nbsp;Noah Dobson</td></tr><tr><td>&nbsp;</td><td>&nbsp;Evan Bouchard</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>Can Canada bring a B team, too? There are many good options here, including a few more that would act as role players. But I went for a mix of speed and puck-moving ability, and all seven players have represented Hockey Canada in at least one event. The top pair mixes two teammates that make up one of the best pairings in hockey, while the second group has veteran experience. The run-and-gun nature of Dobson and Morrissey together would be a blast to watch, and Bouchard could anchor the team’s second power-play unit, too. There’s an argument to be made that Bouchard is replaceable, but I like the potential here.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="198"></div>



<p><strong>Biggest flex:</strong> I think some people just forget how good Pietrangelo is. He doesn’t need to be flashy to be good, and Canada can throw him anywhere in the lineup and feel comfortable there.</p>



<p><strong>Toughest cut: </strong>Morgan Rielly is playing some of his best hockey, but there’s no shortage of puck-moving defensemen with huge potential here. I like Matt’s reasoning for including Nurse, but I want pure skill.</p>



<p><em>Also considered:</em> <em>Darnell Nurse, Aaron Ekblad, Morgan Rielly, Shea Theodore, Vince Dunn, Dougie Hamilton</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-goaltenders-matt-larkin-s-picks">GOALTENDERS – Matt Larkin’s picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Adin Hill</td></tr><tr><td>Tristan Jarry</td></tr><tr><td>Stuart Skinner</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>It’s been a while since I felt a degree of calm regarding Canada’s goaltending. But with Stanley Cup winner Hill back there? He has done nothing but prove himself rocksteady again and again since his amazing run to the Stanley Cup in 2022-23. He has two capable starting-caliber stoppers behind him in Jarry and Skinner.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="6" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="138"></div>



<p><strong>Biggest flex: </strong>Jarry struggles with injuries and Skinner gets more attention in a Canadian market, so maybe it’s a mild upset for me to install Jarry as the No. 2. But he quietly holds a .914 career save percentage in the NHL across 10 seasons. When he’s healthy, he’s usually quite good.</p>



<p><strong>Toughest cut:</strong> I considered rewarding Connor Ingram for his strong season. I also wondered about rolling with an all-Vegas duo of Hill and Thompson in my top two spots. But I opted for the guys with bigger sample sizes in the end.</p>



<p><em>Also considered: Connor Ingram, Logan Thompson, Marc-Andre Fleury, Darcy Kuemper</em>, <em>Samuel Montembeault</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-goaltenders-steven-ellis-picks">GOALTENDERS –&nbsp;Steven Ellis’ picks</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Adin Hill</td></tr><tr><td>Stuart Skinner</td></tr><tr><td>Samuel Montembeault</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p></p>



<p>Keep an eye on DailyFaceoff.com later this week for more about the goaltending, but I’m not too worried about it. Hill is definitely no Carey Price, but he’s still one of the best goaltenders in the NHL this season and is coming off of a Stanley Cup victory. Skinner, meanwhile, has been lights out the past two months. He can be streaky, but when he’s hot, he’s unstoppable. All you need is one of these guys to get hot and you’re set.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="7" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="189"></div>



<p><strong>Biggest flex:</strong> Montembeault is doing some fantastic work with a bottom-feeding club, and he was excellent with Canada’s World Championship team last spring. If you combine the past two years together, Samuel Montembeault and Tristan Jarry both have a .920 save percentage at 5-on-5. When it comes to goals saved above average, Jarry has the edge, but just slightly. High-danger save percentage? Montembeault. Their goals saved above average per 60? Only 0.01 apart, with Montembeault having the edge. They’re so close, but I’m giving the final spot to the guy who led Canada to gold in Latvia.</p>



<p><strong>Toughest cut:</strong> Given how close it came, it’s likely going to come down to whoever has the better start to the season. But, hey, it’s the third goalie spot, right? Jarry’s the veteran with more starter experience, so you can’t go wrong there.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="8" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="140"></div>



<p><em>Also considered: Tristan Jarry,</em> <em>Jordan Binnington, Connor Ingram, Logan Thompson, Devon Levi</em>, <em>Darcy Kuemper</em>, <em>Mackenzie Blackwood</em></p>



<p>_____</p>



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