Zizing 'Em Up: 4 Nations fever hitting NHL

NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has been covering the NHL regularly since 1999. Each Monday he will use his extensive network of hockey contacts for his weekly notes column, "Zizing 'Em Up."

TORONTO -- Imagine a race, in game conditions, between Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.

Who would win?

When the two speedsters were linemates during a multiday training camp overseen by Sidney Crosby and his trainer Andy O'Brien in Vail, Colorado, last month, McDavid and MacKinnon discovered a key issue to that end should they line up together for Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

That is, who can keep up with them?

"Yeah, Nate and I were pretty quick out there," McDavid told NHL.com. "Maybe a little bit too quick at times."

He laughed.

"It's just really fun to play with guys at that level and can make plays at that pace," he said. "It's going to be a fun tournament and one we're taking very seriously.

"We're really looking forward to it."

So should the fans.

The tournament, featuring teams with the top NHL players from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland, is scheduled to be held at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston from Feb. 12-20. It is essentially the first best-on-best competition featuring NHL players since the World Cup of Hockey 2016 and, two years earlier, the Sochi Olympics.

For McDavid, who spent time in Vail creating on-ice chemistry with several candidates like Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner, this is an opportunity to represent his country at the highest level. He played for Team North America in the World Cup.

"It's going to be a special competition," he said, adding it will foreshadow the elite play on display at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. "Canada is going to be able to put together a great team, but so are the other three countries.

"I've skated with Sid and some of the guys before, but it always seemed kind of like a moot point because we just figured we're never going to get to do this. And now we are. And suddenly, when you're out there, you're thinking that in a couple of months they'll be putting lines together and working on the power play, things like that.

"It was fun to experiment with these guys. One day I played with Sid, another day with Nate, another day with Mitch, all the while with the undercurrent of we're getting ready for the tournament, and this could be a line in February."

McDavid and members of Canada are not the only ones pumped up for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"It's an honor to be associated with it," United States coach Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins said last week. "The level of play is going to be elite."

Though players like McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby have already been preparing for what lies ahead, the real work for the coaching and managerial staffs is about to amp up.

In June, each of the four countries announced their first six players on their rosters. For Canada, it was forwards McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning) and defenseman Cale Makar (Avalanche).

The United States named forwards Auston Matthews (Maple Leafs), Jack Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers), Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks), and defensemen Adam Fox (New York Rangers) and Charlie McAvoy (Bruins).

Sweden's fist six are forwards William Nylander (Maple Leafs), Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators), Mika Zibanejad (Rangers) and defensemen Gustav Forsling (Panthers), Erik Karlsson (Penguins) and Victor Hedman (Lightning).

Finland has forwards Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes), Aleksander Barkov (Panthers), Mikko Rantanen (Avalanche), defensemen Esa Lindell (Dallas Stars) and Miro Heiskanen (Stars) and goalie Juuse Saros (Predators).

With all 32 NHL teams having started their 2024-25 seasons by the end of this week, now the real scouting begins.

Each country will announce its remaining roster between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. Each team will be comprised of 20 skaters and three goalies who must be under an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season and on an NHL roster as of Dec. 2, 2024.

Over the next two months, candidates to fill out those rosters will be scrutinized on a game-by-game basis. And they know it.

"You can't let it disrupt your focus on winning for your NHL team," said Utah Hockey Club captain Clayton Keller, who was born in Chesterfield, Missouri, "but you know they'll be watching. And if you make it, it'll be awesome."

Of course, in the process, a few questions look to be answered.

For Canada, a one-time goalie factory that produced the likes of Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur and Carey Price, who will the starter be at a position? Stuart Skinner of the Oilers? Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues?

For the United States, will we get to see a pair of brothers -- Matthew and Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators), Quinn and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) -- on the same roster, let alone the same power play?

For Sweden, can goalie Jacob Markstrom turn around his career enough in his first season with the Devils to erase the memory of a couple of down years with the Calgary Flames and grab the starting job? The 34-year-old got off to a good start to that end in his Devils debut, making 30 saves in New Jersey's season-opening 4-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres in the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia at O2 Arena in Prague on Friday.

For Finland, who will provide supplementary scoring to Aho, Barkov and Rantanen? Though there are plenty of candidates who are outstanding two-way players, Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz would appear to be the one with the most offensive pop.

On all these fronts, things should begin to become clearer in the next eight weeks.

In the meantime, don't tell McDavid that this tournament doesn't mean that much. For those like him who have already been tuning up on the ice for the competition, it means more than you know.

INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE?

Here are some of the more intriguing candidates from each country we're keeping our eyes on over the next eight weeks:

Thatcher Demko, United States: Let's get this much straight: The Americans have an embarrassment of riches in goal with Jake Oettinger of the Stars and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Add Jeremy Swayman to that list, too, after the 25-year-old signed an 8-year, $66 million contract with the Bruins on Sunday ($8.25 million average annual value). So where does that leave Demko? His situation revolves around health. He's recovering from surgery on his left knee and told reporters last week he isn't sure when he'll return, although the Canucks hope it could be in a month. Even so, what form will he be in when the final roster will be confirmed around Dec. 1? The 28-year-old is coming off a career season, becoming a Vezina Trophy finalist as the top goalie in the NHL for the first time by going 35-14-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and five shutouts. Unfortunately, he played just one game in the Western Conference First Round against the Predators before the knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of the postseason.

Connor Bedard, Canada: The 19-year-old is no stranger to wearing the red-and-white maple leaf on his chest, having represented Canada at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, scoring 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in the latter to set a new record for points in a single tournament by his country. The generational talent is there, sure, but how would the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft fare at such a young age in a best-on-best tournament against men instead of teenagers? The Chicago Blackhawks forward skated with McDavid and Crosby during the offseason, so he knows what it's like to be on the ice with some of the best players in the world. Besides, who better to learn from than Crosby and McDavid, two likely Hockey Hall of Famers? And how much fun would it be to see what this kid could do with such elite talent around him?

Gabriel Landeskog, Sweden: The last time the Avalanche captain played an NHL game was June 26, 2022, the night his team won the Stanley Cup at the Tampa Bay Lightning. Two knee surgeries and 834 days later, there is hope he can return early in the season. Should that happen, would he be up to speed in time for the tournament four months from now, let alone in eight weeks when the rosters will be filled and announced? Worth monitoring. If healthy, he brings talent and leadership to an always competitive team that features another NHL captain in Hedman.

Artturi Lehkonen, Finland: The 29-year-old is coming off shoulder surgery and is not expected to start the season for the Avalanche. At the same time, he was on the ice wearing a non-contact jersey last Wednesday, yet another step in his rehab process. When healthy, Lehkonen and Avalanche teammate Rantanen have the type of on-ice chemistry that can cause headaches for the opposition. He scored 16 goals in 45 games last season, primarily as Rantanen's linemate, which translates to a 30-goal pace over 82 games. Once again, a candidate whose health will be closely monitored.

AYE AYE CAPTAIN

Bedard was at the core of one of the more interesting discussions in the hockey world during the offseason. Specifically, should and would the Blackhawks make their franchise player the captain, even though he's 19-years-old?

"I haven't really thought about it," he told NHL.com at the North American Player Media Tour last month. "Of course, if you asked anyone if they would like to have that honor, they would say yes. And if one day I was able to be captain, that would be awesome, but we've got a lot of great leaders in our room."

One of those, Nick Foligno, 36, was named captain Sept. 18, and you can understand why. After all, he has the pedigree of having held the title with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2015-21. He can mentor Bedard in the role, all the while taking the pressure of wearing the "C" at such a young age off the kid.

Foligno is one of five new captains named around the NHL, joining Hedman (Lightning), Matthews (Maple Leafs), Keller (Utah) and Rasmus Dahlin (Sabres).

Dahlin and Quinn Hughes, each 24, are the youngest captains until Hughes turns 25 on Oct. 14. The Seattle Kraken do not have a captain.

When McDavid was named Oilers captain Oct. 5, 2016, he became the youngest captain in NHL history at 19 years, 266 days. As such, he understands the pluses and minuses of occupying that role as a teenager.

"I have absolutely no regrets about being captain at such a young age," he said. "That being said, do I know if I was ready for the job? Probably not."

Was Bedard ready? We'll never really know.

What we do know is that he'll be astutely watching Foligno, the consummate professional, as to how he handles that role. And it should make Bedard a better captain once the job is passed on to him.

SAY WHAT?

"We were running low on water. We went in for some sparkling water and we came out with a hot tub," -- Utah forward Jack McBain to the Salt Lake Tribune on how he and roommate Dylan Guenther pass time away from the rink by going to Costco.

THE LAST WORD

The Devils are off to a 2-0-0 start thanks to their sweep of the Sabres in Prague but they're still eight wins away of the NHL record for victories to start a season. With the remaining 30 teams getting their seasons under way this week, here's a look at the most wins to start a season.

10: Toronto Maple Leafs, 1993
10: Buffalo Sabres, 2006
9: Montreal Canadiens, 2015
9: Carolina Hurricanes, 2021
8: Toronto Maple Leafs, 1934
8: Buffalo Sabres, 1975
8: Nashville Predators, 2005
8: Florida Panthers, 2021