While the NHL season might be pausing for two weeks, there will still be hockey on our televisions. For the first time in forever, the league has created a best-on-best tournament as four nations compete for hockey supremacy. The event, labeled the 4 Nations Face-Off, begins on Wednesday, February 12 in Montreal and will culminate with a championship game on the 20th.
Four Carolina Hurricanes were selected to participate in the event. Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis will be the group's lone representatives for the United States and Canada, respectively. Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen will represent Finland, with the latter announced for the team before his acquisition from Colorado. Here is what you need to know about the tournament before the puck drops.
Sweden
The only country without a current Hurricane on the roster, Sweden has former Canes draft pick Elias Lindholm and Gustav Forsling, who was briefly in the organization but never played on the main roster. Sweden looks like a fun team on paper, featuring several high-end forwards and a defense that can do it all. If they get competent goaltending, they're a legitimate threat.
Finland
Getting into the stuff people care about, Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen are not only on Team Finland, but they're alternate captains for the group. The two current Canes are joined by a pair of former Canes in Teuvo Teravainen and Erik Haula. Aho and Rantanen are part of a lethal offensive group, along with Aleksander Barkov, Roope Hintz, and Patrik Laine, among others.
The questions for Finland surround their health, which has ravaged their defensive group. Three of the team's original seven defensive picks aren't able to compete, giving them easily the weakest group of defensemen in the tournament. It could be a long three games for Aho, Rantanen, and Juuse Saros in the net.
Canada
The youngest player on the Canada roster at 23 years old, Seth Jarvis has more than earned his way onto the team. After his first 30-goal campaign last season, Jarvis could be on his way to doing it again, sitting with a team-leading 22 goals at the break. He's the only player on the roster with any ties to the Hurricanes.
Jarvis spent the first day of practice next to Boston's Brad Marchand and Tampa's Brayden Point, which is funny after Marchand said he was looking forward to playing with the Canes youngster. He's also positioned between Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby in the locker room. If anyone is poised to get something out of this experience, it's Seth Jarvis.
United States
The team with the most Hurricanes representation is the United States. Along with Jaccob Slavin, the only active Hurricane on the team, former Hurricanes Jake Guentzel, Vincent Trocheck, and Noah Hanifin, and former Canes prospect Adam Fox will represent the stars and stripes. Slavin and Fox were paired at practice, bringing the division rivals together.
For my money, the United States has the most complete roster in the tournament. They might not be as skilled all-around as Canada, but their skaters feel like they fit the roles required of four lines and three defensive pairs. The U.S. also has the best goalie trio by a country mile, led by Vezina frontrunner Connor Hellebuyck.
Who Wins the 4 Nations Face-Off?
The tournament could be shaped by two things. First, assuming they both beat Finland, the winner of the U.S.-Canada game should be one of the two teams in the championship game. Second, can Sweden beat Finland and best one of the two presumed favorites to steal a spot in the finals? Sweden will have its chance at Canada to open the tournament on Wednesday.
As an American, it would be borderline treasonous for me to pick against the U.S. I remain steadfast that Canada is the more skilled team, but I think America has the decided edge on defense and in the net. Assuming they don't allow four or five power play goals to the Canadians, I believe the United States should be considered the front runners to win the 4 Nations Face-Off., giving Jaccob Slavin bragging rights over his teammates.