Canada is the favorite to win the first ever 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February — the first best vs. best competition featuring NHL players since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.
Canada won that tournament eight years ago, and it also emerged with the gold medal in the last Winter Olympic games that involved NHL players in 2010 and 2014.
What are the chances that the United States, Sweden or Finland could dethrone Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off in a few months?
It’s certainly possible. The United States has produced more and more elite talent in recent years, and the Americans have a huge advantage over Canada at the goaltender position. Sweden is loaded with high-end talent at pretty much every position, too, and Finland also has plenty of quality players.
Here’s the full schedule for the tournament, which will be hosted by the Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston:
- Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.: Canada vs. Sweden at the Bell Centre
- …