Stanley Cup champion Oliver Ekman-Larsson could end up on Team Sweden for the 4 Nations Face-Off. New Jersey Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom appears to have the inside track on being the starter for Sweden in the upcoming NHL 4 Nations Face-Off. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExODM4MDE4MTg3Njk5NzQ3/usatsi_25070698_168402779_lowres.jpg] New Jersey Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom appears to have the inside track on being the starter for Sweden in the upcoming NHL 4 Nations Face-Off. The NHL 4-Nations Face-Off next month has some interesting storylines, including a tale of opposites. There's the uncertain health status of Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/latest-news/report-surgery-has-never-been-on-the-table-for-maple-leafs-auston-matthews-as-he-works-through-upper-body-injury] and how that might affect Team USA if he can't make it. There's Montreal Canadiens right winger Patrik Laine returning from injury and recording 10 points in 13 games [https://thehockeynews.com/news/patrik-laines-red-hot-start-sparks-hope-for-canadiens-but-is-it-sustainable] ahead of representing Finland in Montreal and Boston. There's also Team Canada's goaltending being its Achilles heel. Their three goalies – the Vegas Golden Knights’ Adin Hill, St. Louis Blues’ Jordan Binnington and Canadiens’ Sam Montembeault [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/sam-montembeault-is-being-overused-] – have save percentages of .902 or worse and a goals-against average of 2.65 or more. Team Sweden's issue is one that Canada would love to have: choosing one of their three stellar goaltenders to be the go-to guy between the pipes. The Tre Kronor trio – the New Jersey Devils’ Jacob Markstrom. Ottawa Senators’ Linus Ullmark and Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson – are all having excellent seasons. The 34-year-old Markstrom has thrived since being dealt to the Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/latest-news/devils-hit-home-run-trading-for-star-goalie] from Calgary last summer, with a 19-7-2 record, 2.15 GAA and .912 SP. He has provided the stability in goal that New Jersey has lacked since losing Martin Brodeur. Ullmark, 31, won a Vezina with Boston in 2022-23 and got off to a sluggish start with Ottawa but was the hottest goalie in the NHL since Dec. 1, posting a 7-0-1 record, 1.30 GAA and .956 SP before suffering a back issue [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/linus-ullmarks-back-issue-now-a-bigger-concern-after-ottawa-senators-call-up-two-ahl-goalies-on-friday]. Gustavsson [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/minnesota-wild/latest-news/wilds-joel-eriksson-ek-filip-gustavsson-jonas-brodin-make-team-sweden-for-4-nations] is the youngest of the trio at 26 but has been the most consistent since the start of the year. He's second to only Connor Hellebuyck in save percentage (.924) among goalies with at least 20 starts and third in the league in victories (17). Age and experience should not be as big a factor as performance, but it always seems to be in international tournaments. That would lean in Markstrom's favor at the start of the 4 Nations Face-Off. If Markstrom does not perform up to expectations, Sweden could quickly switch to Ullmark or Gustavsson toward the end, similar to Canada's switch from elder statesman Brodeur to Roberto Luongo at the 2010 Olympics. As with every country involved in the upcoming tournament, the 4 Nations Face-Off will be a test run for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and whoever performs best in the crease for Sweden will have the inside track on being the starter in the 2026 Olympics. Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [https://info.thehockeynews.com/mail/microsites/951/1/gTeQVf?_gl=1*ustlbj*_ga*NjkyMzUxMy4xNjYzNjIwMzQ3*_ga_PK63FB1PME*MTcxMzUwOTExNi40NDguMS4xNzEzNTA5MjA5LjU5LjAuMA..]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum [https://thehockeynews.rtb.io/THNHOME/posts].
