The NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off is nearly here. But which players from the four teams need a great performance to improve their chances of playing in the 2026 Olympics?
The NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off starts on Feb. 12. One of the intriguing elements of the tournament is how it will influence the rosters of the four participating nations regarding their lineup for the 2026 Olympics.
There are many locks to make the Olympics on all four 4 Nations Face-Off teams, but a number of players could use this opportunity to help the team win now and essentially try out for the Olympic squad.
Here are some players on each team that have something to prove ahead of next year.
Team Canada
Olympic Tryouts: Travis Konecny (RW), Brandon Hagel (LW), Seth Jarvis (C), Sam Bennett (RW), Travis Sanheim (D), Colton Parayko (D), Adin Hill (G), Jordan Binnington (G) and Sam Montembeault (G)
In many regards, this is a transitional phase for Team Canada.
Veterans, such as Steven Stamkos and John Tavares, were left off the Canadian roster for the 4 Nations. Relative youngsters Konecny, Hagel, Jarvis, Sanheim and Bennett all got an opportunity to shine on the international best-on-best stage for the first time.
Canada has a slew of proven veterans they’ll rely on at the 4 Nations, but if the depth forwards contribute some offense while fitting their two-way roles, they’ll deservedly be in the mix for the Olympics. There's a lot of great forwards who got snubbed from the 4 Nations Face-Off, including Mark Scheifele, Tom Wilson and Tavares. Connor Bedard will be another year older by the Olympics as well and another step toward his prime. That makes it more important for the 4 Nations forwards to step up.
As for Parayko and Sanheim on defense, they need to shut down opposing plays first and foremost, because Brandon Montour, MacKenzie Weegar, Evan Bouchard and other blueliners could make a great case for the Olympic squad.
Goaltending is the biggest ‘what if’ category for the Canadians. If Hill plays well – or plays at all behind Binnington – Hill and Binnington will be part of the conversation to play for Canada in 2026. The same goes for Montembeault, if he gets any playing time. But any Canadian goalie can also play himself out of contention for an Olympic spot with a subpar 4 Nations performance.
Team USA
Olympic Tryouts: Vincent Trocheck (C), Chris Kreider (LW) and Noah Hanifin (D)
Trocheck and Kreider were intriguing additions for the Americans. Snubbed players Tage Thompson, Cole Caufield and Jason Robertson each have more points than those two who made it. If Trocheck and Kreider fail to make an impact in this tournament, other players can take their spot in the 2026 Olympics.
Hanifin, meanwhile, might not need to do as much as other players here to prove he deserves to be on the Olympic squad. There's just some intriguing young left-shot talent – Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson, for instance – who could make a good case for a spot in the Olympics next year and squeeze Hanifin out of a position with Team USA. That said, Hanifin does have to be reliable in his own zone, and if he chips in some offense, he’ll be that much closer to earning a spot in the Olympics.
Team Sweden
Olympic Tryouts: Leo Carlsson (C) and Gustav Nyquist (LW)
The 20-year-old Carlsson is a prized prospect with the Ducks, but like Nyquist, Carlsson doesn’t have many points this season. Carlsson currently has nine goals and 18 points in 47 games, while Nyquist has nine goals and 20 points in 51 games with Nashville.
The 35-year-old Nyquist is closer to the end of his playing career than the beginning, but if he plays well in the 4 Nations Face-Off, there may be an opportunity for one last Olympics run with him. He played six games for Sweden at the 2014 Olympics but failed to record a point.
As for Carlsson, this is an opportunity to develop him ahead of next year. But NHL players are expected to be in the Olympics for the first time in 12 years. They're not just going to give him a spot next year if he's not up to speed and producing and there's somebody else who could do that job better.
Team Finland
Olympic Tryouts: Henri Jokiharju (D) and Urho Vaakanainen (D)
The Finns look more or less set to employ the same players at the 4 Nations Face-Off as they will in 2026. The main question marks at the moment are two players – defensemen Jokiharju and Vaakanainen – who are replacements for the injured Miro Heiskanen and Jani Hakanpaa on this Finnish 4 Nations Face-Off team.
Jokiharju is only 25 years old, and Vaakanainen is 26, so time is on their side regarding Olympic participation. But neither one is close to a lock to make the 2026 team. Taking this opportunity they didn't get at first to play their role effectively could make it more tempting to bring them back for the Olympics.
If Jokiharju and Vaakanainen struggle to make life hard for their opponents, they’ll be omitted from Finland’s 2026 Olympic team. But with that said, they’ve got a nice opportunity to represent their homeland one year from now.
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