Current And Former Blackhawks Playing In Four Nations Faceoff
The Chicago Blackhawks have a few current and former players and staff participating in the Four Nations Faceoff.
It is here. The NHL event that everyone has been waiting for since the start of the 2024-25 season. That is the Four Nations Faceoff.
This tournament featuring Sweden, Canada, Finland, and the United States is the first best-on-best hockey event since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a lot more representation in the last best-on-best event but there are still reasons for the Blackhawks and their fans to pay attention.
For one, they have one active player participating. Teuvo Teravainen will represent Team Finland. He will play a depth role on that team as they are loaded with high-end talent.
There are a handful of former Chicago Blackhawks players who will be playing as well. Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago's 2017 first-round pick, was added to the Finnish roster after they dealt with some injuries. Olli Maatta (Utah), who also used to play for the Blackhawks, will be on the Finnish blue line with Jokiharju.
Chicago's former goalie Kevin Lankinen, now a member of the Vancouver Canucks, is one of the three goalies selected to play for the Finnish. He will likely be a backup but his excellent season will make people wonder if he should start a game or two.
Team Sweden has a former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman in the form of Gustav Forsling. Trading Forsling is one of the worst mistakes made by Chicago in the last 10 years but that doesn't compare to the Carolina Hurricanes putting him on waivers. He is now one of the best defensemen in the NHL and will be on the Swedish top pair.
Canada has a former Blackhawks player as well. Brandon Hagel turned into a star player with the Tampa Bay Lightning to the point where he made this incredible Canadian team which could be argued as the hardest hockey team in the world to make. He will play a big role for them in their bottom six as a threat to score with some snarl.
The United States doesn't feature any former Chicago Blackhawks but the geography suggests that a lot of folks who cheer for the Hawks may be on Team USA as well.
Mitch Marner is a top player for Canada and Mikko Rantanen is a top player for Finland. Both of them are free agents at the end of the season and the Blackhawks are expected to go after both of them in some way, shape, or form.
They are already retaining on Rantanen from the Taylor Hall trade so we'll see where the interest goes from there. The Four Nations Faceoff is a chance for Kyle Davidson to watch each player more in-depth.
Connor Bedard did not make Team Canada although some thought he might have a chance at the start of the year. He doesn't deserve it compared to the players who did make it (and even a few who didn't) but his time will come. He must use watching this as motivation to make the Olympic team next year.
Some of the best hockey the world has to offer is going to be played in this tournament. Each team is loaded with talent and it will make for an exciting round-robin ahead of what promises to be a wonderful championship to cap it off.
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