'It'll Be Great For the Players and Great For the Sport': Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews Helps Launch of NHL's Best-On-Best 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament
Matthews, arguably Team USA's best player, was one of four NHLers on hand to introduce the NHL's first best-on-best tournament since 2016.
The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players' Association jointly announced the creation of a new four-team best-on-best tournament next year called the '4 Nations Face-Off'.
The tournament will take place in 2015 and see Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden take part in a four-team tournament.
Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews was on hand as a representative of Team USA for the announcement.
"At the world stage competing against the best players in the NHL and their respective countries, it’ll be great for the players and great for the sport. I think fans will enjoy it," Matthews said.
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It was also announced that the NHL will return to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030, marking their return to the world tournament after last being involved at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia.
Matthews is no stranger to representing the USA and taking part in best-on-best tournaments. He twice represented the USA at the World Juniors in 2015 and 2016 and represented 'Team North America' at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
All four teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off will consist of 23 NHL Players (20 skaters, 3 goalies) selected by each governing body of hockey for their respective nation: Hockey Canada, Finnish Ice Hockey Association, Swedish Ice Hockey Association and USA Hockey. Players must be under an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season and on an NHL roster as of Dec. 2, 2024. All roster announcement dates will be made by the NHL and NHLPA, with each of the participating National Associations selecting its initial six players this summer, before selecting its complete rosters later in the year.
All four teams will take part in a four-team round-robin with NHL rules. The main differences are as follows:
1) The 4 Nations Face-Off will adopt a 3-2-1-0 points system where three points are awarded for a regulation win instead of the two that are awarded in the NHL.
2) The first overtime session will consist of 10 minutes of 3-on-3 hockey instead of 5.
3) The one-game final will consist of NHL playoff-style 20-minute sudden-death periods to determine a winner beyond regulation time.
The tournament takes place Feb. 12-20, 2015.
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