The NHL 4 Nations Face-Off runs from Feb. 12 to 20, 2025, with games in Montreal's Bell Centre and Boston's TD Garden.
Team Canada will have a stacked roster at the NHL Four Nations Face-Off in February, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner will likely be involved.
The 27-year-old has gotten off to a roaring start with the Maple Leafs, scoring nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 22 games. He has the fifth-most points among Canadian NHL players, behind Nathan MacKinnon, Dylan Strome, Sam Reinhart, Cale Makar, and Connor McDavid.
However, putting up points is just part of the equation in Marner's game.
The forward can do almost everything on the ice, whether it be finding the back of the net, setting up his teammates, or being reliable in the defensive end. Marner is also strong on the power play and penalty kill.
With the Maple Leafs taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, there were a lot of questions for Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, who's also set to be the head coach of Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Cooper coached Marner at the 2017 World Championships in Cologne, Germany and Paris, France. The coach admitted that Marner was a strong hockey player then, and an even better one now, almost seven years later. He also called himself a huge Marner fan.
How has the forward's game changed?
"Probably confidence and swag. He's always had it, but you see it in how he plays. He's always had it in him, but I think he's let it out a little bit more, and in a good way," Cooper said on Saturday morning.
"He's not showing off. He does everything with a purpose. And he thinks the game — it's amazing how he thinks, it's elite."
Each of the Four Nations — Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, and the Swedish Ice Hockey Association — must submit their 23-man roster of NHL players, including the six announced in June, on Dec. 2.
Canada's first six selections included McDavid, MacKinnon, Makar, Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Brayden Point. Cooper says the remainder of the team's roster is "close" to being finalized.
"If this was a horse race, it'd be a photo finish. That close," Cooper said. "It's been a process, but a super cool process. It's amazing the work that's been put in by management. It's been extremely, extremely thorough. It's impressive."
The rosters will be revealed on Dec. 4, with Finland and Sweden's teams being announced at 2 p.m. ET and Canada and the United States at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Even if a specific player doesn't make any of the four teams once the rosters come out, it doesn't mean they won't be playing. There'll likely be players on these teams that'll get injured, opening the door for others.
"It's December 1st. The tournament's not for two months. So, you're going to look at four teams that are going to get announced and I bet you there'll be 10 new players, minimum, from the four teams," Cooper said.
"I guess that would be my one [message]. If you're not named to that team, stay ready because unfortunately there's probably going to be some spots open."