It was weird not having an All-Star Game in 2025. Honestly, most of us didn't miss the 12-10 "no-defense" pillow fights that the mid-season break usually turns into. Instead, we got the 4 Nations Face-Off. If you missed the chaos or just want to relive how Canada and the USA finally settled things on a cold February night in Boston, the 4 nations hockey schedule tells a pretty wild story of how best-on-best hockey returned after nearly a decade.
We’re talking about NHL players—the actual superstars—finally suiting up for their countries again. No gimmicks. No Team North America or Team Europe. Just four hockey powerhouses: Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Finland.
The Montreal Opening: Where it All Started
The whole thing kicked off at the Bell Centre in Montreal on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. You could feel the tension through the TV. Canada and Sweden opened the tournament, and it wasn't some gentle exhibition. Canada took that one 4-3 in overtime, with Mitch Marner ending it 8:18 into the extra frame. It set the tone: these guys actually cared.
The next night, the Americans showed up. On Thursday, Feb. 13, Team USA absolutely dismantled Finland 6-1. The Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, each put up two points, and for a minute there, it looked like the U.S. might just steamroll the whole tournament.
Saturday, Feb. 15 was arguably the biggest day for hockey fans in years. It was a doubleheader in Montreal. In the afternoon, Finland bounced back to beat Sweden 4-3 in OT. Then came the prime-time slot. USA vs. Canada. The building was vibrating. The U.S. took that one 3-1, thanks to a huge performance from Dylan Larkin. At that point, the Americans were sitting pretty at 2-0, and Canada was looking a bit shaky.
Shifting to Boston for the Finish
After the Montreal games, everyone hopped on planes to Massachusetts. The 4 nations hockey schedule shifted to TD Garden in Boston for the final round-robin games and the championship.
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On Monday, Feb. 17, things got complicated. Canada needed a win against Finland to stay alive, and they got it, winning 5-3. Nathan MacKinnon was a force in that game. But the real shocker came later that night. Sweden, who hadn't won a game yet, went out and beat the undefeated Americans 2-1. Jesper Bratt scored the winner, and suddenly, the standings were a mess.
Because of the way the points worked—three points for a regulation win, two for OT—Canada and the USA ended up as the top two seeds despite some rocky moments. That set up the rematch everyone wanted for the trophy.
The Championship Game
Thursday, February 20, 2025. TD Garden.
Canada vs. United States.
It was one of those games where every mistake felt like a catastrophe. The U.S. had leads from Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, but they couldn't bury Canada. It went to overtime tied 2-2. Then, 8:18 into the 10-minute 3-on-3 OT period, Connor McDavid did what Connor McDavid does. He found the back of the net, giving Canada a 3-2 win and the first ever 4 Nations Face-Off title. Jordan Binnington was also a massive factor, stopping 31 shots to keep Canada in it when the U.S. was pouring on the pressure.
Why the Format Mattered
This wasn't your typical tournament. The NHL and NHLPA wanted something fast and high-stakes. They used a specific point system that really punished teams for losing in regulation:
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- 3 Points for a Regulation Win
- 2 Points for an Overtime or Shootout Win
- 1 Point for an Overtime or Shootout Loss
- 0 Points for a Regulation Loss
Basically, if you lost in 60 minutes, you were in trouble. They also tweaked the overtime rules. Instead of the usual five minutes, round-robin OT was 10 minutes of 3-on-3. If it stayed tied, they went to a shootout where "repeat" shooters were actually allowed after the third round. It made for some incredible drama, especially in those Montreal games.
The Rosters: Best on Best (Mostly)
The rosters were supposed to be the "cream of the crop," but as always, injuries played a role. Each team had 23 players—20 skaters and 3 goalies.
Canada’s group was led by Sidney Crosby, who wore the "C," with McDavid and Cale Makar as alternates. They had to deal with some late changes, though. Alex Pietrangelo had to withdraw in January, so Drew Doughty got the call. Then, during the tournament, Cale Makar missed a game against the U.S. due to illness, and Shea Theodore went down with an injury, leading to Thomas Harley being added to the mix.
The Americans were led by Auston Matthews, with Charlie McAvoy and Matthew Tkachuk as alternates. They had a scare when Quinn Hughes got banged up, but he managed to return for the later stages. One of the coolest stories was Jake Guentzel—he was the only player on the U.S. roster who had never played for the national team at any level before this. Imagine your first time wearing the jersey being in a best-on-best tournament against McDavid and Crosby.
Finland and Sweden brought the heat too. Finland’s Aleksander Barkov and Sebastian Aho were incredible, while Sweden relied on a defensive core featuring Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson. It’s a shame Sweden didn't get better results early on because on paper, that roster was terrifying.
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What’s Next for International Hockey?
The 4 Nations Face-Off was never meant to be a one-off thing. It was designed as a "stepping stone" for the NHL’s return to the Olympics. Now that we've seen how much fans—and players—craved this level of competition, the focus shifts to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
If you’re looking to follow the momentum from the 4 nations hockey schedule, keep an eye on the preliminary Olympic rosters which are already being discussed. The 2025 tournament proved that while All-Star skills competitions are fun for kids, the hockey world wants to see what happens when the best in the world actually play for keeps.
If you want to track the current status of these players as they head toward the next international break, checking the NHL's official international portal or the IIHF world rankings is your best bet. Most of these teams will be looking for redemption—especially the Americans after that heartbreaker in Boston.
To prepare for the next wave of international play, start by looking into the Olympic qualification schedules for the smaller nations that weren't invited to the 4 Nations. While the "Big Four" have their spots, the road to Milano is already being paved for teams like Germany, Slovakia, and Switzerland. Checking the IIHF's official 2026 Olympic hub will give you the full picture of how the rest of the world plans to crash the party next time around.