From finalized 4 Nations rosters to outdoor hockey in the sunshine state, here’s what happened in the NHL this week:
4 Nations Face-Off
The first annual 4 Nations Face-Off will be hosted at the Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston Feb. 12 to 20. Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States will play each other in a round robin-style tournament. The tournament will replace the All-Star Skills competition and game this year. The Face-Off was created in an initiative by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to increase the number of nation-based tournaments the league’s players participate in.
To start the tournament off, the Bell Centre will host Canada vs. Sweden Feb. 12, the United States vs. Finland Feb. 13 and both Finland vs. Sweden and the United States vs. Canada Feb. 15. The tournament will then move to TD Garden for Canada vs. Finland and Sweden vs. the United States Feb. 17. Finally, the two teams with the best overall records in the round robin will play each other Feb. 20 in TD Garden.
The NHL’s top stars have not played in an international tournament since 2016, when Bettman disallowed players from competing in the Winter Olympics in 2018 and 2022.
Team Canada is the favorite to win the tournament; however, Team USA has all the necessary star power to emerge from this tournament victorious.
Canada has Connor McDavid, one of the best — if not the best — player in the league this season and maybe of all time. The team also brings an unmatched veteran presence in Brad Marchand and Sidney Crosby, who have played a combined 36 seasons. Canadian center Nathan MacKinnon currently leads the NHL in points with 70 off of 15 goals and 55 assists. Defenders Shea Theodore, Josh Morrissey and Cale Makar have been extremely talented defensively this season and are currently frontrunners for the Norris Trophy.
Goaltending could be the drawback for Team Canada in this tournament. Despite playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, who hold the third-best record in the league, Adin Hill — the likely starter for Canada — ranks 17th in goals against average in the NHL. If Team Canada can put up high scores against its opponents, then it could come out with the tournament’s first victory.
The United States will also be a difficult opponent. In a sharp contrast to Canada, the team is spoiled for choice in the net with Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the best goaltender in the league in goals against average, accompanied by the Dallas Stars’ Jake Oettinger and the Boston Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman. Defensemen Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes and Adam Fox will provide an impeccable defensive force on the first line as three of the league’s best defensemen with a combined 130 points and 25 minutes and 12 seconds average time on ice. Forwards Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes will be great options to put up points for the U.S. team. Having talent in each position will make Team USA deadly come competition time.
Outdoor hockey in Florida
No, your eyes are not deceiving you. The NHL recently announced that hockey is coming to South Florida in 2026 for the first time ever. The Florida Panthers will host the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park, home of the MLB’s Miami Marlins, in the 2026 Winter Classic Jan. 2, 2026.
The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the Boston Bruins in the Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series Feb. 1, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium, belonging to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Fans and critics alike are wondering how an outdoor hockey game can be hosted in the Sunshine State. Winter temperatures in Florida do not typically favor the creation of an ice rink, averaging mid-50s in the North and mid-60s in the South in January. The Winter Classic will enjoy the advantage of the roof on loanDepot Park, which may allow for the maintenance of the ice. However, Raymond James Stadium is fully outdoors, making it difficult to keep a large slab of ice frozen. It will certainly be interesting to see if these franchises can pull it off and if it’s ever worth doing again.
Trade rumors
Some of the best teams in the league from last season, including the Rangers, the Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks, have struggled this year and may look to shake things up. With that, some of the most notable players in the NHL will go to the transfer market.
It is rumored the Canucks will trade center Elias Pettersson after seven seasons with the team. Pettersson currently has 29 points off of 10 goals and 19 assists in 36 games played this season. His point tally ranks fourth on Vancouver’s roster and 106th in the league. There are a number of teams that would benefit greatly from acquiring the Swedish forward, but there are no teams that have directly expressed interest. As the trade deadline looms closer, expect a lot of conversation around Pettersson.
The Canucks’ center J.T. Miller has also been the topic of a number of trade rumors. However, the no-move clause in Miller’s contract — meaning he would have to approve of any attempt to trade him — could make things difficult. So far, Miller has been linked to the Rangers, although the Canucks declined the team’s initial offer and the Bruins, who are notably struggling offensively.
Rangers defender Ryan Lindgren may move to the Detroit Red Wings, per a prediction from hockey commentator Frank Seravalli. Lindgren will be an unrestricted free agent when his contract expires next season. The defenseman, along with his team, has struggled this season. His plus-minus is -5 compared to +22 and +29 the last two seasons. If the Rangers are hoping to shake things up and make the playoffs, perhaps Lindgren is where they should start.
Today and always, go Bruins — see you next week!
