The NHL and NHLPA are staging the Four Nations face-off tournament in place of the All-Star Game. It will be scheduled to run from February 12th through February 20th.
The decision to skip the all-star game this year is to help showcase high-caliber star talent in a competitive international tournament. This will be a round-robin tournament that will feature four nations that includes Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. Read on for more information on the four nations face-off tournament.
Four Nations Face-off
Embed from Getty Images EmbedThe four nations’ face-off games will be held in North America splitting games between Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston, even though the original plan was to play internationally. The four teams are facing off in a total of seven games four in Montreal and three in Boston including the championship game. The first game will be on February 12th when Canada takes on Sweden. Then the next day the USA will play Finland.
Each team will consist of the top 23 NHL players from respective countries. The players will be selected based on their performance during the season leading up to the event. There are some excellent players on the rosters, and it will be fun to watch them play. It’s a surprise shake-up for the NHL that they hope pays off.
More Information
Standard code Embed from Getty ImagesThe format features three games per team with the top two teams playing in a winner-take-all- all final game. Teams will receive three points for a regulation win, two points for overtime or shoot-out, and zero points for a regulation loss. It will be similar- to the NHL point system where the records will be based on how many points they have earned. Also, they will be playing with NHL regulation rules which should keep from there being too much confusion.
The tournament gives NHL fans a chance to watch their favorite players compete for national glory rather than personal accolades. However, it does mean that regular season play will stop to accommodate the event, which concerns many and raises injury risks.
This unique competition creates an exciting replacement for the All-Star game, bringing together the best talent from the world’s top hockey nations. The Four Nations face-off promises high-paced, intense games that will bring an extra competitive edge. Stay tuned for more NHL news and stories.
Featured Image: Photo by Mark Blinch/NHLI via Getty Images
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