NHL to stage 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025

Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid discuss how cool it will be for the U.S. and Canada to go head-to-head in the new "4 Nations Face-Off" International tournament, which also includes Finland and Sweden.

The NHL and NHLPA announced Friday they will hold a four-country tournament in February 2025, marking the first best-on-best international tournament since 2016.

Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden will compete in the event, which will take place in Montreal and Boston. The tournament will replace All-Star Weekend.

The 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off will consist of a total of seven games played over a nine-day period from Feb. 12 to 20, along with two designated training/practice days (Feb. 10 and Feb. 11)

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also said the league plans to stage a full World Cup of Hockey in 2028 and 2032.

The announcement came the same day the NHL confirmed its players will return to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030.

Canada beat Team Europe (European players not from Sweden, Finland, Russia or Czechia) in the World Cup of Hockey Final in Toronto. The tourney featured eight teams, including Team North America (23-and-under players from Canada and the U.S.).

NHL players last played in the Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 2014.

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