Instead of the usual All-Star Weekend affairs, the NHL will take a short hiatus in mid-February to see some of the best players from the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland compete in the NHL 4 Nations Face Off. Each team will play the other in a round-robin format, with the two teams with the most points advancing to a one-game final to determine the best of the best.
The first six players for each side have already been named, with the rest of the rosters to be released in the near future. This week, a debate began after Oilers captain Connor McDavid, one of the six players already set to represent Canada, was asked who the captain should be for Team Canada. McDavid answered Sidney Crosby, leading to others offering their predictions as to who will don the "C" for the four countries. Here is who I think should be wearing the letter for each country.
Sweden - Victor Hedman
This feels like a two-player race between a pair of generational defensemen. While Erik Karlsson would make sense, Victor Hedman is the obvious selection. The newly named captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning has been a staple on their blueline for 16 seasons, winning the Norris in 2018 and being named a finalist five other times.
Hedman has never captained Sweden, but he has an extensive history representing them in major tournaments. He wore an "A" when Sweden won gold at the 2017 World Championship, along with a pair of silvers at the World Juniors in 2008 and 2009. As a pillar of consistency on some great Tampa teams, Hedman should be the clear choice.
Finland - Aleksander Barkov
Finland also has what I consider to be an easy choice. No Finnish captain had ever hoisted the Stanley Cup until Aleksander Barkov did it in June with the Florida Panthers. Among the six players released to be part of Finland's roster, Barkov is the only player with any experience with the "C." This should be a lay-up for the Finnish squad.
Barkov is another player with ample international experience, representing his country at both the junior and senior levels. He earned bronze at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, though he missed most of the tournament after suffering an injury. He also won silver in 2016 at the World Championships.
Canada - Sidney Crosby
While Connor McDavid would be a good choice, I agree with McDavid that it should be Sidney Crosby. Frankly, for it to be anyone other than Crosby would feel wrong. He's one of, if not, the best player of his generation, climbing up the all-time points leaderboard in Year 20.
McDavid would be the only other reasonable choice in my mind, given his status as the consensus top player in the league. However, when the best player says it should be someone else, especially someone with the pedigree of Crosby, I would listen. Crosby has experience captaining Canada to gold. Plus, who could forget the Golden Goal in 2010 at the Olympics?
United States - Auston Matthews
Of the four countries competing in February, the United States has the toughest pick for its captain. There is no clear-cut choice, especially among the six players already selected. Three of them already have experience captaining teams in the NHL.
I think the decision will come down to Quinn Hughes and Auston Matthews, but the Leafs captain would be my pick. Matthews is the face of hockey in the United States. He's already one of the best snipers in the league, coming off a 69-goal season in 2023-24, and one of the most recognizable names in the sport. It's a tough call, but Matthews has earned it.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this plays out, whether this tournament is something that becomes a regular occurrence, and whether more teams are added in the future. The current geopolitical climate makes Russia's exclusion a bummer, especially with the wealth of Russian talent in the NHL. I hope this tournament becomes a smashing success and provides a sustainable alternative to NHL All-Star Weekend.