The 4 Nations Face-Off is the primary alternative for best-on-best hockey within the males’s recreation because the World Cup of Hockey in 2016.
However an essential element is lacking on this match — among the largest stars within the recreation.
David Pastrnak. Leon Draisaitl. Roman Josi.
The issue with the 4 Nations Face-off is within the title: It solely contains 4 nations. Sweden and Finland stands out as the two powerhouses in Europe, however there are different up-and-coming nations on the nationwide scene.
As gimmicky as Group Europe could have been in 2016, it was a possibility to incorporate extra worldwide expertise. Now, over eight years later, it might have a complete new infusion of talent.
What would Group Europe appear to be within the 4 Nations Face-Off in February? Let’s have a look.
Quite a lot of groups purchase into the concept middle depth wins championships. In a match setting, which means two issues: stressing power down the center when it comes to roster building and having extra than simply 4 choices. That provides groups extra roster flexibility and damage replacements. As a substitute of getting 4 facilities on the prepared, groups are likely to have 5 or 6, shifting pivotal gamers to the wing for extra significant minutes. That line of pondering applies to Group Europe, with six gamers able to enjoying middle.
Since Leon Draisaitl’s final look for Group Europe again in 2016, he has developed his recreation to be greater than only a one-dimensional scoring menace. Draisaitl is an offensive powerhouse who has confirmed he can drive his personal line in Edmonton away from Connor McDavid. And he can elevate his recreation in high-pressure conditions, which ought to translate right here.
Behind him, Nico Hischier makes for a really perfect 2C who can go toe-to-toe with among the greatest on this planet. He’s an elite two-way middle who might be trusted in any scenario towards any competitors. The 3C place is the place Europe has an possibility between Tim Stützle and Anze Kopitar. Stützle is scoring at a career-high price with 3.72 factors per 60 by way of his first 27 video games. And in contrast to seasons previous, his defensive woes aren’t drowning out the offense he can generate; he has a 59 % anticipated aim price at five-on-five. Kopitar, just like his 2016 Group Europe expertise, can nonetheless be tasked with heavy utilization towards the opponents’ greatest; that’s the workload he’s nonetheless shouldering with Los Angeles at this time.
Kopitar’s shutdown presence is what offers him the slight edge to remain down the center, whereas Stützle will begin at wing for top-six deployment. However there’s at all times the choice to shift these gamers round if the workforce wants a recalibration mid-tournament.
Tomas Hertl rounds out the workforce down the center. His season has been removed from good in Vegas, however he makes the minimize for 2 key causes: penalty-killing capability and total physique of labor over the previous few years. Shorthanded capability is what earns Pavel Zacha a spot on this workforce because the sixth middle possibility. If particular groups weren’t part of the equation and choices had been made based mostly on this yr alone, Marco Rossi can be on this workforce.
Between Hischier, Kopitar, Hertl and Zacha, Europe has 4 penalty killers to rotate in. And the workforce’s thirteenth ahead, Pius Suter, might bounce into the combination as a shorthanded spark if wanted since Hertl isn’t killing penalties for Vegas this yr. Initially, Nino Niederreiter was going to be rewarded for his sturdy efforts this season because the thirteenth ahead, however Suter in the end will get the nod for his shorthanded capability. Plus, his presence provides a seventh middle possibility into the combination if wanted.
At middle, Rossi, Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger fall simply outdoors the roster bubble.
Stützle kicks off the left winger depth for this match. Timo Meier makes the workforce after rebounding from a disappointing 2023-24 in New Jersey. The shot quantity and high quality are again up, and so is his play under the floor. The Devils generate much more high quality offense in his minutes, which are usually alongside Hischier.
Nikolaj Ehlers rounds out the highest 9. He’s scoring at the perfect tempo of his profession with 25 factors in his first 24 video games. At his greatest, he’s a dependable offensive creator at five-on-five whose outcomes are likely to outpace his utilization. The playoff outcomes are the one pink flag, particularly if his recreation doesn’t translate to a extra aggressive setting. However his talent is value betting on right here.
Zacha’s penalty killing earns him that final spot and leaves JJ Peterka off the roster this time. Juraj Slafkovský, Ondrej Palat, and Martin Pospisil had been among the different contenders to narrowly miss.
Whereas Zacha slots onto the fourth line for Group Europe, his mainstay companion in Boston headlines the best aspect of the lineup.
Like Draisaitl, Pastrnak is without doubt one of the greatest NHLers to overlook this match, regardless of half of it happening in his yard in Boston. Pastrnak brings the high-end star energy Europe must cope with the USA and Canada.
So does Martin Nečas, whose accession to stardom this season makes him a slam-dunk decide for this match. Not solely is he racing to profession highs this season, he’s tied for the league lead in scoring with 42 factors in 27 video games.
Kevin Fiala earns a job on Group Europe regardless of a slower season. He isn’t as efficient on the scoresheet this season, neither is he bolstering the Kings’ offense relative to his teammates, however just like Hertl, his final couple of seasons strengthen his case to be right here.
Whereas he’s nonetheless sidelined with damage, Mats Zuccarello’s early-season efforts (and final couple of years) earn him a spot on Group Europe. He’s the one returning winger from the 2016 roster. If these accidents had been to carry him out of the match, Niederreiter, Rossi or Oliver Bjorkstrand would function replacements.
Roman Josi leads the way in which on protection. Not solely is he the one returning member of the 2016 roster, he’s the one lively NHLer left from that group. His presence is a no brainer.
Filip Hronek is aware of a factor or two about complementing Norris-caliber defensemen. He has been Quinn Hughes’ greatest companion but in Vancouver and will steadiness out the highest pair nicely. Hronek’s damage standing is an element since he’s on LTIR proper now, however he ought to return earlier than the match.
Jonas Siegenthaler and Moritz Seider make for a powerful shutdown presence on the second pair. Siengethaler is having a wonderful bounce-back yr in New Jersey, whereas Seider isn’t any stranger to powerful deployment. Seider may also be counted on to quarterback the second energy play unit, whereas Josi clearly will lead the primary.
JJ Moser rounds out the left aspect of the blue line. It places him on his pure aspect to begin the match but in addition offers the workforce choices in the event that they in the end need assistance on the best. Shifting sides has damage Moser’s recreation up to now, however he’s excelling alongside Victor Hedman on the best this yr in Tampa Bay. That progress in his recreation is an enormous motive why he is part of the workforce’s beginning six.
Moser’s Lightning teammate, Erik Cernak, rounds out the blue line. This pair can assist kill penalties and take among the burden off the second pair, contemplating how powerful matchups will probably be towards the USA and Canada’s depth.
Martin Fehervary makes the workforce because the seventh defenseman however would bounce into the beginning six as an damage alternative if Hronek isn’t prepared by February. Radko Gudas would then develop into the quantity seven.
Lukas Dostal is the bona fide No. 1 goaltender for Group Europe. He has saved 19 targets above anticipated in 15 video games, second within the league to solely Connor Hellebuyck. Dostal manages chaos higher than most goalies this yr, contemplating how terrible Anaheim has been defensively. He ought to have much more assist behind this blue line.
The hardest resolution comes behind Dostal. Elvis Merzlikins, Petr Mrázek, Vitek Vanecek and Alexandar Georgiev had been among the many selections. However Philipp Grubauer and Karel Vejmelka are the perfect accessible picks.
Grubauer has match expertise from 2016 and the championship expertise with the Capitals. Whereas he tends to lift his recreation within the playoffs, he doesn’t have the regular-season consistency to cement his place as this workforce’s No. 2. As a substitute, he opens the match because the No. 3 behind Vejmelka, who has stepped up in an enormous manner in Utah this yr and is enjoying the perfect hockey of his NHL profession.
GO DEEPER
Ranking the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters: America’s golden era is here
How would Group Europe stack as much as the rest of the world?
With a plus-115 Offensive Ranking, Europe has the chops to match as much as Sweden and Finland. However they don’t have the depth or star energy, on paper, to beat USA or Canada.
Up entrance, Europe has power down the center to stack as much as each the USA and Canada. However the workforce doesn’t measure up practically as nicely on the wing; Europe’s mixed worth on the wingers is nearer to Group Sweden.
Group Europe’s plus-25 Defensive Ranking is what holds them again relative to the competitors. The U.S., Canada and Sweden boast star-studded blue traces. And whereas Dostal is a really stable starter for this match, a lot of the competitors has stronger quantity twos in web.
Group Europe could not measure up as a favourite to another contenders within the 4 Nations match, however groups can at all times carry out higher than the sum of their elements. Simply take a look at how disruptive Europe and North America had been in 2016. However their presence would nonetheless serve an essential function — to make sure that it is a true best-on-best by together with among the largest stars in hockey.
Knowledge by way of Evolving-Hockey, NaturalStatTrick, HockeyStatCards, and Dom Luszczyszyn
(Prime picture of Leon Draisaitl on the 2019 world hockey championships: Martin Rose / Getty Photographs)
