Grading the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters, plus snubs and surprises

When Bruins GM Don Sweeney and Blues GM Doug Armstrong are driving forces behind a team’s construction, there’s undoubtedly going to be some sandpaper on the roster. Sweeney has witnessed first-hand how Bennett can impact play (and opponents) during those Boston vs. Florida playoff series. Konecny had back-to-back 30-goal seasons to go along with a penchant for agitation.

At 22 years old, Jarvis fills the classic role of a talented young player gaining important experience ahead of an Olympics roster spot. Although, admittedly, we all thought that was going be another talented young player for Canada in this tournament…

Overall forwards grade: A-plus

Defensemen

Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche*
Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets
Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues
Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights
Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers
Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights
Devon Toews, Colorado Avalanche

The defense corps for the 2010 Canadian Olympic team was absolutely sick. Within a mix that included Shea Weber, Drew Doughty and Dan Boyle were two previously established pairings that Team Canada was able to simply import onto its roster: Blackhawks teammates Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, along with Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer from their days with the Ducks.

The tradition continues with Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Cale Makar and Devon Toews have been perhaps the NHL’s top defensive pairing over the last few seasons with the Avalanche. Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore have experience as a pairing with the Golden Knights; or, if Cooper wanted to mix it up, Pietrangelo and Parayko played together when the duo were together in St. Louis.

Some of these choices were quite predictable, including Morrissey from the Jets, who has 23 points in 26 games this season. Parayko and Sanheim might not have been on many fans’ radar for Team Canada roster spots, but both made sense in context. Sanheim has grown into a No. 1 defenseman for the Flyers, while Parayko brings size and physicality for a blue line that could use more of it against hard-charging forechecks like that of the Americans.

Overall defensemen grade: A-minus

Goaltenders

After months of debate, conjecture, lamenting and checking the citizenship status of Seattle Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, the Canadians have settled on these three netminders as their goaltending trio.

Binnington was never in doubt. He’s a Stanley Cup champion for the Blues with nearly 300 games of NHL experience. He might be the most eye test vs. analytics goalie in the league: Stathletes has him at minus-2.7 goals saved above expected, while St. Louis fans swear he saves their bacon on a nightly basis. (His save percentage is just under league average as well.)

Binnington is one of the few Canadian goalies that have thrived in pressure situations. Hill is another, having backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup in 2023. Hill was a classic “you don’t need to win us a series, just don’t lose it for us” playoff goaltender. Looking at the team in front of Binnington and Hill for this tournament, the same standard might apply.

Montembeault has improved after a really lousy start, and is just under expected via the analytics. He’s an insurance policy that Team Canada is hoping not to cash.

Overall goaltending grade: C-plus

Surprises

Brandon Hagel. The preseason roster projection for Team Canada had a few names that don’t appear on this roster, including two from the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers: McDavid’s linemates Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Nuge feels like he could have slotted in where Hagel is on this roster as a two-way, do-everything player, but he’s had a heck of a Stanley Cup Final hangover with just 12 points in 25 games. Hagel, meanwhile, has 29 points in 23 games during an outstanding start. Plus, Team Canada’s coach knows him pretty well.

Sam Montembeault. The Canadiens goaltender might have also been the beneficiary of the Oilers’ rough start. This seemed like a spot for Stuart Skinner, given how doggedly competitive he was during Edmonton run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season. But his extremely inconsistent play this season for the Oilers probably scared management away: If the mantra is “just don’t lose us the game,” it’s impossible for justify putting a goalie with minus-9.1 goals saved above expected on the roster. Hence, Montembeault makes the cut instead.

Colton Parayko. This was a name no one was talking about until about a week ago, when dribs and drabs of news about this roster started leaking out. Part of the initial shock about his selection was that no one’s really talked about Colton Parayko for about three seasons, outside of St. Louis and occasional trade deadline speculation. Once you get past that shock, you see the logic: right-handed, kills penalties, starts the vast majority of his shifts in the defending zone, knows Binnington’s tendencies and has experience with Pietrangelo.

Travis Sanheim. While Flyers teammate Travis Konecny made sense from a “pest who can score” perspective given the teams Canada will be facing, Sanheim getting the nod here was unexpected. Players like Evan Bouchard, Calgary’s MacKenzie Weegar, New Jersey’s Dougie Hamilton and others were in the mix. But he’s been outstanding for the Flyers this season, including 25:30 in average ice time per game, which is fourth in the NHL.

Snubs

Connor Bedard, F, Chicago Blackhawks. ‘Twas a time when Canada decided to go with a veteran team in an international tournament, which meant leaving a teenage phenom off the roster in a move that would come back to haunt them after a disastrous showing that fell well short of a championship.

The year was 2006 and the Turin Olympics, where Canada didn’t even play for a medal. The player was Sidney Crosby.

So Connor Bedard has good company in being snubbed by the national team at 19 years old. Of course, this is only considered a snub because everyone assumed Bedard would ride shotgun with Canada’s greatest players to prepare him for 2026 and beyond. Based on merit and performance, Bedard hasn’t earned a spot on this team: His five goals through 25 games are one of the most disappointing stats for any player this NHL season, although he does have 19 points in total. Some of that can be attributed to the Blackhawks being so lousy, but not all of it. His incremental improvement on his defense wasn’t enough to warrant a spot in the bottom six.

(In contrast, Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber, who finished second to Bedard in the Calder Trophy voting, continues to progress to the point where he earned a Team USA roster spot.)

Look, Canada’s not here to entertain us. They’re here to win a round-robin tournament against three really good teams. But we’d be lying if we said that not having the reigning rookie of the year, a phenom on an Original Six team and a future Team Canada star in this tournament is a bit of a bummer. It’s still a midseason exhibition tournament and Bedard is still worth the price of admission — especially with all of these potential superstar linemates.

Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers. Bouchard had 82 points last season in 81 games. That’s incredible. In the playoffs, he had 32 points in 25 games for a plus-14 to lead all postseason players. That’s remarkable. And yet, Evan Bouchard is not on Team Canada.

If the argument that those point totals are a product of having McDavid and/or Leon Draisaitl on the ice when Bouchard is compiling them, that’s not an argument against his inclusion here. It’s an argument that he can excel with and enhance the performance of elite talent, which would seem pertinent to this endeavor. He’s a great puck-mover and an outstanding passer.

It may have ended up being a numbers game. Morrissey and Sanheim likely provided more well-rounded games than Bouchard, while Canada obviously wasn’t keen to leave Toews or Theodore off the roster given their partners. Maybe 2026 will be a different story for Bouchard if he keeps improving the totality of his game. Or perhaps his one dimension will be enough then.

Zach Hyman, F, Edmonton Oilers. It’s hard to bypass a winger who has potted 90 goals in the last two seasons with Team Canada’s No. 1 center. But that becomes a bit easier when that winger follows up a 54-goal campaign on McDavid’s flank with three goals in 20 games, while currently missing time with an undisclosed injury.

Alexis Lafreniere, F, New York Rangers. The 23-year-old winger had 28 goals in 82 games last season and has 17 points in 24 games this season — a bit off the point-per-game projections many had for him. He’s not quite there yet defensively at 5-on-5 and doesn’t get anywhere near a penalty kill, so a bottom-six role didn’t fit.

Mark Scheifele, F, Winnipeg Jets. This has to sting for Scheifele, who started the season with 13 goals in 26 games and 27 total points on the juggernaut Jets. While U-24 Team North America World Cup teammates like McDavid, Parayko, and MacKinnon all graduated to play for Team Canada, Scheifele was passed over here for a confluence of reasons. He wasn’t going to crack the top six. His defense has always been the subject of criticism, so a bottom-six role wasn’t likely. But that was especially the case when Canada decided tailor the lower part of its roster with a player like Cirelli. So Scheifele remains at the kids’ table, despite now being 31.

Logan Thompson, G, Washington Capitals. For a national team that thought so long and hard about who could solidify the weakest part of their roster, not selecting Logan Thompson as a Team Canada goalie is a bit of a head-scratcher.

Thompson, 27, is 10-1-2 this season, with a .913 save percentage and 6.2 goals saved above average. Perhaps they credit coach Spencer Carbery’s system with Thompson’s breakout season. More likely, Team Canada was scared off by his lack of experience: Just four NHL playoff games in his career, and four world championship games in 2021-22. Although please note that Montembeault has yet to appear in the playoffs.

Steven Stamkos, F, Nashville Predators. After getting snubbed for the Olympics in 2014, Stamkos finally suited up for Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup. There was some expectation he would do it again for the 4 Nations Face-Off, but his challenging start in Nashville — seven goals, six assists and a minus-14 through 25 games — probably scuttled that.

Overall team grade: A-minus

The path to victory for Team Canada is to play so well in front of its average goaltending that the goaltending being so average isn’t a factor. They obviously have the roster to pull that off, from the generation talents and accomplished two-way players at forward to two stout defensive pairings on the blue line that can combine to play 50 minutes of the game if needed.

What Canada has that their American counterparts lack is significant championship experience. Sure, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel and Jake Guentzel have Stanley Cup rings. They don’t have Crosby. They don’t have the holdovers from the 2016 World Cup. They don’t even have a goalie that played for a Stanley Cup on their roster, while Canada has two who won it.

But those Stanley Cup rings aren’t worth the diamonds that encrust them when it comes to the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canada needs competent goaltending in this tournament. If Canada gets that, it could add another trophy to the case given everything else this team has going for it, from McDavid to Makar to perhaps the NHL’s best coach in Cooper.

FINLAND

Note: Players are listed alphabetically within each position group. Players listed with an asterisk were on the original selection lists in June.

Forwards

Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes*
Joel Armia, Montreal Canadiens
Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers*
Mikael Granlund, San Jose Sharks
Erik Haula, New Jersey Devils
Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars
Kaapo Kakko, New York Rangers
Patrik Laine, Montreal Canadiens
Artturi Lehkonen, Colorado Avalanche
Anton Lundell, Florida Panthers
Eetu Luostarinen, Florida Panthers
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche*
Teuvo Teräväinen, Chicago Blackhawks

Having Barkov and Rantanen is an excellent starting point for building out a forward group. Since 2020-21, only four players in the NHL have more points than Rantanen’s 402 in 315 games. He can score goals and create them, a menace at both even strength and the power play. Please note that Rantanen does not have a contract beyond this season. Dropping the mic at 4 Nations with a team-best performance would be a strong argument for earning the blockbuster bucks he’s seeking.

Barkov, meanwhile, is in the conversation for best all-around player in the NHL. His play during the Panthers’ Stanley Cup run last season underscored what an absolute gamer Barkov is when the pressure is on and the opponents are challenging. As his Patrice Bergeron-esque run of Selke Trophies might be starting, Barkov is also an immovable object in the offensive zone.

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The other two names here that are vital to Finland’s offense are Aho, putting up another season of better than a point-per-game pace; and Laine, who recently returned from injury for the Canadiens. Aho’s goal-scoring pace has taken a hit this season, but he’s still a dangerous playmaker. Laine is one of the better pure scorers on this roster — and frankly, an exceptionally compelling player from a personal standpoint, given all he’s experienced with his mental health and the honesty with which he’s discussed it.

The rest of this group has players that have surged this season like Granlund (10 goals in 26 games); dependable two-way threats like Teräväinen and Hintz (10 goals in 23 games and a plus-58 over the past three seasons); and a slew of experienced, talented grinders who are tenaciously annoying to play against, like Haula and Lehkonen.

Two players ready for their spotlight moment: Lundell, the 23-year-old “Baby Barkov” on the Panthers; and Kakko, rewarding the Rangers’ patience with 13 points in 24 games this season and some solid play. But seeing Kakko earn this roster spot is also a reminder that the Finnish forward depth doesn’t compare to that of the other teams in this tournament.

Still, a very tough group to compete against, as is this proud hockey nation’s lineage.

Overall forwards grade: B

Defensemen

Jani Hakanpää, Toronto Maple Leafs
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars*
Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars*
Niko Mikkola, Florida Panthers
Olli Määttä, Utah Hockey Club
Rasmus Ristolainen, Philadelphia Flyers
Juuso Välimäki, Utah Hockey Club

When Heiskanen and Lindell have played together in Dallas this season, they’ve posted an outstanding expected goals percentage of 59.5%. But Heiskanen’s scoring output is a bit down this season, particularly on the power play, where he has three points in in 24 games despite a team best 3:22 of ice time with the man advantage per game.

Ristolainen and Mikkola bring considerable size to the back end and will help on the penalty kill, as will Hakanpää. Välimäki is a good puck-moving defenseman.

Määttä is 30 years old but feels like he’s been around for about 20 seasons: He won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins, and Olympic bronze in Sochi along with Barkov and Granlund. Utah acquired him from Detroit after injuries to their blue line, and he has given them a solid 20 minutes per game.

It’s not a group with considerable depth or offensive pop, but they do have some players who will make the other three teams pay a physical price.

Overall defensemen grade: C

Goaltenders

Saros leads the NHL in goals saved above expected (11.9) through 21 games, where he also has a .911 save percentage. Whatever has malfunctioned in Nashville this season is decidedly not his fault. Of the goalies here, he’s the star and the only one who can be counted on to win a game on his own.

Luukkonen has that ability too, depending on the night. Consistency can be a challenge for the talented 25-year-old, but he’s coming off a breakout season in Buffalo and has played well again in 2024-25.

Lankinen’s underlying numbers find him playing just below expected, but Vancouver fans couldn’t care less. He has given the Canucks 18 games at a time when Thatcher Demko is injured and Arturs Silovs has turned back into a pumpkin. His 12-3-3 record and .906 save percentage are more than enough to earn him a spot on this roster.

All that said: We’re a long way away from the two-headed monster of Tuukka Rask and Pekka Rinne that commanded the Finnish crease at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The Swedish forwards can be described as a veteran group with a considerably high ceiling.

Only two players were born after 1998: Carlson (19 years old) and Raymond (22). Both players have exceptional offensive skill despite their inexperience. Also bringing the elite skill: Pettersson, Forsberg, Bratt and Nylander. All of them are game-changers who are dangerous on any shift. Forsberg brings some national team experience, as well as an exceptional mustache.

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Kempe is right there with this group, having scored at a point-per-game pace. Nyquist and Arvidsson have a wealth of experience as veteran wingers — in fact, The Goose played in the 2014 Olympics for Sweden.

Sweden has some accomplished two-way forwards on the roster in Eriksson Ek, Karlsson and Lindholm, all of whom can thrive in different roles.

The key to the lineup is going to be the center spot. The Canadians and Americans are incredibly deep at that position. The Swedes have Pettersson, Zibanejad, Lindholm, Karlsson, Eriksson Ek and Carlsson if necessary in the middle. If they can find a foursome that holds its own or outplays either the U.S. or Canada, the Swedes will be in business.

An aside: Would Zibanejad have made Team Sweden if he hadn’t been one of the initial six players named to the roster in June by their hockey federation? Given his iconic status among Swedes and his 18 points in 24 games, probably. But he has been perhaps the Rangers’ worst defensive forward this season, skating to a minus-14 in 24 games. It would have been an interesting debate.

This is going to be a puck possession group that boasts some speedy skill and strong finishers. But unlike when the Sedins ruled this part of the roster, there isn’t one line you can count on for sustained dominance. And this group isn’t in the same conversation with the offensive talent the Americans and Canadians are rolling out in this tournament.

Overall forwards grade: B-minus

play

Mika Zibanejad: ‘It’s an honor’ to play for Team Sweden

Mika Zibanejad details the feelings he has suiting up for Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Defensemen

Any defense that can deploy Hedman and Forsling on their top two pairings is doing pretty good for itself. The expectation is that the Lightning captain will be paired with Dahlin while Forsling will play with the adventure that is Erik Karlsson, although obviously we hope this ends up being Karlsson with Hedman, so they can conjure their inner pirates.

Logic would then dictate that Ekholm, the savvy 34-year-old who has finally earned his flowers after being traded to Edmonton in 2023, will be paired with Andersson, who has 15 points in 26 games for the surprising Flames. Brodin waits in the wings.

Just a ton of experience here, especially in the postseason. The wild card is Karlsson. Yeah, most of Pittsburgh says he’s washed. But give the 34-year-old three or four games in a short-track tournament while repping the Tre Kronor, and he could rekindle that offensive magic. Karlsson’s been a national team star in the past, including eight points in six games in the 2014 Olympics.

Overall defensemen grade: B

Goaltenders

If you’re going on the merits of the entire NHL season, Gustavsson should have the Swedish crease. He’s fourth in goals saved above expected (via Money Puck) and has been the backbone of the Wild’s scorching start in the West.

But Markström is starting to find his form for the Devils. He was a part of Swedish world championship and World Cup of Hockey teams. The 34-year-old has the experience edge — Gustavsson has five postseason appearances to Markström’s 26 — and the ability to take over when he’s on.

Before the season, this was Ullmark’s crease. But his time in Ottawa has been mediocre at best and a bust at worst: .888 save percentage, a record below .500 and in the negative in goals saved above expected.

Overall goaltending grade: B

Surprises

Viktor Arvidsson. The 31-year-old winger got the nod over some younger Swedish forwards, despite his injury-plagued lackluster season in Edmonton (five points in 16 games). When healthy, he’s a solid, complementary offensive winger whom the Swedes can pair with any of their centers.

Gustav Nyquist. The Predators winger wasn’t even in the conversation for a roster spot according to many Team Sweden projections. But the 35-year-old is a proven goal scorer with considerable international experience: The 2014 Olympics, and three world championship appearances. His 15 goals in 27 games at worlds might have outweighed his middling 2024-25 season with Nashville (six goals in 25 games).

Snubs

William Eklund, F, San Jose Sharks. The real stunner here. There were multiple reports in Swedish media that the 22-year-old winger had made the cut for Team Sweden. Despite 23 points in 27 games this season, he’s not on the roster. But national team director Anders Lundberg clearly skewed this roster older, as just three players were born after the year 2000. Was Eklund seen as a defensive liability? Was Lundberg concerned about him wilting in the spotlight? Whatever the justification, that’s a whole lot of offense sitting back home during the tournament — and a roster “sure thing” who turned out to be anything but that.

Hampus Lindholm, D, Boston Bruins. One of the more prominent names left off the roster, there is at least justification for Lindholm not to make the cut. The 30-year-old has been limited to 17 games this season because of a lower-body injury, which Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco said could sideline him for weeks. How many weeks? No one’s sure. Rather than play the waiting game, Sweden went with its other blue-line options, such as Minnesota’s Jonas Brodin, instead.

Fabian Zetterlund, F, San Jose Sharks. Zetterlund isn’t as young as his teammate Eklund, at 25 years old, but he just came into his own last season after coming over from New Jersey in the 2023 Timo Meier trade. He scored 24 goals in 82 games last season and followed up with 19 points (including nine goals) through 27 games this season. Analytics indicate he is one of the most effective Sharks forwards offensively, although his defense isn’t nearly as good. Another strong offensive player who couldn’t make the cut.

Overall team grade: B

The Swedes have what it takes to pull an upset or two in this tournament, given their experience and the potential of their goaltending. Throw in some of the shutdown types they boast at forward and two solid defensive pairings, and one could see Sweden playing the U.S. or Canada tightly until someone like Pettersson, Bratt, Nylander or — yes, indeed — Erik Karlsson has their moment. As usual, count the Swedes out at your own peril.

United States

Note: Players are listed alphabetically within each position group. Players listed with an asterisk were on the original selection lists in June.

Forwards

Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights*
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs*
J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers*
Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers

The last great championship moment for USA Hockey — world junior championships notwithstanding — was in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was also one of the most impressive assemblages of talent in the nation’s history: Hockey Hall of Famers like Brian Leetch, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull and Phil Housley; star scorers like Keith Tkachuk and John LeClair; and at least one future general manager in Bill Guerin.

The top two centers on that team were Mike Modano and Pat Lafontaine, and you’d be hard-pressed to find another one-two punch with that kind of potency in the program’s history. Until, potentially, now.

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Matthews is already one of the most prolific goal-scoring centers in NHL history. Eichel has blossomed into a two-way superstar in Vegas, a driving force behind a Stanley Cup win. If you wanted to swap Eichel for Jack Hughes, fine: Now Matthews is playing in front of an absolute puck wizard whose defensive game continues to improve annually.

This might be the most talented group of scorers the U.S. has ever put together for an international tournament. The tenacity and skill of the Tkachuk brothers. The scoring prowess of Connor and Guentzel, who have excelled in top-line roles for years. Boldy and Larkin bring more offensive depth. Miller, assuming his off-ice issues are resolved, is that rare player that can pop 103 points, get Selke Trophy votes and be the most physical player on the ice.

This is the first group since at least 1996 that feels like it could have equal footing with the Canadians from a talent perspective. The U.S. had even more young offensive players with whom they could have populated the roster. But GM Guerin went in a slightly different direction: Rather than hope that young players known for scoring could adapt into new roles with lower ice time, he picked veteran players already adept at those roles — who can also fill the net.

Assuming he’s healthy, Kreider is a valuable asset on the power play and the penalty kill. Nelson and Trocheck are players who can be cast in a variety of roles. It’s certainly a choice to leave home some of the most accomplished young scorers in the NHL, but this is hardly the kind of egregious overcompensation we’ve seen from USA Hockey in the past, where skill players were snubbed for gritty blue-collar forwards because the Miracle on Ice gave brain worms to three decades of U.S. national team executives. These “grunts” have 30-goal seasons to their credits.

This group has been a generation in the making, the one that watched players like Patrick Kane in the Olympics and wondered what would happen if there were six more guys like him on Team USA. Wonder no more.

Overall forwards grade: A

Defensemen

Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Adam Fox, New York Rangers*
Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks*
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins*
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

While there was debate about the forwards, both philosophically and positionally, the top six defensemen for Team USA were really never in doubt.

Hughes and Fox are Norris Trophy winners who excel in both zones, quarterback a power play and log considerable minutes. It’s assumed they’ll each anchor a pairing, perhaps putting Hughes with McAvoy and Fox with Jaccob Slavin. (Wonder if Adam Fox and a current Carolina Hurricane have anything to reminisce about?)

Like the rest of his team, McAvoy has had a substandard season with 10 points in 27 games, but remains one of the NHL’s better blueliners. Slavin has also had a rough go of it this season, as the Hurricanes average 2.67 expected goals against per 60 minutes with him on the ice. His stats relative to his teammates don’t blow you away. But like McAvoy, there’s just too much outstanding play in Slavin’s history not to put him on this roster as one of the NHL’s best defensive D-men.

Werenski, 27, is one of those players whose greatness was been obscured by injuries and playing on some also-ran Blue Jackets teams. But he has grabbed the spotlight — and a roster spot here — with 26 points in 24 games, skating to a plus-11.

Faber, 22, isn’t just here because his boss put together the team. He was second behind Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy last season, has 13 points in 25 games this season and logs a ton of ice time (24:51). Sure, you could argue that a second-year defenseman hasn’t earned it yet. We’d argue that he has, and that using this experience to inform his performance when it really matters — on the 2026 Olympic national team — is well worth the roster spot.

Hanifin closes out the group, having won over management despite some other worthy candidates.

Overall defensemen grade: A-minus

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

It’s not hyperbolic to say that Hellebuyck is the best goaltender in hockey. He’s 15-5-0 with a .927 save percentage and three shutouts for the Jets, coming off his second Vezina Trophy win last season. There are just some nights when opposing teams and fans shrug and say, “We got Hellebuyck’d.” That was the sort of reaction that legends like Dominik Hasek used to evoke.

Oettinger is another goalie who can win a game on his own, as he has done in the playoffs. He has a 13-4-0 record with a .915 save percentage, with 6.8 goals saved above expected. Were it not for Hellebuyck, he’s probably the starter.

Thatcher Demko’s injury misfortune is a break for Swayman. The Canucks goalie is probably No. 3 on the American depth chart, but has yet to play this season because of a lower-body injury. Swayman, 26, missed training camp because of a prolonged contract negotiation with Boston and is only now rounding back into form. Overall, he has an .892 save percentage and leads the NHL in goals allowed. Being part of this trio could help him for the 2026 Olympics, and while the U.S. had other options — Dustin Wolf, Anthony Stolarz, Charlie Lindgren, Joey Daccord — seriously, the U.S. can’t swing a trade with Canada for one of these guys? — it’s not like Swayman hasn’t proved his case in years past.

Overall goaltending grade: A-plus

Surprises

Noah Hanifin. A mild surprise. The top six defensemen for the U.S. were fairly cemented coming into this process, especially with the way that Werenski closed the deal this season in Columbus. But the final roster spot had a handful of contenders. There was John Carlson, at 34 having a resurgent season with the Capitals and a 2014 Olympian. There was Jake Sanderson, 22, the promising blueliner with the Senators. There was 29-year-old Neal Pionk, who is having a good season with the Jets. And then there was Hanifin, the 27-year-old D-man logging 21 minutes per game in Vegas. He has not had a particular stellar season defensively, but the brain trust saw enough to add him here.

Brock Nelson. Within context, Nelson makes complete sense. He’s a Swiss Army knife who can play up or down the lineup, at center or on the wing, win faceoffs, play on either the power play or the penalty kill. He’s a guy who has played 14 minutes per game and 19 minutes per game, and the fluctuation in ice time or role has never resulted in a lack of effort. To have all of that and the ability to score 34 or more goals — which he’s done for three straight seasons — made him an obvious veteran fit for Guerin and the brain trust.

Vincent Trocheck. Last season’s run to the conference finals was probably the clincher for Trocheck. As Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said about his center: “He touches every part of the game.” In the regular season, he was second on the Rangers behind his linemate Artemi Panarin with 77 points (25 goals, 52 assists) in 82 games. He was New York’s leading scorer in the postseason (20 points in 16 games). Like Nelson, this is a player who can thrive up or down the lineup. That he excelled in the most pressure-packed time of the hockey season only bolstered his case. Don’t forget: Rangers GM Chris Drury is an assistant GM for this team. Never a bad thing to have an advocate behind closed doors.

Snubs

Cole Caufield, F, Montreal Canadiens. With 16 goals in 25 games, Caufield cemented his status as one of the most dynamic young American scorers in the NHL. But that offensive spark is counterbalanced by his being a defensive liability — Montreal averages 3.2 expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 with Caufield on the ice. Simply put: He wasn’t going to crack the top six, and USA Hockey clearly wanted to have a certain kind of experienced, defensive-oriented player in the bottom six. That’s not Caufield. If we wanted to boil it down to a 1-for-1 scenario: Matt Boldy is a more well-rounded player than Caufield at this point.

Clayton Keller, F, Utah Hockey Club. The Utah center has 22 points in 25 games, coming off back-to-back 30-goal campaigns. He has put in the time with USA Hockey, whether it was coming up through the National Team Development Program or playing in world juniors or competing at worlds. Slightly below average defense and a lack of penalty-killing probably hurt him, but Keller seemed like the kind of player amenable to a new role on a deeply talented team. Team USA opted to hand that role to someone already playing it instead.

Tage Thompson, F, Buffalo Sabres. This is where roster-building philosophy collides with pure offensive dynamism. Thompson is a 6-foot-6, point-per-game center for the Sabres, two years removed from a 47-goal campaign. Although he has been better at 5-on-5 this season under coach Lindy Ruff, defense is not one of Thompson’s virtues: He stinks on faceoffs and doesn’t kill penalties. Like Caufield, he didn’t crack the top six, and got caught up in the philosophical approach to this roster, wherein a Nelson or a Trocheck was seen as more vital to success than a tall center who can score. This is one of those snubs where you look like a genius if things go right, or a fool if the U.S. loses 1-0 to Canada while Tage Thompson is watching from his living room.

Overall team grade: A

This is the team for which American fans have been waiting. Previous national teams have had a few scattered offensive stars. This one has superstars and scoring threats on every line. The U.S. used to have solid defensemen who played their roles. This one has two Norris winners. The U.S. has always had strong goaltenders, whether it was Ryan Miller or Jonathan Quick or Mike Richter. They’ve never had this kind of depth.

Even with Guerin turning over some roster spots to veteran role players, success will still require highly skilled young players to modulate their games and their ice time. It will require maturity and calm under pressure. If coach Mike Sullivan can get this roster to jell, if they can pass the chemistry test … there’s a chance that a version of this group can do something in 2026 that no American men’s hockey team has done since 1980.

But first thing’s first: Winning the 4 Nations Face-Off and, in the process, sending a message to Canada that the balance of power is shifting.