The Four Nations Tournament was one of the most anticipated ice hockey competitions in 2025. The National Hockey League (NHL) hosted the competition, featuring only NHL players. The tournament replaced the All-Star Game and saw teams representing the United States, Canada, Finland, and Sweden.
Each team plays each other in a round-robin format. Then, the two highest-ranking teams compete in the final. The Four Nations Tournament was held from February 12 – 20, 2025. If you missed it, don’t worry—we’ll cover all the excitement in this article.
Tournament Format and Rules
The tournament featured four teams, each with 23 NHL players. Each team was made up of three goalies and 20 skaters. Canada is famous for its offensive firepower, while the United States boasts skilled, strong, and fast players. Sweden’s players have exceptional defense, and Finland has elite goaltending.
The Round-Robin Stage
Each team played against the other team, ensuring they played three games each. The two with the highest points at the end advance to the championship round. Participants get one point for an overtime (or shootout loss), two points for an overtime (or shootout win), and three points for a regulation win.
The Championship Game
The best two teams from the round-robin stage compete in a single-game final. When the NHL announced the tournament, all four teams were ranked in the top six by the IIHF.
Key Matches and Results
The competitions were held at the TD Garden in Boston and Bell Center in Montreal. Explore the game schedule and results in the table below:
| Date | Teams | Result |
| February 13 | Canada vs Sweden | 4:3 (Overtime) |
| February 14 | USA vs Finland | 6:1 |
| February 15 | Finland vs Sweden | 4:3 (Overtime) |
| February 16 | USA vs Canada | 3:1 |
| February 17 | Canada vs Finland | 5:3 |
| February 18 | Sweden vs USA | 2:1 |
| February 21 (Final) | Canada vs USA | 3:2 (Overtime) |
Canada vs USA – The Final to Remember
The showdown between Canada and the United States will be one of the best finals. Canada is the current world number one, and the United States is fourth in the global ranking. Nonetheless, the United States edged Canada out of the first-place spot in the Round-robin group matches by a point. As a result, fans expected a fierce matchup. True to this, they were not disappointed.
The USA won their group stage fixture against Canada 3:1. Understandably, supporters wanted a similar result. On the Canadian side, fans saw it as a perfect moment for revenge. The first 20 minutes happened so fast, with both teams trading scoring chances. Canada struck first, with Nathan MacKinnon putting one past USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. The United States responded quickly by capitalizing on a defensive miscue, tying it before the break.
Both teams adjusted their defense in the second period. Due to this, there were fewer high-danger scoring chances. Yet, Jake Sanderson found the back of the net to give the Americans the lead.
Canada’s resilience came through in the third period, as it scored with under seven minutes remaining. In the final minutes of regulation, we witnessed several high-tension moments, with both teams having chances to win the game. A clutch save by the Canadian goalie prevented Auston Matthews from scoring a match-winner.
Due to its 3-on-3 format, overtime saw more end-to-end action. Three minutes into overtime, Connor McDavid netted the golden goal, sending fans into crazy euphoria.
Star Players and Standout Performances
- Conor McDavid became a national hero after delivering when it mattered the most. He showcased his legendary speed to seal the game.
- Canada’s Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots, including the last 20 in a row. Coincidentally, he won the Stanley Cup as a rookie for the St. Louis Blues on the same ice.
- Brady Tkachuk, Nathan MacKinnon, Jake Sanderson, and Sam Bennett scored for both teams.
- Zach Werenski (6), Connor McDavid (5), and Sidney Crosby (5) led the tournament in points.
- USA’s Connor Hellebuyck saved 22 shots in regulation and three extra shots in the overtime.
- Connor Hellebuyck has the highest save percentage (.932) despite playing one less game than Jordan Binnington (.907).
Fan Reactions and Global Impact
The Four Nations Tournament was hosted despite tensions between the USA and their neighboring Canada. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about turning Canada into the USA’s 51st state. Justin Trudeau posted on X, “You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game.” Canadians also booed the United States whenever they sang their national anthem. In response, Boston fans booed “O Canada.”
The competition became more popular than most people anticipated. Even better, winning was personal for the Canadians who felt aggrieved. Fans poured over the boards to celebrate and ran out of their seats. The pubs and jam-packed bars also witnessed rowdy celebrations.
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According to many, no best-on-best competition has come close to this since the 2016 World Cup. Plus, it signals the beginning of more extraordinary things with the National Football League’s return to the Olympics next year.