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An American perspective of the 4-Nations Face-Off
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Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
James Turner
Jan 26, 2025, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 25, 2025, 23:51 EST
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With the Four Nations Face-Off on the horizon, I wanted to do a piece from the perspective of an American who also happens to be a Maple Leafs fan. Unlike me, I imagine most of Leafs Nation will support Team Canada in the tournament. I, on the other hand, will be pulling for the USA from the comfort of southern Ohio.

The Four Nations from an American perspective

It’s no secret that the passion for hockey is just different in Canada. ESPN and other mainstream US-based media outlets rarely prioritize NHL coverage. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t until I became a Leafs fan in my late teens that I first learned about the difference in hockey content here in the States compared to our good neighbours to the north. It’s one of the major reasons I gravitated toward the Leafs, as most teams simply did not produce enough content to satiate my appetite for constant hockey news and analysis. 
As an American Leafs fan, my view of the Four Nations will differ from most. Sure, I’ll root for the US, but not out of blind loyalty or unwavering patriotism. Having the current Leafs Captain on the squad makes it much easier. It’s a bit of a strange dichotomy. I am not sure what advertisements are aired in Canadian markets to promote the Four Nations, but the American TV spot heavily features Auston Matthews along with Matthew Tkachuk. He’s the literal face of Team USA in all the Four Nations promotional material.
It’s a phenomenon that Americans are unfamiliar with. All our major sports are represented internationally but to varying degrees. Major League Baseball has major Central and South American representation and a growing Asian contingent. European basketball players were once viewed as soft, or possessing a style that did not transfer well to the NBA. Foreign players like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki started to make a major impact in the early 2000s as the game started to evolve. Now, it has been seven seasons since an American-born player was named NBA MVP.
The NFL is the biggest sport in America by a wide margin. Even with initiatives in place to grow the game internationally, only about 3% of current NFL players were born outside of the US. Hockey is the NFL’s polar opposite in that regard. Canadian players comprise the biggest portion of NHL rosters, but the league comprises players from North America, Europe, and Asia. If not for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Russians could have compiled a team on par with the other Four Nations rosters. It would be impossible for the NFL to sponsor any form of international tournament like the NHL. 

Leafs in the Four Nations

The Maple Leafs are among just two teams that will have players on all Four Nations Face-Off teams (Florida being the other). This gives Leafs fans the unique privilege of seeing one of their own take the ice in every game (provided Jani Hakanpaa is back from injury in time). William Nylander will likely take a top-line role for Sweden, while Mitch Marner will represent Canada. 
The most compelling Leafs player for me–in the Four Nations and beyond–is Auston Matthews. He’s an absolute elite talent and arguably the most talented goal-scorer of his generation. He also happens to be the first American-born Captain in Maple Leafs history. That’s a huge deal. He’s my go-to excuse when some hockey-ignorant yankee makes an off-hand comment to me like, “Why would you root for a Canadian team?” I believe they think I’m either trolling or some kind of hipster. It’s neither of those–though I do have somewhat of a neck beard and a propensity for wearing flannel shirts. Either way, I can justify against naysayers by pointing out the Leafs have an American Captain. 

My Four Nations takeaways

It’s clear Canada has the most top-loaded squad in terms of superstar-level talent. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar, are just the tip of the iceberg. When Sidney Crosby projects to your team’s third line, I would say the Canadians are in good shape. The biggest discrepancy between the Canadian and American rosters might be in the crease. The trio of Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, and Sam Montembeault are solid but not spectacular (where’s Logan Thompson?).
On paper, the US looks solid as well. It’s inarguable they boast the best goaltender tandem of the four rosters (Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger), especially with injuries to Sweden’s goalies. Throw in two formidable sibling duos in the brothers Hughes and Tkachuk, and that’s a team that would give anyone difficulties. 
Overall, I give a slight edge to Team Canada. They simply have a stacked roster, especially at the top. However, when there is not just a Vezina winner, but a Hart trophy candidate in the net, that could drive the US to victory. Truthfully, I just hope the Four Nations is fun to watch and nobody–especially any Leafs player–gets injured.
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