Predicting The 4 Nations Face-Off Lineups

With the season starting tomorrow I thought I'd rip some 4 Nations Face-Off lineup predictions before we get underway.

[@GoatCaufield13]

Team NA(U23) would've been nice to watch with guys like Jarvis, Lafrenière, Fantilli, Johnston, Mctavish, Cooley, Hutson, Power, Clarke, Byfield, Stankoven, Roy... etc

[@MikeBartner]

Agreed need that at the next World Cup

[@ryanross706]

Bedard

[@camerona6644]

@@GoatCaufield13Canada is in North America lol

[@camerona6644]

@@GoatCaufield13 team NA was U23 American and Canadians, that’s why mcdavid wasn’t on Canada

[@gabrielkrzysiak7497]

“Roy” lmfao

[@michaelkeller5927]

Goddam count: 9 My dude drops "goddams" like flanders says "diddly"

[@MikeBartner]

HAAHHAHAHAH

[@heefo]

That FInland center depth might be the most defensively responsible 4 ever put on one team together.

[@tucksedo5140]

Weegar is a great defensive defencemen. For Canada. Absolutely snubbed imo.

[@ItsAutoMattic]

I wouldn't be surprised if byfield makes team Canada over someone like RNH

[@MikeBartner]

Definitely possible

[@marcroy5089]

Bold statement

[@SuRgE_Decay]

no Thomas for canada is ridiculous

[@Jooseppi420]

Luostarinen is a lock 4th liner!!!!!

[@Markkanen340k]

@@Jooseppi420 excacly

[@djardine2520]

The US and Canadian teams are stacked. The key may end up being goaltending, where Canada has some question marks.

[@MikeBartner]

Yep that's the one clear advantage

[@Markkanen340k]

Wtf, Canada has second best goalies in the tournament

[@djardine2520]

@@Markkanen340k Ullmark and Saros are better than anyone on Canada’s squad

[@Markkanen340k]

@@djardine2520 You clearly don't understand hockey enough. What trophies have Finnish, Swedish and American goalkeepers saved in recent years? Binnington 2019, Hill 2023 and Skinner within a win. Vasilevski and Kuemper with but they are not counted. Canada has the best goaltenders to handle pressure and win games = Most important things for goalies

[@djardine2520]

@@Markkanen340k It’s a team sport. If your team is good enough, it can cover up for merely good goaltending over the short term. Likewise, great goaltending can cover for mediocre offence over the short term. Binnington and Hill are good goalies. They’ve won Cups. And they may indeed lead Canada to victory in 2025. But odds are Canada would stand a better chance with Saros or Ullmark.

[@smk20086]

Arber Xhekaj snubbed smh😢 Edit: No Pezzetta too, unsubbing.

[@MikeBartner]

HAHAHAHAHA

[@kfreeman19]

If Kane is a ppg player by December, is he on team USA

[@MikeBartner]

Fair

[@PlebWRLD]

Sleeping on Weegar imo 😣

[@kfreeman19]

Do you think Hughes will play Center? I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s put on the wing and move Miller to the middle

[@FlyHenryFly]

laine 2nd line. tuevo, aho, and laine all have experience together

[@cohenmurchison6516]

Did he hust admit he likes to annoy canucks fans 😂

[@MikeBartner]

HAAHHAHAAHA indeed

[@warshawgameshd3432]

Why not have miller Centre the second line and hughes on the wing, since Hughes isn't good defensively and can't take faceoffs? I guess during games they can switch.

[@nyahkirouac7766]

kyle connor should be in the line up without a doubt

[@TheChronicFiend]

Crazy stuff...canada(mostly Quebec) use to produce tons of top end goalies...now binnington is gona b the starter😅

[@MikeBartner]

Yea it's brutal

[@BlackIjs]

No one is touching that US team. Unbelievable depth! Though I like the thought of McDavid, Mckinnon and Bedard on a line. A bit of a flashback to the Gretzky/Lemieux days. I like what you did pairing Eichel & Thompson. Sabres fans LOLing.

[@SatireAttire]

Canada is better that US

[@brettmcmurray6999]

Mark Stone gonna be on LTIR so don’t be afraid to throw Macklin in there

[@MikeBartner]

HAHAHAHA

[@jameskingscomicsandenterta3504]

Where's Steven Stamkos (Team Canada) and Patrick Kane (Team USA)? And Hedman's only on the 3rd line? Also, if Drew Doughty still isn't ready by 4-Nations, would Kris Letang have a chance of subbing him?

[@anthonydiliddo6065]

I’d have Robert Thomas and Stamkos as my extras. Wild to not even mention Stamkos. Although Canadas D doesn’t have the defensive edge on US I think their D offensively are much better. Also imo Binnington isn’t the best. I’d have Hill over him easily. Also it will be interesting to see how Connor Ingram does this season. I think he’s got a sneaky shot at making it

[@bradendrake5118]

Last year Binnington had the second high goals saved above expected in the league. If he is anything close to that, he is without a doubt Canadas best goalie currently.

[@earthisaprism6789]

I know it’s a long shot, but if Landeskog can get back to 60% of his form 2 years ago before the faceoff I think he has a shot to make team Sweden

[@ugiswrong]

Would Russia match up with us can swe or are they also more on fin level

[@MikeBartner]

The goalies and maybe forward too would lean Russia but the defensed would be a massive Sweden advantage.

[@matthewschoen3D]

what about 70-goal scorer Cole Caufield?

[@Goodstandards11000]

He would 100% be on the team.. trust me they love him

[@TheEsapirnes]

It's so funny to watch these lineup predictions as a finn. You'll be so wrong about many things. Finland's only issue D and lack of depth. There was like 8-10 D last season that played over 50 games. Finland has enough goalies and forwards to match against other teams. Finland realies alot to 2-way game. Defend well and as a team + have good PP and PK = you'll get your chances in offensive zone. You can see it in Finland's roster options also Barkov, Hintz, Aho, Haula, Granlund, Lehkonen, Armia, Ristolainen, Mikkola, Heiskanen, Hakanpää, Lindell etc. Even Rantanen and Puljujärvi are 2-way power forward. Besides IF Laine can play start of 2025 and shows that he still has it and Puljujärvi plays like he did in preseason, so then Finland could form again line Puljujärvi - Aho - Laine.

[@MikeBartner]

Hyping up Puljujärvi brotha

[@willb6913]

Team USA looks ridiculous. With that said (and I'm obviously biased) I still think it's up to every other nation to prove they are on Canada's level at a best on best tournament.

[@FalloutUrMum]

Wish there was a Russian team

[@MikeBartner]

They'd be clear of team Finland

[@loganhacker9329]

@@MikeBartnerand Sweden

[@seppokuusinen8595]

@@MikeBartnerAre you sure? Great forwards and goalies but their defense might be even weaker than the Finns’…

[@DM-bb8uz]

Low key Canada’s d core isn’t that great, it’s obviously very good but US clears easy

[@MikeBartner]

Yea outside of Makar it's a little slacking but still very good. They have a lot of top 11-25 defenseman

[@Kfkejs]

Laine wont probably be healthy so I would put Tolvanen in the third line and Luostarinen has to be In that fourth line with Lundell.

[@loganhacker9329]

Brisebois and cooper get a lot of say. Cirelli and Hagel playing 4th line

[@Snephets]

wtf no

[@loganhacker9329]

@@Snephets Cirelli I understand. Because there’s very little offense but Hagel was a legit 2 way ppg guy. That can pk. Specifically they pk together

[@MikeBartner]

Hagel maybe but Cirelli over fooking Nick Suzuki as the 4C would be a war crime

[@aidonismorydz]

I really hope Morrissey or Hellebuyck end up getting a spot

[@MikeBartner]

Both should easily

[@Goodstandards11000]

Kaiden guhle and Cole caufield will be on their respective sides

[@pekinobo]

I find it a bit sad that Russia is not allowed to participate. But we get what we get and I am looking forward to this tournament nevertheless.

[@ogdentaylor7473]

lowkey I think Russia would be the weakest team of the 5. Kaprizov-Malkin-Kucherov Panarin-Buchnevich-Tarasenko Ovechkin--Nichushkin-Svechnikov Kuzmenko-Namestnikov-Michkov Sergachev-Zub Orlov-Romanov Zadorov-Provorov Sorokin Shesterkin Insane goaltending and top 6 offense, pretty rough everywhere else

[@SirSoup]

Brock Faber should be on team usa

[@atlasshrugged6435]

I still think Brock Nelson deserves a spot on that American roster, but I can see him getting overlooked.

[@owen4557]

Funny

[@MikeBartner]

Don't hate that, if he's great to start the season maybe he will get the nod

[@mcj44]

@@owen4557 Brock Nelson continues to be the most under the radar player in the league

[@atlasshrugged6435]

@@owen4557please, enlighten me on how that’s funny

[@MedineBABA]

I feel like Hagel will make Canada’s 4th line. I have Hagel-O’reilly-Stone as my 4th

[@maxtaillon]

What about Brodin for Sweden?

[@MikeBartner]

Too many lefties

[@maxtaillon]

@@MikeBartner Thanks for answering! Also do you think Weegar could be a good fit in Canada's defence since like you said, they mostly have offensive guys?

[@mcj44]

Kyle Connor > Tage Thompson

[@nswan27]

100% would have Connor starting.

[@loganhacker9329]

Gimme McDonagh over Carlson as a veteran RD

[@goldtigre4979]

It’s not best on best without the Czechs and Russians 😔 Plus wtf no Leon?? Also you’re smokin something if you think Demko over Sway

[@OuiLeH]

He's german, the germans arent in the 4 nation

[@goldtigre4979]

@@OuiLeH I know lol, can’t have a best on best tourney without Leon

[@Markkanen340k]

I think Finland is going to win

[@DiamondDangles]

Just tell us you hate the jets brother

[@MikeBartner]

I have Hellebuyck starting, Morrissey on the 2nd pair, Lambert as an extra over guys with NHL seasons. Scheifele ain't close to making team Canada.

[@marquisduhsade]

Hedman glazers inbound

[@youngsvph7573]

nils hoglander is gonna have a breakout season and will end up making team Sweden

[@MikeBartner]

Oof would need to really breakout

[@dragonsymbol]

Hedman on pair 3 is insane. Swedens defense is just too good. Also the narrative of having Hyman on line 1 needs to change. As an Oilers fan Hyman should be nowhere near that. Put a bedard or sniper on a line with marner and mcdavid and magic will happen.

[@Isaias-v3x]

I’m saying point bedard mcdavid but Marner works too

[@EthanSeguin2]

Chris Kunitz did in 2014 they put him on Crosby's Wing for the Olympics

[@izmolaitela6684]

SUOMI PERKELE!!!!1

[@dvnd17]

Robert thomas is better than oreilly

[@MikeBartner]

O'Reilly is a better fit in the bottom 6

[@bradendrake5118]

@@MikeBartner I would rather Have Thomas over Suzuki, Barzal and honestly Marchand.