Team Canada has officially announced its roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tourney. Also, the other three teams USA, Sweden, and Finland all announced their respective teams on Wednesday. This is a very exciting time for fans, players, and everyone behind the scenes too. Head coach Jon Cooper will have a riches of possibilities to build line combinations with on this team. It’s not difficult to imagine the excitement given the collective hockey world has been without best-on-best hockey since 2016, or you could even argue 2014. Therefore, let’s get into the debate of the roster. Who is more than deserving of their selection and who is perhaps a surprise omission.
The official roster for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off
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Best-on-Best Team Canada 2025 Roster
Before we get into the roster, it is a bit unfortunate the first tournament in eight-and-a-half years featuring best-on-best only showcases four teams. However, we will add that given the teams attending it is a good mix of opposing styles. Furthermore, as we discussed this is the first tournament of its kind since 2016, but some will argue best-on-best hasn’t truly been seen since 2014. Even though the 2016 World Cup of Hockey was considered best-on-best, many countries, including Canada and the USA were without a couple of their top talents. The reason for that was the creation of Team North America. That team was comprised of players 23-and-under from the two countries. A number of players from that tournament will be involved in this one such as Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, or Connor Hellebuyck.
Let’s Get Down to This Team
Studying the roster, we shall start with the forward group. The timing of this tournament does signify the changing of the guard. Sidney Crosby, the man who scored the Golden Goal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, will officially be passing the torch on to the fourth fastest player to ever reach 1000 points, Connor McDavid.
The Lightning bench boss definitely had influence on the team with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel making the team. The hardworking duo are both point-per-game players or better this season.
Moreover, players that were on the bubble that either did or didn’t make the team are worth discussing. Alexis Lafreniere and Mark Stone are a couple of examples of players who have been playing great. Despite some injury difficulties, Stone clipping away at over an assist a game is a testament to his hard work. Steven Stamkos as a veteran and the experience with the coach would have always made for a safe choice. However, one true disappointment has to be Zach Hyman. For a player that scored 54 goals just a season ago and has had many great linemates, even back to his time with Toronto, his exclusion does hurt. But besides a select few, this really is a team of what have you done for me lately.
This Defence Could Win Championships
Team Canada has always had a great defence on its teams. Whether it was Scott Niedermayer at the twilight of his career factoring in on 2010 or more recently Shea Weber or Alex Pietrangelo, over the years, the D have passed that torch along as well. This time around there certainly are a lot to choose from but it seems the next generation has emerged. They are led by none other than perhaps the best defenceman in the game, Cale Makar. However, after Makar, the waters get a little murky due to the tight competition. Guys like Morgan Rielly or Noah Dobson have certainly put in work. Pietrangelo was always going to be a great veteran option or the up-and-comer like Evan Bouchard. Also, Shea Theodore is as steady as they come on the left side. In the end, the general manager Doug Armstrong must have had some pull landing Colton Parayko on the backend.
The Backstoppers are the Last Line of Defence
One position with a major question mark for Canada was goaltending. Especially when you compare against the USA with the likes of two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck or Jake Oettinger at their disposal. But, we must say, a few Canadian goalies have stepped up this season when it mattered. Of course, what matters is selection to this team. Let’s also not forget that Canadian netminders are known for stepping up big when it matters most. That is evidenced by the amount of times recent Stanley Cup winners had a Canadian as their starting goalie.
One goalie who has stepped up this year is in fact a cup winner. Jordan Binnington has done all he can to make his St. Louis Blues team okay. Sure, we aren’t seeing Binnington’s career-best, as a rookie we might add, .927 save percentage in jeopardy of being matched. However, he has been steady on a less than steady Blues team in 2024-25. Binnington has shown good maturation and is deserving of the call. Adin Hill and his Stanley Cup experience makes him a solid choice in net. Finally, Sam Montembeault has a way of stepping up in big games. He plays well at the Bell Centre, where the tournament is partially being held. Also, he has played well for Team Canada in the past. Another goalie who has been hot and had put himself in this conversation was Logan Thompson of the Washington Capitals. Some like Thompson or Connor Ingram had an outside chance if their play dictated their inclusion, but everyone can’t be at their best. And for GM Doug Armstrong and crew, that’s all the matters. There’s no sympathy selections on this squad.
There You Have it Folks the Team Canada 2025 Roster
Well there we have it, the Team Canada roster. Anytime countries meet in a best-on-best setting, Team Canada is considered one of the favourites. This tournament will be no exception. In fact, in the 14 times we have seen a best-on-best Canadian team, they only lost four times (1981-USSR, 1996-USA, 1998-Czech Republic, 2006-Sweden). It’s so unfathomable there hasn’t been more best-on-best tournaments over the years. Canadian fans and players can’t wait for this one. 2016 was so long ago and it feels like the changing of the guard barely applies. This Team Canada will be hungry. The top players in the game, like Nathan MacKinnon, along with Makar or McDavid are on this team. They have something to prove and will do anything to get the job done.
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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