In less than three months, the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off competition will take place in Montreal and Boston, and on Dec. 4, the official rosters will be announced. At The Hockey Writers, we have been projecting the players who will represent Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland since February.
The Colorado Avalanche should be well-represented at the tournament. Based on the June unveiling of each country’s first six players, the club already knows that Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar will play for Team Canada, and Mikko Rantanen will play for Team Finland, provided they are healthy – staying healthy has been difficult for the Avalanche lately, so knock on wood that they are all good in February.
But MacKinnon, Makar, and Rantanen might not be the only Avalanche named to Team Canada and Team Finland. Colorado has a diverse roster and several players’ performances merit consideration for inclusion in the Face-Off. Here’s a look at some other Avs who could join MacKinnon, Makar and Rantanen in February:
Devon Toews – Team Canada
Makar is currently the only defenceman named to Team Canada, but who better to play him with than his defence partner Devon Toews? Together, they are one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL. While Makar can play freely and quarterback the offence, Toews is the anchor who can recover if the play is broken up and is more than capable of controlling the offence.
While Toews has one goal and six assists this season, his offensive game hasn’t jumped out compared to other Canadian defensemen. But his chemistry with Makar is undeniable, and he is reliable. Canada will have a lot of offensive firepower from the blue line, with players like Josh Morrisey, Evan Bouchard and Morgan Rielly, but Toews would be the perfect anchor.
Artturi Lehkonen – Team Finland
Rantanen may overshadow Artturi Lehkonen’s production, playing alongside MacKinnon, but he has proven to be a versatile player, and his chances of earning a spot in Team Finland’s top six are very high. He is primarily a left winger but has demonstrated his ability to play on the right when necessary. Given the depth of Finland’s roster, this flexibility opens up many lineup possibilities. A top line of Lehkonen- Aleksander Barkov- Rantanen would be a great option.
Lehkonen has dealt with some injuries this season, which makes his three goals and seven points a bit low. However, since returning from injury reserve, he has looked great, playing alongside MacKinnon and Rantanen. He would provide solid depth to Finland if they want to stretch out the lines. With potential wingers like Patrick Laine, Teuvo Teravainen, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi joining the roster, they could play Lehkonen anywhere in the lineup to boost their offence.
Joel Kiviranta – Team Finland
Joel Kiviranta could be a dark horse addition to the team, given how well he’s been playing. He’s been very productive this season, and injuries have pushed him up the lineup, even earning some time on the top line with MacKinnon and Rantanen. With four goals and one assist, Kiviranta could provide an offensive boost to Finland’s bottom-six. But, even more, he would provide solid defensive skills with his physical game, blocking shots and playing on the penalty kill.
Kiviranta could find himself on a line with Mikael Granlund, Eli Tolvanen, Eric Haula, or even Matias Maccelli. Pairing him with a centerman with some speed would be a good option. He is surprisingly quick and can help with puck battles along the boards or cause traffic in front of the net to generate high-danger scoring chances.
Colorado will see Makar, MacKinnon, and Rantanen at the 4 Nations Face-Off, one near lock with Toews, and perhaps some exciting depth pieces on Team Finland. While the players will certainly want to hear their names announced next Wednesday, it’s understandable if the club’s front office might prefer rest and recovery time instead of a physically demanding and competitive mid-season tournament. The tournament takes place from Feb. 12 – 20, 2025 and will replace the All-Star Game this year.
