U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland unveil 1st 6 players for 4 Nations Face-Off tournament

By STEPHEN WHYNO The Associated Press
FILE - Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid is congratulated by Colorado Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon, left to right, Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby and Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews after winning the NHL All-Star hockey skills competition in Toronto, Friday, Feb. 2, 2024. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have never played together internationally for Canada. Same for Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk with the U.S. That is finally set to change next year at the 4 Nations Face-Off, an international tournament precursor to the 2026 Milan Olympics that marks the return of NHL players to that world stage.(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Frank Gunn]

The U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland have named their first six players for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off taking place in February. Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk are among the Americans. Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon are among those chosen by Hockey Canada. The tournament is a precursor to the 2026 Milan Olympics that marks the return of NHL players to that showcase event.

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