From Montréal to Boston, the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff produced a powerful international extension of hockey to casual or new viewers. This best-on-best tournament showcased the best scorers, incredible goaltending, heated rivalries, and intense clashes diehard hockey fans love.
Then, for added drama, the ten-minute, three-on-three overtime format is designed to generate more high-danger scoring chances. The 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff included three games settled in overtime. In hindsight, what separated Sweden from Canada was Mitch Marner. His overtime game-winner is even more significant once you realize Canada tied with Sweden in points, but winning last Wednesday in overtime put them in the championship.
The first edition of the United States versus Canada included almost everything a hockey fan could want. Based on the tone set in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, the United States and Canada were the best ambassadors to headline the best-on-best tournament in a championship game. Canada won the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff in overtime against the United States, 3-2.
But, if you’re viewing the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff through orange and black lenses, you’re fixated on the representatives from the Philadelphia Flyers (24-26-7). Including players and coaches, five represented the Flyers. John Tortorella is an assistant coach for the United States. Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) would’ve competed for Finland. Sam Ersson (Sweden), Travis Sanheim (Canada), and Travis Konecny (Canada) each competed on a national stage, receiving praise.
After the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff concluded, here’s how Philadelphia represented:
John Tortorella
John Tortorella was an assistant coach to Mike Sullivan. On the ice, you saw the impression Tortorella made on the roster. The style of play, particularly in the first bout versus Canada, looked as if Tortorella wrote the blueprint himself.
Skaters clogged the slot, blocked shots, and paced the physicality. But, when the United States faced Canada in the championship rematch, injuries played a role at very inopportune times. Sullivan couldn’t roll the same lines. Matthew Tkachuk only competed in 6:47TOI. That impacted checking that slowed Canada.
Checking is the foundation of a championship team. The teams that do it best are in the NHL postseason or make a push for the championship in tournaments like the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff.
Sullivan called upon Tortorella, and in representing Philadelphia, the nod to be an assistant coach for the United States in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff shows Tortorella is a revered name in the NHL.
Travis Sanheim
Travis Sanheim (1A) did compete in the championship to conclude the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff. He and Konecny are on top of the latest best-on-best tournament with Canada.
Shea Theodore (arm) left in the second period versus Sweden. Since then, Sanheim stepped into the defensive unit. Sanheim averaged 17:22TOI, notched an assist, blocked a pair of shots, and finished with a minus-one rating. He steadily replaced Theodore, who was a credible loss.
Sanheim evolved from a seventh defenseman into a starter in overtime before Connor McDavid scored the game-winner.
Travis Konecny
Travis Konecny competed twice in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff. Before the championship, Canada was undefeated with Konecny in the lineup and winless without him.
But, if we’re being honest, Konecny hadn’t contributed a sizable role in capturing a berth into the championship game. In two games, Konecny averaged 11:31TOI, fired two shots on goal, made four hits, turned the puck over twice, and finished as a minus-three as a fourth liner for Canada. He rotated out of the lineup with Seth Jarvis throughout the tournament.
Before the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff championship, Jon Cooper elected Jarvis over Konecny on the fourth line.
Konecny might’ve underwhelmed in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, but the first matchup between Canada and the United States was the perfect game to feature him. It was quintessential Flyers hockey: fighting spirit, physicality, and chippiness. History wasn’t on the side of scratching Konecny, but when the dust settled, Canada got the job done against the United States in the championship.
Sam Ersson
Sam Ersson (1-0-0, 1GAA, 97%SV) earned the only win amongst the goaltenders on the roster for Sweden. Unfortunately, Sweden was eliminated from championship contention when Canada defeated Finland in regulation.
Ersson was a late addition to Sweden when Jacob Markström suffered a sprained MCL. Filip Gustavsson became the starter. Linus Ullmark was the backup goaltender. When Sweden had nothing on the line, Ersson occupied the crease and handed the United States their first loss of the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff, 2-1.
His magnum opus was outdueling Jake Oettinger on the international stage.
Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) didn’t play in the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Faceoff. Nikolas Matinpalo replaced him.
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