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The 4 Nations Face-Off is an international tournament put on by the NHL that will debut this February. Team Finland's roster was announced on Wednesday and it is a group that is looking to shock fans around the world. Their preliminary lineup featured Aleksander Barkov and Miro Heiskanen, two stars who played NHL games in Finland this year. They added this group to their base roster.
Team Finland has one of the best goalies in the world as their starter. Juuse Saros got a massive extension to stay in Nashville and has had a solid season for an underwhelming Predators team. Kevin Lankinen has been great in relief of an injured Thatcher Demko in Vancouver. And Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen can be the goalie of the future for Finland.
The defense has four solid defenders but lacks in depth. Heiskanen is routinely a Norris Trophy candidate and has had a solid season playing with Esa Lindell. Parachuting the Stars' top pair onto Team Finland is a smart move for this short tournament. Niko Mikkola and Rasmus Ristolainen would be a solid second pair but the depth is lacking.
Up front is a similar story, as Roope Hintz, Barkov, Sebastian Aho, and Mikko Rantanen are great but beyond that it's bleak.
Team Finland players to watch before the 4 Nations Face-Off
This will be Team Finland for the February tournament unless there are injuries. The teams can make changes due to injury up until the day before the tournament. These players will be watched with a careful eye by Finnish fans heading into the tournament and looking even further to the 2026 Olympics.
The key player to watch is Kaapo Kakko, the former second-overall pick who will represent his country for the first time as a pro. For their depth to improve, Kakko must have a great two months. So far, he has four goals and nine assists in 24 games for a floundering Rangers team. An improvement from him would help Finland and the Rangers.
Many eyes will be on Patrik Laine, who made his debut with the Canadiens less than 24 hours before the roster announcement. His goal-scoring knack could be a huge difference-maker for Finland. His run in Columbus was not strong but he can start this chapter of his career on a great note with a solid tournament.
Jani Hankanpaa, Olli Matta, and Jusso Valimaki will all be battling to get into the starting lineup. One of those defensemen will be the seventh man and not play as much as the other two. That battle will be interesting to watch this winter.
