The 4 Nations Face-Off will feature some of the greatest talent in the NHL going head-to-head in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20.
On Thursday, fans will get somewhat of a preview when the Edmonton Oilers play the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1).
Oilers center Connor McDavid, Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and defensemen Cale Makar and Devon Toews will be playing for Canada, and Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen will be playing for Finland.
Add in German-born Edmonton superstar Leon Draisaitl, and the talent on the ice will make for must-watch TV.
“It’s always fun, they’re a great challenge,” McDavid said of facing the Avalanche. “Whenever you get that many stars in one game, it’s always fun.”
Edmonton and Colorado have recent history in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to fuel their rivalry, meeting in the 2022 Western Conference Final. The Avalanche cruised in a four-game sweep on their way to winning the Cup.
The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing 2-1 in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers. Edmonton is looking for a return trip and may have to go through Colorado this time around.
“I think it’s exciting, always to play against those guys,” Rantanen said. “They’re obviously very, very good players. To match up against them and try to (win), they always have good games against us. It’s pretty high-emotion, lot of little chippiness because they’re obviously a really good team. They were really close last year to winning it all, so they have some swagger in their play.
“But I think it’s fun to play against them, even though it’s kind of is not fun because there’s really good players. But it’s fun to watch them close and try to close them down.”
Thursday is the second of three games between the teams this season; Edmonton (28-13-3) won 4-1 at Colorado (27-17-1) on Nov. 30. McDavid had an assist; Draisaitl and MacKinnon were held off the score sheet for one of the few times this season.
The Oilers will host the conclusion of the season series Feb. 7 before eight players from the respective clubs -- also including Avalanche forward Artturi Lehkonen (Finland), Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm and forward Viktor Arvidsson (Sweden) -- convene for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“It’s a great challenge, that five-man unit they put out there with MacKinnon, Makar and Toews and Rantanen and all those guys, it’s pretty tough,” McDavid said. “It makes for fun hockey.”
The game features four of the past five Hart Trophy winners in MacKinnon (2024), McDavid (2023, 2021), and Draisaitl (2020). All three are in contention to be named most valuable player again this season.
Makar, who won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman in 2022, has 50 points (13 goals, 37 assists) in 45 games this season, tied for the League lead in scoring among defensemen with Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (15 goals, 35 assists in 44 games). Toews has 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 41 games.
MacKinnon leads the NHL with 70 points (15 goals, 55 assists) in 45 games; Rantanen is fourth with 61 points (25 goals, 36 assists).
“I’m trying to be at my best, I’m trying to be at 100 percent every night,” MacKinnon said. “Some days you just don’t have your best, and you have to do your best with what you have, and I think that's how you are consistent. Because with this schedule, you’re never going to be 100 percent, but you can’t let perfect get in the way of really good or great, so that’s kind of what I'm trying to be at.”
Meanwhile, Draisaitl is second in the League with 65 points (31 goals, 34 assists) in 44 games; McDavid is fourth with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) in 41 games. The Oilers are 15-3-1 in their past 19 games.
“Yeah, it’s always a challenge; they’re really good players obviously, and that (top) line (Jonathan Drouin-MacKinnon-Rantanen) is as dynamic as it gets,” Draisaitl said. “It’s always a challenge against them and we have lots of great players ourselves.”
NHL.com independent correspondent Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
