NHL.com debates which Maple Leafs, Stars player will have biggest impact at 4 Nations

It’ll be a star-studded affair when the Dallas Stars host the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; Victory+, SN, TVA).

Among the bold-faced names are eight players that will take part in the 4 Nations Face-Off, which will be held from Feb. 12-20 at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston. The tournament features teams from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden and is the first best-on-best international tournament using NHL players since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The Maple Leafs (19-10-2) have center Auston Matthews representing the United States, defenseman Jani Hakanpaa playing for Finland, forward Mitch Marner for Canada and forward William Nylander for Sweden.

The Stars (19-11-0) have three players representing Finland, forward Roope Hintz and defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, and goalie Jake Oettinger will play for the United States.

Though each of these players have a major impact on their NHL team, they will play different roles for their national teams at the 4 Nations.

With that in mind, we asked a panel of NHL.com writers to identify which player from the Maple Leafs and Stars will have the biggest impact in the 4 Nations.

Here, in alphabetical order are their answers:

Miro Heiskanen

It’s doubtful Heiskanen will have the most points or goals in the tournament, but we’re talking overall impact here, and I believe he will have that for Finland. He averages 25 minutes per game, he’s on Dallas’ top power-play unit, their second penalty-kill unit and you know he's going to be a big part of Finland’s special teams as well. His all-around game is exactly what Finland needs. Heiskanen will be great at defending and helping drive the offense, be it 5-on-5 or on the man-advantage. He’s been one of the NHL’s best defensemen since coming into the League in 2018 and he’ll be a big part of Finland’s success in this tournament. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Roope Hintz

I might not be going with the most well-known name on the board, but I think Hintz can have an out-sized impact on Finland. His 13 goals this season are second among Finnish players in the NHL to the 18 scored by Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche. We’ve seen him get hot in big moments, too. Think about the run the Stars made to the Western Conference Final in 2023. He led Dallas in scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 19 games, six points more than Jason Robertson, the next-best scorer. And Finland will need him. The team that is often counted out is also often the best at playing like a team in big situations -- and that’ll be doubly the case for Hintz, who is playing alongside Stars teammates Heiskanen and Lindell. (The Florida Panthers have four players on the Finland roster). He may not have the name recognition of Matthews or Nylander, but I think his name will be front and center come February. – Amalie Benjamin, senior writer

Esa Lindell

Like Hintz, Lindell may not be the flashiest player on Team Finland, but he’s capable of having a huge impact in the tournament. Lindell is a stay-at-home defenseman, who will be utilized against opponents' top players. He is likely to play on Finland’s top defensive pairing with Heiskanen, with the two logging massive minutes while playing in all situations. If Finland is going to be successful in the tournament it will have to play well defensively and Lindell will play a major role in trying to keep players such as Matthews, Connor McDavid, and Nylander of Canada in check. Lindell averages 22:03 a night with the Stars, and it’s expected that number will be higher with Finland, which does not have the firepower Canada, the United States and Sweden have. Now in his ninth season, Lindell has proven to be one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Mitch Marner

The Maple Leafs forward will touch every part of Canada’s game in the 4 Nations Face-Off, making him arguably the most important forward for Team Canada. He should make an impact on the score sheet. Marner entered Tuesday tied for third among all Canadian forwards in the NHL with 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists). He should help shut down the top forwards for the United States, Sweden and Finland. His 26 takeaways this season are first among all Canadian forwards. He could play on the first power-play unit and his playmaking and ability to control the puck will be huge. Marner’s 16 points on the power play are tied for first among Canadian forwards with Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Marner will be, or at least should be, the first forward over the boards on the penalty kill. He averages 2:29 of shorthanded ice time per game, which is first among the forwards on Canada’s roster. Whether it’s 5-on-6 or 6-on-5 situations at the end of the game, Marner will be on the ice. – Dan Rosen, senior writer

Auston Matthews

Though there are certainly plenty of worthy candidates on this list, the Maple Leafs captain is my choice due to the fact he not only is a proven goal-scorer and point producer, but prolific on face-offs, which, as we know, is imperative to puck possession. Since returning to the lineup Nov. 30 after missing nine games with an upper-body injury, Matthews has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in nine games. He's won 56 percent of his face-offs (235-for-420) this season and leads all Toronto forwards with 34 blocked shots. Toronto also has a 53.3 percent shot attempts percentage at 5-on-5 when Matthews is on the ice. He's big (6-foot-3, 217 pounds), strong along the wall, tough to move in front of the net, creates space for his linemates and is the engine of any offensive line as a top-line center. -- Mike G. Morreale, senior draft writer

William Nylander

The foward plays in the shadow of Matthews and Marner with the Maple Leafs, but the 4 Nations Face-Off will be his chance to shine while representing Sweden. Nylander has already excelled on the international stage, particularly at the IIHF World Championship. In three appearances, Nylander had 37 points (15 goals, 22 assists) in 21 games. As a 21-year-old, he helped Sweden win gold at the 2017 tournament with a team-high 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 10 games. Sweden didn’t win a medal the next time Nylander played at the world championship in 2019, but he led the tournament with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in eight games. The competition will be at a higher level at the 4 Nations Face-Off with only NHL players competing but expect Nylander to elevate his play as well. -- Tom Gulitti, senior writer

Jake Oettinger

Look, I know Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets is the odds-on favorite to start for Team USA. He is the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy and the best American goalie of his generation. But short tournaments aren’t about resumes. They are about who can get the job done and Oettinger has proven he can in pressure moments. In his first playoff series as a No. 1 goalie in the NHL, he had a .954 save percentage and 1.81 goals-against average in a seven-game loss to the Calgary Flames in 2021-22. Last season, in a run to the Western Conference Final, he had a .915 save percentage in 19 games. He has won gold on the international stage as well, claiming championships at the U-18 and World Junior Championship levels. If he gets a chance, Oettinger will be a difference maker. – Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial