The Toronto Maple Leafs had three participants in the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Mitch Marner representing Canada, Auston Matthews captaining the United States, and William Nylander playing for Sweden. Jani Hakanpaa initially had a spot with Finland, but his ongoing recovery from a knee injury prevented him from partaking in the tournament.
The 4 Nations Face-Off delivered plenty of thrills and entertainment, culminating in a championship game on Thursday (Feb. 20) that rivalled the intensity of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Canada emerged victorious with an emotional 3-2 triumph in overtime.
Auston Matthews’ Injury Scare
While it didn’t amount to anything serious and was probably more about rest for precautionary reasons, Matthews’ last-minute absence versus Sweden on Monday (Feb. 17) due to upper-body soreness was eyebrow-raising. He mentioned it was a new issue and was not the lingering upper-body problem that has kept him out of 15 games this campaign. Matthews said he felt much better shortly after Team USA’s 2-1 loss to the Swedes, strengthening the suspicion that he skipped the game for maintenance purposes. The Americans had already secured a spot in the championship game, so there was no reason to push him.
Related: Can the Maple Leafs Contend Without Matthews?
Matthews was all over the ice in the tournament finale, suggesting further that whatever this “new” injury is, it probably isn’t serious. Still, it was a concern, especially after seeing other stars like Shea Theodore and Charlie McAvoy sustain what are likely to be long-term injuries. Matthew Tkachuk was also ailing in the championship game.
Maple Leafs’ Trio Deliver Mixed Results
Marner, Matthews, and Nylander didn’t pile up points in the 4 Nations Face-Off, but they had their moments.
Nylander chipped in two assists, had three shots on goal, and didn’t light the lamp in three appearances. He fought the puck occasionally and didn’t get many of the breakaway chances he has grown accustomed to in NHL games amid stingy defensive play from all the entrants in the tournament. He created some great chances for his teammates, but it was surprising that he didn’t find the back of the net. After all, Nylander was the highest goal scorer among skaters taking part in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Marner was the hero for Canada against Sweden on Feb. 12, scoring the overtime winner to save the team from squandering two multi-goal leads. However, he was quiet offensively afterward until the championship, when he ended a two-game pointless skid with two primary assists. Marner’s defensive work was noticeable throughout the tournament, resulting in him moving away from a scoring line and into a checking role. However, he was back on a combination with Connor McDavid and Brayden Point in the third period of Canada’s win over the United States, and the line was dangerous off the rush and on the cycle. Eventually, Marner set up McDavid in the slot for the overtime winner.
Matthews failed to score any goals but broke out in the title game versus Canada, contributing two primary helpers and spending most of his minutes playing alongside Brady Tkachuk. The duo was dominant, and they both had some incredible scoring chances in overtime that the much-maligned Jordan Binnington adeptly turned aside. Binnington’s heroics in the extra period staved off a furious U.S. attack spearheaded by Matthews, who was essentially seeing double duty due to a shortened bench. Matthews and Adam Fox were a bit out of position on McDavid’s winner, but it was a fast-developing play after Cale Makar played the puck around the boards to Marner, who quickly found McDavid. Jack Hughes was also playing too high, perhaps cheating for a quick-strike pass for a chance at the other end, and he ended up in no-man’s land. Mistakes happen on any goal scored, but Matthews was among the best players in the tournament and was a driving force for Team USA in the championship game.
Additional Maple Leafs Were Deserving of Spots
Chris Tanev was mentioned frequently as an option for Canada. When Alex Pietrangelo relinquished his spot on the roster, Tanev’s name surfaced as a potential replacement. The tournament wasn’t an All-Star Game by any stretch, and the 35-year-old’s shutdown style would have made him a solid choice. He is also an outstanding puck mover and penalty killer.
John Tavares has nearly been a point-per-game player this season. Despite a dip in his possession metrics, he’s been more efficient at getting his shots through and wins most of his puck battles. The 34-year-old centre is also among the best faceoff practitioners in the league, winning 57.2 percent of 830 puck drops. He would have been a dependable depth option for Canada.
Anthony Stolarz has been excellent in the crease this season, exceeding all expectations along the way and posting a 10-5-2 record with one shutout, a 2.08 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage across 18 appearances. The Edison, New Jersey native could have been the third goaltender for the United States in the tournament but probably wouldn’t have received any playing time behind Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger.
They weren’t major snubs but could have earned roster spots, and no one would have batted an eye. However, they all probably benefited more from the additional rest. Tanev’s shot-blocking aptitude might have caused an injury, and he’s too valuable to the Maple Leafs to lose for the stretch run. Similarly, Tavares and Stolarz have missed chunks of 2024-25 due to injuries, and the break gave them extra time to recover.
What’s Next for the Maple Leafs?
Following a 13-day break, the Maple Leafs return to action on Saturday (Feb. 22) against the Carolina Hurricanes. Saturday’s matchup will be Toronto’s first home game since a disappointing showing on Jan. 29 versus the Minnesota Wild, and the team plays seven of its next nine contests on the road. Marner, Matthews, and Nylander will rejoin the Leafs, having already played in high-intensity hockey this season. Nylander has risen to the occasion before in high-stakes games, but it was encouraging to see Marner and Matthews elevate their play in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship. It will ramp down slightly once teams resume the 2024-25 regular-season schedule, but the March 7 trade deadline will spice it up again while the battle for playoff spots and jockeying for positioning begins.
