New Jersey Devils fans are in for a treat in February. It has now been confirmed that three of their players: Jesper Bratt (Sweden), Jacob Markstrom (Sweden) and Erik Haula (Finland) have been selected to their respective country’s rosters for the Four Nations Face-Off. They likely aren’t the only Devils participating, however, as Canada and the United States have yet to be announced.
Bratt currently leads all Swedish NHL players with 35 points. He hasn’t suited up for his country since the 2019 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships, where he had two points in six games. But he’s a much better player now than he was then. He’ll receive a much-deserved chance to play a major role alongside some other very talented Swedes, like William Nylander and Lucas Raymond.
Markstrom is one of the most internationally accomplished Swedish goaltenders of all-time, earning a medal in five different international tournaments, but none since the 2013 IIHF World Championships, where he won gold and had a .934 save percentage (SV%). He has not suited up at all for Sweden since that same 2019 tournament, where he was teammates with Bratt. Devils fans should keep an eye out for how Sweden will manage their goaltenders, as an argument could be made for any of Markstrom, Linus Ullmark or Filip Gustavsson to take the starting job.
Although the Finns are the shallowest team on paper, they’re deep enough to where Haula should remain in a bottom-six role, just like he’s in with the Devils. He last suited up for Finland at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, which is ironically the last time the NHL saw true best-on-best action. He won silver at the 2014 IIHF Worlds, notching one assist in six games.
Bratt, Markstrom and Haula are the only three players on their current roster to hail from Finland or Sweden, meaning the Devils did not have any roster snubs from this round of roster announcements.
The tournament will take place in both Montreal, Quebec and Boston, Massachusetts from Feb. 12 – 20, 2025. It will be visible on TNT, ESPN and ABC in the United States; Sportsnet and TVA in Canada.
