Ranking the 4 Nations Face-Off Injuries by Impact

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We have officially arrived at the NHL break, with the 4 Nations Face-Off set to get underway tonight. That means that, with some players bound for Montreal and others off to rest and recharge, we now have a crystalized view of what each country’s roster will look like now that all injury replacements have been determined. Even recent injuries to the likes of Sidney Crosby (Canada), Mikko Rantanen (Finland) and Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden) don’t seem to be impeding their participation in the tournament.

Related: Guide to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off

We’ve reached this point after a slightly bumpy road, as seven players who were initially named to the tournament in early December had to withdraw due to injury. Finland was forced to replace three of their original representatives (not counting Rantanen), while Sweden had to fill two roster vacancies and Canada and the US had to replace one each. While injuries are always a part of the sport, it’s nevertheless a blow to not be able to ice a full complement of healthy players at the first international hockey event featuring the world’s top players in years.

Of course, not all injuries are created equal. Let’s examine which country has been hardest hit by those missing in action as we rank the impact of the loss of each injured player.

7) In: Urho Vaakanainen, Out: Jani Hakanpaa (FIN)

The initial inclusion of Jani Hakanpaa on Team Finland was a head-scratcher, as the bruising defenseman had seen all of two games of NHL game action this season at the time of the selection, owing to a problematic knee issue. At full strength, it’s easy to see the appeal of the tough, physical 32-year-old. However, it’s hard to know what we can expect now, as the Toronto Maple Leaf has been sidelined for most of the past year and faces serious questions regarding his playing future.

Urho Vaakanainen certainly doesn’t have the same snarling, mean presence as a healthy Hakanpaa, but at least Finland knows what they’re getting from the 26-year-old. No, the New York Rangers blueliner probably won’t see top-four minutes, but he brings some value as a depth defenseman who can offer poise and stability to a unit that may need some. In other words, there shouldn’t be much drop-off here.

6) In: Drew Doughty, Out: Alex Pietrangelo (CAN)

By far the most decorated ‘replacement’ player in the group, Drew Doughty would have surely made Team Canada on his own merits were it not for his recovery from a broken ankle in the preseason. Now, in a nice little bit of serendipitous timing, the 35-year-old has worked his way back into action with the Los Angeles Kings at a time when Canada needed to find a replacement for Alex Pietrangelo, who opted out.

Now, let’s not dismiss the value of Pietrangelo, who remains one of the league’s most reliable defensemen as a two-time Stanley Cup champion who continues to play nearly 23 minutes a night into his mid-30s. In most circumstances, that type of defensive anchor is irreplaceable – just not on Team Canada. A blue line that already included stars like Cale Makar, Josh Morrissey, Colton Parayko and Shea Theodore now replaces one two-time Cup champion with another, who happens to already be pushing the 30-minute mark in his return to the ice.

5) In: Rickard Rakell, Out: William Karlsson (SWE)

William Karlsson hasn’t played since Jan. 20 due to a lower-body injury and won’t be available to Team Sweden, robbing them of a speedy two-way threat down the middle. The versatile 32-year-old ranks as one of the league’s top defensive forwards, but he also potted 30 goals a season ago.

Fortunately for Sweden, however, a deep forward corps meant there were alternatives to choose from. Mikael Granlund could’ve provided some veteran know-how, while William Eklund’s inclusion would’ve allowed the 22-year-old to gain a taste of international hockey competition. Instead, Sweden took the best available option in Rickard Rakell. At 31, Rakell is playing some of the best hockey of his career, with 25 goals and 48 points through 56 games thus far for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The loss of Karlsson stings for Team Sweden, but Rakell represents a pretty soft landing.

4) In: Nikolas Matinpalo, Out: Rasmus Ristolainen (FIN)

Between his eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres and four years with the Philadelphia Flyers, Rasmus Ristolainen has gotten used to being relied upon to log heavy minutes while delivering a solid, all-around game. In other words, he’s made a career out of providing exactly what the Finnish blue line would have needed. That’s why Sunday’s news that he would be forced to miss the tournament with an upper-body injury was such a blow.

Rasmus Ristolainen Philadelphia Flyers
Rasmus Ristolainen won’t be part of the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

As such, Finland was forced to dig even deeper into their rather thin pool of NHL defensemen, selecting Ottawa’s Nikolas Matinpalo as the 10th of the country’s 11 rearguards who are active in the league (apologies to Ville Heinola). Although he offers decent size (6-foot-3), Matinpalo remains a largely unknown quantity, having suited up for just 22 NHL games and seen sparse action when active. The selection of the 26-year-old likely came as a result of his participation in the 2023 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded a goal and two assists in eight games for Finland.

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3) In: Henri Jokiharju, Out: Miro Heiskanen (FIN)

Losing Ristolainen and Hakanpaa has hurt Finland’s defensive corps, but the biggest blow to the unit is the loss of Miro Heiskanen to a knee injury sustained in late January that required surgery. Not only is the 25-year-old one of the league’s biggest minutes-eaters (the Dallas Stars have him averaging more than 25 minutes per game), but he’s invaluable as both an elite defensive player and an offensively-gifted power play quarterback. He was expected to serve as the blue line anchor for the Finns.

The only saving grace to Heiskanen’s absence is that Finland had a ready-made replacement, Henri Jokiharju of the Buffalo Sabres. The 25-year-old is a smooth puck mover with speed and a willingness to block shots. But while Jokiharju probably deserved to be on Team Finland ahead of Hakanpaa in the first place, he has some large shoes to fill in place of Heiskanen, particularly on what is now a precariously thin blue line.

2) In: Samuel Ersson, Out: Jacob Markstrom (SWE)

While Connor Hellebuyck looks like the runaway winner for this season’s Vezina Trophy, Jacob Markstrom had played his way into a deserving second-tier of Vezina candidates. That’s how well the 35-year-old has played in his first season backstopping the New Jersey Devils – at least until he sprained his MCL on Jan. 22 against the Boston Bruins. That injury will likely keep him out of the Devils’ net until March, but will also prevent him from suiting up for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Under most circumstances, losing your No. 1 goaltender would spell doom to your tournament chances. Fortunately for Sweden, however, they boast enviable depth between the pipes. No, Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson doesn’t represent a suitable replacement for Markstrom. Instead, Ersson will slot in as the No. 3 option while Filip Gustavsson and Linus Ullmark lay claim to the crease. Gustavsson has been sensational this season for the Minnesota Wild, while Ullmark is rounding back into form for the Ottawa Senators after being sidelined with a back injury.

1) In: Jake Sanderson, Out: Quinn Hughes (USA)

Team USA is set to bring a star-studded roster to the 4 Nations Face-Off, but is it strong enough to withstand the loss of the consensus favorite for the Norris Trophy (not to mention a darkhorse Hart Trophy candidate)? Now that we know that Quinn Hughes is officially out of the tournament, we are about to find out. The 25-year-old defenseman opted out of the event on Sunday, making the agonizing decision to miss the chance to represent his country and play alongside his brother Jack in favor of healing up from an undisclosed injury that has cost him the past four games.

Team USA’s loss is the Vancouver Canucks’ gain, as the club will desperately need their defensive ace as they make a late charge amidst a crowded Western Conference playoff picture. In what has been a tumultuous 2024-25 season in Vancouver, Hughes has held things together, averaging over 25 minutes a night while recording 14 goals and 59 points in 47 games.

On the other end of things, the Americans still have plenty of defensive talent to lean on in the absence of Hughes. Adam Fox will likely take on a larger role on the blue line, while Zach Werenski, Noah Hanifin, Jaccob Slavin and Charlie McAvoy will all carry important roles. Jake Sanderson was named as Hughes’ replacement, but he and fellow 22-year-old Brock Faber may largely be around to gain international experience.

Once the tournament gets underway, all the focus on who’s missing is sure to give way to those who are present and ready to play. However, it’s worth remembering that every best-on-best hockey tournament – especially an in-season one – is likely to be waylaid by at least some injuries, and this year’s starry injury report is no exception. Therefore, depth will always be a critical component of identifying the most elite hockey nations. And we are about to find out who has enough depth to overcome these injuries.

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