Five players from the Tampa Bay Lightning were named to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off roster tonight. Two of them - Brayden Point and Victor Hedman - had already been announced on June 28, when each team revealed six of the 23 highly coveted spots. Going into tonight’s full roster unveiling, I felt fairly confident that Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel would represent Team Canada and Team USA, respectively. What I wasn’t sure of, however, was whether Anthony Cirelli would make the cut. As I watched the event on TNT, I couldn't help but wonder if there were a few players who were more deserving, as I mentioned in an article just yesterday.
So, when the teams were announced, I was pleased to see Jon Cooper, who is coaching Team Canada, choose his second-line centerman. While some fans took to social media to voice their discontent - something that seems to happen with every sport's all-star-ish roster announcement - it’s hard to deny that Cirelli’s selection was well-earned. Sure, his offensive numbers might not match up to some of the other potential candidates, but his two-way game is crucial to the Lightning’s success. Cirelli currently sports a solid +11 plus-minus, and has been more than impactful on both ends of the ice. And while some fans point out there could have been some favoritism in play, Cirelli’s consistency and value in all areas make him a deserving choice.
4 Nations Face-Off 🇨🇦🇸🇪🇺🇸🇫🇮#4Nations pic.twitter.com/HLPgEVoT9c
— Erik Granqvist (@ErikGranqvist) December 4, 2024
In the end, the Lightning will be well-represented at the tournament. Victor Hedman will suit up for Team Sweden, while Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, and Anthony Cirelli will all skate for Team Canada. And then of course the U.S. will have Lightning forward, Jake Guentzel on their roster.
My only issue with this whole situation is that Russia couldn’t be included in the tournament due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It’s an incredibly sensitive issue, and I fully recognize the gravity of the situation affecting so many people. That said, it would have been great to see Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy suit up for their country in a best-on-best event. On the other hand, their absences could actually work in the Lightning's favor, as Kuch and Vasy will have the opportunity to rest and stay healthy for another playoff run.
Still, it should be a treat to watch some of our guys take the ice against the league's best. The tournament will take place starting Feb. 12 2025 and will last til Feb 20.