The 4 Nations Face-Off is already proving to be the dark horse tournament in more ways than one. 21,105 fans filling Bell Center on the opening day of the tournament already proved that fans were pining for an international tournament. Furthermore, seeing familiar NHL players compete for their nations after eight years has only helped drive fan excitement upwards.
So why, despite nearly a decade of absence, did one of the greatest NHL players in history, Alexander Ovechkin, not get a chance to compete? Why did Sweden and Finland make it to the tournament when arguably the biggest powerhouse of European ice hockey got left behind? Well, the answer is both simple and complicated.
Putting it simply, while the NHL is largely responsible for hosting the 4 Nations Face-Off, they have to adhere to International Ice Hockey Federation rules. Unfortunately, the IIHF had bad news for Ovechkin, Nikita Kuchero, Evgeni Malkin, and other Russian stars. As per The Globe and Mail, the IIHF clarified its position on Russia and its ally Belarus last week.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
The IIHF said that it had banned the two countries from participating in international tournaments not just in 2025, but next year as well. While the Ukraine situation is one of those reasons but several Russian athletes already play in the NHL. In fact, players continue to move freely from the NHL to KHL and vice versa.
Tony DeAngelo transferred to the New York Flyers from SKA Saint Petersburg in January this year. That is why Pavel Bure, special representative of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, argued against the IIHF’s decision. “One of the IIHF’s arguments is the issue of safety,” Burel said, as per The Globe and Mail. However, the 4 Nations Face-Off organizers still tried.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
“More than 50 Russians play in the NHL… One of our suggestions was to finance additional security for Russia, to allow fans across the planet to watch one of the world’s best teams in action again,” disclosed Pavel Bure. However, the IIHF didn’t budge, and hence Alex Ovechkin and Team Russia didn’t make the cut. However, this could prove to be beneficial for Ovechkin’s NHL ambitions.
How the 4 Nations Face-Off exclusion may help Alex Ovechkin reach his goal faster
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Any hockey fan who hasn’t been living under a rock knows that the 39-year-old NHL icon is closing in on one of the NHL’s most coveted achievements. Set by the Great One Wayne Gretzky, it’s the all-time NHL goals record. While Alex Ovechkin has been chipping away at the record for years, he’s finally within touching distance of Gretzky’s record.
Scoring four times in the last four games, Ovechkin needs just 16 goals to surpass the 894 goals milestone. At this pace, the Washington Capitals forward will reach his coveted goal by April. However, here’s the kicker. Ovechkin would’ve already surpassed Gretzky as the NHL’s most prolific goalscorer if it wasn’t for an injury he sustained in 2024.
In November, Utah Hockey Club’s Jack McBain hit Ovechkin in the leg, putting the forward out of action. Three days later, fans found out that the Russian would be out for a while because he had broken his leg. Although the 39-year-old made a quick recovery, returning to action by the end of December, another short break thanks to the 4 Nations Face-Off may prove beneficial.
Although the Washington Capitals star has been in good form since his return, another resting spell might just boost his output even more, fast tracking Ovechkin’s road to the record. So, while fans are missing watching Ovechkin in action at the 4 Nations Face-Off, it may just have an upside.