Hedman Dahlin Gustavsson SWE 4NF bug

The 4 Nations Face-Off starts next Wednesday, and though most of the rosters are set, last-minute replacements for injury are still being made and will be until Monday.

So, it’s time to get down to brass tacks and figure out line combinations, defense pairs and goalie depth charts for Team Canada, Team United States, Team Finland and Team Sweden.

Practices start Monday and the first game for each country is Wednesday or Thursday, so much of the roster construction will need be figured out ahead of time.

With that in mind, a team of three NHL.com writers and editors will take a stab at the lineup for each country.

Here, NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman, senior writer Tom Gulitti and NHL.com/sv independent correspondent Peter Ekholm present how they believe Team Sweden should look when it opens the tournament against Team Canada on Feb. 12 at Bell Centre in Montreal (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).

The 4 Nations Face-Off will be held from Feb. 12-20 at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston. Tickets for each site are on sale now.

Forwards (13)

Jesper Bratt -- Mika Zibanejad -- William Nylander

Filip Forsberg -- Elias Pettersson -- Lucas Raymond

Adrian Kempe -- Joel Eriksson Ek -- Elias Lindholm

Viktor Arvidsson -- Leo Carlsson -- Rickard Rakell

Gustav Nyquist

With so much skill and versatility among the forward group, there's a lot of options here. Putting a left-handed shot like Bratt of the New Jersey Devils with two right-handed shots -- Zibanejad of the New York Rangers and Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs -- would give the top line some balance. Same goes for the second line with right-shooting Raymond from the Detroit Red Wings going with left-handed shots Forsberg (Nashville Predators) and Pettersson (Vancouver Canucks). Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings, Eriksson Ek (Minnesota Wild) and Lindholm (Boston Bruins) could provide speed, tenacity and strength as a checking third line that also could supply some offense. With William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights out because of an injury, there's an opportunity for Carlsson, 20, the second-year player from the Anaheim Ducks and the youngest player on the roster, to center a fourth line with Rakell, who's having a huge bounce-back season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Arvidsson (Edmonton Oilers). Nyquist (Predators) slides into a utility role as a forward who can contribute anywhere in the lineup. -- Kimelman

TOR@EDM: Nylander lasers it in through traffic for the opening goal

Defensemen (7)

Victor Hedman -- Rasmus Dahlin

Gustav Forsling -- Erik Karlsson

Mattias Ekholm -- Rasmus Andersson

Jonas Brodin

Defense is perhaps Sweden's deepest position. Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who was named Sweden captain, has been a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL six times and won it in 2018. Karlsson (Penguins) won the Norris three times (2012, 2015, 2023) and finished second in voting twice (2016, 2017). Forsling helped the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup last season and has emerged as one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NHL, and Ekholm's stay-at-home presence was invaluable during the Oilers' run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. Andersson (Calgary Flames) is having perhaps his best season, and Dahlin continues to evolve with the Buffalo Sabres. Brodin is healthy just in time for the tournament. After missing 12 games for the Minnesota Wild because of a lower-body injury, he returned against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. Karlsson and Andersson were the only right-shot defensemen selected, but Dahlin plays regularly on the right side for Buffalo and likely will play there at 4 Nations Face-Off as well to balance the three pairs. Hedman, Karlsson and Dahlin are candidates to run the power play from the point and there are plenty of solid options for the penalty kill, including Andersson, Forsling, Ekholm, Brodin and Hedman. -- Gulitti

TBL@NJD: Hedman ties it up in opening period

Goalies (3)

Filip Gustavsson

Linus Ullmark

Samuel Ersson

Losing Jacob Markstrom (New Jersey Devils) because of an MCL sprain is tough, because he was the favorite to be the No. 1 goalie after starting the season 21-9-5 with a 2.20 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in 36 games. Gustavsson (Wild) likely will be the starter, especially with Ullmark just returning to the Ottawa Senators lineup after missing 18 games because of a back injury. Gustavsson should be in consideration for the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL. He’s shown the ability to carry Minnesota on many nights and could do the same for Team Sweden in this tournament. Ullmark, now healthy, is expected to be the main backup. Ersson, 25 and in his third NHL season with the Philadelphia Flyers, will do well having this experience at this stage of his career. He likely won’t play much, if at all, but he does have international experience, with a 1.44 GAA in four games to help Sweden win the bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. -- Ekholm

MIN@CAR: Gustavsson stops 21, blanking Hurricanes

Related Content