The 4 Nations Tournament Will Reveal Something About Guerin and Hynes

In February, Bill Guerin and Johnes Hynes will demonstrate their leadership skills at the 4 Nations tournament. Guerin will act as Team USA’s general manager, with assistance from Chris Dury and Bill Zito. John Hynes will assist coach Mike Sullivan for Team USA alongside David Quinn and John Tortorella. 

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a new tournament that will replace the 2025 NHL All-Star Weekend. The tournament will have a team representing four countries: Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. 

When the tournament was announced, the International Ice Hockey Federation ranked the participating countries in the top 6 (Sweden has now dropped to 7th). 

Who’s missing? The 4 remaining teams in the IIHF top 8 are Russia, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland. Germany and the Czech Republic do not have enough players to create a team since all players must be under an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season. Russia was excluded due to the international political climate, and other teams were likely left out because the tournament must have even numbers.

Unfortunately, that means 4 Nations will not have some top talent. While many players are probably happy for the break, some feel left out. David Pastrňák took a jab at the NHL for not including the Czech Republic after their IIHF World Championship win. 

The tournament will replace the usual NHL All-Star Competition, which has declined in popularity recently. NHL players and coaches don’t want to get injured or lose their midseason break, and fans find it boring. 

The NHL also announced that their players will be allowed to participate in the 2026 and 2030 Olympics, which is exciting considering they haven’t appeared since 2014. The 4 Nations Face-Off is a way to get the competitive energy going and build hype for the Olympics. 

Guerin has already had to make difficult choices between players. While the USA has many incredible players, building a roster is not picking the top 23 American guys. Guerin is putting together a group he feels will form a competitive team.

Guerin stated that Hellebuyck, Oettinger, and Swayman were “near-unanimous decisions.” However, Thatcher Demko may have been part of the mix if he was not injured. 

Team USA might have a range of players to pick from, but they don’t have time to build chemistry and practice together. Guerin noted that their priorities were hockey sense and versatility. Given the lack of predictability for injuries, having players who could play wing and center was important.  

While the NHL has star rookies like Connor Bedard or veterans like St. Paul’s Ryan McDonagh (who was also considered by Team USA), the GM looked for middle ground. 

For example, Bedard earned the Calder Trophy last year and is having a great season, but he’s still 19.  Jack Hughes and Brock Faber are some of the team's youngest guys, but they are still in their 20s and have a few years of NHL experience. 

Despite being top scorers, Team USA left Cole Caufield and Tage Thompson off the roster. Guerin explained that they weren’t just looking for recent talent but players who could carry out their style of play. They considered Patrick Kane and Ryan McDonagh but are on the wrong side of 30 and ultimately did not make the cut.

He pulled together two sets of brothers: Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Jack and Quinn Hughes. Many of the guys have played together before, but bringing in brothers is a way to build team chemistry when there’s no time to actually build chemistry. 

Playoff experience also played a role. Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk have both brought home the Stanley Cup. McAvoy, Fox, Slavin, and Guentzel also have extended playoff hockey experience. 

The Team USA roster is completely filthy, and the coaching staff is equally accomplished. Sullivan, Tortorella, Quinn, and Hynes all have a bit of history and bring something different to the table. 

Although the Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t had playoff success in the past two years, there’s a reason Mike Sullivan has remained behind the bench when many other coaches would’ve been long gone: He’s a clear leader.  Sullivan is known for his ability to communicate, listen, and motivate a team, as well as contempt for losing. 

Hynes has been able to turn around the Wild completely, so it’s exciting to consider what he’ll do with the best of the best. Injuries are potentially an issue since the tournament is still months away. Whether it comes up beforehand or during the tournament, Hynes has a lot of practice making lines work despite injuries. He also has a talent for strategy and picking the game apart, whereas Quinn is an outgoing personality who is “about trusting his players.”

Hynes’s strategic approach and Quinn's more personable nature also balance out Tortorella, who is known for saying exactly what he thinks all the time. Tortorella has a strong personality and will stand up for the team. He isn’t afraid to call out refs, reporters, coaches, or players -- including his own -- when something is out of line. 

As for the history among this group, Sullivan and Quinn were teammates when they played for Boston University and later coached in Pittsburgh together. Sullivan also was assistant coach to Tortorella when he was the head coach for the Vancouver Canucks. 

Hynes also played for BU, coinciding with the years Quinn returned as an assistant coach, and they are good friends. Hynes has also worked with Tortorella since the pair coached the 2016 USA World Cup team together. At that point, Hynes had only been an NHL head coach for one year and described Tortorella as a mentor. 

While the outcome doesn’t technically matter, the 4 Nations Face-Off is a great opportunity for Hynes and Guerin to get into the spotlight and demonstrate their leadership and experience.  Success here could also open up opportunities down the line. 

It’s a chance for Bill Guerin and John Hynes to show they can hold their own in global tournaments and could be part of future Olympic teams. The experience also gives them a chance to scout players they might want for an Olympic team if they’re given that opportunity. Undoubtedly, the pair will bring their best to the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.