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Viktor Arvidsson, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

3 Oilers Who Will Be Competing at the 4 Nations Face-Off

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Brian Swane | Last updated Feb 9, 2025 9:05 AM ET

There will be a break in the NHL’s 2024-25 season schedule over the next couple weeks while the 4 Nations Face-Off is contested at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre in Montreal. The inaugural tournament features teams of NHL players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

The competition begins Wednesday (Feb. 12) and continues with round-robin games on Thursday (Feb. 13), Saturday (Feb. 15) and next Monday (Feb. 17). TD Garden hosts the championship final on Feb. 20.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is considered hockey’s first true best-on-best international competition since the World Cup of Hockey was held in 2016. NHL players haven’t participated in the Olympics since 2014, and the annual IIHF World Championships take place at the same time as the Stanley Cup Playoffs, limiting the number of NHL players available to take part.

Here’s a look at the members of the Edmonton Oilers who will be representing their respective countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Viktor Arvidsson

Viktor Arvidsson, 31, is set to wear his country’s colours for the first team in nearly seven years. The forward was part of Sweden’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2018 World Championship in Denmark. He appeared in five games and scored three times, including the winning goal in the semi-final against the United States.

The native of Skelleftea has also represented his country at several age-group international championships. He helped Sweden win silver at the World Junior Championships in 2013, when he tied for the team lead with four goals.

Arvidsson is in his first season with the Oilers after signing with Edmonton as a free agent last July. He has appeared in 40 games, totalling seven goals and 11 assists with a plus-7 rating in 2024-25.

Mattias Ekholm

Arvidsson will be joined on Sweden’s roster by veteran Edmonton blueliner Mattias Ekholm. The two current Oilers became world champions together as members of Team Sweden in 2018.

Ekholm is representing his country for the first time since 2019 when he made his fifth appearance at the World Championships. All told, the Borlange product has won five medals in international competition, including gold at the 2007 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, bronze at World Juniors 2010, bronze at the 2014 World Championship, bronze at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, and gold at the 2018 World Championship.

Now in his third season with the Oilers, Ekholm has recorded seven goals and 17 assists in 54 games. The 34-year-old ranks second on the Oilers with a rating of plus-17.

Connor McDavid

The greatest Canadian hockey player of this century, centre Connor McDavid, will finally get to represent his country in a true best-on-best tournament, at the 4 Nations Face-Off. While McDavid competed at the World Cup in 2016, he was part of Team North America, which comprised North American players aged 23 and under, not Team Canada.

McDavid has won gold with Team Canada at three different levels: the U18 World Championship in 2013, when he was named tournament MVP; World Juniors in 2015, when he tied for the tournament points lead; and the World Championship in 2016. He last wore the red and white at the World Championship in 2018, when Canada placed fourth.

The 28-year-old from Richmond Hill is in his ninth season as captain of the Oilers. McDavid has appeared in 49 games in 2024-25, totalling 22 goals and 49 assists to tie for fourth in the NHL with 71 points.

Edmonton fans won’t have to wait to see the Oilers players in action at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The opening game of the tournament will see McDavid and Team Canada battle Arvidsson, Ekholm, and the rest of their Swedish teammates at Bell Centre on Wednesday. Puck drop is set for just after 6 p.m. M.T.