TORONTO >> Connor McDavid likened the 2024 NHL All-Star weekend to a reunion for one of the most exciting international hockey teams ever assembled.

McDavid was talking about Team North America, one of the two league-made entries added to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. It was a group of U-24 players from the United States and Canada, and it was a window into the sport’s future.

Among players who were NHL All-Stars this season, that team included McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Auston Matthews, Connor Hellebuyck, Morgan Rielly, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trochek. McDavid referenced that team because the NHL announced a planned return to best-on-best international hockey during All-Star weekend, the first time since Team North America wowed the sport eight years ago.

“It’s going to be exciting,” McDavid said. “Obviously Canada-U.S., it doesn’t get any better than that in hockey and I just can’t wait to have a chance to be a part of that.”

The first tournament on the new NHL-focused international hockey calendar will be the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, which is expected to be held at arenas in Canada and the U.S. around this time next season. It will feature the two host nations, plus Nordic archrivals Finland and Sweden.

Beyond that, the NHL plans to send its players to the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics, while the league and players’ association are also planning for a return of a fully-stocked World Cup in 2028 and 2032.

There won’t be a Team North America-style team at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but several of its alums will feature prominently now that they are in the prime of their careers and makeup many of the best players in the world.

Who should make the four rosters? The only eligibility requirements are that players must be under an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season and on an NHL roster as of Dec. 2, 2024. The league is going to announce the first six players for each team soon, and the rest of the rosters sometime closer to the tournament.

Here’s our projected rosters for what MacKinnon called a tournament to hype up the return of NHLers to the main event, the 2026 Olympics in Milano, Italy:

Canada

Strengths>> Starting any team with McDavid, MacKinnon and Cale Makar is a pretty good way to win a gold medal. Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand and Mark Stone still being elite players during the back half of their careers helps too. Canada has the most high-level NHL players to choose from, so there will be All-Star level talent going to a tropical beach somewhere during the break.

Weaknesses>> The overall talent gap between the Canadians and both the Americans and Swedes has closed some. This is not clearly the best forward group, despite the generational talent leading it. It’s not clearly the best defense corps. And we’re burying the lead — Canada’s goaltending choices are clearly the weakest of the four countries and will be a huge talking point for the next 11-12 months north of the border

Avs?>> MacKinnon has said on multiple occasions this season, including in Toronto, that he wants to play on Crosby’s wing and would gladly shift over to do so. Pairing those two with Marchand for an All-Nova Scotia line would be a great story. Keeping Makar with Devon Toews just makes too much sense, given it’s been arguably the best defense pairing in the NHL for the past three-plus seasons.

United States

Strengths>> Simply put, it will be the most talented American hockey team ever assembled. There will be at least one goalie that doesn’t make this team that right now would be a shoo-in No. 1 for Canada. The center depth is great. The top-four on defense is fantastic. There will be size, speed and skill everywhere in the lineup.

Weaknesses>> This will be the most talented American hockey team ever assembled … which means the highest of expectations, too. We’re nitpicking, but some of the best options for the 6/7 spots on defense are very young.

Avs?>> Not likely, unless recently-named general manager Bill Guerin heard MacKinnon’s lament as All-Star GM and decides he wants Logan O’Connor as a penalty-killing specialist.

Finland

Strengths>> The Finns usually get by with team-based moxie and guile, but those top-two lines are scary good. A power-play unit with Mikko Rantanen, Aleksander Barkov, Sebastien Aho, Miro Heiskanen and someone from a local beer league who played college hockey could be potent. Juuse Saros could be the best goaltender in the tournament.

Weaknesses>> It’s still the least-talented group of the four, but the Finns have always punched above their weight. Here’s the key stat: There are currently 24 Canadian defensemen averaging 22 minutes or better per game in the NHL. The U.S. has access to 12. Sweden has nine, almost 10. Finland has one. If the Finns were to win this thing, Heiskanen, or Saros, will likely need to play at a tournament MVP level.

Avs?>> Artturi Lehkonen wouldn’t be a bad choice as the third guy on Rantanen’s line, though Matias Maccelli is a really fun, skilled player who could be a breakout guy in that role. Joel Kiviranta isn’t far off.

Sweden

Strengths>> This could be the best defense corps in the tournament. There’s really strong center depth. That first line is all kinds of awesome.

Weaknesses>> Not a lot of obvious ones. There isn’t a Henrik Lundqvist-level goaltender, but at least two guys who are better than the Canadians. The Swedes will be the hockey hipsters’ pick to win.

Avs?>> Will Gabriel Landeskog play well enough after returning for the Avs to make this team? It would be a great story, and the Swedes could absolutely use him.