The United States has been dealing with a rash of injuries leading up to their 4 Nations Face-Off Final against Canada.
The good news for Team USA is that head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that both Matthew and Brady Tkachuk are expected to play and that he anticipates captain Auston Matthews being available for the championship. Matthew suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday’s (Feb. 15) fight-filled 3-1 win over Canada. Brady, meanwhile, exited early against Sweden for precautionary reasons after he slammed into the post going hard to the net, while Matthews was held out with upper-body concerns.
However, Charlie McAvoy will miss the Final and is expected to miss multiple weeks after undergoing a procedure on Tuesday to cut out and clean an infection. The 27-year-old was hospitalized Monday night after developing severe pain due to an infection stemming from the ailment. The good news is that McAvoy’s health appears to have no long-term ramifications.
This injury situation has many questioning how effective the United States can be in its rematch with Canada.
The Impact of Physical Play
Notwithstanding the three fights, the United States’ game plan for their first game was to play a very physical contest against the talented Canadian squad. The Americans used a stifling forecheck that gave Finland fits and frustrated Canada’s best efforts to use their super-skilled star players to open the game up.
But will the injuries to McAvoy and the Tkachuk brothers make this plan less effective in the Final? While the Tkachuks are expected to play, we don’t know how banged up they are because the NHL does not require teams to divulge injury information beyond the basic upper or lower-body injury. So until we see them in action, we cannot be sure just how physically they can play on Thursday.
BRADY TKACHUK IS A BEAST @spittinchiclets
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 16, 2025
In losing McAvoy, the United States lost a player who had five hits against Canada, including two solid shots on Connor McDavid.
Lost in the news about the four players already mentioned, the injury status for bottom-six grinder Vincent Trocheck is unknown. He was seen shaking off a hand injury before briefly leaving during the first period of the game against Sweden. He played just 1:53 in the third period and only 10:48 on the night.
Even if something changes on the injury status between now and puck drop, 4 Nations Face-Off roster rules limit what teams can do to replace injured players. The United States would have to drop below six active defensemen and 12 forwards in order to bring in a new player.
You know all of these players will give their all in the Final. The big question is whether the injuries will limit what these key members of Team USA can do against Canada.
Re-injury Concerns
If, as expected, the United States does come out and play physically, what happens if one or more of these players re-injure themselves and cannot play?
Losing one or more of these players would be a big blow to the United States’ chances of defeating Canada and winning the tournament.
One of the biggest injury concerns for the Americans is Matthews. The captain for Team USA has missed 15 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs across two stints this season due to an upper-body injury and has played very well when returning from these injuries.
Many are also wondering if the injuries to the players trying to push through will be more of a hindrance than a help in such a meaningful game. Such is the case with Matthews. While he has been praised for his defensive play in the two games he participated in, his lack of offensive production has some worried. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has been more or less a point-per-game player, with 48 points in 55 career playoff games. This is less significant in a short tournament but an increase in offensive production would be welcomed in the Final.
Related: Clarifying the Confusing 4 Nations Face-Off Roster Rules
With another story added to the already loaded plot, the best-on-best matchup between the United States and Canada is poised to be one of the top moments in hockey history.
