The Four Nations Tournament is nearly six months away, and while the final rosters have not been decided there is a good chance the Leafs will be well-represented during the competition.
While the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander are guaranteed locks to be selected for their respective countries, it is certainly possible that they will not be the only Leafs to participate. Of course, it all depends on several factors ranging from health, production, and the needs of the respective countries as they set their rosters for the tournament, but Toronto has several players that could get serious consideration from the four countries taking part.
There were plenty of intriguing options that the likes of Canada, USA, Sweden, and Finland may consider on the Leafs’ roster, with these five players having the best chances of getting into the mix. This is not to suggest that they are surefire bets to play, but it is certainly probable that they get on the shortlist when the countries’ respective GMs make their final decisions.
John Tavares
He is far from the player he was during his prime, but John Tavares still has plenty left in the tank and has a strong chance of making Team Canada’s roster.
The reason why is two-fold: he has remained throughout his career consistent in terms of his offensive production and he is coming off a strong showing at the IIHF World Championship. Despite failing to help his country capture a medal, Tavares was from why that was the case as he tied with Dylan Cozens for the team lead in scoring with 11 points (two goals and nine assists) in nine games played.
By all accounts, Tavares garnered tons of high praise from the coaching staff and management about how he conducted himself and his performance at that tournament. On a more stacked Team Canada, he could be a solid contributor on the third line while bringing some invaluable veteran leadership. And knowing how much he values the opportunity to represent his country, don’t be surprised if Tavares puts in a strong showing to build his case for a spot.
Morgan Rielly
Morgan Rielly is more of a long shot because Canada is stacked on the blueline in terms of the projected roster. But even if that is the case, he will be in the running for one of the extra spots and could be high on the list of candidates to step in should there be injuries.
He may not have stood out among the plethora of defencemen in the league, but Rielly has certainly been a consistent presence in terms of his scoring abilities. At his best, he found himself in the top ten in scoring among blueliners with his best being in 2018-19 when he finished third in the league behind only Mark Giordano and Brett Burns. Leafs fans certainly have their gripes with his play on the top power-play unit but his presence there has played a part in why they consistently finish within the top ten in PP%.
It also helped that he has grown into a leader over the years and his calming presence off the ice could prove invaluable in a short tournament like this one. While he won’t be the first choice for Team Canada, they will be happy to have Rielly in the mix if they end up needing his services.
Calle Jarnkrok
If Calle Jarnkrok were to join Nylander on Team Sweden, it would be because of his strong two-way game and prowess on the penalty kill. That could prove vital for their forward core while being a strong complementary piece that is versatile in terms of where he can slot into the lineup.
He is typically a bottom-six player on the Leafs but over the years he has moved up to the top six and did not look out of place when doing so. Jarnkrok can play all three forward positions and can even shift over to the back end if it’s necessary, so Sweden would be at ease having someone that adaptable. By no means is he going to bring the offensive production but he can chip occasionally to provide that secondary scoring.
Depending on the type of roster the Three Crowns want to assemble, they may take a long look at Jarnkrok as an option for the bottom half of their lineup. It may seem crazy to think he has a shot, but the prospects of him heading to the tournament are not as outlandish as one may think.
Joseph Woll
The pathway for Joseph Woll to make the American roster seems to be difficult given that they already have three prime candidates in mind for the tandem. Should the projected picks be unable to play, there is a good chance that he will shoot up to be one of the contenders for a spot.
Of course, Woll is also prone to getting hurt and would need to stay healthy to give himself a fighting chance. But he has proven to be a solid netminder and a calming presence when he can play, as was evident this past season with the Leafs. He may have only participated in two playoff games this past spring, but he nearly singlehandedly helped claw his team out of a 3-1 hole to force a Game 7, where who knows how differently that goes if he didn’t get injured in the dying seconds of Game 6.
A strong start to the 2024-25 season could help propel him high up the US depth chart in the crease and put him in contention for the finalist to crack the roster next February. It is not likely he will get in this time around, Woll could soon be a regular participant in the Red, White, and Blue for years to come.
Matthew Knies
The idea of Matthew Knies making the US roster may seem far-fetched right now, especially given how stacked the Americans are upfront regarding their projected lineup. But a strong start to the year could be enough to garner him consideration as an extra forward.
Like Jarnkrok, Knies has shown to be a versatile player who can be a factor no matter where he is slotted in the lineup. Whether that be on the top line alongside Matthews and Marner or in a shutdown role, he can be effective in whatever the situation calls for. He also has a clutch bone in his body given all of the big goals and plays in the postseason he has already achieved in his young NHL career.
Although he struggled with the grind of a long NHL season in his rookie campaign, there will be no surprises for him going into next year and a better-prepared Knies could take a big step forward in terms of offensive production. That alone will help him gain some extra eyeballs for the American upper-management team as they round out the final spots of their lineup.
Honourable Mentions: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Timothy Liljegren, Jani Hakanpaa
