The 4 Nations Face-Off is generating a lot of numbers, owing to the heated hockey action on the ice-cold rink. There have been only two games, which are Canada vs. Sweden and the United States vs. Finland, and many fans are excited for more in the international tournament. However, owing to the latest update, a particular concern of Team Canada might become a trouble for other nations participating in this event too.
So what happened? Heading to X, TSN’s Ryan Rishaug shared his concerns about one of the star players of Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off, stating, “Not a great scenario for Canada. Makar sick, forward playing D at practice and no ability to bring Harley in to where the game is being played tomorrow. All feels a little odd. What if Makar is a game time decision?”
Cale Makar is one of the alternate captains of the team, and yes, he adds a lot of value to the team’s defense. However, the update surrounding his health isn’t looking promising for Canada. The defenseman missed out on the practice session on Friday, and this was important. Why so? Well, as per the 4 Nations Face-Off schedule, Team Canada will be facing Team USA at the Montreal Bell Centre, and with the classic rivalry between the two neighbors, the home fans will want a team that has all of their main players on the roster.
However, this particular health concern surrounding Makar has spread like wildfire, as NHL analyst David Pagnotta reported on X, stating, “Seems like Cale Makar isn’t the only player at 4 Nations dealing with an illness. Sounds like something may be going around, and some players on all countries are taking precautions – they don’t want to risk missing any action.”
Now, this doesn’t sound good. Hockey is a tough sport, and having ill players on the roster is never the wisest decision for any team. However, if a certain illness is spreading around the rink, this will be a problem for the whole tournament and even the fans, considering the health and safety standards.
Seems like Cale Makar isn’t the only player at 4 Nations dealing with an illness. Sounds like something may be going around and some players on all countries are taking precautions – they don’t want to risk missing any action.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) February 14, 2025
The 4 Nations Face-Off replaced the annual All-Star games, and while there were a lot of questions at first, fans did enjoy the first match between Team Canada and Team Sweden. However, the expectations crossed the benchmark after the second match between Team USA and Suomi. The logic is quite simple: all of these nations have hockey stars from the NHL, the AHL, and many more prominent leagues, and this is what makes it interesting.
So if there’s any kind of disease that is spreading in the rink, it’s very concerning, as these players can’t afford any kind of health problems going back to the regular season for their franchises. Apart from the other countries, losing Makar in the main roster will be hurtful for Canada, as they already had one of their star defensemen pull out of the tournament before.
Tough fate for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off
Team Canada was off to a great start with the first goal of the tournament coming in just the first period’s 00:56, owing to Nathan MacKinnon’s goal. However, tragedy struck the squad right after Brad Marchand’s goal when Sweden’s Adrian Kempe hit Shea Theodore. The defenseman’s body struck the side wall, and it didn’t look good on the cameras.
Indeed, there was damage, as Theodore suffered a wrist injury, as his right hand was involved in the incident. Immediately, he got out of the rink, and after the medical reports, it was confirmed that the defenseman was out of the 4 Nations Face-Off for the rest of the games.
Jon Cooper, Team Canada’s coach, also gave his remarks on this incident, stating, “It’s heartbreaking for the kid. And he was the first one there at the door high-fiving everybody when we came off.” Indeed, the Canadian side has lost a big talent for the rest of the tournament, and with the concerning news surrounding Cale Makar, it’s clearly not looking promising for the red sweaters.
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