The Chicago Blackhawks likely would have sent one player to the NHL All-Star Game.
Since that event has been replaced with the 4 Nations Face-Off, it only makes sense for the Blackhawks to have only one player skating in the event.
Teuvo Teräväinen is the lone player representing the Hawks franchise in this showcase.
He will skate for Team Finland and is projected to play on the top line. However, the Finnish team is dealing with injuries ahead of their opening game this Thursday against Team USA.
Only 11 skaters were on the ice for Team Finland today.
We’ll see eventually where Chicago Blackhawks F Teuvo Teravainen and New Jersey Devils F Erik Haula end up playing in the lineup.
Lots of injuries going on with Finland.
— Vinnie Parise (@VinnieParise) February 10, 2025
Teuvo has 40 points on the season via 12 goals and 28 assists. He is coming off a two-point game in the Hawks final game before the 4 Nations break.
So, unless you are a huge Teuvo fan or a diehard Blackhawks fan, there are not many reasons for Chicago hockey fans to tune in and watch this inaugural event.
Well, if you love hockey or your country, then you have a reason to watch. Also, after months of enduring watching the Blackhawks, maybe it is worth watching some of the world’s best play hockey.
Otherwise, it is not worth tuning into this event, especially since Connor Bedard got snubbed.
However, he is using that as motivation. Then again, he has lot of motivating factors lately.
The media has been rough on the Hawks superstar lately. ESPN’s Mark Messier and TNT’s Paul Bissonnette rained down some heavy criticism about Bedard’s game. However, it ranged from pointless and trying to knock him down a peg.
At the same time, Canada is stacked with talent, so they can afford to leave him off the roster, considering he is still 19.
Plus, this is just an exhibition, so while it would be nice to have Bedard recognized among the league’s best, he should get some midseason rest. Plus, most of the NHL’s best are not getting recognized. There is no Swiss, Czech, or Russian representation since those countries are not being represented.
Russia being excluded makes sense given their political situation and the international blowback from the invasion of Ukraine.
Swiss and Czechia, two countries that boast some very good NHL players should have been included, and this should be a 6 Nations Face-Off. It is one reason this whole event is silly.
What would have been a better idea is to have a true hockey World Cup every four years. You can have that event and the Olympics alternating every other year and then in between have an NHL All-Star Game.
That would have been a better way to showcase the league’s best.
Instead, you have this farce of an event where a guy like Teuvo, who is having a solid season, gets the chance to play in a showcase event, but a superstar player like Bedard sits at home all because Connor is from Canada, and they have more elite players to spare.
